Authors Notes: Update again, now featuring Canti as a regular! It surely is great news for all sane people! Yeah, Canti's awesome. Um, anyway, I've just had my Wisdom Teeth extracted, and I'm home all week, so updates should be fairly consistent over that period. In fact, chapter five will probably be online tomorrow. I have a pretty big backlog of chapters, and I'm really happy with how it's turning out, so expect more very soon.
On with the story.
Naota opens the door of the Nandaba family bakery, slipping inside before gesturing for Haruko to do the same.
" Hey! Anyone home?" Grunts of acknowledgement are heard. Canti beeps once, and a large metallic hand appears from a doorway, waving. " We have company!"
Two heads and a T.V poke around various corners curiously.
" Haruko-san?" Said Shigekuni
" Haaaaruko-san!" Drawls Kamon.
An exclamation mark appears on Cantis' screen.
" Hi." Haruko says simply.
" C'mon. We need to talk." Naota grabs Haruko by the arm, pulling her to the stairs.
" Oh, come on, Naota-kun! Don't keep Haruko-san all to yourself!"
" I'll ignore that, Mon-chan. " Haruko notes.
" Ahh, we'll be down in a minute." Naota continues pulling her up the stairs.
Pulling her into his room, Naota shuts the door, and crosses the floor to the window.
" Let's cut the crap, Haruko. Why are you really here?"
" Why, whatever do you mean? I did say I would be back last time, right?"
" Yes, but when I heard that, I always added ' If I ever need something from you'. You wouldn't just turn up out of the blue with a dangerous woman on your trail. Even you have more common sense than that."
" Oh, Takkun, I'm hurt. But, since you asked, my landing here might have been more… coincidental, than you know. See, Superior… did something during our last chase. I didn't see what, but it was like going through an N.O channel. I was on my Vespa, then BAM There was a light, and I was somewhere else. Fairly close to Earth, actually. And you're right. I wouldn't have led Superior Raharu to Earth unless I had to. But the… thing that she did. It drained my fuel reserves. I didn't have enough to go anywhere else. Don't know if you've noticed, Takkun, but space is big."
" So it was a total coincidence that you're here. Why not just tell me that from the start?"
" Takkun, the last words you said to me, before I left, were ' I love you'. I thought you might have been a little bitter, considering I left you there. I do need a place to stay, Takkun. Until I can distract Superior enough that I can get away from Earth without her noticing."
" Okay, I can understand that. But why is she chasing you, Haruko? That's what I don't understand. I mean, soon after you left she came outta my head, and says she's after you, before flying off. Why?"
Haruko is silent for a moment, her face dark.
" Atomsk. That's why she's chasing me. My mission was to get in, get Atomsk out, and leave. There's a general truce between the Galaxy Space Patrol and Medical Mechanica, but they'd crossed a line by capturing the Pirate King. He's too dangerous to be contained. I think you remember, Atomsk coming through your N.O channel, before escaping. The destruction he caused, from those few seconds, was incredible."
" I get that. You don't forget something like that. But what does this have to do with Superior Raharu?"
" I'm getting to that. You see, my organization frowns upon unwanted exposure. And, I'm sure you'll agree, nothing gets more attention than a giant phoenix drawing all matter through it's forehead. And the MM plant. I acted recklessly there, feeding you to the Terminal Core. I didn't really know what was going to happen there, and- No, let me finish, Takkun- I was only working under a theory. Earth would've been destroyed if I had been wrong… And I sorta was. Well, to make a long story short, I screwed up. My actions that day led to the Space Patrol being exposed on a planet that would otherwise never have heard of it. That's normally enough to warrant a court martial. But I had also attacked you, when you'd taken the powers of the Pirate King. Technically, that classifies as 'an act of aggression against a neighbouring territory'. I'd at least get life imprisonment for all this. And I can't have that. I haven't gotten Atomsk yet. And that's the truth of it."
" Wow. And you've been chased for two and a half years?"
" It's been that long? Doesn't the time just fly by!"
" Surely you must have a plan? I mean, you can't stay here forever; she'd tear this place apart looking for you! And-"
Just than, a massive fist splits the wall, tearing through the plaster. A massive head pokes through the hole in the wall, and the body it is connected to, which is presumably still on the first floor, strides forward, through the floor as if it were nothing.
" A golem, Superior? Really?!"
Haruko leaps up, taking her guitar and her old Rickenbacker from its position on the floor, throwing herself at the golem. Swinging both instruments horizontally, she connects with both sides of the monstrous head, reverberating through the metal.
Canti recovers from being thrown clear through three walls, stands, and begins to climb the hulking metal figure, fingers digging into the solid steel giant. When he reaches the head, the smaller robot begins pounding at it, the metal cracking under his fists.
The golem simply reaches up behind and flicks the robot off.
Haruko launches herself off from the golem face, pausing at her landing spot, her eyes narrowing.
" Oh. That's right."
Walking calmly over to where Naota is sprawled, Haruko lifts her Gibson above her head, before bringing it down on Naotas'.
" Hey! Why are you hitting me with that thing?!"
" Damn, I missed the spot…"
The action is repeated, this time knocking Naota out cold. The Golem ceases all movement simultaneously, it's arm freezes in mid punch, a relieved Canti on the receiving end. Wasting no time, Haruko begins attacking the motionless steel warrior, motioning for Canti to do the same.
" Shigekuni! Mon-chan! Get out of the house, quickly! And someone take Naota!" Haruko calls down to the wrecked first floor, where the pair can be seen recovering from the shock.
Slowly, the blows begin to affect the frozen Golem, shattering the metal, and reducing it to rubble. Once the whole creature is no more than gravel, Haruko grabs Canti and dives out a window, landing next to a now conscious Naota, and turning just in time to see the Nandaba bakery collapse.
Stunned silence…
" W-what was that thing?!"
" Haruko-san, what the hell is going on?!"
" Haruko, I don't understand! Why did you hit me?! What was that thing?!"
An exclamation and question mark appear on Cantis' screen.
And then it sinks in.
" OUR HOME!" Three generations of Nandabas shout in unison.
" Oh, Takkun. Are you okay? How is everyone? Anyone hurt? This is all my fault." Haruko is genuinely concerned.
" You know what, Haruko?! No, we are not alright! Our house is gone! Because that…. THING, was looking for you! You dragged us into this, and now we're homeless! That's just the kind of irresponsibility I should know to expect from you, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt! Where the hell are we supposed to live, Haruko?!" Naotas' eyes are almost glowing with rage.
" I… I'm so sorry, Takkun. I never suspected that Superior would… What the hell was she thinking? Surely the Commander would never authorize… Well, perhaps for me he would… We need to get out of here soon. Do you have a place where you can stay?"
Away from Earth, at some undiscovered area of the universe, a shadowy figure sits, awaiting a report from Superior Raharu. At the sound of ringing, he pulls a phone from the ether, answering it.
" Report."
" Commander, the golem failed. Raharu stopped the boys' N.O channel from operating."
" Raharu Alpha, your mission is simple enough, no? Find me Raharu Beta, and bring her back by any means necessary. This is your final chance. You know the penalty for failure. Raharu Beta must stand trial for her irresponsible actions. Bring her back, one way or the other."
" Y-yes, Commander. It shall be done."
The Commander shuts the phone, and it disappears from his hand in a swirl of black fog.
Superior Raharu clicks her phone shut with trembling hands.
The Nandaba family, Miyu-Miyu, Canti and Haruko trudge through the streets, carrying only what they could salvage from their wrecked home. Naota is enraged, his fist clenched, he walks as far away from Haruko as he can without leaving the party.
" Takkun, I-"
" Don't talk to me, Haruko."
Haruko lowers her head. " Oh, come on, Takkun! You can't give me the cold shoulder forever. You need me to defend you, 'cause Superior will be after you too now."
Naota stops, spins and walks slowly towards Haruko, his fists clenched.
" Alright, Haruko. If you want to talk, then talk! Tell me what that thing was, what Superior Raharu is, and why she's exactly like you. Go on!"
" Okay."
More Authors' Notes: Okay, quick note about the Golem. I had the idea to destroy the Nandaba bakery, the significance of which I'll explain in the final chapter. I can't do it before without spoiling something. Anyway, I know it's cheesy, but no regular MM robot would do for this job. So I created the golem.
As a final word, please reveiw, and the next chapter is going to be very interesting, so stay tuned!
