Spriggan: Solitary Trooper - The Redux
By: Ominae
Rating: T
Chapter 8: Secrets
Why did you do it, Jonathan… Why…
The lights from the inn down on the bay sparkled like stars against a pitch black night. Of course, that was just the effect of light over a dark backdrop. That night was clear, illuminated by a full ivory moon which cast a lilac glow over the bay, and a few wispy clouds lacing the skies. But these weren't rain clouds, but rather the result of condensation that formed over the hot seas during the day. But despite the weather, the aforementioned Cumulonimbus were gathering somewhere else over the bay.
Down on Miyakonoshima, a lone girl sat watching the revelry over on down below. She was supposed to be there, in the fun, but she wasn't in the mood right now. Tears fell, wincing as the hurtful words hit her again and again.
She's nothing; she's just some extra baggage I have to contend with…
"I hate you Jonathan." "I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you…" she sobbed, her tears now sorrowful waterfalls.
"Mai!"
She gasped; Not now! Why did he have to follow her? She couldn't deal with him right now, not after what just happened. And so she did like what happened to her before, time and time again. She ran away from the pain.
Somewhere in Miyakonoshima, Unagami, Itoshima, Fukuoka, Japan
Jonathan to his relief found her on top of the slope… then she started running when she saw him. He expected her to do that, especially after what he did to her. He chased, fuelled by his anger towards himself, and the desire to set things right. All of his time in the jungle made him move through the path quite effortlessly, avoiding the branches and underoots before he heard Mai's scream suddenly piercing the air.
"Mai!"
As it happened, Mai tripped on one of the roots hidden in the shadows. She clutched her ankle-it hurt like hell and it was starting to turn purple…
"Are you alright?"
"It's nothing. Not like you'd care."
She responded icily, turning away from Jonathan, even if the pain was too much to bear.
"Look, I just want to have a look…"
He held out his hand to help, only to have it slapped away-hard.
"Go away! You don't care for me! No one does!" Mai screamed. "You don't love me! It's just all a lie!"
"Mai, I…"
"LEAVE ME ALONE! I HATE YOU!"
SLAP!
In that moment of hatred it was all over. Even if it was a slap, it hurt more than a bullet wound. Everything slowed down as Jonathan turned back from the recoil of the slap with sadness in his eyes.
Conflicting emotions… what was this sickening nauseous feeling coming over him…? -It was just his first taste of heartbreak.
"I'm sorry…"
The apology didn't really matter anymore. Mai broke down crying, while Jonathan watched pensively. Just watching Mai cry like that was making his heart tear apart. God, what am I going to do now…? I feel so helpless…
And as if he heard him, the skies opened up pelting man and nature alike with heavy rain that just seemed to come out of nowhere, Jonathan thought. Wasn't it clear skies just now?
Mai too shrieked in sudden surprise at the rain, and at Jonathan suddenly taking her up in his arms and running off for shelter… What was he doing…? For that one instant a piece of her cracked heart healed at the protectiveness, but she quietly suppressed it, torturing herself with Jonathan's hurtful words. But she still found herself giving an embarrassed blush…
Private Dining Room, Sense, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Chuo, Tokyo, Japan
"The Leadership is demanding an explanation! What am I going to tell him!"
The companion to the panicky little man the voice belonged kept quiet, staring in blank silence across the table to the group of men slovenly drinking their soup with large slurps. Save for the long white-haired man seated in the direct opposite of the two. Instead of following the Japanese custom of properly respecting their soup, he drank elegantly from his spoon, fitting since the full flavor of shark fin soup could only be savored through a slow perusal.
The other man was not affected by the callous ignorance to him. After all, he was Klaus Manstein, a top commander of one of the world's most powerful secret societies, the Neo Nazis. And indeed as his assistant Otto reminded him, there were some issues to be taken up with his gracious elegantly-drinking host, Saruta Moroha.
"Mr. Moroha" He began, clearing his throat, "We have supported you in all our ways possible; manpower and even our new X-soldats. And yet you leave us in the dark of the current situation and progress! My superiors do not share your optimism, they demand an explanation!"
Klaus' outburst hardly even disturbed the group of men. For once, Klaus wondered whether the distance between them and Saruta's group was intentional. They were in one of the private exclusive dining halls in the Shiodome office, seated in a large round table with them at one end.
They were obviously Saruta's entourage, his assistants and but what left them? Were they purposely isolated or just a result of respectful Japanese business ethic?
In response, Saruta promptly finished off his soup, dabbing with his napkin as he spoke. "I have to request that you do try to relax, gentlemen. My plans are just now coming into fruition. All of your investments will pay off, in due time."
Of course they were nervous, Saruta smiled. To him, they were just pawns in his complex game, an ultimately ulterior motive that would be served soon in the near future. "After all, this is dinner, Herr Klaus. I've had the best Chinese chef in Tokyo cooking for us today. His ten-course dinner is exquisite."
Klaus snapped and rose up, and with his arm swept his bowl of soup and other utensils off the table with rage. He was tired with Saruta's cryptic assurances he got every time he demanded an answer. The line was to be drawn here now.
"You give assurances that the situation is going as planned but what proof do you have so! Our expensive X-soldat forces have been depleted ever since we followed your lead disaster after disaster! Men that can't be replaced so easily!"
He referred to their new anti-Spriggan troops that had been just casually slaughtered by their would-be victims during their mission to abduct Professor Mayzel. Indeed, he had protested against that mission which he had seen as unnecessary. As a result; 20 of their 60-strong force was now dead.
"I feel it is as if you are following your own objective, Mr. Moroha. If this continues, we shall have no choice but to withdraw our support." "Even you couldn't stop two of them from destroying one of your company branches…" He sneered.
The 10-course dinner was a staple in Chinese cuisine, usually served during a time of celebration. Beginning with appetizers, it worked its way up with progressively heavier dishes including shark fin soup, fish, and finally ending in a dish of rice or dessert to fill the stomach. This time, the next one to arrive was the famous Pissing Shrimp dish. The Chinese called this tangy dish so as the mantis shrimp used in it would urinate as it was being cooked.
Saruta picked up his stir-fried crustacean, studied it for a moment, and without skipping a heartbeat, ate the head whole, razor-sharp shell and all. He didn't even care when blood started trickling from his lips. Needless to say, Klaus was unnerved…
"And unlike yours, Herr Klaus, my men learn from their mistakes. As we speak, my forces, and a very special agent of mine have already begun to surround Miyakonoshima where they will retrieve the next catalyst for our plans." "It won't be long before we will have what we want…"
In some forest... or two in Miyakonoshima, Unagami, Itoshima, Fukuoka, Japan
And true to Saruta's words, mysterious figures moved with inhuman mobility in the raining forest, quietly and quickly taking up their positions. They were members of Saruta's private army, his personal cadre of bodyguards, here to retrieve something that their master had desired.
But that 'something' was being heavily guarded and they had brought enough firepower to handle him; they were sure of that.
And the most dangerous of them all was the Armani-suited leader of the troops there. Standing on a branch, he took in a deep breath, despite of the rain and smiled. The conditions were right; clear moonlit sky, the target isolated, an ample force… and finally, The Island's spiritual power was at its peak.
Fitting for a necromancer like him.
"Let's go." He smiled, leaping off the branch in a superhuman jump.
Somewhere in Miyakonoshima, Unagami, Itoshima, Fukuoka, Japan
"You know, you should get those wet clothes off before you get a cold."
"…I-I'm not wearing a bra…"
"Oh."
It was by pure luck that Jonathan managed to find an abandoned shrine for them to take shelter in. Dusty but sturdy, Jonathan wondered why did such a place was forsaken in the first place. Places of worship weren't just left like that. He'd bandaged Mai's ankle with the cool rain water to help stop the swelling, but still she shot icy shards at him. Not that He was blaming her for acting like that anyway.
They had no choice but to wait out for the rain to stop in silence, sitting away from each other in a contrast of what they were a few days ago. Only the sound of the rain pattering and dripping off the roof brought a sense of normalcy in the tension that ensued.
"Mai, I didn't mean what I said."
Silence.
"There was a reason why I didn't tell you the truth…"
Cold silence.
"Would you just listen to me Mai! I'm trying to apologize!" Jonathan finally exploded.
"Why should I!" Mai turned; anger in her eyes. "You're just going to lie to me again like the rest of them…" Her cheeks were puffy and red from the crying, which only made Jonathan's desire to make up faster.
He mumbled something, looking away in hesitation before he made up the decision to say it fully… "The reason I lied was that… someone… was… trying… to… kill… you…" The last words were winced; forced out, in fact.
It was just a normal sentence, but damn, did it sound clichéd, like something you'd hear out from an action movie.
But it was the truth, and unexpectedly, Mai just stared at him in return. Jonathan wasn't sure if it was out of disbelief or wondering if he was just insane.
"I'm from this… organization, called ARCAM which is supposed to be some sort of… I don't know, they just seal off powerful old stuff away so nobody uses them for evil means." Jonathan shrugged. "They gave me a mission to protect your life against whoever is going to kill you." "I'm not even a college student."
A minute or so passed before Mai finally spoke; "You want me to believe that you're some sort of bodyguard that's supposed to protect me from being killed?"
"Yeah, that's the gist of it."
"That sounds kinda stupid…"
"Yeah, well, that's the truth." Jonathan scratched his head. "Look, the night before I showed up, there was some armed guys looking for you. I took them out of course."
"So who were they?" Mai inched closer, her curiosity overriding her anger; for the moment.
"They were identified as members of the Neo Nazi organization… That day when I left you on the bike? I was fighting them too. We don't really know their reasons for wanting you dead, but we think it's related to a larger agenda…"
"What! You don't even know why they want to kill me? What type of bodyguard are you anyway!"
"It's not a soldier's place to question his orders."
Mai could not believe what she was hearing. That cold tone…
"How could you say that… Don't you have anyone you care about? How could you be so cold?" Just who are you exactly?
Despite the few weeks, they were back to being strangers again…
"I'm nothing… just a solitary trooper fighting the battles life throws at me."
Jonathan didn't know why, but he began telling his story to an astonished Mai…
"Jonathan… you…"
He knew that he hated talking about his past, but with all the memories coming, it was hard for him to stop. If it could get Mai's trust back, so be it. And so he began to spill…
"People that I care about? I haven't heard that in a long time… I never even knew my parents. The only one that took care of me as a kid was this old mercenary, but even then he treated me more like a fellow soldier rather than a son."
Outside, the rain continued to patter off the roof heavily.
"He brought me all over the world, teaching me all that he could. Training me up to be a mercenary like him. When he died about 5 years ago, I didn't have anywhere else to go so I joined the Marines. And after I left, ARCAM approached me to join them. So yeah, you could say that I've been fighting for my entire life."
The pattering continued. The room was silent as Mai sat fixated at the story she was hearing.
"I've done so many things in those years; killing so many times…" He gazed at his hand; his instrument of destruction, and remembering the screams of the fallen… "Sometimes I want it to stop, but I can't."
He continued for a moment, before he closed his hand, and his eyes to shut it all out.
"And the dreams too. I go to sleep afraid of what I might find there…"
And in return Mai visualized Jonathan as a child soldier, killing and fighting through the ages… It was almost too much for her to bear. How could someone that young have such a hallowed past?
Revulsion turned to fascination; after all, this was what stuff dreams were made out of- handsome guy with dark past… but yet she felt, it was saddening at the same time.
"Maybe I am destined to be a soldier my entire life" He looked at her sadly. "Not that I'm complaining though." "To tell the truth, when I started this out, I was acting, but now… I guess you're the first one I've really cared about in my entire life. And I'll protect you, even if I have to die."
How lame… but Mai blushed.
And the next thing Jonathan knew, Mai had her arms around him in a loving embrace. She had been sorely mistaken.
"Uhh… Mai?"
"I-I'm cold. Hold me…" She blurted out, embarrassed… She saw through his vulnerability… Jonathan was just alone, just like her.
If I don't leave you forever, will you do the same for me Jonathan?
He fidgeted under the warmth and closeness of Mai's touch, but in his heart, He felt the same thing as Mai, even if they said they denied it.
After all, that how the process of love went, wasn't it? First would be denial in a compromising situation, then a reciprocation of feelings…
"Mai…? Could you ah, get off? I'm feeling a bit stuffy in here…"
Well, maybe not.
?
The nearly naked man groaned as he splashed hot water on his back, before immersing himself into the pool of steaming water that awaited him. It wasn't boiling, but it was hot enough to make him wince, sidling up to the other Caucasian man resting in the pool, his eyes closed.
"Berlin has been informed. We will initiate the contingency plan."
"And I was just getting to enjoy it here…" the other one mumbled in regret. Good Chinese food, executive spa, female pleasure at night; their stay was like more of a businessman's holiday than the assignment to coordinate the Neo-Nazi forces along with Saruta's.
Beleaguered and failing, they had been approached by the Moroha Conglomerate to participate in Saruta's master plan. The dividends were high; if they succeeded, it would mean an unimaginable step to power over the world, with an added benefit of destroying ARCAM, the organization that dealt them the death blow years ago.
In other words, this was almost a one-way trip for them. The resources they had put in would be irrecoverable if they lost and this time they were all for the more much wary. Despite the connection the Moroha family had with the old Nazi hierarchy, contingency plans were in place in case of betrayal. And this would seem such a moment they planned for.
Otto quickly splashed the therapeutic water on his back. Better to enjoy it while it lasted. Unknown to them, someone else was watching was watching their every move, and everything Klaus and Otto said. Saruta was in his personal reflection period as well, in his own lavish bathing chamber that only the Moroha Conglomerate fortune could afford.
The setting was like it was out from Napoleon's palace and the scene from Caligula (without the horses of course). Amidst black marble and gilded French sculptures depicting various Sea Nymphs, Saruta's bath maidens soaped his muscular body while they kept his difficult long hair dry. In addition, his bath maidens were all cupped DD and above and one of them was now bent over, giving him head as if it was more of a routine rather than a frisky demand from Saruta himself.
A portable LCD screen connected to the security system already told him what his erstwhile allies were planning, and frankly he didn't care. Even if they rebelled, they couldn't possibly defeat his soldiers, more so himself.
It was this arrogance that contributed to the godlike image he cultivated amongst himself and his followers, although an outsider could easily mistake it for just sheer overconfidence. In fact, most of his staff knew that he'd possessed some supernatural power of some sort. He was their charismatic leader, promised to lead them to victory over the world.
With a final, deft flick of the bath maiden's tongue, Saruta came right into her mouth and she swallowed it all, every drop of it. With the annoying burst of pleasure that followed, He slipped off into his dreams…
Storytime fellas!
It was the year 189 CE.
The court of Yamataikoku was preparing to receive a most exalted guest, the most powerful sorcerer in the land… Asia the Invincible. The very mention of that reviled name sent enemies scurrying, and even allies shivering. One by one the armored retainers of the court bowed down in respect for Asia the Invincible, and a few could not help but feel… attracted to him.
With long flowing pearl hair, beautiful effeminate features and brilliant red robes, he strode confidently through the brilliant timber throne room before finally kneeling before her Highness, Queen Himiko herself.
Historians have always debated about the veracity of the ancient Japanese kingdom of Yamataikoku and it enigmatic ruler, the queen Himiko. Especially, since the kingdom itself was not consisting exactly of concrete evidence.
The earliest mention of Yamataikoku and Himiko itself was in the Chinese history book; Gishi-Wajin-den, which described the land of Japan (Wakoku as it was known then) being split apart by war, before uniting under the rule of Himiko. Peachy, seeing it would be consistent with Japan's violence-checkered past, but the one thing that put a wedge in this account was that no one had any proof it existed.
The location stated in the Gishi-Wajin-den itself was ambiguous. If one checked closely, the location would be right in the middle of the sea! Some debated that, according to artifacts found, that it would be located in the Yamato region, which would have led to the evolution of the present rulers.
Adding to the mix was the romantic notion of an enigmatic female ruler of the past, in contrast to the male-dominated modern rulers. An interesting prospect. The final mystery was the sudden disappearance of the kingdom, on a scale equaling the legend of Atlantis.
After the death of Himiko in CE 248, it seemed that a rival clan waged war against her court and wiped it out, establishing their rule. But how true this account is still a matter of discussion…
From her glittering dais she stood up. Himiko was renowned through the land for her incredible beauty as well as her power. Immediately one would be struck by her on first sight. Long, silky, jewel-encrusted waist-length hair, a full-and-firm body barely concealed within her semi-transparent robes… Her sharp features and piercing eyes completed the aura of awe and intimidation around her. It was no wonder that her retainers and ministers, unsurprisingly men, tended to yield to her wishes…
She stepped closer to Red Asia, and smiled knowingly at him, and he in return at her. She sensed that a great fulfillment of destiny had been achieved… Was she fated to meet him? And in her heart she knew he felt the same. It would seem that it was meant to be…
Red Asia became an advisor of sorts and eventually her consort. They fell into deep love and their relationship became thicker than steel. Their power grew stronger and her ministers became ineffective, replaced by Himiko's bedside sycophants.
For years they went on a campaign of terror, and expansion, crushing their enemies, and forming one of the strongest kingdoms in the land. Their combined magical powers ensured that they capitulated easily, or suffered a horrible defeat. Of course, all good things must come to an end. In the scant few years that followed, the few remaining free tribes rose up and defeated Himiko and Red Asia.
The legend went that after their court was overrun; they were surrounded by enemy soldiers and forced off a cliff into the sea to their deaths.
They had lived together, fought together ruled together, loved together… It was natural that they died together. As they jumped, they tearfully and bitterly promised that they would rejoin in another life…
Of course, since it was legend, the story and everything in it was purely conjecture of course. Or was it?
Saruta's eyes snapped open and he brushed his white hair back, smiling. His promise would be fulfilled. Those days would return.
Somewhere in Miyakonoshima, Unagami, Itoshima, Fukuoka, Japan
"The rain's stopped."
"Huh?"
Mai looked up from her warm embrace. The noise had indeed stopped and the after-rain mist set low on the ground.
Jonathan slowly slipped Mai off him and went to look outside; all quiet except for the crickets.
He checked his watch- 9PM. They'd better be getting back before it got too late.
"C'mon. Let's go." Jonathan motioned, not turning to Mai.
Wait you idiot. She's sprained her ankle. She can't walk.
Jonathan turned back to her-and stretched out his hand. "Come on Mai. I'll help you out." The last words came out broken.
Would she forgive him? Why do I feel my heart beating so fast when I ask her that? And what is that look on her face!
Mai shook her head and gave a naughty smile. "I want a piggyback."
Jonathan nearly face-faulted.
"You're not serious, are you?" Eventually, he just sighed and let her on. Mai's tight, warm hug as a reward.
"Let's go."
And for some reason now, he didn't really mind being pushed around by Mai, even a bit happy…
Luckily for them, the moon had come back out in full force, illuminating the forest in a pale lilac. They would have made good time getting back to the inn, except that Mai decided to start talking non-stop.
Attracted and relationship back on track, she'd take this as a perfect opportunity to get to know Jonathan better. For him, it was annoying. Especially with a question like this;
"What do you think of me, Jona-chan?"
"Uh, what?" What kind of question is that? And great, she's calling me that name again…
"You know, your perception; your image of me; Am I a spoiled princess? A brat? …A dream girl?" Mai slowly ended coyly…
Damn. By nature Jonathan was kind of blunt, and his limited social skills combined to make him a very bad liar.
"Well I'd say brat- OW!"
A preemptive pinch from Mai.
"But honestly, you've got some type of air around you… like a queen. You may not be the part, but I sense that others want, like to be around you. You make them feel safe… bring order into their lives." "I think a lot of charisma would be the word." He rambled. Of course, you are the boss of your own gang…
"Really?" Mai leaned closer, almost whispering the word in his ear. That and a combination of the feeling of her breasts pressing on his back, nearly made Jonathan trip.
"Ok, my turn! You know what you remind me of?"
"Uh, no…?"
"You know that character, Athrun Zala from Gundam Seed! You're both dark, cool, cute… and strong… I just feel safe around you too."
"So now I remind you of an anime character? That's… lame." He chuckled.
"You laughed. You've never laughed before…"
Jonathan stopped dead in his tracks. That was true. Was he happy?
The forest was making him feel at ease...
Wait. No forest made him feel at ease. He'd always been wide alert in a place as dangerous as this and someone or something was making him feel the opposite, as if to dull his senses-something was very wrong.
Jonathan's breathing became ragged as he started searching, and promptly dropping Mai down in a hollow of a tree.
"Ow! What's wrong!"
"It's the enemy."
"You mean those people you said that were after me?"
"Stay here. I'll take care of them."
"Wait." Jonathan suddenly found Mai grabbing his arm, unwilling to let go.
"Be careful…" Sad, caring eyes now replaced Mai's earlier liveliness.
She truly cared for him now and now that harm was a factor, he didn't want him getting hurt.
"Don't worry." He smiled. "I'd promise I'd protect you, didn't I?"
And with that he took off.
Jonathan didn't want Mai to see him take out his Glock 18C but when he did, sneaking around the trees, it probably did him more harm than good.
Immediately, the moonlight glinted off the glass of the reflex sight, a bad mistake. Cursing, it was too late.
The teams of the MPA's Light Reaction Force, hidden in the forest, had already been alerted to their main target.
As soon as Jonathan took another step, the entire forest opened up into a white hot hell…
Yamamoto's Office, ARCAM Corporation Japan Office, 37th Floor, Shinjuku Park Tower, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
"The Moroha Conglomerate."
"Are you sure? They are one of the most respected companies in the world-"
"Bullshit, Yu- you know these 'companies' usually have plans to backstab humanity in the ass- It's the law of the universe."
"Stop it, the both of you. This is important!"
Yamamoto sighed in frustration when he watched the two Spriggan agents argue. It was like something out a North American-style sitcom where some guy argues what he think is a bad idea against what the other person has mentioned.
"Jean? Please continue." Yamamoto asked the French Spriggan to continue the debriefing.
Pulling back his unruly long, blond hair, he started to explain his situation.
Yu and Tea were gathered there as well in Yamamoto's office to hear Jean's words. They would have liked to let him recuperate a little more before the debriefing, but given the circumstances that had to wait.
It was not like Jean cared anyway.
"They were responsible for the attacks on the local forward bases. They caught us totally off-guard."
For the past few months, ARCAM bases and sites all over the world were hit by concerted military attacks, causing chaos through their ranks. The attackers seemed to disappear after their deeds, making ARCAM's job even harder.
Right now, its forces were stretched thin with the equal tasks of replacing the loss of lives, safeguarding its remaining bases from further attacks and investigating into who was responsible.
"Who the hell are these guys anyway to come in and bust us up? It's not like they're a part of Trident, COSMOS or anything." Yu snorted. Obviously it was his first impression to kick the ass of whoever was threatening them.
"Wait," Tea interjected, "The name Moroha… Wasn't he the Japanese FSB agent you fought before?"
"Yeah, and he's dead-"
Yamamoto's brows furrowed in his trademark thinking pose. "The head of the Moroha Conglomerate itself is Saruta Moroha… could there be a connection?"
"Their attacks were a diversionary measure," Jean announced, getting the attention of the discussion. "At least that's what those idiots said when they tried to get me to spill. Trying to instill hopelessness and all that. So much for trying to break my spirit."
"So did you give in?"
"No, I didn't." Jean scowled firmly at another of Yu's friendly, yet malicious attempt at embarrassment. Jean didn't really mind though. Like two old lovers, pissing each other off was a favorite pastime of them.
"Then how the hell did you get caught anyway? It's not like you're a
"I was tying up a lead in our Guangzhou branch when those assholes decided to invade."
The attack on ARCAM's Guangzhou base started off like any standard military attack. First, it began with a covert attack to neutralize the defense, followed by a conventional forces assault to mop up the rest.
Under the chaos that followed after the discovery of the bases' deactivated defenses, the distinctively-clad Moroha Private Army soldiers attacked. However, under the leadership of Jean they beat back the attack, in a reversal of the score that the MPA had inflicted on them since the beginning of their campaign of terror.
From what the ponytailed man slash werewolf can remember, it reminded me of some World War II-type battle.
Or was that in Korea or Vietnam? Oh well, it's not like Jean cared in classes anyway.
But the worst was yet to come…
"It wasn't too much to handle; they were your standard weak, piddling special forces types. That was, until he came."
The defenders did their rightly-deserved cheering after the last MPA soldier had been shot down. Jean too gave the soldiers an approving smile. Smoke, dust and the smell of cordite hung in the air over the kill zone; the ubiquitous byproduct of a gun battle.
But not one soldier noticed a shape of a figure in the dust cloud walking alone and unafraid, to the ARCAM soldiers. Eventually, one did notice the figure's advance and together with it the strange phenomenon of the dust receding before his path…
By the time the soldier could figure out what was going on, he was dead, sliced into pieces by an unseen force. Rows and rows of the ARCAM soldiers met the same fate and soon, they were all minced, leaving Jean to face the new intruder.
"He had long white hair; he even wore a white suit. I don't know, but when I faced the guy, I just felt afraid… I hesitated." Jean shivered.
The rest did a little collective despairing.
Not many things made Jean behave like that. "It took me a while to get that crap out of my head, and when I attacked, the bastard just raised his hand. The next thing I knew, a blast of wind hit me and I was cut all over." I knew rush him
"Strong wind… slash wounds… Weasel slash?!" Yu recalled.
Yamamoto's Office, ARCAM Corporation Japan Office, 37th Floor, Shinjuku Park Tower, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
"Are you sure? You usually don't remember anything when you've gone wolf-"
"I do remember, alright!" Jean shouted, on an almost-friendly verge of beating Yu to a pulp.
"It would seem that they aiming to destabilize our defenses, or trying to distract us from another objective. One thing is for sure, they won't be attacking us again with our precautions in place."
Once again, Tea's timely observations breaking up a juvenile fight.
"You're strong; I'll compliment you on that."
Jean collapsed in a pool of blood. It took 5 Weasel Slash attacks to bring him down, and Jean smiled defiantly, even as he struggled to rise.
"You haven't seen anything yet…!" Jean spat out, blood dribbling from his lips.
Blood… my blood…
The eyes widening at the sight of his crimson life-liquid, rapid breathing, increased muscle growth… One was going to see first-hand what happened if Jean saw his own blood.
"Now this is interesting…" Jean's opponent commented.
Even if Jean's Lycanthrope form threatened his well-dressed opponent with bodily harm, he remained calm.
Immediately, three figures, jumped out from behind him to restrain Jean, only to have them ripped apart.
No matter though, they were just the corpses of the soldiers killed in the fighting, being reanimated by the same Armani-suited necromancer tormenting Jonathan in the present, in a combination of mystic chanting and o-fuda burning as he stood by his well-dressed master.
Angered even more by the feeble zombies, Jean continued his charge, but again was halted by another blur leaping out lightning speed, at him. The blur struck Jean once, twice, finally knocking the maddened lycanthrope down.
The blur slowed down to reveal a massive, flamboyant, muscular man… In his each hand were two Panzerfaust-3s which he wielded like clubs to strike down his enemies. Smirking at how he defeated the beast, He revealed the other purpose of his Panzerfausts, flicking a switch and launching their angular warheads and consuming Jean in an explosion.
But Jean was not dead yet. His lycanthrope healing factor made short work of his injuries, but left him severely weakened.
The well-dressed opponent knew this and called out; "Lydia…?"
Finally the range of freaks that had been brought that day was complete.
While the previous one was strange enough; a Panzerfaust-wielding musclehead bedecked all in green; German-made flecktarn camouflage pants, olive-drab PASGT Kevlar vest, and a green Mohawk to top it all.
Even different, a young girl not more than 10, clad in a bright orange jumpsuit appeared clutching an oversized teddy bear and a hardbound book; Jane Austen's Pride Prejudice. She made not a sound, as if she was gliding in smoothly like a Victorian demon-child, grotesquely adorable.
With a sickening smile, the book opened on its own accord, suspended by arcs of electricity that emanated from the child herself. Pages separated from the book; Mr. Bingely and Jane's first meeting, Mr. Wickham's lie, Mr. Darcy's confession to Elizabeth…
The very same arcs propelled the pages with enough force to impale Jean against the wall behind him.
This was too much. Blood streaming from his wounds, Jean finally succumbed to unconsciousness.
And the girl giggled. "Paper cut…"
Saruta walked over to Jean, ignoring the scorch marks, debris and blood that covered the floor.
One of the ways to get Jean back to normal was to let him wear off his bloodlust, and another, was to… well, knock him unconscious. Not the easiest way, but effective.
"Jean Jacquemonde… you've been a most unexpecting opponent…"
He turned to the green mohawk/musclehead; "Take him back. I'm sure he can be of some use to us…"
The musclehead saluted and picked Jean up.
"And now let's go pay a visit to Mai."
Yamamoto's Office, ARCAM Corporation Japan Office, 37th Floor, Shinjuku Park Tower, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
"Man... that's one event that I'll probably never forget... Maybe."
But what Jean was worried about now was his encounter with Saruta and his 3 mysterious enforcers. He knew that he was one of the stronger Spriggans out there, and he'd barely managed to give them a scratch.
They were truly frightening, unassuming yet powerful, and he was unsure if anyone else could be able fight them evenly. Yu and the others might have sensed it as well, and looked at each other unceasingly.
But Jean's description was valuable. They now knew the face of the enemy, and plans could be made accordingly to fight them and put them down for good. They would need all the help they could find and there was one more Spriggan right now in Japan that they could use.
"Oh yes, we may have to recall Jonathan from his current assignment. We may need his expertise."
"Yeah," Yu chimed in. "I envy him, man. He's got the cushy job… Looking after a girl, how hard can that be?" Jean too nodded in acquiesce.
Upon hearing the last part of Yu's complaint, Yamamoto swallowed.
The subject of Jonathan made him remember something that had been dogging him, but somewhat unintentionally forgotten…
"What exactly is so special about that girl anyway?" Jean asked.
It was time for Yamamoto to clear his throat. "In actuality, the case was assigned by the American head office. Even I'm not too clear on what it is…"
This time, it was Tea who snapped to attention, after maintaining her calm composure throughout the meeting. Something told her that it wasn't all it seemed.
Wasn't the mission was supposed to be the assignment of a bodyguard to Mai Shirahime to protect against an undisclosed threat from Neo Nazi organization's relic procurement division? And why are details being held back from Yamamoto?
This is all puzzling. Whoever did this did so without her knowledge.
"Tell me Yamamoto, what was in the orders you received?"
"Protect subject at all costs. Facilitate and assist Agent Harker in any means necessary."
The chairman mentioned one man in the end.
"Authorized by Arliss Garisson."
Damn, The most troublesome ARCAM official had to be involved, of course. What the hell is he planning to do?!
"We'll have to look for Jonathan now. He should be in Fukuoka now."
Jean and Yu looked, pained, at each other. Why do we have to look for that slacking little shit… "Uh, specifically where in Fukuoka?"
"How big could Fukuoka Prefecture be?! Just go and look for him!"
Conference Room #2, ARCAM Corporation Japan Office, 37th Floor, Shinjuku Park Tower, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
It was dark. And cold as well. Naturally, he'd bring along an extra jacket for these types of meetings, but for some reason, he forgot today.
And now, as he sat in the semi-dark room with a few lights on, his fingers shivered ever so clammily on the formica table where a microphone perched in front of his mouth as well.
Oh, how he would give for the warm, musty sting of a cigarette now. But that would be disrespectful. Especially in front of these people.
"Yes, we see Yamamoto. These revelations do march up with our current prognosis."
"It is regrettable that this has come to us at such a late stage; we are extremely disadvantaged for retaliation."
Disembodied voices sang in the darkness while he looked at the huge monitor in front of him. One of the corporate worlds' biggest questions was; who was really in charge of the ARCAM corporation? 'The shadiest trading corporation in the world' was the trade wind going around.
Unlike other businesses like Clovers Heavy Industry and the Takasumi Zaibatsu, which primarily did their covert work on the side, the ARCAM corporation was the opposite.
Their PR execs were just about breaking even in maintaining their cover. For such a company as enigmatic as this, there had to be a driving force behind it.
And rumors were having it that there is a higher driving force behind them, like a phantom board of directors, if you will.
In truth, nothing could be further from it.
This specialized room existed in all major branches of ARCAM to allow section heads to communicate and teleconfer with the Wiseman Committee, the mystery board of directors in charge of ARCAM proper.
Confidentiality and solitude was what this room offered.
On the stark bright dominating widescreen was thirteen black squares, each having an initial and representing an avatar of a board member proper.
The futuristic H.G.W, the deductive A.C.D, the fantasist E.R.B, the insane H.P.L, the adventurous H.R.H, the dramatic O.W, the technocratic J.V, the melancholy C.D, the whimsical O.W, the imaginative M.S, the dark B.S, the depressive E.A.P and the mysterious T.F.A…
Each represented a facet of ARCAM that could not exist without the other. The only way Yamamoto would know who's talking is if their initial was highlighted on the screen.
Under the withering light of their avatars, Yamamoto pondered, priming himself for his next, calculated response.
A.C.D's avatar glowed. "As for now, you will continue with your current assigned mission. We will analyze the situation and inform you of our response-"
"About my mission, there is something I would like to know."
"Yes, Yamamoto?" this time B.S replied cautiously, unused to receiving a critical tone.
"I would like to know, what is Agent Harker's true mission?"
Silence.
"I still remember my orders; 'Support Agent Harker's mission in any way possible' Well, I've done that," he smiled.
"But there's too much fog that came along, especially after Saruta Moroha mentioned about retrieving a certain 'Mai'… which I presume is also the very same person Agent Harker is supposed to protect. I see that why those Neo Nazis want her so much."
"Now tell me the whole story; what's really going on in here?!" Yamamoto shouted in a manner more befitting Ominae's outbursts.
ARCAM had always been transparent… Why the secrecy now?
"Yamamoto! It is not your place to-" A.C.D's avatar flashed fiercely-
"I will tell you." Unexpectedly, T.F.A's avatar interjected… The most mysterious member of the group, no one knew her face, who she was, or her real name.
Her voice was Darth Vader-esque, digitally distorted, unlike the other who employed a bassonic version of their real voices.
She rarely spoke, but when she did, it was usually of the utmost importance.
This time G.B.B jumped into the defense of the majority. "I protest! This information-"
"Yamamoto is one of our best operatives. It would be pertinent for him to be privy to this information and the current state of affairs."
G.B.B remained quiet and the opposition disappeared. They all knew that the events had come to a head.
"Yamamoto, are you familiar with the theory of reincarnation?"
"The notion or belief that someone is reborn after death…" He arched an eyebrow at T.F.A's question. "Yes, I am,"
"Then what do you know about the legend of Queen Himiko?"
"The ruler of the ancient state of Yamatotaikoku… some say she existed, others say that she was just a fabled legend, From her glittering dais she stood up, renowned through the land for her incredible beauty as well as her power. Her aura of awe and intimidation around her bewitched her people who followed her rule faithfully..."
Yamamoto mouthed slowly, reciting a passage from an ancient text he had once committed to memory.
"In 189 CE, Queen Himiko entered a political alliance with the powerful Chinese shaman, Red Asia, conquering nearly half of what was then in that period modern Japan. The two most powerful shamans in the world, side by side, were finally defeated by Emperor Shujin under an alliance of free tribes. However, very few texts vaguely mention that under their rule they nearly destroyed the world."
"Destroyed the world?!"
"The Fire Orb and other mystic weapons they used would geologically destabilize the Japanese Archipelago for centuries to come. They said when they were finally struck down; they resembled something different than human."
Something told Yamamoto that there was truth in this. From his experience, you don't take legends lightly her in ARCAM.
"We have tracked down their reincarnation cycles, however this time…" T.F.A paused suddenly, as if to admit a (god forbid) mistake on committee's part.
"A culmination of factors has elevated this into a priority-1 situation. It seems that Saruta Moroha has been identified as Red Asia's current incarnation."
"What?!"
"Somehow he has managed to regain his memories and is actively seeking to resurrect Himiko."
"And Himiko's current incarnation is-?" Somehow Yamamoto felt he knew what the answer would be, but just an inkling of hope burned in him to salvage the madness of the revelations.
"Yes." T.F.A acknowledged. "Mai Shirahime."
"And the Neo Nazis?"
"No doubt pressed into assisting Saruta with his endeavor. The Moroha family has had a long history of association with Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It is obvious they foresaw us as a threat and tried to preemptively destabilize us. Their recent attempt at kidnapping Dr. Mayzel too was part of it."
It was all coming into place now! Beads of sweat furrowed on his head as the different pieces of information and revelations were pieced together… and answers revealed.
Why their bases were attacked, why was he given the unconditional orders to support Jonathan…?
And to compound it all, Saruta with all of his unholy resources of the Moroha Conglomerate was pushing this though with his own agenda.
"But why only send Jonathan to protect Mai?!" Yamamoto shouted, dispensing with all formalities.
"We have… underestimate Saruta Moroha's resources." O.W replied. "Currently any covert or overt operation is out of the question. We can only hope for Agent Harker to secure the target."
"We should have done that from the start! Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?!"
Mysteriously why indeed.
"Agent Harker's handler, Arliss Garrison is in charge of this mission-"
At the very mention of that name, Yamamoto's face took a shade of disgust. Him again! That crass pompous bastard! This had to stop now. With or without the sanction of the Committee, he was going to set things right. Just because of the ego of one man… all this had to happen.
Was it by fate that Yamamoto kept on being assigned the youngest Spriggan agents?
Ominae, Tashiki, Jonathan, Yamamoto thought of them all as his sons.
Dealing with their destructive immaturity, watching them train, sending them off on their missions, the anxious wait and relief as they returned, and the grousing on how overworked they were… Mai had endeared herself to him the very first time they met.
Offhanded her comment on his baldness was, but it made him feel… paternal. And hell hath no fury like a father whose daughter was in trouble.
But the question was where exactly Jonathan and Mai were?
?, ARCAM Corporation Japan Office, 37th Floor, Shinjuku Park Tower, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
In another darkened room in the ARCAM building, Tea Flatte sat at her microphone, thumbing an intelligence report sent in by the enigmatic Oboro.
"There. Unagami." She tapped on the page.
"I pray we get there in time…"
Chapter 8 END