Chapter 10: Resolution

Wilcox was with Colonel Asami inside a base as they looked at the bodies of the men who had attacked the estate.

"We have a positive id on a few of them. This one was a Victor Markov, former Russian paratrooper, dishonorably discharged after raping a woman in Georgia. This one was Fredrick Williams, French Foreign legion , dishonorably discharged after they discovered he was selling looted gear of dead men. Atith Puth, former Cambodian army combat engineer, suspected of murdering an officer, disappeared after the incident."

"People from all over the world. What were they doing here?" Colonel Asami asked.

"Right now our best guess is that they were operating as mercenaries. But we still don't know for who. However, they were well equipped and financed. But here's the interesting part, their gear and uniforms they had are the same as the three men we caught trying to get through the gate."

"We'll have to have another word with them. I want to know who these people were and who they're working for." Colonel Asami said as agent Wilcok nodded.

"Also regarding princess Pina, we looked at the Diet's security cameras again and found something interesting." Wilcox said as he took out a laptop and showed the colonel a video.

Asami saw from a camera, Pina getting into the bus with Itami and the others, Bozes right beside her before it drove off.

"Notice the direction they're going in. Now watch as she comes back." Asami saw Pina walked through the a gate on the opposite side of the Diet, guards recognizing her before taking Pina inside.

"She came from the opposite direction?"

"And alone. I talked with Itami and later Lt Rian, they both claim she was in the bus and then the estate the whole time. I don't see why they'd lie, there's also this." Agent Wilcok said as he played another video, it showed the bus.

"The bus has a security cam."

"She was on the bus the whole time. What does this mean?"

"I don't know Colonel, we know magic exists in the special region. So it's entirely possible that this was something like that. But was it Pina's doing or not. She seemed adamant on wanting peace, the last thing she'd want the man who could give her peace dead, and dead by her face."

"She may not understand our world and it's political structure. Perhaps she believes that if she killed him that there would be a leadership struggle and we'd fight each other like old empires and kingdoms." Colonel Asami said.

"Still why would she make it look like herself?"

The Colonel scratched his chin.

"The prime minister still wants her in custody. Have he heard anything from Itami and his team?"

"Nothing yet, we're searching the surrounding area."

"You don't think those attackers captured them?" Asami asked in concern.

"It's entirely possible, but I do remember they had a huge ass dragon with them, several of those merc's vehicles and bodies were torn up and burned. I think the dragon was there at some point, I doubt those mercs had the equipment to fight her."

"Well a dragon shouldn't be hard to find. Keep looking."

"Ex-wife!"

Risa looked up at the others.

"Who did you bring here?"

"Some people from the special region, we need a safe place to stay."

"Special region!" Risa said shaking as she came up to Pina, Rory, Rory, Arkanes, and Lelei with an almost psychotic look on her face.

"I must have you!"

Bozes getting in front of Pina.

They sat down in the room as Risa began eating the food Itami brought her.

Pina and Bozes looking at stacks of manga on shelves with posters also there.

"Full metal Achemist. Sword art online. Bleach." Lelei said reading them.

"It looks like his ex-wife's a fangirl." Mary whispered to Shino who nodded.

Pina carefully taking some of the manga and smiling as she looked at them.

"Hey it's a small version of one of those screens." Bozes said touching a button.

"Hey, I don't use lights and tv at the same time." Risa said as Bozes and the others saw an anime on tv.

They saw a young man with spiky brown hair and light brown eyes. Several young men and women in colored armor in dinosaur like designs behind him, a strange red monster with a golden claw.

"Go dino buckler!" He shouted as a red t-rex version of the armor formed over him.

"Come at me!" He shouted as he stood in front of a little girl. A red lizard like creature breathing fire into the monster.

The young man began fighting the monster, those from the special region watching the beautiful animation in awe.

"What is this!? It's like the manga, but." Pina asked.

"That's an anime, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, the pokemon version." Itami said.

"Oh I loved that one! Much better than the Shinkenger one that followed." Takeo said.

"I liked it , but I thought there were too many love scenes." Itami said.

Risa came over and turned it off.

"I can't afford to keep all this electricity on." Risa said before looking at the girls and Arkanes again.

"I have to have you! You'll be perfect!" She said as they sweat dropped and backed up, Daniel's dragon growling at her.

"You have an ex-wife!" Shino almost shouted.

"I didn't think it was any of your business sergeant." Itami said as Shino got quite.

"She's not what I expected sir." Tomita said.

"No, but our marriage wasn't exactly a regular one."

"What do you mean?" Mary asked.

"Well I met her in college, back when I was first starting Time-warriors. We met at an anime and manga club. I told the others my idea, they thought it wouldn't work. Risa did, so we started working on it together. But she had some serious financial problems, and I really liked the way the manga was going. So, we decided to keep working together after college support each other. Marriage seemed like a practical way to do that." Itami said.

"What does she do exactly?" Shino asked

"She helped me with the artwork, and helps other manga writers with there's, though it's not as financially sound as making the full manga while also serving as an army officer. So I still help her when I can."

"Ahhh! You'll all make such beautiful art!" Risa said.

The door opened as they saw Daniel come in soaked with a very serious expression on his face.

"There you are." Itami said.

"Daniel, you're here too?" Risa said.

"Where's Tuka?" Mary asked.

"She's gone!"

"What!?" They shouted.

"Someone took her."

"How do you know that?" Tomita asked.

"I just know!"

"Shit, that's not good." Itami said.

"Who?" Risa said.

"An elf girl with us." Lelei said.

"An elf girl too!" Risa almost shouted.

"Come on, we need to find her!" Daniel shouted as the others got up.

"We'll find her."

"Let's split into groups of two." Daniel said.

"I'll go with Bozes." Jiraiya said as Bozes blushed.

Itami turned to Pina before Rory grabbed his arm.

"I'll be going with Itami." She said as Itami sweat dropped.

"I will accompany Mary." Lelei said.

"Private you're with me." Tomita said.

"I can go with Iondraet on my own." Arkanes said.

"Risa, I'd like to get to know you more." Shino said.

"That leaves you and me Pina." Daniel said as she got up and nodded.

The group split up and left the apartment, Sino and Tomita using the two vehicles while the others moved on foot or via dragon.

Shino drove the vehicle while Risa looked out the window.

"What does she look like?"

"She's got light skin, blue eyes , and yellow-blonde hair."

"I hope we find her soon."

"Me too."

"I'd love to capture the image of a real elf."

Shino sweat dropped.

"So, I know this is a bit of a personal question but…You're Itami's ex-wife. But you seem to be on good terms."

"Well Itami and I were more like friends when we were married than husband and wife."

"So you never."

"What? Of course we did, we were married."

Shino sweat dropped.

"Sorry, I…That's none of my business….I hate the be nosey, but did you have problems with your marriage."

"Not exactly, we didn't fight or anything."

"They why did you get divorced?"

"Well, it was about a year ago we got divorced. I think it was that we both realized that our marriage was built more on working together than actual love. We saw each other more as friends, and decided it was for the best that we just be friends instead of spouses."

"So you do the artwork for his manga?"

"Some of it, I work with a few manga writers. It's an unappreciated career, and an underpaid one." Shino smiling and shaking her head.

Shino had expected Risa to have divorced Itami because of his laid back personality, instead it was something else. Perhaps she had misjudged her Lieutenant too much.

Elsewhere , Itami was looking through some of the streets with Rory. The rain still coming down as Itami Rory did their best to stay dry.

"Tuka!" Itami shouted before noticing a pair of people walking.

"Hey!" He shouted before rushing over to them.

"Excuse me, have you seen a young woman. She was white, blue eyes, yellowish blonde hair, ears pointed?"

The two shook their heads.

"Damn it."

"Tuka!" He heard, looking up to see Rory jumping across building tops to get a better view.

She leapt down and in front of Itami.

"No sign of her."

Itami sighed.

"Come on, let's keep moving."

The two continued down the streets, Itami noticing Rory come closer before grabbing his arm. Itami's swear dropping as she rubbed her head against his arm.

"Rory…Are you really nine-hundred and sixty-two years old?"

"Yes. I've been a servant of Elmroy for a long time. I've seen so many things, but nothing like your world….Or someone like you." Rory said licking her lips.

"Uhhh Rory, I." Itami said sounding nervous.

"I've noticed you seem to have a thing for me…"

"Ohh Itami, sweet Itami. Whatever gave you that idea?" She said rubbing her head against his arm.

"I just think."

"I hope you understand, an oracle of Elmroy does not leave unsatisfied. She they kill anyone who get's in their way." Rory said as Itami got afraid, not only for himself but for someone else.

Daniel and Pina were looking through the streets together.

"Tuka!" Daniel shouted, Pina able to hear the fear and desperation in his voice.

"Don't worry, we'll find her." Pina said as Daniel held his face.

"This is all my fault." he said looking like he was ready to tear up.

"Daniel, you didn't come in for a while. What happened?"

"…..Tuka almost got herself killed back at the estate because she was looking for her dead father….Before I was trying to think of a way to ease her into it, but after I saw her nearly die because of it… Just got so mad…I confronted her and told her that her father was dead, I yelled it at her angrily. She broke down and ran away…" Daniel said tearing up as he held his face.

"Come on, stop thinking like that finding her is more important right now."

Daniel lowered his hands and nodded.

"Let's go."

Elsewhere, Tuka woke up inside a dark room. She was tied to a chair with a gag over her mouth and her cloths torn up. The elf girl trying to break free as she cried out in fear. Hearing loud music like sounds outside the room. Tuka began screaming louder as she saw two large men on the ground with blood spilling out around their mangled bodies, the two having earpieces and black shirts with "security" in japanese on them.

"Shh , shh , shh." She heard, turning to see what she thought was her father standing over her.

"Stop fussing about dear, you're only going to make things harder for yourself." Tuka nearly tearing up as she saw him step in front of her and place his hand on her cheek, the hand transforming into almost talon like fingers with claws on the end, Tuka screaming as she was scratched, blood being drawn.

"Now you're going to tell me where princess Pina is."

Daniel and Pina kept looking and asking people when they got to a night club, Daniel asking someone near the curb.

"Yeah, I think I did see something." He said.

"You did!?"

"Yeah some guy carrying this girl into the back of that club. I told the bouncers and they went back there, but didn't come back. Maybe I should have called the cops."

Daniel and Pina turned to each other and nodded.

Pina grabbing the pommel of her sword as Daniel took out his pistol.

They pushed their way to the front of the line where they noticed two large bouncers guarding the door.

"Come on, I wasn't causing any trouble I was just talking to her?" A smaller young man said before one of the bouncers threw him to the ground then shocked him with a hand taser, the other using pepper spray on other young men and women to keep them back from the door.

The two bouncers saw Itami and Pina with their weapons.

"Hey you can't go in here with wea-" The one with the taser started as he came at Daniel only to have Daniel grab his wrist and twist it into an arm bar, the man screaming in pain as he dropped the taser before Daniel punched him in the face, breaking his nose as he fell to the ground.

Pina knocking the pepper spray out of the other bouncer's hand before grabbing his arm and flipping him over her body , brining him to the ground. The people in line rushing in as the bouncers were almost trampled.

Daniel and Pina began looking around for Tuka.

"He said she'd be in the back." Pina said as they split up and tried to find a good way back.

Daniel carefully moved through the club, moving past drunk patrons on the dance floor before his eyes widened. Tuka looking afraid as she moved through the club near the back.

"Tuka!" Daniel shouted, putting his pistol away as he rushed over.

"Daniel." She said rushing over.

As Daniel reached her, he was relieved to see her unharmed.

"Tuka, thank god. I was afraid I'd never see you again."

"I'm sorry I ran off like that."

"No, I shouldn't have said that too you."

"It's alright, let's just get back to Pina and the others."

Daniel's expression changed slightly, looking at Tuka closer, his new rider abilities allowing him to pick up on things he hadn't before.

"You didn't lose it did you?"

"What?" Tuka asked.

"You know that thing I gave you back at."

"The estate yes, I'm sorry , but I think I dropped the dog tags."

Daniel's expression changed for a moment.

"So you think I was right in our fight?"

"I should have listened. It was foolish of me to think papa was still ali-

Daniel smashed his elbow across her face before kicking her onto her back.

"Daniel!" She said sounding afraid before he pulled his gun.

"Where's Tuka!?"

Tuka's face turned angry , her eyes changing into blood red as she hissed before kicking the gun away, a bullet firing as the people in the club screamed and began running.

Tuka vanished into the crowd as Daniel quickly looked around.

"Pina! Tuka's not Tuka!" Daniel said before he felt someone grab him. He turned and aimed his gun at Pina who had a terrified look.

"Oh, hey whoever took Tuka made himself look like her." Daniel said lowering his gun.

"What!? Oh shit, it's a shapeshifter."

"Shapeshifter?"

"We have them in our world. They can take the form of anyone they touch or see in the minds of people they've touched. They're quite rare and very dangerous. How did one get here?"

"I don't know, but we need to keep our eyes open."

"Daniel!" He heard, turning to see Another Pina holding a sword.

"Get away from her! That's a shapeshifter, we have them in our world!"

Daniel's eyes widened as he backed up, the Pina beside him drawing her sword.

"She's the shapeshifter!"

"No she is!"

Daniel looked at the two.

"Ok shut the hell up! I'm going to ask you a question, something only the real Pina would know."

The Pina who arrived second looked nervous while the first one looked relieved.

"Where did Itami and I meet?"

"I, uhhh, in Japan?" The second Pina who arrived said nervously.

"You met at Ranger school!" The first Pina asked.

"Right." Daniel said turning his gun to the second Pina who shook in fear.

"Daniel." She said.

"The thing is, I told Rory and the others how Itami and I never met. But we never told Pina." Daniel said before turning and shooting the first Pina who fell onto the ground.

The second Pina exhaled in relief before the two heard a hiss. The first Pina's eyeballs turning red as she got up , her body transforming into something else entirely.

Daniel watched in horror as the shapeshifter showed his true form. His skin a pale green and rough. His back hunched over slightly with a few spikes coming out of the back , talon like hands with sharp claws and a large and sharp beak on his face with teeth inside. He took out a cloak and put it over him before drawing a pair of curved blades.

"Now you both die!" He hissed before jumping up nearly six feet into the air at them. The two moved back, Daniel firing a few more bullets, two hitting their mark as the shapeshifter grunting as the bullets hit him but only caused minor injuries.

As the shapeshifter landed , Pina rushed forward and knocked his blades away with her sword, doing her best to keep up with him , but the shapeshifter was much faster and stronger than Tuka or any normal human.

He grabbed Pina and held her up with one hand before raising his blade.

Daniel emptied his magazine into the shapeshifter before rushing forward and slamming his fist across the monster's head. His now enhanced strength causing the shapeshifter to drop Pina and stumble backwards.

The shapeshifter hissed before slashing at Daniel fast and almost acrobatically with his claws and blades.

Daniel drew a combat knight and did his best with his close-quarters combat training. Using counter-strikes and redirections to keep the shapeshifter back and deliver a few blows. But the shapeshifter was just as skilled in close- quarters fighting and just as strong and fast, if not stronger and faster, as Daniel with his new abilities.

The shapeshifter managed to cut Daniel across his arm , Daniel grunting before he was kicked back. The shapeshifter about to leap on him before Pina rushed forward and slashed her sword across him. The shapeshifter grunting as he came back and exchanged blows with Pina who kept her distance and remembered what Grey and Zorzal taught her about fighting bigger and stronger opponents.

She tried to use swifter counter strikes, managing to cut the shapeshifter a few times, her blade finally drawing some blue blood before the shapeshifter snatched her sword with his beak and tossed it away before slashing across her body, Pina's armor denting and caving in as Pina was forced onto the ground.

Daniel loaded another magazine into his gun and shot at the shapeshifter's hands, the monster shrieking as his blades were forced out of his hands.

Daniel tried to hit his eyes, but the shapeshifter leapt up and slashed the gun in half with his talons.

Daniel backed up with his knife in hand using it as best he could with his strength and fighting technique, slashing his opponent's arm before grabbing it and flipping the shapeshifter over his body and onto the ground. The shapeshifter kicked Daniel back, showing surprising flexibility. Daniel grunted as she was slashed across the chest, his kevlar getting ripped up and his skin torn.

As the shapeshifter got up, he cried out in pain as Pina came from behind and stabbed her sword through his back. The shapeshifter crying out in pain as Pina drove it further into his body. The shapeshifter turned and knocked Pina away, grabbing the sword and pulling it out of his body before Daniel punched his head.

The shapeshifter tried to get up, but Daniel kicked him, coming closer and knocking the shapeshifter's forearms away with his own before smashing his elbows, fists, and knees into the shapeshifter's head and body before the shapeshifter came forward and knocked Daniel back with his body.

Pina grabbed her sword and smashed it agains the shapeshifter's body, more blood coming out as the shapeshifter cried out in pain.

Backing up as he saw Pina and Daniel. The shapeshifter shrieked before running off and out of the club.

Daniel and Pina exhaled in relief.

"Ok let's find Tuka!" Daniel kicked open the door to the backroom where he and Pina saw two dead bouncers on the ground and Tuka tied to a chair.

"Tuka!" Daniel shouted as he sprinted over, Tuka crying as she saw the two. Tuka looked roughed up, her cloths torn and a scratch mark across her face.

"It's ok, he's gone." Daniel said as he cut the ropes off. Tuka still crying as she almost jumped into Daniel's arms. Tuka tried to breath as Daniel held her.

"It's ok, you're safe." Daniel said tearing up as Pina smiled looking at the two.

Daniel carried Tuka in his arms as the three left the back room only to see a dozen SDF special forces soldiers aiming their guns at them with agent Wilcok in front.

"Lieutenant Rian, princess Pina. So glad we finally found you."

The shapeshifter limped down the back alley's , trying to get away before he was hit in the back by a pair of bean bag shotgun rounds.

The shapeshifter cried out as he was forced onto the ground, several men wearing green uniforms and black ski masks coming over him and throwing a net onto the shapeshifter.

"Go go go!" One shouted as they loaded him into a van and drove off.

Pina sat with Bozes, Itami, Shino, Takeo and Tomita on a couch with agent Wilcok, Colonel Asami, and prime minister Hojo across from them.

They were all watching the video from the nightclub's security cameras, seeing the shapeshifter turn into Pina and then fight her and Daniel.

Hojo clasped his hands together and held them to his mouth as he watched the feed.

"Well, i'd say now I've seen everything, but with this special region, I probably haven't." Hojo said.

"This is proof enough that you didn't try and kill the prime minister, we're sorry for any trouble you had princess." Colonel Asami said.

"It's fine, I just need to know if the peace offer?"

"It stands." Hojo said as Bozes and Pina exhaled in relief.

"I would like to return home and give this offer to my father."

"You may, Lieutenant Itami you and the others will be returning to the special region as well." Itami noticing Pina seemed a little excited hearing that.

"Foreign minister Sugawara will also be accompanying you, to act as the official emissary to the empire."

"Yes sir." Itami said.

"I guess we're going home." Lelei said.

Elsewhere, Tuka was looked at by a doctor , a bandage put on her cheek.

"She should be fine, no permanent damage."

"Thank you." Daniel said.

"A shapeshifter, damn that's crazy." Jiraiya said.

"Quite dangerous as well, you were lucky to have driven him off." Arkanes said.

"Hey!" Tomita said as he came in.

"We're heading back to the special region, pack your things."

"Iondraet will be happy." Arkanes said.

Daniel looked back at Tuka but she was gone.

Tuka found herself back outside in the rain, looking up at the night sky.

"Tuka." She heard, turning to see Daniel.

Tuka began to tear up and shake.

"He's really gone isn't he…..Papa." She said shaking before Daniel came over and took her shoulders.

"…I didn't want to believe it, for so long I didn't want to think it was true. But papa is gone, forever." She said.

"I'm sorry, and I'm sorry for what I did…..It's just when I saw you almost die because of it…I was so scared for you…Plus, I know, I know how dangerous denial can be." Tuka slowly turning to Daniel who was now tearing up, him looking sadder than she had ever seen him.

"There's a reason I obsess over things, why I don't drink…My parents."

"Your parent's?" Tuka asked.

"…..Tuka , when I was seven years old, my parents and I were driving home from a late movie. It was storming out, and I was afraid we'd crash, but my parents told me not to worry…..As we got onto a bridge, a drunk driver hit us and sent us tumbling into the river. I remember how scared I was, the car filling with water, unable to breath..I blacked out, woke up in an ambulance with a firefighter reviving me."

Daniel tried to breath.

"When the firemen told me what happened, I told them my parents had to have gotten out. I spent three years thinking they got out, constantly running away from school and my grandparents' house to get to the river, trying to find them…..Until one day I fell in and nearly drowned, my grandfather pulling me out and yelling at me that they were dead, that I had to move on."

Tuka saw the pain an anguish in Daniel's eyes.

"I couldn't let the same thing happen to you Tuka…..Im sorry."

Tuka hugged Daniel tightly , the two embracing each other as the rain came down on them.

As Tuka moved her head back, the two looked at each other again, staring deeply into each other's eyes, Daniel putting his hand on Tuka's face before he pulled her in, pressing his lips against hers. Tuka held her arms around Daniel's shoulder's tightly Daniel now putting his hands around Tuka as they kissed passionately in the rain.

Unknown to the two, everyone else including Iondraet and Risa were watching. Arkanes shaking his head as Daniel's dragon let out an excited growl.

Itami smiled.

"I knew it."

The next morning, the group were in a convoy of vehicles, Itami and the others back in their combat uniforms as hundreds of people saw them off, waving their hands and taking pictures.

Iondraet roared , getting them more excited/scared.

Jiraiya drove a humvee with Mary beside him, the two looking back to see Daniel sitting with Tuka asleep, her head resting against his shoulder , his arm around her while his dragon rested in his lap. The two smiling.

Pina and Bozes were in Itami's vehicle, Sugawara also with them.

Bozes looked out the window at the humvee.

"Princess, would you mind if when we returned, we stayed at the coalition base for a night or two. You know wait for our other nights to arrive. We shouldn't travel the land alone."

Pina looked at Bozes's expression and smiled.

"Alright, but no longer than that."

"Yes princess."

"Let's get going then. " Itami said as Takeo started the vehicle.

"Here I come Persia!" He shouted looking excited.

The convoy driving through the gate with Iondraet and Arkanes following.

In Risa's apartment she opened a package Itami had given her the night before. Inside was money, a note attached saying "Enough for two months."

Risa looked even more excited as she saw photos of Rory, Lelei, Pina, Tuka, Bozes, and Arkanes.

"Yes!"

The shapeshifter woke up inside a dark room. He was chained to a chair and desperately tried to break free.

He shrieked before being hit across the face with the stock of an AK-47.

He saw the men with the ski-masks around him, one coming in front of him with a pistol in hand.

"Do you understand japanese?"

The shapeshifter hissed before being shot in the arm and hissing louder.

"Do you understand japanese!?"

"Yesssss"

"That's more like it, our employer would like to have a word with you."

A laptop was set in front of the shapeshifter before it was turned on. The shapeshifter seeing a man wearing a very expensive suit sitting on the other side. He had brown eyes, and thick black hair which was thickest on the top of his head. A pair of glasses on his face as well.

"Hello, being from the special region. My name is Dong Dechou, president of China. I'd like to talk to you about this world you come form."

Author's note

And so, our heros return to the Special region with an offer of peace,

The Diabo's plan has failed for now,

We learn some more of Daniel's backstory, plus he and Tuka are now in a relationship

So until next time.

Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)