Now, the story is definitely going somewhere interesting.
That's a hint.
I am serious.
;)
Note: some lines are bolded, in order to show significance. However, not all important lines are bolded, because there are too many lines to bold anyway. If multiple lines are important, I will bold only some, so that you readers will have to read the lines around them. The lines around the bolded ones can be as important as the bolded ones. Yes, that is a BIG hint.
So then, read on.
Rise of Senshazonia
Chapter 8: Double Revelation
On the way towards a secret vault
Halfway between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela
9:00 AM; April 2, 20XX
The girls continued to chat, as they drove in their Senshadou tanks, except modified for real combat. Truly advanced armor modules covered the exterior, while highly modified tracks and advanced engines rendered the tanks on par with some main battle tanks in use today. However, they were still vastly inferior to modern tanks, as their guns were useful at attacking infantry, rather than real tanks. Still, they were precious.
"Ah," Yukari said, rubbing her warm cheeks against the cold, steel walls. "We are finally back in here!"
"The Merkava tanks sure felt so...modern," Hana remarked, caressing the controls of her gunner's seat.
"The controls were at least modern on the Merkava," Mako said nonchalantly.
"But we sure have gone a long way," Saori said. "By the way, how far are we?"
"Ugh," Momo groaned. "We traveled so fast."
"Why?" Anzu asked, munching on her homemade piece of dried sweet potato.
"Guess I am not used to these advanced engines," Momo grunted.
"I guess our movement has improved," Yuzu said. "Thanks to the new technologies."
"Stop calling me Momo-chan!" Momo screamed.
"I didn't say that," Yuzu said.
"She didn't," Anzu agreed.
"Oh..." Momo realized, blushing in embarrassment.
Suddenly, the three laughed. Miho watched them, smiling as she and others were in their own conversations. They were not talking anything in particular; since establishing a more secure base, the girls soon adapted and even enjoyed their new lives. Although they still wanted to go back home, they were making the best of their situations.
"We have no boys!"
"But at least we're safe!"
"We have food and shelter!"
"And we're safe!"
Miho smiled, as the girls onboard were starting to tolerate and even love their current status. Sure, they were not sure whether they could finally escape the "nightmare" inside Abya Yala, but at least they all were safe and sound. Miho was most glad at the number of casualties:
Zero.
Miho wanted to keep it that way, yet...
"Hopefully my family is alright," one of the conversations went. "I mean...are we human?"
Miho lost her smile. Whoever said that was very right on two points: family and humanity. The girls missed their families, although to a various degree. Yet there was one thing that made almost all of them ponder: are Senshazons humans?
"Yosef-sama said about us being Senshazons," Saori said. "But...he admits that he's not so sure. From what little he found, it apparently was a name given to us girls, who have been 'transformed' or something by the Apocalypse? But I felt nothing significant."
"Maybe we'll experience more," Miho said. "Once we live here longer. Our magic was starting to improve, although I have questions still..."
"Best case scenario," Mako said. "Is that we can finally leave here and reunite with our families."
Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the group. There were just three: Anglerfish Team, Turtle Team, and Hippo Team. For some reason, Sodoko and Ogin both followed them.
"Why did you follow us again?" Caesar asked.
"To keep you all in order," Sodoko answered.
"To explore the horizon," Ogin began to talk, then winked. "In disorder."
Miho giggled nervously, as the two started to bicker about "order vs. disorder" kind of topic, but Miho looked on.
"I see them!" Yukari yelled out, clutching her binoculars.
The girls then drove their tanks in a different direction, meeting up with Yosef's own group, composed of three Merkava tanks, and a few girls on top, rifles in hand.
"Hey there!" Yosef called out.
"It's been a while," Yosef said.
"It was not that long ago," Miho said, giggling.
"Well," Yosef admitted. "After you fight and survive, it makes you appreciate life."
Miho smiled in response. The reunited group now went ahead, plowing through tall grasses and short bushes with large tracks, crushing all in their paths. Animals of all kinds of ran out in response; various animals of South America appeared en masse.
"Most of these animals look normal," Yosef noted. "While others are definitely primitive. I wonder...how are they risen?"
"You mean revived?" Saori asked.
He nodded.
"From what little I know," he explained. "The scientist...boy, I wish that she told me her name...admitted that she and her colleagues were stunned at what the Apocalypse caused. Apparently, they were shocked that the Apocalypse produced 'more than expected' or something. Apparently, she did not tell everything, until she realized that she was really dying. Deciding that I should not be left in the dark, she told me as much as possible...before..."
Yosef sighed, as the girls patiently waited, letting him talk at his own pace.
"He sure seems to have feelings for that scientist," Saori whispered to Miho. "Poor man..."
"Well," he replied again, more optimistically this time. "At least she revealed me all of the ways to find the truth behind everything. That basically means that I can technically access all information. What I do know is this: Israel is not the only nation that foresaw the Apocalypse."
The girls looked at each other with worried eyes.
"And Japan?" Miho asked.
"Japan is definitely here," he replied. "I saw Japan on one of the Israeli files."
Suddenly, his tracker beeped.
"What?" he reacted, checking it. "There is another vault here! But that means that we have to split up again."
The girls then decided to check their belongings, inspecting to make sure that they had everything. They had compasses and all kinds of navigational tools to help, especially to return back home. Miho was helping Ogin with a compass, which appeared to be spinning around, when Yosef made a gesture from behind a Merkava tank, apparently to get her to talk to him in private. Blinking, she casually walked towards him, who put his finger to his lips to stay quiet.
"Do you need something?" Miho whispered, curious.
He smiled, then put something into her hands. Blinking again, she checked the item.
It was a platinum necklace.
"Wow," she said, raising it to check it, but Yose beckoned her to lower it down.
"It's my token of appreciation," he explained. "I was actually a jeweler back in Israel, before joining the IDF. I have a penchant for creating necklaces with detachable beads."
"Detachable beads?" she asked.
"My family has this weird tradition," he said. "Of creating necklaces with beads that detach easily. Unlike other beads, which had holes to fit a thread through, our beads are designed with a slightly magnetic property, so that they stay on these lines easily."
"Won't they fall off easily?" Miho asked.
He shook his head.
"Unless you really force them apart," he replied. "It's a family secret."
"But why-" Miho began to ask, but he motioned her silently. Understanding what he was communicating, she then wore it, hiding it beneath her collars.
"Thank you so much," she said.
"Thank you for helping me," he said, before moving to his commanding tank.
Miho then went to her tank, feeling the necklace hidden inside of her collar.
"What were you doing?" Saori asked.
"Having a talk with Yosef-sama," Miho replied.
"Ooh," a nearby clone-girl interjected. "Is Yosef in love?"
"I am not!" Yosef's voice suddenly blared, causing most girls to jump. The clone-girl just rolled her eyes.
"I am a clone-girl!" she called out.
"Not a good reason!" he angrily called out, with a hint of apparent embarrassment in his voice.
"Anyway," Miho giggled nervously. "Let's go then. Yosef's group will break off again, and we go on as usual."
The girls said farewell to each other, before they went away. Miho's group continued to the same location. Miho then checked her necklace.
"Platinum," she noticed. After some lesson with some girls, who knew metals and materials, she recognized the difference between platinum and silver, and now could recognize it.
"I don't really see how he managed to make these beads magnetic," Miho mumbled, tapping at them. The beads were stuck as if with glue; however, Miho could tell that they could be removed, albeit with much force.
"They really feel like strong magnets," Miho noted. "Magnets...attached..."
"Miporin!"
"Oh," she replied, tucking her ornament in. "What's going on?"
"Just making sure that you're paying attention," Saori replied.
"Thanks."
The mysterious vault
Halfway between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela
12:00 PM; April 2, 20XX
"Just like the one in our base," Sodoko remarked, scanning around with her sharp eyes.
Miho and her friends finally found the vault. As expected, it was covered in vegetation, since they were still in the Guiana Shield region, which enjoyed a lot of rainfall, high temperature, and amazing views.
"This feels like a dinosaur film," Saori suddenly spoke.
"Watched movies with the Rabbit Team?" Mako asked.
"Yeah," she admitted. "We watched them, in order to learn about romance."
"How does a dinosaur film talk about romance?" Mako asked, a little annoyed this time.
"Almost all films have some romance!" Saori groaned. "Even in a dinosaur film like Cretaceous World, there was some love!"
"We're not here for romance or dinosaurs," Miho interjected, giggling nervously. "But we have magic and technology, and that's strange enough."
In front of them, the vault's entrance loomed, hidden by vines and hanging plants, their leaves and flowers buzzing with life, as bees and hummingbirds alike zoomed back and forth, chirping and whirling.
"Careful," Miho said, as her tank entered first, crushing the vegetation underneath. The loud, cracking sounds echoed, causing the animals to fly away.
"Sorry about that," Miho said, as she brushed off the vines. Her tank slowly crept through, and the girls checked.
"The door is closed," Miho said. "As expected."
"Yosef said that sometimes," Hana said. "The doors open even without authorization."
"Those are for less-important vaults," Sodoko said. "But Yosef said to loot those too, just in case."
"Good point," Miho said. "Then, we may have to set up camp here."
"Well then," Anzu said. "Isuzu-san, will you give the call?"
"Huh?"
"You're the School President," Saori whispered.
"Oh!" she replied. "Um...girls, let's set up camp?"
"Oi!" the girls all replied in unison. Suddenly, Miho looked back.
"You alright?" Saori asked.
Miho put a finger to her lips, silencing the whole crowd. Miho squinted her eyes, then strained her ears.
The girls were silent, except for the bees and hummingbirds that returned, buzzing and whirling about. Miho then scanned the door and its frame.
"I thought I heard something," Miho finally spoke.
Suddenly, the door creaked, then slowly rose up, opening up. The girls saw a tunnel with faint blue lights on the ceiling.
"Umm..." Miho trailed off, as confused as her teams.
"Was that a password?" Ogin finally asked, her hat tilted.
"I...guess so?" Miho finally replied.
Suddenly, they heard thunder, and sighted an ominous, massive cloud in the distance.
"We better hurry," Miho said. "Girls, let's get in."
The girls obeyed without question, and went inside, unaware of a movement nearby a tree. Hidden beneath, something metallic shone, its red light indicating that it was functional, eyeing the girls as they went inside...
"I believe we have entered in," Yukari said, looking around. "For about 100 meters, and I see...nothing."
The girls were trying to find the end of the tunnel.
"Where is Ogin?" Sodoko asked.
"Again..." Momo groaned. The girls turned to look, and saw the silhouette of a girl in pirate outfit walking casually towards the entrance, then knelt down to crawl into a bush.
"She said that she'll watch outside," Momo explained. "She'll be the lookout."
"Isn't it going to rain?" Miho asked.
"I told her," Momo said. "But she saw a rocky outcropping, and decided to seek shelter there."
"Good point," Miho said. "If something happens, she can be the scout."
Ogin then silently went inside of a dense patch of vegetation, still unaware of the hidden camera. Fortunately, the camera rotated so that it faced a different angle, so that it did not notice Ogin as she crept into the bushes.
"This place sure feels odd," she mumbled. "Ah, I forgot to tell them, but it felt a little...too clean."
"This feels...odd," Miho said, as her group traveled through the tunnel. It winded down a little deep.
"My senses don't sense anything," Sodoko said. "So, there is nothing to worry about."
"No," Miho replied. "I am saying...doesn't this vault look a little different?"
"How so?" the girls asked.
"Isn't this a little too clean?" Miho began. "And the lights are unusually good-"
SLAM!
A huge noise erupted, and the girls jumped.
"No!" Sodoko suddenly screamed, and the girls looked behind. A slab of stone appeared from behind, blocking them!
"It's a trap!" Miho gasped.
"What?!" the girls yelled.
Immediately, Yukari, Caesar, and Momo came out, and inspected the blocked entranceway. Miho also followed, and probed the slab.
"It's made of concrete," Miho noted.
"Can't we just ram through?" Momo roared, her echo traveling through the tunnel.
"No..." Miho gasped.
The girls looked, and realized that it was no ordinary slab of concrete. What looked like cyan stripes suddenly appeared, snaking throughout the slab, glowing faintly but ominously.
"Runic markings?" Miho wondered, touching the stripes. They snaked around, and she felt some weird magic pulsing throughout.
"Something out of video games," Saori noted.
"Can't we just ram through?!" Momo roared. "We have magic, so we should try!"
"Well..." Miho noted. "I believe that no ramming will do, since this is some sort of a magical trap..."
"And?" Momo asked, impatient.
"But we have no idea of how our magic works," Miho admitted. "It's not like some Fullmetal Magician, where the characters know exactly how magic works or something."
"Then there is only one way," Hana noted, sweating a little as she saw the tunnel.
"We have to keep going," Anzu said, looking relaxed. However, Miho noted her sweaty hands.
"Stay close," Miho said seriously, as the three tanks rolled on.
They kept going...and going...and going. After some traveling, the girls found another slab of stone blocking their way. This time, however, they ended up inside of a large room, enough space so that the girls parked their tanks sideways, as if in a museum exhibition. All of the girls came out, and surveyed their surroundings.
"Same old lights," Saori said, shaking a little.
Mako said nothing, but held unto Saori tightly.
"Calm down please," Saori soothed her.
Hana looked around, her head scanning around for anything of interest.
"Everything's so plain," she replied.
Yukari then checked the wall blocking them.
"It's strong and stuck," she replied. "We're trapped."
"That's not what you're supposed to say!" Momo groaned loudly.
"Calm down," Yuzu said.
"Seriously," Anzu spoke in a firm voice, causing even Momo to sniff and tense up.
"We are indeed trapped," Caesar said, looking at the wall in front of them.
"Like the Maginot line?" Erwin asked.
"Or maybe the ocean?" Oryou inferred.
"Maybe the bunker of Hitler will do," Saemonza suggested.
"That's right!" the Hippo girls replied, then gasped.
"Oops!" all four of them stuttered.
"Yeah," Anzu said, not sounding amused at all. "We ARE trapped. Be glad that I am a little nicer today..."
"But what are we going to do?!" Sodoko roared, her echo resonating throughout.
"I wonder..." Miho pondered, then made a palm-fist tap. "I think...that this is no ordinary trap."
"How so?"
"It's a little too clean for a vault," Miho said. "What if somebody was already here?"
"Clever girl," a voice suddenly echoed from a hidden speaker. "You are actually the first to realize this soon."
The girls all reacted fast, and went back into their tanks.
"Who's there?" Miho asked.
"There's no point of being inside of the tanks," the voice echoed again. "Because you are in."
Suddenly, the chamber shook, and the floor felt as if it was moving. Behind, another slab of stone appeared, like the door of an elevator.
"We're moving...forward," Miho said. "Girls, this is an elevator!"
"A huge one!" Erwin gasped.
The girls then braced themselves, as the tanks shook, while the elevator room groaned and moved, as if it was held by a giant. The elevator moved forward for some 300 meters, then went down for about 100 meters, before grinding to a halt.
The girls waited, then the lights went out.
Suddenly, the walls seemed to open up, revealing what looked like glass walls.
Then, the girls realized that they were in the middle of what looked like a Senate chamber room, but all-white and round. Above, on what looked like glass, sleek balconies (the type that would look good in a sci-fi film), stood a large group of people, hidden behind glass walls. They all stared down, looking like audience in a Colosseum fight.
One of the men clapped, a very sarcastic clap. The echoes resonated throughout; even the glass walls did not hide the annoying sound, as the girls soon realized that there were speakers all around.
"Congratulations," the man said. "Finally, we have girls who are smarter than the rest."
The girls all tensed up.
"You cannot escape," he said again, his voice echoing. "But maybe we can talk, if you all come out."
"We-we don't know who you are!" Momo roared.
"Exactly," he said again. "Maybe you can tell better...if you are out of your tanks. Anyway, your tanks are no match for this place."
"He's...right about that," Miho said, her head and torso out and exposed. "Girls, let's talk then. Sir, who...are you?"
"I will answer," he replied. "If you all come out."
"Girls," Miho said. "Let's come out, and negotiate."
Grumbling and moaning, the various girls all came out. Miho's group stood in front, while the others stayed behind. Mako held unto Saori, trembling. At the same time, Sodoko was holding unto Mako, trembling.
"OK," Miho said. "Who are you?"
"You must be the leader of them," the man said, fixing his glasses. Tall, slim, and dressed in dark suit, he reminded the girls, especially Anzu, of someone familiar.
He grinned.
"I look familiar," he said. "Right?"
"Right..." Anzu spoke, having a bad feeling about him.
"I am his distant cousin," the man spoke. "Renta Tsuji sure was a stupid lowlife."
The girls blinked, then gasped.
"You?!" Anzu especially spoke, shocked. He sure looked just like that man, the one who tried to shut down their school. He was the same man who pitted their school's Senshadou team against one of the strongest teams ever: the Selection University team, with Alice Shimada as its leader.
"I am Renta Kobayashi," the apparent man in charge said. "I am that man's distant cousin."
"What..." the girls stared in shock. He definitely looked identical to that man, whom many girls learned was the one who tried to shut down their school.
"Who is Renta Tsuji?" Sodoko asked.
"The man who tried to shut down our school," Momo muttered, shaking. "And here stands his cousin, who looks like his spitting image."
He sure looked almost like Renta Tsuji. He was tall and thin, with dark hair and large, rectangular spectacles. Although most did not really know Renta Tsuji at first, they knew that somebody had been trying to shut down their school, and now...they saw the man who looked just like him.
"Wait," Sodoko said. "Now that you say it...what's going on here?"
"You girls seem clueless," the man mumbled, his voice clearly audible. "But Renta Tsuji does not even know that I exist. In fact, his family records have no information about me, either."
The girls stared at the man.
"I have been analyzing his data for years and years," he continued. "He has made some...tall moves, from trying to shut down a school due to some grudge, to putting you girls in jeopardy by fighting against the Shimada style. However, he was frankly stupid about this."
"You've been...spying on your own cousin?" Miho managed to speak.
The girls shivered. Now, some of them even thought that Renta Tsuji was BETTER than this man.
The man suddenly laughed.
"You sure are quite clever," Renta Kobayashi said. "It's ironic that he and I have the same first name. Guess it runs in the family."
And yours too, Anzu thought, shaking a little. You and that sneaky...augh!
Miho looked around, as he continued to speak. The whole area looked almost like a hybrid of both a Colosseum ring, and a judgment hall. She also noticed what looked like cylindrical containers.
Storage tanks? Miho thought.
"Anyway," the man continued. "I think that since I do NOT like to be associated with that jerk of Tsuji, you girls can call me RK."
"RK," Miho said. "So, RK-sama, what are you doing here?"
He smirked.
"We are the Sunshade Industries," he introduced his cast.
"Sunshade?" the girls asked.
"Ah!" Oryou gasped. "That famous corporation in the US!"
"In Canada," RK groaned with annoyance.
"Huh?!" the girls reacted.
"Many people," RK admitted, fixing his glasses, which were a little crooked from his frown. "Mistake Sunshade for an American company. It's not; we decide to headquarter in Canada, in order to avoid being spied on by the US. Of course, the reason is simple: the US spies on you only if it cares about something about you. The US cares about Mexico, because of the border issue and all that stuff. Instead, since nobody really knows, or even cares about, Canada, we decide to be there.
"But let's get to the point," RK said. "Since you are now prisoners here, what do you have to ask? I am not in a hurry, so take your time."
"What do you mean?!" Momo roared.
"Ah," RK said. "You're Kawashima Momo, the girl who officially won the Winter Cup for your team. In reality, almost everybody smart enough knows...that it really was Nishizumi Miho-senpai who did that."
Momo quieted down, although she was still seething. Miho blinked; the man called her "senpai," which felt a little odd.
"Who are you really?" Miho asked.
RK smirked, then began:
"The Sunshade Industries is a Canadian company," he explained. "However, it did have its origins in the US; there, a few people, some of them former members of the now-defunct New Silicon, decided to try at small businesses. In reality, we were investigating what made companies successful, and what made them fail. After years of investigation, we decided to officially start our company in Canada. There, due to lenient policies and a willingness of people to submit to the desires of the companies, we were able to rise up. Soon after, our company won numerous awards. Oh, and all this happened starting with a base of only five. Yes, five founders were the geniuses behind this company.
"If you remember, we were a fledgling industry, at the mercy of larger ones, especially the New Silicon. Both of us specialized in high technologies, heavy tech, and all kinds doing with tech. Well, as you can see, we struggled hard. Until we got magic."
"WHAT?!" the girls gasped.
"Yes," RK said. "Magic was already around before you all are even born. It was called by a variety of names, though. You may have heard of the Tunguska event, the Roswell incident, and all kinds of strange phenomena. Well, some of those were actually instigated by us, experiments that went out of control.
"We, the Sunshade Industries, were the only ones who even knew about this magic, so we kept a secret monopoly over it. For years and years, we have bought, competed against, and successfully rose above almost all other businesses. However, we chose to stay lower, in order to minimize investigations from outside forces. And then, we lost it."
The girls looked at each other, stunned at the revelation.
"In this same year," he continued. "The Apocalypse occurred. Apparently, it was already foreshadowed; somehow, our secret files got leaked, and secret agencies from around the world anticipated it. We tried to prevent the Apocalypse, but many nations have set up their secret vaults here, hoping to get the lion's share of what was to come."
He stopped there, drinking from a bottle of water. Miho raised her hand.
"Yes?"
"So," Miho said. "To put it in simple terms: you guys rose to fame, by using magic. Then, the Apocalypse was essentially a way to strip your monopoly over it?"
"Clever girl," RK said, clapping genuinely. "You nailed it. Because of that, I am in a good mood. Let me tell you more, although it won't be of use, since you are going to be trapped here:
"To get to the point, the Sunshade is founded by five people, whom we call the Five Sages, who are the leaders of this megacorporation. You see, it technically is a corporation, but we have bought and possessed many industries, from petroleum and heavy to high tech and computer. As a result, we are among the few with truly monopolistic potential. In order to do this without getting caught, we used magic."
"Cheaters," Anzu and many girls mumbled, as they continued to listen.
"You see," he continued, wiping his glasses. "New Silicon soon got suspicious, and started to file lawsuits against us. Well, we used magic to discover some possible scandals in New Silicon. Long story short, we forced New Silicon into bankruptcy, and now we can finally reign over."
"But we have never heard of your company," Erwin said. "If you are that strong, why haven't we heard of you?"
"It's simple," RK said. "Japan is one of the few nations that have decided to NOT cooperate with us, and that also includes the US."
"What?!" the girls gasped.
"Like I said," RK said. "Since the discovery of US surveillance system by Edward Snowden, we have been more cautious. If we set up headquarters in the US, then we will be monitored. We are not stupid; we decide to stay 'small but powerful,' if you know what I mean.
"And that's where the Apocalypse comes in. It was the bane of our monopoly over magic. Some pastors from a local church came to us, foretelling that they already know that we use magic to pervert the capitalist system. I do not know HOW they even found out, but the pastors told us that the secret is already out. Somehow, as it turns out, a few of our employees were careless, and managed to sneak out files about our activities. One of the files told about a prophecy, in which the 'land of the Incas' will become 'land of vital blood,' a land unlike anything the world had ever seen. Once that arises, we the Sunshade Industries will lose our power over magic."
"And that happened," Miho said.
"Correct," he replied. "I do not know how this happened, or how the prophecy became true. Since then, we wasted no time; we got legal permits and authorization from numerous governments, especially those in exile from South America, to set up colonies and bases to help reclaim the lands."
"I do not think that's your real goal," Miho said.
"Clever girl," RK replied. "You are right; we're here really to regain our control of magic. No one, except for the secret agents around the world, and those pesky pastors, knew about this, so we wanted to keep magic for ourselves. Anyway, nobody even believes that magic exists."
"But what does all this have to do with us?" Yuzu asked. "We're just girls who want to escape."
"Escape?" RK asked, laughing out loud. "Escape? Hahaha! You girls! Look at yourselves! You all look like normal girls, but you are taller, stronger, and better than us Humans! In fact, you all, unlike us, can actually wield magic!"
"And why is that important?" Sodoko asked, despite clinging to Mako tightly.
He smirked.
"You girls," he said with a sly smile. "Have magic. The only way to extract that out, is to get it out of you."
"Umm...how?" the girls asked.
Miho blinked, then gasped.
"I guess you have to take it out," Miho said. "Which means..."
"Yes," RK said, playing with his fingers. "Extracting that magic out of you...is essentially extracting the life force out of you. I don't know why, but it appears that magic is now tied to you girls being Senshazons. You girls are the main reason for our inability to use magic. But we don't care, as long as we regain our control of magic."
The girls all paled.
"Wow-wait!" Mako said, trembling. "Th-th-that means...no, this means that you-you're..."
"Long story short," Miho said, turning to face her friends. "This Sunshade Industries company...will want to extract our energy called magic, and that means killing us."
"NO-NO-NO!" Momo screamed, as her friends struggled to calm her down. The Hippo girls all trembled; only the Anglerfish Team seemed to stand the ground. Sodoko was shaking Mako, who somehow remained calm enough to stay still.
"But don't worry," he said. "Since Miho-senpai has impressed me with her knowledge, unlike the previous leaders who came in here before, we'll give you a concession."
He pressed a button, and the room went down to a nearby entrance. The girls flinched, but waited. The room then hit a wall, which appeared a little different; it had cracks."
"That entrance," he replied. "Will open up to reveal a weaker door. That door is deliberately weak enough, so that even your tanks can ram through with ease. However, in return, as soon as that weaker door is exposed, we'll expose you to air pollution."
"Air pollution?" the girls asked, confused.
"Car exhaust and its related gases," RK replied. "That is the weakness of you Senshazons. You Senshazons are clearly stronger and better than us all. However, unlike us, you easily get immobilized by air pollution. We discovered that, when one of our captured Senshazons easily fainted at the smell of gas from a military truck. We soon found that out, and immobilized some schoolgirls like you."
Miho then gasped.
"O-other girls from the schools?!" she asked, now remembering RK mentioning about "previous leaders."
"Yes," he replied. "Since you girls are the most intelligent and best-behaved, we'll spill some good beans. The Sunshade Industries wants to become its own state, with our own ways of life. No government to control us, and nobody, not even the news reporters, to nose into our business. Plus, we are especially interested in Virago."
"Virago?" the girls asked, a little calmer this time.
"In order to understand magic," he explained. "You'll have to understand the Virago. In the Senshazon race, the Virago girls are the only girls with real control of magic. All other Senshazons simply cannot freely harness the energy, only using bits of it. Each Senshazon has enough energy to charge an average energy canister. However, Virago girls are even better; they have enough energy to charge at least 10 canisters.
"Plus, you girls can use magic directly, which threatens our business...and our government. In fact, we have backing from a few governments, especially those of Venezuela, Cuba, and some nations that do not like the NATO, the UN, and whatnot. We realize that you girls technically have monopoly over magic, since you girls can use it much like 'free energy.' Ha! Now that we know, we can finally get you all!
"And there is more. Virago girls are technically the "queens" of your states. Virago girls are the only reason for the girls still alive; killing you kills the entire society, forcing the survivors to either side with us, or die in vain."
"You have to be kidding..." Miho panted, breathing heavy. Now, she realized that the fate of her very school...no, it was imperative to survive.
"We got only a few," RK retorted in annoyance. "We've gotten the girls of the Count High School, the Gregor High School, the Koala Forest High School, Maple High School, and Tategoto High School. They were easy, but not as desirable as the St. Gloriana or Saunders."
Miho and her teams sighed in relief. At least their friends were still alive, although they gave silent condolences to the girls whose energy was...extracted.
"But now," RK said. "We have gotten the best bait ever: your state, Ooarai, has the most Virago ever so far. All of you are Virago!"
Miho and her friends looked at each other in shock. That meant...
"And another thing," he continued. "Virago girls are all leaders or major members of the Senshadou teams."
Which implies, Miho thought in horror. That all of the Senshadou team in New Ooarai is...is...
"Well," RK said, stretching. "I have said enough already. And we have given you a hope spot. Let's see if you can survive this!"
The door opened up, and the girls saw that the wall appeared a little cracked.
"Soon," RK said, smirking. "The gases will appear, and you will have only a moment to try and escape. Nobody has done this before; I like to see you try."
"Quick!" Miho shouted. "Into the tanks!"
The girls quickly tried to get in, but suddenly black and blue puffs ejected out of hidden holes from the floor. All girls immediately gagged; although the smells were familiar, this time the girls felt like choking.
"Augh!" they all coughed, falling down, gasping. Miho, Hana, Anzu, and Caesar all stood their ground, although trembling.
"What-augh-the?!" Caesar coughed, then fell down.
"This-is?!" Hana shook, trying to remain standing. "Mi-ho-san...this-is...no."
Both saw Anzu shiver, then fall down, writhing in pain.
"And remember," RK taunted them. "If you girls can get out, then it's the first time ever!"
"How can this happen?!" Miho panted. "How-how can this happen?!"
"Sorry," Hana said, as she went down. Miho coughed, struggling to cover her mouth with her collar. The air was clearly car exhaust, the same smell as that of cars back home. However, the smell now had a paralyzing effect, incapacitating her very body.
"I am...sorry," Miho gasped, as she fell down. Suddenly, she heard a cracking sound.
Her necklace broke a little, so that three beads fell down. Without realizing it, she fell facedown, and her lips touched one of the beads.
"Ah...ha...huh?" she whispered.
She felt the bead going down; she somehow swallowed a detached bead. Suddenly, she felt her body restoring back, and the gases somehow lost their power over her. She slowly got up, and realized that she felt better.
"What...?" she coughed. "What happened...the beads?"
She saw two other beads that fell down, and she inferred what happened.
"The necklace?" Miho pondered.
With resolve, she rose up, using the smoke clouds as cover, and carefully walked to her fallen friends. She put one into Hana's mouth, then into Anzu's.
"Huh?" both girls gasped, as they quickly recovered. "Miho-san?!"
"I don't know why," Miho said, as she took out her necklace. "But the beads here helped us. Quick, get them to swallow them!"
She gave each three beads, and Miho herself took out four (it was a little hard, as the beads were stuck). Hana then went and gave one to Saori, Yukari, and Mako, while Anzu gave one to Momo, Yuzu, and Sodoko. Miho then gave the four to the entire Hippo Team. Soon, all of them rose up, recovering.
"Miho?!" the girls gasped. "What just-"
"Nevermind!" she commanded. "Get into the tanks quick!"
They all obeyed, and got into their tanks.
"Hey boss," a voice echoed through the speakers. "I thought I saw a few get up."
"Nonsense," RK's voice echoed. "There is no way. If they do, we can hire Impalers to get them."
"We have only one functioning," the same voice echoed.
"One is better than nothing," RK replied. "Stop doubting, Paul."
Paul looked like a normal Caucasian man, with features of both a European and a Turk. He had all of the features of a typical European man: tall with dark blond hair and blue eyes. However, he had clearly dark skin, a testament to his time in hot regions. Miho noticed him; unlike RK, he looked nicer.
"Ram it!" Miho shouted. All three tanks roared into action, and slammed into the wall.
CRACK!
The wall stood, but its cracks now started to appear larger.
"What the?!" RK's voice roared.
"How did they recover?!" multiple people's voices echoed, as they witnessed the girls ramming the walls again and again.
"Boss," the same voice named Paul said. "I told you."
"Go!" Miho roared.
CRACK! BOOM!
The wall groaned, then fell down with a huge thud. Behind, a dark tunnel stood, and in the distance was a faint light.
"Go-go-go!" Miho shouted, as all three tanks plowed through the debris one-by-one: the Panzer went first, then the Hetzer and lastly the StuG III.
"Raise the alarm!" RK's voice roared.
"We have never done this before!" another voice echoed. "We have no response team for-"
"JUST DO IT!" RK's voice echoed, smaller this time as the girls managed to speed through the tunnel.
"Move-move-move!" Miho shouted through the radio. "There is a light in the distance; follow me closely!"
The girls drove as fast as they could, as they heard faint noises of sirens from behind. The light in front grew and grew, until the girls could sight the outside. Despite the recent rain, the Sun soon shone through the clouds. The surroundings felt so refreshing; the cool, oxygen-rich air soon rejuvenated the girls, as their tanks started to touch on brown but real soil.
Out of the vault and into a nearby forest
Halfway between Mount Roraima and Caracas, Venezuela
12:00 PM; April 2, 20XX
"We're free!" the Hippo girls' screams echoed, as the girls escaped out of the tunnel. Speeding with all of their might, the three tanks bolted out, crashing into a dense patch of vegetation, which still dripped with the recent rain.
"Hurry!" Miho called out. "And-Ogin!"
Ogin was on top of a tree branch, and jumped down, landing perfectly on top of Miho's tank, although she slipped a little due to the water.
"What happened there?!" Ogin asked, getting up. "I saw the entrance cave in and-"
"No time to waste!" Miho called out. "Get in!"
She listened, just as cannon shots roared in the distance. The three tanks all managed to plow further into the forest, and soon were far away. Looking back, the girls saw sirens blaring, and multiple troops coming out.
"Keep going!" Miho commanded, as the girls continued to plow through more vegetation. "And zigzag too; keep the enemies confused, and split up!"
They obeyed.
"But keep close!" Miho spoke again, and the three tanks zigzagged through the woods, keeping an eye on each other. Miho looked behind, and saw some soldiers, in strange, black gear, trying to follow.
"They look creepy!" Sodoko's voice echoed, as she watched the soldiers from turret of the StuG.
"Some Nazi super-soldiers?" Erwin pondered.
Fortunately, the tanks had powerful engines, and strong tracks that helped them to move far away fast enough. Although tanks were not designed for high speed, they were great at cross-country movement, so that the girls easily moved through the forest floor. Behind, the soldiers were trying to catch up, but strangely some plants started to regrow back quickly, hindering their movement. Miho watched them, and took note.
"Aren't they following us?" Sodoko asked.
"I think they cannot," Miho said. "The plants are...I don't know, but our magic seems to affect the plants."
"Then let us see if we can!" Sodoko shouted, spreading her hands out as if casting a spell. "Hmm...can I do this?"
"What are you doing?" Mako's voice echoed.
"They said that we're Virago," Sodoko said. "And if we have full control of magic, then we can-wow!"
Suddenly, behind the StuG, more plants erupted out, creating a dense wall of vegetation. Miho gasped.
"That is possible!" she exclaimed, and then raised her right hand, as if summoning a powerful spell. Suddenly, giant trees erupted out from where the tanks were, literally blocking their views.
"Way to go!" Yukari squealed with delight, as the tanks continued to move. Soon, the girls saw that the soldiers behind struggled; the sudden appearance of plants was too much, and they soon retreated back.
"We're safe!" Sodoko grunted.
"Let's not waste a single moment," Miho said. "Let's move."
The tanks hurried back. Nobody even took a break; Miho noticed the time.
"It's noon," Miho muttered, then fixed her radio. "Girls! We will move ASAP to our base. Waste no time!"
"Hai!" the others responded, and revved up their engines as much as possible. The tanks roared, and kept moving on. Fortunately, after about an hour, the girls started to calm down, although they kept looking behind.
"Miporin!" Saori cried out. "Th-thank you!"
"Huh?"
The others heard, and gave their tanks as well.
"W-wait!" Miho gasped. "What did I do?"
"You saved us!" Momo cried. "I felt like dying there, and you revived me!"
"I did not," Miho answered. "I found a way, somehow."
"Thanks!" Caesar said, wiping her tears.
"That was amazing," Erwin admitted, fixing her hat, which she managed to keep on.
"I thought I was dead!" Sodoko moaned, crying. "What was that? Super-powerful choking gas?"
"That's what happened?!" Ogin asked. "When I saw that door closed back there, I did not know what to do. So, I walked around, until I saw another entrance open. So, I climbed on top of a branch, and saw you guys."
"Good thing we got you!" Sodoko groaned.
The girls then explained what they learned to Ogin. She paled.
"That means..." she gasped. "That ALL of us girls in the former Senshadou club are...Virago?"
"And it appears," Miho said. "That the Sunshade Industries wants to extract our magic or energy, which means basically killing us outright."
Ogin shook.
"But Miho-san," Hana said. "How did you save us there?"
They all stared at her, curious. Nodding, she took out her necklace. It had 13 beads missing, but it had a good number still attached.
"Yosef gave this to me," she said. "I am going to ask him what he did to make this. I think he saved us."
"And let's make more of that!" Momo shouted. "I don't want to feel that again! Ugh! That smoke-thing almost killed us!"
"It was actually normal gas," Miho explained. "Remember? It was the same smell as the car exhaust we smelled back home."
"And that's one key weakness of ours?" Ogin asked.
"Apparently so," Miho replied. "And apparently, only they seem to know about it, until now."
The revelation then dawned on them.
"We better tell the others!" Sodoko replied.
"Let's talk to our Virago girls first," Miho said. "Then, if we believe possible, we'll tell others."
"I think it's better to keep it to ourselves," Hana said. "Until we fully understand what had happened. So many things happened already..."
"You are right," Miho said, turning to look behind. An angry, black thundercloud clapped and roared, the bolts of energy striking back and forth. Squinting her eyes, she barely could notice the vault, which was now whirling with helicopters.
"Let's hurry," Miho said.
RING!
"It's Yosef!" Saori cried out.
"Yosef-sama!" Miho called through.
"Girls!" Yosef's voice echoed, with a clear sign of concern and shock. "What happened there?! I lost contact with you, and took me hours to get back in!"
"Escape back to base ASAP," she commanded him. "We're in danger."
"Roger that!" he replied without hesitation. "But Miho; we need help with one of our tanks! We're somewhere in the north of Mount Ooarai!"
"We'll be there!" she called. "Girls, go back to base and prepare! My team will go and help Yosef's group!"
They obeyed, and the Panzer veered off. The Hetzer and the StuG continued to make a beeline for a familiar tepui, which loomed in the distance. The Panzer then went to the left.
"Where are you?" she asked.
Suddenly, she saw a faint light appear to rise up, before flickering.
"Get there!" Miho called out. "Girls, we have no time to waste! Yosef-sama, we're coming!"
"Thank you!" his voice echoed.
"Let's go," Miho panted.
Back at the fake vault, which was really a Sunshade base...
"We failed to get them," one of the soldiers reported.
"Curses!" RK roared, throwing a small tantrum.
"You should have been more careful," Paul said, approaching.
"Paul," RK said. "You are right; I should have listened to you."
"No worries," Paul said, showing him what looked like a 3D image from his watch. "The Impaler is ready."
"Send it," RK said.
"It's already going."
RK smiled.
"Thank you," he replied.
And there you go. The first "real" antagonist, other than the Salvajes/Selvagens and maybe other implied people in the previous chapters.
So, if you are wondering, the Sunshade Industries was originally supposed to appear in my previous stories, especially the "Girls Wild Rise" series. However, due to time constraints and dissatisfaction with the way my last project went, I decide to finally feature the Industries in this chapter. New Silicon is mentioned, which was the main villain in one of my previous stories. However, the Sunshade Industries is more or less the main "evil corporation" that will appear, but I intend to do this with twists.
And it's just the beginning...
Note: I also added a few references, such as "Jurassic World" and "Fullmetal Alchemist." There is also a slight reference to "Monsters Inc.," using the canisters to extract energy. And a reference to "Nazi super-soldiers," courtesy of "Wolfenstein."
I also give a shout-out to aGuestfromGreece45, for the idea of extracting girls for energy. His story "The Ether Conflict" has definitely improved, so much so that even I am now inspired by elements of his own story. Thank you for all your hard work and improvement.
Reviews, likes, and follows are appreciated.
Thank you, and panzer vor.
