PART 1

The light tapped lightly on an occupied bed. The boy rose and stretched, accompanied with a morning yawn.

Seemingly, he doesn’t like it.

He hesitated for a while, then, glanced to the clock.

It’s 5 o’ clock already.

His light stricken eyes were still half-closed, but proceeded downstairs anyway.

His home is not too big nor too small, just only right for him to live alone.

“The school is a pain”, he thought.

He continued to the kitchen where he took cold milk for good

“I think I’ll buy later…..” he talked to himself.

The raven haired boy’s name is Shinichi Tobe. He possessed some good looks, though he never mind it. He is still a second year student currently studying in Blake Hill High school.

He went to the living room, and was surprise to saw someone.

Sitting disrespectfully on the sofa, the red, spiky haired girl stood up.

“Barging into my house?!”

Though she seemed to be contemptuous, Tobe didn’t mind it at all.

He actually knew her. The girl’s name is Crista Monari, Tobe’s eccentric, childhood friend.

“Ooooh, Tobe-chan, I was only waiting for you to go with me!”

“Where?”

“School, of course, fool!”

Crista was also a student of the same school with Tobe.

“O-Okay… but please just wait outside the next time.”

“Yes, Tobe-chan!”

“I don’t want you to barge in again without permission… it’s embarrassing.”

Cris made a wry smile.

Tobe went to his room to change while Cris stood there smiling.

Outside is sunny day, almost best for picnic, outing and more. Tobe and Cris went together, the school isn’t that far.

Suddenly, Cris remembered something.

“Uh! .....Tobe-chan, I need to pass.”

“What is it?”

“I have something to do!”

“Then see ya’.”

“Ok, then, meet me at the school!”

She made a dash away from him like an excited bird. Tobe only smiled, clouds spurted when she sped.

“Incredible enough.”

Tobe, on his own, strolled lazily, pausing for a moment if something interesting sprung up anywhere.

Now, a group of children were playing along the playground and Tobe watched them as he walked.

They were playing a ball, passing it to one another. It seemed to be interesting to Tobe.

He continued to walk when the ball rolled past in front him. Tobe was surprised, the ball crossed the road and went gone.

“Hey mister, can you get the ball, please?!!”

One of them asked for help to Tobe.

Tobe, without hesitation, agreed.

“Sure, why not?”

All of the children smiled and a lot of yahoo’s and yehey’s erupted.

The ball was lost in the bushes as Tobe seen last. He explored it but there’s nothing.

“Where did the ball went?”

Tobe went further inside until he ended up in an unknown pavement. He was on the next street unknowingly.

Tobe found a vacant lot where the ball lay.

“Found you!”

He ran toward it, though completely clueless that he was going farther apart from the road.

He retrieved the ball and was about to go back when he wondered about this place. He didn’t know that it was so vast than he can imagine.

“I’ve never seen this to be huge but creepy.”

True to his words, it looked abandoned and mossy.

He suddenly noticed the sky begin to dark fast.

“Woah!? What’s happening?”

He got both the ball and his bag and ran. He didn’t know why but he can felt ‘something’ will show up.

*Boooooooom*

Unexpectedly, he was thrown away from the explosion. He bumped to the wall and was dazed for a while.

He realized around him was destroyed, decimated.

Though he was glad that he survived with few bruises together with the ball.

He recovered quickly from the blow and went away limply.

Tobe discovered that the something created a crater.

Then, in his eyes, he saw something incredible that made his eyes widened.

Yes, he saw a tall girl. Her hair was so pallid that one can be mistaken her for a snow. Those eyes possessed an emerald pupil one that shone. She almost looked like a life-size doll, she was so cute.

She wears a dress with green and blue ambience that gives off a numinous glow, a thing that exist only in imagination.

Mysteriously, the origin of the impact was on her foothold.

The girl suddenly looked to him with curious face.

“W-Who are you?!”

Tobe stuttered. This magnificent creature would surely poke someone’s attention.

The girl continued to stare to him which became creepy for Tobe.

“Uhm, are you okay?!”

 Tobe change his question.

Instead of answering him, the girl took a step toward him with unknown eagerness.

Tobe stood there, shaking, not knowing to do.

Though they are just several meters apart, Tobe can felt her invincible, intense presence, as though he were facing her closer than he can imagine.

The girl stepped again and paused, recognizing something called danger and she looked up with sullen expression.

Sudden, continuous explosion blasted where she stood, leaving a trail of dusty cloud.

Tobe was bewildered, that could have been killed her!

“What the—“

The blast came from the sky. Tobe faced the sky and was shook from what he supposed not to see.

Rocketing and hovering above, nameless machine were flying, clad with dangerous arms and cannons, five of them, as Tobe seen, are there, waiting for something.

Or, they’re after the mysterious girl as Tobe thought.

The place was covered with smoke and dust, concealing him. Tobe didn’t know if the girl survived it or not, why there’s a bunch of crafts, or why it takes missiles to destroy that lone girl.

Arrgh, Tobe’s mind is jumbled up with strange anxiety.

He ran away, leaving his belongings, fearing he might be the next.

Unfortunately, the ground cracked and faults ruined the path at the same time he ran. Tobe’s balanced fell.

“Aaaaaaaahhhhh……guh!!!”

His body smacked the ground and a horrifying spells of pain radiates all over.

Tobe found out that his leg hurts that he gritted his teeth in simple agony.

“O-ouch!! My leg!!”

The crafts must have heard his grunts as they faced him abruptly.

Tobe noticed it, silencing in fear. Beads of sweat slowly formed on his face.

“Pl-please don’t hurt me!!”

He pleaded in low voice and trembled.

Their shadows were already on him when their attention drew away.

One of them was destroyed unnoticed before they can act.

The girl reappeared this time, without some scratches.

Her eyes narrowed. Seriously, that attack made her pissed off.

“Impossible!”

Tobe was shocked seeing her again.

That made him catches his breath while lying down.

She readied her stance against the crafts.

It is entirely impossible to face those metallic aircraft but in this situation, it’s different.

She must have powers, Tobe thought.

While she was in a fighting stance as if facing a human fighter, the aircrafts charged their turret, expecting it to be a tremendous force.

Upon firing their ammo, numerous missiles swarmed the sky.

Even with the chance of being struck, Tobe has no other choice but to watched them or watched over his death.

That idea chilled him. He was sweating all over.

Following her reflexes, she zoomed past away the missiles without detonating them with unattainable speed.

“Howling cut….”

Tobe, in the midst of chaos, heard her chants. Her voice was beautiful, echoing before his ears.

“…STRAIGHT KNEE!”

http%3a%2f%2fpre00.deviantart.net%2f0c2a%2fth%2fpre%2f...a4xhf8.jpg [http://pre00.deviantart.net/0c2a/th/pre/i/2016/155/e/3/echo_encounter_by_yoruchi21-da4xhf8.jpg]

After saying it, the girl made a powerful dominion.

She avoided the warheads, cut the distanced between them, and somersaulted in mid-air among them, kneeing one of them with upward, invincible force that sent it pieces flying in any directions.

Unbelievingly, it all happened in split seconds. What’s more, Tobe didn’t hear anything as though the noise sucked somewhere like what she did to the first one.

Tobe’s eyes widened. She truly has something in her.

She left a mysterious but graceful essence that filled the air; she remained suspended in the sky as if she was held by some invisible force.

Involuntarily, Tobe shielded himself from falling fragments.

Destroying the first and second crafts, she rushed immediately to the nearest one with the same speed that the craft couldn’t act.

This time, she threw her fist toward it that it went all through and exploded.

The outburst didn’t even make her blink; she was protected by some invisible barrier.

The remaining three withdrew from their position and fixed their target to her.

They fired again missiles, small but slicker ones.

Having no trace of fear or doubt, she faced them again.

The missiles detonated before it can hit her.

She rushed and launched a counter-attack with the same technique.

Tobe watched it helplessly.

The debris fell like a burning meteor. Unluckily, its impact would surely kill Tobe.

Tobe widened his eyes as its bursting wreckage is right in front of him, speeding toward him.

 “Aaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!”

Tobe cried. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see his own death.

The girl noticed his scream and zoomed to him.

She caught him and rolled away from the rubble before it can hit them.

They tumbled on the hard ground, hurting both the girl and Tobe.

Perplexed and not knowing to do, Tobe opened his eyes.

He found himself on the ground, hugged by the mysterious girl, her bust pressed evenly on his chest.

Tobe was surprised but later interrupted by the pain.

She must have heard his grunt; she loosened her hold but remained atop on him.

It provided a good view above him.

The curved of her bust are clearly showing.

However, this is not good to him.

Tobe’s face was red already and beads of sweat are popping.

The shallow breath of the girl can be heard.

It pleases Tobe inside but outside it is worse than imagined.

“P-please don’t hurt me!”

She responded by looking directly to him.

Those eyes are shining as if made of emerald, stating that she is not a human at all.

Tobe was awed and shy at the same time.

Perhaps the most puzzling of all, her expressions lighten a bit, though it didn’t show on her face.

Tobe didn’t understand it. His body tightened involuntarily.

The girl tilted her head against his ear and whispered….

“Please help me…”

Her voice echoed the same time Tobe heard it. It was beautiful and yet mystical.

He can felt the immense aura within her, possessing the beauty and mystery of the girl.

Tobe stared her blankly.

“Wha-wha—“

His lips were touched by something soft and delicate that cut off his comprehension. They kissed.

He can hardly breathe. The girl’s hand grasped Tobe’s cloth lightly.

They remained like that in a second or more before something happened.

The kiss resulted in unthinkable, tremendous changes around them after:

 The ground shook.

Tension rises.

 Gravity shifted.

 Finally, colossal shockwave that wiped out the remaining crafts into decimated junks.

Tobe, however, didn’t witness it because he fell unconscious.

Outside of the school, Cris patiently waited for Tobe.

She was delivering some pancakes for the elder who lives in their neighbourhood.

After that, she went to the school to meet Tobe but he was missing.

It was still morning, so the bell rung.

“Crap…!”

Many of the students were hurrying but Cris only waited, anxious.

“That damned Tobe… I thought he promised.”

She mumbled to herself.

One of the students noticed her.

“Hey Cris, Why are you here? Look, the class are about to start.”

“Thanks for your concern but I’ll be going later.”

The student left her and in a minute she’s alone outside.

Cris sighed. This would mean nothing to her and was about to gone in.

*Booooooouushhhh*

Suddenly, an eerie blast followed by a tremendous wind rush shocked her.

She shielded herself from the furious gale.

Beyond her sights, a cloud like form grows in a faster rate.

What Cris feared of is not the blast itself but Tobe.

She doubtingly imagined Tobe getting caught in that blast.

“Don’t tell me—“

Her body tightened.

After minutes of hesitations, she finally dashed back to Tobe’s spot.

“…TOOOBEEE! ...”

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PART 2

“Boy…?”

“Wake up….!”

“Boy……….?”

Tobe opened his eyes weakly.

His vision is still hazy.

He knows that he is on his way on the school but he didn’t remember anything.

“Boy……?”

That voice seemed to be familiar, Tobe couldn’t guess it. In fact, he found it to be enticing…

“Where am I…?”

He tried to rise but, sudden pain radiates all over his body, as if he were beaten several times.

Tobe gritted his teeth in pain.

The pain forced him to recollect the events.

That’s right; Tobe was caught in an intense battle that almost killed him.

But, he didn’t know where he was. He scanned the whole room.

He found himself in a house, a familiar one.

Actually, he was in his own house! His eyes widened.

“Crap!!! I’m late!”

“Boy, you’re awake…?”

That voice, he couldn’t be wrong, it was the voice of the mysterious girl!

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

But why was she in his house? Tobe thought.

Tobe was lying in his own bed, covered with sheet.

He noticed a presence beside him, he looked.

Tobe saw his T-shirt directly, with a comical imprint of a hummingbird on it. The most intriguing of all, two bulging melon-like were noticeable.

“Uuuuhhhh……?”

He narrowed his sight. Then, as his eyes reached the upper part, was surprise from his shocking discovery.

What Tobe saw was the girl who wore his shirt but it seemed she has trouble wearing it because of her curvy, heavy figure.

Especially, her voluptuous bust, were constricting.

No doubt, those emerald eyes and the ghostly white hair is surely the same girl!

Tobe immediately regret sawing it. His face was red as an apple already.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

He thought that his actions were misinterpreted enough that the girl might be angry and he will be ended like the crafts.

The girl, however, made no reaction.

“Are you alright, now?”

The girl didn’t care about it.

Instead, she showed that she was concerned about Tobe.

“Uuuumm, Yeah! I was.”

Tobe tried to sit, but the pain hurts.

Not long after, he discovered that he wears nothing on his upper body right now. It was visible with many scars and bruises. Except from pains he endured, Tobe was okay, at least.

“Huh?”

The girl beside him stood. Tobe noticed that she only wears his T-shirt.

“Wait, where’s your clothes?”

That question is out of place. Irrationally, Tobe only blurted it out.

She glanced toward what she’s wearing.

“They’re gone…”

The girl replied dauntlessly and straight.

“Then what’s your name?”

“Yuki Tenshi. Humans like you called me ‘Echo’.”

“Echo?”

Yuki nodded.

Tobe’s thought drifted for a while.

“Then, what are you doing here, Tenshi-san?”

“I don’t know…”

“Wait, do you remember what happened last?”

“I don’t know…”

“Errr, do you have any idea why I am naked?”

“I don’t know… either.”

Tobe sighed. It seemed the questions will lead to nowhere.

“Well, you have no memories?”

“Possibly.”

Tobe tried to sit down with endurance again but this time he succeeded.

His body revealed to be wounded due to that strange occurrence. He stared toward the window, the weather outside is still good and alive but he was unlucky enough to be caught to that freak accident.

“My powers…”

Yuki spoke to him with an air of mystery.

“Huh?”

“….. are gone…”

“Eh?”

Tobe was still completely clueless about what she talked about.

“….. because of you…”

Still, Tobe didn’t get it. Question marks were popping on his head.

“Uuuuhhh….. I don’t get it but….. I’m sorry”

Yuki stared hard toward Tobe as if she’s about to cry or angry. She forcefully clenched her fist that her arms were about to shake.

Tobe sympathetically apologized, even if he didn’t know what he’s doing.

She relaxed her arms after hearing it and calmed down.

“Nevermind…”

She spoke softly and lightly this time. Yuki went by the window and gazed outside. The wind blew.

Tobe stood and went outside. The pain made him walk limply.

*bash*

Suddenly, Tobe heard a loud crash coming from the door followed by noisy footsteps.

It made him to pause; surely, Yuki must hear it too.

“TOBE! TOBE!”

Someone is shouting and is coming upstairs where Tobe and Yuki are.  It became louder and louder. Tobe only stood pale. No doubt, that bothersome voice belongs to…

“ Crista…? ”

Crista appeared and went to him.

“Tobe, what are you doing here I thought—“

Cris gasped. Seeing Tobe’s naked body, she turned around. Her face visibly reddish, possibly, steaming and puffing. Seeing that body would mean nothing to a normal person but for Crista delusions, it is marvellous, angelic and shining that she can’t look it directly.

Tobe, who is completely clueless, approached her.

“Wait….wait! Tobe don’t!”

Cris’ heart raced. Tobe paused again. He noticed that she’s shaking.

“Oh, I see, I can’t attend now because of these wounds—“

“Tobe—“

“What is it?”

“Wear something…Uh…, please… for your sake.”

She stuttered.

Cris faced him but has trouble looking at him, particularly, at his not-so-sexy body. Cris’ sight kept on wandering all over without an obvious reason.

Unnoticeably, Cris is nose-bleeding.

“Ok…?”

Tobe replied.

She gently touched her nose with the tip of her finger. A spot of her blood was present on it.

Cris was looked troubled; this is actually her first time to be nose-bleed even in small amount. Still, she was worrying a lot.

Cris wiped the blood quickly and cleanly using the back of her hand to avoid attention.

Tobe went to his room to change but…

“…………Yuki!”

Tobe cried. Because of Cris, he totally forgot about Yuki.

And now, Yuki is outside of his room, staring at them peacefully.

Cris was surprise. She couldn’t believe it!

Tobe was panic-stricken. Yuki was wearing only his clothes and Tobe, being his upper body naked, can be easily misinterpreted by Cris.

“T-Tobe…Tobe you PERVERT—“

“That’s not what you think! Cris!!!”

Too late, Cris is angry already, darkness seemed to be surrounded on her, her eyebrows were distorted and her fist tightened.

Cris almost looked like a raging bull, hungry to pummel Tobe.

“TOOOOBEEE!!!”

Tobe retreated toward his room, but unfortunately, he tripped down and fell.

“Aaaahhhh!! Please It’s not what you think!”

“…He is right…Nothing happened…”

Yuki spoke. Thus, both Cris and Tobe paused.

Cris pointed her sharply.

“YOU… yes, it’s you, what’s your name?!”

“Yuki…Tenshi.”

Cris was not satisfied about the answer Yuki gave to her.

“If nothing happened between you and Tobe, why are you here? Why is Tobe naked? Why are you wearing his favourite shirt?!”

Cris seemed to be spitting her own words toward Yuki. Yuki didn’t mind, instead, she answered with confidence.

“I thanked Tobe for saving me…”

“You—What!?”

“………………”

Cris glanced toward Tobe’s wounded.

She didn’t notice it earlier thanks to her delusions already.

“I see. That’s why Tobe is bruised and wounded. Right?”

Yuki nodded lightly. She helped Tobe stood. Cris joined too.

“I’m sorry, Tobe, I’m sorry.”

“It’s totally okay, Cris. I’m alright.”

“Don’t tell that to me, you’re still stupid.”

“Nevermind.”

“…………………”

They both descended the stairs and went to the living room slowly due to him.

They both sat on the sofa with ease.

“Gah!……I’m tired because of you, Tobe. You see, I went away from the school just to see you, fool!”

“Eh? You’re so strange and mean, Monari-chan.”

“Wait a minute, why not see the doctor. Because of that wounds—”

Cris glanced again toward his Tobe’s body. Her delusions strike again.

She blushed and averted her sights.

“Uh, Cris?”

“… Didn’t I tell you to wear something?  You’re so ugly when you’re naked.”

“You’re so mean. I mean, I can’t move because of the situation.”

“Hmph!”

Tobe sighed. He was about to stand when Yuki offered a shirt, with a comical imprint of a penguin.

“…Here…”

“Thank you, Yuki.”

He wore it quickly. Cris sighed in relief as if she exhaled a huge amount of air.

“Thank goodness…”

“Something wrong, Cris?”

“Uh… no, I’m okay. Hehe.”

“You’re weird.”

Cris glimpsed toward the wall clock behind them.

It is 11:30, too late to attend the school.

Cris frowned for a while. She must have been regretting it by gritting her teeth.

“Are you okay?”

Yuki asked her softly.

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

“Okay…”

“Yuki, do you know where you live?”

Yuki seemed to be perplexed for a while. She stared her for a while with a confused expression.

“………………….”

“Um, you mean you’re lost?”

“I’m not…”

“…?”

“Human…”

“…!”

Cris was confounded. But she made a wry smile as if she gets it.

“Nice joke. Hehe.”

“You don’t understand my situation…”

“Wait, both of you. I’ll cook something for our lunch, okay?”

Tobe interfered for some reason.

“Okay!”

Tobe plodded to the kitchen to cook then. Tobe’s adept in cooking skills since it is necessary for him to live alone in the house.

Upon reaching the kitchen, Tobe immediately prepared the ingredients. However, due to his seemingly worst condition, it is impossible for him to do it but nevertheless, he continued.Tobe worked confidently, in fact, he felt nothing but vigour. 

Cris approached him slowly in the kitchen and slouched by the corner.

“Tobe, do you need help?”

“No, I can do it, Cris.”

“But your wounds—“

Tobe didn’t actually felt anything when he’s currently working which is unusual. He raised his shirt and checked his body.

Tobe and Cris are surprised.

Much of his wounds were healed, leaving only marks that no doubt will disappear evenly.

It is rare for something like blows and numerous, terrible wounds to heal quickly within a span of minutes or less on ordinary human. They both knew it too.

“Strange… but I’m okay now, see?”

“Tobe, something is wrong with your body.”

Tobe ignored her last words and continued to work.

Cris proceeded to the dining room and sat down in one of the chairs wearily, pouting.

Cris was worried about Tobe as well as herself.

Something is strange, she thought.

Inconspicuously, Tobe brought up a delicious lunch on the table.

”Now, let’s eat. Yuki-san, Cris-san!”

Yuki obediently joined them.

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PART 3

At the window near the desk showing, the girl stood.

Because of her young-like nature, she might be mistaken for a student, even though she wears the teacher’s uniform of a familiar school.

She gazed over the window with unfazed expressions, obviously waiting for something.

Someone quietly approached her and paused from her behind.

Wearing a formal tuxedo, the man seemed to be has no intention of disturbing her.

Without turning back, she talked.

“Sr. Maximus, what brings you here?!”

Her voice is filled with irritating confidence of a child after noticing his bulky structure overshadowing her.

However, the man jolted a little upon hearing her.

“Superior, we recovered the crashed fragments of ‘reavers’.  Luckily, it didn’t went self-disintegration when first contact.”

Reavers are the mysterious crafts that attacked Tobe.

She smirked after hearing it. Yet, that’s not what she had in her mind.

“How about the one who single-handedly Err, no, I mean none-handedly destroyed them, where is 

her location?”

“You mean ‘maiden Echo’?”

Upon hearing it, she faced him with unknown fondness. The spectacles dangling upon her collar swayed wildly for a brief moment.

Maidens are general term for a mysterious, powerful creature that coexists with the humans, like Echo. They are named so possibly because all have feminine traits.

 However, like humans, many maidens have intentions that are way too random.

That is, they can be too dangerous sometimes.

“No doubt, she’s goes off away then?”

“Yes, superior, but this time, her traces have disappeared completely on the probe.”

“Disappeared eh?—I don’t believe it!”

She exclaimed brazenly. This made the man surprise.

“By the word you said, superior. What does it meant?”

This made the girl turned to awfully serious. The man quietly apologized “I’m sorry” while bowing respectfully.

“No need to regret, I frankly said it to myself.”

The man calmly returns to his casual posture.

“Shinichi, Tobe.”

The girl muttered indistinctively. The man took notice.

“The boy who caught in their battle? He may be dead or thought so.”

“Wrong, you’re very skeptic! Maximus.”

The man shrugged upon hearing it.

“Apologies. Sorry for intrusions.”

He bowed again. Seeing it to be annoying, she motioned him to quiet for a while.

“Sanku Tobe, he’s something special. He alone saved and pacified Echo the maiden. Now, tell me. 

Where is his school?”

“Hill Blake High, superior.”

“Hill Blake? Then it’s a pure and perfect coincidence, get it?.”

“Yes, superior.”

She sat on the chair after it.

“That’s all I want to talk. Gune! dismissed.”

The man quietly left her.

Alone in the room she silently gathered her thoughts.

“The reavers are quiet bothersome but finally seeing that Tobe was dragged in because of the favourable situation…”

She muttered to herself, playing the spectacles that hung by her collar.

“…The battle has finally begun.”