Until the End
Chapter 28
Taking it to the Streets
"Everything needs to go off like clockwork tonight Akane," Ishii reminded as he finished checking the video equipment. One camera would be going into Prime Minister Shizuko's house, and the one thing that could not happen was to have the camera not work when the interview started.
"I know," Akane said as she adjusted her skirt. Wearing a simple blouse and skirt combo had allowed Akane to keep the premise of being a reporter, but would also provide her with enough maneuverability to fight if the situation arose. Of course, fighting was the last thing that needed to happen tonight.
Akari moved towards the van that they would be using to travel to Shizuko's estate and opened the sliding panel door. She stepped inside and slid it shut.
"Make me proud," Ishii said with a smile and gave Akane a quick kiss on the cheek.
Akane merely smiled back confidently and walked to the driver's side door and got inside. She started the van and pulled away from the Dojo and down the street.
Ishii watched them go until they were out of view and then he turned to Kimura, who was standing just inside the Dojo.
"I've got a bad feeling about this Isamu," Ishii stated as he moved up the steps and into the Dojo. Kimura followed after him and they both took seats along the wall. Ishii reached into his pants pocket and extracted his cell phone. "With one call we dedicate ourselves to this. It will either lead to our freedom, or our downfall."
Kimura looked at the phone and then spoke. "You have the power to call it off Ishii, if you really think this will end badly."
Ishii's eyes turned to frustration. "But that would delay things and we may never get a chance like this ever again. I don't want to have to explain to the world that I delayed an action that could have saved lives."
"You must look into your soul and decide what it tells you," Kimura explained. "Only then can you be sure that what you have decided is the one thing you meant to do."
Kimura's words echoed inside of Ishii's mind as he held the cellular phone in his hand. A silence ensued as he pondered what to do. Finally, Ishii flipped the phone open and hit a speed-dial button.
"Do it."
===============
Fujita looked at his wristwatch for the hundredth time that minute. It was just after six in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set. The girls were due at Shizuko's quarters in thirty seconds.
He was spared further apprehension when he saw the dark olive-colored van turn down the street and start towards the house. Fujita released the breath he had been unaware that he had been holding in.
The van slowed as he stepped out in the front driveway and held his hand up, traffic-policeman wise. The driver's side window was rolled down and Fujita stepped over and peered inside.
"Identification please," he ordered in his gruff voice. Akane flashed him the press badge that they had gotten from the Nippon Station Tokyo; Fujita nodded his head and motioned for the other police officers to allow the van through.
"Were counting on you," Fujita said quietly as he stepped back from the van.
Akane didn't reply and instead drove up the driveway towards Shizuko's house. The house loomed in front of them, growing larger as they approached.
As she pulled to a stop, Akane looked beside her where Akari was seated.
"No matter what happens I want you to know that I love you," Akane said as she took Akari's hand in her own.
Akari's eyes met hers and she smiled. "Same here."
As the sky slowly changed to dusk, Akane and Akari extracted the equipment from the van and stepped up the long path towards Shizuko's home. Two guards opened the doors after checking their identification and allowed them to pass. Prime Minister Shizuko was waiting for them just inside.
"Welcome to my home," he greeted. He was wearing a simple kimono that appeared to be worth more than all their video equipment combined.
"It is our honor sir," Akane replied as she and Akari bowed low. Shizuko returned their bow and walked them into his house. He walked down a few hallways before stepping through a door and onto a veranda. The veranda provided a nice view of the city while being far enough away to drown out the sounds of the city.
"I understand this will be going out live?" Shizuko asked as he took a seat.
"That is correct sir," Akane said. "An agreement has been struck with most stations to allow this broadcast to go out across all the sets of Japan." What Akane failed to mention was the fact that Ishii and Kimura had enlisted the help of the tech wizards at the information industry to put the interview on the World Wide Web as well, so everyone in the world would be able to see it, live.
"Were ready to go," Akari said as she finished giving the equipment an once-over.
"Alright," Akane said putting her best smile across her face. "Let's begin."
===============
"They're starting," Ishii announced as he sped through the streets of downtown Tokyo. Kimura nodded his head absently from the opposite seat. "Make sure that everyone else is ready."
The plan called for Akane and Akari to interview Shizuko for ten minutes asking simple questions about his policies and ideas about the war. Once the ten minute mark was reached, three hundred police officers in civilian clothing were to march up the street leading to Shizuko's home and begin to create havoc. The officers on duty were to be overwhelmed, and then Shizuko's bodyguards would be called upon. Once Shizuko was alone with the two women, then the real interview would start.
Of course, if the plan did not work out correctly, Akane and Akari would attempt to simply carry out the interview as best they could, without arising any suspicions.
Kimura made the calls to the other and received status checks in return. Everyone was in position, and were awaiting the signal to begin. With authorization from Ishii, Kimura gave the order to move onto the next level of the mission.
"It's begun," Kimura said as he snapped his phone shut.
Ishii nodded his head but chose not to respond, his focus instead on navigating through the streets and arriving at their destination on time.
===============
Ryoga opened his eyes slowly. Despite his interaction with the doctors and medical personnel, he still found himself waking in a dazed stupor as he took in his surroundings. The cold granite cell that had been his home for four years was replaced with a drab white room containing a separate room with a washroom. The motion was always jarring, but Ryoga still found it necessary to get out of his bed and feel the walls, allowing him to believe that he was actually out of that hellhole.
Not since the first time he awoke had Ryoga seen Ranma, and it troubled the fanged-martial artist greatly, as he had appeared in very rough condition before the doctors had carted him off.
He stopped his slow walk in the room and closed his eyes. He was free, away from the terror and pain that his life had been the previous four years. Ranma had come for him, just like he had prayed for in his mind, but never actually believed. His best friend, and his savior, Ranma had done the impossible, which seemed to be the story of his life. Ryoga owed him more than he could fathom, but he knew the pigtailed-martial artist would wave it off as nothing.
His thoughts were interrupted as a medical orderly opened the door to his room carrying a tray containing some food.
"Ah Mr. Hibiki, you shouldn't be up," she said in Japanese.
"May I ask what room Ranma Saotome is in?" Ryoga asked. "I would like to pay him a visit."
"Mr. Saotome is currently resting," she replied. "He had some trouble getting to sleep so we had to put him under."
"It doesn't matter, I would still like to just get a look at him," Ryoga insisted.
The girl looked slightly uneasy about the situation but she relented as she saw the sad expression on Ryoga's face. The story of the POW's and the Japanese soldiers had circulated through the ship through the past few days. The story of this patient and his friend were usually the number one thing everyone talked about.
"If you'll wait I'll get you a wheelchair," she said. "And no arguing or I won't take you at all."
===============
The trip was relatively short, as it seemed all the people rescued had been placed in the same area on the ship. Ranma's room was about twelve doors down from Ryoga's, and Ryoga asked the nurse if the wheelchair had truly been necessary.
"You are at a very dangerous health at the moment Mr. Hibiki, unless you want to add a few broken bones to the list which will occur if you trip and fall, then I'd suggest you take our policies a little seriously."
Ryoga thanked her and told her he would give her a call if he needed her.
"Alright, I'll be right outside if you need me," she said and closed the door after him.
Ranma was not in good shape. That was the first thought that appeared in Ryoga's mind as he gazed upon the man lying on the bed in the room. His clothing had been cut away, except for a few portions that covered his genitals and were necessary to provide some warmth. Large purpling bruises covered most of his chest, arms, and legs. His left leg was in a cast, as was his right arm. A good sign was that a breathing tube was not inserted into Ranma's mouth, meaning he at last didn't have too many internal injuries.
Ryoga pulled a chair from the wall and half-carried, half-dragged it to the bed. It was much heavier than he anticipated. He plopped down onto it, exhausted from his task. A part of his mind was asking why such a menial task was capable of rendering him tired. He lamented on that fact.
'I could turn boulders into pebbles with but a punch' he said to himself. 'Have I fallen so far?'
As Ranma stirred lightly Ryoga tossed the thought aside. It wasn't really important right now anyways. He shifted his chair closer so he was able to rest some of his body on Ranma's bed.
For the first time, Ryoga noticed that a television was in the room, and it was turned on. The volume was muted, but Ryoga could see that it was a Japanese channel.
'We must be pretty close to Japan for them to get the signal,' Ryoga mused. He became interested in the show as it seemed they were interviewing the Japanese Prime Minister. Ryoga hadn't been involved much in Japanese politics, but he did recall that it was Prime Minister Shizuko that was in power now.
The flashy news person said something and the picture changed to a nice setting of a home just in the more residential sector of Tokyo. The Prime Minister was on camera and he was smiling into the camera. As he began to speak Ryoga decided to listen in. He reached for a remote that had been placed on the small table by Ranma's bed.
"-es, I am afraid that we must now double our war effort, as our previous Allies, the Chinese, have turned their backs on the Japanese people. We will split our war efforts on two fronts and attack both China and Russia."
"Both China and Russia?" Ryoga asked in surprise. 'Was the man insane?' Whoever was interviewing him asked another question.
"Wouldn't you agree that a war on two fronts is not a good strategy to win a war?" the person off-camera asked. The voice sounded very familiar to Ryoga.
"I admit that it will be hard, but the Japanese people will persevere. We have been blessed with a spirited fighting force, and citizens that understand the necessity of this war."
Before the reporter could respond, a commotion began off screen and someone leaned down to whisper something into Shizuko's ear. A cross look crossed his face and he barked out angrily, "Then go deal with them!"
Both parties waited until the sound of someone closing a door sounded before resuming.
"I apologize for the interruption," Shizuko said to the reporter who was now included in the shot. She was very pretty, and wore her dark bluish hair short.
Ryoga thought his heart would stop. Akane! The thought screamed through his mind and he fell off his chair. What the hell was Akane doing interviewing the Prime Minister?
"It's quite all right sir," Akane replied coolly. "If you would like, we could continue this interview some other time."
"No, no," Shizuko responded shaking his head. "Its all right, everything is under control."
Akane nodded her head and consulted a paper sitting in front of her.
"As I was asking before, do you truly believe that Japan should continue its war and Russia, especially if it means becoming involved in a war against China?"
The Prime Minister seemed somewhat shocked by the question and it took him a moment to answer.
"We are already in a war with China, as they were the one's to initiate the actions that led me to make the declaration," Shizuko answered evenly. "We must continue this war, as it is one of the few ways we can hope to recover from this economic slump we are in."
"So you admit that this war has economic ties in it?" Akane interjected.
"Of course," Shizuko answered, anticipating the question. "What war doesn't? But the difference is that we are justified in what we are doing. The Siberian people have been neglected by their government for far too long, and we have set it upon ourselves to liberate them."
Akane gazed at the Prime Minister for a long moment. As the Prime Minister squirmed slightly, Ryoga smirked. He knew what it felt like to be at the receiving end of one of Akane's glares, especially when she was angry.
"I must admit Mr. Prime Minister, until you made your declaration those few months ago, I had never really heard of any plea from the Siberian people to liberate them, in fact, I had never heard of them being mistreated in recent history."
Shizuko affected a frightened look for a moment, but it faded quickly.
"The Siberian people may not have voiced a public cry of help, but through meetings and polls we were able to discern that they wanted to separate from the Russian government," Shizuko said.
Akane nodded her head slightly and Shizuko released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. The gaze with which she had scrutinized him under had been so intense he had nearly broken into a sweat.
"Mr. Prime Minister I would like to ask you on the progress of the police and ministry on the investigation into the Emperor's assassination," Akane intoned lightly.
Shizuko immediately donned a saddened expression.
"Sadly, we have been unable to find out who was behind such a terrible act," Shizuko said gravely.
'The Emperor was assassinated?' Ryoga thought to himself in private shock.
"And how would you respond to the revelation that it was the government who had ordered the Emperor's assassination?" Akane asked. The question seemed to carry an air of anger and emotion from the woman and Ryoga realized that it was intended to carry a message to the viewers.
"I have the utmost respect in my cabinet and believe that there is absolutely no one that would be so heinous as to have ordered the assassination of the Emperor," Shizuko said, his voice carrying an underlying tone of reproach.
Ryoga could tell the Prime Minister was getting upset at Akane's questions. He wondered slightly why Akane was doing her best to browbeat the Prime Minister. So enthralled he was with the television that he did not notice Ranma stirring.
"I was not accusing your cabinet of ordering the assassination Mr. Prime Minister, I was accusing you," Akane said in a voice that made Ryoga shiver.
Shizuko paled. "W-what are you implying?"
"Emperor Rimiru was not assassinated on some whim from an extremist group Shizuko," Akane said in a deathly cold voice, "He was assassinated on your orders."
"You are mad," Shizuko accused as he got to his feet. "Remove yourselves from here."
"This interview is not over," Akane said and turned to the camera. "Hold him!"
Someone moved from behind the camera and grabbed Shizuko, forcing him into the chair. Long chestnut brown hair fell over the person's shoulders, but if you looked closely, the sight of a few pink streaks was seen.
Ryoga was floored once again, but this time, tears formed in his eyes and fell down his face.
"Akari," he croaked out as he felt his stomach tighten and his whole body tense. The woman he loved with all his heart, and one whose memory kept him alive through four long years of torture had just appeared on the screen and the shock was enough for Ryoga to consider closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep.
"What the hell?" a voice intoned behind Ryoga. Ranma had awakened from his drug-induced slumber and was looking at the television with a look of sheer confusion.
In spite of the two, the interview continued on the television.
"Shizuko, you have led this country down a path of destruction, and the only outcome of your war can be the destruction of this country."
"I have done nothing wrong!" Shizuko objected.
"You assassinated our Emperor, a man who you believed to stand between you and your goal of joining the Chinese against Russia, and have secretly built nuclear weapons that you threatened to use against the United States and Russia, and now China. The United States and Russia both still have enough arms to destroy us ten times over, but you have threatened them."
At the mention of nuclear arms, Shizuko paled and his eyes widened immensely, leaving everyone watching with the knowledge that it was true, beyond a doubt.
"Nuclear Arms?" Ryoga questioned, his previous shock of seeing Akari had been swept away. He turned and looked at Ranma, who was now wide awake.
"Are they who I think they are?" Ranma asked as Akari forced the Prime Minister back into the chair again and gripped his shoulders tightly, not allowing him to move.
Ryoga nodded. "When did Akari and Akane become reporters?"
Ranma affected a confused look. "The hell should I know, but right now the two of them are manhandling the Prime Minister."
Back on the screen, Akari had finally managed to secure the Prime Minister in a submissive hold. Akane was now standing in front of Shizuko with a look of hate and loathing.
"Shizuko, no matter what you may think, the people of this country will now allow you to continue your tyranny any longer. As you said, we are a people of strong ideals and we will not allow ourselves to be beaten by any enemy," Akane's voice was dangerously cold. "You have sent our husbands, our fathers, our brothers, to an early grave, and still you continue this madness. This war is over, at least for Japan, and nothing you can do will let it continue. The nuclear weapons that you have built behind the backs of your citizens are about to be dismantled, and the United States will be invited back into the country."
Shizuko squirmed to no effect. Akari's hold kept him from moving. He looked up in desperation at Akane and realized that every word she had spoken was true.
"I have done nothing wrong," he countered weakly. "I led this country the way any great leader would have, and the men that died fighting for this country died fighting for the greater good."
Before Shizuko could continue, Akane shifted to have her face mere inches from Shizuko's face. Rage was written clearly across all of her facial features.
"The men of this country died for little more than your own greed you spineless dog!" Akane's voice carried loudly. "You deserve to face a thousand deaths for every man that was killed in your pointless war!"
Her words were punctuated with punches and kicks to Shizuko's body. Her fists were a blur that the camera could not pick up. Akari had released Shizuko and now watched in astonishment as Akane picked him out of the chair and held him by the throat, his feet no longer touching the ground.
Akane's eyes burned with ferocity, and her face was twisted with rage. Shizuko hung limply, ascended in the air by her arm. With a feral snort Akane dropped him on the ground as he choked and wheezed for breath.
"Go get Fujita," Akane said softly to Akari. Akari wavered for a moment before exiting. Akane looked at Shizuko for a moment before walking over to the camera and bending down in front of it. She looked at it for a moment before reaching up and switching it off. The picture went blank.
Ranma and Ryoga gazed at the television for a moment before turning to look at each other. The same thought occupied both their minds.
'What the hell was going on back in Japan?'
===============
Author's Notes: Yes, yes, I know, this chapter took far too long to come out, especially considering it isn't very long. First things first, my excuses. I was struck down with a terrible flu for two whole weeks, and I had so little energy that I was incapable of dragging myself to my computer. Next, I had to fly to Saudi Arabia the past week to have a little R and R with my husband, who was taking some time off in Iraq. All these factors made the story fall onto the backburner.
But that will definitely change now that I'm healed. Plus, I'm somewhat energized by the fact that this story is going to be finished soon, and I'll be free from the nuances of writing.
Don't let that get you worried, I love writing, especially this story, it's just that it can get very aggravating after awhile.
Chapter 28
Taking it to the Streets
"Everything needs to go off like clockwork tonight Akane," Ishii reminded as he finished checking the video equipment. One camera would be going into Prime Minister Shizuko's house, and the one thing that could not happen was to have the camera not work when the interview started.
"I know," Akane said as she adjusted her skirt. Wearing a simple blouse and skirt combo had allowed Akane to keep the premise of being a reporter, but would also provide her with enough maneuverability to fight if the situation arose. Of course, fighting was the last thing that needed to happen tonight.
Akari moved towards the van that they would be using to travel to Shizuko's estate and opened the sliding panel door. She stepped inside and slid it shut.
"Make me proud," Ishii said with a smile and gave Akane a quick kiss on the cheek.
Akane merely smiled back confidently and walked to the driver's side door and got inside. She started the van and pulled away from the Dojo and down the street.
Ishii watched them go until they were out of view and then he turned to Kimura, who was standing just inside the Dojo.
"I've got a bad feeling about this Isamu," Ishii stated as he moved up the steps and into the Dojo. Kimura followed after him and they both took seats along the wall. Ishii reached into his pants pocket and extracted his cell phone. "With one call we dedicate ourselves to this. It will either lead to our freedom, or our downfall."
Kimura looked at the phone and then spoke. "You have the power to call it off Ishii, if you really think this will end badly."
Ishii's eyes turned to frustration. "But that would delay things and we may never get a chance like this ever again. I don't want to have to explain to the world that I delayed an action that could have saved lives."
"You must look into your soul and decide what it tells you," Kimura explained. "Only then can you be sure that what you have decided is the one thing you meant to do."
Kimura's words echoed inside of Ishii's mind as he held the cellular phone in his hand. A silence ensued as he pondered what to do. Finally, Ishii flipped the phone open and hit a speed-dial button.
"Do it."
===============
Fujita looked at his wristwatch for the hundredth time that minute. It was just after six in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set. The girls were due at Shizuko's quarters in thirty seconds.
He was spared further apprehension when he saw the dark olive-colored van turn down the street and start towards the house. Fujita released the breath he had been unaware that he had been holding in.
The van slowed as he stepped out in the front driveway and held his hand up, traffic-policeman wise. The driver's side window was rolled down and Fujita stepped over and peered inside.
"Identification please," he ordered in his gruff voice. Akane flashed him the press badge that they had gotten from the Nippon Station Tokyo; Fujita nodded his head and motioned for the other police officers to allow the van through.
"Were counting on you," Fujita said quietly as he stepped back from the van.
Akane didn't reply and instead drove up the driveway towards Shizuko's house. The house loomed in front of them, growing larger as they approached.
As she pulled to a stop, Akane looked beside her where Akari was seated.
"No matter what happens I want you to know that I love you," Akane said as she took Akari's hand in her own.
Akari's eyes met hers and she smiled. "Same here."
As the sky slowly changed to dusk, Akane and Akari extracted the equipment from the van and stepped up the long path towards Shizuko's home. Two guards opened the doors after checking their identification and allowed them to pass. Prime Minister Shizuko was waiting for them just inside.
"Welcome to my home," he greeted. He was wearing a simple kimono that appeared to be worth more than all their video equipment combined.
"It is our honor sir," Akane replied as she and Akari bowed low. Shizuko returned their bow and walked them into his house. He walked down a few hallways before stepping through a door and onto a veranda. The veranda provided a nice view of the city while being far enough away to drown out the sounds of the city.
"I understand this will be going out live?" Shizuko asked as he took a seat.
"That is correct sir," Akane said. "An agreement has been struck with most stations to allow this broadcast to go out across all the sets of Japan." What Akane failed to mention was the fact that Ishii and Kimura had enlisted the help of the tech wizards at the information industry to put the interview on the World Wide Web as well, so everyone in the world would be able to see it, live.
"Were ready to go," Akari said as she finished giving the equipment an once-over.
"Alright," Akane said putting her best smile across her face. "Let's begin."
===============
"They're starting," Ishii announced as he sped through the streets of downtown Tokyo. Kimura nodded his head absently from the opposite seat. "Make sure that everyone else is ready."
The plan called for Akane and Akari to interview Shizuko for ten minutes asking simple questions about his policies and ideas about the war. Once the ten minute mark was reached, three hundred police officers in civilian clothing were to march up the street leading to Shizuko's home and begin to create havoc. The officers on duty were to be overwhelmed, and then Shizuko's bodyguards would be called upon. Once Shizuko was alone with the two women, then the real interview would start.
Of course, if the plan did not work out correctly, Akane and Akari would attempt to simply carry out the interview as best they could, without arising any suspicions.
Kimura made the calls to the other and received status checks in return. Everyone was in position, and were awaiting the signal to begin. With authorization from Ishii, Kimura gave the order to move onto the next level of the mission.
"It's begun," Kimura said as he snapped his phone shut.
Ishii nodded his head but chose not to respond, his focus instead on navigating through the streets and arriving at their destination on time.
===============
Ryoga opened his eyes slowly. Despite his interaction with the doctors and medical personnel, he still found himself waking in a dazed stupor as he took in his surroundings. The cold granite cell that had been his home for four years was replaced with a drab white room containing a separate room with a washroom. The motion was always jarring, but Ryoga still found it necessary to get out of his bed and feel the walls, allowing him to believe that he was actually out of that hellhole.
Not since the first time he awoke had Ryoga seen Ranma, and it troubled the fanged-martial artist greatly, as he had appeared in very rough condition before the doctors had carted him off.
He stopped his slow walk in the room and closed his eyes. He was free, away from the terror and pain that his life had been the previous four years. Ranma had come for him, just like he had prayed for in his mind, but never actually believed. His best friend, and his savior, Ranma had done the impossible, which seemed to be the story of his life. Ryoga owed him more than he could fathom, but he knew the pigtailed-martial artist would wave it off as nothing.
His thoughts were interrupted as a medical orderly opened the door to his room carrying a tray containing some food.
"Ah Mr. Hibiki, you shouldn't be up," she said in Japanese.
"May I ask what room Ranma Saotome is in?" Ryoga asked. "I would like to pay him a visit."
"Mr. Saotome is currently resting," she replied. "He had some trouble getting to sleep so we had to put him under."
"It doesn't matter, I would still like to just get a look at him," Ryoga insisted.
The girl looked slightly uneasy about the situation but she relented as she saw the sad expression on Ryoga's face. The story of the POW's and the Japanese soldiers had circulated through the ship through the past few days. The story of this patient and his friend were usually the number one thing everyone talked about.
"If you'll wait I'll get you a wheelchair," she said. "And no arguing or I won't take you at all."
===============
The trip was relatively short, as it seemed all the people rescued had been placed in the same area on the ship. Ranma's room was about twelve doors down from Ryoga's, and Ryoga asked the nurse if the wheelchair had truly been necessary.
"You are at a very dangerous health at the moment Mr. Hibiki, unless you want to add a few broken bones to the list which will occur if you trip and fall, then I'd suggest you take our policies a little seriously."
Ryoga thanked her and told her he would give her a call if he needed her.
"Alright, I'll be right outside if you need me," she said and closed the door after him.
Ranma was not in good shape. That was the first thought that appeared in Ryoga's mind as he gazed upon the man lying on the bed in the room. His clothing had been cut away, except for a few portions that covered his genitals and were necessary to provide some warmth. Large purpling bruises covered most of his chest, arms, and legs. His left leg was in a cast, as was his right arm. A good sign was that a breathing tube was not inserted into Ranma's mouth, meaning he at last didn't have too many internal injuries.
Ryoga pulled a chair from the wall and half-carried, half-dragged it to the bed. It was much heavier than he anticipated. He plopped down onto it, exhausted from his task. A part of his mind was asking why such a menial task was capable of rendering him tired. He lamented on that fact.
'I could turn boulders into pebbles with but a punch' he said to himself. 'Have I fallen so far?'
As Ranma stirred lightly Ryoga tossed the thought aside. It wasn't really important right now anyways. He shifted his chair closer so he was able to rest some of his body on Ranma's bed.
For the first time, Ryoga noticed that a television was in the room, and it was turned on. The volume was muted, but Ryoga could see that it was a Japanese channel.
'We must be pretty close to Japan for them to get the signal,' Ryoga mused. He became interested in the show as it seemed they were interviewing the Japanese Prime Minister. Ryoga hadn't been involved much in Japanese politics, but he did recall that it was Prime Minister Shizuko that was in power now.
The flashy news person said something and the picture changed to a nice setting of a home just in the more residential sector of Tokyo. The Prime Minister was on camera and he was smiling into the camera. As he began to speak Ryoga decided to listen in. He reached for a remote that had been placed on the small table by Ranma's bed.
"-es, I am afraid that we must now double our war effort, as our previous Allies, the Chinese, have turned their backs on the Japanese people. We will split our war efforts on two fronts and attack both China and Russia."
"Both China and Russia?" Ryoga asked in surprise. 'Was the man insane?' Whoever was interviewing him asked another question.
"Wouldn't you agree that a war on two fronts is not a good strategy to win a war?" the person off-camera asked. The voice sounded very familiar to Ryoga.
"I admit that it will be hard, but the Japanese people will persevere. We have been blessed with a spirited fighting force, and citizens that understand the necessity of this war."
Before the reporter could respond, a commotion began off screen and someone leaned down to whisper something into Shizuko's ear. A cross look crossed his face and he barked out angrily, "Then go deal with them!"
Both parties waited until the sound of someone closing a door sounded before resuming.
"I apologize for the interruption," Shizuko said to the reporter who was now included in the shot. She was very pretty, and wore her dark bluish hair short.
Ryoga thought his heart would stop. Akane! The thought screamed through his mind and he fell off his chair. What the hell was Akane doing interviewing the Prime Minister?
"It's quite all right sir," Akane replied coolly. "If you would like, we could continue this interview some other time."
"No, no," Shizuko responded shaking his head. "Its all right, everything is under control."
Akane nodded her head and consulted a paper sitting in front of her.
"As I was asking before, do you truly believe that Japan should continue its war and Russia, especially if it means becoming involved in a war against China?"
The Prime Minister seemed somewhat shocked by the question and it took him a moment to answer.
"We are already in a war with China, as they were the one's to initiate the actions that led me to make the declaration," Shizuko answered evenly. "We must continue this war, as it is one of the few ways we can hope to recover from this economic slump we are in."
"So you admit that this war has economic ties in it?" Akane interjected.
"Of course," Shizuko answered, anticipating the question. "What war doesn't? But the difference is that we are justified in what we are doing. The Siberian people have been neglected by their government for far too long, and we have set it upon ourselves to liberate them."
Akane gazed at the Prime Minister for a long moment. As the Prime Minister squirmed slightly, Ryoga smirked. He knew what it felt like to be at the receiving end of one of Akane's glares, especially when she was angry.
"I must admit Mr. Prime Minister, until you made your declaration those few months ago, I had never really heard of any plea from the Siberian people to liberate them, in fact, I had never heard of them being mistreated in recent history."
Shizuko affected a frightened look for a moment, but it faded quickly.
"The Siberian people may not have voiced a public cry of help, but through meetings and polls we were able to discern that they wanted to separate from the Russian government," Shizuko said.
Akane nodded her head slightly and Shizuko released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. The gaze with which she had scrutinized him under had been so intense he had nearly broken into a sweat.
"Mr. Prime Minister I would like to ask you on the progress of the police and ministry on the investigation into the Emperor's assassination," Akane intoned lightly.
Shizuko immediately donned a saddened expression.
"Sadly, we have been unable to find out who was behind such a terrible act," Shizuko said gravely.
'The Emperor was assassinated?' Ryoga thought to himself in private shock.
"And how would you respond to the revelation that it was the government who had ordered the Emperor's assassination?" Akane asked. The question seemed to carry an air of anger and emotion from the woman and Ryoga realized that it was intended to carry a message to the viewers.
"I have the utmost respect in my cabinet and believe that there is absolutely no one that would be so heinous as to have ordered the assassination of the Emperor," Shizuko said, his voice carrying an underlying tone of reproach.
Ryoga could tell the Prime Minister was getting upset at Akane's questions. He wondered slightly why Akane was doing her best to browbeat the Prime Minister. So enthralled he was with the television that he did not notice Ranma stirring.
"I was not accusing your cabinet of ordering the assassination Mr. Prime Minister, I was accusing you," Akane said in a voice that made Ryoga shiver.
Shizuko paled. "W-what are you implying?"
"Emperor Rimiru was not assassinated on some whim from an extremist group Shizuko," Akane said in a deathly cold voice, "He was assassinated on your orders."
"You are mad," Shizuko accused as he got to his feet. "Remove yourselves from here."
"This interview is not over," Akane said and turned to the camera. "Hold him!"
Someone moved from behind the camera and grabbed Shizuko, forcing him into the chair. Long chestnut brown hair fell over the person's shoulders, but if you looked closely, the sight of a few pink streaks was seen.
Ryoga was floored once again, but this time, tears formed in his eyes and fell down his face.
"Akari," he croaked out as he felt his stomach tighten and his whole body tense. The woman he loved with all his heart, and one whose memory kept him alive through four long years of torture had just appeared on the screen and the shock was enough for Ryoga to consider closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep.
"What the hell?" a voice intoned behind Ryoga. Ranma had awakened from his drug-induced slumber and was looking at the television with a look of sheer confusion.
In spite of the two, the interview continued on the television.
"Shizuko, you have led this country down a path of destruction, and the only outcome of your war can be the destruction of this country."
"I have done nothing wrong!" Shizuko objected.
"You assassinated our Emperor, a man who you believed to stand between you and your goal of joining the Chinese against Russia, and have secretly built nuclear weapons that you threatened to use against the United States and Russia, and now China. The United States and Russia both still have enough arms to destroy us ten times over, but you have threatened them."
At the mention of nuclear arms, Shizuko paled and his eyes widened immensely, leaving everyone watching with the knowledge that it was true, beyond a doubt.
"Nuclear Arms?" Ryoga questioned, his previous shock of seeing Akari had been swept away. He turned and looked at Ranma, who was now wide awake.
"Are they who I think they are?" Ranma asked as Akari forced the Prime Minister back into the chair again and gripped his shoulders tightly, not allowing him to move.
Ryoga nodded. "When did Akari and Akane become reporters?"
Ranma affected a confused look. "The hell should I know, but right now the two of them are manhandling the Prime Minister."
Back on the screen, Akari had finally managed to secure the Prime Minister in a submissive hold. Akane was now standing in front of Shizuko with a look of hate and loathing.
"Shizuko, no matter what you may think, the people of this country will now allow you to continue your tyranny any longer. As you said, we are a people of strong ideals and we will not allow ourselves to be beaten by any enemy," Akane's voice was dangerously cold. "You have sent our husbands, our fathers, our brothers, to an early grave, and still you continue this madness. This war is over, at least for Japan, and nothing you can do will let it continue. The nuclear weapons that you have built behind the backs of your citizens are about to be dismantled, and the United States will be invited back into the country."
Shizuko squirmed to no effect. Akari's hold kept him from moving. He looked up in desperation at Akane and realized that every word she had spoken was true.
"I have done nothing wrong," he countered weakly. "I led this country the way any great leader would have, and the men that died fighting for this country died fighting for the greater good."
Before Shizuko could continue, Akane shifted to have her face mere inches from Shizuko's face. Rage was written clearly across all of her facial features.
"The men of this country died for little more than your own greed you spineless dog!" Akane's voice carried loudly. "You deserve to face a thousand deaths for every man that was killed in your pointless war!"
Her words were punctuated with punches and kicks to Shizuko's body. Her fists were a blur that the camera could not pick up. Akari had released Shizuko and now watched in astonishment as Akane picked him out of the chair and held him by the throat, his feet no longer touching the ground.
Akane's eyes burned with ferocity, and her face was twisted with rage. Shizuko hung limply, ascended in the air by her arm. With a feral snort Akane dropped him on the ground as he choked and wheezed for breath.
"Go get Fujita," Akane said softly to Akari. Akari wavered for a moment before exiting. Akane looked at Shizuko for a moment before walking over to the camera and bending down in front of it. She looked at it for a moment before reaching up and switching it off. The picture went blank.
Ranma and Ryoga gazed at the television for a moment before turning to look at each other. The same thought occupied both their minds.
'What the hell was going on back in Japan?'
===============
Author's Notes: Yes, yes, I know, this chapter took far too long to come out, especially considering it isn't very long. First things first, my excuses. I was struck down with a terrible flu for two whole weeks, and I had so little energy that I was incapable of dragging myself to my computer. Next, I had to fly to Saudi Arabia the past week to have a little R and R with my husband, who was taking some time off in Iraq. All these factors made the story fall onto the backburner.
But that will definitely change now that I'm healed. Plus, I'm somewhat energized by the fact that this story is going to be finished soon, and I'll be free from the nuances of writing.
Don't let that get you worried, I love writing, especially this story, it's just that it can get very aggravating after awhile.