Chapter 3
The Gatekeeper of Hokkaido
Hokkaido, Japan is a sight to behold. Even the Duchess' daughter Mimi Yagami is impressed by the greens creeping on the beautiful isle as the Team BLITZ helicopter makes its way across the Soya Strait from Morioka. "I wish we could've stayed in Morioka longer," Kiko grumbled, "I didn't even have the chance to visit my old school." Mimi concealed her smile until Eric exclaimed: "We're going to land at Hakodate in a minute! I suggest you two better be budging along." They were sent by Chief Kobayakawa to scout a brand new Gatekeeper since the war with the Invaders was waging stronger than before. The Chief instructed them to head on to Sapporo and search for anyone who can pinpoint a certain Gee Fukusama. "This will be hard work," Kiko complained, "Whoever thought of finding someone who doesn't even have a picture at the scanner?" "Hey! We're here!!!" Mimi shrieked like a hyperactive child. "Have you ever been to Hokkaido, Mimi?" Kiko figured. "Nope!" Mimi excitedly got off the car and off into the street, "Hey, why don't we-" "Start on the mission," Kiko told her, "Why don't we split up? You take that side and I take that side? Let's meet back here at about an hour, ok?" Mimi gave him the same disappointed look she gave him the first time they met. Nevertheless, she went off into the path through town. People passed her, uninterested at the young Gatekeeper. She went off, questioning countless people on Gee Fukusama, but to no avail. She combed through each and every shop and house but nobody had even heard of a Gee Fukusama. Meanwhile, Kiko was having the same luck as Mimi was. He asked everybody in sight (especially the pretty girls in kimonos which blushed when they saw him) but never found anything relevant. "Found anything?" Mimi asked hopefully as they met an hour later. "Close to the range of a teaspoon," Kiko sighed, "You?" "Nada," Mimi frowned, "I am not failing this mission!" "Yare, yare," Kiko patted her back, "Don't worry, we'll find her, but first, we can't work on an empty stomach! Let's grab some ramen, my treat!" They went into a ramen shop, which was dingy and almost empty, except for a few men drinking glasses of sherry and themselves. The clumsy, clattery waitress went into their table to take their orders. They both noted she was as young as the both of them and had a tomboyish face and hair that was concealed in a baseball cap. Her eyes were sharp and looked like a hawk's. She was also very frail and a bit short for her age. She almost looked like a boy. "What will you two have?" She said in a roguish tone, "Well, hurry up! I ain't got all day, you know!" No sooner did Kiko finish their order when the lady behind the counter shrieked: "GEE FUKUSAMA!!!" Mimi and Kiko turned around and saw the waitress march towards the counter lady and began to carry some plates and cups into the kitchen. Mimi had a grin on her face that was almost ear-to-ear and Kiko sighed in triumph. "She's here!" Kiko exclaimed, "You are the luckiest girl I have ever known, Mimi!" Mimi's face gave off a brilliant shade of magenta and she started to bite her fingernails again. Gee Fukusama gave them their two bowls of ramen and two sets of chopsticks. "Enjoy," she glowered sarcastically. "Wait!" Kiko beckoned her to sit down at their table, "Can you sit down with us for a minute? We want to know your name." "Didn't you hear that crackpot at the counter practically yell it out for the whole restaurant to hear?" Gee Fukusama told them sadly, "I'm Gee Fukusama, I-" Suddenly, a crash was heard from the counter area. The men who were drinking evidently got so drunk that they had begun to destroy everything in sight and molest the counter lady. Gee threw them a piecing look and marched towards the men angrily. She lifted a table effortlessly and threw it at the men, knocking all four of them to the ground. She picked up one of them, held him over her head and threw him out the window. The other three got up and ran away as fast as they could before she could do away with them. Mimi and Kiko stood open-mouthed at Gee, who looked a bit embarrassed at the sudden display of her strength. "I'm going off work early Mrs. Shakuhachi!" Gee fled from the shop as fast as she could, Mimi and Kiko on her tail. Gee walked on and on until she got to the outskirts of Sapporo. Kiko and Mimi followed her on and on, through a vast field of flowers. Mimi took a glance at their surroundings and couldn't help but grin. She took off her sneakers and ran through the field like a little girl, unaware Kiko was staring. She plopped to the ground and dandelions soared through the air. "Ei, we have a mission, remember?" Kiko reminded her as she lounged like a lizard. Mimi got up and they followed Gee on and on. "I used t think of a little poem the poet Dylan Thomas wrote when I see sights like these," Mimi sighed and recited:
"Never and never, my girl riding far and near, In the land of hearthstone tales, and spelled asleep, Fear or believe that the wolf in sheep-white hood, Loping and bleating roughly and blithely shall leap, my dear, my dear, Out of a lair in flocked leaves in dew dipped year, To eat your heart in the house in the rosy wood."
"It's like music," Kiko told her having never heard of any romantic poetry spoken aloud before. "It is music," Mimi blushed on revealing such a secret part of her, "I think we're here. Gee had entered a shack in the middle of the field. Kiko and Mimi peeked through the window that was no larger than a computer monitor. The young waitress was sitting beside a bed of a very sick middle-aged woman. Around her, three very hungry and very dirty children were gathered. Gee looked into their unhappy eyes and smiled. "I'm very sorry Marmee," Gee took her mother's hand, "I wasn't able to nick any food from the kitchens today, but I did get enough from my wages to buy your medicine." Mimi wasn't able to watch anymore for she broke down crying. Her sobs were so loud that Gee heard and went outside to check on the ruckus. "You two again!" Gee shook her fist angrily at the both of them, "The nerve of you coming here and eavesdropping on us!" "Gee," Kiko tried to calm her down, "We're here to inform you of something very important, a piece of information that you probably have never heard of before."
"Miho," Gee beckoned to her younger sister, "Get your siblings inside and take care of Marmee for a while, ok?"
The girl went into the house and closed the door after her. Gee took a deep breath and Mimi began the same lecture as she did with Kiko. At the end of the lecture, Gee was holding her breath and was turning pale instead of blue.
"If this is a joke, it's a very elaborate one," Gee shook her head, "No way am I leaving my family behind to get on some crazy scheme about aliens and alternate dimensions. I'm sorry but I have to ask you to leave."
Suddenly, Mimi's watch vibrated the signal of a call from the Chief. She motioned for Kiko to go on convincing Gee as she took the call.
"Kacho, what's the matter?" Mimi asked in a voice barely more than a whisper.
"Mimi, scanners indicate Invaders on Sapporo, you have to-"
The Chief's voice was droned by a loud hum.
"INVADERS!" Kiko shouted and pointed at a huge ball that materialized in front of them, "Now do you believe us, Gee?"
Kiko had spoken too soon. Gee was now picking up a massive boulder that was sitting on the side of the road and hurling it at the Invader. The same spirals had appeared in front of Gee, in a shade of mint green. The Invader seemed to be shaking and was turning paler as the boulder made contact.
"Arrow of Light!"
Mimi had joined the fray, firing her usual arrows at the black ball. The Invader began to shrink until it was half its original size. Kiko took out his Kendo stick (modified by Eric to tap into the Gate's powers) began bonking the Invader furiously.
"Get away from my family!" Gee yelled at the stubborn Invader, "Get away from Marmee!"
She bravely lifted up the boulder again and flung it at the Invader until it was cut in half. The ball had a red face inside the center.
'There!" Mimi motioned to Kiko, "GO KIKO!"
Kiko broke into a run and slashed the inside of the Invader with a flash of blue energy. In a moment, the Invader had been reduced to nothing but green crystals. Gee couldn't help but beam at the both of them.
"Domo Arigato Gozaimasu," Gee said, bowing at the both of them, "I will go with you two, if that what it takes to defend my family. But if this is a joke..."
"Do you think we'd pull a joke on you if we just saw what you can do?" Kiko figured.
"Gee, you'll be receiving free education from Tokyo University, courtesy of Team BLITZ," Mimi told her in technical terms, "And I think we would just be classmates."
"I would love that."
The Gatekeeper of Hokkaido
Hokkaido, Japan is a sight to behold. Even the Duchess' daughter Mimi Yagami is impressed by the greens creeping on the beautiful isle as the Team BLITZ helicopter makes its way across the Soya Strait from Morioka. "I wish we could've stayed in Morioka longer," Kiko grumbled, "I didn't even have the chance to visit my old school." Mimi concealed her smile until Eric exclaimed: "We're going to land at Hakodate in a minute! I suggest you two better be budging along." They were sent by Chief Kobayakawa to scout a brand new Gatekeeper since the war with the Invaders was waging stronger than before. The Chief instructed them to head on to Sapporo and search for anyone who can pinpoint a certain Gee Fukusama. "This will be hard work," Kiko complained, "Whoever thought of finding someone who doesn't even have a picture at the scanner?" "Hey! We're here!!!" Mimi shrieked like a hyperactive child. "Have you ever been to Hokkaido, Mimi?" Kiko figured. "Nope!" Mimi excitedly got off the car and off into the street, "Hey, why don't we-" "Start on the mission," Kiko told her, "Why don't we split up? You take that side and I take that side? Let's meet back here at about an hour, ok?" Mimi gave him the same disappointed look she gave him the first time they met. Nevertheless, she went off into the path through town. People passed her, uninterested at the young Gatekeeper. She went off, questioning countless people on Gee Fukusama, but to no avail. She combed through each and every shop and house but nobody had even heard of a Gee Fukusama. Meanwhile, Kiko was having the same luck as Mimi was. He asked everybody in sight (especially the pretty girls in kimonos which blushed when they saw him) but never found anything relevant. "Found anything?" Mimi asked hopefully as they met an hour later. "Close to the range of a teaspoon," Kiko sighed, "You?" "Nada," Mimi frowned, "I am not failing this mission!" "Yare, yare," Kiko patted her back, "Don't worry, we'll find her, but first, we can't work on an empty stomach! Let's grab some ramen, my treat!" They went into a ramen shop, which was dingy and almost empty, except for a few men drinking glasses of sherry and themselves. The clumsy, clattery waitress went into their table to take their orders. They both noted she was as young as the both of them and had a tomboyish face and hair that was concealed in a baseball cap. Her eyes were sharp and looked like a hawk's. She was also very frail and a bit short for her age. She almost looked like a boy. "What will you two have?" She said in a roguish tone, "Well, hurry up! I ain't got all day, you know!" No sooner did Kiko finish their order when the lady behind the counter shrieked: "GEE FUKUSAMA!!!" Mimi and Kiko turned around and saw the waitress march towards the counter lady and began to carry some plates and cups into the kitchen. Mimi had a grin on her face that was almost ear-to-ear and Kiko sighed in triumph. "She's here!" Kiko exclaimed, "You are the luckiest girl I have ever known, Mimi!" Mimi's face gave off a brilliant shade of magenta and she started to bite her fingernails again. Gee Fukusama gave them their two bowls of ramen and two sets of chopsticks. "Enjoy," she glowered sarcastically. "Wait!" Kiko beckoned her to sit down at their table, "Can you sit down with us for a minute? We want to know your name." "Didn't you hear that crackpot at the counter practically yell it out for the whole restaurant to hear?" Gee Fukusama told them sadly, "I'm Gee Fukusama, I-" Suddenly, a crash was heard from the counter area. The men who were drinking evidently got so drunk that they had begun to destroy everything in sight and molest the counter lady. Gee threw them a piecing look and marched towards the men angrily. She lifted a table effortlessly and threw it at the men, knocking all four of them to the ground. She picked up one of them, held him over her head and threw him out the window. The other three got up and ran away as fast as they could before she could do away with them. Mimi and Kiko stood open-mouthed at Gee, who looked a bit embarrassed at the sudden display of her strength. "I'm going off work early Mrs. Shakuhachi!" Gee fled from the shop as fast as she could, Mimi and Kiko on her tail. Gee walked on and on until she got to the outskirts of Sapporo. Kiko and Mimi followed her on and on, through a vast field of flowers. Mimi took a glance at their surroundings and couldn't help but grin. She took off her sneakers and ran through the field like a little girl, unaware Kiko was staring. She plopped to the ground and dandelions soared through the air. "Ei, we have a mission, remember?" Kiko reminded her as she lounged like a lizard. Mimi got up and they followed Gee on and on. "I used t think of a little poem the poet Dylan Thomas wrote when I see sights like these," Mimi sighed and recited:
"Never and never, my girl riding far and near, In the land of hearthstone tales, and spelled asleep, Fear or believe that the wolf in sheep-white hood, Loping and bleating roughly and blithely shall leap, my dear, my dear, Out of a lair in flocked leaves in dew dipped year, To eat your heart in the house in the rosy wood."
"It's like music," Kiko told her having never heard of any romantic poetry spoken aloud before. "It is music," Mimi blushed on revealing such a secret part of her, "I think we're here. Gee had entered a shack in the middle of the field. Kiko and Mimi peeked through the window that was no larger than a computer monitor. The young waitress was sitting beside a bed of a very sick middle-aged woman. Around her, three very hungry and very dirty children were gathered. Gee looked into their unhappy eyes and smiled. "I'm very sorry Marmee," Gee took her mother's hand, "I wasn't able to nick any food from the kitchens today, but I did get enough from my wages to buy your medicine." Mimi wasn't able to watch anymore for she broke down crying. Her sobs were so loud that Gee heard and went outside to check on the ruckus. "You two again!" Gee shook her fist angrily at the both of them, "The nerve of you coming here and eavesdropping on us!" "Gee," Kiko tried to calm her down, "We're here to inform you of something very important, a piece of information that you probably have never heard of before."
"Miho," Gee beckoned to her younger sister, "Get your siblings inside and take care of Marmee for a while, ok?"
The girl went into the house and closed the door after her. Gee took a deep breath and Mimi began the same lecture as she did with Kiko. At the end of the lecture, Gee was holding her breath and was turning pale instead of blue.
"If this is a joke, it's a very elaborate one," Gee shook her head, "No way am I leaving my family behind to get on some crazy scheme about aliens and alternate dimensions. I'm sorry but I have to ask you to leave."
Suddenly, Mimi's watch vibrated the signal of a call from the Chief. She motioned for Kiko to go on convincing Gee as she took the call.
"Kacho, what's the matter?" Mimi asked in a voice barely more than a whisper.
"Mimi, scanners indicate Invaders on Sapporo, you have to-"
The Chief's voice was droned by a loud hum.
"INVADERS!" Kiko shouted and pointed at a huge ball that materialized in front of them, "Now do you believe us, Gee?"
Kiko had spoken too soon. Gee was now picking up a massive boulder that was sitting on the side of the road and hurling it at the Invader. The same spirals had appeared in front of Gee, in a shade of mint green. The Invader seemed to be shaking and was turning paler as the boulder made contact.
"Arrow of Light!"
Mimi had joined the fray, firing her usual arrows at the black ball. The Invader began to shrink until it was half its original size. Kiko took out his Kendo stick (modified by Eric to tap into the Gate's powers) began bonking the Invader furiously.
"Get away from my family!" Gee yelled at the stubborn Invader, "Get away from Marmee!"
She bravely lifted up the boulder again and flung it at the Invader until it was cut in half. The ball had a red face inside the center.
'There!" Mimi motioned to Kiko, "GO KIKO!"
Kiko broke into a run and slashed the inside of the Invader with a flash of blue energy. In a moment, the Invader had been reduced to nothing but green crystals. Gee couldn't help but beam at the both of them.
"Domo Arigato Gozaimasu," Gee said, bowing at the both of them, "I will go with you two, if that what it takes to defend my family. But if this is a joke..."
"Do you think we'd pull a joke on you if we just saw what you can do?" Kiko figured.
"Gee, you'll be receiving free education from Tokyo University, courtesy of Team BLITZ," Mimi told her in technical terms, "And I think we would just be classmates."
"I would love that."