CHAPTER 4 — Zion Nova Touches Down in Machida
CHAPTER 4 — Zion Nova Touches Down in Machida
(told in Oliver’s voice)
Inside the Second Tokyo Colony floats what used to be a satellite downtown—Machida City.
“This is… Machida City’s airport? Not what I was told to expect.”
The one muttering is Ray—my best friend, and also Emil’s father.
Amadeus Ray Monarch: center of the idol group ZION NOVA, currently hailed as “the cutest boy in the universe,” a Black genius idol.
He’s got dreadlocks, obsidian skin, and a choir-boy-style uniform costume.
At his side is the cat-type robot Heart.
“Meow.”
“Hey, Heart—this isn’t a concert.”
Yesterday’s show had been a mess.
The venue here in Machida—a Tokyo-Dome-class arena—was full of empty seats in the flesh, while only the virtual seats were packed. Talk about a nightmare.
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The incident hits Ray out of nowhere.
“You! You there! Please—take this to Lord Maharaja!”
A Black man shoves a trunk into Ray’s arms—
and behind him, “city hall staffers” come rushing in, brandishing knives.
“Tch. What a pain. Heart, combat mode.”
“Transforming to firearm mode—tranquilizer rounds online.”
The cat unfolds into a machine gun, and in seconds, four assailants are asleep on the floor.
Ray snorts, exasperated.
“What even is Machida City…?”
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“Okay, Heart—you can switch back.”
Back in cat form, Heart speaks in its mechanical voice.
“Maharaja… you mean that eccentric prince. He should be hosting a game party. We were on the invite list, remember?”
“…Might run into Emil, then. That brat went and got himself married.”
With a short huff through his nose, Ray hefts the trunk as if it weighed nothing.
He has no idea yet—
that this is the spark that’s about to set off Machida Colony’s grand fiasco.
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(To be continued → Chapter 5 “Machida Battle Royale”)
