Bright Sky: New Chapter

[Akarui Sora]

The ambient rattling of the metal-framed bus, as well as all of its passengers, had become something of a constant over the long journey from Akarui’s home, to Rhy’din. Bumps in the road causing people to bounce around in their semi-plush seats, a luxury in interdimensional mass transit. From lush rolling hills of green pastures to the sand dunes of Cadentia, the generic grey bus liner had covered nearly 18 hours of travel.

While most passengers slept, Akarui stared out and up towards the distant sky, only twitching every now and then to show that he was awake when his nosey seatmate tried to peek over at the bag between the delinquent’s knees. Unlucky for them, Akarui was going to fend off anyone who wanted to pry. After all, all he owned was in that sorry excuse for a backpack.

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“Terrain…. Woop Woop Terrain…. Pull Up…. Woop Woop”

The roar of the jet’s engine against the ground and the trail’s of sand that it whipped up behind it in a vortex echoed for miles around. The ground shook as it tore past at subsonic speeds, pulling tight maneuvers amongst the dunes and sending wildlife scattered. Within the cockpit, Akarui sucked in a deep breath in tandem with each turn he pulled. His actions are adrenaline-filled and instinct-based.

“Woop Woop… Pull Up… Pull Up…”

The sight of a black dot in his rear was enough to send his heart racing. “Come on… come on…” He pulled another sharp bank around a rocky dune and emerged from the other side overlooking a sea of flat sand. Just as his plane emerged his cockpit came to life with chirps, sirens and warnings. From his Ground Proximity to his RWR; it was sensory overload to the common person, yet Akarui gently planted his throttle forward and exhaled.

A sharp turn upwards into the sky as the sirens became more frantic and louder. The nose of his aircraft pointed to the sun. “3...2…” He took in a breath just as his aircraft began to shake violently and turn head over engines. A rush of a sound past him as he looked up, and watched the white metal cask of the missile slide past him and off into the sky behind. Feeling a moment of dizziness, the young pilot grinned behind his mask, guiding the plane fully over as a new set of sounds joined the orchestra of metallic and robotic chirps and sirens.

A quick low set of ‘baps’ followed by a high pitched robotic squeal. “Gotcha.” his right trigger finger depressed upon the red metal button as his airframe gave a violent vibration before a trail of white smoke shot off past his cockpit…

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“Hey, kid!” The bus driver stood frustrated at the end of the seats nearest to Akarui. “Lets go, I got a whole load of passengers trying to get back to Terra and time is money.” The slightly Italian accent of the bulbous man echoed in the now-empty bus as Akarui shook himself out of his daydream.

“Huh...yeah...sorry yeah…” He quickly mumbled and bolted past the shaking head of the Driver, and moved out of the open sliding door, backpack held awkwardly between his hands. Dropped off in Southgate, the delinquent would exhale and pull out a small, hastily drawn map that pointed westwards. Looking off in that direction, his feet would turn slightly as the interdimensional bus would start off through the city to pull its roundabout to head out from Rhy’din, facing Akarui towards the docks, towards what would have to become his new home.

[Akarui Sora]

It wasn’t hard to find ‘home’ again. With the winds rushing off of the docks and into the East, the new arrival was surrounded with the scents of home: ramen, fish, and rice. The greatest tracking device for a delinquent was their nose when their stomach was demanding more food, and considering he had not eaten in over a day his stomach was begging for the taste of home.

While absolutely lost within the brand new environment, he eventually found himself standing at the headway of the main road and Kabuki street to his North. Though his stomach was ready to leap from his body and towards the nearest ramen cart, Akarui’s gaze lingered toward the ports further along the main road. From sails of older ships to the familiar diesel hum of fishing boats coming in and out of the dock, to the unfamiliar sounds of larger flying vessels; one of which rapidly lifted up and into the line of sight of the young man. His eyes opening wide and grin becoming even wider, he would giddily shift side to side at the display… until his stomach intervened with a loud rumble that stopped him in his tracks.

“Two bowls.” Akarui chimed towards the vendor, placing the requisite yen upon the counter as his gaze lingered up towards the sky. The mix of his native tongue and the common tongue brought a warm smile to his face.

“New here… huh?” The vendor, a middle-aged man asked as he finished up pouring the broth into the plastic bowl.

“Just arrived…” Akarui would turn his gaze towards the man, giving him an ever so polite bow of his head, before looking towards the man chuckling.

“You keep looking up and you might end up missing what's in front of you…” The older man added as he handed over the two bowls. “There’s dormitories here if needed. Cheap ones at that if you need a place to stay more permanently then an inn.” He would smile towards Akarui and tuck the yen away.

“Thank you… could you point me towards them… my stomach can only carry me so far!” Akarui laughed somewhat as he would now focus on Kabuki street as a whole. Many other delinquents and other residents milling about, pachinko parlors, the scents of some of his other favorite foods that caused his stomach to rumble again. It was as close to home as he could get!

A wave of the vendor's hand had him moving rapidly off towards the dormitories, the old apartment buildings renovated for the task of giving delinquents a place to live.

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The sound of the wooden door slamming shut behind him caused Akarui to sigh. “I have… seen bigger.” as his gaze shifted around the next to the bare room that was to be his, though strangely it was listed for two. A bunk bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a small end table all stuffed right on the corner of the building, underneath the stairs practically with the way the ‘closet’ was angled. “It… it will do.” He nodded his head as he would carefully unsling his backpack after setting down the ramen on to the table.

Scarfing down one bowl he would abstain from the second, waiting for later to enjoy it as he would look towards the door, then towards his bag. A single towel was procured, as well as his only change of clothes, and then a wash. Preparing to suffer without shower shoes, he would make his way casually towards the communal showers.

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“Never have I been hit in the head with so many things.” Akarui grimaced as his hands gripped his head. Not even minutes after traversing the mostly female dorms towards the shower, had he made a very hasty retreat, as the halls had been filled with the screams and shrieks of the occupants inside and the objects thrown towards him.

“Later… later it will be free…” He sighed and quietly flopped back onto his ‘bed’ [moreso a military mattress] and closed his eyes. It didn’t take long before he drifted off to sleep for the first time in Kabuki.

[Akarui Sora]

Looking down at his phone, then back up to the motor pool, then back down again Akarui would take a moment. Why was he even nervous? The place smelled like home. Between the random fits of Japanese cursing being strewn about, the occasional wrench clattering against the stones and the scented oil filled the immediacy.

Adjusting the only thing he really had to wear other than his hoodie: a bright red shirt to match the dark pair of jeans. Before even applying for the job the shirt had oil smudges, likely from his previous job in Tokyo working in a small street shop that repaired mostly mopeds and tiny cars for the residents of the neighborhood.

Quick steps led him through the door to the Motorpool where the sound of slow work mixed with the chime of an aged welcoming bell on its final days. Akarui knew these kinds of shops well. A few engine bays, space to park incumbent vehicles for longterm service, a garage to store things and then the office doors that were barely on its hinges and locked with a simple slide lock.

It was the latter that had his attention, as a short and stiff breeze opened the door before he could even manage to get to it. A smirk crossing his lips as he stepped within to speak with the proprietor whoever that was. The only name he had been given was Saori. Hopefully, he would find them to get sorted out.

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Engine replacements are a hard thing to do. Especially on a roughly 1930’s vehicle. Hands coated up to the elbows almost in grease and oil, a rag draped through one of the holes in his jeans. Needless to say, the job had become something he started right away. Two very messy engine swaps, and one full brake line was torn down to be replaced in the next few days.

Though, starting right away meant that the other task of the day had been delayed until he could try again. That was his enrollment in the schools so he could finish up some form of education. However, that could be on the back burner, as the money that could be made working hard at the motor pool was enough that maybe he could afford real food from time to time, and find a way to repay the Shinsengumi for their effort to both keep the peace, and keep him clean.

[Akarui Sora]

The back of the Bronco was not the greatest of places to sleep. Hard on the back and only the bare slim sleeping bag barely managed to keep the cold of the desert from penetrating through. Yet, it was not the cold, or the exhaustion of working upon the fickle fusion engines that Shelby had purchased weeks ago that kept him awake.

Turning over and rubbing his hand from the harsh slap delivered as he had just broke her of another nightmare, Akarui twisted into the rustling bag and closing his eyes. This late at night it was not hard to fall back into unconsciousness.


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The desert had risen as it would any other day. The chirps of desert creatures of very strange origins echoing across rocky canyons and across windswept dunes. However this serenity would not last longer then the sun arising over the horizon fully. Soon ththe roar of jet engines broke the silence in several directions as multiple squadrons of fighters began to form up wing to wing across the sky. A grand joust of knights was taking place, their horses replaced by engines strapped with wings. Lances exchanged for missiles. Armor replaced by speed.

It took only minutes for the strong to show themselves, to weed out the unprepared and soon below the desert sands were alight with first set by the excess jet fuel that spilled out from wrecks, one side clad in shadowy purples and reds coming out ahead and soon controlling the strategic airspace over the desert.



"That's it everyone all contacts are...." the AWACS sqawked over the shared frequency before pausing. "Two unknown aircraft entering into the airspace at high speed. Vectoring to intercept... unknown aircraft identify yourselves."

". . . . . ."

"Unknown enemy aircraft identify yourselves or you will be fired upon."

". . . . . ."

"All squadrons, unknown aircraft are within firing range, proceed to..."

"This is Shadow three I am being pinged..."
"Shadow Six I can't shake this lock!.."
"Shadow one... I can't see these guys... how are they."

"Shadow Squadron break break missile launch... repeat missile launch."

Akarui smirked as he lifted his finger from the third button upon his center placed stick. "Joker... fox three." He watched as several missile's go past his nose before suddenly tossing his plane aside, and the second plane next to him breaking opposite of where he was going.

"Missile... missile break left go!"
"I don't see it..."
"Fuck breaking...."

The radio fills with static as three of the nine Shadow Squadron pilots plummeted to the desert below in fireballs, their aircraft ripping and tearing from the force of the impact and the fire, joining the wreckage below and the scattering creatures in panic.

Akarui continued his movements, still two miles out as he was looking to out maneuver the several enemies before the can even recover several locks exchanged for the right one that couldn't get sway. "Four."

"Five." A female voice retorted back as Akarui looked off his two o'clock to watch his wing woman shoot down her own quarry and proceed onto the next. Chuckling Akarui shook his head and spun engaging into the chaos.

It wasn't even minutes. As soon as they had appeared, they had disappeared and delivered precise blow to to the squadron of enemies.

"Joker." Shelby's voice came through clearly now. "Is this a joke?"

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Akarui shook himself awake as he heard Shelby speaking over him. "You are later joker." Stated simply towards him as he slowly managed to come around. His eyes locking onto her. "I..."

Before he could respond, she was off and his head fell back against the bed of the Bronco. Sighing quietly before tossing the cover aside and jumping out already in his overalls and heading off to work.