Hades Project Zeorymer Fan Fiction ❯ Meiou Shojo ZEORYMER (Hades Maiden ZEORYMER) ❯ Episode 3: Awakening, Part III – Last Guardian ( Chapter 3 )

Episode 3: Awakening, Part III: Last Guardian

<Masato-kun… Masato-kun…>

Flashes from rotating lights and the wailing of sirens issued up from the town in the valley below. In the abandoned warehouse at the base of the nearby mountain range, all was quiet save for a soft weeping emerging from its interior. Within the warehouse's dusty confines, the still-armored form of Masato knelt on the cold, concrete floor, highlighted by beams of moonlight shining through the hole-ridden roof. His face was covered with both hands as he continued to sob despondently.

<Masato-kun, it's okay!> Miku's voice attempted to soothe. <Sachiko-chan … Pugi … all the people in that village—they're all just fine!>

"Y-you can't be s-sure of that, M-Miku-chan!" Masato replied in a muffled blubber. Lowering his palms, the transformed teen sniffed and wiped furiously at his eyes. As tears continued rolling down his cheeks, he continued: "Wh-whatever that l-last th-thing I d-did was, it ne-nearly leveled the entire t-town!"

<But it didn't!> Miku countered. <I was able to channel the flow of extra-dimensional energy so that it propagated upwards towards the enemy, and away from the ground below!>

"And w-what if you hadn't d-done that?!" Masato shot back. "W-what would have h-happened if you hadn't r-redirected that attack—if a-all of that energy h-had been allowed to g-go off at full force from where we were standing?!"

Miku's silence was all the answer that Masato needed. Bowing his head, the boy-turned-girl looked down at his metal-encased, claw-tipped fingers. Gritting his teeth, he curled both of his hands into fists.

"A-and… and th-that's not even the w-worst of it…" Masato added, scrunching his eyes shut as he spoke, "W-when… when all was s-said and d-done… rather than s-stay and help, I ran away like a c-coward as soon as s-someone gave me a n-nasty look! S-some hero I turned out to be…"

<Oh, Masato…> Miku uttered sympathetically, but her words did not seem to register. Instead, Masato's clenched hands began shaking, his arms quivered, and tears continued to fall from his eyes.

"I don't want this…" Masato muttered. He began tugging at the various layers of armor and fabric covering him. "I don't want any of this! Get me out of this stupid outfit! Give me back my normal body!"

[DOES USER WANT TO UNDO (CROSS-DIMENSIONAL COMBINATION)?]

Masato blinked at the unexpected intrusion of the digitized voice from his armor. With everything which had happened since he transformed, he had almost forgotten about it until now.

<Masato-kun, wait—> Miku started to say.

"Yes, I want to 'undo'!" Masato interjected with a yell, looking skyward, and throwing his arms out in the air. "I want to undo all of it right now!"

[COMPLIANCE.]

Once again Masato was consumed by a blazing gold light and rushing roar of noise. Miku's voice quickly faded away as every nerve ending in his body suddenly lit on fire. Overwhelmed by the raw, unfiltered wave of sensation coursing through his being, Masato lost track of time as his consciousness dissolved into nothingness. He didn't even realize that he had passed out until his eyes eventually opened. His view slowly focused, revealing that he was face-down on the dirty floor of the warehouse.

[BIOMETRIC TEMPLATE FOR USER_"Masato_Akitsu"_UPDATED. SETUP SLEEP_MODE. STANDBY… READY. SHUTTING DOWN…]

Coughing out a mouthful of dust, Masato barely heard the words of the mechanical voice in his slowly emerging consciousness; however, his ears twitched as they took in the next sound to reach them:

"Masato… kun?"

Turning his head towards the hesitant voice, Masato's eyes met the concerned, violet-hued gaze of Miku—once again corporeal and standing above him in her armored jumpsuit. Groaning, he unsteadily forced himself up on his hands and knees. Every single muscle ached as though he had just run a marathon. When Miku reached down and offered a gloved hand, Masato smiled and gratefully accepted the assist. He allowed himself to be pulled up until he was resting on both feet, held tightly in Miku's arms, and braced supportingly against the body of the taller girl…

Wait.

Sweat began beading on Masato's forehead as he slowly pushed himself away from Miku. His anxiety rose as he realized that, even though he was now fully standing, he still had to tilt his view up a few inches to look into the girl's eyes. He could clearly remember it having been the opposite before…

Stepping backward, Masato nearly tripped as the heels of his now oversized shoes got caught in the cuffs of his pant legs—pooling up in multiple folds around the bottoms of his feet. Just as he was steadying himself, the waist of Masato's pants began slipping down past his hips. He found himself letting out a panicked squeak as he quickly reached down to grab at his beltline. Grasping his too-loose trousers around his thighs, Masato then noticed that the sleeves of his shirt—which had previously just covered his upper arms—now reached well past his elbows.

With quivering, frightened eyes, Masato looked up desperately at Miku. The chestnut-haired girl's own eyes were round and wide. She held up one shaking hand to cover her mouth in apparent shock.

"Masato…" Miku uttered waveringly. "You … you're…"

Breathing heavily, Masato reached up with a free hand and clumsily unfastened the collar of his shirt. Yanking his top open, Masato looked down at the exposed neck hole to the only portion of the garment that had become tighter rather than looser. When Masato's eyes fell on the two prominent bulges atop his chest, his mouth opened wide. He let loose a piercing scream—!

Gasping for air, Masato bolted upright from the bed on which he had been sleeping. His face was flushed and dripping with sweat as he struggled to catch his breath. Resting his forehead on raised knees, Masato waited until his heart rate and breathing both slowed. His shoulders slowly slumped as the tension gradually eased away. Once he felt slightly more settled, Masato looked up blankly— sluggishly taking in his new, unfamiliar surroundings.

The space was dark and barely illuminated; however, thanks to the soft glow of monitoring instruments, the various hums and beeps of machinery, and the mild, sterile odor of antiseptic, Masato was quickly able to deduce that he was in a hospital room of some sort. Looking down revealed that he was seated atop a standard diagnostic bed, He was clothed in a short-sleeved, robe-like gown, while a thin sheet and blanket covered his legs.

Masato scowled—he hated hospitals, having spent time in them far too often as a child. Additionally, he couldn't remember how he had arrived in this room or who had changed his clothes. These facts, along with the lingering sense of unease from his recent nightmare, worked to spool a new coil of anxiety and rising panic at his core. As Masato began to hyperventilate, he rested a hand against his chest to calm himself … and jolted when his fingers pressed down against an unusually firm but pliant surface.

Swallowing a nervous gulp, Masato raised his hand back up. He used a finger to pull the neckline of his gown away from his body, and then (just like in his earlier dream) glanced down at the opening. Grimacing and ashen faced, he slowly released the gown, allowing the cloth to settle against the noticeable, weighty swells beneath it. Struggling to maintain his composure, Masato slowly trailed one of his arms down the length of his body. He then extended a hand above the space between his legs—giving his lower region a series of tentative pats with an open palm.

He felt nothing.

Choking back a rising lump in his throat, Masato wrapped both arms around his legs as he curled into a ball. He softly whimpered as he buried his head into the quickly dampening bed sheets atop his thighs. After a minute or two of quiet lamenting, Masato finally raised his head, sniffing and brushing away a thin trail of snot with the back of one hand. As Masato reached up to rub away at the moisture clouding his sight, a movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. Warily, he turned and looked to his side—his eyes now having adjusted to the darkness and seeing the room's interior more clearly.

On the opposite side of the room from Masato, sitting up in an identical bed, was a girl roughly the same age as him. The girl was likewise dressed in a pale medical gown, with wide eyes and a messy mop of auburn hair which fell just past her shoulders. Based on her raised palms, puffy eyes, and twin trails of moisture on both cheeks, it seemed like she had just finished a lengthy crying spell of her own. Her eyes gleamed in the room's low lighting, as she stared back at Masato with a matching level of uncertainty and trepidation.

Gulping again, Masato raised his bedclothes away from his legs. Languidly swiveling around, he gently lowered both of his feet to the floor beside his bed—cautiously testing his weight against the ground.

The girl across the room did the same, moving at an equal time and pace as he.

Keeping his eyes locked on his seeming roommate, Masato pushed himself off and away from the bed until he was standing upright. He took a tentative step … and nearly face-planted before catching himself on a metal standing table positioned next to his bed. Masato leaned against the table to steady himself—his legs quivering beneath him with an unexpected amount of weakness.

Opposite him, Masato could see that the girl had similarly lost her balance. Her legs wobbled as she too rested against a rolling tray table, seemingly also struggling to hold herself upright.

Closing his eyes, Masato took a few deep breaths, then pushed himself back to his full height … and nearly fell again, but this time he was able to catch himself and remain standing. Holding both arms out away from his body, Masato labored to maintain a sense of equilibrium as his weight shifted unfamiliarly beneath his waist. In all, it felt like a series of pins had been removed from his torso, leaving his hips free to sway and gyrate around his lower back like a spinning top. Hesitantly, and with arms still outstretched and slightly shaking, Masato slowly placed one trembling foot directly in front of the other. He then took a cautious step forward.

The girl across the room did the same, her raised arms also waving as she stared apprehensively at Masato.

Swallowing, Masato took another step … then another … and another … shuffling forward to the other side of the room like he was walking up high on a tightrope. Drawing closer to the girl (who was moving at a similarly measured stride), Masato could more clearly make out aspects which were harder to see at a distance and in the dim lighting of the room…

For instance, the girl's eyes—big and round, and colored a similar shade of rust brown as her hair. Or the girl's figure, which though obscured by her gown, Masato could see was slender but well-proportioned. He was drawn out of these observations as the approaching girl sluggishly extended her open palm towards him, just as Masato was beginning to do the same. For a moment, Masato and the girl hesitated, each swaying unsteadily on their feet. Then they both breathed in, took one more step, and leaned forward until their fingertips touched…

…and Masato's palm flattened against the cool, polished surface of a full-length mirror. All the while, he stared agape at his apparent, now undeniable reflection.

For the umpteenth time in recent memory, moisture built-up around Masato's eyes as he gradually took in the image before him. Overall, this new, feminine form possessed softer, more rounded features than his formally sharper, more angular self. Poking and probing at his altered visage, Masato noted how his nose was now smaller and more upturned. His eyebrows were likewise thinner, while his eyelashes were thicker and more plentiful.

However, despite these (and other obvious) physical differences, Masato could still see the cast of his old appearance in this different face he now wore. While thinner, the eyebrows had a similar overall shape to what he formally remembered lining his brow. Though longer and a different color, his head of auburn tresses retained the same overall texture and thickness as his previous mess of black locks. Even the eyes, now larger and more expressive, took the same angled tilt along their top edge that they had before above his hitherto narrower orbs.[1]

As Masato continued to examine his reflection, he saw a door behind him in the adjacent wall slide open. He then observed as Miku tentatively stepped through the opening— her body silhouetted against the harsh, fluorescent lights of the corridor outside, and carrying a covered tray with both hands. Rather than her combat jumpsuit or even the school uniform she had worn to Masato's class, Miku was now dressed in a flowing, white blouse with a violet kerchief tied around her neck; a blue below-knee skirt; dark stockings; and ankle-length leather booties. When Miku turned towards the unoccupied medical bed, Masato noticed that she had pulled back two lengths of her hair behind her ears—tying them together in a thick braid which lay along the back of her otherwise loose curls. [2]

On not finding Masato in bed, Miku's head whirled around, her eyes wide and frantic. She quickly scanned the rest of the room, nearly dropping the tray she was holding in the process. When she spotted Masato standing in front of the mirror on the far wall, the girl's posture visibly relaxed.

"You're awake! Thank goodness…" Miku said happily, a relieved smile on her face. "I was getting worried … you've been asleep for almost two days. The nursing staff only just took out your IV line an hour ago…"

Balancing the tray on one hand, Miku raised her free arm and snapped her fingers together. In response to the gesture, recessed lighting along the walls lit up and illuminated the room's interior. As the room slowly brightened, Miku turned and stepped towards the bed, carefully placing the tray down on the table Masato had previously used to prop himself up. The girl paused, casting a momentary glance back towards Masato; however, he continued to stand with his back to her, silently staring at himself in the mirror. Miku's smile wavered but she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and turned back to the bed.

"I thought you might be hungry, so I made you some food," Miku continued with a somewhat more forced level of cheer. She raised the cover on the tray, revealing a steaming bowl and utensils atop a plate. "It's just rice porridge, so I'm sure it should be edible. Admittedly, my sense of taste is somewhat … unconventional."

Setting the tray cover on the bed, Miku again looked back at Masato. The transformed boy was still facing away from her, seemingly oblivious to her words and actions. Miku's brows furrowed as a mix of emotions flashed across her face, and her lips tightened into a light frown. Huffing once sharply through her nostrils, Miku turned back to the bed, channeling her seeming turmoil into action as she forcefully straightened and folded the bed linens. After fluffing and resetting the bed's pillows, she paused and cast another glance back over her shoulder. Masato remained standing and staring at his reflection. With a growing level of concern, Miku turned, her hands clasped below her waist and lightly fidgeting with her skirt.

"Masato-kun…?" she uttered hesitantly. At the sound of his name Masato flinched, seemingly woken from his reverie. He briefly tilted his head towards Miku, but then just as quickly turned away. He began hugging himself with both arms as his body began to shake.

"Masato? There's n-no Masato h-here…" he replied in a quiet and quaking tone of voice. "I'm … I'm just s-some girl, w-who h-has the memories of Masato Akitsu, b-but … who d-doesn't recognize h-her own face … or … or even know … h-her own name…"

Miku's eyes widened. She slowly began making her way across the room, walking with soft steps so as not to startle the obviously distraught teen. As Miku approached, Masato bent over as if in pain. Reaching up, he grabbed both sides of his head, tightly clutching stray hairs between his fingertips as his eyes trembled in their sockets.

"Or … or is it, t-that I r-really am Masato Akitsu … who's c-changed from a boy into a girl?" Masato continued, his voice gradually increasing in volume and pitch as he spoke. "But … but t-that can't happen, r-right? I mean,heh … that's the k-kind of thing t-that only happens in-in anime! Or, hehe … or in a s-stupid light novel!"

"Masato-kun, it's…" Miku began to say. She reached out one hand in a comforting gesture, only to have him jerk away from her hold.

"This can't be happening! This … this can't be real!" Masato shouted, his tone becoming more frantic and unhinged with each word. "That's it—this is a dream! Yeah, this is all … just some really, really, bad dream … and I just need to wake up!"

"Masato-kun, this isn't—!" Miku tried to interject; however, she was once again ignored by the increasingly manic and agitated Masato.

"Yeah, I just need to wake up!" Masato cried out before he forcefully slammed his forehead against the reflective surface of the mirror. A spider's web of cracks splintered outward from the point of impact. Staggering backward, Masato wobbled on his feet, and a trickle of blood trailed down between his bugged-out, unfocused eyes. "This kind of thing always works in the movies—I'll just keep going until I'm back at home and in my real body!"

"MASATO!" Miku exclaimed. She rushed forward, hugging Masato from behind before he could once again dash his head against the broken surface of the mirror.

Masato's body stiffened in response to the sudden contact. His eyes shifted rapidly, his nostrils flared, and his teeth ground together as saliva bubbled at the corners of his lips. The teen briefly wrestled against the iron-like hold around his trunk, but Miku held firm—burying her face into the back of Masato's head and clutching against him tightly. After a moment, the tension in Masato's body slackened. His eyes then cleared and focused as he gradually emerged from his brief bout of hysteria. Staring blankly at the mirror, he blinked with confusion at his cracked image, before finally noticing Miku behind him in the splintered reflection. As Masato took in the sight of Miku's body—fully visible behind his slighter frame—and as he likewise became aware of the feeling of her larger form bearing down on him, the full magnitude of his new reality finally set in.

The pair's broken image blurred as tears rapidly clouded Masato's vision. Covering his face with his hands, he let out a high-pitched keening as he bent over, crumpling like tissue paper as Miku continued to hug him firmly from behind. The pair remained that way for a time, with Miku holding Masato as he cried in a wordless mix of despair and anguish. Eventually, Masato's sobs slowed and then eventually stopped. Leadenly, his arms dropped to his sides—his head and body hanging limp in Miku's arms.

"Why…?" Masato finally said in a hoarse and rasping voice. "Why d-did you d-do this to me, Miku? I thought … I thought you said that … I'd be able to c-change back. That … that if we were able to undo our transformation, we … we'd both go back to being … ourselves again."

Miku didn't answer right away. Her grip tightened around Masato's midsection and her face pressed down more firmly against his scalp. Despite his current melancholy, Masato's cheeks still blushed from the sensation. After a moment, Miku exhaled … and then tilted her face up and looked over the top of Masato's crown. She caught his downcast gaze in the mirror—her own eyes now equally red and puffy.

"I'm sorry, Masato," Miku uttered sorrowfully. "Truly … I'm so, so sorry. I wish … I wish that I had answers … that I could give to you. Something … that I could say which would somehow … provide you some peace of mind … but I can't."

Masato broke their shared look. Tilting his head down, he gazed at his hands, absently curling his fingers in and out.

"You keep calling me, 'Masato'…" he croaked out, sniffing a few times as he continued: "B-but, how c-can you be sure that's w-who I am? That … that I'm r-really Masato Akitsu, and not someone else? E-ever since I've woken up … n-nothing about this body … about me … has felt right!"

Once again, Miku didn't immediately answer; instead, she slowly turned Masato around inside her arms until he was facing her instead of their shattered reflection. Reaching up, she untied the kerchief around her neck, gathered it in one hand, and began softly dabbing away the line of blood still running down Masato's face. As she continued her ministrations, Miku rested her other palm lightly against the side of Masato's face. These gentle acts drew yet another furious blush from the transformed boy. [3]

"Because I know you, Masato Akitsu," Miku finally said with quiet confidence, still softly patting at the wound on his head. She paused, lowered the hand holding the kerchief, then used her free hand to tilt Masato's head up until they again met each other's gaze. Masato's watery, reddish-brown eyes stared up warily into Miku's glimmering, violet orbs. "I know you better than anyone—better than maybe even you know yourself. I'd recognize you no matter what shape your outside takes, because … to me … Masato is Masato."

"How…?" Masato breathed, his eyes questioning and unsure. "We've only known each other … for a few hours at the most!"

"Because in that time you and I have been closer than any two people in recorded history," Miku replied unabashedly. She began gently stroking the side of Masato's face with her fingers. "We literally became one being—heart, mind, and … and everything else that matters!" Closing her eyes, Miku touched her forehead against his, saying: "While we were combined, I became privy to everything about you—everything that you felt and experienced, I did as well. I felt your fears, your joys, your resolve and sense of justice, and your care for the well-being of others…" Her eyes opened, shimmering with undisguised affection. "With all of that, how could I not know you, Masato?"

Embarrassed by this revelation from the taller girl, Masato cast his gaze down. However, Miku gently cupped his chin with her hand, slowly tilting his blushing face up until his eyes once again locked on hers.

"What's more … even before you activated that artifact and we became Zeorymer, I tried to learn everything I could about you from the few communications that our … fathers exchanged over time," Miku said, her lips curved up in a gentle smile. "I know that your favorite color is black … that your astrological sign is Gemini … that you prefer fried tofu over grilled fish…" Her eyes took on a mischievous twinkle. "Academically, I know that you love science, but that you hate language arts…"

Despite everything, Masato found himself snorting briefly, and Miku's smile widened at this display of mirth given his previous state of despair. Slowly, she began brushing the back of Masato's head with her fingertips. "I learned all these things, so that when we finally found and met one another, I could be the best partner to you that I could possibly be," she uttered tenderly, all the while continuing her gentle caress.

"Why?" Masato questioned softly, unconsciously leaning into Miku's touch. "Why would you … do all of that, Mi-Miku?" In response, Miku hesitantly pulled back, and then tilted Masato's head up with both hands.

"Didn't I tell you before, Masato?" Miku asked with a gentle quirk of her lips. "You are my destiny—the one I'm fated to be with so that I can be made complete. I'll never leave you, and I'll never abandon you." Bending forward, Miku once more wrapped her arms around Masato's body, embracing him tenderly as she rested his head on her shoulder. "So, if you can't trust in yourself … then trust in me, Masato," she whispered into his ear, causing a shiver to run down his spine.

For a moment, Masato stood rigidly in Miku's embrace—frozen by the waves of unfamiliar feelings rippling through his altered physical form. Then he raised his own arms, curled them around Miku's frame, and hugged the other girl back. His grip was tepid at first, but gradually–eventually–increased in strength and force.

As much as his pride would have had him try to deny it, Masato admitted it felt … nice… to be held like this. It certainly had been a while, as Masato's father had been sparse in physical displays of affection—particularly once Masato had reached a certain age. No, the last time Masato could recall being held like this … was in foggy, disjointed memories … of his mother, before she had died.

The pair continued hugging each other for some time—Miku softly stroking Masato's head, while Masato clung to Miku with an almost desperate abandon.

"Are you feeling better now?" Miku eventually asked. She smiled as felt Masato's head nod from its position deep in the crook of her neck. Issuing a light sigh of relief, she added, "That's good to hear…" Taking a deep breath, Miku straightened her posture, held Masato lightly by his shoulders, and then spoke with a more business-like tone:

"Unfortunately, as enjoyable as this is, I'm afraid my father and other representatives of Last Guardian have been waiting so that they can debrief you. So, how about you eat a little food, and then you can change into some fresh clothing…" She tittered briefly, but then caught herself before saying somewhat sheepishly, "I'm sorry to say that your school uniform … is probably too big for you now, though I still made sure to have it cleaned and laundered. Fortunately, it turns out that our sizes are quite similar, so I'm happy to lend you some of my old clothes until we can go shopping together for some newer outfits…"

As her voice trailed off, Miku lowered her arms and began turning to step away. She paused when she felt Masato's fingers dig into the back of her blouse, holding her in place. Twisting back, Miku looked down at the mess of auburn locks below her nose, as Masato buried his head deep into her collarbone.

"Miku…" Masato whispered, with his voice muffled by the folds of her clothing. "Can … can we stay like this … for just a little while longer. Please?" In response, Miku's face softened, her eyes shining like jewels as she smiled fondly at the boy-turned-girl.

"Of course," she replied, before leaning forward and once again wrapping Masato in her embrace. "Of course..." She repeated, sinking into his body, and closing her eyes.

After regaining his composure, Masato elected not to don any of the frilly, feminine garments which Miku provided in favor of some standard-issue hospital pajamas, a thick hanten jacket, clean boxer shorts, and a pair of indoor slippers.

He had also managed to eat most of the food Miku had made for him, since at first it had at least looked, smelled, and tasted like regular rice porridge: However, as soon as he swallowed his first bite, Masato had found himself feeling everything, everywhere all at once as his soul briefly ascended to a higher plane of existence.

Once he was resuscitated, and despite a lingering gastrointestinal upset, Masato had doggedly committed to finishing the rest of the meal. Throughout, it seemed like Miku was on the verge of bursting into tears (whether from joy or dismay, Masato couldn't tell) as she watched him take each shaky bite.

Now Masato found himself slowly hobbling down a tiled, brightly lit hallway, holding tightly onto a guide rail mounted on the wall with one hand. Miku walked beside him, dutifully providing support by holding onto Masato's other arm since he was still shaky and unsteady on his feet.

The pair walked in a companionable silence. Masato, bleary-eyed and blank-faced, was totally disoriented and lost in his thoughts.

Miku, for her own part, was singularly focused on acting as Masato's crutch and protective shield against any random passersby they encountered in the hall. Regardless, though neither spoke a word, the pair's tightly interlocked fingers, the gentle rubbing by Miku of Masato's arm, and the telltale light touches of red on both their faces told all.

Eventually, the two paused in front of one of the many identical doors lining the hallway. Masato watched vacantly as Miku pulled out a key card from her skirt and held it against a reader beside the door, causing the entry to open with a brief pneumatic hiss. A light reverberation from overlapping conversations spilled out into the hallway, but quickly tapered off as Miku carefully escorted Masato into the room proper.

Casting his eyes nervously around the new space, Masato saw that he and Miku had entered some sort of auditorium or lecture hall. Multiple rows of chairs and curved tables ran the length of the room, leading down to a raised dais and podium standing before a projection screen, opposite the door Masato and Miku had just entered.

Men and women clad in short-sleeved, military service uniforms looked back from their seats. They eyed the two newcomers with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Is that…?"

"Eh? Himuro's do-daughter? Creeeee-py…"

"Funny … I thought it was a boy that was recovered from…"

"Huh. Well, whoever the new girl is, she's kind of cut—oof!"

Feeling the weight of the assorted looks and hushed whispers from the room's occupants, Masato shrank back towards Miku. The other girl stared back unwaveringly; one arm draped protectively over Masato's shoulders as she drew him closer to her side.

On the dais, a tall, slender man donned in a dark business suit and sunglasses briefly raised an eyebrow before straightening some papers atop the podium. Beside the tall man, an older gentleman with slicked-back, white-streaked hair, wearing a white lab coat and wraparound visor, glowered up at the pair of teens.

"How nice of you to finally join us…" the older man pronounced, his raised voice oozing sarcasm and contempt.

The comment elicited a series of soft chuckles from some of the others seated in the room. Chastised, a red-faced Masato sank even deeper against Miku, curling his arms around himself and trying to become as small as possible.

Next to the older gentleman, the man at the podium coughed once sharply into his fist. His action caused the other people gathered to turn back towards the front of the auditorium.

"Alright, alright … let's settle down…" the tall man said in an authoritative baritone. Looking up at the pair by the doorway, he gestured at them with a brief handwave. "You two—take a seat while we finish up here."

"Yes, sir," Miku replied. The pair gradually began making their way down the central aisle, before entering an empty row of seats near the back of the hall. Miku carefully guided Masato towards the second chair in the row, and then firmly held onto his upper arms as he shakily lowered himself down. Once she was sure Masato was secured, Miku sat in the chair next to him.

On the dais, the tall man once again straightened his papers before casting his covered gaze at the rest of the hall. Behind him on the screen, an overhead, satellite image of a cluster of small houses and buildings along a central road appeared.

"Continuing from where we left off … as of 1100 hours all recovery and cleanup operations in the vicinity of Mount Kenashi were suspended. All told, there were at least 42 civilian casualties—mostly consisting of minor to moderate injuries not requiring hospitalization—and a significant but not irreparable level of property damage," The man behind the podium paused, and briefly tilted his head in Masato's direction. "No fatalities."

Masato released a held-in breath, slumping forward with relief while a smiling Miku patted his back. The boy's respite was short-lived however, as a voice from the assembly spoke up:

"Sir, maybe there weren't any civilians killed in the operation, but what about the squad that got sent into Fuji City? I heard that not one of them made it back alive!"

"That's right!" another voice chimed in. "I had friends on that team—they were told it was going to be a routine extraction, not a suicide mission!"

"And for what?!" yet another voice added. "To retrieve a few trinkets and some brat? How is that supposed to be explained to their families?!"

As the clamor of angry voices rose, several members of the crowd stood up from their seats, pointing fingers and gesturing animatedly with their arms.

In contrast, Masato slumped further down in his chair, his face ashen and expression downcast as he hugged his own arms around himself. Beside him, Miku's face was mostly neutral, though a twinge of worry peaked through every time she glanced over at the teen beside her.

Standing behind the podium, the face of the tall man was inscrutable (thanks in part to his sunglasses) though his lips were pursed tightly together. Next to him, the older gentleman just ruefully shook his head.

A minute more of cacophonous grumbling passed, but then the tall man raised his hand to signal for silence. After a moment, he was obeyed as the voices of the crowd gradually faded away.

"Our sympathies go out to the kin of our comrades killed in action—know that they will be well compensated for their losses by the federal government," the tall man stated, "However, we are at war. All of you … everyone here working for Last Guardian … and particularly those in the Combat Division … have accepted the risks that come with being this country's—perhaps the world's—final line of defense."

Acknowledging mutters issued out from most of the crowd, though a few others remained standing with folded arms and angered looks. But before anyone could utter another word, the tall man again raised his hand.

"Unless you have any statements or questions relevant to the current operation, please keep it to yourselves until after the conclusion of the briefing," the tall man stated evenly. After another moment, those still standing returned to their seats. "Thank you."

"While we are no longer performing cleanup work, the village is still being kept in communications blackout for the next 24 hours, after which phone lines will be continuously monitored," he continued. "Most of the locals seem to have accepted our cover story of a test of prototype military combat gear having gone awry, though a few holdouts had to be offered payment for their silence. It's unlikely that we'll have to introduce amnesiacs into the local water supply, or take more drastic measures…"

The tall man's lips twitched slightly, conveying the barest hint of a smirk. "Some of the town's elders have even begun gathering at their local shrine—making prayers and offerings to what they're calling 'Meiou Shojo'—the 'Hades Maiden.'"

The last comment from the stage resulted in a few snorts, brief guffaws, or amused eyerolls from various members of the audience. In contrast, Masato's face held a more pensive expression. With eyes unfocused, he absently rubbed his hands together while half-remembered words echoed in his mind:

Become the Hades Maiden, Zeorymer … and tear open the gates of the Underworld!

Unaware of Masato's silent agonizing, the tall man briefly shuffled and studied the packet of papers atop the podium. He then turned his sunglasses-covered view back towards the assembly.

"Alright, that concludes the main items for today's briefing," the tall man said. "Supplementary documentation and other operational updates will be available in your respective departments. Dismissed."

In response to the man's declaration, most of the audience stood, saluted, and then began slowly making their exits—speaking to one other in hushed, low tones. As the group of uniformed adults passed by the pair of teens, some threw furtive, inquisitive glances in Masato's direction; however, they just as quickly looked away after locking eyes with Miku's unblinking stare. Soon the room was empty, save for the two adolescents, a few stragglers chatting amongst themselves, and the pair of men atop the stage.

The tall man quickly stepped down from the platform and began striding up the aisle towards Miku and Masato. The older gentleman trailed just behind his younger companion—arms folded behind his back as he hobbled along at a more leisurely pace.

Stopping in front of the younger pair, the tall man nodded once at Miku, who gave a small, polite smile in return. He then looked down at the dazed, hunched-over figure sitting next to her. "Masato Akitsu?"

Once more, Masato winced and fidgeted at the sound of his own name, but eventually turned away from Miku and looked up with lidded, uncertain eyes. He blinked on finding a hand stretched out to him by the tall man.

"Greetings," the man said in an unexpectedly genial tone. "I'm Isao Oki." [4]

"Oki…?" Masato said hazily, distracted by the brief memory of a smirking, jump-suited soldier flashing through his mind. The transformed boy then blinked a few times, his eyes widening with a sudden lucidity. 'Oh… oh!' Reaching up, Masato shook the suited man's hand, blushing and saying, "It's, umm … it's nice to meet you … Oki-san."

The corner of Oki's lip twitched, and though his face remained largely unreadable behind his sunglasses. "We've actually met before, but we'll talk more on that another time…" he said, seemingly amused at Masato's open-faced bewilderment. "It's good to see you're finally up and about."

"Took him long enough … one might think he was meant to be a woman all along, given how much time this boy kept all of us here waiting…" the elderly man grumbled as he caught up to the group. He gave Masato a quick once-over, briefly tilted his head to a sour-looking Miku and blank-faced Oki, and then turned back to Masato with a fresh scowl. "I'm Himuro." [5]

Blinking rapidly, Masato struggled briefly to formulate a response to the gruff words from the elderly man—evidently Miku's father. "Uhh … I'm sorry?" he offered lamely. "By the way, I'm—"

"I know who and, more importantly, what you are, boy," Professor Himuro said sharply. As his visor-covered gaze drifted over Masato his scowl, if possible, deepened even further. "Good grief—what happened to your head?!"

"Oh, uhh …" Masato said awkwardly, reaching up and touching the purple kerchief tied around his scalp. "I had … a little bit of an accident … earlier in my room."

"Hmph! You would do well to take better care of that brand-new body of yours, boy…" Professor Himuro harrumphed, before turning around and beginning to walk back to the front of the room. "A little extra meat in your diet would likely cure such womanly clumsiness," the older man added as he shuffled away, then paused his stride, and glanced back over his shoulder.

"Well? Bring him along now, girl!" the scientist barked at Miku, before turning aware and continuing his forward march. "Also, do try to make sure that our … little herbivore … doesn't injure himself any further."

"Yes, sir…" Miku replied dryly. Her lips were pressed thin, and her voice carried the slightest hint of an edge to it.

Confused at the flat tone of voice towards her (seeming) parent, Masato glanced at Miku. It seemed to take a moment before she registered Masato's questioning look—caught up as she was glaring at the retreating scientist.

Once she caught on, Miku smiled back awkwardly, then gave Masato's shoulder a light squeeze of (what she hoped came across as) reassurance.

Guiding the still-unsteady Masato by one arm, Miku and he began making their own gradual hike down the aisle, with Oki following just behind the slow-moving pair. The procession made their way down to the front of the hall, turned, rounded one side of the podium, and exited the auditorium through a side door into an identical corridor to the one Masato and Miku had previously trudged through.

After marching past several identical doorways, Professor Himuro paused, flashed a fob at the reader by one of the doors, and entered the chamber just beyond followed shortly by the others.

Crossing over the threshold, Masato briefly blinked at the change in lighting before looking up, finding that their group had entered a small conference room. The low-ceilinged space was primarily filled by a rectangular configuration of modular tables and rolling chairs. A ring of fluorescent lighting hung down from the ceiling, and a cluster of illuminated monitors and manned consoles lined one wall, while a series of built-in counters and storage units sat mounted on the other.

Aside from uniformed personnel seated at the consoles, the room's only other occupant was a statuesque, ginger-haired woman leaning against the conference table, reading an open file folder in one hand, The woman was dressed in a fitted, tri-colored blouse with a continental tie; a black, knee-length pencil skirt; and a pair of shiny, low-heeled black pumps. Seemingly unaware of the group's entry, the professional-looking lady occasionally took bites from a red paste-filled sweet bun held with wrapping paper in her free hand.

"Valcuria?!" Professor Himuro exclaimed, causing the woman to glance up, mid-bite into her pastry. "What in the blazes are you doing here?"

Quickly moving around Miku and Masato, Oki stepped forward, straightening his tie as he placed himself between Professor Himuro and the chagrined woman at the table. "Inspector Forsberg, this is an unexpected pleasure…" he began in English, only to be cut-off by a quick laugh from the female across from him.

"Charm will get you nowhere, Oki, but don't let that stop you from trying…" the woman said with a smirk, her voice carrying a light accent despite her fluent speech. After closing her folder and placing it (and the half-eaten bun) on the table behind her, the woman faced the group, one hand resting on her hip. "I've been waiting for well over an hour…" she added with a pout, wiping crumbs from the corners of her mouth daintily with light-touches from her manicured and painted fingers. "I even had to skip my lunch."

Gulping, Oki coughed once into his hand before speaking, once again in his previous diction. "I'm truly sorry, Inspector Forsberg," he said carefully. "And I believe I speak for both Professor Himuro and myself when I say that we greatly appreciate your patience…"

Behind Oki, Professor Himuro gave a quick snort of derision, but quieted after Oki briefly shot the older man a hard look over his shoulder.

"However, if we knew you were coming today, we could have rescheduled our planned briefings to give you the necessary time…" Oki continued, but trailed off as the blonde waggled a finger at him in a "tut-tut" motion.

"Ahh … but you should have anticipated my arrival after your recent foray into the field…" the woman said airily, once again smirking as she flashed her emerald eyes at Oki. Reaching down, she picked up the folder on the table and held it up with one hand. "Or did you forget the terms of your charter with the United Nations?"

"Now just a minute, missy, you can't just—!" Professor Himuro began to retort, only to be cut off by Oki throwing out one arm in a blocking motion.

"I'm well aware of our obligations for full and immediate disclosure of our operations, and all of us here are grateful to the UN's continued support of our mission…" Oki replied evenly, throwing another warning glance at the elderly scientist behind him. "But now really isn't the time to—"

"Now is precisely the time for us to speak, Deputy Commander Oki," the woman said firmly. She began thumbing through the folder with both hands. "Over the last week you have run through more capital and joint assets than the last two years combined. Your operations report and daily briefs certainly answered the who, what, where, and how, but you've failed to adequately explain or justify the why…" Closing the folder again, the woman cast her gaze over the top of the manilla file. "As such, gentlemen, in the interests of operational oversight…" she stated, turning her head, and looking straight at Masato: "I've come to inspect."

Under the pressure of the heavy-lashed stare, Masato once again shied away towards Miku. In turn, the taller girl moved in front of the shorter "boy" while glaring up at the older woman.

"Girl, enough!" Professor Himuro hissed, causing the girl in question to quickly look at him. They held their gaze for a long moment, but eventually Miku looked away with a frown—taking a step back while remaining close to Masato.

Flashing a superior smirk, the strawberry-blonde sauntered forward until she stood before the pair of teens, arms folded loosely below her ample chest. "You are Masato Akitsu, I presume?" she asked, her smile widening after receiving a confirmatory head nod. "I'm Valkyria Forsburg—Last Guardian's assigned UN liaison." She held out one of her hands as her voice took a friendlier tone: "But you can feel free to call me 'Valla', okay Masse?" [6] [7]

"Umm, okay … it-it's n-nice to m-meet you, V-Valla-san," Masato said hesitantly, his eyes shifting between looking at the floor and glancing up at the buxom lady before him. He tentatively reached up to shake the woman's outstretched hand, but then squeaked as Valkyria wrapped her hand around his and pulled his arm out towards her. A golden bangle with a single inset jewel bounced on Masato's wrist due to the sudden jostling.

"Is this the artifact that the late Professor Akitsu was studying?" Valkyria asked casually, lightly caressing the thin band with the fingers of her free hand. Ignoring Masato's furious blush, the taller woman reached down and grabbed Masato's other arm. Raising the limb up revealed an identical bangle dangling from Masato's wrist, which Valkyria touched and began rolling between her fingertips. "It's smaller than I thought it'd be…"

"We believe that the artifact converter is currently in some sort of energy conservation mode…" Oki chimed in, moving closer to the group. "It is likely a safety feature installed to make the overall device less conspicuous when not in use."

"I actually didn't even notice I was wearing them…" Masato added sheepishly. Sweat beaded on his forehead as his arms continued to be held in Valkyria's grasp.

"Hmph! I suppose we'll just have to add 'lack of situational awareness' to your running list of character flaws…" Professor Himuro groused from outside the impromptu huddle.

Masato blinked as he slowly processed the cantankerous remark from the elderly scientist. He started opening his mouth to reply, but quickly went silent as Valkyria suddenly cupped the underside of his chin with one of her hands. Squeezing the transformed boy's cheeks between her fingers, the older woman tilted Masato's head up, leaned in, and brought her face uncomfortably close to his.

"Märkvärdig" Valkyria exhaled in her native tongue. With shameless disregard, she slowly tilted Masato's flushed and sweating face left and right, examining him as if he was a prime cut of beef at the butcher. "I can certainly see the resemblance to the photos in his dossier … but it is still an amazing physical transformation." She glanced sideways towards the two grown men. "And you're sure he has become completely female?"

"Of course!" Professor Himuro barked with a fresh scowl. "We gave that boy a total physical examination as soon as he arrived. He's not only become feminine in appearance, but also in terms of his complete internal biology. Even his chromosomal sequencing reflects a female genotype. By all counts, it's as if 'he' was originally born a 'she'."

"I see…" Valkyria remarked, turning back to her inspection of Masato—still held fast in her grasp. As Valkyria's eyes met those of the furiously blushing teen, another teasing grin broke out on the older woman's face. "Aww... vad bedårande," she cooed, lightly licking her lips. "Maybe I should have you for lunch instead…"

A slender set of fingers smoothly wound their way around Valkyria's wrist, before suddenly clamping down, hard. The tall woman let loose a pained gasp, before tilting her head to give a wincing look to her side.

"You're scaring him," Miku said—her face hard-set, eyes aglow, and skin gleaming faintly with lines of light.

"You, girl!" Professor Himuro yelled, stomping one foot for emphasis. "Stop this foolishness right now!"

Miku's expression briefly flickered, but just as quickly hardened again. Her grip then tightened even further around Valkyria's wrist, with an audible crackling of tendons.

"Det är okej, Professor—it's all good," Valkyria muttered through clenched teeth. She briefly glanced at the aged scientist before again locking eyes with Miku. The older woman still bore a smirk, though with an increasing amount of strain in her smile. "I'm simply being shown my place, is all."

As the standoff continued, Oki quietly made his way behind Miku. Placing a hand on one of the brunette's shoulders, he whispered, "Miku-kun, please…"

Miku tilted her head back, briefly staring at Oki out the corners of her eyes before again locking eyes with Valkyria. A mix of emotions passed over her features, but after a moment she relaxed her grip on the older woman's wrist. In turn, Valkyria released her hold on Masato's face. rubbing at her wrist with her other hand.

"Kids these days…" Valkyria said with a nonchalant shake of her head, before turning to the elderly scientist. "It seems that your daughter could use some added programming on manners, Supreme Commander Himuro."

The older man only answered with a grunt, shifting his gaze from Valkyria to Miku with a deep frown of disappointment. Miku held the look briefly, but then tilted her own head down with seeming shame. Beside the two teens, Oki looked on neutrally, while Masato took in the entire scene with a mix of confusion and befuddlement.

"This is starting to wear on my patience…" Professor Himuro finally said, shuffling over to a chair at the conference table and slumping down into it. He tilted his visored gaze over to Oki. "Well… let's get this over with!"

"Sir," Oki said with a small nod of understanding. Looking at those assembled, he gestured at the table with one arm. After a beat, one-by-one Valkyria, Miku, and Masato took their own seats.

Oki was the last to sit, and as he did so he signaled a pair of technicians seated at the consoles at the end of the room, who nodded and began inputting commands into their terminals. The lights throughout the conference room dimmed as a large projection screen on one wall lit up. A brief display of static eventually resolved into a male figure in a lab coat, standing next to an examination table in a familiar-looking laboratory.

"Dad…" Masato exhaled, his eyes glistening as he sat up in his chair and took in the image on the screen. Miku gave the transformed boy a quick look of concern, but then shifted her eyes back to the recording.

"Masato, if you're watching this, then it means that my time's run out, and the illness I've been fighting these last several months has taken me before I could complete my work," Professor Akitsu's image stated. "With all hope, you were safely delivered into the custody of my mentor, Professor Ryozo Himuro, and his colleagues at Last Guardian. Rest assured, for while Professor Himuro and I may have had … disagreements which led us to part ways, we were always aligned in our shared effort to stop any looming threats to mankind."

Professor Himuro scoffed once loudly, but after a brief glance from Oki, he quieted with an indignant huff.

"There's far too much that needs to be said, Masato, and not nearly enough time to explain everything in a single recording…" Professor Akitsu continued. "What I can say, and what will likely be elaborated on by others, is that at this moment the world stands on the brink of calamity from an ancient and formidable evil. What's more, in order to fight this evil, you have been chosen to be the bearer of a great and terrible power … one that has the potential for either limitless creation or relentless destruction. In other words, you are the key to either saving this world, or destroying it."

Masato's eyes widened, his mouth hanging slightly open as his mind digested this revelation—flashing back to the various feats he had performed after he and Miku had transformed into Zeorymer. He was pulled back from his reminiscing as the recording continued:

"Before I speak on these things further, there is something important I must share with you…" In the recording, Professor Akitsu paused, looking down and pinching the bridge of his nose. He then exhaled sharply before looking up again. "The truth is … I am not your father, Masato."

"What?" Masato said in a small, strained voice, drawing yet another concerned glance from Miku. 'I'm … I'm not … his son? That … that can't…'

On the screen, a faded picture of a group of four people wearing matching lab coats and visors appeared, including visibly younger Professors Akitsu and Himuro.

"Well before you were born, I worked as an assistant to Professor Himuro, alongside your mother, Michiru, and … and your real father … Professor Himuro's business partner, Masaki Kihara," Professor Akitsu said. "At the time, the four of us were employed as researchers for an organization known as Nematoda. While Nematoda touted itself as a benevolent, humanitarian group, in truth it was a criminal cabal bent on nothing less than world domination."

By this point, Masato had sunk back in his chair, his eyes wide and mouth open as he slowly shook his head side-to-side in disbelief, while Miku rubbed his shoulder in a comforting gesture. On the screen, the image of the group of four faded, then began shuffling between other pictures of various other scientists, buildings, and locations.

"Ten years ago, after realizing the true intentions of our employers, a group of scientists led by Professor Himuro concocted a plan to stop Nematoda before their schemes of world conquest could reach fruition." Professor Akitsu's voice expounded as his image returned. "Working from within, we planted the seeds for a chain of events designed to gradually bring about Nematoda's destruction; however, just as our plans were to be set in motion, we were betrayed by Kihara, who ratted us out to Nematoda's leadership. To avoid capture, Professor Himuro and a few of his collaborators chose to initiate our planned endgame early, after which we all quickly sought to make our escape; however, in the chaos, your mother … and your father … were both killed."

Masato leaned forward, his hands clasped in front of his mouth and elbows resting on the conference table.

"Professor Himuro and I managed to make it to safety, along with several artifacts which were crucial to Nematoda's ultimate goals…" the recording continued. "Working separately, and with the assistance of the Japanese government and other interested world powers, we began development of a means of preventing an outfit like Nematoda from threatening global harmony ever again. We called this plan: Project—"

"Zeorymer…"

In response to Masato's flat utterance, the other people around the table looked over at the boy-turned-girl. He paid them no mind though and continued to keep his eyes locked on the glowing screen.

"Unfortunately, before this work could be completed, a new menace emerged from the shadows, built from the remnants of Nematoda—a self-styled, feudal sovereignty calling itself 'Hau Dragon'." Professor Akitsu's image stated. "Based on what little information we have, this Hau Dragon, or Tekkoryu, is not just Nematoda reborn … instead, it is likely a far greater threat. Rather than simply acquiring wealth and power, like their predecessor, Hau Dragon's aspirations appear to be nothing less than the complete subjugation of all mankind."

A somber silence settled over the conference room. Various emotions played over the faces of the seated group as they continued to look at the glowing screen.

"There's much more to this story, Masato, much more … but I'm afraid—" Professor Akitsu said before the projected figure bent over, coughing into his closed fist several times before looking up again. "If nothing else, I want you to know … that I always—"

"That's enough of this drivel…" Professor Himuro grumbled, looking at the technicians and drawing a line across his throat. In response, the uniformed staff pushed a series of commands into their consoles, resulting in the video being cut off and the lights in the room rising as the projection screen dimmed. "I don't think I can stomach another minute more."

Oki sent a pointed glance at Professor Himuro, but the elderly man only gazed back with equal stolidity. After a moment, Oki broke the shared look, coughing once into his hand.

"Is … is it true?" Masato whispered, his small voice loud enough to bring all eyes on him. He shifted his eyes between an expressionless Oki, a scowling Professor Himuro, a neutral Valkyria, and a sympathetic Miku. "Was … was everything that my fat—that Professor Akitsu said, true?"

"That you're the bastard of a bastard? Oh yes, that's all very true…" Professor Himuro commented. His remark drew a hard stare from Miku and an equally significant head-tilt from Oki. Interestingly, even Valkyria cast a heavy-lidded glance at the elderly scientist, before turning away and taking another bite from her sweet bun. Masato just looked down at his folded hands on the table.

"It's also true that Professor Himuro and his other associates were previously funded by the illegitimate activities of an international criminal syndicate," Valkyria drawled out, drawing everyone's eyes to her. Locking her gaze on Professor Himuro's scowling visage, she added with a smirk, "Remind me again, Professor, what was the name of your little group? 'The Caucus? 'The Conglomerate'?"

"The Council! We … we called ourselves, 'The Council,'" Professor Himuro muttered as he continued to glare at Valkyria. Unexpectedly, his lips turned up in a mocking, pantomime of a smile. "But then, given your family background, you would know all about 'illegitimate activities,' wouldn't you, Valcuria?"

In response to Professor Himuro's seeming barb, Valkyria gave a tight-lipped sneer of her own. "It's not polite to talk about a woman's private affairs, Professor…" she eventually said. "Didn't your wife teach you at least that much before she—?"

"Don't. You. Dare." Professor Himuro hissed. "I don't care what your title or status is, woman—that matter is out of bounds, even for you."

"Of course, my apologies…" Valkyria replied irreverently, a light smirk still on her face as she held both hands up in mock-surrender.

As the air between the glaring pair became charged with tension, Oki coughed once into his hand, speaking after everyone turned to look at him.

"Inspector Forsburg, if you wouldn't mind…" Oki stated, locking gazes with Valkyria as she turned to him. "I realize this may be a… sensitive topic, but your knowledge on Nematoda is second-to-none."

In response to Oki's request, Valkyria's features briefly wavered, but then she shrugged and leaned forward, sitting her elbows on the table, and resting her chin atop folded hands.

"Nematoda—the organization Professor Akitsu spoke of—was founded shortly after the Second World War by a conclave of former Nazis, fascist sympathizers, heads of organized crime, and representatives of various secret societies…" Valkyria explained, fingering a locket around her neck as she spoke. "Information gathered by international intelligence agencies suggests that these seemingly disparate groups were united by a mutual desire to maintain some semblance of power and influence in the changing post-war global landscape." [8]

"To that end, in addition to setting up several legitimate businesses to mask their criminal activities, Nematoda also hired or funded scientists like Professor Himuro to conduct research across various scientific and theoretical disciplines," Oki chimed in. He briefly locked eyes with Valkyria, and after she gave him an assenting head nod, he continued: "Research that, in turn, could either be weaponized or channeled into a means of gaining yet more wealth and power for themselves…"

"We thought we were saving the world," Professor Himuro stated. His harsh features seemed to soften as his gaze tilted upward, looking off into some unseen distance. "A group of the world's brightest minds—brought together with the hope of using our collective knowledge to save humanity from its own extinction…" Shaking his head, Professor Himuro's scowl returned. "How young and foolishly naïve we were."

"Through various front companies, several different scientific initiatives—under the veil of academic legitimacy offered by Professor Himuro and his colleagues—were launched worldwide," Oki continued. He then turned his sunglasses-covered gaze at Masato. "It was actually during one of these excursions that the artifact you now possess was discovered."

Masato gaped at the sunglasses-wearing man in amazement. "What?! … How?! … Where?!"

Leaning forward, Professor Himuro looked at the amazed teen across the table. "Have you ever heard of the 'Terracotta Army,' boy?" he asked pointedly.

"Umm … yes, I've heard of it," Masato answered with a quick nod. "It's a collection of statues that were discovered in China, right? Guarding the tomb of one of the Chinese Emperors?"

"Hmph! At least it seems that modern schools haven't grown too lax in teaching history…" Professor Himuro said with an approving nod of his own. "As you likely learned, in 1974 a group of farmers digging wells in rural China inadvertently uncovered a series of pits containing multiple, life-size terracotta figurines. It was later discovered that these statues lay to the east of a massive underground mausoleum—assumed to house the tomb of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, based on descriptions in historical accounts and records. Sections of the surrounding necropolis were then excavated by archeologists under the employ of Nematoda, with the hopes of discovering gold, treasure, or other priceless artifacts the organization's leadership could add to its coffers." [9]

Leaning back in his chair, Professor Himuro added: "While the public was told that the collection of statues was created to protect the tomb of the First Emperor, this was in fact an elaborate lie," Though his eyes were shrouded by his visor, the elderly scientist's face still managed to darken. "What Nematoda's archaeologists discovered when they finally reached the main burial chamber was that the figures were actually guarding something far, far more dangerous…"

Oki turned and signaled at the uniformed personnel manning the consoles on the other side of the room. After a brief flurry of clicking keys, the screen on the wall lit up again—this time showing a grainy image seemingly taken from inside a dimly lit cavern or enclosure. In the center of the picture, a group of dirt-covered men and women stood in front of a towering suit of golden armor. The oversized gold figure was kneeling with one arm lowered—its outstretched hand resting atop a raised disc embedded into the ground. Multiple, carved channels containing shimmering, metallic fluid extended out from the disc past the foreground of the projected image.

The transformed boy openly gaped at the image on the viewscreen. "What… what is that?" he asked with astonishment.

"That is what the supposed Mausoleum of the First Emperor was actually built to entomb—the final resting place of the legendary Great Hero," Professor Himuro stated, gesturing at the picture with a brief handwave. "And the prison of his nemesis—the nefarious Iron-Headed Dragon."

Masato blinked, then blinked again. "What."

Frowning, Professor Himuro scowled and stared hard at the befuddled teen. "And here I was thinking that you actually had some acumen…" he quipped. "How woefully disappointing."

Oki coughed once into his hand, drawing Masato's attention. "What Professor Himuro is referring to is an ancient legend. It states that, in a time before recorded history, a dragon challenged the gods for rule over the world. When he was denied his challenge, this dragon retaliated by unleashing calamity and disaster across the globe," Oki expounded. "To stop the dragon's rampage, the gods created the Great Hero—a champion imbued with all their divine power. The Great Hero and Iron-headed Dragon fought, and the Great Hero emerged victorious, but not without first sacrificing their life to defeat and entrap their foe in the bowels of the underworld." [10]

'"The hero and the dragon must not awaken…"' With his father's last words echoing in his mind, Masato hesitantly asked: "So … so then… that armor is…?"

"The armor of the Great Hero, which was recovered, broken down, and analyzed at the behest of Nematoda by the good Professor here…" Valkyria chimed in, smiling toothily at the scowling scientist across the table. "Isn't that right, Supreme Commander?" In return, Professor Himuro quietly grumbled to himself.

"But, even so … what does that all have to do with me? Or these bracelets?" Masato asked, his gaze shifting between the various adults in the room. "Or the reason I'm a girl now?!"

"Those 'bracelets,' that you refer to, were forged from the helmet of the Great Hero's armor," Professor Himuro elucidated. "Upon examination, my former colleagues and I discovered that different pieces of the armor suit were imbued with energy signatures roughly analogous to eight cosmological elements: Wind, Fire, Water, Moon, Earth, Mountain, Thunder, and Heaven. In addition to predating any known civilization capable of metallurgy more advanced than copper, the base material of the armor itself was made of an unknown alloy not yet recorded on the periodic table—one possessing unique, metamorphic, extra-dimensional qualities that, to this day, we still do not yet fully understand within our current framework of physical law."

"Extra-dimensional…" Masato murmured to himself. After a beat, he looked up at Professor Himuro. "Are you talking about Ultra-dimensional Systems Theory?"

Professor Himuro's face once again darkened, and his scowl deepened as set his visor-covered gaze squarely on Masato, "You know about UDS Theory, boy?" he growled out.

"I've read up on it in school," Masato confirmed, seemingly unaware of the elderly scientist's growing ire. "I actually wrote a paper about it for my Advanced Physics class project this semester."

"How interesting…" Professor Himuro drawled. "Your sire, Kihara, was The Council's resident expert on Ultra-dimensional Systems Theory." The elderly scientist glared pointedly at an ashen-faced Masato. "It seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree…"

With cheeks red with shame, Masato broke their shared gaze and looked down at his hands atop the table. Professor Himuro snorted once, and then—ignoring the looks he was receiving from the table's other occupants—leaned back in his chair.

"Returning to the topic at hand, after breaking down the various pieces of armor, we began experimenting with means of harnessing their immense, otherworldly power for Nematoda," Professor Himuro recited. "On their own, the separated armor pieces were almost completely inert, lacking any obvious means of being activated or amplifying the residual energies of their elemental cores. We tried everything—electromagnetic stimulation, radiation exposure, intense kinetic impact…" The elderly man shook his head in apparent dismay. "One of our female assistants even suggested using the 'power of song,' of all things…"

"The solution, as it turned out, was two-fold," Professor Himuro continued. "Our first breakthrough came from our examination of the helmet containing 'Heaven,' which—as I said before—was later broken down and converted into the bracelets you're wearing now," he said, shooting a quick look at Masato. "In comparison to the other armor pieces, the helmet was unique in that it was composed of three distinct components—the core, containing the elemental energies of Heaven; a Dimensional Coupler, which we later discovered served as a power source to Heaven and the other seven elemental cores; and a Dimensional Joint, which coordinated power distribution and balancing between all eight cores and the Dimensional Coupler."

"Our second advance came about as a result of our studies of the various chambers surrounding the Great Hero's tomb," the elderly scientist stated. He gestured at the group of technicians, and after another rapid clicking of keys, a new series of grainy images were projected onto the viewscreen. While similarly low-lit, the pictures showed multiple streams of metallic liquid, glinting in the reflected lamplight, and flowing through recesses seemingly carved into the dusty stone floors of the chambers.

"During their excavation work, Nematoda archaeologists found multiple basins and channels of liquid mercury running throughout the underground necropolis—beginning at the base beneath the Great Hero's armor, and extending outward to all the outlying chambers," Professor Himuro explained. "The purpose of this vast stockpile of mercury was originally a mystery, with some proposing that it was meant as a symbolic representation of the many rivers and seas under the province of the First Emperor, as the layout of the tomb itself was modeled on Xianyang, the capital of the Qin dynasty; however, that did not explain why so much of it was purposefully channeled into the chamber containing the Terracotta Army…"

The scientist paused, then turned to Oki, who nodded and typed a few commands into a keyboard inset into the conference table. On the viewscreen, the collage of images changed to pictures showing multiple rows of dimly lit, life-sized warrior figurines. Some of the photos were elevated, taking in the full scope of the artificial army buried underground, while others were closer, revealing a grid-like series of channels running beneath the feet and hooves of the figurines, and likewise, shining from metallic liquid contained within.

"Upon examination, we discovered that a low-level current of unknown energy was running from the Great Hero's armor throughout the necropolis through these streams of mercury. Even more fascinatingly, this energy was seemingly being directed into capacitive vessels stored within each figure of the Terracotta Army…" Professor Himuro intoned, before looking squarely at Masato. "This energy, as it turns out, was what we later dubbed 'extra-dimensional energy,' for which mercury was revealed to be both a perfect conductor and storage medium."

"Why would extra-dimensional energy be sent into lifeless statues?" Masato queried, shaking his head in an irritated confusion. "What would be the point of such a thing?"

"Who knows?" Professor Himuro said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "Perhaps Emperor Qin Shi Huang thought that, should the Iron-Headed Dragon break free from the prison in which the Great Hero had sealed it, the energies released by its escape would be funneled into his Terracotta Army, bringing the lot of them to life. These awakened golems could then fight and kill the Iron-Headed Dragon before it had a chance to flee and wreak havoc on the land."

Professor Himuro's face briefly titled towards Miku. "If you believe in ancient myths and folktales, then it wouldn't be the first time that mercury, or 'quicksilver' as it was known to the early Greeks, was used as the lifeblood of soulless automata…" he said slowly, snorting briefly when his adopted daughter broke eye contact and looked down with a troubled grimace.

"In any case …" the scientist stated, turning back to look at Masato. "With this new knowledge, and once we had disassembled the Great Hero's armor, my former colleagues and I were able to use mercury-based conductors and batteries to harness the extra-dimensional energies produced by the Dimensional Coupler and channel them into each of the elemental cores, thus finally awakening them. Using the primitive capacitors housed in the Terracotta Army statues as models, we then constructed technologically based amplification devices in which to house and modulate the energies of the awakened cores, which we dubbed "artifact converters."

"This is all well and good…" Masato uttered irritably. He then looked up from the table at the scowling professor with a narrow gaze of his own. "But nonetheless it doesn't explain why I'm still currently a girl!"

"Hmph! I was just getting to that, you impetuous brat!" Professor Himuro growled out, meeting Masato's gaze until the latter looked away with a frown. Nodding with a slight sneer, the elderly man continued: "These breakthroughs led to our development and eventual testing of artifact converters for all eight elemental cores; however, while we were able to use the Dimensional Coupler to siphon extra-dimensional energy to power the artifact converters in small amounts, this power quickly dissipated unless the cores were directly connected to either the Coupler or Joint. Creating an artificial coupler also proved to be a dead-end, as—"

"—'as only one Dimensional Coupler, tethered to its mate in the extra-dimensional space, can exist on a singular dimensional plane at a given time.'" At this quiet utterance, all eyes turned to the boy-turned-girl, who in turn barely glanced up from looking down at the table. "That's what the propositions of 'Ultra-dimensional Systems Theory' say, anyway…" Masato added, causing Professor Himuro to scoff while Valkyria smirked, and Oki covered his mouth as he coughed into his fist.

"Regardless…" Professor Himuro continued, "Besides this problem, we also discovered that—unlike the elemental cores—both the Dimensional Coupler and Joint could only be effectively operated by someone possessing a female body." The elderly scientist paused, then said more quietly: "Several men tried to equip each device before we arrived at that conclusion…"

"They tried and failed?" Masato asked petulantly, glaring up from the conference table above his folded hands.

"They tried and died," Professor Himuro said flatly, eliciting a wince from the transformed boy as he once again averted his gaze.

"After multiple experiments, we deduced that the life-nurturing aspects of womanhood allowed females, or those possessing untainted female biology, to contain the energies put out by the Dimensional Coupler or Joint without being atomized like their male counterparts; however, once so equipped, they could not also make use of any of the other elemental cores to empower them," Professor Himuro continued. "With this knowledge and making use of the unique metamorphic qualities of the Great Hero's armor, we focused our efforts on developing a process which would allow someone equipped with an artifact converter to merge with a woman equipped with either the Coupler or Joint at the molecular level. This process, which we dubbed "cross-dimensional combination," would in turn result in an artificially forged, predominantly female, 'perfect' body capable of wielding both a core and a means of powering it." He shot a pointed look at Masato. "As you likely gleaned, we eventually succeeded."

Masato gulped, looking down briefly at the two bangles on his wrists. He again thought back on everything he had experienced up to now, from the moment his home was invaded to the period he was transformed into Zeorymer. In particular, he thought back on the brief moments of extraordinary physical strength exhibited by Miku during their flight from Hau Dragon.

'If I have the artifact converter containing 'Heaven', then … does that mean that Miku…' Masato thought but was pulled from his musings as Professor Himuro continued speaking.

"With each new success, it was as if we were slowly opening the lid on the secrets of the universe itself…" Professor Himuro stated. He sighed, shook his head as if to clear it, and the wrinkles on the scientist's face seemed to deepen as his spoke again: "While Heaven's artifact converter and the Dimensional Coupler were salvaged during our escape from Nematoda, the Dimensional Joint … and the other seven cores … were lost. Such a waste…"

"That's not the entire story though, is it Professor?" Valkryia chimed in, eliciting a fresh scowl from the scientist.

"When Professor Himuro and his cronies launched their little insurrection all those years ago, they meant to completely eradicate Nematoda's entire infrastructure; however, due to their haste, they were only able to cripple Nematoda temporarily—long enough for a group of fanatical occultists to take over and rebuild it as Hau Dragon…" Valkyria's features took on a more pensive expression, and once more she fingered the locket around her neck. "…but not after purging any opposition to their new order."

"You keep talking about this 'Hau Dragon'…" Masato murmured, before looking up from the table. "But who or what is Hau Dragon? What is it that they want?"

"Ostensibly, followers of the Iron-Headed Dragon," Oki answered, drawing all eyes back to him. "From what we have been able to uncover from historic accounts, there has been a minor cult devoted to the Iron-Headed Dragon on the fringes of Chinese society as early as the Xia dynasty—roughly 4,000 years ago. There is a smattering of mentions of them over time, but never in any great numbers or treated with any degree of serious scrutiny. How they were able to infiltrate Nematoda so thoroughly as to be able to pull off a complete coup remains a mystery."

Valkyria tapped several keys inlaid onto the table in front of her. The viewscreen lit up and quickly filled with a list of various names and company logos. "These are some of the companies that the international intelligence community suspects of having had some manner of ties to Nematoda in the past, and continue to do so now with Hau Dragon under their Tekkoryu public banner…"

Looking up hesitantly, Masato's eyes widened as they trailed over the lengthy list of names on display, his mouth agape as he took them all in. Some of the companies—International Electronic Brains, MAX Pharmaceuticals, Yutani Industries, and the Genom Corporation—were organizations he readily recognized due to their support of the Japanese scientific community. Other names, such as ENCOM, Bartok Industries, or Omni Consumer Products were either less well-known or alien to the befuddled teen. [11]

"As far as what Hau Dragon wants, I think that my erstwhile assistant made their motive quite clear…" Professor Himuro stated tersely. "The resurrection of the Iron-Headed Dragon, the subjugation of all humanity, and the domination of the entire world."

"That's why Last Guardian exists…" Oki said. "As the ultimate bastion and defense for mankind against global threats like Hau Dragon." Oki paused, then added: "It's also why we need your help in this fight, Masato-kun."

"Me?" Masato asked incredulously. "Why me?! What's so special about me?!"

Professor Himuro scowled, then stated: "Each artifact converter was biometrically encoded to work with a single bearer, who in turn, were genetically modified to make them compatible with their individual converter and element." He looked pointedly at Masato. "And you, boy, were chosen from birth to be the bearer for 'Heaven.'"

"F-from bi-birth?" Masato stammered, shifting his gaze between the others seated around the table. "Y-you mean … you mean I'm just…"

"Spare parts," Professor Himuro said bluntly. "A necessary biological component to make the artifact converter for 'Heaven' function, seeing how my former assistant proved unable to change the unit's base programming…" Frowning anew, the elderly scientist briefly cast his visored gaze over the others gathered around the table, before saying: "We're done here."

Before anyone else could utter a word, and with surprising speed, Professor Himuro pushed his chair away from the table, stood up, turned, and began shuffling his way out of the room. Oki was next to stand, and made to follow the scientist, but paused when he spied a manicured hand wave at him.

"You and I still need to have a chat, Oki," Valkyria said as she also stood. She tilted her emerald gaze towards Masato, who was slumped over the table, his eyes glazed and unfocused, and mouth ajar.

Beside Masato, Miku rubbed at the transformed boy's back, making soothing sounds to comfort him. She started as Professor Himuro's voice rang out.

"You, girl!" the elderly man barked. "Stop your nonsense and get a move on—we've got work to do!"

For a moment, Miku just stared at the glaring visage of her adoptive father, then shifted her eyes across to linger on a smirking Valkyria, over to a blank-faced Oki, and finally back down to the still slumped-over Masato. The brunette bit her lip for a moment, but after swallowing once, bent over and quickly pecked Masato on the cheek, causing the latter's eyes to dilate as his cheeks flushed crimson. Masato turned to look, but Miku was already gone, scampering away until she was beside Professor Himuro at the door. The pair of Himuro's then exited the room, doors whooshing shut behind them.

Masato stared at the shut door briefly, a mix of different emotions playing across his more-feminine features before his mouth settled into a determined line. Pushing away from the conference table, Masato shakily stood and began taking wobbly steps towards the door, arms held out from his body for balance.

As the teen also left the room, Oki turned his sunglasses-covered eyes intently towards Valkyria, who matched his gaze for a moment before sighing, rolling her eyes, and jerking her head in the direction of the door. Nodding once, Oki turned and strode out of the room, followed more leisurely by Valkyria after she had gathered her belongings.

"Professor! Professor Himuro! Please, wait!" Masato called out as he stumbled awkwardly down the corridor, holding onto one of the guide rails for support.

Further up the hallway, Professor Himuro continued to shuffle forward, and only paused when Miku tugged sharply at the sleeve of his lab coat.

Sighing heavily, Professor Himuro turned to face the transformed adolescent. "What is it, boy? I have other matters requiring my attention today…"

Breathing heavily as he approached, Masato gulped down a large breath of air before replying: "I-I'm sorry, I k-know I've already t-taken a lot of your time already, b-but—"

"But, what?!" Professor Himuro interjected with audible irritation. "Spit it out, lad!"

Wincing at the sharp rebuke, Masato swallowed again before continuing: "I-it's just, I w-want to know, h-how do I change back? C-can I undo this tra-transformation, and return to … to being me?"

A moment passed, interrupted only by the sounds of Masato's heavy breathing. While glowering down at the bent-over teen before him, Professor Himuro threw a brief side-glance to Miku, who met her elder's gaze briefly before turning away, her eyes shadowed and downcast. After letting out a quick snort, the scientist turned back to Masato.

"Who knows? That's really none of my concern … you'll have to figure it out on your own," Professor Himuro stated airily, his visored face inscrutable as Masato just gaped up at him. The elder scientist tilted his head as Oki and Valkyria made their own approach from further down the hallway, then turned back to a still-stricken Masato. "Well, if that's all then…" he said as he began to turn away.

"B-but Professor Himuro…" Masato finally managed to voice. "I-I still ha-have so many questions…"

"I. Don't. Care." Professor Himuro pronounced tersely, once again causing Masato to fall silent. Turning back around, Professor Himuro quickly advanced on the stunned teen until there were only millimeters separating them. "Now then, let me make this very clear, boy—I don't want you here. I never did. The only reason you are here is because my former assistant failed in his assigned task of removing you as the designated operator for the 'Heaven' artifact converter."

"R-remove me?" Masato stammered. "My father was trying to…?"

"Shigeharu Akitsu is NOT your father!" Professor Himuro bellowed with sudden fury. He strode forward, forcing Masato to shakily back away as he continued: "Your real father, Masaki Kihara, was a traitorous, opportunistic, snake who would just as soon stab you in the back as shake your hand if it would give him an advantage!"

Masato attempted to get away from the furious scientist, but Professor Himuro kept closing the distance between them until the teen was backed up against the wall of the corridor.

"Moreover, boy, your father was directly responsible for the greatest tragedy of my life!" Professor Himuro roared, ignoring furious tugs on his coat behind him or gestures from Oki ahead. "Your father, Kihara… seduced, sullied, and later slaughtered my … my beloved wife, Michiru…" The scientist paused, his hands tightening into fists and teeth gnashing together with anguish before he finally growled out: "…your mother."

Masato's eyes went wide, and he slumped to the floor as his legs gave way beneath him. He looked up, ashen-faced and bewildered at the elderly scientist looming above him.

"M-my m-mother…?" Masato squeaked out, his voice cracking and eyes wavering. "Y-you mean … you mean I'm…?"

"Exactly what I said earlier…" Professor Himuro uttered, glaring down at a quivering Masato. "So, when I look at you, boy … all that I see … is the bastard spawn of a man that I hate." He turned around and began making his way back down the hallway, then paused. "Be glad that you're stuck in that female body … were you still in your original skin, I doubt I'd be able to be in the same room as you…" he added, before continuing his shuffling stride. "Come, girl!"

Miku jumped at being called, having seemingly been frozen in place. She glanced furtively at Masato—still slumped down on the floor—and then looked up pleadingly at Oki. When the sunglasses-wearing man nodded his head, Miku's lips twitched into a grateful smile, before she twirled around and hurried after Professor Himuro.

Oki watched the pair's departure, then looked down at the shell-shocked teen on the floor. Silently, he leaned down, grabbed Masato by his free arm, and gently but firmly brought him back to his feet. Still holding Masato with one arm, Oki began leading him in the opposite direction down the hallway. As the two passed by Valkyria, she eyeballed the two of them before shrugging and following along just behind.

The trio walked through a multitude of identical hallways in a heavy silence—Masato sullen and still reeling from the many revelations he had experienced over the last several hours, Oki stolid and implacable as he guided Masato along, and Valkyria staring imperceptibly at both as she followed a few steps behind, munching on the remains of her sweet bun.

Eventually, they stopped before one of many identical doors, which opened to reveal the hospital room in which Masato had originally awakened.

"Here we are…" Oki said, and his sudden words seemed to stir Masato, who looked up at Oki with a blank expression. "You should get some rest—there will be plenty for you to do before long."

Masato just stared vacantly at Oki's sunglasses-covered face, causing the latter to cock an eyebrow at the teen's lack of response. An uncomfortable air of awkwardness settled over the three, but eventually Oki turned and guided the taciturn Masato into the room. Valkyria hovered at the open doorway, one arm folded beneath her chest and fingering her locket with her free hand as Oki led Masato over to the bed.

After Masato sat down on the mattress, Oki turned and strode over to a multimedia stand mounted on one of the room's walls. While Oki was busy manipulating the controls for the display screen, Valkyria took the opportunity to saunter over to Masato, who was slumped over, staring down at his folded hands in his lap. He jerked briefly as Valkyria sat beside him on the bed and placed one hand on his shoulder. With weary eyes, Masato looked up at the older woman, whose expression was softer than it was previously.

"Don't let the words of that vresig gubbe get to you, Masse…" Valkyria stated gently with a small quirk of her lips. She leaned down until she was cheek-to-cheek with the now bright-red teen. Bringing her lips to the blushing Masato's ear, she whispered: "Remember, it's not the circumstances of your birth which define you, but what you choose to do with the life you've been given." [12]

Masato blinked, his eyes clearing as tears dotted the corners of his eyes. "V-Valla-san…"

Valkyria gave Masato a light shoulder pat before standing and heading back towards the door. She passed Oki as she exited the room—the latter having finished whatever work he had been doing and now standing in the middle of the room facing Masato.

"I've cued the recording left by Professor Akitsu up to the point where we cut off earlier…" Oki stated, pressing the bridge of his sunglasses with one hand. "I would advise that you watch it, as well as the other recordings he left for you in our care. They may … be of some help to you."

Masato gazed up at the straight-faced man, his face contorting through a mix of emotions, but eventually he nodded his head unenthusiastically. Oki nodded in turn, and made to leave the room, but paused as a quiet voice spoke up behind him.

"Th-thank you, Ok-ki-san," Masato said hesitantly, his head bowed so that his auburn bangs covered his eyes. "An-and I-I'm sorry…"

Once again, Oki cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry? For what?"

Masato gulped, and keeping his head bowed, stammered out: "T-t-there w-was another m-man named 'Ok-ki' on the t-team that c-came to my house the n-night b-b-before. H-he w-was r-related to y-you, w-wasn't he?"

Oki was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath before saying: "Indeed, that man was my older brother, Kou. He is … he was the head of our Combat Division." [13]

In response to Oki's statement, Masato choked back a sob, his shoulders shaking and his body convulsing as he tried to maintain some semblance of composure. "I-I'm s-sorry! I-I'm s-s-so sorry that h-he d-died, saving s-some no-nobody li-like me!"

"Don't be."

The blunt statement caused Masato to look up with shock, his red-brown eyes glistening with tears. Sighing once more, Oki brushed back his hair with one hand. reached up with the other and removed his sunglasses.

"My older brother … was … a bit of a neanderthal, always quick to jump into the fray before thinking things through or considering the ramifications of his actions," Oki said with a light shake of his head. Looking down, he lightly twisted his sunglasses in his hands as he added: "However, he was also a man thoroughly devoted to his duty—he would give his all to any mission he was assigned regardless of his own opinions or feelings." Tilting his head over, Oki caught Masato's wide-eyed gaze with his own steely stare. "My older brother chose to save you, Masato-kun, because the mission mattered more to him than his life," he said. "If you wish to honor him and his sacrifice, then you would be wise to follow his example."

Masato gulped once more, but after a moment, slowly nodded his head in understanding. In response, Oki put his sunglasses back on, turned, and walked towards the exit to the hospital room. As the door whooshed open at his approach, Oki briefly paused at the threshold, then looked back over his shoulder.

"Oh, and by the by…" Oki stated. "Welcome to Last Guardian." He then turned away and walked forward, with the doorway closing behind him shortly after.

Masato stared at the closed portal for several minutes, thoughts racing through his mind with no discernible rhythm or reason. Eventually, his gaze shifted over to a remote-control unit mounted on a rail of the hospital bed. Lethargically, he reached over, grabbed the device, and pointed it at the display terminal Oki had previously been working on. After a few tries, he managed to turn the unit on, and as promised, the recording he had previously been watching in the briefing room with the others began playing:

"…before this work could be completed, a new menace emerged from the shadows, built from the remnants of Nematoda—a self-styled, feudal sovereignty calling itself 'Hau Dragon.' Based on what little information we have, this Hau Dragon, or Tekkoryu, is not just Nematoda reborn … instead, it is likely a far greater threat…"

Leaning forward, Masato gazed misty-eyed at the image of the man he had previously thought of as his father. Once again, his body began shaking as he struggled to hold back his tears.

"If nothing else, I want you to know … that I always thought of you as my son," the grainy picture of Professor Akitsu stated. "Even though we aren't related by blood, please know that it has been my greatest privilege and joy to watch over you these last fifteen years. I have no doubt that you will find a way to escape the fate of the Great Hero and become the savior humanity needs on your own terms."

Masato let loose a cry, his body shuttering and convulsing as he began sobbing anew. "Dad…"

"Whatever happens to you, whatever you might learn, and however you might change from here on out, never forget that you are 'Masato Akitsu' … always." Professor Akitsu said. The scientist paused, looking down as he seemed to gather himself, before facing forward again with a wan smile. "Take care, my son."

As the recording faded away and shifted to snow and static, Masato finally let loose an open wail. Covering his face with both hands, the boy-turned-girl fell sideways onto the bed, then curled up into a fetal position as he continued to weep unrelentingly. His tears slowly dampened the pillow and sheets beneath him as he eventually cried himself to sleep.

NEXT TIME ON MEIOU SHOJO ZEORYMER:

"I'm no hero … never was, never will be…"

"We're partners, remember? Where you go, I go too…"

"That boy has to learn … there's no turning back now."

"COME ON OUT, 'HEAVEN'! IT'S TIME … TO DUEL!"

"Child of the Skies Above! And Protector of All that Lives on Earth Below! The Lovely Warrior—Zeorymer of the Heavens—IS HERE!"

COMING UP IN EPISODE 4: "Awakening, Part IV: You Can [Not] Go Home Again"

STORY FOOTNOTES:

BETA READING PROVIDED BY: Twisted Eternal Wolvetta (fanfiction^net/beta/2124726/Twisted-Eternal-Wolvetta)

[1]: I based Masato's female appearance on the character Anice Farm from the anime Sonic Soldier Borgman (https://auctions.c.yimg.jp/images.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/image/dr000/auc0106/users/af86387fe2781d0b25f0f87dd065c3385409507f/i-img893x1200-1591147847lkvj0p40700.jpg). Both characters were designed for their respective anime series by mangaka Michitaka Kikuchi (aka Kia Asamiya), and (in addition to having a general resemblance in their designs, IMHO), there is plenty of art out there (official and unofficial) featuring both Miku and Anice together (https://mblogthumb-phinf.pstatic.net/20121118_220/azusasenou_1353243164801Ydnh3_JPEG/1300533883075.jpg?type=w800; https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/4254359), which just seals the deal for me!

[2]: While I wasn't able to find any decent screenshots, here's someone's fanart of Miku in the outfit as described (https://www5.big.or.jp/~aquarius/zeorymer/painting/picture/miku04_c.jpg)

[3]: At this point in the episode, I can imagine that Miku's theme (https://youtu.be/OvK_SoXUklA?si=KYApvIRj0_9fBbYf) from the Hades Project Zeorymer OVA (appropriately enough, titled "Miku") would start playing, and would continue to the very end of the scene.

[4]: For those who don't remember or didn't see the OVA, here's a picture of Oki for reference (https://cdn.anisearch.com/images/character/screen/119/119537/full/611006.webp).

[5]: Professor Ryozo Himuro was a supporting character in the original Project Zeorymer manga. I would provide reference pictures, but … you know … hentai.

[6]: Valkyria (or Valcuria) Forsberg-Lisker is another character lifted from Yoshiki Takaya's more famous work, Bio-booster Armor Guyver. She originally made her debut in the 1986 OVA movie Guyver: Out of Control (https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0b952dc7-7a90-4c25-9974-97e7652b5373/dce73fh-c67440d5-62c7-4739-9eb0-4a683232ae14.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzBiOTUyZGM3LTdhOTAtNGMyNS05OTc0LTk3ZTc2NTJiNTM3M1wvZGNlNzNmaC1jNjc0NDBkNS02MmM3LTQ3MzktOWViMC00YTY4MzIzMmFlMTQuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.-dn5AiZlAO8fwy119IY-wGOIDc1mOmH3i5IHLE9xRf8), where she was a red-head and voiced by seiyuu Keiko Toda. The character later migrated back into the original manga as a slightly different, blond-haired version of the character (https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/monster/images/b/b1/Valkyria.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170611093541), which is also when her ethnicity was officially canonized as being "Scandinavian" (and which I've chosen to elaborate on by making her a resident of Sweden, as "Forsberg" is a Swedish surname). As such, I've taken elements from both versions of Valkyria/Valcuria for her appearance in this story.

[7] From what I've been able to read about Swedish naming conventions online, it's common practice to take a boy's given name, shorten it to the first syllable and an elongated consonant, and follow it with an "e" (pronounced "eh") when creating a diminutive nickname. Hence, "Masato" becomes "Masse" (equivalent to "Masato-chan" or the like). If I've gotten this wrong, and if any native Swedish speakers wish to correct me on this matter, please feel free!

[8]: "Nematoda" was the name of the enemy organization in the original Project Zeorymer manga. It was replaced by "Hau Dragon"/"Tekkoryu" for the later Hades Project Zeorymer OVA.

[9]: The Terracotta Army is a real collection of life-size statues created in the 200s BC, and residing in a series of excavated pits outside Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. While the statues were reportedly built to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (and protect him in the afterlife), there don't appear to be any giant gold suits of armor atop disc-shaped effigies of dragons anywhere to be found (though admittedly most of the tomb and mausoleum surrounding it remain sealed for preservation reasons)..Likewise, there don't seem to be any mummies who resemble Jet Li lying in wait for resurrection by hapless adventuring archeologists.

[10]: The myth of the Great Hero and the Iron-Headed Dragon as described here (as well as in the Prologue) is based on/inspired by the story of Gonggong (共工), a water god from Chinese mythology and folklore who is blamed with tilting the Earth's axis off-center after losing a fight over the throne of Heaven, resulting in the directional flow of rivers and the movement of stars across the sky. In various stories, Gonggong is reportedly described as having a copper human head with an iron forehead, red hair, and the body of a serpent. As it turns out, "Hau Dragon," or Tekkoryu (鉄甲龍), translates to "Iron Armored Dragon," so linking the two seemed apropos.

[11]: Can you name all the evil organization references? No points for cheating with a Google search!

[12]: Here are translations for all examples of gratuitous Swedish used in this chapter:

Märkvärdig… – Remarkable…

Aww … vad bedårande. – Aww … how adorable.

Det är okej – It is okay/That's all right.

vresig gubbe – grouchy old man

As with my attempt at using Swedish nicknaming conventions, if there are more accurate or authentic Swedish expressions or wording that I can use here, please feel free to let me know!

[13]: Depending on the source, Oki's personal name is either identified as "Isao" or "Kou," so I decided to make them both into two separate characters for fun! It certainly wasn't because I wanted to have a cheap "bait-and-switch" in the first chapter when a character named "Oki" got killed off!