The Hand of Wisdom
By Zoram Selrof
Chapter 1: Abduction
18:45 PM (Japan Time), Friday October the 15th, 2205…
"…Rip 'em! Slash 'em! Take that, puny fellas!"
"… Rock… You're being too noisy…"
Hoshikawa Subaru, aged thirteen, was trying to complete his homework assignments while at home: he sported the typical middle school uniform colored back.
"Who cares, man? I'm so gonna rip 'em to shreds! Grrr!"
Subar sighed and leaned his elbows on the table and crossed his fingers so as to allow his chin to rest on his hands while War – Rock was floating in a corner of the room, slashing the air with his claws and roaring like he was busting Viruses.
"Jeez. Be quiet or Boss will get angry."
"Bossing bossy of bosses?"
"Whatever! Listen. Boss gave you an ultimatum: stop trying to drive me crazy or else he'll store you in the HQ's server while giving me the ability to solo Denpa – Henkan! I'm about to give him the go-ahead!" Subaru suddenly stood up and faced War Rock while sounding both serious and exasperated.
"Ah… Eh… Okay, okay…" War Rock gulped.
"Go do whatever you wanna do outside my room. Move it!"
War Rock warped out while Subaru brought the right hand to his forehead.
"About bloody time! Trying to come up with silly pairings and edited photos to stir up jealousy…! And his vulgar jokes, too…! I couldn't stand them anymore! I swear!"
He sat down on the chair and fumed.
"Really… Well! I've finally done it: I've begun middle school! We've had a few exams already and my marks are good. Gonta, however… He's barely managing to pass… I suspect he must've copied the homework answers from somewhere… Else how could he have done them in so little time when he hadn't worked on them during the summer?"
His Hunter – VG beeped and he picked it up: a "Real Wave" screen deployed to display the caller.
"Subaru – kun!"
"Ah! Kiboyama Gino – kun! What's wrong?"
"Well… Nothing, really… But I'd like some advice…"
"I'll be happy to provide it."
Kiboyama Gino was a teen around Subaru's age that had brown messy hair and blue eyes: he was also wearing the middle school uniform and looked like a friendly person.
"Eh… Dragon – san, the cook… He always makes long speeches and while I don't mind them I see that everyone else tells him to shorten them or get to the point… What should I do?" Gino asked.
"Let him be, Gino – kun. Dragon – san is sometimes absent-minded because he believes in spirituality and such but he's a good cook nevertheless." Subaru smiled.
"I see. Thanks for the advice."
"How does it feel to live in the HQ?"
"Well… I can't complain! I have a bathroom and my room. And when I want to shake off tension then I visit the observation deck just across the corridor… The views are breath-taking!" He giggled.
"As long as you find it a nice place then it's alright."
"Thank you, Subaru – kun."
"Gino Il Napolitano~! B-B-B-Bertie~ is gonna come play an amusing game with ya~!" A voice rang out off-screen.
"You keep on saying it, Omega – san, sir, yet it never happens. I do believe you are intending to get me nervous, sir, but that will be a pointless thing to achieve, sir." Gino politely replied.
"He's using the interphone again?" Subaru sighed.
"Yeah. Because I lock the door from the inside…"
"OMEGA!" A man's voice roared.
"Ops. Hijack Man hijacked the line."
"What "Hijack Man"?" The man grumbled.
"Prosecutor Johnson will argue that classmate equals to lover."
"WHAT IN THE… That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Have you gone crazy or what?"
"I still don't know how Omega – san can be so care-free when Vadous – san is scolding him for his reckless behavior." Gino sighed.
"Trust me. He's impossible outside of a battle."
"By the way, shachou~! Did ya find Futaba – chan?"
"I did! But he's still in Choina because he's going through debriefing and has to declare as the sole eyewitness against the man who was holding him hostage. If all goes on schedule… Then he should be back by next week and Subaru already knows this!" The man, Vadous, exclaimed.
"Good! Then I can finally film them doing it "hard-style" and distribute the recording 'round the town!"
"No! You won't! I'm about to shut you in the capsule for another fifteen days to see if you learn the lesson!" Vadous roared.
"Welcome to the club." Subaru sarcastically told Gino.
"I get the irony, thank you."
"Mwah, hah, hah, hah! I'm about to design the Ultimate Poll!"
"By all the…"
"Ahem! What's the connection between Ophiucus and "you-know-what" stuff? Choices are: deadly, rumor, nothing at all!"
"Ophiucus?" Gino frowned.
"The Denpa Body who manipulated iinchou into Denpa – Henkan back when the FM invasion, over a year and a half ago… She had fame of being ruthless and deadly." Subaru explained.
"Ah. So he's basing his poll upon those rumors?"
"Totally."
"Subaru~!"
"Wha! Gonta! What happened? Why did you join the conversation all of a sudden?"
"I need help!" Ushijima Gonta pleaded.
"Not the homework again… Go download whatever cheat sheet you've found and bear with it: you can't count on always having someone to save your hide!" Subaru sighed.
"Like Subaru – kun says, Gonta – kun! Handle it!" Saishouin Kizamaro added as he adjusted his glasses and smiled.
"Kizamaro! Ya jerk!"
"Whatever. You're slow." Jack told him.
"What's going on? Gonta! Are you cheating?" Shirogane Luna questioned with a hint of annoyance.
"E~H? No, no! Iinchou! I'm an honest guy!"
"Prove it. Your homework reeks of copy-paste." Luna told him while looking suspicious.
"Buro~! I told ya they'd find out." Ox reminded him.
"Probabilities of iinchou's anger being unleashed at full power clock at an estimate 95%..." Pedia whispered.
"Heh. Let's see that fatty guy plead for his burgers." Jack grinned.
"Uh-oh. Plug your ears!" Mode warned.
"GONTA~!"
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
"YOU FATMAN! HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YA? YA GOTTA SWEAT TO TRIUMPH IN LIFE! SO USE YOUR HEAD BECAUSE YOU HAVE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE THAN THINKING OF FATS AND CALORIES! NOW MOVE THOSE FATTY LEGS OF YOURS AND DO THE HOMEWORK! AND IF I FIND OUT YOU CHEATED AGAIN I WILL SPEAK WITH THE HOMEROOM TEACHER! GOTCHA~?" Luna exploded.
"Man. What a display." Gino muttered.
"Welcome to the club." Subaru sighed.
"Weird, though. You can send a message at the same time to various Hunter – VGs yet how can you interlink them? Unless…" Vadous' voice muttered.
There was the sound of whistling and Vadous could be heard grumbling something.
"I know what's going on. I'll try to solve it. Someone is gonna find out what happens when you mess with devices." He grumbled.
"AND REMEMBER: I WANT TO SEE SOME EFFORT OR ELSE YA WON'T GET PAST THE 1ST TRIMESTER! GOTCHA~?" Luna kept on yelling given how she apparently didn't hear the ongoing conversation.
"Y-yes, ma'am…!"
"What a useless Fatman!"
All screens shut down and Subaru rolled his eyes in defeat.
That Gonta…
18:58 PM (Japan Time)…
"… I WANNA PLACE A CURSE ON THE JERK WHO STOLE THE TOOL-BOX AND HID IT SOMEWHERE~! SHOW YOUR HIDES! I'M ABOUT TO DESTROY SOMETHING AT THIS RATE~!"
"Now the tool-box? Last week it was 5 Hunter – VGs."
"Pororon! Another studio, then?"
"Guess so or it could be a guy who thinks he's funny."
"Why not a gal?"
"A gal wouldn't fall for such lame jokes. They'd try to stir up some jealousy maybe but that's all: they wouldn't bother to do something to stupid and manly like that."
"Pororon! Gotcha."
"Please calm down, Urakata – san. Yelling and stressing won't do anything, sir!"
"Like Suzuka says…"
"I know you're right, but it's my duty to look after the well-fare of the staff: how can we name it well-fare if someone hid the tool-box just when I need it to fix the water drainage pipe? We can't have to go to our homes when need to use the bathroom because someone wants me to call a plumber and waste money on something which I could fix myself in 5 minutes' time! This is another studio's work or some magazine with a pervert old man at the head of it!"
Hibiki Misora (sporting her usual pink sweater plus jeans and her typical boots) rolled her eyes as she looked up from a notebook and towards the room's door: Harp lifted her eyebrows upon hearing the scandal Urakata Mamorou started up and both Suzuka's and Ice's attempts at calming him.
"But he's right. I'm sure this is the work of such a jerk. Jeez. I don't do my songs for money, silly-headed-guys! I do them for everyone's sake. But you greedy people don't get it." She muttered.
"Mamorou – san! I found the tool-box, in the cup of a tree behind the event stage!" Someone reported.
"About hellish time! Hand it over! I'm gonna go fix this NOW."
"Well then… Let's go back into our room, Ice."
"Roger."
"Mwah, hah, hah, hah." A chuckle rang out.
"Pororon. I know this signature. Rock. Show your beastly and rude hide before Misora makes mincemeat outta ya."
"War Rock. Didn't they tell you it's rude to get into someone's room without their permission?"
"Ask Subari~!"
War Rock suddenly showed up and Misora looked at him through the mirror with a totally bored and uninterested face: War Rock was grinning and Harp looked annoyed.
"I guess you drove him to the edge of his patience."
"Who knows, meitantei Misora~?" He teased.
"Jeez. Go collect lilies at the bottom of the ocean and do us a favor, War Rock. Or go tell Moon Disaster his polls are a disaster because his name is Moon Disaster." Misora snapped at him.
"Mwah, hah, hah, hah! That's a good one! I'll tell him he brings disaster along! Get ready, Moonie~! I'll make ya dance to the rhythm of MY scenario! War Rock – sama's scenario~! Mwah, hah, hah! I'm gonna come up with the Disaster Rock genre!"
War Rock vanished while laughing and Misora looked totally exasperated at his behavior.
"You silly Denpa Body…" Harp annoyingly muttered.
"I need some fresh air. Besides, it's still 15 Celsius out there. It isn't that cold yet 'cause it's only October."
"Pororon! Then I'll go check the news. Maybe Ox has come up with something intelligent, for once." Harp giggled.
"Doubt it but whatever…"
Misora headed out of the room and inputted a command into a control panel using an ID card before heading down the corridor and into the main hall: the receptionist was working with the computer and Misora merely waved a hand to her and she waved it back: Misora stepped outside and stretched.
"Leaving, Hibiki – san?" The security Wizard asked.
"No. I'm stretching my legs. I'll be by the tennis court if Urakata – san wants to talk with me. But I guess I'll be back in about 10 minutes… Tell him that if you may." She told him.
"Roger."
Misora began to walk down the entrance avenue and stopped next to the tennis court and the Wave Station: she inspected the parking and found both the dummy car and one greenish car which had a drawing on the trunk door.
"Oh my."
The drawing was a human hand having the five fingers open and extended plus the shape of an eye drawn inside it coupled with a red dot in the very center which surely stood for the iris: the whole thing was painted in red coloring and looked like it'd been painted using oil-based spray cans.
Funny graffiti… Maybe it's part of the new season's decoration? Someone was saying that the simple plot of playing detective investigating rumors around the middle school and such wasn't too "thrilling" and someone should add some "magical stuff" to make it "cooler" yet Urakata – san shot that down. We don't need to act like anime copycats thank you very much. Now get serious.
She began to pace around and stuffed her hands into the jeans' pockets as she seemingly thought about something.
That's it. I need to say it loud and clear: I don't do songs to earn money in retribution! I do them to see smiles on peoples' faces! Hah!
She suddenly whipped around and delivered a kick to a figure which had jumped from behind towards her: the figure wore a black tunic with a hood which hid its face and gender: Misora's kick hit the figure's jaw (given how it was only about 8~10 centimeters taller than her) and the assaulter collapsed into the ground without a sound: she heard a sound and did the same thing for a second figure thus knocking it out as well: she then took five steps backwards to lean her back against a tree and glanced over her right shoulder to see if there was anyone else: nothing happened.
I knew this would end up happening. Some crazy fans, I guess. I'll go report to the security Wizard and let's bring the Satella Police: given how I am a member of the "Raid Troop" then this can be processed as assault to a Satella Police member.
She began to head back towards the main avenue when she suddenly felt something hitting the back of her neck and getting stuck there yet only part of it made contact with her skin given how she'd put the hood on and it had reduced the efficacy of whatever had hit her yet she quickly began to feel weak and sleepy.
W-what? What the heck is this…?
She managed to turn around: one of the assaulters had recovered and was brandishing a gun on the right hand (gloved) while moving in an erratic manner: it looked like it hadn't totally recovered from the earlier blow.
Grah! Forget them! I need to… get to… the studios' entrance…! Or close by so that the Security Wizard can see me…! This thing seems to be some kind of anesthetic round…! Maybe if I remove it…!
She concentrated and managed to pull it out to then try to run yet she collapsed before she could begin: her body felt heavy and unresponsive: before she could stand up again another round hit her and she collapsed face-down on the ground: her eyelids felt heavy and her vision was blurry.
W-what's… going on…?
19:05 PM (Japan Time)…
"… Is she sleeping at last, Marie?"
"She is, Sophie."
"I had never felt such damage before… My lower jaw is aching and it hurts to move it…"
"We were not prepared yet we knew she was a member of a special police unit: she would have training on self-defense…"
"This is the first time I have seen a girl with such strength… But this is first time we have traveled outside of our Normandy as well…"
"It matters not, Sophie. The orders from Master were very clear: we are to immobilize her wrists and ankles plus gag and blindfold her with the cellophane tape."
The two figures were looming over the unconscious Misora and speaking in French between each other: they then carefully lifted her and carried her until the open trunk of the car with the graffiti drawing: one of them took out a roll of cellophane tape and taped it around her wrists and ankles before covering her mouth and eyes: she also placed her arms behind her back before closing the door.
"Let us go. Master is waiting."
"Roger."
They climbed into the vehicle and it began to run away from the Okudama Studios site: one of the two women took out a Hunter – VG and dialed a number on the screen which only displayed blackness.
"Master. Mission successful. We are on our way to Point P."
"Good work, my disciples. Head over to here… It is time to greet our temporary guest." A man replied in French.
"Roger, Master."
The man chuckled while the two women remained silent…