On Planet B0 a pungent green fog engulfed the habitats consisting of swamps, forests, and paddy fields. The sky was always a dull lime-green, day and night were indifferent. Life on Planet B0 was an endless cycle. Inhabitants of the planet either spend their lives hiding in the murky waters or hollow crevices until a shift in the ecosystem drives them out of their homes. As for the lifeforms at the top of the food chain, they had the privilege of wandering around the shores and mainland given their status.
In a large lake that was located right in the center of the mangroves and forest entangled in vines and ferns, a spaceship was submerged, rusted and obliterated into pieces from its failed landing. The creatures drinking and soaking themselves in the water avoided the vessels and turbines on the surface of the lake. They weren't frightened by the automated machine's presence in their lake, rather, confused since spaceships rarely visited the planet which was located five thousand light years away from the Tucana - dwarf galaxy.
Douma picked up the aircraft's engine and inspected it. The surface of the engine was covered in numerous scars and burnt patches. The words printed on the engine being unreadable; Mushed together like a blob of paint.
As expected there were no survivors. From the looks of it, the aircraft has been lying in the murky waters of Planet B0 for years, maybe even a millennium since nobody came to retrieve this aircraft which has led to it rotting to such an unsustainable state.
An alien race must have settled on the planet but the reason behind it was unknown, Douma brushed his fingers over the rough surface of the engine. Given that the portal caused an interference in space and time, there's a high possibility that the creature back at the mountain peak in Rome must have been responsible for what might have occurred in this part of Planet B0. There's hardly any traces of potential driving forces which led to the annihilation of these particular extraterrestrial visitors, nor a significant history to provide enough details.
Smoke rose from the pipes on the detached body of the aircraft. It reeked of burnt fuels and chemicals mixed with the acidity of the pungent lake.
"This might be useful for Atlas' investigation." Douma gazed down at the engine he was holding, contemplating if he should bring it back to headquarters.
On one hand, Atlas could do a lot of examinations to detect a possible trace to the portal however, there's no certainty about the involvement of that entity in the demise of these extraterrestrial visitors.
Usually, alien ships are able to recognize potential threats and avoid them in space. This was either an accident or something must have attacked them along the way. Douma decided that he'll gather a few bits and pieces of the puzzle that could help the investigation progress further if the alien ship happened to be a victim of that entity.
The only record of the entity's appearance was the distorted footage captured. Because of how blurry and pixelated the footage was, officials overlooked on it and never returned to do a thorough inspection. Atlas was one of the few organizations willing to dive deeper into the case so as to prepare the public for any possible dangers and gather the answers needed to mitigate this other-worldly threat.
Chaos wasn't off anybody's radar. Speculations mostly led to the paradoxical entity being the one behind that occurrence on the mountain's peak. Regardless of who was behind that portal, they had to be on watch at all times.
The blueprints will surface eventually. With Douma's findings, the investigation was getting somewhere. The perpetuator can't hide any longer. Those traces aren't going to stay hidden forever.
And neither is Chaos getting away with his plans. Just recalling everything Chaos said made Douma's blood boil. The blonde narrowed his eyes at the thought of the danger he's been putting the team in, Shinobu and Chachamaru happened to be on his list. Chaos won't hesitate to go after them if it's the last thing he'll ever resort to.
Douma heard damp footsteps beside him. He turned around and saw a large crustacean-looking creature with strands of vine-like growths covering its body. This organism stood at least 20 feet tall with two pairs of limbs and large mandibles.
Standing still in the water, the creature stared at him. It watched the angel pick up several tanks from the aircraft's bunker, each tank containing the specimen of a large roach that was the size of a fox.
Curling his fingers around the glass tank so as to not drop it, Douma's breath hitched in his throat. He recognized this species of roach, in the sovereign planet beside the red magnestar, inhabitants often referred to as the lost sentinels would set up traps in their farm to deter these creatures from roaming around their farms. These roaches were described as killing machines equipped with lightning speed, pouncing on their victims and turning them into minced meat like a blender. It only takes three of them to do something like that.
Despite the traps and strategies the farmers came up with, these roaches managed to thrive in the harsh conditions of their habitat and wiped out at least half of the agricultural sites on the planet in swarms. Sparing a few just so they won't run out of accessible food sources on the desolate planet where the sky was always dark and pastel colors were almost non-existent.
It was unsettling to find these species of roaches in the tanks that the aircraft carried. The aliens that operated the ship must have collected specimens from different planets for research purposes or they might've infiltrated the ship at some point which led to their capture.
The giant isopod covered in a moss-like covering let out a low growl which brought Douma's attention back to its presence in the murky lake. It appeared as though the creature was trying to communicate with the angel, perhaps tell him something about the aircraft. Douma watched the creature gazing upon the aircraft and pointing its stubby limbs at him. Curiously waiting to see what Douma was going to do with his findings.
This creature's appearance reminded Douma of the depictions of sewer monsters that hunted trespassers. In reality, such creatures that shared a resemblance to these depictions were harmless oversized critters that resided on another planet, wandering about in the vast lakes and swamps.
~~~
Holding the alien ship's engine and compartments that came with tapes and recorders, Douma waited for Mr Fumio to answer the door to his office.
After a few minutes of waiting, Mr Fumio finally answered the door with a stoic expression. The man must've been very busy with work, having to manage all the tasks and missions at once. Mr Fumio looked like he needed a well-deserved break.
"What do we have here?" That elated expression on Mr Fumio's face, he seemed delighted to come across these items that could help him with the ongoing investigation.
"They're from an aircraft that crashed on Planet B0. I think these might be useful for our investigation. The aircraft is-" When Douma was about to suggest carrying out a possible operation on Planet B0 should they need more answers to the cause of the alien ship's crashing, Mr Fumio cut him off with some devastating news that he did not expect to hear.
Mr Fumio cleared his throat. "Well I'm afraid to say this but the investigation has been postponed for the time being."
Douma widened his eyes upon hearing Mr Fumio's response, they can't give up on the investigation now. Was it too complicated to solve? The blonde was willing to make a major contribution if it meant saving the world from another threat. Atlas was passionate about this case. There's no way they'd let it drown into the depths.
"Nevertheless, I'll take these." Mr Fumio took the aircraft's compartments from Douma, he placed them in a case and kept that unfazed smile on his face; Behind that smile was despair, Douma could see it. Mr Fumio wasn't working towards this outcome it was the least favorable.
"Thank you for your hard work Douma. Atlas will look into these findings eventually."
"Mr Fumio isn't there something else we can do? The celestial grounds are willing to-"
"Oh Jeremiah is one of them isn't he? Shall we discuss about this another time? I'm afraid I have a huge workload sitting on my desk. You can stop by anytime I'm open to discussions regarding this case." The smile on Mr Fumio's face narrowed slightly, he really wanted to avoid any conversations related to the investigation that would've made some achievements in some areas with Douma's findings.
He held the door and glanced at Douma one last time, "Again I sincerely apologize. If you wish to speak with me urgently, I'll have my colleagues attend to your request."
Douma was devastated. He watched Mr Fumio hide behind the door as it slowly closed shut, leaving the blonde alone in the hallway outside the office. Footsteps sounded from the other end of the hallway, this level was going to be empty soon, but those like Mr Fumio who had responsibilities beyond this hour stayed.
The angel couldn't believe what he heard, moreover, the negligence that was deemed acceptable just because they weren't making any progress. That and the possibility that the monster was another form of Chaos messing with their capabilities and the minds they needed to think of strategies to put an end to this peril.
And if Chaos is a likely suspect of this matter, tossing the investigation aside means the paradoxical entity will have no problem taking Shinobu away from those who care about her the most. Since the ones she depends on for her own safety, have given up.
Douma was lost. He couldn't accept the treatment given to Shinobu, his friends and comrades knew about this. They held onto their word but only for that spur moment. Shinobu shouldn't have to live a life of fear, the violette had her own dreams and ambitions. Nobody has the right to take them away from her. She was just a normal human being just like everybody else in Atlas. Why should she be the one to suffer? Do humans really view each other as liabilities? Was this all a lie?
Spreading his wings, Douma soared to the night sky in the direction leading to Tokyo the lively city. The angel swore to protect Shinobu no matter the cost, even if he was the only one determined to do so because she will always be his horizon no matter how far apart they are in this universe.
But that certainty had become weightless. Douma landed on the roof of one of the apartment buildings and gazed down at the lights and movements centered in the streets. People were in a hurry to get to their destinations, talking to their loved ones on the phone and keeping up with the quick pace.
He told her everything she needed to know. But it only left him with a pang of guilt, even though admitting the truth was supposed to clear these misunderstandings and disputes that may arise between them.
"I know it isn't easy for you, but why didn't you tell me this earlier? Why?"
That night, Douma and Shinobu sat on the roof of her house. He finally told her everything after the recent events in Rome. At first Shinobu tried to remain calm she understood that it wasn't easy for Douma to explain this complicated mess to her but as time went on she started feeling the pinch, and it wasn't because of the severity of the situation she was dragged into.
It's because he kept it from her for so long. She was the only one among the four of them including Yushiro and Chachamaru who was left clueless about these happenings. The violette knew something was off but she refused to hold a grudge, maybe just maybe Douma would explain what's going on and when he finally did, her heart shattered to pieces.
Sitting beside Douma on the roof, Shinobu looked at him with a sorrowful gaze. The violette waited for his next response which was a dreadful wait because she didn't know what could possibly come out of his mouth. Looking down, Douma sat there in silence, he felt remorse flooding in. He didn't make any eye contact with Shinobu, thinking of a reasonable response was difficult enough because there wasn't any justification for his actions; Hiding the truth from her all this time, she had every right to resent him for that.
"That's because, you deserve the brighter future that you've always dreamed of having but I have dragged you into this mess. It's not fair to you and I know that just by me telling you all of this, things will never be the same again." Douma responded, his kaleidoscopic gaze still avoiding Shinobu's purple ones.
"What are you talking about? I have every right to know what's going on. You didn't have to hide it from me, I get that you're trying to protect me but you don't know how it feels to be isolated in a group. I was left to fend for myself while you guys were already prepared." Shinobu croaked, even if Douma had told her beforehand she still wouldn't know what to do if she ever encountered the Chaos.
Nobody was there to warn her about him. Chaos would just take her and she'd be helpless regardless of whether she knew about him or not.
"Douma, what are we gonna do now? Like you said, I'm just an ordinary human being who happens to be a potential host for Chaos, confronting him isn't going to do anything. I hope you've figured something out, you know I can't live like this. Not ever." The violette continued.
"I'm sorry Shinobu... this must be a lot to take in. I promise I will always protect you no matter what." Douma responded in a subtle tone. It sounded reassuring but Shinobu knew dealing with this entity wasn't going to be easy hence she remained silent while Douma went on further.
"But you've got a part to play in this as well. Chaos is just waiting for his victims to lower their defenses from the slightest naive decision one can think of. It's a game of cat and mouse, regardless of what happens don't become the mouse in any tricky situation that you find yourself in."
The violette took a deep breath, glancing at the twinkling stars in the night sky to give herself the strength she needed to overcome these challenges though the back of her mind was occupied by the resentment she felt towards her situation. She couldn't detach herself from it no matter how hard she tried to persuade herself that everything will be fine as long as she played her part and listened to everything Douma said to keep herself safe from any harm. "There's two of us on his list? Chachamaru is one of the candidates too?"
"That's correct."
Hearing that didn't make her feel any better because at least Chachamaru had a way of defending himself. "I'm gonna be alone at some point." She blurted out.
Douma glanced at Shinobu, clearly taken aback by her response. "No you won't I'll be watching over you Shinobu. Don't put too much pressure on yourself-"
There was a knock at the door. Shinobu instantly knew who it was.
"Oh that must be Kanao!" The violette leaped into her room from the window, leaving Douma on the rooftop as she hurriedly answered the door.
"Hey Kanao! That's so pretty!" Shinobu squealed, looking at the windmill that Kanao was holding when she walked in. Kanao was the youngest of the butterfly sisters, the oldest being Kanae who was living abroad.
Douma could tell Shinobu seemed a bit distraught from their conversation despite the joyful act she was putting up with, it was only a matter of time until Kanao finds out and questions her about it.
"Nice choice of colors."
Kanao smiled at Shinobu, her pink orbs gazed upon the shiny colors of her windmill. It spun when she lifted her hand higher to let Shinobu get a better look.
"You should name it... hmmm let's see the colors, yellow, purple, and pink stand out the most." Shinobu fiddled with the blades of the windmill, muttering to herself about potential names for Kanao's latest artistic invention.
"It's an improved version of the previous one." Kanao replied softly, she was often quiet and elusive. However despite all that she was a terrific artist at school, and Shinobu was really supportive of her. Kanao wasn't the kind to share her thoughts but she knew her creativity would bring about the potential she always had.
"Right I can see that. Good job Kanao! Did mom and dad see it yet?"
Smiling, Kanao nodded, the windmill started spinning again as though it was trying to tell Shinobu that their parents found it impressive and charming.
"Wonderful!" Clasping her hands together, Shinobu stood there admiring the windmill in Kanao's hand.
Still sitting on the roof, Douma watched the interaction between Shinobu and Kanao with a heavy heart.
"I'll be watching over you Shinobu." If only that statement wasn't so baseless it was false hope. Douma had to go to Astrotopia to settle things with Chaos although he knew not to trust the entity at all. It could just be another trick.
That leaves Shinobu to fend for herself on her own.
Shinobu probably despises her hidden powers now and I don't blame her for that. Douma wished the violette could have these meaningful conversations with the people around her without having to worry about her fate every now and then.
Unfortunately the Chaos chose her because of the very same power she had mixed feelings about all this time and even Douma who was this being of higher authority in the laws of the universe couldn't do anything about it.
I was once described as this emotionless prick who looked down on humans simply because I thought they weren't capable of sharing sentiments or having a sense of 'true empathy.' This demeanor followed me ever since the first few encounters I had with humans who were driven by hatred and greed. I knew this perspective of mine wasn't right but I found it hard to believe that not every human being had a superiority complex ingrained in them.
Until I met Shinobu. How the tides have changed because now I yearn for this same 'true empathy' from her but I don't think I'll ever get to experience it. Certainly not after this.
Douma had a gut-feeling that Shinobu might not want to have anything to do with him and rightfully so given the despair that flashed in her purple orbs. Taking one last glance at Shinobu who was still talking with Kanao, the angel spread his wings and flew off into the night. He didn't look back and couldn't bring himself to, it's because of him that Shinobu will never get to live the life that she wanted until he defeats the Chaos.
The streets grew quieter. Douma sat down, reminiscing the times he had with Shinobu and wondered, if he hadn't told her about the Chaos' plans, would things have turn out differently for them? Instead of sitting on the roof of this apartment, would he be sitting on the roof of Shinobu's house and talk about anything under the stars?
Such a distant memory got him questioning his own decisions but he knew telling Shinobu the truth was for the better. Even if it meant displacing the connection they shared...
Douma never expected himself to form such a significant connection with a human, nor was he prepared for the repercussions of shattering this bond. Shinobu wasn't just another human he happened to meet, she allowed him to embrace and discover his strengths to protect those whom he cared deeply about, Shinobu being one of them.
This jeopardy has taken a toll on Shinobu's wellbeing and Douma couldn't forgive himself for that. He should be keeping her safe not the other way around. The angel felt immensely disappointed in himself. To think he was once a prodigy who saved people from their own fears and misery.
The sound of wingbeats startled the blonde. He turned around and saw a wormhole in the sky, lacing the sky with swirls of colors before vanishing when Jeremiah landed on the roof of the apartment that Douma was sitting on.
"Are you just gonna sit here and dwell about the past? I didn't know you were the kind to do that." Jeremiah stopped in his tracks, looking at the blonde with a crossed expression. He must be ashamed to see Douma in such a pitiful state of mind, unable to cope with the repercussions of his own actions.
The blonde didn't say anything, he just continued looking down from where he sat.
"Listen, you made the mistake of keeping things from that girl for such a long period of time, things that she needed to know regardless of whether explaining it to her was going to cause the two of you to go separate ways. But I don't think sitting here is going to reverse the effect that Chaos has intended to put you guys through."
Silence, Douma heard everything Jeremiah told him but he couldn't think of an answer that would redeem himself. Jeremiah's disappointment was understandable, Douma kept the truth to himself for a long time, it was unacceptable and now here he was, repulsed by the outcome.
"You know, I can understand why it was tough to just tell her the truth but believe it or not, that amount of time could've made a difference in the long run. There's no time to hold a grudge against yourself, Astrotopia will be shambles if you don't do something about it now."
"And you gotta completely discard that laidback attitude of yours, it's not going to help, it never has. This is a matter of life and death. I don't care if adhering to these demands is going to make you a rebel, this is people's lives we're talking about." Jeremiah narrowed his eyes, he was eager to scrap his sword against the surface of the ground to induce a level of threat onto Douma who still wouldn't acknowledge this reminder.
Moments later, Douma stood up and clenched his fist. That was harsh but it made a whole lot of sense.
"Jeremiah. I need someone to watch Shinobu for me while I'm gone." Douma said, as much as he wanted to stick with Shinobu he had no other choice. Even though they stopped seeing each other after that dreadful night, he still flew by her neighborhood to make sure she was OK. At times he could sense the Chaos' presence and his arrival drove the entity away to another round of hiding.
Holding onto the handle of his sword, Jeremiah stood there recalling his discussions with the others back at the heavenly council. "We've taken care of that."
Douma didn't say anything but he was relieved to hear that Shinobu was going to be safe.
"After you put an end to Chaos' wrath, do you plan on returning to the celestial grounds? Or are you going to wander around in the human world a little longer because every time you go back to the gates you leave many questioning about your priorities."
That question struck the blonde. On one hand he knew it was time to make an official return but things were different compared to before. He couldn't just leave Shinobu and the others behind. They trusted each other despite being from different realms. Leaving them abruptly would give them a bittersweet experience instead of a fulfilling journey in life. That's not what he was aiming for, he wanted them to trust him moreover everybody was caught up in this calamitic situation that was unnatural for a human to face with Douma being one of those who could put a stop to it and that required the very same truth established between the blonde and his friends.
Before Douma could answer the question, Jeremiah sighed and took a step back. "I'm going to assume that you're staying a little longer but do bear in mind that there are dire consequences to careless actions that we execute in the human world. I don't know if the others back at the gates are going to be pleased to hear that you're still going to be roaming around this realm with these human friends of yours. What can I do about it? If they decide to take action against your own decision there's nothing much I can do."
"I don't think it's going to be nice to hear them questioning you about your stance in this situation regarding Chaos' plan. They should know better yet here you are trying to go back to living the mystic life when you can just lend the mortals a helping hand too." A threatening demeanor glinted in Douma's iridescent orbs leaving Jeremiah feeling slightly guilty for preaching about the "right decision" in accordance to Douma's case.
"Well actually Douma this situation isn't-" The man tried to explain further but Douma wasn't going to stop to hear it until Jeremiah comes to a realization about his views on this matter.
"Well actually Douma this situation isn't solely concentrated on a few individuals and agendas. There's-" The man tried to explain further but Douma wasn't going to stop to hear it until Jeremiah comes to a realization about his conspicuous views.
"So there's nothing for me to worry about because I'm still adhering to my responsibility as an angel in the mortal world. Deadlines can be negotiated. So instead of doubting my decisions I suggest you reflect on your own actions and make the right choice for the matter."
Jeremiah widened his eyes and fell silent. Sometimes Douma's words can be chilling to hear, just like these ice powers that he possessed. But the truth to his words always hits the nail on the coffin regardless of whether one can endure hearing them or not.
"As the Guardian of the Skies why would I leave the innocent to suffer? It's my duty to help them. I will not leave them behind at any cost." The man in the glistening cloak embraced the suffice of bright aura surrounding as he slowly transformed into the majestic bird that dawned upon the skies. "And I have my responsibilities to take care of but that doesn't mean I will let Chaos diminish the balance of the mortal world for his own gain. In the meantime I will continue doing what I have to in order to put an end to the Chaos' wrath. Disasters can happen every few minutes. Make sure you form a diligent team that will follow you to Astrotopia with the willpower to secure the essence of life that flows through the mortal realm."
"You can't do this alone Douma, we've seen what the Chaos is capable of doing, he will not hesitate to trap you in a loop if he wanted to or meddle with your fate. Unite this team."
The loud wingbeats in the sky led to the formation of gusts and strong winds. A large wormhole appeared behind Jeremiah when the large bird flew higher into the night sky. Douma looked behind him and watched as Jeremiah entered the wormhole that soon began to vanish. The large bird embarking on another journey where he'd travel over a myriad of universes every second to reach his destination.
Once again, the surroundings on the roof of the building fell quiet. The wormhole had disappeared. Douma stood up, thinking about the ones who will travel to Astrotopia with him. He had a few in mind but he needed time to think. Douma stood up and spread his wings getting ready to depart to the night sky, hoping he'd get a chance to own up to his mistakes that cost his bond with Shinobu and break the ice that had formed between them.