Translated by Serizawa Kamo.
Original work by Watsuki Nobuhiro sensei. Hail him! ^_^
Last revised: January, 2001.

"METEOR"

Coming from the depths of space, it is said to possess such a power that to meteors are credited the extinction of the dinosaurs and the creation of the Moon.

At the same time, at times it is called as "shooting star" and it is said to possess a power to make wishes come true -------


(a meteor falls on the head of a smiling young boy, who falls bleeding to the ground.)

Crowd: OOOOOOH?!

Pretty girl (smiling): Hey hey, Shin-ya! What are you doing there lying on the street? You are causing a traffic jam, stand up---

(she realizes that the boy (Shin-ya) is unconscious and bleeding heavily)

Pretty girl: Oh, my... wait a sec. Is it serious?

(the crowd is silent as the boy answers)

Shin-ya: Yup.

Pretty girl: CALL AN AMBULANCE!!!

Crowd: OOOOOOH?!

(various flashes of the past pass in front of Shin-ya)

Shin-ya(thinking): Oh, geez, all these pictures of my past coming and going... am I going to die?

Chiho: WAKE UP!!!

Doctor: Wait, miss, what are you doing to the pacient --

Shin-ya: ?

Chiho: But he is good now, right? And he is quite a lazy person, to sleep for three days.

(Shin-ya is completely confused)

Chiho: It seems that you don't understand a thing. But it's no surprise.

Shin-ya: ? ?

Chiho: Shin-ya, you were hit by this.

(the TV shows news about the coming of a great shower of meteors)

TV: The total number so far of the meteors that have fallen on Earth is 77. The North American Space Agency (NASA) released a note saying that this astronomical show will last for about a month ---

(Shin-ya is in utter panic)

Doctor: Well, you are the first case I have ever heard of a person being hit by a meteor.

Chiho: No wonder you are surprised.

Shin-ya (trying to smile): I see, a meteor. That's why I saw stars when ---

(he tries to scratch the back of his head, but he hits something hard. A meteor is protruding from his skull)

Shin-ya (in ultimate surprise as he stares at a hand mirror): OOOOH?! WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?!

Doctor: You are also the first case I have heard of a person with a meteor driven in your skull.

Chiho: Got two prizes with one shot.

(At the school)

Chiho: --- so, according to the doctor, this thing drove in your skull and reached your brain, so it's impossible to extract it with a surgery.

Shin-ya: Looks like a X-Files episode. Fox Moulder would be surprised to hear about this.

Shin-ya (smiling): But I think it's the greatest luck of the world to be still alive.

Chiho (sweatdropping): Though I think it's the greatest bad luck of the world to be hit by a meteor.

(they enter the classroom 2-4)

Student 1: Hey, Shin-ya! You still alive!

Student 2: Look at the meteor! The meteor!

Student 3: Gosh, it's really a meteor on his head!

Student 4: So, this is the famous meteor.

Student 5: It's beautiful! A slight shade of red!

Shin-ya: Oh, they said the red comes from my blood.

(Suddenly, chairs and tables fall. The three bad boys are back again.)

Bad boy 1: Hey Shin-ya, this time you had tough times, huh! Thanks to it, we had lots of fun this month without any annoying brats!

(Silence falls on the classroom)

Shin-ya: It seems that we have some matters to solve. It's okay, but not here --

(Shin-ya is violently pushed by Chiho)

Chiho: WAIT A SEC! Shin-ya is still recovering, so I will listen on his behalf to what you have to say!

Bad boy 1: This voice! You were the one who called the teacher that day!

Chiho: That's right! We are even classmates, didn't you know that? That's what happens to people who don't attend classes!

Chiho: Well, I know that it's shameful to attend classes when you are a repeater.

Student 1: Oh, a taunt.

Student 2: But it will only make matters worse.

Chiho: But if you feel shame, first of all you should get rid of those ridiculous clothes!

Bad boy 1 (trembling with anger): YOU ---

Chiho: What, are you going to punch a woman?

Bad boy 1: WE ARE LIVING IN A WORLD WITH EQUALITY OF SEX!!

(he goes to punch Chiho)

Chiho (surprised): Jeez, you're the worst guy I've ever seen!

(Shin-ya sees that and goes to help Chiho)

Shin-ya: !!

Bad boy 1: WHAT?!

(The bad boy 1 is hurled backwards. He screams as he hits the blackboard. The students are surprised as bad boy 1 breaks the blackboard and stops only when he hits the blackboard of the next classroom)

Chiho (surprised): Wh... what did you do...?

Shin-ya (equally amazed): Nothing... I just stopped his punch and...

(Bad boy 2 hits Shin-ya in the head with a steel pipe)

Bad boy 2: YOU---!!!

(Shin-ya grabs the steel pipe, bending it. Then he bends it again to the normal shape)

Class: OOOOOHHH?!

Chiho: Wait! What happened?!

Shin-ya: Nothing, I just feel stronger and --

Chiho: What?!

Boy in glasses: Perhaps it's the strength given by the meteor! Only a small part of the brain's secrets has been revealed, making the brain a black box. And a piece of meteor, full of radiation from space, hits the black box, stimulating some unknown functions of the brain. If this hypothesis is correct, then --

Shin-ya: -- it's not about Moulder. Scully would also be surprised!

(the newspaper shows a news on the miraculous strength of the boy hit by a meteor)

(the sun is setting as Chiho is walking alone, with a sad expression on her face)

Kid: Bye bye, Shin-ya-chan!

Shin-ya: Bye! And don't take too long to go back to home, right?

(Chiho sees Shin-ya taking garbage out from a river)

Chiho: Shin-ya!

Shin-ya: Oh, Chiho-chan!

Chiho: I read on the papers. That was nice. I guess jornalists from around the country will come to interview you, right?

Radio: A request from Watsuki Nobuhiro-san: "Tachimukau", from Kinniku Shojo Tai --

Shin-ya: No way. Now they are having lots of fun about that shower of meteors. The world is in panic because NASA said a big one will fall on Earth.

Chiho: Are they idiots? It will surely fall on the sea. Only 30% of the Earth is land. (smiling) And how about you? Are you having trouble with those bad guys?

Shin-ya: Not at all! I'm feeling great!

(Chiho is sad)

Chiho: Is it so...?

(Shin-ya is worried)

Chiho: You changed, Shin-ya. Until now, you did what you liked to do and I was always behind you to give you back up. We were much like brother and sister. I don't find any fun in this. A strength given by a meteor doesn't suit you right.

Shin-ya: I see... it doesn't suit me.

Chiho: Ah...

Shin-ya: But I think your loose socks are what doesn't suit right.

(Chiho throws her bag at Shin-ya's face)

Chiho: DIE!

(Chiho is leaving as the radio is still on)

Chiho: I've had enough! Keep on being used by the people then!

Radio: --- and now, for a breaking news. NASA has just released a note to the press, informing that they were able to calculate the exact place of the meteor they were concerned. The ground zero is near K district of S city in Ngata Prefecture, with a deviation of --- the presumed time is 6 p.m. ----

Shin-ya: Wow, so it is going to fall here. The NASA guys are impressive, they were able to calculate it.

Chiho: Sheesh, there's a nuclear plant in the K town near here. Isn't it going to be dangerous?

(suddenly they realize that the meteor is going to fall on them)

Shin-ya and Chiho: ME----

(A helicopter is flying over the city, giving several instructions)

Voice from the helicopter: Orders have been given to evacuate an area with radius of 10km, centered in the S city. Those who are in the aforementioned area, please follow the instruction and go to a safe place.

(There's a huge traffic jam as several guards are coordinating the evacuation)

Guard: Please, there is no need to hurry. There is still plenty of time until the time NASA calculated. Those who are on foot, please board the emergency buses that are waiting for you in front of the station. There is plenty of buses, so please do not run ---

Girl: Mom, why are everybody going out of the city?

Girl's Mom: A big stone is falling from the sky, and here is dangerous.

Girl: Oh, then let's ask Shin-ya-chan to stop the big stone. I'm sure he will be able to do it.

(the crowd stares surprised at the girl)

Girl: Isn't it?

Boy in glasses: Yes, Shin-ya-kun, that's right! His strength comes from a meteor as well!

Shin-ya's schoolmates: Shin-ya, who has the best and worst luck of the whole world---
                                   Shin-ya, who didn't die even when a meteor hit him ---

Bad boy3: Boss!

Bad boy1: I don't want to admit it, but perhaps---

(a giant meteor is falling)

(Shin-ya is walking in a city already deserted. Chiho is standing behind him, wearing a
helmet)

Chiho: Shin-ya!! Are you out of your mind?! You really think you can stop that big meteor?! It's a whole different thing from the meteor that hit you!!

Shin-ya (smiling): Ne, the meteor is going to be very hot, isn't it? Do you think work gloves are enough to protect from the heat?

(A mad Chiho hits Shin-ya with the helmet)

Chiho: Listen to what I say!

(Chiho grabs Shin-ya)

Chiho: It's all right if the city is destroyed, since we can rebuild it! And besides, a nuclear plant isn't so weak that it will let radiation out so easily!

Shin-ya: But people are counting on me ---

Chiho: Don't believe them! They are in panic! If you think you shouldn't run away because you built a good image, then don't worry! I will protect you! (grabbing Shin-ya's wrist) Come on! There's still time to ---

Shin-ya: No... it's not like that. Though you can rebuild a city if it's destroyed, I think we should avoid it if we have the means. And if there's such a possibility, I believe it's because of this miraculous strength. Chiho-chan said that "Justice without strength is meaningless", but the outcome will be the same if you don't do anything while having the strength to do it. (smiling) You don't have to think to do the right thing.

(Chiho is silent)

Shin-ya (handing Chiho the helmet): So, Chiho-chan, please go. Wear this.

(Shin-ya dashes)

Chiho: Shin-ya.......

(in a desert area of the city, Shin-ya stands alone as he sees the meteor falling from
the sky. He raises his hand in determination)

Shin-ya: Great... this is exactly the place and time. SO, CO---

(a huge meteor almost crushes Shin-ya, who barely manages to keep on his foot.)

Shin-ya: ---- ME ?!?!?

(several trees and houses are destroyed by the shockwave)

Shin-ya (thinking): Th... this destructive power... No, I can't hold this anymore! I was too naive! Was it really impossible for a man to stand, even if he had a miraculous power?!

(Shin-ya sees a girl running)

Shin-ya (thinking): Jeez, again the pictures? Am I really going to die now ---

Chiho: Shin-ya!!

Shin-ya: !!

Chiho (thinking): He is the Shin-ya I know ---- The Shin-ya that faces anything, anybody when he thinks he is doing the right thing! (aloud) GO AHEAD! DON'T LOSE, SHIN-YA!!!!!

(The meteor on Shin-ya's head glows)

Shin-ya (thinking): Please, my meteor ---- give me once more --- just once more ---

(Shin-ya closes his eyes)

Shin-ya: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!

(The big meteor crushes with the meteor on Shin-ya's head)

(Next day. The newspaper announces a miraculous disappearance of the meteor, discussing if it vanished when it entered the atmosfere. There's another header informing that a too curious boy was injured when he tried to see the meteor at ground zero. At the hospital, Shin-ya plays with his Game Boy.)

Chiho: In the end, no news about Shin-ya's deeds.

Shin-ya: That's obvious. Nobody will believe that a boy stopped a meteor with a pair of work gloves. I myself can't believe it.

Chiho: That's true... actually, me too...

(Chiho looks a bit sad)

Chiho: ..... your meteor was shattered...

Shin-ya: Yup... I'm a bit sad because of the loss, but if I think that space sent it so that we could stop the meteor strike...!