Road To Redemption
So it's my first time writing an AU with the Shinkengers :P Some minor Chiaki and Kotoha in here, not a lot. Sorry, but I'm best with TakeruxMako it seems :D It's a military AU, so it may seem a bit unfamiliar to you. Hope you enjoy. Leave your comments in the review section :D
The sound of gunfire tore through the screams of the massacre, as thousands of Yamashii soldiers marched through into the heart of the city, relentlessly killing the Keppakus. Keppakus ran for their lives, attempting to hide from the soldiers, only to be shot down moments later.
A teenage girl was running through the chaos of the battlefield, keeping low and pushing away from the crowd of people who were scrambling to get to safety
"Mako-chan!" a young girl hiding behind a building called her over, while another boy was standing guard beside her, a pistol in his hand. "Over here!"
Hearing the footsteps of the soldiers' growing, she yelled more urgently, "Hurry!"
Mako shook her head, "My parents-," she protested.
"They're already there, neesan!" the boy called back to her. "Come on! Let's go!"
Mako ran towards them, as the other girl quickly took hold of her and began pulling her towards the underground safe house that they had made a few years prior.
As they entered the safe house, Mako took in the sight of how much the destruction had cost her family. As tears began to flow down from her eyes, she grasped onto her mother's hands, avoiding her mother's bloodstained legs that would never walk again.
Her father began to pat her on her back, as he too cried along with both of them.
Mako raised her tearstained face towards the two, "Chiaki," she addressed the boy, "Thank you. You too, Kotoha," she thanked the girl.
"It was nothing," Chiaki said, while Kotoha bowed and excused herself into another room to treat her severely wounded sister.
The door was thrown open, as Chiaki turned around and aimed the pistol squarely towards the figure at the door. "Identify yourself!" he said, as he cocked the pistol.
"Chiaki! Wait!" the stranger walked down the steps and closely the door in a slow motion, and turned back around with hands raised up in surrender. "It's your father," he answered.
"Otousan!" Chiaki lowered the pistol and turned on the safety. "Where's mother?"
At this, Chiaki's father broke down into tears, as Chiaki threw down the pistol in anger, and began screaming. Kotoha rushed in from the other room, and hugged him tightly, in an attempt to contain his fury.
"It's alright," she cried along with him. "I'm here for you, never forget that."
Aboveground, more Keppakus were being killed, while platoons of Yamashiis wiped out an entire sector of the Keppaku city within fifteen minutes. As they were about to move on the next sector, a voice called out to them to stop.
Immediately, five rifles were cocked towards the man running towards them in the combat uniform of the Yamashii Empire.
The man stopped a respectful thirty paces away from them, and held up a letter in his right hand. "I'm Warrant Officer Umemori Genta!" he announced. "I come bearing an order from Lieutenant Colonel Shiba Takeru, commander of Shiba Company!"
"Hold your fire!" Another man walked up, bearing the insignia of an officer on his shoulders. Genta saluted the officer, who saluted back. "Let me see that," he raised his hand for the letter.
Upon reading the letter, the officer folded it back sloppily and slapped it on to Genta's chest. Turning back towards his company, he cried out, "Return back to the island!"
He called back to Genta who was still there, trying to fold the letter back into his proper format. "Don't you have other platoon commanders to reach?"
"Actually," Genta replied with a smirk, "your platoon was the last to be reached."
Genta pulled out a cell phone and dialed a direct link.
"Yes?" a man asked on the line.
"It's Warrant Officer Umemori," he spoke crisply into the phone, all previous traces of unprofessionalism gone. "Tell Lieutenant Colonel Shiba that all platoons have been informed."
"Acknowledged," came the reply, and then the line clicked off.
Shutting the phone, he looked up and saw that the officer was still standing them. "What are you waiting for," he asked nonchalantly. "You should be following your men up the mountain to escape to the other island."
"This place is going to blow in thirty minutes."
Thirty miles away within the main sector of the Keppaku city, the Keppakus were rejoicing at the apparent withdrawal of the Yamashii soldiers.
"The insurgence is over," cried out an elderly man. "We, the Keppakus, have survived against the cruel oppression of the Yamashii Empire!"
"The time for rebirth is now! Let us work as one to rebuild our nation!"
The audience murmured in approval, nodding their heads. The murmuring grew louder in hysteria as people began to point up into the sky, looking at the large flaming bird in the sky.
Waves of terror were sent flooding all over the city as people began screaming once more.
From the other island, a young man wearing the combat uniform of the Yamashii empire looked towards the phoenix that now hovered above the Keppaku island.
"Colonel Shiba!" Another man ran up beside him, blue stripes were placed on his arm, identifying him as the campaign's deputy commander. "Umemori has contacted us, all preparations are complete."
"The phoenix is ready to be launched, sir," he bowed.
Takeru stared at the phoenix a while longer, indulging himself in the glorious sight of the Yamashii Empire's newest weapon.
"Sir?" Ryuunosuke prodded him. "What are your orders?"
Takeru shook his head, clearing himself of his doubt and returned to his façade of Lieutenant Colonel Shiba Takeru, the rising star of the Yamashii army. "You may fire when ready," he said as he walked down the beaten path, turning his back towards the weapon. "Get a helicopter ready for me for an hour later."
"I want to see the ruins for myself."
Ryuunosuke saluted swiftly, and ran ahead of Takeru to relay his orders.
Fifteen minutes later, the phoenix drops, and engulfs the entire island with its flame. Wildlife is destroyed, plant life is wiped out, and entire species become extinct.
A nation is destroyed, and its culture is lost.
All at once, everything dies.
The Keppakus are no more.
Everyone dies.
Except for seven.
Seven survive.
And with them, a chance of survival.
Takeru walked up to the helipad, where the helicopter was waiting to escort him to the island. Genta and Ryuunosuke were already waiting for him, and as he walked by, they saluted and walked along with him.
"Sir," Ryuunosuke said. "Let us come with you!"
"That's right, Take-chan!" Genta whispered under his breath. "You should let us go with you!"
"Genta! You're supposed to address him as Colonel Shiba!" Ryuunosuke corrected.
"I can call him Take-chan because we're childhood friends," Genta latched one arm over Takeru. "Isn't that right, Take-chan?"
Brushing Genta's arm off of shoulder, Takeru entered the helicopter. As Ryuunosuke and Genta attempted to enter, he held them off. "I want to go in alone," he said.
Reluctant, the two subordinates stepped away from the helicopter, as it was gently lifted up into the air, carrying Takeru to the still-burning island where the Keppakus once thrived.
As the helicopter touched down, Takeru leapt gently off and signaled to the pilot to return to the sky, saying that he would radio the pilot if he wanted to leave the island.
He watched the helicopter return to the sky, and then began walking through the flaming remains of the once prosperous city…
Chiaki rammed his shoulder against the trapdoor of the underground shelter, only to fall back and land on his back. Small cracks of light were seeping through the slightly opened door.
He pulled himself up and braced himself for another slam against the solid door.
"Here we go!" he muttered under his breath as he ran towards the trapdoor, this time succeeding in breaking through the door.
"Kotoha, Mako!" he called back. "The coast is clear!"
Mako walked out of the shelter alone, causing Chiaki to ask, "Where's Kotoha?"
Mako shook her head, "Kotoha doesn't want to come out," she said. "She says that someone should be left behind to take care of our parents."
"Is that so," Chiaki mumbled. "Neesan, should I go and find food?"
"I think what you need to do is stay here with Kotoha," Mako said gently. "And you need to rest, so let me take care of the rest, alright?"
"But neesan!" Chiaki protested. "I can't let you go out there alone!"
"Don't worry, Chiaki," Mako assured him. "I can take care of myself."
Chiaki reluctantly returned to the shelter, but not before passing on his pistol with the words, "Just in case."
Takeru surveyed the once thriving city, and found nothing but charred remains of buildings, pets and people.
"It's so thorough," he murmured as he brushed his fingers lightly against the soot-covered building. "But I don't understand why we had to destroy this nation."
He shook his head and continued walking into the city, hoping to find something to soothe his guilt.
But nothing he saw could calm him, for everything that was left in the city were the remains of people that once lived and breathed under the same sun, skyscrapers that once stood tall and proud, but were now ruins.
Even the fountain that was in the center of the city was destroyed, steam spewing from the small metal pipes.
Dizzily, he fell to his knees, consumed with the knowledge that he, Shiba Takeru, had ordered the execution of the entire population of Keppakus.
With that thought in his mind, his stomach hurled his liquid guilt up.
Running to the kindergarten where she once volunteered and took care of numerous little children, Mako stopped and stared at the burning rubble, as if refusing to believe that she was living in reality.
Turning away with tears on her cheeks, she ran towards the heart of the city, where she once happily fooled around with her friends.
As she drew closer to the fountain where they played, she noticed someone that was doubled over by it. Overwhelmed with relief that someone had survived, she ran faster towards the person, until she realized that the person was wearing a Yamashii combat uniform.
"You're…" she said, unable to draw away from him.
"You're…"
Takeru looked to his side and saw a young woman looking at him.
"You're… a Yamashii officer?" she asked him, hesitantly.
He nodded deliberately, and rose to his feet slowly, so not to scare her. "My name is Shiba Takeru," he introduced himself. "I'm a Lieutenant Colonel in the Yamashii Army."
With faster reflexed than he would've thought possible, the woman pulled a pistol from inside her shirt and aimed it at his face. Tears began to stream down her face as she shakily held up the pistol.
"You killed my people," she whispered. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now!"
"You know," he said. "You should really turn off the safety on that thing if you're really intent on killing someone."
"S-shut up!" she squeezed the trigger, only to have it click uselessly.
Covering the barrel of the gun, Takeru gently took the pistol out of her hand and placed it in one of his spare holsters.
"Yes," he answered. "I did kill your people. I was the one who ordered the phoenix to drop on your city."
"But now, I'm walking through this city, wondering why people had to die," he looked at the girl who was still crying. "So let me save you."
"Why," the girl wiped her tears away. "Why would you care now? You Yamashiis were the one who killed us, and now you're trying to be self-righteous, pretending to save me!"
"I was given an order!" he cried out indignantly.
"Oh, you were given an 'order!'" the girl angrily mocked him. "Like that makes it all better!"
"Well…" he spluttered. "I'm sorry."
He stepped forward, and punched the girl in the gut, causing her to fall forward into his outstretched arm, unconscious. He lifted her up, and caught a faint waft of her perfume.
"The scent of nadeshiko," he mused, as he began walking towards the island's edge. "How nostalgic… it reminds me of mother's perfume…"
Arriving at the beach side in a few minutes, he set the girl down gently by a large boulder, and reached into one of his many pockets and pulled out a small black box, with a button on top. He shook the girl awake.
The girl woke up, blearily blinking her eyes, looking around unsteadily, until noticing Takeru.
"You!" she attempted to get up, only to be pushed back down with Takeru's hand clamped over her mouth.
"Quiet down and listen to me," he muttered. "Nod once if you understand."
The girl nodded, and Takeru pulled away his hand. "What are you going to do to me?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing," Takeru sat down in front of her. "Now listen to me carefully."
"This box is one of the Yamashii Army's plane capsules," he said, holding the box up. "The Army is going to be withdrawing in a week, so gather your supplies first."
"Why are you telling me this," the girl asked him.
"This is your only way off of this island," Takeru replied. "We will not bomb this place again, nor will any scouts come back to search for survivors. It's a miracle that you even survived."
"Actually," she said hesitantly. "There were seven of us…"
Takeru sucked in his breath sharply. "All the more reason to save you then," he said, handing the box over. "Save them and then fly towards the Yamashii Empire. When you reach there, the navigational-computer will tell you where to land. From there, you want to hide in the underworld."
"Search for a guy named Kadoya Tsukasa. He'll make you and your friends fake identities so that you can live a new life," he looked over and saw her face, which was now full of fear. "Don't worry, you can trust this guy. He's one of the best out there," he assured her.
"That's not what I'm afraid of," she whispered.
"Then what?"
"Why are you doing this for me?" she asked in a hushed tone, as if scared of his answer.
Takeru remained passive for a few seconds, his face returning to his expressionless military officer's façade. "I just want you to live."
He rose up from the ground and walked away from the girl, his footsteps making soft imprints in the sand.
"Wait!"
Takeru turned around to face the girl, who was now standing up, pushing up against the rock for support.
"I'm sorry I almost killed you!" she apologized.
Takeru nodded.
"We'll see each other again, right?" the girl asked.
"If all goes well," Takeru replied. "Then maybe we will. Goodbye girl."
"Don't call me that," she said, slightly angrily. "Call me by my name, Shiraishi Mako."
"Goodbye then, Shiraishi Mako," Takeru turned away and began to walk towards his rendezvous point.
Mako ran back towards the secret underground shelter clutching the black box tightly. Here was their one chance of survival, and she was going to take it.
She opened the door towards the secret underground shelter, causing panic to rise.
"Wait!" she raised up her hands in surrender. "It's me!"
"Mako-chan!" Kotoha hugged the other girl tightly as she came into view.
"Neesan," Chiaki asked her. "What's that in your hand?"
Kotoha let go of her as Mako presented the small black box to the survivors. "This is one of the Yamashii's aircraft. It can take us to their island. From there, we can start our new lives!"
Chiaki crossed the room in one stride and slapped the box away from her hand. "What the hell were you thinking?" he shouted at her. "Where did you get this thing from anyways?"
Mako gingerly grasped the hand that had held the box, while Kotoha pleaded with Chiaki to stop yelling.
"Chiaki!" Mako's father immediately rushed over to stop the boy from harassing his daughter. "What do you think you're doing?"
"That's what I'm asking neesan!" he screamed. "Where did you get that thing?"
Mako slapped Chiaki across the face, her face determined. "Listen up, Chiaki, Kotoha, Otousan."
Chiaki turned away massaging his swollen cheek, but remained in the same room.
Picking up the box, she began, "This box is our chance of survival…"
One Week Later
"Neesan!" Chiaki waved her over enthusiastically from the high rocky hill where the survivors were going to take off. "Hurry up!"
Mako smiled, while pushing her mother's wheelchair gently up the rock terrain. Behind her was her father, who was struggling under the weight of a large box containing the medical supplies that they had managed to scavenge from the rubble. Chiaki and Kotoha were already pushing in other boxes containing food and precious mementos from the Keppaku society.
The aircraft was a small one compared to the freighters that the soldiers were transported on. On the wings were a strange coat of arms that they had never seen before. As Mako finally reached the top of the hill, she wheeled her mother over beside the makeshift ramp before taking the box out of her father's hand and passing it on to Chiaki. She leapt nimbly into the plane and walked towards the cockpit, noticing a small blinking button above a computer screen.
"Chiaki!" she yelled back towards the cargo hold. "Kotoha!"
Instantly the two came running over, with a look of expression on their faces. "What's wrong?" Kotoha asked her.
Pointing towards the button, she asked, "What's this for?"
"I don't know," Chiaki shrugged.
Mako reached out with a finger to press it, but was stopped by Kotoha. "What if it's like a locator device?"
"It'll be alright," the old girl assured her. "Besides, it could be just a communication device."
"I don't know…"
"Don't worry so much," Mako pressed the button. Instantly, the words "Incoming Transmission" were displayed on the screen, along with a timer. The timer counted down: 5…4…3…2…1…0
"Hello?" A voice broken through the silence of the cockpit. "Is anyone there?"
"Who's that?" Chiaki whispered suspicious to Kotoha, but Mako moved forward pressed the button again. The screen turned, showing the ragged face of Shiba Takeru.
"Shiraishi-san," he looked terrible, as though he hadn't slept for days. "Where are you right now?"
"Who's that, Mako-chan?" Kotoha looked at the screen, while Mako was silently looking at the ground, avoiding Chiaki's gaze.
"Where did you get the box again?" he asked quietly, his fists beginning to ball up.
Mako looked at him, full in the eye. "I was given it by Lieutenant Colonel Shiba Takeru of the Yamashii Army," she told them. "He's the man on the screen there."
"There's no time for introductions!" Takeru screamed out hoarsely. "Are you or are you not still on the island?"
Mako looked confused. "You told me to leave after a week," she said.
"I know I did," Takeru fell back from the screen, allowing his upper body to be shown. His shoulder epaulettes were torn apart, while his hair was messy, covering his bloodied face. "Somehow, they found out that you were alive, so we didn't leave like we planned."
He looked back at the screen. "You're going to have to leave during a crossfire, us versus them."
Chiaki came into view, "Wait, what do you mean us? There's no you in us, I can fly this hunk of junk through anything."
"Try flying it through a Dikeido Blitzkrieg," Takeru replied dryly. "Ten aircraft come after you, while army and navy fire at you from their respective positions. Think you can handle that?"
"I'd rather die trying than accept your help! Your people tried to kill us, remember?"
"And now, I'm trying to save you," Takeru shot back. He looked at Mako, "They're going to start the attack in three hours. You want to be out of there in two hours. That'll give you the advantage of surprise."
"But," Mako bit her lip, unsure of what to do.
"Just trust me on this one," Takeru softened his tone, before showing her the inside of his tent. "No one else is here."
"But if no one else is there, how is one person going to help?"
"Because our company serves under Shiba Takeru, and no one else," a voice outside of the screen announced. Takeru pulled back from the monitor to show two other men wearing the same uniform as him.
"Nice to meet you, pretty lady!" one of them said. On his sleeve was a golden band indicating his position as Takeru's senior non-commissioned officer. "I'm Warrant Officer Umemori Genta!"
"I'm Major Ikenami Ryuunosuke," said the other man, his brown hair covering his eyes. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"You see? Don't worry about it," Takeru assured Mako. "We'll take care of your problems in the sky and on the ground."
"But," Mako protested, tears beginning to form. "Why are you doing this?"
"I told you before," he replied before he shut the link. "I don't want you to die."
Takeru walked out of his tent, Ryuunosuke and Genta following him.
"Have you informed all the platoon commanders of what they'll be doing?" he asked aloud.
"All have been informed," Ryuunosuke answered him, as he passed forward a sheet. "The medical corps has been on stand-by the whole time, while communications are being relayed on a secure channel. The airstrike platoons are waiting for your signal since you went into the tent."
"Good enough," Takeru looked towards Genta. "What about the navy?"
"A third of the ships have rallied to our cause, and are now under the command of a joint officer-sergeant team. My own people," he replied seriously. "Only one minor hitch."
"What's that?"
"Colonel Tanba Toshizou wants to talk to you," Genta responded. "You think he suspects?"
"I don't know," Takeru shook his head. "Let's go and see him."
"Sir, Lieutenant Colonel Shiba is here to see you."
The older man turned around to see Takeru standing him front of his desk, while other soldiers worked around them. Ryuunosuke and Genta were standing him help, their hands at their sides.
"So," Colonel Tanba rose up. "What have you been doing behind my back, hmm?"
"You've been trying to save some refugees, is that right?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you've been trying to persuade some to desert our cause, is that so?"
"I suppose so, sir?"
"None of your insolence, right now," Tanba drew to his full height and snapped his fingers. Instantly, four fully armed infantry troopers appeared and raised their rifles at the trio. "But then again, why not? Empty bravado will get you nowhere."
Takeru scoffed. A prearranged signal.
All hell broke out within the tent as five gunshots were fired. As the smoke cleared, Shiba Takeru stood in front of Tanba's corpse, while the four troops lay on the ground, each with a bullet embedded in their head.
Shuddering deeply, he turned around and looked at the other soldiers who were in the tent. "What I've committed right now is an act of treason. Speak now if you disagree, and I'll surrender command to Major Ikenami."
None of the technicians spoke for a while, but one by one, they each silently raised up their right hand in a salute. Takeru smiled gently, as he saluted back to them.
"See if you can stop the attack," he ordered. "I don't need people to die needlessly."
Three Years Later
"In other news, the Hero of the Keppaku Campaign, has now been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, making him the youngest General ever, at the tender age of 25."
In the café, the TV announcement was being broadcast at full volume, while many of the patrons were watching with wide-eyes and anticipation. Only one man was uninterested with the news report, half listening to the voice of the female reporter and flipping the newspaper that he had in front of him every now and then, and taking quiet sips of his coffee. In front of him lay a half eaten chocolate-covered strawberry pastry.
"Shiba Takeru was orphaned at the age of six placed through our country's illustrious Officer Training Corps, when he caught the eye of the young head of the Shiba family, Shiba Kaoru, who was ten at the time. With a big heart, the young girl formally adopted the twelve year old boy as her son, sponsoring him throughout his academic and military career. This military protégé was fast tracked through the ranks of Second Lieutenant to Major within the short period of two years, before being given command of his own Company during the Keppaku Campaign," the reporter explained, while a official looking photo of the appeared beside his head. When the commander of the campaign died from a stray bullet, then-Lieutenant Colonel Shiba Takeru was given command of the campaign. It was he who gave the command for our country's greatest weapon to be dropped on Keppaku Island, thus saving us all from the horror that the Keppakus would've surely made us succumb to."
The man snorted while he took another sip of his coffee, and turned the page of his newspaper.
"Returning from the campaign, Shiba was promoted to the rank of Colonel and given charge of a new department within Military Headquarters, under the heading of "Keppaku Intelligence," a small pause while the announcer shuffled her papers. "Over the three years since the end of the Keppaku Campaign, he has constantly quelled the numerous uprisings that the Keppakus that were not on the island have constantly created, silencing them within a matter of days. The country's most eligible bachelor has since withdrawn into the security of Military Headquarters, where he has thrown himself headfirst into his work, only coming out when returning home as well as for formal galas."
Another snort was elicited from the man, while he lifted up the pastry and took a loud bite from it. People turned their heads to glare at him, and then quickly turned back, eager for more information.
"During these formal galas, he has always appeared by himself, preferring solitude. When approached by female colleagues, they have always found themselves rebuffed and refused, with Shiba stating that he has no interest in starting a relationship. However, although it may be hinted that he is not officially dating anyone, the gossipmongers say that Shiba was seeing someone three years ago, after coming back from the campaign."
A photo of Takeru and Mako was placed on screen, with Takeru covering Mako's face from the cameras. The man looked in disbelief at the television screen, while his right hand was beginning to crumple the newspaper.
"Questioned about the girl's identity, Shiba would only answer with the words, "She's someone I met." When asked, his second-in-command, Lieutenant Colonel Ikenami Ryuunosuke, would only answer with the phrase, "I don't know." His senior non-commissioned officer, Chief Warrant Officer Umemori Genta, wouldn't say anything on the topic."
"Colonel Shiba is expected to take command of the Yamashii Army's Intelligence Branch. His induction ceremony will take place within two days, and following him up into his new office will be his second-in-command and senior non-commissioned officer, who will both be promoted alongside Shiba. Expected guests are to be his adoptive grandfather, Kusakabe Hikoma, as well as his adoptive mother, Lady Shiba Kaoru, head of the noble Shiba clan."
"Today, in finance…"
The viewers collectively dragged back their chairs to their table, drawing away from the television screen. The café was slowly getting louder again, with its many patrons now calling their orders, or asking for the bill. The man continued to stir his coffee, ignoring his surroundings. He folded his newspaper up carefully, and called for a waitress.
Within moments, a waitress appeared dutifully beside him, "Yes, sir?" she asked him.
"I'd like my bill please," he said, now texting into his cell phone.
"Of course, sir," the waitress returned to the cash register. Of course, the young man appeared not to notice, his attention completely focused on the message he was sending.
As the waitress approached him again with the bill, he clasped his phone shut with a loud crack, and dismissively looked at the bill, with the waitress peering at his face.
"Yes?" he asked her politely.
"Oh," the waitress blushed. "Sorry, sir. It's just that you look familiar."
"I get that a lot," he replied, as he fished out a few bills to pay for his coffee and newspaper. Placing them down onto the table, he put on his jacket, much to the woman's surprise.
"You're…!"
"I'm Colonel Shiba Takeru," he replied, as he walked out of the small café, his newspaper tucked under his arm and pastry in his mouth. "Tell the person who made my pastry it was delicious."
The waitress watched him walk out in a daze, before another waiter shook her out of it.
"Oi, Kotoha, you've got a job to do," he said, before moving on to pour coffee for the thirsty customers.
"Ah, right, Chiaki," Kotoha shook her head, and rushed into the kitchen.
"Mako-chan!" she yelled into the busy, steel-coated room.
Shiraishi Mako walked into sight, using a white towel to wipe her hands clean. At her side was two thin knifes, and on her left sleeve was a bright pink band to indicate her position as pâtissier within the kitchen. "Yes?"
"Shiba Takeru," the waitress panted, out of breath. "You know, the colonel? He wanted to say that your pastry that you made for him was delicious."
"I know," Mako turned away, and returned to her counter, now preparing a chocolate puff-pastry. "Is that all?"
"Uh," the waitress looked confused. "Yeah… I guess."
She went back into the dining area, leaving Mako and the three other chefs to prepare breakfast.
One of the chefs sidled up to her, "How'd you know?"
Mako just stared at her cutting board, concentrating deeply on the pastry she was now cutting into. "I just do."
Seeing as he would get no other answers from her, he sighed and returned to his station, now setting a nicely marbled steak on the grill.
Mako finished cutting the pastry and excused herself into the backroom. She flipped open her cell phone and opened the waiting text from ten minutes ago.
Sender: Shiba Takeru
The pastry was excellent.
Are you free for dinner tonight?
Mako smiled at the text, as she quickly replied:
Yes, I'm free tonight after six.
A quick thirty seconds passed, as another text came in:
Fine. You want to go for Itaria or Furansu Cuisine?
Mako worked her thumbs furiously as she typed up another reply:
I want Itaria Cuisine tonight.
But why are you doing this for me?
Mako hesitated before she hit the Send button, for her heart feared that Takeru would say the same thing that he answered with when she asked the same question, three years ago.
Two minutes passed before the next text came, bearing a different answer from before:
Because I love you, Shiraishi Mako.
I'll see you tonight, and at my promotion ceremony.
Got to work now :)
Bye.
Mako smiled as she replied with a small text before returning to the kitchen. With a broad smile on her face, Shiraishi Mako of the Keppaku returned into the kitchen of Café Furii Keppaku, ready for the rush hour of the lunch service.
As Takeru walked through the doors of Yamashii Military Headquarters, he pulled out his cell phone and read the reply from Mako:
Sender: Shiraishi Mako
I know. I love you too, Shiba Takeru.
Congrats on BGen. :)
Takeru smiled and replaced the cell phone into his pocket as he walked through the door to his officer. His dutiful second-in-command looked up from his computer screen.
"Welcome back," Ryuunosuke cried out.
"Take-chan," Genta slapped him on the back gently, in way of greeting. "How's the lady?"
Takeru shrugged it off, "She's fine," he replied before sitting down at his desk.
With a huge weight off his back, Colonel Shiba Takeru, hero of the Keppaku Campaign, leaned forward and entwined his fingers together.
"Let's get to work."
So I hope that you enjoyed this oneshot. This was really written for my Writer's Craft course in school, but since the project has been handed in and evaluated, I figure I can post it up. :P As well, as stated in the summary, even though it is a oneshot, I may re-write it into a full fanfiction depending on the feedback. Again, special thanks to my two delightful editors, Lisa and Pearl. I really should owe you and all my editors lunch. Summer time? :D