Skyward Escape

Act 1

Mio shuffled her feet nervously as she walked up to the gate of the small elementary school in Japan. She looked up at the old buildings, the vibrant gardens and bustling street life, and felt a sense of nostalgia from the memories she had so desperately tried to repress. The small school looked untouched and unchanged, as if it had been that way since she first left. With a deep breath, Mio pushed open the gated door and walked up to the school entrance. The head teacher, Kame, greeted her with an air of politeness. He explained that a few students the previous day had gone missing and asked if Mio had seen or heard anything unusual. Although Mio had noticed some odd occurrences throughout her journey, she couldn't seem to remember them distinctly. She waved away his concerns, apologized for not knowing more, and expressed interest in joining the school. Kame was pleased and offered Mio a place in his class. She thanked him for his kindness and walked into the classroom full of energetic and diverse children. Many of them had physical, mental, or emotional conditions, yet none of them felt different from the others. Even those in wheelchairs or wearing leg braces were accepted and celebrated. For the first time since the nightmares started, Mio felt at home. She joined in on the conversations and laughter, blissfully unaware of the dangerous events that were about to unfold. Act 2

It started as a small rumble, like a distant thunder. Soon, it increased in intensity, shaking the school and the ground beneath it. The horror on the children's faces was mirrored in the adult's own. Mio's heart pounded into her throat as she and the others ran outside. The source of the sound was obvious. Floating high in the sky was a steel and glass skyscraper that should have been at the bottom of the ocean. Even from the ground, it was visible. As the clouds disappeared around it, the extent of the floater's danger became clear. Recognizing the danger in front of them, Kame quickly rounded up the children and handed out safety vests. Strong winds and thick rain battered the group, but they were determined to find their way down to ground and reached the metro station at the base of the structure. Unfortunately, their past reflexes proved to be slower than that of the skyscraper. As they reached the station, they heard the sound of the metro system grinding to a halt. Panicked cries and deep sighs filled the air as the group concluded that they were abandoned high above the ground in an ever-intensifying storm. Act 3

The pieces of their journey to safety were what had seemed like jumbled puzzle pieces, became clear only after the crisis had reached its climax. What Mio and the others could not have known was that a strange figure had taken residence at the top of the skyscraper. The figure was a direct descendent of the Japanese gods, blessed with abilities to master elements of the earth. It was because of his guiding hand that the students had been able to break into the metro station, found safety vests to protect them from the storm, and taken shelter under the mezzanine level of the tower. The figure revealed his true identity as Shintaiso, the God of Wind and Rain. He gave advice to Mio and the group on their next moves. At his suggestion, they should make their way to the roof and try to see if the storm would get them closer to the ground. Act 4

It's not a surprise when the group made their way to the rooftop, the storm was intensifying considerably. But thanks to the timely guidance of Shintaiso, they possessed a plan far better than any they thought they could muster. Gripping the edges of their safety vests tight between their Teeth, Mio and the group made their daring way up the edge of the massive structure hoping to avoid the winds and rain and to get a better understanding of the whole situation. Half way up, what seemed to be a miracle happened - the storm kept moving the structure closer and closer to the ground. When they finally reached the top, everyone was relieved to find that the structure was back at ground level. After a few celebratory cheers, the group noticed someone was missing - Kame had gone searching for transport for the group, but never returned. Mio went to find Kame alone. Guided by a string of directions given to him by Shintaiso, Mio followed the path to Kame, and the group soon reunited, safe and sound on the ground. Without exchanged goodbyes, Shintaiso disappeared into the sky, taking with him all the questions no one was brave enough to ask. The group returned to the school, certain that the hurt of these traumatic events they had experienced would stay with them as they did their best to live life as normally as possible, ever after.