Black Lagoon: Home

By: Ominae

Rating: K

NOTE:

All characters of Black Lagoon are under the copyright of Rei Hiroe, Geneon Entertainment, Madhouse Studios and Chiba TV.

To all readers:

I'm in a hiatus still, but I've decided to post this anyway out of boredom. That's all. Just a warning. This episode has references to the Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise episode.

Summary:

Before Rock went off to Tokyo for his interpreter mission with Balalaika, the head of Hotel Moscow finds some time to personally speak with him about his mission and his thoughts of heading back home. A one shot story.

Office, Lagoon Company, Roanapur, Thailand

"Hey Rock. Morning." said Dutch, getting off the phone when he entered, rubbing his sleepy face.

"Hi, Dutch." Rock yawned before speaking to the ex-Vietnam War veteran. "Is there a job for us to do?"

"Nah." Dutch shook his head. "But Balalaika called up just now."

"Just now?" Rock raised an eyebrow, adjusting his necktie. "What's in for me?"

"She wants to buy you lunch." Dutch and Benny grinned at her.

"Come on, Rock." Benny chuckled. "This is the first time that she's done this with anyone."

"Fine." Rock huffed. "I may be in for some lunch. Where's she going to take me to?"

Dutch smiled at his Japanese friend. "She'll call up later for the details." He then placed an arm around Rock. "Besides, she has a special job for you."

"By the way, where Revy?" Rock searched the office, but has not seen the female gunslinger.

"Think she went to the church to speak with Eda." answered Benny, heading to his desktop computer to do Lagoon-related work.

"Figures." Rock replied.

Golden Dragon Restaurant, Roanapur, Thailand

"I'd like to thank you for coming, Rock." said Balalaika, seated in a table in front of Rock. Near the table were Balalaika's Hotel Moscow bodyguards, armed with IZHMASH PP-19 Bizon submachine guns, Sig Sauer P220 and P226 pistols hidden underneath their coats. The restaurant was, strangely for the most part, empty.

"Not at all." Rock eyed the armed bodyguards while they were waiting for their food. "I never thought that I'd be invited for lunch."

"Don't get your hopes up." Balalaika took out a cigar from her old Soviet Union BDU placed on her chair with a lighter. "After all, I thought you may want a change in food from the ones that you've been eating with your friends back in Lagoon."

"It's no trouble at all." insisted Rock, watching Balalaika light up her cigar after cutting off its foreend with a cutter built in her lighter.

"I have a reason for calling you out here aside from treating you to lunch." The head of Hotel Moscow stated, drinking her Jasmine tea. "I have a job for you to do."

"And that is?" asked Rock, pouring himself some Jasmine tea.

"I'm leaving for Tokyo in a few weeks." began Balalaika, smoking on her cigar before puffing out smoke. "I need you to accompany me as my personal interpreter."

Tokyo. Rock couldn't believe it. He had been away from Japan for almost a year since he joined up with Lagoon company after being their captive near the shores of the Philippines. "I see..." Otousan. Okaasan. Haven't seen them for a while. Even Niisan...

"Are you okay?" Balalaika looked at Rock to see him sweat a bit. "When I said Tokyo, I swore that you were sweating like bullets..."

"No-Nothing." replied Rock, wiping his sweat with the napkin on his lap. "It's just that I haven't seen my family for years. But..."

"But..." Balalaika wanted Rock to tell his story.

"I just have some problems with them." Rock sipped on his tea. "My parents expected much of me. They wanted me to do well in college." The Japanese national sighed. "I didn't do well in my entrance exams."

"But you eventually were able to get into college, right?" asked Balalaika, puffing her cigar.

"That's how I got my job in Asahi Industries, in their Resource Investigation Department." nodded Rock, not really wanting to recall that part of his life.

"I understand." Balalaika raised her hand up. "You don't have to continue if you don't feel like it." Rock again nodded at her. "I need you for this job since I'll be meeting with several yakuza groups."

"And among them?"

"The Washimine Group, Rock." said another voice near Rock.

"Boris." Rock turned around, seeing Hotel Moscow's second-in-command enter the restaurant. Boris began to explain to Rock about Balalaika's needs for the upcoming Tokyo visit, "We've been in contact via informants and they're ready to set a meeting." He was standing in front of Balalaika's table. "However, our informants have also told us that none of the current Washimine Group members or its leaders speak any English. So that's where you come in."

"Sergeant." addressed Balalaika. "Do you have the papers regarding our upcoming meeting?"

"Yes, of course." answered Boris, handing her a brown folder. "They also include the things we're going to bring with us on the Maria Zeleska."

"All right." Leafing quickly through the paper, Balalaika subsequently dismissed Boris. "You can go now."

"Understood, Kapitan." Boris saluted Balalaika. "Enjoy your lunch."

"Boris will be coming too." Balalaika added, eying the scarred man leave the restaurant after speaking with some of her bodyguards. "Just in case..."

"Of what?" Rock asked, puzzled.

"You'll see when we get back to Japan." Balalaika said, watching the waiters bring in their appetizers. "For now, think of today as your celebration for your trip back home."

"That can be right." Rock smiled a bit, earning a grin from the Hotel Moscow. "I just hope things with my family will be alright." Personally, I don't think if things will be alright.

"I'm sure that it can be alright." Balalaika raised her teacup. "Cheers, Rock. To your homecoming."

"Cheers."

The two then clinked their teacups before they eventually digged into their lunch.

THE END

PS - Hope this story's any good. First time to do a BL story anyway...

To those Black Lagoon writers in the Anime/Manga Miscalleneous section, I've got us a home mates!