FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE INVASION
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Michael Sonora, a young boy who was said to have a bright future ahead of him. At the mere age of five, he had taken in interest in physical science, deciding to put his efforts into learning physics. It turned out that he had a knack for the field of science and a photographic memory to add on, earning him the nickname 'The child blessed by science'.
Unfortunately, as he grew older and faced the harsh truth of reality, he realized that everyone's faith rested on his shoulders. He was constantly watched and admired by those younger and older, forced to further himself into his studies instead of having a childhood like a normal kid.
His father worked as the head scientist of a government research department that focused on building defenses against extraterrestrial threats. At times, Michael father would bring his son to observe as a way to boost his experience in the field of practical science.
Though on Michael's fifteenth birthday, he discovered something that would flip his entire world upside down.
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"Hmm, what's this?"
A young Michael found himself snooping around his father's home office while he was away, curious as to what his father did at home and why he was always holed up in the office.
In the drawer of the oak wood desk, Michael discovered a file labeled 'classified' and his curiosity burned even greater than before.
With a bit of hesitation, Michael slowly peeled opened the folder and began reading the contents of the first page.
The more he read, the more his eyes visibly widened.
"What is this..."
"Their lying to me. I've noticed something unusual about my son. After rigorous research and comparing each prodigy across nations, I've come to the conclusion that the higher-ups did something to my precious son after his birth. To confirm this, I had brought my son to the laboratory, and he seemed unusually attracted toward project 4245 'Emily'. Under the guise of research, I observed my son while he helped around the laboratory. While he was unaware, I pricked his finger and studied his blood sample under a microscope only to find out that his blood had a foreign gene residing in it."
Michael had flipped to the next page of the document.
"I've been told that my son is a potential weapon against the incoming extraterrestrials. They've labeled him project alpha-omega and during his birth they've injected nanoparticles into his bloodstream, enhancing his biological system to that of a superhuman. He's unaware of this but the process was a success due to the achievement of hyper-intellect and perfect photographic memory. He will only grow stronger until the day has come for him to inherit the core."
Michael remained silent and continued to read through each page with a blank expression, though his mind was running a million miles per minute.
"It's my son fifteenth birthday. If you've managed to find this my precious boy and the alarm hasn't gone off, then that means my usefulness to the research department has reached its limit. You are project alpha-omega, a weapon built to prevent extraterrestrial invasions and the extinction of humanity. Please do not let this change who you are. You are still my precious baby boy, and I've never once seen you as a weapon but a savior. Please protect your mother and make sure she never finds out what you are, I know she deserves to know the truth, but this truth will break her. If you decided to seek revenge against the government, do so with a plan. They are always ten steps ahead."
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A few months had gone by after discovering the document and that's when the news of his father's strange disappearance had reached Michael's mother.
She had been heartbroken for a month, unable to eat, sleep, or even work. Fortunately, Michael had been prepared for the news a long time ago and when his mother fell into depression, he had become the one to make sure their family did not tear apart.
He used his part-time job money to buy a high spec computer, becoming a web designer for small companies that paid exceptionally well. Michael also took care of the cleaning and cooking, helping his mother eat and laying with her as she sobbed herself to sleep.
Eventually, she recovered a managed to reenter society as a working functional adult. Though due to that period of depression, Michael had been forced to skip school to which he decided to drop out as a way to focus his attention on his mother.
Thus, he had become a shut-in after his mother became stable once again. Deciding to quit his studies and play video games, his once glorious title as a once in a lifetime prodigy had faded into the background.
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A Week After The Invasion
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Michael roamed around aimlessly, assessing the destruction caused by the light which engulfed nearly the whole planet.
"So, this is what dad meant when he said invasion."
Michael had then felt a numbness on his chest, glancing down at the subtly glowing mark that became visible through his ragged shirt.
"Is this..."
"Ah, so you're one of those lab rats."
Michael turned his head toward the source of the voice, his eyes landing on a black-haired beauty. Her skin glistened against the brimming sunlight; the subtle drift of the wind ruffled her hair to expose her flawless thin eyebrows arched perfectly.
It was as if Michael had been staring in the face of a venomous yet deadly viper, ready to lunge without a second's worth of hesitation and sink her fangs directly into him.
A slight shiver had gone up Michael's spine.
"Ah. So, you know about the government projects. Who are you exactly?"
"Just an average mercenary. Anyway, want to be friends?"
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THE PRESENT
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Mikey and Akari stood a few meters away from each other. Akari's facial expression remained impassive, but Mikey's face lit up as if he remembered something important.
"Ari, is that you?"
Akari's body stiffened at the abbreviation of her name, but what really shook her to the core was Mikey calling out to her.
A flood of emotions came rushing into Akari and her impassive expression had finally been broken, replaced with teary eyes that threatened to release a flood of waterworks.
"Y-you remember...you stupid fucking jerk!"
Akari blurred forward and before Mikey could react, she was already in front of him, landing a clean strike to his abdomen though the strength had been dialed back severely.
Despite this, Mikey had endured the strike and wrapped his arms around her and gently caressed her long, silky, black hair, allowing her to silently weep into his shirt.
"I'm so sorry Ari. Things have been moving so fast and became so hectic that I didn't have time to come find you, but I haven't forgotten you. Not once."
Mikey felt his chest tightened after hearing Akari silently cry into his shirt, trying to soothe her but to no avail. Yet, this did not disturb him one bit, since after all, she had been there for him since the beginning of the invasion.
Everyone other than Emily had looked on with shocked expression at the intimate scene, clearly mistaking the two for lovers instead of close friends. Though it was obvious both harbored feelings for each other, yet neither one would admit it.
"Sorry to break up this sappy moment, but we still have to figure out who sent that demon girl."
Emily voiced her opinion while glancing toward the battle between Keith and Minami.
"Oh. That's Minami. She works for the alien guy that sent me to kill Mikey."
Silence had immediately replaced the bittersweet atmosphere. Everyone looked at Akari with strange expressions, yet no one dared to initiate a move.
"Don't worry. I only took the mission so I can see Mikey again."
"Umm. I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but could you let me go"
Mikey face became beet red as he uttered for his release. Akari on the other hand, glanced upward at Mikey and down at her rather revealing outfit. Then realization had struck her like a truck.
"Oh~ Since when you have become so naughty Mikey~"
Akari teased but had eventually released Mikey from her death hug, watching as he squirmed away with a blush.
"Anyway, I'll stop them from fighting"
Mikey eyes had shifted colors in a heartbeat. The once brown eyes he adorned had transformed into a golden pair, and his pupils morphed into arrows that pointed in opposite directions: the left arrow pointed to the left and the right arrow pointed to the right.
Then Mikey had glanced over toward the battle between Keith and Minami, slowly raising his arm with his hand opened into a palm.
In mere moments, space rippled for a fraction of a second, then both Keith and Minami had been flung in opposite directions by an unseen force. Both had crashed into opposite buildings, uplifting a decent cloud of dust.
"Enough fighting. If you continue to do so, I'll have Emily eliminate you."
Mikey's voice was cold and commanding, leaving no room for an argument. The other's stayed silent and could only observe as Mikey made it clear who was the leader in the operation.