Prologue

Sa ilalim ng tahimik na gabi, sa isang tagong lugar, kung saang merong isang—

BOOM! Isang sabog ang umeksena sa isang gusali.

"Emergency. Emergency. Please leave the vicinity immediately!" tunog ng alarm ng paulit-ulit.

Maraming taong nakasuot ng kanilang mga puting lab gowns ang nagsisitakbuhan at nagpapanik sa loob ng nasusunog na establishemento para lang makalabas at maligtas ang mga sarili sa pangyayari... ngunit wala ni isa ang nakalabas.

Bang! Bang! Tik! Tik! Takatakatak! Swish! Fwoosh! Aaahhh!

Mga tunog ng kanilang mga sigaw at tuloy-tuloy na laban para sa kanilang buhay ang tanging naririnig sa bawat sulok ng nasusunog na gusali. Ang mga scientists na ito ay ginagawa lahat ng paraan para lang makatakas sa kamatayan sa kamay ng mga tinatawag nilang tailed beasts.

Ang mga tailed beasts ang rason kaya nangyayari ang isang hopeless na sitwasyon para sa mga tao na makalabas ng buhay. Sila ang dahilan kaya nangyari ang pagsabog. Ginawa nila ang lahat, para rin makatakas sila sa marahas nilang pamamaraan kung paano sila eksperimentuhin.

"Aaaaahhh!" sigaw ng isang babae bago siya saksakin ng mga matutulis at malalaking karayom at bawian ng buhay. The tailed beast with hair as sharp as needles came in walking in front of the lady she just killed.

Bang! She heard from behind her and quickly, she jumped to dodge it at mabilis na nakarating sa likod ng isang scientist na may hawak na baril. Humarap ang scientist to protect himself but he was intimidated by the feathers the girl showing off to him, just like how a male peacock shows his tail to attract a female peacock. Little did that scientist knew that those same feathers are as sharp as her needle hair kaya kasing bilis bago pa niya mapikit ang kanyang mga mata ay naramdaman na niya ang sakit sa iba’t ibang parte ng katawang tinusok niya at bawian din siya ng buhay.

Slash! Bang! Nang marinig yun ng babaeng tailed beast, she quickly ran in her own two feet para hanapin ang labasan at makatakas. Upon running, she ran into another of her fellow tailed beast, with ears as long as a bunny and a red crystal gem in between his forehead, controlling the attacker right in front of him lifting him up in the air. Nakatitig lang ang lalaking tailed beast sa scientist na nasa ere, with no expression at all in his eyes kahit mukhang nahihirapan na ang scientist. The scientist looked back at him and at the same time, the crystal gem glowed bright red causing the neck of the scientist to suddenly crack, that ended his life.

The male tailed beast with big ears and the female tailed beast looked at each other, not stating a word but both knew in their stares, may mga tao sa kanilang likod na handa silang patayin. Pero bago pa sila maka atake, the male tailed beast was able to control them to drop their weapons and the female tailed beast showed her third tail, a long fish tail full of sharp scales. When the male tailed beast lifted them a few inches above the ground, the female tailed beast showed the beautiful sharp scales to the 3 scientists before using those same sharp scales to end their life.

Together, both tailed beasts looked their way around the burning building and because of the long ears of the male tailed beast, they were able to find their way out...

...pero bago pa tuluyang makatakas ang babaeng tailed beast, someone throw a grenade on the exit na nakita naman ng babaeng tailed beast, and good thing she was quick in her senses para maiwasan iyon. She made a back flip para hindi masabugan and when she landed on her feet, turned around to use the feathers of her back to protect her from debris.

Bang! A shot from a gun made the female tailed beast use her fish tail to repel the bullet and glared at the man holding the gun. The man ran out of bullets so he tried to refill his gun pero agad umatake ang babaeng tailed beast with her needle hair at sinubukang iwasan iyon ng lalaki pero sa dami, may ilan na dumapo sa mga balikat at binti niya. Dahil doon, napaluhod ang lalaki sa sakit. The female tailed beast slowly walked toward the man while showing all her 3 tails; her needle hair, her sharp feathers and her long scaly fish tail. Pagkalapit niya, sa natitirang lakas ng tao, sinubukan niya pa ring barilin ang kaharap niyang tailed beast but she didn't let him slip a chance and killed him brutally right in front of her.

Tik! Her attention was quickly caught dahil sa ingay at umatake agad ng mga patalim kung saan nanggaling ang ingay pero pagkalingon niya, walang tao roon.

"Sandali!" sigaw ng isang babae showing her hand at unti-unting sumilip while hiding behind a wall. The female tailed beast stood on her ground with her eyes on her.

"I am not here to hurt you. I am not like the rest," sabi ng babae and slowly showed herself right in front of the tailed beast, raising both her hands in the air as a sign of surrender.

The female tailed beast didn't utter a word but using her eyes, she looked at the lab coat of the woman in front of her na napansin naman ng babae. Agad naman siyang napatingin kung saan siya nakatingin at may kinuhang bagay sa bulsa ng kanyang lab coat.

The female tailed beast was ready to attack nang makita ang baril na hawak-hawak ng babae pero agad niyang binitawan ang baril at sinipa pa ito palikod.

"Binigay lang sa akin iyon ng mga kasamahan ko para sa kaligtasan ko. I don't even know how to use it," sabi ng babae that made the female tailed beast loosen up, but still with glare in her eyes not letting her guard down.

"Habang wala pa sila, kailangan mo nang umalis," banta ng babae sa tailed beast. "All of you tailed beast don't deserve to be treated that way kaya hinahayaan ko kayong makatakas. Bilis!"

The female tailed beast didn't utter another word pero, nabigla ang babae nang umatake ang tailed beast kaya siya napapikit ng mga mata.

Pero wala siyang naramdamang sakit at narinig na lang ang pagbagsak ng ilang katawan sa kanyang likod. Napalingon siya dahil doon at nagulat sa dalawang katawang puno ng mga needles, sharp feathers and fish scales around their body.

Napatingin lang siya pabalik sa female tailed beast na sinusubukang tanggalin ang mga debris na nakaharang sa exit. The female scientist looked at the tailed beast with pity and compassion. She sees how despite they are indeed beasts, they are also part human that's why they can blend in with the people around them and hide their tails.

Bang!

8 tailed beasts were able to escape from a yet still burning and destroyed building. The tailed beast didn't care kung may mga nakalabas bang mga taong nag-eksperimento sa kanila basta ang importante, kumpleto silang walo and they have their freedom. They promised to each other that never again, humans must not know who they really are...

...except for one scientist.

"Please, I beg you..." she said shakily while looking at the tailed beast right in front of her. "Kahit itong... huling hiling ko lang..."

Ngumiti ang babae sa kanya kahit puno ng dugo ang bunganga niya and her white lab coat stained with her own blood. May tumulong luha muna sa kanyang mga mata, and looked at her with pleading in her eyes...

"Please... keep my son... safe."