Rock Solid

"The scouts found a structure at the center of the wastelands. No defenses, no land mines, nothing. Just a small Hut in the center of nothing." Colonel Nemu caught me up on the data the scouts could get. "One of the scouts went in, to investigate. He never came back out." Hasashi flashed images from the hologram projector, and showed a small, rusted, metal shack in the middle of the Nagasaki Wastelands. "Me and my squadron can go and investigate." I respectfully suggested to both of them. "We can't have you do this alone, Toishi." Nemu said with a tone of concern in her voice. "That's why we are sending The Hokori Clan along with you." Out of all the teams we could have gone with, we got the one clan I hated in the entire camp. "Lt. Hasashi, no disrespect sir, but are there any clans that are not occupied?" I asked with as much control and respect I could. "The Beta clan are currently working on something important in London, and Alpha's trying to retrieve our captured men over in America." London? Has it really gotten this bad already? "You've met the clan leader, Mr. Akira Hokori." Colonel Nemu said as a tall, and masculine figure walked to the desk, and beside me. He violently put his massive arm around my shoulders. "We have met before Colonel! we're good friends if you ask me!" He had an undercut with his sides shaved to form his serial number. His light brown eyes looked down at me like a damn child. "Isn't that right, Kibo?" He exclaimed.

"You will be deployed at dawn. Now both of you, get some rest. you're gonna need it." Lt. Hasashi said, as we were dismissed.

We walked our ways back to our cabins. On the way, me and Akira did a bit of catching up. "Been a while since our last adventure, aye? Toishi?" Akira tapped my back with some force. "Jeez man, lighten up on the gains, would you?" I chuckled to try and not make it awkward. "What do you think is in that thing? Aliens? Evil science stuff? Maybe something not of this world?" he jokingly said out loud. "I'm not sure, but what ever it is, we need to keep this from the hands of the Americans as much as possible." I replied with a serious answer. "I call dibs on what ever I see in there!" He exclaimed with excitement. "Do you take anything seriously?" I genuinely wanted to know. Akira has been my friend since we were in highschool. He was always the one getting noticed for everything. I mean, he HAD everything. A great body, good looks, and so much energy only so much can handle. But of course, everything has flaws. He never takes anything seriously. He thinks the entire world is just one big game to play. He likes to bug me when ever he can, and I do my best to keep up. But I'll admit, when the time is right, he is a God among men. He took down 20 armed men with a wooden plank in the battle for the front. I look up to that man, I'm just second best.

"Get ready troops. We leave at dawn." I informed my team, as it was time for lights out.

Dawn breaks, and we left camp. We packed two MREs each, and one jug of water. We made sure we brought at least one medic with us. What's a team without their support, right? "Alright, team. We're approaching the drop point. Get your gear, and let's move out." Akira told us. We were 5 minutes away from the drop. We don't use parachutes anymore. We have fully Shock absorbent drops suits made out of carbon fiber, and a new material we found back in the early 30s, We called it Terra steel. Terra steel can absorb any impact what so ever, and turns the kinetic energy it took to the users will. "You sure don't need a parachute, Delta Squad? Seems y'all need them. I need, you'll probably get blown away by the wind before we even land." That was Jake. He's half white and half Japanese. He grew up in Tokyo with his mom. He barely knew his dad. He's been a pain in my neck ever since boot camp. "I don't think you need the suit either, Jake. With your size, you'll sink faster than a boulder." I rebutted, trying to be smug. The alarm went off, and the carrier doors opened. "This is the drop zone boys! Let's take names, and kick some ass!" Akira yelled, and Jumped out of the plane. "KAHNCHO!" We all yelled out the battle cry and ran out following Him. It was a smooth drop half way down.

Then the ear piece in Helmet started to act up, and I spun out of control due to the loud screech it produced.

I hit Hanzo and Kang both as I spun out of control, not knowing they didn't fasten their boots well. Both the bottom layer of their suits came apart, exposing their lower body. "What happened back there, Kibo?" Akira yelled through the coms. "My radio acted up and I spun out. Hanzo and Kang need assistance!" I replied, as I saw the panic in Hanzo's face. "Sir, what do we do? I need my legs sir! I need them!" Kang started to panic more than Hanzo. I did what I could think of. "Both of you, grab on to my shoulders!" I yelled for both of them. "10 seconds till we hit!" Jake yelled out. "Sir, what are you doing?!" Han yelled out to me, as I embraced both Hanzo and Kang and flipped on my back. "Kibo! That's not a good idea! There's a huge chance you'll never walk again!" Akira yelled out to me. "Five Seconds!" Jake yelled the time we had left. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw him. Takeuchi, falling from the skies, Right side up as we were upside down. He was standing straight up, without any emotion. He glared at me, and I stared at him. His clock eye glowed a bright light, and my vision went white. I woke up on the ground with Hanzo, Kang, and Akira, tending to me. "Captain! Kibo! You're alright!" Kang exclaimed as Hanzo and Akira helped me up. "I scanned his entire body, Sir. Nothing is broken." The medic told Akira, as I stood up straight. "I'm fine, Akira. Did everyone else make it down safe?" I assured Akira to not worry about me. "We're all a counted for, Kibo. That was a bold, and stupid move you pulled of there. We could have lost a good man." He told me. "Well, he's fine now! 'Bout time we got a move on! That shack ain't gonna investigate itself now, will it?" Jake yelled out to the group, as he walked towards the shack in the middle of the waste land.

"The supply crate didn't drop too far from us. Grab your Weapons, and move out, Troops!" Akira said in a very serious tone. He then caught up to Jake, and tapped him on the shoulder. "Do not disrespect my friend again, or you'll be hearing from me. Got it private?" I was surprised. Akira acted more responsible than I've ever seen him before. We arrived by the supply crate and armed ourselves. Jake armed himself with a 250 pound machine gun that fired 500,000 rounds per second. Even for a machine gun, that was fast. "Ah, Brigette. How I've missed you." He told the gun. "Are you talking to your fire arm?" Han asked as we all chuckled. Jake scoffed, and dawned his Red Ruby armor. Han grabbed two of his personally modified desert eagles, with heat seeking rounds. "This is more like it." Hanzo pulled out gauntlets that could fire 500 gallium darts per minute out of them. Knowing Hanzo, he had them painted a hot rod red, with an orange accent. "Hello, baby~" Kang revealed a bow staff, with two paper thin, green tinted blades on them. "Deadly." The medic had gloves with outputs on the tips. it was obvious it connected to the medical pack he had on his back. "Much better." And lastly, Akira pulled out a 7 foot blade, with a crimson red handle.

"Let's move out."

We arrived at the shack. It seemed normal, just a bit rusted. It looked like it has been there for centuries. "Once we enter this shack sir, it's going to be very difficult to find our way out." One of the other clan members, Haru, told to Akira. "It's a risk I'm willing to take." Without hesitation, he entered head on. "After you, Toishit." Jake pushed me, as we all walked in. As I stepped foot in to the doorway, I fell. It felt like I was being dragged down to the bottom of the sea. I emerged above some kind of liquid. It want wet, and it wasn't dry. It was solid. "Need a hand, Kibo?" Akira was there, waiting for us. One by one, the troops started to follow. "Where are we, sir?" Jake asked Akira. "I'm not sure. Some sort of cave, not of this world." He started to walk, and we followed. Our footsteps echoed through out the cave as we walked towards the in know. The medic ran up to me, and touched my shoulder. "Hey man, sorry about Jake over there. He's just got a lot of pride." He told me. "It's fine man. He's been like that ever since boot camp. I just never knew why." As I said that, Haru caught up to us and answered for him. "He lost his best friend in the front line. He blames himself for not signing up sooner." I was surprised. I never knew that about Jake. I guess we have a lot more in common than I thought. "I'm Zando by the way. Zando Archviz. I'm from the German district. Akira recruited me a while back." Germans in this war too? It's getting a lot worse. "Kibo Toishi. Pleasure to meet you." As we were talking, Akira froze in his tracks, as did we. "Lt. Hasashi said there was a scout that went missing, right?" He asked me. I approached him, and saw a decaying corps, impaled on the top of the cave. "Looks like we found him." I replied, in total shock. Hanzo threw up on the floor, as the rest of us paid respects to the fallen troop. "May his soul rest easy." Han said. "How did he possibly get up there?" Jake asked with a shaky voice. We started to feel the cave shake. Like something large, was moving.

"What ever it is, it's not dead." Kang said in a very low and serious voice.

"This search and rescue just turned in to a monster hunt, boys." Akira said as he rested his gigantic blade on to his armor. "What ever it is, we can't let it get out of this cave. We find it," He swung his sword on to the ground, making a loud clanging noise, "and we kill it."

We followed the noise deeper, and deeper in to the cave. Our footsteps getting more faint as we do. "I've got a bad feeling about this..." Haru whispered as we continued to walk towards the in know. "It's near, I can feel it." Akira stated. "Eck, or smell it." Jake replied in disgust. The hall started to smell of a horrid, and rancid odor. Like something has been decomposing. Akira stopped, dead in his tracks, and dawned his blade, "There she is." What we saw was unlike anything I have ever seen in all my years of service. The thing was as big as 2 watch towers, and almost as wide as a battle ship. It had scaled all over it's body, it almost looked like a set of armor. His arms were bug like, and as sharp as a razor. It had the head of a demon, with both of it's horns stretching from its head, all the way up to the ceiling. It's rough, dragon like legs could destroy villages. "That's one big son of a bitch." Hanzo blurted out in absolute shock. The beast ROARED so loud, the entire cave shook at it's will. It's long arms reached out to attack, but was denied by a barrage of bullets. "KAHNCHO!" Akira yelled out as he charged at the beast at such an amazing speed. It was like he was not wearing anything. You would at least think with that sword, he'd have a hard time. But no, he gunned it towards the thing head on! We all ran after him, as Zando, Hanzo, and Han stayed back for range and support.

Jake continued to fire at the Titan, but his bullets couldn't penetrate it's skin. "The scales are too tough! Aim for the soft spots!" Akira yelled out to Jake as he swung the gigantic blade of his, and took one of the beast's legs. "How do you like this! You ugly mother fucker!" Jake planted rounds in to that things arm like a hot knife through butter. Kang sliced the remains of that arm in to nothing but a pool of blood. It caught him off guard, as the beast swung a THIRD arm from bellow and pinned Kang against the wall. "GAH! Cheating little shit!" He tried to break free, but the grip was too strong. "I gotcha buddy!" Hanzo rapidly shot as much darts as he could at that arm, and shook Kang free. "Thanks you, brother!" Kang yelled, thanking Hanzo. "Kibo! Up top!" Akira addressed me, lowering his blade, signaling for me to go for the head. I ran to him, and leaped off of his blade. I spun, and landed a solid left kick on the giant's head, breaking it's horns. I leaped backwards, and landed on my feet. "It's not over yet..." Han addressed as the Titan's body started to regain it's lost arm, and it's horns grow longer. "FOR FUCK SAKE!" Jake laid in the lead on this beast and walked towards it with his machine gun roaring. "FALL BACK, SOLDIER!" Akira yelled as he tried to stop Jake. "JUST DIE ALREADY!" Jake screamed at the beast with a lot of pent up aggression. With one swift slash of it's arms, Jake went flying across the cave and in to the rest of the troops. Akira and I stood our ground. "it's armor!" Han yelled. "It's only weakness is it's armor! if you can break through that, we can kill it!" Akira looked at me, and I looked at him. "Ready?" he asked me. "After you, your highness." I replied. We both dashed towards the Titan, and we chipped his armor off like an oak wood tree. Akira swung his blade coming from the bottom of the Titan, up towards it's upper body. I followed up with an uppercut on the blade, piercing the first layer. The giant yelled out in pain, as it blew out a blue flame. I could feel the heat. It directed the heat to Akira and me, trying to get us off. But we clinged on like our lives depended on it, because it did. Akira yanked the blade up, penetrating the upper layer, and I kicked the handle for a boost. We were half way there, until the Titan grabbed Akira, and threw him across the cave. "KIBO! FINISH THIS!" With all the force I had, with the kinetic energy stored in my jumpsuit, I threw a punch at the Titan's fractured body, and yelled on the top of my lungs. The punch was strong enough to complete destroy the armor of the beast. Blood gushed all through out the cave, as it fits went flying. I was panting, hard. I haven't had a good fight in a long time. "That, was gross." I chuckled, as I was intersected with a hug from the troops. "You showed that thing what we Humans can do, Kibo!" Akira yelled out, I could feel his positivity. "That was a well deserved glory kill, Captain!" Hanzo laughed out in such Joy. "Well, if I didn't soften it up for you, I would have gotten it!" Jake was still Jake. "Now calm down all of you. I need to tend to your injuries." Zando said with an assuring, and comforting voice.

Everyone was tended to with Zando's healing gauntlets. Our injuries seemed to heal like it was magic. "That was a risky move, Captain." Haru told me. "What?" I genuinely asked. "Taking a shot at that thing with only your fists was a very risky thing to do. He was as hard as a Rock" he told me. "Why don't you carry a weapon, sir?" He asked me with a confused look on his face. "That's a story for another time, Haru." I chuckled, and gripped my four arm. "For now, we need to get ready and head back to camp. Get some rest soldier." Hours pass, and everyone started to get ready to head back to camp. Akira made sure all of us were accounted for. "Grab something that we might need to show the The Superiors when we get back." we all grabbed something we could get our hands on.

Then I saw him again.

he was hiding behind a small Piller in the cave this time. I approached Takeuchi. "What do you want now, Taki?" I asked him, impatiently urging to get back to the team. "How was that mini boss fight?Was it worth the upgrades Koneko gave you?" he said this with a straight face, but in a joking manner. "What's going on? Why are you not showing me any signs of emotion?" I curiously asked. "I can't say too much. All I can say, is that something is is coming your way, Toishi." I was surprised. Nothing bad has happened to me that I haven't faced head on before, but this felt different. "I'm trying to buy you as much time as I can. So if I were you. Get your HEAD IN THE GAME!" I woke up on a plane. A troop carrier to be specific. Beside me was Hanzo, Han, and Kang. All three were asleep. Akira and his Clan were asleep as well. I guess I must have passed out. Probably zoned out on the walk back to the rondevu point. "As soon as we land. I'm getting a cup of coffee." I told myself. A short while later, we landed. The Superiors were waiting for us out side of the plane. But I saw someone else waiting for me. Konny ran up to me and embraced me in a tight hug. "Are my babies okay?!" She check on the boots, and gloves she made for me. "I'm fine, thanks for asking, Konny." I chuckled as I pet her head. I could see Akira talking to the Superiors, walking with them back to the center. My team walked straight back to the cabin, and I walked with Konny. "You should really start taking care of the stuff I give you! These things aren't cheep!" She pouted at me. "Well, you work for the Japanese military weapons team. What else do you expect here?" I chuckled at here odd request. "If those break by next week, I ain't making you new ones! Hmph!" she pouted again. She's cute when she pouts. "You know, I came back from a long and dangerous mission in the Nagasaki Wastelands, and all you care about is your hear?" I let out a soft chuckle to let her know I wasn't offended what so ever. "I- I mean, I was kinda worried for you as well. I mean, who ELSE is going to come and visit me when they have nothing else to do?" we both laughed for a second, and we caught up on what happened earlier. I walked her back to her sleeping quarters. We said our good nights and we waved goodbye to each other. I walked back to my quarters with the team, and looked up at the night sky. It was peaceful. I've never seen the night sky light up that bright. Even Japan has it's surprises. I swear I could see at least 3 constalations up there that night. Then I saw it, a shooting star! "Oh cool. I wish..." I paused for a minute, thinking of what I wanted to wish for. Then when I finally thought of what I wanted, that star started to get bigger, fast. I ran back to the cabin and rolled out of the way when it crashed. The entire Camp ran out to see what made them miss their sleep schedule. I approached the thing, along side me was Akira. We thought it was a bomb dropped by the Americans to try and sabotage China's alliances. But no. It was something far different.

A fallen Star ship, From something far beyond our planet, and not of the universe.