A Message

It was late afternoon, and Torikou entered her dorm room to grab something and found a letter on her bed. 

“Coming from anonymous,” it says.

She opened the letter and read a small mark, saying,

“Read within today,” it wrote. 

Feeling all icky and warm from the heat of the sun and the intensity of training, she didn’t know how to feel about it. “Did someone stalk her?” She thought. Hesitantly and fearfully opening it, a sudden burst of spirit came out of the letter, and the letter vanished into dust—like a genie out of a bottle.

It was the spirit of her father’s drawings.

Her father’s drawings were like a Disney traditional pencil hand-drawn animation on paper, smoothly and gently moving. It was a drawing of her father, with also his voice, that said,

“My dear sunflower. If you are still living, I hope you are watching this. I cannot show my face in any form of photograph or video because for sure, Histeria will catch me. But I know you want to see me, so I drew myself in the hidden quarters of my room, at dawn. I miss you very much, sunflower. I miss you and your brother. I remember stopping by the bonfire with your mother and reading books with you and your brother. It was a wonderful time. Being away from you, your brother and your mother is one of the worst moments of my life. I miss you all very much, I want to see you all so much again. Sweetheart, the reason I sent this is for the salvation of you and everyone else you belong with. I was tasked by Histeria to design and build an airship, called the Grand Whale, to bring masses of people out into space, into a new planet outside the Galaxy, called Oceania. If Histeria would use me, I better make it worthwhile for all of you, my loved ones. Sweetheart, Histeria’s plans are savage. You have to hurry before time runs out. Search for the Grand Recital. It has a timer before Armageddon comes. Steal the airship here in Histeria before the clock ends. Hide, take cover. That ship cannot operate unless you, or your brother, ride it. It is in the basement of Histerian premises. I cannot accept the fact if ever you and your brother were already caught by them and killed. But I still hope despite the narrow chances of living, that you are still here. Please find it, I beg you. Save your lives. I really love you, my sunflower.” And the spirit vanished into dust.

Torikou fell down in shock. She couldn’t hold back her tears the entirety of the voice message. “Father? You’re still alive?” she thought. She looked for all the dust particles and begged the spirit to come back. She wanted to hear her father’s voice again. 

“Father! Father!” She shouted, and stood up anxiously, looking around.

“Steal the airship in Histeria before the clock ends.” a robot spoke. 

Torikou suddenly looked out her window. It was a cyborg Philippine Eagle. It retained some of its feathers. One of its eyes is an artificial eye, and its wings are mixed with metal, robotic features. She begins to remember what a Philippine Eagle naturally looks like, and is saddened by the bird.

“Who are you?” Torikou softly asked.

“Steal the airship in Histeria before the clock ends.” The bird spoke again.

Torikou walked slowly toward it, gazing at its features. 

“My name is T-7. I sent that message to you coming from your father.” the bird said.

“He’s still alive?” Torikou asked in wonder.

The bird gave no reply.

Hideki went up to her room, looking for her, wondering why she took so long just to grab something. He saw the bird at her window and the messy ashes of pencil graphite on the floor.

“What is this? What happened?” He asked.

“You’re father’s alive, but he’s desperately living—not living at all.” the bird said, “come for him. He needs you. The rescuers and humanity need you.”

“Torikou, what’s all this!? What’s a Histerian droid doing here!?” Hideki yelled.

“Hideki, I can explain. This bird sent a message. It’s reprogrammed. It came from my father. He told me that there’s hope, we have to look for the Grand Recital, it has a timer before Histeria will destroy this planet, and before that happens, we have to go undercover inside Histeria to steal a ship he made for us, and escape this planet.” Torikou explained.

“Well, where’s the message!?” Hideki asked.

Torikou made no reply.

“Steal the airship in Histeria before the clock ends.” The bird spoke.

Torikou ran outside her room and rushed to meet Cyrielle in her base with the other Rescuean elites. She convinced them of the message she received and the action plan next. 

“Torikou, do you know how dangerous Histerian premises are?” Cynthia asked.

Torikou made no reply.

“Yes, Cynthia, that’s right, Histeria is very dangerous. It killed our last leader and hijacked the other Cores!” one of the soldier generals said.

Torikou made no reply.

“Torikou, this is madness. Do you want us all to die?” another leader said.

Torikou made another silent reply.

“Everyone,” McKenzie came in, “we have to stick with Torikou’s idea, despite the insane risks.”

Torikou looked at McKenzie, wondering.

“This is the will of McArthur. Didn’t we plan this? To find a way to escape this planet? I am well convinced of Torikou’s conviction.” he said.

The mass of the leaders grumbled and chattered. It was a loud noise.

“Mr. McKenzie… are you sure of this?” Torikou asked him amidst the background noises, looking up at him.

“Yes, very well.” He replied.

“I’m coming,” Cynthia said. “Just because I said about Histerian premises being dangerous, didn’t mean I said I couldn’t go. It was just dangerous, so…” she said, “I will do my best to protect you!” she laughed.

Torikou smiled.

“I’m coming too,” Cyrielle said.

“Wait, but you’re our leader? You can’t possibly die early as our last leader did?” someone asked.

“I now understand why our leader made that decision, now I’m in his place,” Cyrielle replied.

“I’m coming!” Hyonae shouted, going inside the base along with Thomas, Hideki, Alice, and Aidan.

“We’re all coming too!” the four people said.

McKenzie walked toward them and talked to Alice and Aidan.

“Aidan and Alice, we will need you on the mission to bring everybody to the Lost Gate of Illnoia. Reserve your strength. You have others to 

protect.”

The siblings nodded.

“With us coming, we’re going to bring our teams,” Cynthia responded.

“Attention, everyone!” Cyrielle shouted, “My order is for all of you to complete each of your assigned missions as soon as possible, and in the emergency of my death, you can look at the next leader in my written will, right here.” Cyrielle holds her will, raising it in the air.

“Let this mission commence,” Cyrielle said.

The rest of the people in the base are in silence.

The air bases are busy with the preparation of fuels and engines. Torikou and Hideki enter their airship. Thomas, Hyonae, and ten other assistant soldiers enter. 

“Hello!” T-7 greeted them in an instant.

“Woah didn’t realize you were here,” Torikou replied.

“Well, I’m coming to help you guys!” the bird replied.

Torikou sat in the passenger seat. Hyonae sat with her. The other soldiers sat beside them too. Hideki and Thomas piloted the airship—despite being rescuers and soldiers, the two always knew how to pilot. They learned it, and it’s a necessary life tool. Torikou looked at Hideki, he looked rather displeased.

The squad of airships began their journey.