Chapter 10: Hero's time off
(December 2, 2001 Sunday) (Takeru's room)
Haa… I could barely sleep last night after yesterday's bizarre vision. The echo of that kid's call for her dad was just so pure and innocent that it kept ringing at the back of my head. I can still remember that picture. Even though it was a bit blurry I can feel a sense of longing from that place. I wanted to discuss it with the professor but unfortunately for me she had to report to the command center to finalize the operation for the coup d'état. I had no other choice but to bear with the vision for now.
During training, that image kept repeating itself to me like the sequel of a movie that I missed a long time ago. It kept rolling over and over and whenever I saw it, I felt a small ting of emotion poking at the front of my chest. Was that something I should remember? A piece of memory that's been lodged in my head that I've only just remembered? Well whatever it was, that memory kept distracting me from my training and Marimo chan scolded me for day dreaming in the middle of simulator combat.
Click… click…
Hmm?
Knock knock…
Who can that be at this hour? It's barely even five o'clock so it can't be Kasumi. She usually comes in right away without knocking and shakes me up.
Knock… knock…
"One minute…" I answered, making myself look a bit presentable before opening the door. For all I know it could be Marimo and she'll probably give me another lecture if I look like mess in front of an officer. "Who is it?"
"Shirogane, it's me" Eh? Yuuko sensei?
I quickly opened the door to find the professor there looking like she's been up all night preparing something. "Professor? What is it? Is something wrong?"
"That's what I was about to ask you" She replied looking a bit bewildered. "I thought I told you that we were going to have a meeting yesterday. I stayed up all night waiting for you in my office. (Huh?) Didn't Yashiro tell you anything?"
"Kasumi?" I thought back for a moment. "Well she did come to visit me in the PX but she never said anything about meeting you" Well I did spoon feed her so that might've distracted her from her original purpose of visiting me. "But then again we did do a lot of things after lunch" I quickly brought Yuuko sensei into the room to prevent eavesdroppers from listening.
"Is that the reason why she's all dopy last night? (Eh?) When Yashiro got back I was actually surprised to see her smiling so brightly. I should've known something must've happened to put her in such a good mood" She gave me a sigh which I responded with a half hearted laugh. "Well anyway. Come to the office later tonight. It's Sunday so you have the day off. I'll need to finalize something with you. (Ma'am…) There are only a few more days now so I hope you're prepared. (Yes ma'am…) Oh by the way… (Hmm?) It seems like another one of your predictions came true today"
"One of my predictions?"
"You told me of the incident in Mt. Tengen, remember?"
Ah yeah I remember now. That was pretty much the trigger that started this whole rebellion, the last straw for Sagiri and his troops against the government's injustice.
"Oh yeah. If I remember correctly, the volcano blew up destroying most of the land around it" I added remembering the details of my first sortie many loops ago.
"I've arranged some rookies from Yamanashi base to aid with the evacuation of squatters so we won't have to deploy troops from here"
"Thanks. I'll write ten pages of the equation and deliver it to you tonight" She nodded in agreement of our earlier trade deal. "The squatters there are all elderly people and they want to stay there even if it kills them. (…ohh…) And it took a long while to do so and because of that we lost some TSFs on that mission. So please try to force them out as best as possible but be gentle with them"
"… Very well. I'll tell them that. I'll go make the arrangements and… eh?" But then Yuuko stopped when she noticed the door to my room opening again. To her surprise, Kasumi was there.
"…!" The silver haired bunny girl was equally surprised as well to see the woman in my room and of course even more so when she noticed I was already awake.
"H… hey there Kasumi, good morning" I greeted her with a cute wave. "Sorry but Yuuko sensei woke me already" She gave a small and rather childish glare at the professor which Yuuko raised a brow in reply. I guess she doesn't like it when someone else does her job for her.
"Hoo? So this is what you do every morning?" Yuuko inquired darting her eyes to both of us. "I was wondering why you wake up so early. Usually you'd stay in your room all day long"
"…" Kasumi then turned her glare to me. I guess she really doesn't like it when I wake up first because it pretty much erases the reason for her to visit me. "… hentai…"
GEH!-? What the hell? Where did she learn that word?
"W… wh… what do you mean by that!-?" I asked.
Yuuko sensei simply laughed, adding to my irritation. "Well it seems like you've been judged Shirogane. (Hey!) Yashiro, (…) Why don't you try reading my mind now and tell me what you see?" Wait… what? Kasumi no! Don't!
But I was too late, Kasumi had already focused her mind on the professor and quickly enough, her face suddenly turned bright red like a Christmas tree. This was the first time I've ever seen Yashiro this embarrassed. But it's not surprise seeing that this was Yuuko's brain we were talking about. Even a man like myself can barely scratch the surface of that diabolical-genius brain of hers.
"… ha…!" Kasumi let out a gasp and darted her eye left and right towards me and the professor.
"Hey hey hey!" I yelled out. "What are you showing her!-? Is that even G-rated? Kasumi stop looking at her head. They're all lies!" But the girl kept her focus fixed on the woman as she barraged her with more lewd images.
After awhile Yuuko let out an evil grin. "So…? How was it? (Huuu…) Did you like it? (…) Hoo… such a good girl. Then how about these?"
"Stop it! You're a terrible influence!" I yelled out again but as always it failed to catch Kasumi's attention. However this time, when she was finished, Kasumi's eyes widened considerably.
"…!" The girl gave out a yelp before she suddenly turned to me with an expression I can't really explain. Her face was turning a shade of pinkish red and her body was quivering slightly like she just saw a scary movie. "…" And right before I knew it, she bolted off through the hallway at full speed with her tail between her legs.
"H… hey what did you show her!-?" I demanded from the professor who was whistling innocently in the open. "Hey! Don't just whistle things away like it was nothing! Kasumi never ran that fast before! And the look she gave me was more than suspicious!"
"Who knows~?" She grinned towards me before leaving me to my own imagination.
"Ahhhh! Yuuko sensei!"
(PX)
Sunday off…
Though it was only one day, it was a day every cadet on this base love the most. A little break from all the stress and training was welcomed even for me. Though a few people like Meiya and Chizuru continue on with their independent training I had a chance to kick back and relax to loosen my muscles for a short while. No man can go on forever after all.
"Takeru san!" Oh? It's Tama and Mikoto.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked taking a sip off my tea cup. "Breakfast is about over already. If you're looking for food you'll have to wait for lunchtime"
"We already had breakfast" Mikoto answered. "But Miki san and I thought we'd play a little game here in the PX. No one usually hangs out here after a meal time"
"Yeah lookie lookie" Tama showed me a small pouch on her waist which contained a few toys that the soldiers of this base considered fun. "I brought tons of things to play with too. Beanbags, marbles, and a few cat's cradle strings!" Yeah… thanks to the BETA invasion all forms of entertainment that were present in my world disappeared and were replaced with advance military technology. TV nowadays is considered a luxury for homes and all electronic devices are focused mainly for military needs.
It seems rather disheartening to see that kids their age would never get to experience something like Valgernon ever again. It was thanks to that I became so experienced in the TSFs.
"Oohh you made new bean bags, Miki san. I've never seen this cloth before"
"Kyozuka chan gave them to me so I had plenty of materials to make a whole new batch. Wanna try em?"
"Sure! And Takeru san, you can use this" Mikoto quickly pulled out a kendama from her pocket which I remembered almost instantly. "I bought this from the nurse when I was hospitalized a month ago. I only just remembered it now so I brought it just for you Takeru san"
"Ah… thanks?" I accepted the gift hesitantly. I've played with this little object a few times back in the days and during my other loops. It seemed like a simple little thing, to put the ball in the small hole and then flipping it again. But I really suck at it. In fact… I think I suck at all the retro games I once played when I was a kid. They're just something I don't do anymore. Heck I don't think anyone in my world play those kinds of games after they've graduated from grade school.
The three of us played for awhile shuffling through the games but after awhile I began to think going through the simulator training was more enjoyable for me. At least the visuals there were more entertaining.
I played the Kendama for about ten minutes. Though I was able to get a few shots in I still suck at it compared to everyone else. Bean bags and marbles were no different either. My hand eye-coordination was only good when it came to video games so retro games like this are pretty much out of my league. Hell even Cat's cradle was a challenge for my fingers.
"Ara? So this is where you guys were" We looked up from our table noticing Class rep entering the PX. "You guys playing Cat's Cradle? Mind if I join?"
"Sure" Tama handed her a string. "Yoroi san and I are trying the dancing butterfly. Shirogane's doing Mt. Fuji on his own"
"Hoo? Doing a difficult Cat's Cradle singlehandedly? Can you do it?" She said to me as if teasing a challenge.
"We'll never know unless we try" I've done Cat's cradle before in my loops and always the string snaps from my pinky or my fingers would feel all kinds of cramp. "Ok… first put your pinky here and then twist the string a bit then… aha! There!" I declared proudly holding my tied up fingers up to the group. "Alright Mikoto, pull the center string up and it'll be Mt. Fuji!"
"Are you sure?" My transgender friend asked looking at my string a bit unsure if it will hold. "Your string looks a bit fragile Takeru san. It feels like if I pull it it'll snap"
"Come on try it. It'll hold I promise" I smiled confidently at my work. But just when Mikoto pulled the string, the whole sting suddenly snap out just as she predicted. "Bwahh! No! Not my Mt. Fuji! (See?) That's because you pulled too hard Mikoto!"
"Hideyoshi Toyotomi built a castle in one day and it fell on the next day as well" Class rep said to me in a proverb tone. What the hell does that even mean any way? "It means that the legacy you build will only last as long as you take time to build it"
"Darn it! I'll do it again and make it work this time!" I declared before pulling the string again to its proper position. "Ok, first twist and put my pinky here and… eh?" That's odd, the string snapped on the third move. "Ok I think I got it. Put my thumb here and then, twist it and then… ha?" It snapped again! "Wait wait wait! Put my thumb here and then my pinky and twirl? EH!-? (Ahe…) D… don't laugh just yet. I got it now! First twist, put pinky, move thumb… BWAH!"
"They say that if one kept trying they'll get it eventually" Class rep mocked me. "But I think that the more you keep trying Shirogane, the worse you get"
"SHUT UP!" How can making a simple Cat's Cradle be so hard!-? "Alright what if I do twist, twirl and then… Excalibur!"
"Haa?" the girls simply stared at me with a bemused expression. "Excali… wha?"
"Darn iiiiitttttttttttt!"
"I was wondering why it was so noisy here" Meiya interrupted my loud banter appearing out of nowhere. "It was only you Takeru"
"Oh Mitsurugi san, wanna play Cat's Cradle with us?" Tama offered holding a spare string up to her. "Everyone's doing it. Look even Chizuru san is trying the Soldier's Bed"
"I appreciate the invitation but I must refuse" the Shogun's sister raised her hand in rejection. "I'm more inclined to play another game. I was hoping Sakaki san would entertain me in a game of Shogi. But it seems you are busy"
"Ah I'll take up her place" I offered up quickly putting my Cat's Cradle away.
"Hoo? Running away from the current challenge?" Class rep teased as if trying to irritate me back to that game of strings and twists.
"Shut up! I'll come back to finish that later!" Shogi was a Japanese style chess game. I played it before when I was a kid when it was really popular but it somehow left my mind when I discovered console games with 3D graphics.
Meiya and I set up the table near the gang and placed the pieces in their proper position. Back in my previous loops she defeated me hands down without even having the silver generals or bishop which was a huge handicap for her. But now it will be different. I'll definitely beat her in this loop.
(15 minutes later)
"Damn it…!" I cursed out quietly to myself. The game that we had was a rather quick one and Meiya offered that she would not have the silver generals and bishop like before. I made a good opening move using the Mino Castle style which was pretty popular for beginners like myself. Meiya then tried to ram through my defenses using her lance and pawns which were quite effective in numbers I must say.
I thought I broke her formation by eliminating her knight but it turns out that she lured me during the middle game. Instead, my Mino Castle broke off into tiny pieces and my king was left exposed to her gold generals. But I quickly countered her counterattack using the Shirogane do or die (banzai!) maneuver: Rushing all my troops into the battle, leaving my generals to protect the king. By the time I broke through her defenses, we figured out that this game was a tie.
"Very impressive Takeru" Meiya praised at my abilities. "No one has ever gotten me to a draw before other than Sakaki. Your tactics were ingenious that it kept me guessing what your next move would be"
"Yeah but considering that I had more pieces on the board, I'll have to admit defeat"
"Nonsense" the soft girly chuckle escaped her lips. "Those were the conditions I set for myself. How the game proceeded is all skill. I had thought to lure your entire army with the false rook charge maneuver but it seemed to have failed. However… (Hmm?) If you had brought all your generals to the frontlines, it would've been a different story. Instead you chose to use your strongest units as defenders"
"Well the purpose of the game was to capture the enemy king while trying not to let the enemy do the same to you" I defended. "Besides… I don't like leaving a man behind" And I meant that phrase in more ways than one.
"I see" Meiya nodded though a part of her seemed to be against my motto. "I will not argue against your code of conduct. But sometimes the mission is much more important than a single human life"
"Didn't you just reject my code of conduct just now?"
She laughed. "Yes… yes I did. I contradicted my words. Forgive me. (Hehehe…) Now. Let us play with a full table this time"
"Hoo! Now that I can accept"
(2 hours later)
Tap…
Another draw…
In two hours time Meiya and I played 5 games of Shogi, each game with a unique handicap to make things interesting. By that time, lunch had already started so the PX was rather noisy which made it difficult for either of us to concentrate. But despite that, all we could achieve was a draw.
Our last game took longer though. We both had all of our pieces and made excellent first moves to counter the other. This time however it seems like both Meiya and I had the same idea. We both tried to use Anaguma Castle formation using our generals and lance units as spearheads. But the common thing to happen to happen when both sides use the same technique is that they often lose the same amount of pieces. In the end, neither of us had enough range unit to check each other's kings.
"Waaa…~" Tama cooed in awe when both Meiya and I decided it to be another even game. "Another draw? That's incredible. I thought only Chizuru chan was the only person who could match evenly against Mitsurugi san"
"His tactical thinking is indeed something to be wary of" Meiya nodded in approval. "He could see most of my traps and counters and prepared the pieces before triggering any of them. It was as if he could read the tide of battle quite easily" That's because in my other loops I remember every move that you performed. It was like having walkthrough for a game which can tell you the strategy on how to defeat a boss and all the tips and tricks.
"Yeah but even so, I couldn't beat you" I replied sounding a bit disappointed. "Even in that last match I couldn't break through your solid defenses. You used a wedge formation for attacking to pin my pawns down"
"Some people say that a good defense is a good offense, but I turn the concept in the opposite direction" Hehe so she used the wedge attack formation out there so I couldn't pass. That's certainly something Meiya would think of.
"Don't praise him too much" Class rep added mocking me from the sidelines. "He might be able to do complicated stuff but when it comes to basic games he's pretty useless"
"Gah! Come on! Do you have to be so mean?"
"Ah look yakisoba!" Mikoto pointed towards the counter which everyone followed. "Let's hurry before they run out!"
"Hey! Listen to me when I'm depressed at lease!"
(Hilltop tree)
After I finished lunch I decided to head to my favorite spot in the base perimeter to relax and enjoy the rest of my break period. Though the view of the forest and the city had changed the calmness that this hill brings me remained untouched. The humming of the wind, the splash of the ocean and the warmth of the sun was all I needed to bring me back to my old world.
Thinking about it now, I remember that this was the day Yuuko sent me back to my old world using that machine she built in her labs. Though it may have been only a few hours I can still remember how I used to live. So blissful… and not a single care in the world. Only worrying about my exam scores and what I would be having for my next meal.
And Sumika… Meiya and… everyone…
Darn… I guess I'm feeling really homesick seeing this place.
It's hard to believe that a few years ago this place used to be a thriving city… full of people and life, brimming with culture. Now it has become a training ground for Eishis to hone their skill in mock battles. Sometimes I wonder if those pilots really know what history they're stepping on. It's shameful… really.
"…!" Hmm? I heard someone gasp behind me. Was there someone else here?
"Who's there?" I demanded in a professional tone readying my hand held weapon which just so happened to be the yakisoba-bread I made in the cafeteria. I saw a silhouette move behind the large cherry tree which only aroused my suspicion. "Come out and show yourself now!"
"…meowa… meowa…" Ok that was probably the worst imitation of a cat's voice I've ever heard. You could've at least put the 'a' away from the meow.
"Are you trying to make a fool of me?" I asked taking a step closer to the silhouette. "Show yourself cat!"
"Woofie… woofie… bark…" Now you're trying a dog? That's even worse than the cat imitation earlier! Who the hell are you!-? "Bububububububu…"
"What kind of an animal makes that kind of noise?" I inquired as if I was asking the cherry tree.
"… a platypus" Ah that voice… is that…
"Ayamine?" the dark haired girl showed herself finally which made me lower my guard. "Geez. For a moment there I thought you were some kind of strange animal sneaking up on me. What are you doing here? (…) Are you meditating or admiring the view? (…) Hey say something…"
"Something…"
"… are you trying to tick me off?"
"… maybe…"
"So what are you doing here anyway?" Heh… her usual behavior doesn't surprise me but it can still get on my nerve. "Have you had lunch yet? (…nod) Oh? That's odd, I don't remember seeing you in the PX otherwise you'd have sat with us. (…)" She replied in silence again. This was really becoming a habit.
"Shirogane… you're sharp today…"
"Hey I've got good qualities as a person too, you know" I teased back feeling rather insulted that she underestimated me. "If you don't want to tell, then fine, I won't ask"
"… I like it here. (Eh?)" Was she talking about the view or the weather? "…I always come up here"
(Flash) Now that she mentioned it, I do remember seeing Kei come to this hill back in my world too. I think there was a dog here that she named after me and it loved to sit on my stomach whenever I was around. Hehe… thinking about that little mutt kind of reminds of me the things that we did here. (Flash) Oh… that's right… Ayamine first kissed me on this hill back then. When I was distracted by the sunset she snuck up on my face and planted her lips to mine. I was shocked and yet at the same time I felt an unimaginable joy growing in me.
"…Shirogane? (Huh?)" Ayamine brought me back from my train of thoughts. I must've drifted off longer than I expected. I really need to stop doing that. "You're weird…"
"You're the last person I want to hear that from!" I yelled back, waving my yakisoba bread like a club. When Ayamine caught wind of her favorite food in my hand she immediately went to predator mode. "Eh? My yakisoba bread? You want it? (…nod) Well sorry but it's mine, nyahahaha! Gweh?" My laughing was easily stopped when the girl grabbed my arm with a strong tight grip.
"… I'll kiss you for it…"
Images of our first kiss flashed through my mind again. Even though it was a short kiss, I remembered every detail of that kiss like it just happened yesterday. The taste, the texture and even the expression she had when she finished. I leaned on this very tree here… and… ah crap stop remembering!
"N… no!" I declined her trade offer. I can already feel my face turning red as I spoke incoherently.
"… perhaps you want more…?" What the hell was she spouting this time? All this because for some yakisoba bread? "… want me to do more than just a kiss?"
The hospital scene was the next thing to pop into my brain when she said those words to me. The time we bonded kept repeating like they were obeying her monotone voice. It was like a bizarre seductive version of Ayamine and strangely enough it was working on me. My lower limbs were shaking a bit and my crotch felt rather wobbly too. My manliness was being put to the test here! Come on Takeru pull yourself together. You've experienced this kind of behavior from her on a daily basis since high school so there's no way you can fall for such cheap tricks again!
"…" I gulped a chunk of my saliva downwards picturing the old time and imagining new things that might occur if I chose my words carefully. "I… um…."
"Shirogane… is cruel to make a girl say such things"
Stab!
"Alright! Fine you can have it! Just stop making me feel so guilty!" I quickly surrendered my snack to her, courteously with both hands as if to present it as an offering of some sort. "Here! My personally handmade yakisoba bread! Made in the cafeteria and— (Snatch!) Hey! I wasn't even done with my grand speech just yet!"
She ate the bread in about 0.15 seconds before I could open my mouth to protest. It almost looked like the thing never even existed at all. Did she eat it all in one bite? Well she does have the largest appetite in school, me coming close to second so I guess that's no surprise.
"…tasty…" She held her hand out to me. "… any more?"
"That was the only one I had" I breathed out a sigh. This was starting to feel like talking to Mikoto. It was wearing me out. "I can only make one of them a day and only if we have yakisoba"
She feigned a sob sound. "… I'm sad now…"
"Don't go sighing over a piece of bread! I'll make you another one tomorrow geez, was it really that good?"
"… saddening-ly good"
But in a moment that she let down her guard, I suddenly took notice of an envelope tucked behind Ayamine's pants. "Eh? What's that behind you?" She quickly noticed her folly and hid it under her shirt. "Hey was that a letter?" Could it be another letter from, Sagiri Naoya? If it is then it probably contains the details regarding the coup he was planning. Did she just receive it or was it an old one that she plans on reading? She never reads any of his letters. Anyway… I know that it had to be from him, definitely.
"…it's nothing…" Ayamine's face had that defenseless expression again. That expression which I've only seen during the rare loops in time. Even a kid can tell that she was lying but I know that she was serious and she didn't want me poking into her personal life.
I knew how uncomfortable she was with her secret and so I decided to feign like a friend. "Oooohh… let me guess. It's a love letter. (…!) Hehehehe… I never knew you were so popular Kei chan. Did someone confess to you? (….)" Uh oh… I think I just made it even worse. Her expression was now changing to a pained one. "Well it's none of my business. I've been keeping a few secrets on my own so I have no right to pry on other people's secrets. But remember to keep it to yourself, ya hear? As long as it doesn't affect the squad or your training, it's fine with me"
"… you're not interested?" she asked as if probing for something. There wasn't any reason for me to pry. After all, I already read one of her letters back in my last loop.
"Curious, yes. Interested, no" Was my answer. "But as a friend and a squad mate I'll keep it to myself. If it's a love letter I'll definitely gossip about it here and there hehehe"
"… I'll hit you…"
"Hey, threatening me isn't gonna work either" I countered raising my hands in defense. "Remember, I can hold my own against you and Meiya at the same time during our last spar"
She approached me threateningly with a small smirk. "…I might give you amnesia"
Oh boy… her Space Tornado Ayamine throw is perhaps the only move in this world that I can't defend against. Whenever she uses that against me I'd feel unimaginable pain all over my body. "Ok now that wasn't funny. (…) Hehehe… well I got no more reason to stay here"
"… you leaving?"
"Well I was planning to eat my tasty snack in peace but I met a rather unexpected person today and got to see her cute side so I'm satisfied. Later. Don't stay here too long or else you'll catch a cold"
(December 3, 2001 Monday) (Simulator training room)
The following day, our squad was given a simulator mock battle to further improve our combat abilities on the TSF. Most of the group had already finished with the training course and were just fooling around and that's when I decided to challenge both Mikoto and Tama to a small fight at the same time. They both agreed to it believing that they have improved somewhat in battle but I wonder how much…
Our battlefield was the usual urban terrain and on this course I decided to play with them to see if they can read through an easy ruse. I moved my mech to a spot with good cover and a translucent building with a lot of windows so I can see through them.
As expected, Mikoto and Tama were moving carefully and separately to keep them from revealing their locations. They even deactivated their IFFs to keep them off my radar. Heh… a common move but that doesn't mean I was going to hold back either.
(Marimo POV)
It was another simulator training today. As I planned, Squad 207 was now performing a free session against each other to evaluate their combat abilities. Everyone was performing admirably as expected with Mitsurugi and Ayamine excelling in close quarters and Sakaki coming in third. Tamase and Yoroi were also doing well in their own fields as well, trying not to be a burden on the squad.
And as always, Shirogane exceeded my expectations again by doing all those incredible acrobatics. Ever since the professor installed the new OS into the simulators the squad has been improving at an outstanding rate. And surprisingly enough Takeru's abilities soared even more than before. The boy was performing more and more daring moves, reacting faster to a fall and shooting with greater accuracy.
It shouldn't surprise me any more seeing how he did without it but still… his scores alone can rival the squad.
While Mitsurugi's team took a short break by the waiting room I observed Shirogane's free for all battle from my screen. He requested both Yoroi and Tamase to fight against him which they agreed almost immediately.
"I spotted Takeru!" Yoroi said to her partner after she spotted the boy hiding behind his favorite defense area. "Miki san, cover me! (Roger!)" Tamase opened a barrage against Shirogane's position while Yoroi moved in closer to get his target. The battlefield of choice was an urban terrain. "I got you now Takeru!"
"Not quite!" Shirogane jumped out of his hiding spot and returned fire using both hands to fire guns on each target regardless of their positions. "Catch me if you can!" He leaped up again to avoid Tamase's fire.
"That's not going to work this time!" Tamase countered firing at the boy which almost struck him. "We've seen all of your acrobatic moves, Takeru san! I've been reading your control logs for days preparing for this! (Bang bang!) (Whoa!) Geh! If only you'd stop moving for a second…"
"Wahh! Watch where you're shooting Miki san!" Yoroi berated dodging a shot from her partner. "That one almost hit me. (Sorry…) I'll chase after Takeru and transfer his coordinates to you. Keep up the fire but watch out for me. (Ok!)"
"Heh, you won't get me that easily!" Takeru returned the taunt as if challenging them. It seems that he was luring Yoroi into a trap. But that's impossible seeing that he was the only one fighting on his side. "Come on Mikoto, let's see how much you've improve since we last fought? Try to keep up"
"Geh! I'll get you this time Takeru!"
Shirogane led Yoroi around the training ground like a game of tag. I don't know what he was planning but he seems to be pretty confident to speak on an open communication channel.
"Ah Yoroi san!" Tamase called out. "Be careful, you're getting out of my weapon's range! I won't be able to shoot Takeru from your position if you go too far"
"Roger that!" The chase lasted for about a minute until Shirogane slowed down in a blocked path. It was a wide area enough for TSFs to move in but no quick exits. "I got you now!" They exchanged fire destroying all the buildings beside them. "Geh! I know all your moves and habits Takeru! There's no escape!"
"Hey not bad! But you've fallen right for my trap! (Eh?) Take this!"
"Bwah! What the?" Shirogane threw his knife up distracting Yoroi for a moment before launching his counterattack. Fortunately the knife simply passed through Yoroi's frame. But unconsciously, Yoroi moved back to dodge it. I'll have to discuss this with the engineers to implement moving objects to damage a target. "H… hey!"
"Hahaha! That's the oldest trick in the book. Later!"
"Ahhh! Takeru, no fair!"
"This is war. There's no such thing as fairness. Mwahahaha!"
It looks like the boy was enjoying himself in there. To think that he'd be using top military grade training equipment as a form of entertainment. He seems to be running away from Yoroi but… eh? (Beep beep) Oh… so that's his plan…
"Miki! Takeru's (brrrrt!) going over… (ratatata) He's trying to… (Boom!)" Shirogane was firing continuously, creating as much noise as possible to prevent his opponents from hearing each other.
"Say again 03?" Tamase jerked back trying to increase the volume of her communicator. "I can't hear you from all the shooting. Where are you?"
"I'm… (bang!) shooting back… to… (boom!) Can't get a… (ratatata)"
"Come again 03. I can't hear you at all"
"Miki chan! Takeru's chasing me! I'm leading him towards the main road. We'll ambush him there! I'm activating my IFF! Hurry!"
"Roger that! I see you. Moving to the main road now" Tamase rushed to her ambush position, readying her gun in a crouched position. But little did she know that Shirogane was leading her to his trap.
Immediately a TSF appeared in front of her crosshair. "Takeru's right behind me! Take the shot!"
Bang!
Tama reacted as if on voice command and sniped the oncoming TSF that followed only to be amazed that she hit straight at the cockpit. She froze and I could tell from her expression that she couldn't believe that she managed to take out the ace of the squad. But sadly enough her dreams of victory were about to be crushed by an unfair player.
"We… did it…?" She muttered out quietly before going to a full burst cheer. "We did it! Yoroi san, we actually did it! We beat Takeru!" She was so excited about her kill that she didn't even know that she was tricked.
"AHH! Miki san! Behind you!"
"Eh?" But before she even had the chance to defend herself, Shirogane cocked his weapon and fired at her at point blank range. "Nyaaaaaa!"
It was a rather clever trick from my point of view. While Shirogane lead Yoroi to the outer edge of the training field he used the open channel to imitate her voice and falsified information to Tamase. The only thing that he needed to do was to form a trap of his own and activating a feint IFF to create the bait. Tamase wasn't able to tell which was friend or foe thereafter. In real TSFs though the communicator was far superior to the ones in the simulator so you could say that Shirogane took advantage of the training course's faults.
"That's enough for free session training" I announced. "Change back to your regular clothes and assemble in front of the simulator room"
(Takeru's POV)
"Ahhh! Takeru, that was a dirty trick you played" Mikoto whined to me when I got out of the men changing room. I half expected her to be angry but still I couldn't help but smile. "I would've gotten you if you didn't keep firing like that"
"Hehehe. In a real battle, your enemies won't play fair either" I replied chuckling a bit. "You'll have to take whatever advantage you have even using your enemy's weapons against them"
"But you let Miki chan shoot me. That was dirty!"
Tama looked rather sullen too for shooting her friend. "Sorry. I really thought I had Takeru san I didn't even check the IFF. Haaa… I really thought we won there for a second"
"Well if you knew that I was posing as Mikoto you probably would've hit me" I admitted. "You guys were pinning me so heavily I had to resort to using tactics against you. If I kept fighting you guys head on it was only going to get me killed"
"There's no point in whining Yoroi" Meiya interrupted us. "Though he may have used an unexpected ploy, it is obvious that he did it to test how strong both you and Tamase. Takeru is strong but this also proves that he isn't only thinking about fighting but considering the motives of his foes. Learning from past mistakes makes you stronger"
"Ahhh… Mitsurugi san also sides with Takeru?" Mikoto complained. "Next time Takeru, I'll definitely win! Watch out for me!"
Hehehe… hearing that from her kind of reminds me of the Mikoto back in my world. Back then she/he and I played Valgernon any time we could and he'd always kick my ass. But whenever he loses he'd always complain it to me openly. I guess that's probably one of the reasons why we became friends. He was honest about his feelings.
"Alright fine" I submitted to her which Mikoto raised a puzzled expression. "I'll give you two my share of lunch today as an apology. But next time if I win you'll have to give me your share of yakisoba as punishment. (Yay deal!)"
(Takeru's room)
After our day's training was done and my evening independent training completed, I returned to my room for a shower. Tomorrow was fast approaching and if history hasn't changed yet I'm pretty sure the coup d'état will begin soon after. I can only hope that Yuuko sensei kept her end of the bargain.
"Yo…" Eh? "What's with that expression?" Yuuko sensei? What is she doing in my room? Wait… this is my room, isn't it? "Usually when a man sees a woman in his room, dirty thoughts are the first things that run through his head"
"Wha…? What are you… doing here?" I asked feeling a little surprised to see her in my room.
"Visiting. Isn't it obvious?" She answered plainly. "Yashiro tells me that you usually come back around this time of day so I thought I'd drop by to give you this" She handed me the briefcase which contained the items needed for the coup. "You left this in the lab"
"Ah! The briefcase. I knew I left it somewhere" That little briefcase contained all the necessary items needed for me to end the rebellion in my favor. Without it I'd probably be repeating the same history I did back in my last loop.
"Geez. You said that you wanted to save the future but you're not even taking it seriously at all"
"Sorry. I had a lot of things to do this week. Actually… I was just thinking if you were keeping to your end of the bargain"
She gave me a grin in return. "Hoo? You make it sound like I'm a person who doesn't keep her promises. Hehehe… I may be many things Shirogane, but I'm no liar. Besides, I have to keep my end of the deal for those pages you gave me. Anyway, here…" Yuuko handed me a bunch of papers as her tone got dead serious.
"What's this?" They were information about certain individuals whose name I never even heard of. Each paper was attached with a photo and a detailed skimming of their behavior. But when I read the top of each of those pages I knew I didn't need to ask any more questions.
'Supporter of ALTERNATIVE V'
Each of them had that tag glued to their names. I darted my eyes to Yuuko who seemed to already know what I was thinking.
"Those are the supporters of the ALTERNATIVE V plan that are stationed here in Japan" She confirmed my suspicion clearly. "There are some in America and some inside the U.N's inner circle. Some of them are politicians, bankers and top mechanics from different companies. I've already tagged a few of them and have located several bunkers where they'll be hiding during the incident" Yuuko was very thorough. She even had their jobs, habits, favorite food and families listed here. "But unfortunately I can't move against them without sufficient proof to convict them"
"I guess that's where I step in"
"Phase 4 of the plan is crucial as well as phase 6" She reminded me. "No matter how you do it, you must make sure that you secure the help of the Shogun"
"You make it sound so easy"
"Isn't it? With her help we can arrest these men and cut off ALTERNATIVE V of its resources. I have people that I trust in the FBI and CIA handle those in America but my sources here are strictly monitored by a lot of people. So the only one I can rely on is you"
"Persuading the Shogun to come with me is no problem… but getting her trust is a different matter"
Yuuko grinned at me unconsciously. "Is it? It only took you a month to get close to all your squad mates. A single girl shouldn't be too troubling?" That's true… but that's only because I know everything about them through my loops. For the Shogun however… I know very little, other than that she's spiritually attached with Meiya and longs for them to be with one another. Getting her trust and consent will be another matter entirely.
"The kind of relationship you're talking about takes time to develop Yuuko sensei. The best I can do is get her trust"
Yuuko seemed to agree with my theory since she herself had to take some time in trusting my information. "I guess that's true. Relationship needs time and bonding to grow…" She flashed me an evil grin. "… or a very traumatizing moment with one another… (Huh?) Nothing. You just gave me an idea" Uh oh… somehow I don't like the looks of that grin. What was Yuuko planning this time? "But regardless... just remember one thing Shirogane. No matter how you see her or how she acts, she's still a girl, Shirogane"
"Huh?"
(December 4, 2001 Tuesday)
I spent the duration of Tuesday mostly in my room and in the PX. Our instructor gave us a surprise holiday due to some sort of emergency meeting with the other staff officers. I can only guess that they were discussing about the recent activities that the anti-government protesters that were marshaling in the capital. Sagiri Naoya was gathering his troops around the city in large numbers pretending to be peacekeepers and according to what Yuuko told me, his supporters now rise up to at least two thousands.
The American 7th Pacific Fleet had also arrived at the eastern sea border of Japan too. They say that they were there for a training exercise… but obviously the masterminds of this coup put them there so that when the rebellion breaks out they'll be able to respond immediately. The supporters of ALTERNATIVE V must've been planning this for a very long time now if they were able to look this far ahead.
With no training to pass the time and Yuuko sensei in the meeting room I isolated myself from my squad for today saying that I wasn't feeling well. They respected my need for privacy and left me alone for the day but I still get to see and talk to them in the PX.
Ayamine didn't show much change either in her behavior. She kept quiet about the letters and acted normally like she always had but I knew deep down inside she's probably conflicted on what to do. I don't know if she's read them but if she did then it can only spell trouble for her career as a soldier. She's probably wondering if she should sell her ex-fiancé out or remain quiet and let it come to pass. But none of that matters right now. Changing this part of history will only slow us down after all.
(PX) (After dinner)
I spent the duration of that night staying in the PX to calm myself. I needed the fresh air and the silence to keep my head clear. Haa… looking at this scenery of a peaceful night makes it hard to believe that we're actually being invaded by aliens. The twinkling stars and moon reminded me much of the time I get to talk to Sumika before we go to sleep. Even now the picture of her face keeps popping in my head.
"It's so peaceful, that you can almost hear the geckos, isn't it… Shirogane Takeru?"
"Yeah… it is…" I replied unconsciously. Eh?
By the time I realized that someone was sitting in the PX with me I jumped in an automatic combat stance to meet my guest. Surprisingly enough it was none other than… Mikoto's dad.
"… it's been awhile now, Shirogane Takeru…"
"Y… y… y… yo!" I pointed at him with an ecstatic expression. How the hell did he appear so suddenly like that? And how the hell did he get so close? I thought I had enough training to sense whoever approached me.
"Yo?" He laughed in a sense of mockery. "I see you're familiar with the forgotten Gondo birds of the lost island of Tarantae. Impressive"
"What are you doing here!-?"
"I was hoping to get Kyozuka's world famous vegetable soup but it seems like the chef has closed the cafeteria early. What a pity" he answered, avoiding my question somewhat. "But anyway, I brought a steak sandwich all the way from New York. Would you like to try them with me? It should be way tastier than the synthetic food they give you around here"
"Huh? Oh thank you…" I unconsciously accepted the small plastic wrap which was about the half the size of my arm. Are all steak sandwiches this big? H… hey wait a minute! "Wait! That's not the point! You distracted me again, didn't you?"
"Ahahaha, you're a funny man, Shirogane Takeru"
"Now I see why Yuuko sensei always seem to have the urge to kill you"
"Hohoho… she has the tendency to be that way but I use my charms to win her over eventually" He added giving out a Santa Claus laugh. "However I have to be a little more careful on what I say or else her new pet might try to hurt me"
Sighing in defeat I took a seat across the man and opened the package he gave me. It was indeed a steak sandwich and it was still warm too. The smell and the aroma were something I haven't smelled in a long while.
"So honestly… why are you here?" I asked out of curiosity's sake
"I came to visit Professor Kouzuki but she wasn't in her office when I came. Now I feel blue…" Don't feel gloomy just because you don't get to see her. Geez. If anything I doubt she'd want to see you right now. "But in truth I wanted to come and talk to you, Shirogane. (Eh?)" That's odd… his tone suddenly changed. "No. Perhaps that question is too personal. But I am curios to what Shirogane's relationship with Professor Kouzuki" You just said the question out loud! And stop referring me as a third person! "Ever since I saw you talking casually with her I could not help but be suspicious. (Huh?) Professor Kouzuki isn't someone you can simply walk up to and talk like there's nothing wrong. Whenever she speaks to someone, she sees them as nothing more but a pawn that can dance at the palm of her fingers"
"Huh?" What does he mean by that?
Sakon simply laughed again at my puzzled expression. "Even I am nothing more but a useful pawn to her. One of her more useful pawn, if you will. But sadly she has grown a wish to see me eliminated. Hahahaha… that makes me sad" Then at least act sad you blabbering idiot! You're talking about your own life here! "But you… however. When she looks at you I immediately knew that you are something special. She doesn't see you as a pawn but more like a thing that she has interest in. And you have to believe me when I say that whenever she's interested in something, big vultures tend to flock around it"
"What do you mean by vultures?"
"I mean that some people in high places want to know more about you. Hohoho…" He added again with a laugh. I think laughing is the only way he has of continuing this conversation. "I have to admit that out of all the people in the suspect list of the Imperial Ministry, you yourself have bopped up to the top ten ranking. Aren't you honored?"
"Should I be?" I asked.
"I don't know why the professor has taken an interest in you but it seems sincere. As a matter of fact… I think she has changed slightly ever since you came to her life, Shirogane" She did? I don't think I can see the difference. Yuuko has been acting like the Yuuko I remembered in my previous loops. "We are nothing more but pawns to her, pieces of a game that she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice to achieve her goal. Whether it is the relative of the Shogun, the Prime Minister's daughter or my own… she would not hesitate to cast them aside for the greater good"
Wait… I remember this. (Flash) Yes… I think Yoroi san here said the same thing to me back in my previous loop. That he wouldn't hesitate one moment to sacrifice those that he cared if it meant saving a million more. At first when I heard him say that I got a little annoyed but I can also say that he wasn't wrong either. The man was thinking of humanity as a whole and he was prepared to give up the things that he cherished the most, even his own daughter.
"…"I opened my mouth to speak but could not find the words to counter his.
"But you I believe she would pause for a moment's thought" Yoroi continued in his serious tone. "I can see it in her eyes when we last met. She sees you as something else entirely. Perhaps her equal? No. Her partner? I doubt it. Perhaps… a checker she wishes to use as a last resort? Hehehe… I don't know whether I should call you blessed or cursed, Shirogane Takeru"
"Is that so?"
"But I believe that I am no different from her" The man leaned back to his chair bopping his hat down. "Even I would not hesitate to sacrifice that which is precious to me. But I will not let those sacrifices go to waste. I fully intend to make them in the time and place where they will have the greatest effect"
"That's a lie…" I put my foot down to his words stopping him from continuing that last sentence. Sacrifice? Don't bullshit me.
"Hoo?" He grinned at me as if to challenge my statement. "And what makes you say that?"
"Because I know that no self-respecting father would dare give up his own child for the sake of others, no matter what the cost may be" I hardened my face to meet the man's gaze which continued to smile at my direction. "Even you Yoroi san… are one such person. What you're saying now is simply something that you trained yourself to speak. But what you're thinking is a totally different thing. It's true… you are indeed very much like Yuuko sensei… but in all honesty, you're a little far behind what she's capable of. You hardened your heart and soul to say those things but no matter how much you try to convince yourself, the truth still lingers deep inside"
"…hnn…" Yoroi's smile dropped a bit but he kept his cool. I can only speculate that his silence was a sign for me to continue. But it's true. I can sense the hesitation in his voice. He may willingly sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of humanity… but that was only half the truth. I have seen how parents react to their children. Many of the adults have strange and painful histories altogether. Some of the lovely memories they share and some of the lessons they learned.
(Flash) I saw Chizuru's mom flash before my eyes. Despite her saddened life of enduring her daughter's hatred she continued to be by her side, showing what little love she had to offer. The woman was tough and probably even tougher when she realized that her daughter never returned home. I won't say I envy her but I can't say I pity her either. A sense of respect for that woman remains in my heart.
(Flash) Miki's dad was next to come to my visions. His soft feature and crazy mustache that resembles his daughter's hair cracks me up every time. He cared for his child greatly and even went to extreme lengths to resolve Tama's fear of being watched. I know from a personal experience that no matter what people offered him… he would never trade anything that his daughter loved. He would fight down to his last breath before he allows anyone to harm her.
Heh… I should know this well because when Tama and I started dating in my world, her dad shot me a few times with his bow. I can still remember the stinging pain on my butt.
"You also told me that Yuuko sensei wouldn't sacrifice me until the last possible second and that she would hesitate to throw me away. But if that's true… wouldn't you be the same?" Our eyes made contact and we remained that way for about a minute before I continued. "I'll admit that you're unique and you have a way of making people irritated… but in the end, the REAL Yoroi that you have locked in your heart will no doubt disagree to what you're saying now"
I've never seen Yoroi's dad in my world but knowing my experience with parents… he is no different.
Though it was hard for me to see, I can tell that Yoroi's smile disappeared for a second there before he flashed me a more confident one. I don't know if I had any impact in his way of thinking but at least now I know that he was still human enough to show his true feelings.
"Hmm… the more I talk to you, the more I want to know more about you, Shirogane Takeru" He said finally after a brief serious pause. "You really are an interesting man. I'm starting to see now why the professor is so fascinated by you. Perhaps I should be one of the vultures that flock around you"
"Should I be worried?"
"Not at all" He answered me sharply. "I simply do not wish to go against the words of a guard dog for the benefit of my own welfare. (…) Ara… it seems that our little conversation is making both of us uncomfortable. Perhaps we should talk again in better circumstances"
"Yeah…"
"But in any case, please take this…" He handed me a strange looking doll that reminded me of a strange animal I once saw. It had a funny nose, wings, beak and two big round eyes the size of marbles. "I shall give this to you. It's a souvenir from the Lost Continent of Mu. If you bring it with you, you shall be blessed with good fortunes. But if you lose it, you shall be cursed for all eternity. Ahahahaha…" If anything this doll reminded me of the present that Chizuru gave to me in one of my loops. I think the name was Chop kun. "I hope to have another pleasant conversation with you, Shirogane Takeru"
"Ah… uh… ok?" I unconsciously accepted the doll with a small smile. But just when the strange man was about to leave I raised myself up. "Hey wait a minute, Yoroi san. (Hmm?) Can I ask you a question?"
"Wasn't that a question already?" Huh? Oh… now that you think about it, yeah it was a question. Silly me.
"If you had the power to save everyone, even the ones that you cared about… would you use it?" This question itself seems to be popping into my head often now. I guess it was sort of a trivia for people like me. "Would you use that power regardless of what the consequences might be?"
"Such philosophy doesn't sound so mysterious when it's coming from you, Shirogane kun" He replied thinking about his answer. Well… at least I think he was thinking. His poker face was really hard to crack so it's difficult for me to say what was actually going through his mind. "But I guess it would really depend on the consequences. If the price I pay is worth the prize… then perhaps I might use it. (…) Does that satisfy you, Shirogane kun?"
"Not exactly…"
"Hahaha… then I apologize if I do not meet your expectations"
"If it were me… I think I'd use it to save everyone. (Hmm?) Even if I have to lose an arm, a leg or a part of me. As long as I can use that power to save everyone, or at least those that I care about I'd still use it even if the prize isn't worth the cost. (Hoo…) I'll just deal with it when it comes"
"You truly believe that it is possible to use such power?" He chuckled but not as bemused because he can tell that I was serious. "You make it sound like you're some kind of super hero from TV. It seems childish but not beyond reach. Such powers alone can change the world"
"Then why don't you and I make a deal?" I proposed to him which the man raised a brow in interest. "Nothing too serious but if I can prove to you that such ways exist, you have to do something for me"
"Ah… hahaha… I am indeed very flattered Shirogane Takeru, but you must know that I am a married man and I don't swing in your sense" I broke a small laugh at his taste of jokes. I'm beginning to see why Yuuko was irritated about him but I can also see that he's a man with a good sense of humor in serious situations.
"If I can prove to you in the following week that I can change the world with what I have… you will visit Mikoto" The man paused at the mention of his daughter's name. "She misses you dearly and I think that all children must at least know how their parents are fairing and vice versa"
"Interesting… and if you lose?"
"I'll bring you one of Yuuko sensei's underwear"
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Interesting… you're a very funny man Shirogane Takeru. You certainly have a great of humor. Such things are rare nowadays" He laughed out so loud that I can even hear it echo in the hallway. "But what if I don't wish to make such a deal?"
"Then I'll throw this doll to the garbage dump right now and we'll both be cursed for all eternity"
Yoroi nodded as if I had earn some measure of respect from him. His jokes didn't deteriorate but he can tell that I was serious. "Hooo… scary. But interesting… very interesting. I want 'you' even more now, Shirogane kun. If you were under my care… I would have a difficult time sacrificing you as well. Professor Kouzuki has made a true hell hound for herself" He coughed up a small laugh before nodding in agreement. "Very well Shirogane Takeru. You have yourself a deal. A very impressed deal as a matter of fact…"
I extended my hand in shake which he accepted in turn. In that night… I seemed to have made a deal with a second devil for my plans…
(December 5, 2001 Wednesday) (Yokohama Base)
My eyes darted upward automatically when I heard my alarm clock sounding off by my desk. Click… 04:10 AM. After last night's talk with Mikoto's dad I could hardly even sleep at all. I was nervous on how things would end up, how they'll end and what the aftermath would be like. Though I did say I would worry about the consequences as they came, I can't help but fear the future. The last time I did this by preventing my squad from going to Mt. Tengen I jump started a rebellion. Who knows where this will lead to!
Ah forget it… worrying about this now will only tire me out before the big fight. I might as well use this time to get ready. Putting on my military uniform and jacket I took one last scan on the briefcase that Yuuko gave me. Everything that I needed was here. All to complete Phase 3 of the plan.
I sat on my bed and waited, listening to nothing but the sound of my heartbeat and the ticking of my alarm clock. This morning was long… and it was going to be even longer when night falls again.
"DEFCON 2! DEFCON 2! All available units, remain on standby in full gear! Repeat! DEFCON 2! All units, standby in full gear and prepare for combat!"
The alarm echoed out into the hallway waking the whole base like a beehive that had been struck by a stone. This is it… this is the moment I have been waiting for. The very reason that I killed myself! There's no turning back now! Come on… Shirogane Takeru… let's go and change the future!