NECRO-Driver Dawn EP 6: The Blitzwing’s Ultimatum

(Meanwhile in a mysterious place... )

Jin: *Groans and gets up* Where am I? *He looks around into an empty plane with a radiant, twilight sky. All around is what seems like infinity with only the sky. Play Ventus theme- Kingdom Hearts until stated otherwise)

Unknown voice: I've been expecting you. *It approaches up to Jin*

Jin: Who are you?

Unknown voice: I cannot tell you my name, but you do know me. Or at least you will soon enough.

Jin: Huh? What do you mean? Why can't you tell me?

Unknown voice: If I were to tell you, then you'd try to change the events that are set to happen. So until you meet me in the real world, I cannot tell you my name.

Jin: *Looks around* Where am I?

Unknown voice: You're in the realm of evanescent.

Jin: The realm of evanescent?

Unknown voice: Yes, there is nothing beyond this realm. The edges of life and death meet here.

Jin: The edges of life and death? *Gasp with shock and then looks down at the ground* Then that means…

Unknown voice: Yes. This is where the soul goes before it ceases to exist.

Jin: *Gasp* What about my friends?!

Unknown voice: I'm afraid that you came here alone. That means that either your friends are gone forever, or are still tied to the realm of living. Come with me, I have something to show you.

*They walk around and while they walk around, Jin sees his memories. It goes through the people he has met and a memory he has of them. He gets a little confused…*

Jin: Sonjo, Khan, Skia, and everyone else too! But why, why am I seeing this?

Unknown voice: These are all people that you've met before. The reason you're seeing them right now is because they are all important to you.

Jin: Huh? I can see why Sonjo, Khan, and Skia are here, but why is everyone else here?

Unknown voice: The Sarlen are important to you because they gave you your powers. But above that, they represent the struggle within you. You see, you believed that they still existed, even when no one else did and mocked you for doing so. Your belief is one of the strongest things that you have, but it's not about them. You believe in anyone you care about, but the one thing you have trouble doing is believing in yourself. They serve as your constant reminder to always believe in not only others, but in yourself too.

Jin: Oh I get it, so everyone here is important to me in their own way.

Unknown voice: Yes, that's correct.

Jin: But then, there's one thing I can't understand. You say everyone here is important to me, but there's one person who I don't really have a connection with.

Unknown voice: While you two seem like complete opposites, there is something that binds you two together.

Jin: *Gasp in realization* That note…

Unknown voice: Yes. Jin, you have to save everyone. They each hold a special place in your heart, even if it doesn't seem like it. You are a ray of hope to not only them, but yourself as well. By saving them, you also save yourself.

Jin: *Looks at the ground somewhat sad* How can I save someone when I'm so close to death?

Unknown voice: There is one way you can go back, not all hope is lost.

Jin: *Looks up with shock and confusion* Huh?

Unknown voice: Jin ask yourself this. What do you feel about this place?

Jin: What do I feel? Well, I feel strange. I've never been to this place, but something about it feels very familiar.

Unknown voice: You feel that way because a part of you has been here before. The familiarity you feel for this place rests within another part of you. You aren't entirely dead yet, seeing as you're still here. Therefore it stands to reason that you should be able to leave.

Jin: *Looks excited* Really?!

Unknown voice: But there's one thing you should know. To be honest, you should be dead right now. Something here is holding you, refusing to let you go. Your soul as it is now, is hanging by a thread.

Jin: *Groans* So much of this doesn't really make sense to me. Sooo how do I get back?

Unknown voice: You have to gather all the pieces of your body.

Jin: *Gasp* WHAT?! MY BODY IS IN PIECES?!

Unknown voice: No no, I didn't mean that literally! I meant that in a facetious way.

Jin: Ahhh okay, whew! For a second there I thought it was ALL over.

Unknown voice: Usually only the soul of a person comes here. But since you've managed to retain some of your body, you should be able to get it back as well.

Jin: So I just have to piece myself back together, and then I can go back?

Unknown voice: Yes, but you may find that's easier said than done. The pieces have been scattered all over this realm. It may take you a while to find them all. *Friendly smirk* You'd better hurry!

Jin: *Sigh of relief* All of this is confusing, but I guess I don't have much choice. *Runs off to gather pieces* (stop playing the song)

(Meanwhile in the realm of living, back in Norahs)

Shenrei: Have we gathered the data on the enemy?

Shirinan Soldier: Yes. *Pulls up the screen showing numbers and pictures to go with all of the data.* How could the enemy possess something so powerful?

Shenrei: It's hard to believe, but given the fact that the enemy was able to withstand such beating, it's no surprise that they had some sort of power. We've got work to do. Lalah, what do you make of this?

Lalah: *Lost in thought looking at the screen*

Shenrei: Lalah, are you alright?

Lalah: *Snaps out of it* Oh! Uh yes- sorry captain.

Shenrei: Are you feeling alright?

Lalah: Yes, I'm fine…

Shenrei: Something bothering you?

Lalah: No it's nothing…

Shenrei: Well, I've learned not to just dismiss any thoughts that you may have. We can discuss this later.

Shirinan Soldier: Is there a way we can defeat this enemy object sir?

Shenrei: As of right now, I don't know. There's still so much we don't know about the enemy's capabilities. But maybe if we were to capture both the mech and its pilot, we could gain some valuable data.

Graves: *Walks into room* HEHEHE! Well, it's highly unlikely to see the legendary "Violent Shock" need to come back so quick;y.

Shenrei: Ah yes, how kind of you to join us in this important matter.

Graves: What seems to be the problem here?

Shenrei: If you must know, then we're discussing how to deal with the enemy's new developing strength.

Lalah: *Whispers* Captain, I need a favor from you.

Shenrei: Yes Lalah, what is it?

Lalah: This person in the photo, I need to see them.

Shenrei: Huh? But the one in the picture is an enemy. What business could you have with them?

Lalah: I feel some sort of connection and attraction to them. Not in a physical sense, but in a spiritual one. He's someone of great importance, I can tell.

Shenrei: Hmm…

Shirinan Soldier: Commander Shenrei, might I make a suggestion?

Shenrei: Go on.

Shirinan Soldier: Well, we're trying to capture both the enemy mech and the mech pilot. So if you were to come up with a plan where the enemy would have no choice but to hand them over, we could gather all we need without worry.

Shenrei: It seems simple enough, but how do we go about doing that?

Graves: We could always launch an attack and just go in full throttle.

Shenrei: HA! And here I was thinking you had more common sense than that. We'll need more than juvenile tactics in order to succeed at something of this magnitude. No, I have a better plan.

Graves: Oh really? And what exactly is this "better" plan that you've come up with?

Shenrei: *Looks at Shirinan Soldier* While I was away, did you all manage to set up everything I asked for?

Shirinan Soldier: Yes sir, everything is ready and at your disposal.

Shenrei: Good, go ahead and move forward with the plan then.

*The soldier leaves the room and Graves looks at Shenrei with curiosity*

Graves: Well now, this has piqued my interest. What is this plan you've set in motion?

Shenrei: It's really quite simple. The plan is that we threaten to drop an asteroid we have in space, onto the planet. The asteroid would cause extreme heats, that would cause the planet to reach unsustainable temperatures.

Graves: And you're not worried that they might call your bluff?

Shenrei: If they call it, then we simply drop the asteroid. They will either comply with our demands, or they'll no longer have a planet.

Graves: So we're using tactics that are not only immoral, but go against the Sarina Treaty? How utterly evil… such a plan would bring me pure delight.

Shenrei: Then I trust you know what we need to do?

Graves: *Mocks by playing dumb* I haven't the slightest idea, could you spell it out for me?

Shenrei: *Annoyed* We take a fleet of men and locate the enemy. Once we have located the enemy, the ultimatum will be dropped. Whether they want to live or not is up to them. But either way, we get what we want.

Graves: *Evil laugh* I like the sound of this plan! When do we start?

Shenrei: It starts now, we'll be leaving aboard the Argo.

Graves: Hehe! This will be a blast. *Leaves to go on the ship.*

Shenrei: Ugh, why do I have to put up with that guy? *Notices Lalah looking sad* What is it Lalah?

Lalah: I don't like this plan Captain. It seems wrong, it doesn't feel right.

Shenrei: Of course it doesn't, it's war. War is hard business, it hardly has anything to do with anything. Yet they are a recurring part of life that we have no control over. And if one can't control something, then one can't help but accept it. That is the very nature of war.

Lalah: *Looks at the ground sad* I just don't like these senseless wars.

Shenrei: You needn't worry, this war will be over soon. And when that happens, we will have the chance to make sure mankind doesn't repeat their mistakes. Lalah, will you help show me the way?

Lalah: Yes Captain. I'll go anywhere for the person who gave life purpose.

Shenrei: Thank you.