Part IV-RYU'S JOURNAL
Ryu opened the door to his marina house and stepped over some fishing gear that had fallen from where it was, propped up by the door. He sighed heavily as he reached down to replace the items and placed his black leather book on his table by the lone window that looked out on the bay. His marina house was little more than a shack; basic living quarters attached to a repair shop that serviced the boats that were docked in the marina, where he ran an erstwhile repair business when he wasn't on missions. He had a fairly good reputation among the other boat owners as a man who knew his way around any watercraft.
Ryu opened his refrigerator and rooted around for the makings of a sandwich and a beer. Once he put together the cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese into a sub roll and opened his beer, he ate, staring at the book the counselor had given him with apprehension. He continued eating as he pondered what exactly the counselor wanted him to write about himself and the team.
Taking his final bite and washing it down with half the beer, Ryu hunted around for a pen and then sat before the leather tome for several more minutes as he tried to figure out how to begin. He opened the book:
I really don't know what to write. I've never been too good at writing anything, let alone my thoughts and feelings. I mean I know what to write in mission logs, ship logs, and reports after missions but this kind of writing has me totally confused.
Write about my family? Which one? I have two of 'em. I mean there's my real(?) family, my dad, and my little brother Seiji who are actually flesh and blood though I don't see 'em much and my family, the team. Ever since Hakase brought me to Utoland and let me join the team, they've been my true family, we've stuck together like glue.
There's Ken, our fearless leader. He's really a great guy and a fantastic commander who I'm proud to follow into battle. He's got a clear head when he's focused and he makes good decisions most of the time. He's also a fierce fighter, doesn't pull his punches even when we're practicing between missions. He's got some issues though, like his temper when things get to be too much for him. When his father died to save the Earth and restore the Van Allen belt, he was a basket case, I was kind of scared because with him and Joe both it was kind of like there were two loose cannons on the team instead of one. He's okay though, except when it comes to women. I mean Jun's been in love with him almost from the day she and Jinpei joined the team and he seems totally in the dark, staring at her at times like she's the most gorgeous thing he's ever seen (she is-he admitted it to me and Joe once) and doing absolutely nothing about it. If a girl like Jun felt that way about me, I'd worship the ground she walked on and treat her like a princess.
Then there's Jun and Jinpei. Jun's a dream, the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, and one tough chick to boot! I mean the way she mows down Galactor goons is poetry in motion. She's really smart too, and there's no one else better on the team in demolitions. Too bad she can't cook worth a damn or I'd give Ken a run for his money, it might even shock him into doing something about her. Then my little buddy Jinpei. He reminds me of Seiji, they're both the same age and they have similar temperaments-enthusiastic, mischievous, a little headstrong but really good kids. Jinpei's kind of hyper at times but he likes to have fun and he's fun to have around. The little punk's a good fighter too, gives as good as he gets whether we're on a mission or in practice. We spend a lot of time together, both on missions and on off time-he's getting to be quite a fisherman, knows right where the big ones are biting. I don't mind taking him with me when Jun needs a break from him, the kid's all right.
Now, Joe. What can I say about Joe? We've had our run ins (not like him and Ken) but we've had 'em. He's always ragging on me about my weight and my napping on the job (he does have a point about that, at least). And he thinks I'm some kind of idiot country bumpkin who hasn't a clue, the SOB. He gave me hell when we were after Katse that time in the jungle about saving that fawn then he refused to destroy the mecha when there was a whole herd of deer in front of it later in the mission. Ha, he actually apologized to me at Cross Karakorum when he was down, and I told him I'd kick the crap out of him when he got well. I still plan to do that when he does come back because I know he will. He HAS to! He wasn't there at Cross Karakorum when we got back there after Katse was killed and the bomb stopped so he must be somewhere. I know he's not dead, no matter what Hakase thinks or says and that goes for the rest of the team too.
That's all I have to say for now so I'll close---Ryu
Ryu closed the journal and chugged the rest of his beer, chucking the bottle into his recycling bin. He watched the sun set over the marina, turning the sky into a pastel palette of pale orange and pink. He thought about Joe's last words to him again and fervently prayed there would be a day soon that he'd be able to do what he had promised him. Maybe Ken will suggest to Nambu to go out and search for him while Galactor is out of commission. And if they did and found him, boy, will I settle the score, Ryu promised himself, building up his hope that the circumstance he was hoping for would in reality take place.
Ryu opened the door to his marina house and stepped over some fishing gear that had fallen from where it was, propped up by the door. He sighed heavily as he reached down to replace the items and placed his black leather book on his table by the lone window that looked out on the bay. His marina house was little more than a shack; basic living quarters attached to a repair shop that serviced the boats that were docked in the marina, where he ran an erstwhile repair business when he wasn't on missions. He had a fairly good reputation among the other boat owners as a man who knew his way around any watercraft.
Ryu opened his refrigerator and rooted around for the makings of a sandwich and a beer. Once he put together the cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese into a sub roll and opened his beer, he ate, staring at the book the counselor had given him with apprehension. He continued eating as he pondered what exactly the counselor wanted him to write about himself and the team.
Taking his final bite and washing it down with half the beer, Ryu hunted around for a pen and then sat before the leather tome for several more minutes as he tried to figure out how to begin. He opened the book:
I really don't know what to write. I've never been too good at writing anything, let alone my thoughts and feelings. I mean I know what to write in mission logs, ship logs, and reports after missions but this kind of writing has me totally confused.
Write about my family? Which one? I have two of 'em. I mean there's my real(?) family, my dad, and my little brother Seiji who are actually flesh and blood though I don't see 'em much and my family, the team. Ever since Hakase brought me to Utoland and let me join the team, they've been my true family, we've stuck together like glue.
There's Ken, our fearless leader. He's really a great guy and a fantastic commander who I'm proud to follow into battle. He's got a clear head when he's focused and he makes good decisions most of the time. He's also a fierce fighter, doesn't pull his punches even when we're practicing between missions. He's got some issues though, like his temper when things get to be too much for him. When his father died to save the Earth and restore the Van Allen belt, he was a basket case, I was kind of scared because with him and Joe both it was kind of like there were two loose cannons on the team instead of one. He's okay though, except when it comes to women. I mean Jun's been in love with him almost from the day she and Jinpei joined the team and he seems totally in the dark, staring at her at times like she's the most gorgeous thing he's ever seen (she is-he admitted it to me and Joe once) and doing absolutely nothing about it. If a girl like Jun felt that way about me, I'd worship the ground she walked on and treat her like a princess.
Then there's Jun and Jinpei. Jun's a dream, the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, and one tough chick to boot! I mean the way she mows down Galactor goons is poetry in motion. She's really smart too, and there's no one else better on the team in demolitions. Too bad she can't cook worth a damn or I'd give Ken a run for his money, it might even shock him into doing something about her. Then my little buddy Jinpei. He reminds me of Seiji, they're both the same age and they have similar temperaments-enthusiastic, mischievous, a little headstrong but really good kids. Jinpei's kind of hyper at times but he likes to have fun and he's fun to have around. The little punk's a good fighter too, gives as good as he gets whether we're on a mission or in practice. We spend a lot of time together, both on missions and on off time-he's getting to be quite a fisherman, knows right where the big ones are biting. I don't mind taking him with me when Jun needs a break from him, the kid's all right.
Now, Joe. What can I say about Joe? We've had our run ins (not like him and Ken) but we've had 'em. He's always ragging on me about my weight and my napping on the job (he does have a point about that, at least). And he thinks I'm some kind of idiot country bumpkin who hasn't a clue, the SOB. He gave me hell when we were after Katse that time in the jungle about saving that fawn then he refused to destroy the mecha when there was a whole herd of deer in front of it later in the mission. Ha, he actually apologized to me at Cross Karakorum when he was down, and I told him I'd kick the crap out of him when he got well. I still plan to do that when he does come back because I know he will. He HAS to! He wasn't there at Cross Karakorum when we got back there after Katse was killed and the bomb stopped so he must be somewhere. I know he's not dead, no matter what Hakase thinks or says and that goes for the rest of the team too.
That's all I have to say for now so I'll close---Ryu
Ryu closed the journal and chugged the rest of his beer, chucking the bottle into his recycling bin. He watched the sun set over the marina, turning the sky into a pastel palette of pale orange and pink. He thought about Joe's last words to him again and fervently prayed there would be a day soon that he'd be able to do what he had promised him. Maybe Ken will suggest to Nambu to go out and search for him while Galactor is out of commission. And if they did and found him, boy, will I settle the score, Ryu promised himself, building up his hope that the circumstance he was hoping for would in reality take place.
