X
Returning to the carrier Anglerfish team were all just relieved to escape the angry mob that Daulton angered, he explained that a gang of children tried to mug him for his quarters, but he wasn't having it so struck first and fast. Smashing his fist in the first kid's face and karate kicks the second square in the chest sending him flying into the rest of his friends, then the parents came charging in like a troop of savage gorillas.
"Stop!" Yukari halted Daulton's explanation as it was obvious to all of them that he was making it up, "What really happened?"
"Ok fine," Daulton groaned as he was easily caught red-handed, "I saw a kid with a Star Wars shirt, then he said that Kylo Ren is better than Darth Vader, and so I kicked his ass to knock some sense into him... "
Miho, Yukari, and the rest stood there utterly stunned by the reasoning of his actions.
"... You did the right thing," was the response the girls had, basically in agreement.
"I'm happy to hear you're on my side," Daulton thanked them, "Now if you excuse me, I have triceratops to turn into an ATV."
Hefting the mechanical dinosaur Yukari kissed and waved goodbye to Daulton, they watched on with happy innocent smiles waiting for the boy pilot to disappear around the corner.
"Good he's gone," Saori broke the silence, "Now we can help set up Hana for her date."
"What was that?" Daulton asked coming back to pick up a piece of the robot dino lying on the pavement to which the girls did their best to mask their nervous faces, "Hana you got a date, since when?"
"Just before you got us chased out of town," Mako spoke first with a clam tone.
"Really, who's the dude?" Daulton asked in genuine curiosity.
"That's none of your business," Saori stopped him.
"Yeah, sorry Daulton, but Hana needs all of our help right now," Miho stated turning to leave.
"C'mon Hana, you gotta look your best if you wanna wow him," Saori joined in grabbing her friend by the arm and guiding her to her house.
"Bye, Daulton, love you," Yukari waved goodbye.
"Well... back to me."
\Saunders' Dorm/
Returning to their carrier Kay, Naomi, and Alisa with a paper bag of food they ordered to go, but still had their curious minds on the conversation earlier.
"Do you really think George's family life is as bad as he makes it out to be?" Alisa asked holding the food in her hands, "Or is he just overexaggerating?"
"I would say yeah, but we met Daulton, and he went 007 on us," Kay reminded.
"I wonder if he made back to the dorm?" Naomi brought up holding open the door for her friends.
They all walked in they planning to have their dinner to watch a movie in the living room, but as they were approaching the room they heard the familiar tunes of the piano being played, and when entering they all spotted George laying on the piano bench while still being able to play despite being under the keys. He truly was a master pianist as he flawlessly managed to play the notes that reflected his mood, heart-struck, with light notes flying through the air.
"Look who's all happy all of a sudden," Naomi pointed with a cocky grin, "What's got you in a better mood?"
"It might just be me girls, but I think George is in love," Kay cued cupping her own cheeks.
"Love!" Alisa and Naomi gasps.
"Not just that!" George interrupted catching the girls off guard, "But I have a date tonight."
"Tonight!" the girls all exclaimed.
"Then why aren't you getting ready!" Naomi scorned him see that he was still dressed in his casual clothes.
"Yeah about that... " George lead on to his conundrum, "I don't have anything nice to wear."
To that excuse the girls slapped their palms square into their faces.
"We need to get you ready," Kay insisted.
"But, we don't have any men's clothes lying around," Alisa brought up.
"Then we just have to go get some," Kay settled.
"OH GOD!" George shouted holding his head which also scared the girls.
"What's wrong?" They asked,
"What happened to my hair?" George asked feeling his scalp.
The girls just felt their brains stopped working because Daulton was dead serious.
"You don't have hair," Naomi reminded him.
"... I'm bald!" George wrongfully concluded completely forgetting her shaved his own head, and Naomi smacked him up the back of his head.
"Love really does make people stupid," she commented.
\Short Time After/
It didn't take long, but when Daulton brought the machine to the hanger he brought out the power tools, and went to work which in no time the mechanical triceratops became a kickass four-wheeled motorcycle. Bursting out of the hanger Daulton popped some sick wheelies and spun around in donuts, cheering on as he kicked up dirt.
"This is so sick," Daulton said to himself with joy, "I should take this somewhere, but where should I go... ? Eh the Saunders carrier is docked by, might as well check up on George to see he hasn't caused any trouble."
And so Daulton brunt rubber and shot out of the school's gate like a bat out of hell racing down the streets while there was still light out, navigating his way through the streets, off the ramp to climb up a different ramp, then navigating his way through the Saunders carrier before finding the school. The gate was closed, but that wasn't gonna stop a guy with triceratops for a battering ram, so Daulton revved the engine, ran down the steal gate with much ease.
"George! are you here?" Daulton called out as he stepped through the front door.
Walking in there was nothing, but silence only to hear the subtle tapes of footsteps coming down the stairs, looking much more dapper than last time they met, (I'm not going into detail to it), and George almost missing a step on the stairs when finding Daulton at the bottom.
"Where the hell are you going?" Daulton demanded wondering what the circumstances are.
"I could explain," George quickly jumped to his own defense afraid that Daulton will straight up beat him jnto submission, "I'm just going out I swear!"
"Oh yeah, to where?" Daulton demanded that he spill it.
"He's going on a date," Kay shouted down the from the top of the stairs.
"How about you but out," Daulton shouted back up, "And what sane girl will go out with you?"
"Well maybe she's insane," George said otherwise, "But I don't care I finally gonna have my first date, so if you're gonna give me a busted nose and a black eye go ahead and do it because I'm doing it."
Standing up for himself George could tolerate the punches he was given throughout his life, especially now that his mother is no longer part of his life, he can finally build his own life from the ground up without interference from his own family.
"C'mon, Daulton, let the man live," Naomi joined in leaning over the railing.
"Yeah! have a heart," Alisa followed.
Seeing all the support all that did Daulton was shrug and stepped off to the side for George to go his way. coming down stairs Kay, Naomi, and Alisa planned to pick up where they last left off gathering at the living room to start movie night, only to deal with an unexpected guest.
"So what he got a date with some girl on this ship?" George question walking into the living area standing next to the tv.
"Well... he said he ran into this girl while we were in town," Kay corrected to which Daultin flinched suddenly putting two and two together.
"Where and when exactly?" George demanded shutting off the tv.
\Off Ship/
Hurrying down the street with the setting sun at his back, George glanced back and forth between the sidewalk and his watch only stopping at a red-light as cars zoomed passed blocking him off momentarily. Waiting anxiously George then heard the call of soothing voice like a grandmother calling to you, looking off to his side the comparison wasn't far off as a short elderly woman standing at the very front of a flower shop was asking for his attention.
"Excuse me young man, but where are off to in such a hurry?" she asked politely, "Judging how spiff you look I say you're on your way to meet a pretty girl."
"How'd you know?"
"When your a florist at my age you just know things like these," she explained to him, "But surely you not planning on going to meet her without flowers?"
"Well I would... but I only have money for the dinner," George unfortunately told her.
"Nonsense, this one's free of charge," the woman kindly offered.
"I'm not sure, she told she's some sort of flower connoisseur or something... ? I forget what it was," George admitted unsure of the vast choices of colorful flowers of varying shapes and sizes.
"Another florist!" the elderly woman nearly cheered, "If that's the case then maybe you should take this."
She picking for him the woman pulled out a bouquet of flowers that seems to dangle with a beautiful hue of purple that was refreshing to look at as a glass of water, "These are Wisteria they're very popular with professionals like me."
"These are very nice," George complimented cradling the wrapped flowers in one arm.
"Now run along or you'll be late," she finished waving him goodbye.
George thanked her and the moment the lights changed he ran as fast as his feet can carry him across town.
\Little Down The Road/
Waiting across the street from where they first met Hana sat patiently on a bus stop bench she changed her clothes for the date/honey-pot mission, her friends helped her choose from her wardrobe, but the approaching night made her wear a coat over her dress. Before George can arrive Hana was startled by the jingle of her phone going off.
"Hello?" she answered holding the device next to her ear.
"Hana, did you met up with the enemy?" Miho called from the other side of the line.
"Not yet, I think he's running a little," Hana informed.
"Hana, Yukari here, you need to squeeze as much information out of him as possible," she instructed.
"How do I that?" she asked.
"Just flirt with him, laugh at any joke he makes, say he looks so strong," Saori advised.
At that moment Hana heard the sounds of foot steps finding George coming up in a hurry.
"I gotta go," she hung up, "I was starting to think you had cold feet."
"Sorry, I had to do some last minute shopping," George commented holding one hand behind his back until he finally brought it out taking the breath out of Hana's lungs.
"Are those Wisteria?" Hana spoke in awe crackling the flowers in her arms, "These are my favorite. How did you know?"
"A kind old lady gave them to me," George answered honestly, "You look really lovely tonight," he added commenting on Hana's beauty, but she just blushed.
"Oh this is just my sweater," Hana giggled tugging on the end of her coat, "Where is it that you like to take me?"
"Well, there is this one place I think that would be great," George told her, but he sounded unsure with his tone, "It's the first time I heard about this place, but I heard it ain't half bad."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Hana concluded and the two moved on to their destination.
\X/
After walking a couple of blocks George tried to make small talk saying that the perfume she was wearing smelt wonderful, Hana's response was just a simple delivery of saying that her friends helped her pick it out, then going back to awkward silence. Thankfully the moment ended when they finally made it to the place George had planned. The place was a karaoke/restaurant and this establishment also own a piano working well to George's chances to woo Hana and prove how well of an artist he is. The building made of red bricks glowed with the soft yellow and orange lights that were decorated the outside making the two young adults feel warm and welcomed.
"It looks lovely and I don't think I've been banned from this one yet," Hana noted in delight.
"It sure- wait, wha-!"
"C'mon let's grab a table," she lead him forth through the doors.
Walking in Hana and George were greeted with the fresh, warm, and pleasant smell of food flowing all the way from the kitchen, but accompanied with the unpleasant sounds of a woman trying to sing one of her favorite songs on stage. They found an empty table for couples, George quickly pulling out the chair for her, Hana laid down her purse onto the table freeing her arms to remove her coat revealing a long single piece light dress with a white collar. George pushed her in once she was seated joining her on the opposite end, he took in her beauty feeling that time has froze in place, until the waitress came to drop of the menus and music listings.
"So what part of Japan do you come from?" George asked trying to start a conversation.
"I came from Mito, Ibaraki it can get a little humid there, but it also home to one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan," Hana answered with no problem, "How about you, now where do you hail from exactly?"
"America."
"Wow, what part? New York? California? Texas? Florida?" Hana listed off the States that she knows so far.
"Virginia," George corrected, "Mostly rural there, a lot of critters like pumas, deer, bears, and wild hogs."
"It must be adventurous out there."
"Yeah, but family isn't so keen into getting their hands dirty, they stay close to the city," George said otherwise, "But my uncle will take me out hunting."
"My I bet your parents must've been angry," Hana assumed finding it relatable, "My mother was so furious when she found out when I... " Hana just barely stopped herself from saying she was a tanker, but now she needed to end the sentence without exposing herself. "When I... When I signed up for... mechanics, yes! I work with oil car parts."
"At least your mother cares what's going on with your life. I don't even have that kind of relation with mine," George said almost sounding jealous.
"Well enough talk of family life, let's see what's to eat," Hana tried to move on from the conversation already sensing the sadden hidden away in George's voice and the ambiguous implication to that statement, "These meals look delicious, I'm not sure where to begin."
"Well pick whatever, it's on me," George promised and as Hana read through the menu he glances to the piano standing behind the micro phone, "You know, while you pick I'm gonna go play a song for everyone."
Taking the chance to impress the beautiful Japanese girl, George got up from his then headed towards the stage, and as the last customer sang his song George took a moment to remember when was the last time he performed on stage, but this is for a single person out of a whole crowd. Hana looked up after giving back her menu over to the waitress wondering how true George's claim from earlier. Everyone watched as George took the stage, but rather than go for the micro phone instead he went straight for the piano which felt it was in a different room on its own.
It actually surprised George when he found a thin lair of dust sitting on top of the piano, he took in a deep breath to blow the instrument clean, after that he sat down, this piano probably hasn't been used since it was first place here. George had vast mental library of symphonies and many such classics, but one song stood out for him, and that was the one he chose for this night, there was a sudden build up as George's fingers danced across the keys catching everyone's ear, Hana was dazzled, and they realized what song George was playing.
In perfect harmony George sung as lovely as he played singing the phrase "I will survive", sounded like it brought him so much joy to repeat the lyrics of a 70's classic, as if he was singing it to himself like he was relating to the song. And Hana knows it, as she was so caught up in the raw emotion George was radiating from his being that she forgot why she was here in the first place. After his turn was over the entire dinning room erupts in cheer and applause letting him know that his showmanship is still top of its game. So George rejoined Hana with here eyes wide in amazement from his performance and feeling foolish for calling him an amateur earlier.
"You sounded like you had so much fun singing that song," Hana noted, "Your family must have so much fun when you play."
"No they hate that song," George corrected her leaving Hana with a puzzled look.
"Then why did you play it?"
"Because whatever makes them mad, makes me happy," George admitted with a joyful smile then retreating back into his unpleasant memories, "I bet you have a great time decorating flowers with your mom. I... don't have a great relationship with my family. In fact... they decided to they didn't want to see me anymore, this the first public performance I had in years."
That statement shocked her to her core.
"Why would they even do that? you have such great skill," Hana questioned.
"They never taught me," George told her, "I learned by watching them from the other room and went in to play when they're away, I just really wanted them to love, but... I realized that was never gonna happen. They really took the joy out of it."
"... My I see your hands?" Hana simply requested, George shot her a confused look before reaching over, Hana grasps his wrists pulling it under her nose to take a couple of sniffs, making George feel awkward, "I smell a lot oil on you. You tried to wash it off did you?"
"How'd-"
"A gifted nose runs in my family, that's how my mother found out," Hana explained proudly, "That's way too much grime and dirt for a musician."
"Alright... " George sighed as he was defiantly caught, "I'm not an official musician, in fact... I'm a tank commander."
"Really, how can a boy get into tankery?"
"I got into tankery after I stopped performing."
"You stopped playing?" Hana repeated and George nodded in confirmation.
"After I gave up pursuing their acceptance, I gave up on piano, and also broke all of my dad's fingers for good measure because if I can't play neither can he."
"So how'd you get into tankery?"
"Well that's a crazy story," George began to spin his tale.
\A Few Years Ago/
Walking out on the streets George was just spending his Saturday morning away from his wretched father and sister, he kicked an empty soda can that stood in his way sending it flying until heard a loud thud as it landed in an alley. George stopped and peered into the alley seeing a ragged blue tarp with the same soda can lying in front of it, George walked over to rip the tarp right off, and there is where George found the M8A1.
\Present/
"Huh... not as crazy as I remember," George realized, "I took the tank to my uncle's place, my family didn't care care what I do, as long it doesn't involve them."
"Then maybe they never deserved you in the first place," Hana remarked and the waitress came back with a giant dish tray filled with food placing each and every dish on Hana's side of the table leaving George speechless at the quantity of food ordered.
"Are we sharing this?" George asked seeing none of the dishes were even close to him, but Hana was too busy enjoying herself, "I hope the girls lend me enough money."
\Later/
The two exited the establishment with George helping Hana into her coat as the stepped out into the chilly night.
"I'm sorry that I got a little carried away with the food," Hana apologized for her lack of sharing.
"It was actually quite amazing," George told her other wise, flattering her, "I never seen a girl eat so much in one sitting."
Hana laughed as her cheeks began to pink the two were having a lovely time, her laugh was contagious so George joined her, closing his eyes as the two chuckled so hard, and out of nowhere Hana leaned forth to steal a kiss from George. Everything fell silence, but in the most positive way that could happen for George, until.
"Hey, Hana!" Daulton shouted out for their attention.
"Peter!" Hana gasps, not excepting her friend's boyfriend making an appearance.
"Wait, how did you know-" George was beginning to ask how she knew Daulton.
"She's a friend of my girlfriend," Daulton told him walking up to pull Hana over away from him.
"So what if she knows your girl," George attempted to fight back, but George shoves him.
"Did she tell you that she's in a tankery team from Ooarai Academy," Daulton broke it to George and Hana suddenly remembers the true purpose why she was on a date in the first place, "I know this because I live on that ship too, they told her date you for information."
"What?" George felt the air escape him then turned to Hana, "You're- you're just spying me?"
The tone was one of hurt and betrayal, and the emotion in his eyes made Hana's heart ache.
"No, George, please let me-"
Hana tried to explain, but Daulton stopped her from speaking any further.
"Geroge," Daulton addressed him wanting him to look at him, "Go back to Kay, I'll deal with it."
George didn't say anything more, he just turned away, and ran disappearing into the night. He only glanced once to see a shrinking sight of the girl he thought he could trust.
"George... " Hana began to sob, "What was I thinking?"
"C'mon, let's go home," Daulton told her guiding her back to the carrier, but an employee from the karaoke restaurant confronted them with a note written on the same kind of paper they use for the recites. George takes the note from the person reading it, "Hana you're ban for life."
A/N: Sorry it took so long I was busy experimenting with two crossovers (My Hero Academia x Transformers) & (Overwatch x Evolve), I've been re-reading them, rewriting them, making sure the grammer and spelling were understandable, also have trying to pick on my older stories that I haven't touched in a while, and I might be gone for a little while because that.
So see you all soon enough.
