Magnificent Four
Chapter 6. Vacation.
Apparently the idea of inserting a violinist into a rock band was not a bad idea at all. The addition of melodic violin rhythm worked well with rock music, at least that's what has happened to the Bad Luck band. It so happened that the band was now known as the first rock band in Japan that used violin in the music.
The violinist Ichiro Shindou managed to boost the Bad Luck's popularity rating significantly. He usually filled the backing chord for the guitarist Nagano Hiroshi. However, due to clash on the guitar and violin tone, Hiro played as the bassist while Ichiro filled the higher tone.
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A month has passed since Ichiro joined the Bad Luck and Christmas was approaching fast.
The band was just finished their last recording session for the year.
"Congratulations folks, that was your last session for this year" Mr. K exclaimed while clapping his hands.
"Hai, finally, holiday" Said Fujisaki while reached the back of his synthesizer to turn it off. "What re you guys going to do for a holiday ?".
"I'm going to America for a month" Mr. K replied while absentmindedly toying with his gun.
"Right… Put that down before someone gets hurt, K" Ichiro sneered. "What's your plan, Sakano-san, Hiro ?"
"Me ?… Maybe I'm going to relax my cramped nerves" Sakano chuckled.
"Cleaning my apartment and tuning my bike up" Hiro replied. "How about you, Shu… Never mind, you got Eiri. How about you, Ichiro ?" Hiro put his guitar down and starts toying with Ichiro's violin.
"Hmmm… I think I'm going to spend my holiday in Australia. Besides it has been quite some time since the last time I flew a plane" Ichiro replied. His eyes fixed at his violin on Hiro's hands. "Hiro, put my violin down, it isn't a guitar…".
"Eh ?. Are you going to fly all the way to Australia ?" Shuichi blinked.
"Why not ? I saved enough money to rent a plane"
"Rent a plane ?. How on earth are you going to flew a Cessna all the way down to Australia ?" Mr. K asked.
"Ugh… Not a single prop Cessna, K… It's Cessna Citation, twinjet aircraft !" Ichiro scowled.
"Huh ? You have savings on the bank ?…. " Mr. K blinked few times. "Then why don't you pay the repair bill (He wrecked the lobby few months ago) ?".
"I've been planning for this since the day I started working as a pilot back in Australia…".
"…. Anyway, if you're flying a Cessna Citation, you will need to make few stops" K paused for a while. "Why don't you rent something bigger like Learjet or Gulfstream ?".
"Those planes are too big. Besides it's only me whom going to Australia"
"Australia eh ?…. Hmm… why don't we all go to Australia ?" Said Fujisaki.
"Hey… that's not a bad idea" Shuichi beamed.
"Well… I suppose we could rent a Learjet and make a nonstop flight to Australia" Said Ichiro.
"No, you will need a stop, just to be safe" K protested.
"I guess you're right. Anyway, let's poll our money then I'll make the necessary flight planning and stuffs like that".
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"….And so that's the plan, Yuki". Shuichi was just finished telling his lover Yuki about the plan to go to Australia. He, Yuki, and Ichiro were having pizza for dinner as Shuichi forgot to remove the aluminum covering when he cooked with microwave oven.
"Sounds interesting…." Yuki commented calmly, sounding uninterested at all.
"Oh, it will be great, Eiri-san. We're all going and don't worry. It won't be expensive since you don't have to pay for the pilot… which is me !" Ichiro flashed a big smile.
Yuki almost choked on his pizza, "You're going to fly them ?!. You were dangerous on the road, let alone sky…".
"Aw, c'mon Yuki, it will be fun. You will see how good my brother is !" Shuichi protested and tugged at Yuki's sleeve.
Now, Yuki really choked on his pizza. "Me ?… Now wait a second-".
"I'm glad you agree !" Shuichi beamed and planted a kiss on his lover earlobe. Obviously he has misinterpreted Yuki's choking.
"Then it's settled. We're leaving this Saturday…. Four days from now" Ichiro chirped and wrote something on his notebook.
"…. How do I got into this mess…." Yuki sighed.
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Finally, Saturday came.
"… I hope you're not planning to crash…" Yuki growled softly.
"Relax, nothing to worry about, Eiri. Just a few raindrops, nothing major" Ichiro chuckled. He was inspecting the aircraft thoughtfully from the control surface respond to the fuel quantity and quality.
"This thing is still in good condition…" Said K who was checking the aircraft as well. He has changed his plan and decided to come along with the band to Australia.
"Although I'm not sure if this a good idea…" Tohma sighed.
"I'm sure he's not that dangerous on the sky !" Shuichi whined.
"Only one way to find that out…. Hop in and off we go". Ichiro beamed and pushed everyone in, excluding Tohma who wasn't going to Australia.
Strangely enough, everyone's reaction was the same. They immediately put their safety belt on tightly and clung to the seat as if the plane was going down.
Mr. K joined Ichiro in the cockpit and took a seat in the copilot seat.
"Ok… Who's going to make the call for the tower ?" K asked while adjusting the radio set.
"You. I'm going to do the preflight check and starts the engine" Ichiro replied and began to check the various instrument on board.
"If you say so" K nodded and turned the radio on. "Tokyo clearance delivery, Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, ready to copy IFR to Manila as filled, requesting clearance" Said K over the radio without break for breathing. At the same time Ichiro was listening to the Air Terminal Information System and jotting down the various variables such as wind direction, wind speed, temperature and available runaway. As the airport were rather busy, they have to waited for quite a bit until the have clearance from the Tokyo Clearance Delivery. "…. Tokyo clearance delivery, roger that, Bravo-Delta-Lima" K replied then tilts his head at Ichiro.
"Good… setting frequency one-one-niner decimal niner" Ichiro reached for the radio console and turns the knob to dial the wanted frequency. "Ohayo Tokyo ground, Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, radio check" Said Ichiro over the radio.
"Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, Tokyo ground, readability 5" A voice burst out from the radio, it was clear without any distortion.
"Tokyo ground, Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, requesting permission for engines start" Said Ichiro again.
"Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, Tokyo ground, roger, you may start your engines…".
"I wonder why this take so much time…" Yuki muttered and checked his watch. It has been ten minutes since he strapped himself to the seat. Seated next to him was none other than Shuichi who was kept on ogling at the windscreen, waiting impatiently for take off.
Behind Yuki and Shuichi were Hiro and his girlfriend Ayaka. Both of them kept on gulping and shift around on their seat.
But perhaps the most extreme reaction came from Sakano. He had decided to spend his vacation in Australia and tag along with the other member of the Bad Luck. Sakano was very uneasy and starts mumbling as if he was praying.
"Relax Sakano-san. Don't tell me you never fly before" Fujisaki, who sat next to Sakano, chuckled. He was reading a book he brought along with him to kill time.
"D… Do you think I need to write my last will ?… in case we-".
"Sakano-san…shut up…" Yuki hissed.
The sleek Learjet began to whine as the compressor blade on its starboard side engine began to revolve, slowly at first. The engine whined louder before finally rumbles as it went on. Another whine whistles in the cabin as the port side engine was ignited.
"Finally, we're ready to roll…." Yuki sighed and leans himself against his seat.
Slowly, the Learjet rolled on the taxiway. There are few other airplanes in front of the small jet, all of them were waiting their turn for takeoff.
"K-san, I never knew that you were a pilot" Said Ichiro. He was adjusting the throttle so the plane rolled smoothly and slowly on the taxiway.
"I'm not a pilot, but I do have Commercial Pilot License with Multi engine rating endorsement" K replied.
Ichiro applied the brake and brought the Learjet to stop at the end of the taxiway. Again, he contacted Tokyo tower. "Tokyo Tower, Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, ready for takeoff IFR at runaway 22, straight out departure".
"Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, Tokyo tower, hold short, traffic is Boeing 747 on final"
"Tokyo Tower, Learjet Bravo-Delta-Lima, hold short".
A large Boeing 747 glides slowly into the runaway with landing configuration. Its flaps and landing gear were down as it approached the runaway.
"We should have used a regular airline…" Yuki complained.
"But I never been in a small plane before. Besides the space for the legs is large" Shuichi moves his legs up and down.
"At least it's safer" Yuki retorted.
"I trust my brother"
"Well, I don't".
The large lumbering Boeing 747 rolled out of the runaway and the Learjet was cleared for take off. Ichiro positioned the plane into the runaway then set the parking brake on. Slowly he throttled the engines into take off power then released the brake. The small plane almost jolted when the brakes were disengaged. It accelerated on the runaway quickly.
"V1…" K fixed his eyes on the airspeed indicator. He knew that the plane has reached the critical speed. If something goes wrong, they can't abort the take off. "Rotate…" K signaled to Ichiro to pull back on the yoke. "V2… positive rate of climb…" He moved his hand to the landing gear switch, "Gear up…"
The sleek Learjet climbs smoothly before disappearing into the clouds.
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"I guess that kid is really a pilot…" Tohma chuckled and took a good look at the Learjet, which began to vanish in the distance.
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After taking the Learjet to climb into the safe altitude, Ichiro turned the seat belt sign off. "Ladies and gentlemen, the seat belt sign has been switched off. However for safety reason, we advise you to keep the seat belt on while seated at all times, thank you".
"Baka, you're not flying in an airliner" K laughed.
"Heh, that's what you get from a former airline pilot… Anyway, go and check on the other, play some in-flight movies" Said Ichiro
K rose up from the co-pilot seat and made his way to the cabin. "Well folks, since we don't have any flight attendant, everything is self-service" He flipped the large aircraft TV then took his bag from the luggage compartment. He took few DVDs out of the bag. "Ok… we got…. Titanic, Harry Potter and The Philosopher Stone, Lord Of The Rings, Nittle Grasper Live in Singapore, Bad Luck Live in Tokyo and… erhm…Beauty And The Beast…"
"Beauty And The Beast" Fujisaki waved around.
"Same here" Ayaka-chan doubled.
"Me too" Hiro nodded.
"Well, that's the majority…." K turned the DVD on and played the movie.
"Say… does this movie reminds us of two people we know VERY well ?" K snorted.
"Yes it does…" Hiro nodded, trying not to laugh.
"I wonder who…" Shuichi growled
"…." Yuki glared at K.
The End of Chapter 6