Author's note: I'm going to switch off to a different faction's point of view every two chapters until all the main characters unite. I hope that this will not confuse any readers in the long run. Also in this chapter I had to divide five different characters. so again, I hope this will not confuse anyone.
In Imperial Japan, there was less chaos amok but turmoil had not faded. Akira Asuka sat at his cubicle, watching the clock tick on and on. It was only a minute away from the end of the work day, but it felt like hours. This day was different from the rest though. Today he will begin his new job as a assistant manager of Tenzai Robotics. The ten years he had put in ever since he volunteered as an engineer to get away from the office. Now he's risk had finally paid off. His road to the top was nearing the end.
The clock's big hand crossed the '12' symbol as he jumped off his seat and sprinted to the managers office. His fellow salary men dodged him as he passed then in a blur. The Speed Shoes he had invented for the unarmed engineers had saved countless lives during the war, and are now aiding him in getting to the manager before he can even react to the leaving bell. With a few close calls he made it across the office and up the stairs in record time. As Akira approached the office, Manager Tenzai exited into the hallway with another man, the two laughing.
"Akira Asuka here to begin my new work order Mister Tenzai sir."
"Who? Oh, right Asuka. You're here for the water cooler job right?"
"No sir, I'm suppose to be the new Assistant Manager. I've been working my way up for the past 10 years, 3 months, 20 days, 5 hours, and 54 minutes."
"Good, very good. I like that positive character in a man. Now about that position, I guess I forgot to tell you, but it's been filled."
"What? By who?" He exclaimed, puzzled as to how the job was taken. He ranked as one of the most brilliant minds in the country, only a pure genius would be able to out classify his resume.
"My son." Tenzai said presenting the young gentlemen standing to his left, "Would you imagine that, I didn't even know that I had one. It's the least I could of done to make up for the neglect I had put him through. Isn't that right son?"
"You bet daddio. I'm like stoked and stuff."
"Ha ha. He's still getting over his American mothers dialect."
"But- but- but what about me? We can't both be assistant mangers." He stammered.
"Don't worry, you'll still have your old job. Just think of it as a delay in accomplishment."
"Well on that new insight, would you allow me to excuse myself?" Akira asked, already holding a foot in mid stride.
"Of course."
"Thank you." He said, then in a flash was gone from the hall. bundles of paper floated off of the desks he passed and slowly dropped to the ground.
"Whoa, with that kid of speed he should be in delivery." Tenzai said smiling, holding his hair piece to stop it from flying off from the gust of wind created by Akira's velocity.
"You bet your socks man. He's faster then a dog in a Chinese butcher shop."
Tenzai's smile faded, "What part of America did you say your mother was from?"
Akira rushed to the men's bathroom and headed straight into the closest open stall. The door clicked as he locked it up and then dropped the seat's cover to prevent him from falling in as he sat on the sealed toilet. Gathering up a large wad of toilet paper, he stuffed his face into it and screamed at the top of his lungs in anger. The employee in the stall next to him was frightened by his horrendous screams and profanity. He quickly finished his business and hurried out the bathroom, as did the other men in there.
Everyone people from the floors above and below could her his horrific cries of agony. People walking by the bathrooms made sure to steer clear as he screamed. Akira's shrikes and yells continued for a minute until his anger subsided.
"10 years," He said panting, his fingers running through his short blue hair, "10 years of my life wasted because my boss found his son from a woman that he probably doesn't even know her name. Please I beg of you, any god out there listening, get me out of this dead end job. Why could I of just gotten a normal job like a doctor, or a lawyer, or a yakuza safety inspector, or a assistant manager of a robotic corpora- oh right."
He moped out of the bathroom, a large crowd of worried employee's surrounding him. "Is it safe to go in? Is the bear gone?" One of the freighted women of the office asked.
"Bear? What bear?" Akira asked.
"Someone said that a man was being attacked by a bear in there."
"No, it was just me. Me and my job that I'm now stuck in for the rest of my life." He said passing by all of them.
"Oh, that's a relief. It's alright everyone, it's just another empty promotion."
Akira slumped all the way back to his desk and just sat there in gloom. Once he sat down he slammed his head on the keyboard and left it there. The guy in the cubicle next to his, Takumi, walked by him then stopped.
" Hey Akira, why are you in your cubicle? The day's over." He said.
"Don't worry about me Takumi." Akira said turning his head to see him, "I figured that if I'm going to stay in this job for the rest of my life then I might as well not even bother going home. My life is forever to revolve around the wonderful adventure of pencil pushing."
"Well, good luck with that. Say, since you're staying the night here, could you keep an eye on my pens. I think the janitors that clean the place up have been stealing some."
"I'd be honored to be a part of such a plan." He answered, half-heartedly.
"Thanks a few. Catch you later Akira." He said and left to go on home. The office was empty after a few moments of silence. But it didn't seem fair to Akira. How could destiny have this for him. He wished he was a war causality, then that way he would be remembered as a hero instead of 'that guy that filled a chair for 50 years'. He moved his head up a little to see the photo in the picture frame he had sitting next to his computer. He lifted his head up and grabbed it, remembering the day him and his high school friends on the first day of summer after they graduated.
The picture was taken at the school near the front at the water fountain; or what Tsuyoshi would call it: the geyser. The five of then all doing the things they were remembered for. From left to right Tsuyoshi was in his karate pose with his hands at the ready and his black belt around his waist, Gonpachi sitting down performing reps with a one handed weight, Hana taking aim with her favorite sling shot, and Akira reading a book. Suzu would be in the picture as well but she was the one who took the picture. She was always camera shy but loved to take pictures of others.
They all enlisted when the war started those long years ago but were all separated into different divisions. The only one he saw after that picture was taken was Suzu, but that was because she was in a magazine about celebrities. Akira wondered what the others were up to now that the war is over. He expected Tsuyoshi to be a cage fighter, Gonpachi to become a sumo wrestler, and Hana to be in a Japanese Swat team.
The telephone rang, emitting the only sound around him in the deserted office space. He only bothered to move his arm to pick up the phone and bring it to his left ear. Unknowingly to him, the caller would change his life, and give a twist in his expected destiny.
Tsuyoshi Kumano felt at home in his martial arts dojo in a still intact city called Kodaira. The class was a mix of old and new as he clapped his hands twice to get the kids attentions. They lined up in there predetermined spots and bowed. Tsuyoshi bowed back.
"Alright class, after lesson practice is over. Now, before we end today, are there any questions?"
One student in the back raised his hand.
"Yes, you."
"Sensei Kumano, Is your hair naturally that red?" the student said commenting on his oddly colored hair.
"Of course it is little one. You see, when you get to being my age, your hair will change color depending on your personality. Since mine is red like a fire, it means I'm determined and skillful."
"More like wild and a danger to everything around him." One kid said. The classes started laughing.
"Only if I'm not controlled, and that's what martial arts is all about. Having the knowledge to defeat anyone who comes near you, but the self control to contain your power. If you don't keep order, then you'll make chaos. Any more questions?"
A girl on the far right in the front raised her hand this time.
"Yes, you."
"Do you like my mommy?" She asked, making the class laugh again.
"I've told you before Chika, I'll discuss that with you and your mother at dinner tonight. Next time though, wait until after class to ask personal questions like the one you asked. Ok, any more?"
"Sensei Kumano, is it really true that you saved Japan all by yourself?" A boy asked in the front from the opposite end of the girl
"Yes, every bit of it." He said proudly.
"But you do know that it's impossible for you to do that."
"Well Iwao, would you like to explain your little theory to the rest of the class?"
"If you were attacking the Allies from the South East, then the Soviets would off been able to attack us from the North West."
"So I had a bit of help from those other soldiers as I took on the Allies," He gave out a series of punches into the air, "then in a mighty swoop I headed to the Russian Front and took out the communist." He said performing a spinning back kick. As he spun around his foot smashed through the paper thin wall behind him. He pulled his foot out but lost his balance, falling to the floor. The students started laughing and clapping as he struggled to get up. "Alright class, that's all the questions for today. I'll see you all next time and hopefully the wall will be repaired by then."
The kids all left and Tsuyoshi headed straight for his office. Being a martial arts instructor was his dream job, but it took it's toll on his wallet. First the rent for the building, then the other bills like electricity, then the robes and the belts, and lastly the repairs. He was good in his feet and quick with his hands but he had to face the facts that he was a klutz. He's been clumsy since he was a kid but he thought that it would of passed by now.
"At least the hospital is benefiting from my bad luck." He would always remind himself.
He sat in his office chair and went over the bills and reviewed the next lesson plan he had made. While he wrote up the check for his own water bill the phone began to ring. He knew it Chika's mother calling him to see if class is over yet.
"Hello beautiful," He said answering the phone.
"I'll assume you thought I was someone else." A man's voice said on the other side. Tsuyoshi's face matched his hair in redness from embarrassment.
"Th- That's right sir, may I ask who's calling?"
"It's Emperor Tatsu."
Tsuyoshi quickly stood up and saluted, "I'm deeply sorry Emperor Tatsu. It is an honor to be speaking to you over the phone sir!" He shouted.
"OW! Not so loud. Now, listen closely. There will be a car sent out to take you to a meeting point. Right now your are to enter the vehicle stay in it until it reaches it's destination. I'm ordering you to obey the first request, but after I explain to you what I what, I'll allow you to decide. The driver will be wearing a clown suit and the car will be pink with polka dots to make sure you don't mistake it for another vehicle. Tell the driver: Let's go to Disney Land, and he'll let you in. Now go!"
"Yes my Emperor!" He shouted and hung up the phone.
He ran outside and saw a pink, polka dotted car by the curb. The driver was in a clown outfit just like the Emperor had told him. He approached the vehicle's passenger's window and knocked on the glass. The clown rolled the window down, a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
"What do you want?" He asked in a gruff voice.
"Uh, let's go to Disney Land." He said, surprised he hand remembered the password.
But to Tsuyoshi's astonishment the clown responded but pulling out a revolver and aiming it and him, "Listen weirdo, I'll give you a chance to just walk far away from me, ok? I just came back from a kid's birthday party and I don't want any trouble."
Tsuyoshi was confused and looked around to see if any one was watching them. But on the other side of the street he saw an other pink and polka dotted car with a guy standing next to it in a clown outfit different from the clown in front of Tsuyoshi, wore sunglasses and had a walkie talkie in one hand. Tsuyoshi bowed to the real clown and ran across the street to talk to the fake one.
"Let's go to Disney Land." He said.
The fake clown put the walkie talkie to his mouth and said, "I've got Kumano." Then guided him to the back seat. The clown started the car and drove quickly to the secret meeting point.
"So why did you put on the clown face paint if you were just going to half-ass it?" Tsuyoshi asked.
"Please, don't make my job any harder then it is." He said, looking in the rear view mirror.
As the clown drove Tsuyoshi wondered what this whole thing was about. But in time he will fine out and know that one's he does, his life will never be the same.
In the southern part of Japan, a summer camp was the only lively place for miles in the middle of the dense forest that encased it. It was an all girls camp for teenagers who didn't have anything better to do during their time while they were off from school. Estuko Shinmei waited in line as she watched her fellow female campers take there shot at the archery range near the lake. She was next but her friend Akane fumbled around trying to nock the arrow.
"Need help?" She asked leaning her head to Akane's shoulder.
"Would you?" She asked back tilting her head. Her glasses slipped down a bit from the movement as she smiled.
"Well first you need to know which hand will hold which. Are you right handed or left handed?"
"Left."
"Then you're going to get nowhere with the way your holding the bow and arrow." She took the arrow out of Akane's right hand and the bow out of her left and switched the two, "There you go. Now, try to nock."
"To what?" She asked, confused about the word 'nock'.
"Nock, you know. Here, let me show you." She held her friend's hands with her own and guided her arms to place the arrow on the bow string, although her friend being left handed made it a bit uncomfortable. "Ok, do you got it now?" Estuko asked, about to move her hands away.
"But, how do I aim this thing. Is there a sight like on a gun?"
"It's a bow silly! You really need to learn more about archery."
"Well excuse me miss I have a Archer Maiden as a sister."
"You make it sound like a good thing. You never wake up to: It's five o'clock! Now get dressed and down for breakfast in five minutes. Hup to!" Estuko placed her hands back onto Akane's. A lock of her long blonde hair draped over Akane's shoulder, making her feel closer then usual.
Akane laughed, "I guess I got it lucky, my mom just tells me to not be late or else she's have to put up with me in the house all day." Estuko drove her body closely onto Akane's back; making her blush a little from the two soft, developing appendages pressing against her.
"Are you ok Akane? You seem to be shaking." Estuko asked helping her extend her right arm to pull back the bow string with left hand.
"I'm just melons- I mean peachy. Uhh so is there any particular way to hold the tip of the arrow?"
"Just hold it the best way for yourself. Remember: It's all about finger placement." She said taking a step back to allow her friend to shoot for herself.
If only her mind wasn't everywhere else right now, Akane would had been able to focus on the matter at hand. Her mind filled with dirty thoughts from just Estuko's last sentence. "Damn these teenage horny hormones." She thought as she took aim and released the string from it's tension. It fly to the far left of the target, landing outside of the white near the border of the circle shaped hay target.
"I guess I'm not much of an archer." She said handing the bow to Estuko.
"Well, at left you got your book smarts." She said taking an arrow out of the ground near to the line they all waited in.
"I guess my brother influenced me as your sister did with you." She walked over to the side to give Estuko room.
"Oh yeah," Estuko said quickly taking aim and firing within seconds, "How is you're brother Akira?" She finished off with and handed the bow to the next girl.
"Well the last time he called he said that if he didn't get some stupid promotion then he'll kill everyone on his floor, but you know Akira: He's always a kidder. Honestly, I can barely tell when he's telling the truth with him anymore and what the hell?" Her mouth hung open in amazement, "You hit the bull's eye!"
"Yeah whoop-de-do," She said spinning her right index finger around, "I'm used to it." She walked away from the archery range towards the lake nearby as Akane followed her.
"I'd probably have the same reaction if I had gotten an 100% on a math quiz. We all got our unique quirks, right?"
"Right, but I just wished people didn't see my sister when they look at me." she climbed up some small steps to get on the small wooden boat dock on the lake's border.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," she sat down on the edge and swung her feet to bush the water as she talked, every time in school or even on the street everyone only remembers what Hana did during the war. It's always: Wasn't it you're sister who shot down those Vindicators heading for Vladivostok. You must be proud to be her sister. Or maybe, hey you're the sister of the famous Archer Maiden that crippled the Soviet infantry in Oki Island. What about me? Even my teachers only talk about my sister when they're talking to me."
"I felt the same way when Akira was awarded the Metal of Honor by inventing the Speed Shoes for his fellow engineers. But his fame only lasted for a few weeks. I guess fame from technology isn't as interesting as someone engaging in the battlefield."
"I hate being a kid. I'm 16 emperor dammit! If this was a hundred years ago I would have already be a mother and not be looked at differently."
Akane laughed, "It's funny how the time period changes people's views on things. I bet that in a few decades the age to have children will be when you're 30 or older to have decency the way changes speed up now."
"I'm going to have my own adventure some day, gain my own honor. Then people will talk about me when they talk to her for a change. I hate how age restricts potential. I bet even you think about my sister, don't you Akane."
"Oh Emperor no!" She put her hand on Estuko's shoulder, "I always think of you Estuko. When I wake up, when I eat, even when I lay down to fall asleep."
Estuko giggled, "Thanks Akane. You always know how to make me feel better." She gave her friend a hug, But if only I could find a boyfriend. Every guy I talk just has to mention my sister when she isn't even around."
"You never know Estuko. That special someone could be just right under your nose."
"You could be right." She sighed, "You are a genius after all."
"I know what'll make you feel better, let's go for a swim," She said untying the small blue ribbons that held her straight pigtails in place.
"Yeah, alright girl. I'm game. Let's go change."
Later around midnight, Estuko had difficulty to get off the top bunk. As she descended herself her foot landed on something soft and squishy, unlike the floor like she was aiming for.
"Ow, my boob." Akane cried out in pain.
"Shhh," Estuko hushed, fearing that Akane would wake up the whole cabin, "Quite, I'm uhh, just going to the bathroom."
"Well watch were you're stepping, if you weighed any more the left one would have had to say goodbye to her twin." She yawned and turned on her side to fall back to sleep, still rubbing on her sore bosom.
Estuko searched around in the dim light from outside for her things in the trunk that nestled on the feet of the bunk bed. It took a bit of struggling, but Estuko managed to take most of her belongings and stuffed them into her backpack. On her way out she took a last good look before she closed the door, quietly.
She dearly hoped that Akane found the letter she left on top of the covers. The letter explaining how she feels about her life's calling. She needed to make a name for herself, to be in the news at the very least. The deferrable fame that people will remember from this time to the next. The tasked that pulled her felt greater then the gravity of the very planet she walked on. It was her destiny.
She did feel bad for her good friend though. She will miss their preferable memories. How they would always spend the time after school at the beach. How she would prefer American style food while Akane stayed with Japanese originated cuisine. How Akane was thoughtful enough to care for Estuko's well being and perform week breast cancer examinations. It would had been selfish of Estuko to ask Akane to follow her in her path to glory. Like how they have different quirks, they have different desires as well.
Step one of the escape was completed with flying colors. Now step to will involve risk. She needed a way of getting out of the camp grounds and the forest quickly and quietly. A car would be far out of the question since she didn't know how to drive or hot wire one. But then, the perfect idea was granted.
"A horse of course." She told herself, whispering. It was extravagant indeed, but what could go wrong? Besides, she know the perfect way of getting the horse back to the camp.
She snuck past the mess hall without any sign of a camp counselor in sight. Once she wrapped her body against the corner of the large wooden building she nearly had a huge circle of light touch her face. She quickly reeled herself back to hide behind the wall of the mess hall to avoid being seen. Carefully stealing a peek at what was causing the light she saw two tall searchlight towers keeping watch on the front entrance.
"What the next life is going on here?" She thought, "Did this used to be a prison camp?"
She started trailing the tower's beam when the light passed by a large metal plate bolted into the building's wall on the side facing the towers that read: POW camp memorial. In honor of the Japanese placing the gaijin filth in there rightful place. "It figures." she commented as she continued her careful advance. Once the light began to veer away from the mess halls lining, she hastily sprinted to the barn.
The horses were all kept in there stables, safe from the cold and any bad weather. She unhooked the lock on the barn doors. The doors were old and poorly finished, showing a lack of appreciation of the horse's and their obedience. The least they could do is give them a nice place to live if they're going to keep them away from the wild, or for the modern day equivalence: a horse trader.
The horse were all still awake, doing what horses normally do in their stables, resembling what guys do when they sit on a couch: not much. She found the door to the horse she rode earlier in the summer, Dandy. The chestnut coated kiso horse snorted as she neared, seeming a bit happy to see the human girl.
"Hey girl," She whispered to the horse, "Listen, I know that you can't understand me, but I'm planning on ditching this place and I'm going to need you're help. Are you in?"
The horse nodded it's head franticly, neighing wildly. It lifted it's front hooves to kick at the small door that trapped it inside it's tightly contained space. Estuko chuckled, "I'll take that as a yes. Oh right, be quite. We got to be sneaky, like the Shinobi."
The horse nodded in agreement, allowing the teenager to unlock the door and swing it open. "I can't go riding bare back… in any occasion. I'll be back, stay here." She pointed on the ground between her feet and walked over to the wall that held most of the riding equipment. She got a saddle and reigns to start out with so she could ride will control and comfort. She was about to straddle on the horse when a bright blinding light flashed into her eyes from the barn's entrance.
"Hold it right there camper." The male counselor ordered, holding his flashlight firmly on the teenager's eyes, "Just what were you planning with that horse?"
Estuko froze up. She felt as if her legs weren't under her any more, as if they had just ran off on there own. "I have to do something." She thought, "If I don't follow through with my intentions, I will never feel complete. My entire life will continue into an infinite waste of time and effort as I carry on into a normal life style. I can not allow that to happen."
"Look over there!" She shouted with her finger aiming behind the counselor, "A giant tentacle monster is attacking cabin 4!"
"Really? Oh, where's my camera?" He said franticly searching his pockets and shirt.
As he was distracted momentarily, Estuko managed to slide a foot into one of the stirrup and swung her leg over the horse's back, accidentally kicking it. The horse neighed loudly as it stood on it's hind legs, nearly throwing off Estuko who held the reins with one hand and her suitcase in the other. It galloped out of the barn, almost trampling the counselor.
"Giant tentacle monster? What the life of a worm was I thinking?" she said to herself, "Wait, why was he so interested in seeing it is the better question. I don't know who as more problems now." Estuko turned her head around and shouted at the man, "Don't worry, I'll bring her back!"
He blew his whistle with all his might, alerting the guards in the tower. The guards sounded an alarm and also triggered the spotlights to center on the run away camper who was still trying to get her other foot in the stirrup. She swayed the reins to the left to make the horse go the same direction, evading the mess hall, heading to the cabins. Campers gathered around the entrances, awakened from the loud alarm that seemed to wail forever.
"With the sound of it you'd think they would start shooting." Estuko said to herself.
Without delay two Mecha Tengus veered around opposite corners of cabin 7 and fired their kinetic burst auto cannons from the mounted gun on the hatch. Their Wave Force energy rounds covered the area around her and the horse with smoldering holes from the superheated slugs immense temperature. One hit and she will be suffering not only from the wound but from the round's remaining plasma burning through her body until there's nothing left.
"Prince of Japan!" She shouted as she lead the horse behind a cabin to cover them from the Tengus' rounds, "I gotta stop opening my big mouth."
It wasn't the first time she saw them though. On the first day of camp the Tengus were shown to everyone to let them know what they would have to face if they committed any crimes. They were kept in a garage in the back of the camp since the war started to protect the campers from an attack, either ground or air. They were never used, well, until now.
"I can't believe I forgot about those Mechas!" She yelled to herself as she turned a corner to return to the trail between the row of cabins, nearly running over a counselor that tried to grab her. Estuko looked back to see if the woman was ok, but when she turned back one of the Tengus had flaked around the cabin and was right in front of her, it's robotic tiger-like legs digging into the dirt sideways to stop it's momentum. The other Tengu stopped directly behind her, making her trapped between the two.
"Hochi Tochi!" Estuko yelled out as she pulled on the reins to stop the horse.
"It's over," The male pilot said over a loud speaker from his cockpit, "Return the horse to the barn and follow the counselor to the main office. This is your only warning."
"Umm, I'm not that good under pressure." She said looking around, "I'll let you decide Dandy, do you want to stay or leave?"
The Horse looked at her with her left eye and looked like it gave Estuko a sinister smile. She backed up a few steps and then exploded into a full gallop. The Mecha Tengu in front of them opened fire. As the auto cannons on the Tengu's sides spun it's six barrels the caseless rounds pass by the horse by a few inches because the limited arcs that the barrels were allowed to swing through were at their ends. As the slugs pierced through the Mecha Tengu on the opposite end, Dandy leaped over the top of the cockpit, clearing the jump to the back end of the Mech.
Estuko looked back to see the victim Tengu fill with green flames as the pilot ejected out before the flames crawled from it's wings to the center. She turned back to guide the horse into the forest as everyone was distracted by trying to help the injured pilot. They passed the lake as Estuko took a long look at the full moon's beautiful reflection in the water. She nearly forgot that she was on the edge of being turned into a smoldered corpses that would have to be scraped off the dirt into a trash can soon after.
They soon entered the forest, the two working together to dodge trees and low branches as they were on there way to… uhh yeah that was still to be determined by Estuko. A few meters in though, a dreaded noise sounded from behind them. Estuko saw the Mecha Tengu was now a Jet Tengu, the aerial form of the Mech. It was capable of speeds beyond the sound barrier like the Apollo and Mig fighter counterparts. Despite it's fragile construction, it was able to evade one on one fights by transforming back, unless the Tengu was better skilled or was fighting a badly damaged jet fighter.
The Jet Tengu was only going it's minimum speed, which was almost having it pass the horse who was trying it's best to avoid collisions. But for one reason or an other the Jet descended under the tree tops almost touching the forest floor. It weaved and veered around trees but it was going to fast to avoid them all. It's wing tip nicked a tree trunk, causing it to spin around a quarter way until it crashed sideways into another tree as it passed Estuko and Dandy.
"I hope he's ok," Estuko said seeing the Jet smoking from the engine behind the cockpit as they passed by. "And that there isn't anoth- NO! Learn your lesson Estuko!" She shouted at herself, fearful of a third Tengu appearing. Estuko took her time to give out a long sigh of relief, knowing the end of the chase was final as they were now far away from the camp. But where to now? The night was almost over and the sun was soon to come up.
"What day is it?" She asked herself, "Monday? Hana would have to go to work soon. My sister was used to waking up early thanks to her military experience. Aww damn it, even I can't go a day without mentioning her army life. But it would help to stop by the house to rest up a bit, and to eat some breakfast. Now uhh, which way to the city?"
It was daybreak when she entered the city limits, and it was around 7:00 when she go to her street. As she stopped the horse's movement, a driver in a car waiting for the light to turn green took a double take to make sure he was really seeing a girl riding a horse on the sidewalk. Estuko smiled nervously at him as he drove off, no even taking his eyes off her to see the light change. She hopped off the horse and tied the reins around the mailbox, to make sure Dandy doesn't run away.
"Now don't go anywhere girl, I'm just going to get some food for the trip and a plan for the trip. Oh, and some rest." She tried to walk without having her legs buckle from under her, "Man are my legs numb, I guess that's what happens when you got them spread open for a long time, huh." She laughed, but then groaned at how dirty it sounded. "I gotta stop doing that."
She forced her way up the small concrete stairs and opened the metal gate to enter her small suburban house. It wasn't much, but the two stories made it a lot bigger inside then it's outside appearance. The first thing she did after taking off her shoes was fly over the couch's back to land on its soft comfortable cushions. Her body felt fused to the furniture, not wanting to even lift a finger. She breathed a happy sigh as her eyes stayed shut, nearly drifting into pleasant sleep.
Suddenly the phone rang, startling the teenager out of her slumber. She groaned as she lugged herself to the phone that sat on table that hugged the staircase's left side. She remembered the rule: Always answer the phone and take a message. Any phone call for her sister Hana was more important then anything else to her. She learned herself over the table as she answered.
"Yeah, who's this," She asked with her voice a bit lower toned from the drowsiness.
"Is this Hana Shinmei?" The man asked.
"Yeah sure who's this?" She looked out the window next to the door, hoping the caller would get the joke.
"This is your Emperor Tatsu speaking."
"Yeah and I'm the queen of England." She remarked.
"I see you still have your wits Hana, you left yourself notable during the award ceremony when I awarded you with your Metal of Honor."
"Crap," Estuko thought, "It's really the Emperor! What does he want with Hana?"
"Uhh Emperor Tatsu, it is an honor to speak with you."
"No the honor is all mine. To speak to a warrior of Japan is to speak to the land itself. I need your aid in a top secret project Miss Shinmei, you will obey this order, but to follow through after the briefing is up to you. A car waiting outside your house will take you to your destination. Tell the driver the code: Take me to Disney Land, and he will allow you to enter. I will be waiting until you arrive."
"This is it," she thought, "This is my life goal, what I've waited all my life for. This is my destiny.
She hung up and squealed with delight. She excitedly picked up her suitcase and ran up stairs to her room. She opened the door and turned on the lights to see that the floor of her room was covered with clothes, even a pair of pants hung from her ceiling fan. The trash bin near her desk , which was jumbled up with papers, was overflowing. The covers on her bed were barley even on the bed, all messed up and dirty.
"Huh, Hana cleaned up my room a bit…I think." She said after she threw the suitcase onto the bed.
She got out of her camp clothes and quickly put on a sleeveless white shirt and a purple mini skirt with flowers covering the front. After changing, she rushed outside to head into her own adventure. She didn't think about anything else. She even forgot to eat breakfast from all the excitement. Now her destiny was answered. But with answers comes new questions. The first: What was the project Emperor Tatsu spoke of?