Walk Me Home
Chapter 4
Usually, the sound of having to be called out for a mission would grieve him. But after a day of total inactivity, he was genuinely glad to be able to fly and go somewhere else.
"This is Perman talking," he said to his badge. "What is it?"
"Perman, this is Pergirl!" It was her, yet again. "A gang of thieves just robbed a restaurant in town and we can't catch all of them. We need your help!" The news was urgent, this time. Counting the many times she called him out for one of the most trivial requests would take a long time.
Making sure to hide somewhere he couldn't be seen, he went in a dark alley. He quickly changed into his Perman costume and then took flight.
From above, he searched through the buildings below, observing which street was where the theft was taking place. When he looked forward again, he saw Pergirl and Booby flying not too far from him. He approached them fast.
"So, how's it going so far?" He asked them both. "What do you need help with?"
Booby replied in his simian tongue, gesturing to a narrow alley where a skinny but fast running man was slipping away with a bagful of stolen goods.
"That's their boss and we're too busy taking care of the others," she explained. "We need you to capture him."
"On it!" So with that, Perman flew head first to catch up with the criminal, soon in hot pursuit of him. He was as close as he could get.
The criminal felt the gust of wind from Perman's flying, causing him to run faster.
Perman flew just as fast but getting a hold of him was becoming more challenging.
"Face it, Perman. You're no match for me!" he gloated.
He gritted his teeth, stretching his arm as close as he could to him. If he could just at least get a grip of his collar, he could bring him to a close with one tug. Suddenly, he saw the alley leading to a bustling road. Regardless, the man kept running.
"Hey mister, watch out!"
"I'm not falling for your silly diversions, Perma—AAAHHHH!"
The crook thought that it was the end of him, so he clamped his eyes shut preparing for the impact... instead, he felt his body being lifted off the air. He was soaring in the skies.
"A-am I dead...? Am I going to heaven...?" he asked, visibly shaken. He opened his eyes and saw that he was up in the air. He screamed. Then he looked up and saw he was being lifted off by Perman.
"You saved my life!" he said, sounding somewhat grateful. "Wait..." Then he realized what he had just gotten himself into. "Noooo! Put me down!" He started to shake in Perman's grip.
However, his super strength prevented him tension from the criminal's tantrums and continued carrying him off with ease.
Therefore, in no time at all, he was cuffed and rounded up with his crew in a police car.
"Thank you, Perman, for helping us catch them once and for all," a police officer said. "We've been after these guys for months."
"Aw shucks! Of course, I couldn't have done it without their help."
Pergirl and Booby smiled to the officer.
"In any case, you three have been a big help. Thanks, again." The officer bowed.
They then respond with another bow. Day was done and the three were now flying in the skies together, presumably on their way back to their homes...
Pergirl started giggling unexpectedly.
"What's so funny, Pergirl?" Mitsuo had to ask. She had a habit of laughing at him constantly whenever he was out to make a fool of himself. Since they were just flying, he was completely confused.
"It's nothing..." she said, "It's just that it's been such a long time since we had a mission. Especially after that last one with, you know what happened."
"What are you talking about? It's only been a day," Mitsuo said.
"Oh my gosh, really? It felt like forever!" she overstated. "Right, Booby?"
The chimp simply made noises but the kids could tell that he was answering her. As always, it was up to nobody how they understood him.
"And don't worry guys. I'm fine, really. But I would've been done for if it weren't for Birdman."
"Speaking of which, could you tell us about that? How did he save you?"
Booby was also eager to find out.
"Well, that's gonna be hard to answer," even with that, Mitsuo still attempted to recall those past events. "What I only know is that he took me to a cabin somewhere. Then he told me to go home as soon as my clothes have dried... But before that, my badge broke when I crashed to the mountains. Then I was out cold."
"Really? That means you didn't see him coming to you and flying off to the, er, cabin, is it?"
"If you're planning to ask that question, make sure it's the right person."
"?!"
They all wondered where the voice came from. However, they all knew who it was. They saw him appear, seemingly out of the blue, riding on his flying saucer.
"Birdman!" they called. "What are you doing here?"
"I have an important mission that I must do back in my planet and I just happen to see you flying your way," he answered. "Also, there is a lot you don't know what occurred after that dangerous mission in the mountains; both No. 1 and you two," he said.
The words made all their curiosity more piqued.
"Ooh! Does that mean you're gonna tell us?"
"Uh-huh!" Mitsuo joined. "I wanna know what happened, too!"
Booby nodded, who was in the same page.
"Precisely...! But not today," he said, disappointing them somewhat. "I have to hurry now. Sorry."
"Oh, okay..." Mitsuo said. "But promise me that you'll tell us, right?"
"Perman's honor," he said, raising one hand respectably. "Haha! I always wanted to say that!"
The other's reactions were... ambivalent, to say the least.
"Well anyway, take care, everyone!"
"Yes, sir!"
They all waved farewell as they watch him fly up and away out of the Earth's atmosphere and into the heavens. Soon after, they said their goodbyes to each other and went back to their respective homes.
"See you later, guys!" Mitsuo said.
He landed to the window and entered his room. Lucky for him, his copy robot was still on his desk, doing homework. Apparently, he hadn't finished it yet.
"Mitsuo, you're back. What took you so— wait, you're wearing your Perman costume...? So that's it! What happened?"
"You know. Just some people stealing stuff again in the city!" he informed him casually. "I was gonna go home earlier but that was when my badge rang."
He took off his costume. Storing his cape inside his helmet which he then "folded(?)" to a little piece of cloth, he dropped himself onto the bed, sighing.
"Um, did something happen? Let me guess; Michiko wasn't there after all, huh?"
"No, but...hey, yeah! She never came by at all!" Mitsuo said, realizing the lie just now. "And it's not that at all...
"Pergirl suddenly asked me about that day when I got trapped in the mountains... then Birdman came along and we tried to ask him how he found me."
"Did he say anything?"
"He has duties on his planet, so, no. But he said he'll tell."
"I don't see why you look so sad now, I mean—"
"Mitsuo!" said their mother's voice from downstairs. "Come down, it's time for dinner!"
"Yes, Mama!" they both said. When they both noticed this, they proceeded to push each other out to race towards the kitchen. Another battle ensued.
Another morning, another school day.
Though he was still feeling lazy, he woke up that morning and made his way downstairs, yawning along the way. In the kitchen, he waited quietly for his breakfast.
A few minutes pass, his little sister, Ganko, arrives at the kitchen. Though not as quietly for a shocking discovery she had seen.
"Waahh?!" Her scream shocked both her mother and her still tired big brother. "M-Mama!" she stammered. "Mitsuo's... early!"
"What?" At the time, she had yet to turn to the table and set their breakfast down. So when she finally set her sights on it, she was a bit startled. She didn't even see or hear him come down.
All Mitsuo could do was look, with a hint of confusion.
"Mitsuo..." the mother began to speak. "You don't usually get up this early!"
"I had a good sleep..." was all he could explain, "...I guess."
"Maybe it was because you stayed in your room all day and did your homework, right?" she guessed. "I checked on you yesterday and I saw you haven't left your desk at all.
"You must've been so tired that night after finishing it all that you actually slept!" She was unable to hide how proud she was of him. "Good for you, Mitsuo!" She then gave him a smile.
Mitsuo was a little weirded out by his mother's embellished gushing but at the same time, he was flattered by the smile. Was it really that important to her?
"Because of that, I'm going to fix you a special breakfast!"
"What?" Ganko suddenly whined. "Mama, I always wake up earlier than him! What about me?"
"Don't worry, Ganko. You're both getting special breakfasts so nobody feels left out," she said, reassuring her young daughter.
Even with that though, Ganko remained rather cranky on the way to school.
"Your pancakes were bigger than mine...!" she stewed.
"Seriously, Ganko? That's what you're upset about?" he said. Secretly, he was enjoying her being annoyed by him for once. "You better not be like that once you get to school," he told her.
"Hmph!"
Later on, Mitsuo made his way to the classroom, but this time, without the need to run. But he bumped into a very familiar face even though they just met.
The man with a broom on his hand which he used to sweep the floor saw him and gave a small wave with a smile on his face.
Though he was a little far, his wide mouth was very seen from the distance and he could tell its expression.
Mitsuo waved back. Willing to risk the sudden chiming of the school bell, he approached the janitor first.
"Good morning, Mitsuo!" he greeted.
"Good morning, Mr. Ja— I mean, Hatori...!"
Hatori let out a hearty chuckle. "That's right. Aren't you a bit earlier than usual?"
"That's what Mama said too... in a different way, but it's the same," he thought out loud and at the same time, saying it to him, "I know."
"I see... If that's the case, then I don't wanna ruin your chances of getting to your class just as early if not on time," he said. "Run along now, Mitsuo."
"Okay, Hatori." Mitsuo began walking towards his class. "See you later!"
"Will do!"
And Mitsuo was in class. All he had to do now was take his seat and wait for the bell to ring.
However, he was not noticing the stares that were given to him by some of his classmates. Even his friends caught themselves staring at him. Kabao, Sabu, Haruzo, and even Michiko looked on with wonder.
Only when Mitsuo sat was when he caught the lot of them who had their eyes on him. He wondered if there was something on his face or on his clothes.
"Um... I-is there something wrong?"
Just then, the bell rang and came in the teacher. Everybody gave their full attention to the front of the class.
"Good morning, class."
All stood. "Good morning, teacher!" And all greeted.
"You may sit." When they all did, he got a good look at the whole classroom and noticed something...different. "Wait a minute. Are you all here?"
If he could if not for it being impolite, Mitsuo would've brought a palm to his face. Not the teacher, too, he thought.
"Suwa...! How long have you been here?" he said, sounding obviously surprised.
The whole class laughed. He sunk in his seat, feeling embarrassed.
"I say this is, um— No matter!" he cleared his throat, quickly dropping his shock. "Alright, class! I want you all to pass your assignments to the front."
So they did which was, for Mitsuo, a refreshing change from everyone's giggling.
Mitsuo watched the teacher pick up, open, close, and put aside each notebook on the table. It didn't take long for him to see his own notebook being checked. He'd done his homework that night. But he wasn't sure if it was done right. He had no time to check his copy robot's work in the other parts of the assignment.
The teacher did the same procedure in checking his work. There, it started.
"You even did your homework right, and on time!" The teacher could feel himself well-up. "I-I've never felt this proud of a student before...!" Before finally, he bawled uncontrollably.
"Teacher, please..." Mitsuo hid himself from everyone as the laughing took over the entire classroom once more, not really mattering whether it was from the teacher's overreaction or his dilemma.
Regardless, class went by with nary a trouble and the lessons during that time were given.
Lunch came by later and then everybody rushed out of the room for recess.
Mitsuo, to his delight, ended up talking to Michiko during that period. She went on with how amazed she was with his timeliness. Just like everyone else, he thought. His mother, the teacher; he never knew that for every move he did without any form of screwing it up, it would instantly mean to the world.
"It's so funny when teacher cried though," she said, laughing a little. "Then again, it's been awhile since you came on time."
"I guess so. But I don't see why it's something to cry about," he said. "Mama even made me special breakfast for getting up early!"
"Maybe they're just proud of you. I know I am."
"R-really, Michiko...?" The compliment made Mitsuo blush.
"Yeah, Mitsuo!" Kabao stepped in. "I'd go to school earlier everyday just to see teacher cry again!"
"Haha!" Of course, Sabu followed suit. "That means you have to go to school on time from now on, Mitsuo."
"You guys!" he protested, though his friends just laughed at him some more.
Mitsuo really didn't want to start an argument with them. Which was why once he saw Hatori cleaning the windows outside, he sprinted to him as soon as possible.
"I'll catch you guys later!"
They saw him run towards the janitor and weren't entirely sure what made him do so. And why, of all people, him.
"Mitsuo?" Michiko said.
"Why is he talking to that janitor guy?" Sabu asked, curiously.
-To be continued-
