Author's Note: I recently had a mangapiphany, as such I have come to know that the manga is a lot more serious and deep than the show itself, this has forced me to make some changes... but don't worry I have thought up some creative ways in which a clean transition between anime ultra silliness, and manga silliness can be achieved...
I hope you enjoy the ride!
Price of Conquest
Chapter Three: The Excel We Know...
A rush of wind, the sound of screeching tires, and a billowing of steam was what met the awaiting passengers, huddled together on the wide platform. All this was of course highly unusual considering that this was a bullet train, however to one distinct individual this was all routine. Amongst the travelers who milled about on the platform, gathering their luggage and families together for the journey, there was one individual who stood out in some fantastic way. He leaned against a support beam, casually lighting a cigarette from a minuscule lighter, he drew back his head against the beam. His long curls of brown hair acting as an impressively soft pillow, he gazed out into the waning light of the early evening, his brows knit, his brown eyes screwed in concentration. He could hear the sounds of the people around him, many had brought large amounts of luggage, others contented themselves by waving to their loved ones a fond "bon voyage..."
A few moments pass, the conductor pokes his head from one of the wagon doors, "All aboard who's goin' aboard!?' he calls out, his eyes scan the surroundings. He could see nothing but the French with their handkerchiefs, the English with their subtle courteous nods, the Germans, Dutch, Irish, and Scottish drinking their many beers and discussing about them. Further away there were the low brow Americans without the dignity or refinement to call themselves a people, standing there attempting to understand the situation, poor Americans their education system lacks so far behind the world, what are we to do?
The portly man drew his head from the door, his hand slowly drawing back the sliding doors. The man received quite a shock when a hand shot through the slight opening, holding back the door from being closed. The man stumbled back a moment as the door swung open, Nabeshin stood in the doorway his Lupinesque clothing and utility afro clearly visible for all to see and recognize. He held out a ticket, "Sorry for being late, I'm expecting someone..." he said cordially. The conductor looked at him strangely before roughly grabbing his ticket, crumpling it in his hands before stalking off, muttering something about passengers and their chronic lateness...
"I see you still enjoy being fashionably late, Shinichi-san"
Nabeshin recognized the voice instantly much to his disdain, "It helps sometimes..." he said turning to meet the gaze of the eternally glasses wearing mangaka. Koshi Rikudo was bent over a large pad of drawing paper, his hand working furiously over a few virgin pages. Nabeshin sat next to him on a booth that the two had come to using just on the particular occasions they would ever meet which, thankfully enough for both parties, were few. He stared out into space as the train began to slowly move forward, it was strange... strange that so many people brought so much luggage on a train that only went in circles around F city, well not really that strange to him, but to other people it probably was. Then he began hearing a tune that Koshi was singing, his pencil still flurrying across page after page of thick white paper...
Rikudoh, Rikudoh, manga gaki
Never skipping on a job,
La La La Directors are the scum of the world, the failures of life,
Lu Lu Lu It doesn't matter if one dies. La La La
Nabeshin bristled at the recital, remembering all to well the longstanding grudge Koshi maintained over that one incident. Although at least he didn't make him sing it four times... after about the eighth rendition Nabeshin finally put his foot down, "Rikudo!" he cried out grabbing the man's pencil in one quick motion. Koshi looked up at him for a moment as Nabeshin stood twirling the pencil deftly, his glasses gleamed, "yes, Shinichi-san?" he asked quietly another pencil materializing in his hand. Nabeshin sighed sitting back down to the wooden booth, he tossed the pencil to the side, "Aren't you at least a little bit interested in knowing why I called you out here?"
Koshi's pencil ceased its ceaseless doodling, he brought it to his side along with the notebook. He stood for a moment stretching out his arms, "yes actually, I was wondering what would dare bring two mortal enemies together again?"
Nabeshin scoffed, "mortal enemies? I would say more like people with creative differences, but that's beside the point..." he waited for Koshi to seat himself back down before continuing, "I have a feeling that things are beginning to happen that are beyond our control..."
It was Koshi's turn to scoff, "heh, you mean beyond your and Ishi's control, my work in this matter is done... I wouldn't have spent a good portion of my life creating this wacky world if I didn't think I could keep it from going totally insane" he finished dryly, picking up his pad of paper he began to draw once more. Nabeshin sighed again running a hand through his tangled tresses, "Should I remind you that complete insanity was at the base of this thing? You signed off on anything we put in front of you with that hot stamp of yours, so don't come to me saying you don't like how it turned out... we're running in uncharted territory here" he considered for a moment, "serious bits that you've never even seen before..."
Koshi raised an eyebrow, his pencil stopping momentarily, "what kinds of things?" he asked tentatively, Nabeshin seized this chance of serious discussion, "did you know about the assassination attempt on Kabapu today?"
"No, why is it important?"
"All I can say is if Ishi and I weren't there Kabapu would have died... what would we have done then? Find somebody new? Not very likely, it would up the serious factor by at least a dozen points.."
"That's why we ruled out permanent death in the beginning, that is why we have Ishi so you could go off with your little show killing as many people as you could, if anyone important to the continuation of the show dies, she'll be there to fix things and the hilarity would continue, you know this so why are you worrying?"
Nabeshin leaned back against the soft wood of the booth, a lit cigarette appearing in his hands. A contemplative sigh escaped his lips, "because..." he took a drag from his cigarette, "because, something strange happened to Ishi..." he said blowing a thin trail of the milky white smoke.
An audible snap met his ears, to him an almost comforting sound of a pencil tip snapping on paper, "what kind of something?"
Nabeshin turned his head to find his cohort staring back, a worried expression on his face. He removed the cigarette from his lips holding it casually in his right hand, "It was during the attempted assassination of Kabapu..." as he spoke the scene around them began to wave around as a flashback sequence of the scene before queued in, "Ishi and I were standing on the roof, watching the proceedings when the path of a bullet we managed to deflect began to change... it started heading toward Kabapu, I could feel... I could feel a strange presence, something cold, dark, I couldn't really describe it any further than that..." he stopped a moment allowing that to sink in. He continued at Koshi's nod, "anyway Ishi seemed even more affected by it than me, this aura surrounded her that I had never seen before, a light blue glow that felt more powerful than any reset she'd ever had to use before..."
He sighed heavily, a few moments pass before he continues, "Well, long story short, she managed to deflect the bullet away, Kabapu is alive and well... and then she seemed to change"
"Change? What kind of change?" Koshi interjected straightening out his thick glasses, the sunlight growing dimmer through the large windows behind them. During their conversation the train had started and stopped at various places, the occupants getting on and leaving as the case may have been, "its not something I can really describe, she seemed quieter, well she had been unusually quiet and concerned throughout the whole thing... but now much more so than I had probably ever seen her. She didn't want a cigarette for one and you know how much she usually smokes..."
Koshi nodded in agreement, "hai, I remember... although usually just after having illicit sex with Pedro, many times..." he sighed reveling in the nostalgia. Nabeshin carelessly tossed his cigarette to the ground, "well, right after that she said she might have to meet someone, I was heading back to the car so I wasn't looking, but her voice just cutoff partway through a sentence... I turned and she was gone... disappeared just like that" he snapped his fingers together for emphasis. Koshi, long since abandoning his drawing, leaned back against the booth in thought. The scene to anyone who may have been paying attention was quite comical, a Lupin cosplayer with a large afro sitting next to a small nerdy looking man with thick glasses, the two men casually leaning against a booth in what looked like deep contemplation.
The train stopped with a shuddering halt in some unknown station, smoke and steam once again obscuring most of the scenery. Nabeshin stood abruptly, pulling a fresh cigarette from his pocket, "Well, this is my stop..."
"Don't worry Shinichi-san or should I say Nabeshin as if it were fooling anyone, I am sure that Ishi-san will come back, bright, smoking, and ready to fix any major event that would require it..." Koshi straightened out his posture on the seat returning to his drawing.
"eh, I suppose..." Nabeshin reached for the door, one hand patting his pockets for his lighter, "ne Nabeshin..."
He turned facing Koshi, the cigarette dangling from his lips, "yeah?"
The mangaka paused a moment amidst flurries of illustration, "you did make me say all manga drawers deserve to die, right?"
Nabeshin scoffed, "keh, not this again, it was one joke..."
"where are you headed?"
"The Curry Bowl on 3rd, a friend needs my help..."
"There isn't a Curry Bowl on 3rd..."
Nabeshin was starting to get annoyed, "look, there is now alright... Can I get to the next scene now?"
Koshi smiled finishing the last line of his perfected drawing, "take care of yourself..."
Nabeshin couldn't help but notice the gleam in his rival's glasses but at this moment would rather be away than worry about it. He thrust open the door with one hand exiting the train with a dismissive, "hai, hai..." he closed his eyes searching through his pockets for that lighter of his. The first thing he felt that was wrong was the sudden unnatural dimness, and then the creaking of wood below his feet.
Nabeshin opened his eyes to find himself in the messiest apartment he had ever seen. Trash and assorted litter was strewn about haphazardly, the bed was covered in a mass of twisted dirty sheets and bandages. He felt a presence behind him, he turned his body forming a flawless martial arts stance, "excuse me... who are you?" Nabeshin stared blankly at a young woman, probably in her latter teens, she had short white hair and bright red eyes... Nabeshin was overcome with a sudden bout of insane laughter, "Oh Koshi you bastard... you're going down for this!" the words buzzed through his mind as he stormed beyond the door of the owner of the messiest room in anime, Ayanami Rei.
Darkness...Yami... it is to this place that Ishi opened her hypothetical eyes, "where am I?" she floated from the ground peering into the oppressive darkness. She felt a presence behind her, "Who's there?!" she turned quickly facing a pair of bright red eyes, "It's you..." she gasped her voice becoming quiet a kind of trembling quality to it.
The darkness filled with a kind of laughter that sent chills up her spine, it gave her the feeling of bemused apathy from the owner of that voice as if he delighted in the commission of horrid acts, "I'm surprised you remember me after so many years..." he chuckled derisively, "it really has been too long..."
Ishi stood her ground against the voice, "What are you planning to do this time?! Isn't it enough that you killed your brother! That you destroyed any happiness he might have had?! How could I forget that... It's why I came to this insane anime!" she screamed clenching her hands into fists, a tear rolled down her circular body, "it's why I came here to get away from it all... to forget"
The red eyes gleamed in the darkness, "well, I am very sorry for you and your loss..." his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but unlike you I happen to not care... and unfortunately for you still I cannot have you here mucking up my plans..." The figure's eyes shined brighter in the darkness as an aura surrounded him that made the whole room seem less dim, "shie..."
Tendrils of dark aura spread out through the room like a shadow, blacker than the blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night. Ishi hovered in an obvious state of rage, her aura flashed about her of the deepest and brightest blue, "Your brother managed to seal you away, do you think you can beat me?! HAAAA!" her aura flared even brighter around her, its pure blue light dissipating the shadow as it came near. The figure merely snickered in the shadows, "I know you more than you know yourself, okasan..."
Ilpalazzo sat stoically in his throne, he had arrived some time ago and was currently deep in thought. He leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped before his face, spectacles resting against the soft satin material of the chair arm. He began to softly rub his temples as the thoughts within became stranger and stranger to him, centering on areas of his life he had long abandoned for the sake of his dreams of world conquest and social reform. The Lord of ACROSS sighed deeply as he rested his arms against the arms of his chair, he fondly caressed the blurry image of his spectacles recalling the many fond memories that arose around them... "This is ridiculous!" his anger rose sharply as the hand not clenching his treasured object to the point of fracture pounded against the chair arm.
"I, Ilpalazzo, do not..." his voice quieted, "I do not care... how can I?"
He sighed again falling back into the chair, a hand running down his bishoujo good looks exasperatedly, "It is for the betterment of the world... for the bright future of my dreams" he concluded finally, his voice solid and resolute, his eyes reflecting complete determination and stoic devotion. Ilpalazzo stood confidently as the sounds of approaching footsteps reached his ears, though within his cool exterior his heart was racing like the anime version of Excel on cocaine, or more universally that of a hummingbird.
"Ah! What a beautiful morning... isn't it Hyatt?"
"hai sempai, although it's noon..."
"heh, we would have been here earlier if Ha-chan hadn't died on the way home..."
"gomen nasai..."
"and then you were found by the paramedics again and caused more trouble for people..."
"gomen nasai, sempai..."
Excel turned to her coworker as they walked through the darkness, she seemed on the verge of tears, "ehhhheh daijobu Hyatt I'm used to it by now..." to this her companion instantly brightened, "arigato sempai..." a positive glow surrounded her perpetually white features, "it really means something to me that I'll always have someone to faint by..." a thin stream of blood flowing from her brightly smiling expression. Excel merely nodded lightly, "Of course Ha-chan where would I be going? I'll always be here" she immediately went into a dramatic pose thrusting her arms into the air, "because I will survive with my will! And that is the greatest thing of all!" to this Hyatt clapped her hands together weakly, "sugoi sempai"
"ahem..."
Excel broke from her dramatic pose at the voice that had emanated a short distance away in the great hall. The lights sprung to life as her gaze fell upon Ilpalazzo, "eh? Ah, Hail Ilpalazzo!"
"Hail... tzo"
Ilpalazzo stared as his loyal agents stood before him, Excel with her feet together and her arm held out, Hyatt in much the same posture except she had lowered her arm..
"Good afternoon, Excel-kun, Hyatt-kun..."
"Good afternoon, Ilpalazzo-sama" they both replied in unison each in their own alternatively soft and loud voices,
"What is the status of your mission?" Ilpalazzo queried as he sat back in his chair awaiting their response.
"we failed in our mission to assassinate Director Kabapu, Ilpalazzo-sama..."
"Gomen nasai! Ilpalazzo-sama we weren't able to complete your divine order! Oh I humbly wish you would except this humble Excel's humble apology!" Excel cried out, her body pressed flat against the ground in utter submission,
Ilpalazzo stood from his seat, "very well, I cannot say that this wasn't an unexpected occurrence..."
"Ilpalazzo-sama?" Hyatt stared at Ilpalazzo questioningly,
"I do not mean that your skills are any less admirable, quite the contrary I see this as a victory for our cause, one more step closer down the road toward victory!"
"Hail Ilpalazzo!" Excel picked herself up from the floor in exuberance over her first successful assignment...
"excuse me, but could you please clarify as to how a failure is a victory?" Hyatt asked her voice brimming with confusion,
Ilpalazzo cleared his throat, "I see our latest foray as a test of our opponents' strengths, it further emphasizes my original belief that we must work more slowly, to further probe our opponents' weaknesses... through patient planning and careful execution ACROSS will strike and achieve utter victory!"
"Hail Ilpalazzo!" the pair cried in unison, "Ilpalazzo-sama, what is our mission for today in furtherance of those careful and patient goals!"
Ilpalazzo stared dully at Excel for a moment, his eyes locked with her own as if deep within him he were deciding upon a course of action that would effect the entire course of history, and then he spoke, "In accordance with my new strategy, our illustrious organization will be taking the rest of the day off, perhaps more as the case may warrant..."
A momentary silence followed this announcement, "then, does that mean we are dismissed, Ilpalazzo-sama?"
Ilpalazzo shifted his gaze to Hyatt, a hand held out just over her chest, "not just yet... Is there somewhere urgent you need to be, Hyatt-kun?"
The blue haired princess shook her head lightly, "not really Ilpalazzo-sama, Excel-san and I do have a part time job this afternoon..."
"ah! I almost forgot that today was Saturday, our part time job at the sushi place! Gomen Hyatt, for that Excel will work extra hard today!" Excel raised her arm high into the air a positive radiance of energy surrounding her... "sugoi sempai" Hyatt clapped weakly,
"I have one final announcement, Excel-kun, Hyatt-kun..."
Excel immediately toned down her energy just slightly, "Hai Ilpalazzo! What is your last departing words for your loyal and devoted subjects!"
"As part of our new strategy to gather intelligence before such a strike, I need to know whether anyone amongst the minions surrounding Director Kabapu seemed familiar to you?"
Excel and Hyatt stood for a moment in thought, and during that one moment much was learned and said without words. A small gasp escaped Hyatt that went unnoticed by Ilpalazzo, she gazed over at Excel who seemed an instant away from a mental epiphany. Excel glanced over at her just before she was about to open her mouth to say something of utmost importance she had just recognized. The young orange haired woman turned from Hyatt's pleading amber eyes to Ilpalazzo-sama's analytical yellow gaze. She stood for a moment rubbing her head in confusion, "I don't think any of them looked familiar, they all just seemed like the kind of wimpy minions that you could easily push over in a fight if it were between the main character and some horrid villain..." she managed to get out in one breath. Ilpalazzo's gaze hovered on her a moment, his eyes seeming to burrow through her into her very soul. She emitted a soft sigh of relief as those knowing eyes and cold expression passed on to Hyatt, "what about you, Hyatt-kun?"
Hyatt shook her head weakly, "I don't think any of them were familiar... Ilpalazzo-sama"
Ilpalazzo's withering gaze stood for a moment on her, "are you sure?" he asked with a kind of knowing air that sent shivers down Hyatt's spine, "hai..." she managed to reply before she could stand to stare at that gaze no longer.
"very well then, Hyatt you are dismissed..."
Hyatt turned to Excel giving her a slightly devious smile to match Excel's curious expression. They both turned to leave, "matte, Excel-kun..." the orange haired girl turned at the sound of her name, "hai Ilpalazzo-sama?" she called cheerfully, although a confused expression still hung about her... "I have a few important matters to discuss with you in private..." he commented as he slowly traversed the few stairs between his throne and the rest of the great hall. For a moment Excel's heart beat faster as her anticipation grew sharply, "Could this mean..." she thought dully as a myriad of possibilities flowed through her head. She glanced back at Hyatt who had already walked a few paces away, but she merely flashed her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Excel-san, I can manage until you return..."
"Alright then! Just be careful about collapsing on the street and causing numerous troubles for innocent people..."
The woman merely waved back warmly before exiting through a small passageway. Excel turned from her to Ilpalazzo-sama who was rummaging through the folds of his cloak, "Is something wrong, Ilpalazzo-sama?" she asked worriedly after he had spent more than a minute searching through the innumerable secret pockets. Ilpalazzo didn't answer for another minute when, with a grunt of satisfaction, he produced a cell phone from somewhere deep within the recesses of the gray mass, "I had intended to give Hyatt-kun this..." he said indicating the small, shiny, and red object in his hand, "but it would seem I remembered of it too late..."
"I'll give it to her!" Excel chimed in cheerfully grabbing the tiny phone from his outstretched hand, "it wouldn't be too much difficulty since we live in the same apartment..."
Ilpalazzo stared momentarily at Excel's eager expression as she stuffed the small piece of equipment securely into some inconspicuous pocket of her attire. His gaze shifted quickly as her attentions returned to him, glancing at the empty gloved hand upon which the phone had once resided, "Is there something that you wanted to speak to me about, Ilpalazzo-sama?"
Ilpalazzo returned his hand to his side as he faced Excel for once on an equal footing, the rope remained out of reach... he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Excuse me a moment, Excel-kun"
"ah, hai..." Excel stood, a confused expression plastered on her face, as Ilpalazzo swiftly departed. His broad cloak trailing behind him as he mounted the stairs, walking beyond his throne he thrust aside the heavy red curtains. As he stepped through the threshold, allowing the curtain to fall lazily behind him, he paused a moment staring down the long dark passageway suddenly cut off from the bright light of the chandelier.
His eyes slowly adjusted to the growing dim as he made his way down a lengthy corridor assisted, at least partly, by a few scant torches that somehow remained lit. Their light shimmering and shifting cast long ominous shadows along the length of the narrow passageway. Ilpalazzo grasped the handle of one such torch as he made his way into a kind of cul de sac at the end of the tunnel, a circular room filled with many doors.
He walked a straight path through the room stopping at a heavy wooden door. From within some hidden pocket he withdrew a key, its shiny silver exterior gleamed in the flickering light of the torch. Without hesitation Ilpalazzo inserted the key into a large hole above the knob, with a heavy click the bolt was drew back. One hand clutched the knob while the other, tossing the dying torch carelessly to the side, drew back a small metal pin. The door opened slowly of its own accord, Ilpalazzo's tight grip on the handle preventing it from knocking him over, revealing a room of utter darkness.
The Lord of ACROSS stared within its imperceptible depths, his gaze fixing squarely on a pair of gleaming red eyes that seemed to float upon a sea of darkness, unattached to any form or shape.
Ilpalazzo took a commanding few steps within the oppressive darkness before a familiar apathetic voice met his ears, "What a pleasant surprise Ilpalazzo-sama, I wasn't expecting you of all people to come visit me..."
"I wanted to ask you something..."
"Oh really...?" the creature's voice brimming with the same kind of bemused apathy, "what sort of something would you wish to inquire of me?"
Ilpalazzo tried his best to maintain his poker faced facade as his insides squirmed about him, his eyes narrowed, "Are you sure...?"
"That she is the one?" the glowing red eyes finished for him, "yes, I am quite sure that she is the one to give you what you want" he paused a moment, "if world conquest is still what you want most of all..."
"Of course! There is no future for the world unless it is cleansed by domination..." Ilpalazzo stared determinedly into the void as it stared determinedly back. The red eyes narrowed, "Very well then, go..."
Ilpalazzo turned coolly on his heels, in swift strides he made his way from the abominable darkness, "oh, and Ilpalazzo-sama..."
He turned, his feet just gracing the threshold, "hai?" he stared coolly once more into the devilish eyes, "try not to do anything that would reasonably result in Excel-san's death, at least not yet..."
Ilpalazzo's eyes narrowed, "Why would you mention something like that? I have never..."
"Just be sure not to, for your own sake..."
Ilpalazzo said nothing as the door slowly began to close behind him, the slight noise of it resting against its supports, and the clicking of the lock. The red eyes filled with amusement as the door slammed shut before it, "Oh, wouldn't you like to know..." a malevolent laughter filled the dark recesses of the dank surroundings. The creature slowly lifted its foot from the ground revealing a tiny blue shard, the last ember of blue aura glowing brightly through the abyss. With a great sound the object was smashed into thousands tiny pieces that quickly dissolved into nothing, "wouldn't you like to know..."
"I wonder what Ilpalazzo-sama wants to talk to me about..." Excel awaited her master's return in as patient a manner as possible. Her head proceeded to loll from side to side, a thin stream of drool running down her chin, "I wonder...heh...hehheheh"
Her mind was still ambling through the gutter when the thick red curtains were again pushed aside... Excel immediately stood in attention, "Hail Ilpalazzo! What did you want to speak to me about?"
Ilpalazzo stared at her a moment before sighing lightly. As Excel gawked he began removing his cloak and shoulder guards, depositing the enormous garment on the throne with a loud rush of air. Next came his overcoat, which Ilpalazzo deftly removed placing it in a neat folded pile on top of his cloak. Excel felt a rush of heat, her cheeks flushing a brilliant scarlet, "what..whatwhathaht are you doing Ilpalazzo-sama!?" she stood shakily facing him as he ignored her. He quickly removed his gloves and, with great care, the circlet that hung about his forehead. After placing these objects gently over his other clothes he turned to Excel dressed in a black undershirt and pants, needless to say she was feeling just a bit uncomfortable. "nannananna nani Ilpalazzo-sama what are you...?!" she stuttered as he walked slowly down the few stairs that separated them, she felt a kind of strange affirmation of her previous thoughts in the silence that followed. "Yah! Ilpalazzo-sama we really shouldn't do this kind of thing or that kind of thing here..." she stammered turning her head away, the blush becoming so intense she was beginning to feel lightheaded, "it's not that I don't want to it's just that here isn't exactly the best place for this kind of thing or that kind of thing and if it were then I would happily do this kind of thing or that kind of thing or any kind of thing with you Ilpalazzo-sama because I lo..." she stammered on uncontrollably as the footsteps approached, she gasped slightly as she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, or at least that is what her mind perceived it to be while steam poured from her ears...
She turned to face him, her shimmering green eyes staring upward into his set yellow gaze, "ah..I..." she felt so utterly bashful at that moment, her mind or what was left of it berated her, "You love him more than anything in the whole world! You are his loyal servant who would do anything for him! Is this much more different than dying!" a moment passed. Excel felt his reassuring hand leave her shoulder as their gaze never left each other, "how does that thought make any sense...?' I haven't died... but I suppose I would if I needed too..." the mental quiery helped a little in her rush of emotions, the blush that had creeped up so suddenly was beginning to die away as the two stood only a few feet apart... "Excel-kun..." she heard him say in his usual authoritative tone.
"hai..." was the only response she could manage at that moment, "excuse me a moment..."
Ilpalazzo swiftly turned around as Excel completely collapsed to the ground, her heart racing a mile a minute, like a hummingbird. Ilpalazzo raced up the stairs arriving swiftly at his beloved throne. He was about to pass by it and enter the dark recesses of what lay beyond the red mass of curtains when he suddenly collapsed, grasping an arm of the chair for support. "ahhh!" he groaned in pain as his knees buckled sending him crashing to the ground. The landing however was averted, he felt a strong pair of arms grasping his free hand, keeping him from slamming against the ground, "Are you alright Ilpalazzo-sama!" he heard Excel call him through a mental haze, it sounded like someone with a much louder voice was screaming obscenities from within a deep smog. Ilpalazzo managed a sitting position with the help of Excel, the hand that had tried to hold him back now gingerly massaged his forehead, all around him things seemed to be swirling... "Are you alright Ilpalazzo-sama!?"
He turned to see her standing over him, her hands unknowingly still clasped around his. When she followed his gaze she immediately let go off him shrieking, "I'm sorry Ilpalazzo-sama I touched your eminence without permission, I am truly sorry!" she bowed deeply and repeatedly. "Thank you, Excel-kun... you did well" he responded to her as he rose, his vision and mind clearing from the sudden attack, he walked a few paces around his chair to be sure his faculties were again under his control before turning to see an elated Excel. "Thank you for your kind words Ilpalazzo-sama! Excel will always try to live up to your highest expectations!" inside however her mind was reeling through an orgy of "He thanked me! He praised me! Oh joy and rapture and happiness!"
A cycle that only stopped when she heard him utter the following phrase, "Excel-kun, would you like to go have lunch?"
"heh...?" she uttered flabbergasted, "It is around noon anyway and I just assumed that this was the time in which you usually ate..."
"eating...?" Excel replied dully before suddenly snapping to life, "Oh Ilpalazzo-sama! It would be my utmost and long awaited joy to go eat something with you! Excel hasn't eaten anything other than moldy noodles and shoe laces for some time now! And though she is not complaining over a lack of salary it would be nice to have a change of pace which you are so kind to provide! Hail Ilpalazzo-sama!"
She walked beside Ilpalazzo as he descended the first step from his throne, he seemed to be attempting to grasp something... "ano, what are you doing Ilpalazzo-sama?"
The Lord of ACROSS stared back at his chair longingly and then to his hand still deftly attempting to pull something from nothing, "It isn't important..." his voice sounded slightly forlorn, but that aspect was completely lost on Excel whose mind was quite preoccupied with a loud rendition of, "I'm going on a date with Ilpalazzo-sama! I'm going on a date with Ilpalazzo-sama!" over and over and over again...
The two made a striking pair as they made their way into the afternoon sun. Ilpalazzo, the tall, cold, and calculating Lord of ACROSS, and Excel the active, high spirited, short animaphilliac. The contrast was indeed striking, the two seemed to share nothing at all in common... Excel ran out ahead, her feet clacking against the many soft stones of the bank. The wind blew softly through the channel, the high walls of the aqueduct whipping it into a cool breeze that disturbed the placid waters and ruffled Excel's uniform. The young woman breathed in deeply the wondrous scents of springtime, "ahhhhh! The wind feels so nice, it smells so sweet like a sakura mochi!" she pranced about happily skipping as the breeze slowly died down, "Don't be fooled Excel-kun..."
Excel turned to her master's stern voice, his hand clenched before him as if he were trying to crush the very wind itself, "This sweet smelling air is just a thin facade covering the foul stench of corrupt society... only under the dominion of ACROSS will the truth be revealed and all inherent depravity cleansed, rather than merely covered up with a thin bandage..." Ilpalazzo finished his great speech, his hand lowering to his side he stared at Excel as another breeze scattered his hair about, "Do you understand Excel-kun?"
Excel turned her back to him facing the lapping waters, "hmm... hmm..." an automatic hand went to her chin as she stood in thought. A few moments passed as Ilpalazzo waited his gaze shifted from her to the whole surroundings. It had been some time since he had used the above ground aqueduct exit, in fact it had been nearly a year since he had taken a walk out here, "Had it really been that long? Since then..." he thought silently...
"I got it!" Excel's sudden scream brought him from his thoughts, she ran from the edge of the bank, "I understand Ilpalazzo-sama! The wind smells sweet like a sakura mochi because the society needs to hide the stench of its own corruption, but when ACROSS conquers the world it will smell something like the inside of our headquarters! Which is kinda musty and dank, but would at least be better than the blissful ignorance of the ignorant masses!"
Ilpalazzo considered this a moment before continuing to walk down the bank, his footsteps clacking against the small pebbles, "Very good Excel-kun, you seem exceptionally alert today..."
"Hai Ilpalazzo-sama! Thank you for your kind words of praise!" they continued to walk further down the aqueduct, a large bridge just coming into view, "ah, Ilpalazzo-sama what are you doing?"
Ilpalazzo stared from Excel's confused expression to his own left hand, which continued to attempt to grasp something in the air. He sighed managing to force his hand back to his side, "It is nothing Excel-kun"
"ah..." she seemed contented with that answer, walking alongside her master as his most beloved servant amongst a bright sunny day sent a fresh wave of butterflies through her heart and surrounding organs, she felt like she was walking on air a renewed wave of extra energy flowing through her... "It's such nice weather today Ilpalazzo-sama, It's hard for Excel to remember a day so lovely as this, although my memory isn't the greatest I happen to forget many years at a time and don't happen to remember them..." she fidgeted about glancing occasionally at her master, then looking to the side on the occasion he would glance back. It was as they walked that the sound of the rocks below her feet seemed to become louder, the waves continued to lap against the rocky shore drawing Excel's attention to them. The young woman began to feel a certain uncertainty, "Ilpalazzo-sama I don't remember ever coming here"
Ilpalazzo stared down at her a slightly confused expression on his face, "It has been a year since this exit has been used, it just happened to be the most expedient above ground exit... Are you sure you don't remember it, Excel-kun?"
"oh... No, I don't..." Excel stared down at her feet, the clacking of her shoes against the rocks suddenly began to make her feel slightly ill, "Ilpalazzo-sama, could we go somewhere else? I suddenly don't feel so well... I don't think it's something I ate because I only got sick once from those noodles and since then I developed an immunity..." she ended with the thought, "even to the moldy shoe laces a little"
"very well..." Ilpalazzo stared around eventually resting on the metal rungs of a ladder, it ran up a good twenty feet straight up before the aqueduct began its gradual slope upward... "that ladder should do, it is probably the closest way out of this area for some time..." Excel merely nodded as they made their way toward the structure, her insides were squirming badly, every step she made against the rocks seemed to make her outlook more dismal.
Ilpalazzo was the first to mount the ladder, making his way up the first few rungs before turning. Excel was still staring at the ground, rocking back and forth slowly... "Excel-kun"
She glanced upward, her expression immediately brightening as she saw Ilpalazzo's outstretched hand beckoning her forward, "hiaku..." he stated calmly shaking his hand for emphasis... "Hai Ilpalazzo-sama!" she grasped his hand practically jumping up each rung, with each rise in elevation from the rocky surface below Excel felt better, with each step closer to Ilpalazzo she felt more safe... "Hail Ilpalazzo-sama! I feel much better now!"
Excel began a happy jig of happiness on the road above, "Excel-kun..." she stopped her little dance to meet his indifferent gaze, "hai Ilpalazzo-sama?"
"We are now amongst the ignorant masses, anyone amongst their ranks may foolishly wish to stop our plans..."
"Why those traitorous cowards!" she snarled thrusting her clenched fist into the air,
"Yes, anyway we are now within a land of potential enemies, it is crucial that we remain as inconspicuous as possible to avoid unnecessary confrontation... do you understand?"
Excel scratched her chin a moment, a thought vein pulsing in her forehead, "ah... umm... ano... could you be more specific, Ilpalazzo-sama?"
Ilpalazzo mentally struggled to hold back his hand from pulling the phantom rope, "It means that you cannot refer to me as Ilpalazzo-sama, as long as we remain amongst the masses you will call me Ramune-san... do you have a fake name you use?"
"ah! I understand... then I will be called Konbonobashi-san!"
Ilpalazzo considered this possibility for just a moment before he began rifling through his pockets. Excel watched as the two began walking down the road into the heart of F city, a few meters pass... "Put these on..." Excel felt a cool something thrust into her hands, she glances down to find a pair of lightly tinted sunglasses in her hands, she turned to Ilpalazzo in confusion, "I think that it will be safe to refer to you as Excel-kun as long as you wear those..."
"Hai Ilpalaz...eh..er..Ramune-san!" she corrected herself putting on the glasses, the light tint making the whole world look dimmer, almost as if she had become a different person inside, or at least would appear so on the outside... "Talking to Ilpalazzo-sama in this familiar way sounds so informal!" she mentally screamed, "I'm so happy!" she actually screamed...
Hyatt worked her way slowly up the flight of stairs to the apartment she and Excel shared. It hadn't taken her too long to traverse through the winding streets of the city, she had long since memorized the shortest routes to reach almost any part of the city. She slowly made her way to the apartment door stopping to rest on the railing, "ara, feeling faint... but must prevail for Excel-sempai" she pushed off from the railing straightening herself before placing her hand on the knob. Menchi heard the depressing peal of the door as it slowly swung open as a condemned criminal, wrongly accused, hears his cell door opened only to reveal a priest. Hyatt slowly edged into the apartment, "tadaima Menchi..." her voice sounding to the little dog much like the last rights. Sweet and lovable, but carrying with it the same hollow feel of emptiness and sorrow... "Au auu auu!" she pined tears streaming from her eyes as her lesser of the two evils tormentor stood in the doorway. Hyatt smiled at the puppy before gazing at a little clock that hung from the wall, "ara, it's later than I thought..." she hurried into the apartment as fast as her anemic body could carry her. Menchi rushed past her as quickly as she could, a heavy breeze had caught the door blowing it slowly closed... "Au!" Menchi pleaded to the door to remain open one moment longer, but alas the sliver of light was already waning, the route to freedom was sealing up before her eyes. With an enormous burst of speed Menchi shot forth...
Watanabe made his way slowly up the stairs stopping briefly to sigh over his horrid predicament, "Ayasugi-san where did that evil terrorist take you...?" he sighed again before making his way toward his door. As he passed the door of his closest neighbor he heard a loud thump, but decided to discount it, "those rowdy neighbors..." he grumbled angrily before stopping dead in his tracks... "those rowdy neighbors...?" he repeated softly turning on his heel.
"Menchi you shouldn't run into doors..." Hyatt heard the thump, rushing to the door to discover the poor animal laying before the door completely conked out. Hyatt sighed as she lifted the little dog from the ground, she made her way slowly to the futon... "Ayasugi-san! Ayasugi-san!"
The blue haired princess turned to the door, almost dropping Menchi as a peal of furious knocking followed the familiar voice, "I don't know what to do..." was all she could think as she placed Menchi on the soft futon... "I don't know what to do..." she repeated making her way to the door, "but I'll try anyway" she thought as her hand reached the knob...
"Ayasugi-sa..!" Watanabe moved back as the door pushed open slowly, his beloved Ayasugi-san poking her head through the opening, "ara, Watanabe-san what a pleasant surprise"
"Ayasugi-san..." he breathed momentarily entranced by her beauty, the sparkles surrounding her demure face. He shook his head, "Ayasugi-san Are you alright?! Where did you go after that terrorist kidnapped you?!"
Hyatt thought a moment, "terrorist...? kidnapping...? hmm, I'm sorry Watanabe-san I don't know what you are talking about..."
"eh...?" Watanabe gasped confused, "but, I could have sworn I saw you yesterday with a woman with orange hair..."
"Ah!" Hyatt gasped suddenly, "you must mean Hyatt, my evil twin sister, she pops up sometimes when that orange haired woman is around..."
"Oh, I understand Ayasugi-san! It is wonderful that you were never in any danger..." to this Hyatt just nodded displaying a bright smile, "Would it be alright if I were to come in... as a government employee it is my job to ensure the safety of the citizenry"
"ah, I'm still in uniform..." Hyatt thought cautiously pulling the door a little closer, "ano, I have to decline... I'm getting ready for a part time job... I only have a towel on..." she tactically pulled the door closed a little more. "Oh..." Watanabe responded a little disappointedly, "alright then, I guess I will see you later then..."
"Watanabe-san..."
The man turned to see Hyatt's bright smile, "Work hard today..."
"Oh!" Watanabe responded thrusting his arm into the air, "you too Ayasugi-san" he flashed a bright smile before walking to his door...
Hyatt felt a light blush creep up, a familiar dizziness come over her.. "ara, I don't... feel well..."
She hurriedly closed the door sliding to a sitting position against it, her vision began to swim badly, "Oh... must get ready for part... job.." she began to crawl across the soft carpeted floor. Extending her arms outward she slowly clawed her way forward inch by inch across the living room floor. Her hand just grazed the edge of her futon before the darkness finally claimed her vision, the blood pouring down her chin... "gomen, Excel-sempai... I can't..." her head collapsed against Menchi's soft fur... the dog awoke with a start at the cold weight. She ran around the room a few times in a state of utter terror before her eyes came upon the familiar sight of Hyatt lying dead, her head resting limply where she had once been resting... "Au...auuu... au.. auau..." she thought a moment her tail wagging in indecision... the clock tolled 1:40
Watanabe reached his apartment door with a light bounce in his step, his mind was apparently running through a slide reel of Hyatt in a towel... the towel slipping... not in a towel. His face was quite red as his hand grasped the knob... "It's time to go to work!" he heard the loud voice of Iwata inside, "huh...?"
As he questioned the door burst open knocking him to the side, "Yay! We get paid for doing nothing!" Ropponmatsu2 followed Iwata, Sumiyoshi, Ropponmatsu, and even Matsuya from his apartment, "Hey! What are you all doing in my apartment! Even you Matsuya?"
Everyone turned to see Watanabe grasping the railing for support as the other hand was plastered against his nose, a stream of blood running down his chin. "Ah! Watanabe how did you hurt your nose?"
"Do you really have to ask that!" Watanabe immediately pounced on Iwata beating him across the head... "Watanabe we have a job to do..."
Watanabe turned to see the words floating above Sumiyoshi's head, "What job?" he asked scratching his head, "We have to pick up a package for Kabapu" Matsuya replied stepping over Iwata as the group made their way to the stairs, "ah, and why are we doing this on a Saturday exactly?"
"Because he said he would give us a BIG bonus!" Iwata appeared next to Ropponmatsu, "ah, I see..." Watanabe nodded as they made their way down the street..
"Arigato Ramune-san!" Excel cried in happiness as a third plate of some appetizing morsel of food was brought to her. Ilpalazzo sat in a chair opposite her drinking a glass of water, they had found a small outdoor cafe some yards into the city. It consisted of a few rows of white tables, a few smaller tables for two people stood on the fringes of the larger four person variety. It was a nice setting, the warm sun, the cool breezes... Ilpalazzo spent a long time pondering their situation while his servant ate... his servant? No, perhaps more aptly called his partner now... or maybe... whichever was the case it confused him greatly. The order in which he had conducted himself and his relationship with his agents had just been broken, he now stood on the same level with them, ate at the same table with his first ever associate in the grand organization of ACROSS, these facts disturbed him, and yet... and yet when he brought himself to stare at his female companion he felt a strange contentment to be doing so. In a rare moment when Excel would take her time away from eating to glance up at him, he would always be sipping his water, a faint annotation of embarrassment surrounding him.
This cycle repeated itself for a few minutes until Excel finished the last of her plate, pushing it to the side with a satisfied sigh, "ahhhhh... I'm full"
In that instant a waiter appeared by her side, "Would you like something else to eat, miss?"
"Ah! Can I have a strawberry parfait"
"excellent choice..." the waiter bowed slightly before departing, it was indeed fortunate that the Japanese are said to have a second stomach for sweets. Excel sat impatiently awaiting her order, she nervously glanced about casting a furtive glance at Ilpalazzo whenever she thought he might not be looking... it was an experience she had wanted for the longest time, sitting here in this cafe with Ilpalazzo-sama on what could be described as a date of sorts... but now that she was actually experiencing it, the experience felt uncomfortable... a blush would creep up to her cheeks every time their eyes met now it seemed. Their proximity to each other, the lack of the distance between them she had taken for granted before as a constant made the whole thing seem unreal. That she was in a wondrous dream, her beloved Ilpalazzo-sama siting with her, telling how much he cared about her...
Ilpalazzo gazed at Excel as she fidgeted about continuously, "Are you alright, Excel-kun?"
"heh...?" Excel's gaze returned from some random location to her master's calculating stare, her voice caught in her throat for a moment. She shook her head quickly, "ah, I'm in perfect health Ramune-san! Excel always lives for the future caring for life as best she can! It's just..."
"It's just...?" Ilpalazzo repeated, this conversation partially peaking his curiosity, "It's just that Excel has never really been in a circumstance like this... on a date..." Ilpalazzo raised an eyebrow, Excel quickly realized her wording, "ah! That is not to mean that this is a date that we are on, unless you wanted it to be one then I would gladly join you in this being a date, but since it's not then my wording was incorrect in this just being a casual get together between working acquaintances! Please forgive me Ramune-san!" throughout her verbal recantation Excel was thoroughly engaged in a heavy amount of bowing that caused her glasses to slip more than a little from the bridge of her nose... Ilpalazzo cast a few furtive glances around, luckily the few customers that were assembled had paid them no heed...
"Excel-kun..."
"eh?" Excel grunted as Ilpalazzo took a much needed sip of his water. The Lord of ACROSS watched as his servant seemed to fidget about even worse, he was going to comment, but she spoke first, "I suddenly feel like saying something but I don't know what to say in this situation, I usually talk a lot when I can't think of something to say, so in these situations I usually say something completely inconsequential..." Excel continued to stare around furtively, her hands clenched against her knees, "ah... ah... Do you like dominoes Ramune-san!?" she finally managed to say through the thick haze of thought and tingly warmness.
Ilpalazzo sat back in his chair considering this a moment, "I don't like dominoes..." a moment passed in which Excel began wording a vast apology, "I have already conquered them..." Ilpalazzo ended with a flourish, a slight smug smile on his face...
"ah, I hated dominoes because I could never sit still long enough to do them and whenever I managed to do anything with them they would always fall over and I would get really frustrated heh heh...heh" a brief silence followed... "excuse me ma'm..."
Excel turned to the voice finding the waiter standing with a tray in his hands, "your parfait..."
"ah arigato waiter-san!" she squealed as the strawberry confection in a fancy glass was placed before her, she grabbed a spoon, "itadakimasu!"
Ilpalazzo watched as she began eating the dessert, it has often been said that the Japanese have a second stomach for sweets, perhaps that statement is accurate... one would think so, watching the young woman devour two large spoonfuls, "would there be anything I can get for you... Ramune-san I believe?"
Ilpalazzo turned from Excel to the eager waiter and then to his half empty cup, "perhaps a refill...?" the waiter suggested. Ilpalazzo considered this for a moment, he finally decided on the correct course of action in turning to the waiter, "Some would consider this half full..." he stated simply, propping his glasses firmly against the bridge of his nose.
"As you wish..." the waiter commented skulking off to some other needy group of customers, to which sadly there were few... "Ramune-san..."
As Ilpalazzo turned to Excel he instantly noticed her now disheveled condition. Her sunglasses had slid down her nose, ice cream had managed to smear its way across a good portion of her upper and lower lip, "Ramune-san this is really good! Are you sure you don't want some?"
Ilpalazzo waved a dismissive hand, "no... thank you for your offer... but no..." he finished his broken sentence with another sip of water. Excel shrugged, "Are you sure? It really is good the strawberries and the strawberry ice cream and the strawberry sauce and all the sugar that really makes you hyper and energetic and tastes really nice especially with strawberries that are sweet but in a different way and soft and nice and red..." she took an enormous bite stuffing a parfait laden spoon into her mouth, "awnd awll twah owther gwood stwuff tha rweally mwakes it gwood..." another spoonful... followed by another... "irk..." she managed to gasp...
"Excel..." Ilpalazzo stared coolly as the orange haired woman began gagging severely, her spoon clattering to the plastic table... "gehh can't gah brea..." she managed through an enormous amount of coughing, wheezing, groaning, and general choking... Ilpalazzo rushed to her remembering what the red eyes had said... "Why did he mention not doing anything that would result in her death...?" his mind whirled as he deftly brought his arms around Excel's slim abdomen, "I would never..."
Ilpalazzo clasped his hands together over her abdomen, with one incredible burst of strength he pushed against her...
Excel breathed heavily as she plopped back into her seat, "heh hehhh heh, thank you Ilpalazzo-sama hehh hehhh... "she managed inbetween grateful gulps of air... "It doesn't matter" Ilpalazzo responded as he too seated himself back down into his chair. Excel recovered a moment before picking up her spoon again, she still had a good half of her parfait left...
"wait, Excel-kun..."
"heh?" Excel looked up from her dessert, she instantly felt a wet something being pressed against her lips... "hehhhhh!" she emitted a high pitched squeal for just a second before the realization set in... Ilpalazzo was wiping a wet handkerchief across her mouth, she suddenly noticed the fine layer of ice cream that had accumulated there... "ah, arigato Ramune-san..."
She gazed at him a moment, feeling the warmth of his touch on her skin, "It doesn't matter..." he spoke softly to her as their gaze met each other, for the briefest of moments Excel saw a true smile appear on his face... "Ilpalazzo-sama..."
Ilpalazzo stopped what he was doing, pulling his handkerchief from her, satisfied that he had removed most of the ice cream, "You really should relax, Excel-kun" he stated casually dropping his gaze as he calmly returned his handkerchiefs to his pocket.
He heard it first, the clattering of the spoon against the plastic table. He looked up to see Excel in an obvious amount of distress, a hand was still in the air as if to hold the spoon, her whole body seemed to tremble as tears flowed down her cheeks, "Excel...?"
"IIIIEEEEE!" she suddenly screamed drawing the attention of everyone in the vicinity... she literally dove across the little table, knocking what remained on it to the ground. She grasped onto Ilpalazzo's shirtfront as the tears continued to fall freely from her. Ilpalazzo didn't know what to do in this situation, his mind buzzed with ideas mostly involving the rope, "Excel...what...?"
"PLEASE DON'T TELL ME TO RELAX ILPALAZZO-SAMA! EXCEL DOESN'T WANT TO DIE! PLEASE DON'T TELL HER TO RELAX!" she sobbed uncontrollably into his shirt, Ilpalazzo felt the hot dampness of her tears, her utter distress and fear laden voice... he stood, carrying her with him as he did. He managed to get her into a standing position, she remained latched onto him... she gasped as her knees buckled underneath causing her to collapse to the ground, Ilpalazzo could only watch as her body began to writhe in agony.
Excel felt a great pain surge through her, it felt as if her whole world were collapsing around her. Through the coming darkness that slowly began to eat away at her vision she could see Ilpalazzo standing over her, a strange look that she had never seen before... a look of uncertainty and fear. She could hear him calling her through the haze, her mind slowly began to shut down...
Ilpalazzo watched as Excel slowly raised her hand into the air. She could see it, a strange spot of light, she knew nothing of its purpose or why it was there... but she knew she had to reach for it... her hand clenched painfully her fingernails digging into the flesh, "Hail... Ilpala..." she gasped one final time as the darkness swallowed her completely, her hand falling limply to the ground...
Ilpalazzo stood momentarily in the stillness, his mind racing with the immensity of the scene that had just taken place. His flurry of thoughts were interrupted by the waiter who rushed to his side, "oh my god, I should call an ambulance right away..."
Ilpalazzo shook his head, "No, I will tend to her..." he responded gathering Excel's limp body into his arms, "but sir..." the waiter pleaded further, only to be met with Ilpalazzo's cold stare that meant so much to so many people... in this instance "Shut the hell up!" seemed the most apt description.
With that Ilpalazzo turned to leave, but then quickly turned to the disheveled table he and Excel had shared. He shifted Excel's weight to one arm as he rooted through his right pocket, after some maneuvering he managed to pull out his wallet. Ilpalazzo carelessly tossed two notes from the thick recesses of the thickly bound leather wallet onto the table before turning to leave once more. The waiter rushed to the table to be sure that what he paid was correct, he gasped audibly at the bills in his hands, two 10,000 yen notes, "sir this is much too much!" he called to Ilpalazzo as his figure slowly disappeared into the distance...
"ah! What was that old geezer's problem!" Iwata complained, his head wrapped heavily in gauze, a black eye clearly evident, "You got what you deserved..." Matsuya observed casually as the group made their way down a deserted street, "you shouldn't have propositioned his daughter"
"Hentai!" Ropponmatsu2 cheered happily, "I agree you deviated from the mission parameters" Ropponmatsu concurred, Iwata merely grumbled... "it hardly seems worth all this" he said holding up a small box wrapped in cloth. The sun was already beginning to set in the sky, deep pinks and oranges spread out a wider swath across the waning blues... it was very pretty, "I wonder what Kabapu could have wanted that was so important as to send us all the way to the city limits..." Watanabe wondered, a hand to his chin, "shame we didn't take a bus, or taxi..." Sumiyoshi wondered in his usual way equally as perplexed.
The little group continued their walk approaching a large hill, Iwata continued to complain like a child, Watanabe and Sumiyoshi continued to remain puzzled, Matsuya and Ropponmatsu remained stoic, and Ropponmatsu2 remained unnecessarily cheery...
Ilpalazzo was deep in thought as he crested the top of a hill, the streets were winding and rather unfamiliar too him. He noticed that, as he walked, Excel's warm weight began to feel more and more comfortable in his arms. Ilpalazzo kept one eye on the road ahead, and one eye plastered to her form most of the way, her slow rhythmic breathing comforted him in the knowledge that she was indeed still alive. Her heartbeat, slow and thready, both disturbed him, and in some ways perplexed him... "What is happening to Excel?" he thought, "In all of the time that I have known her I have never seen her lose energy... she always seemed so able, so full of life..."
He banished these thoughts away as his concentration drew him back to the task at hand. It wasn't so much that he was lost in that he had no idea exactly where he was... or indeed where he should go... although it was clear to him that he should take her back to the apartment she and Hyatt shared. The problem was, he was realizing, he had little clue as to where that was, he had never asked and they had never told him... but he was sure he would find it, he was Ilpalazzo after all... Lord of ACROSS the Secret Idealogical Organization seeking to conquer the city... he of all people should be able to find an apartment.
"Hey look at that guy! Is she alright?" Ropponmatsu2 was the first to point out the tall stranger, walking in the opposite direction in a calm and collected manner. "Is she OK?" Sumiyoshi tried his luck, but the man it seemed was choosing to ignore them, the City Defenders did nothing but watch as he passed by... "Hey do you need any help?!" Watanabe tried his hand, but alas they were forced to turn away, "I guess not..." he added hastily as he rejoined the ranks... "That was one strange guy..." Iwata added, "although the girl with him was really cute!" that remark of course resulted in the usual Matsuya knee to the groan...
"Although didn't she seem a little familiar..."
Everyone turned at Sumiyoshi's floating sentiment, "What do you mean?" Watanabe was the first to question, "well, she looks exactly like the woman from next door, and was dressed exactly like that woman from the other day..."
Iwata just waved it off from his position on the ground crying like a little child, "She was totally different... cough hacking cough... She was wearing sunglasses..."
The others seemed to agree with the irrefutable point of logic. Their collective minds at ease the group made their way slowly up the hill, and toward the great tower of Safety Assurance...
"In heinsight..." Ilpalazzo thought, "I probably should have asked them for directions..."
"maa..." Hyatt gasped opening her eyes to a beautiful field of flowers. A warm breeze blew past wafting the floral scents of some wondrous bouquet. She gazed up at the sun feeling its warm rays, all sense of weakness leaving her... "Come with us..."
A melodious ambient voice sprung from somewhere, a fluttering of wings, a few pure white feathers blowing in the wind, "Come with us, Hyatt..."
It seemed so peaceful, a serene smile adorned Hyatt's face as her gaze wondered about the paradise, "I want to..." she started, "but no"
A beating of furious wings followed, more feathers swirling about her amidst the leaves and rose petals, "Why not?" The voices sounded forlorn and dejected, Hyatt slowly remembered them, she had been here before... "I have a place to be, I have to get to our part time job or I'd be letting sempai down..."
This particular vision seemed longer than most, the voices around her collaborated into a kind of spiritual huddle, "but Hyatt..." they finally spoke, "Out there you so easily faint and die... what good are you to her there?"
The question was compelling, it touched into the vein of Hyatt's deepest fears, "Well...I... I am helpful... I'm just a little anemic..."
A peal of laughter greeted her efforts at proving her worth, "Come now Hyatt, only here with us can you really be happy..." a younger female voice chimed in, "yeah, only with the stream can you ever feel yourself again..."
Hyatt stared off from the fringes of this world into its very heart, a long winding stream that stretched from nowhere to the end of nothingness. It's clear flowing liquid a source for all power that existed there... "iie..." she stated simply, determinedly, "I won't abandon sempai, or Ilpalazzo-sama, if we are together I am sure we can succeed in our ambitions..."
This speech was met with another peal of laughter, Hyatt began to feel dizzy. He knees buckled under her as the world continued to spin about in a colorful blur... she felt faint... her eyes slowly opened to the world. She felt something warm and soft on top of her, she sat up revealing that thing to be a warm blanket from Excel's futon, "Au!" she heard the loud bark. Turning to find Menchi sitting a few feet away, her tail wagging in a kind of greeting, her face a clear indication of, "I scratched your back..." but as to whether Hyatt noticed this it is hard to say... "ara, Menchi your awake..." she stated sweetly before her eyes wandered to the clock. A hand shot to her mouth as she gasped in shock, "Oh, It's already 5:00, I am at least three hours late for work already... I have to hurry..."
She quickly extricated herself from the folds of the large blanket, rising, she moved as quickly as she could to the bureau in a far corner. She reached out for the phone just seconds from grasping the handle, "I should call the manager to tell him I am sorry that I am late... and apologize to Excel-sempai too..."
Bring! Bring! Bring! The phone emitted the high pitched ringing sound just seconds before her hand reached the black receiver. Hyatt paused a moment, retracting her hand in puzzlement before placing it solidly on the receiver. She lifted it slowly from the stand, the cord dangling ominously from it as she brought it to her ear, "hai, Hy-chan speaking..."
A flurry of angry obscenities and expletives met her ear in poorly pronounced Japanese, "hai, hai...haihai, I understand..." she responded through the phone, her whole outlook on the day dimming. A few more angry words involving incompetence and irrevocable sin later a sizable click on the other end nearly shattered Hyatt's eardrums. She slowly placed the receiver back on the stand sighing lightly, "I suppose we'll have to go find another job..." she sighed again before walking to the kitchen, "oh well, I suppose I should make dinner..."
As that thought entered into her mind a more important realization occurred, "If sempai didn't make it to work what happened to her?" the cold realization of plausible facts caused Hyatt's hand to freeze moments before grasping a pot from a low shelf. She instead dashed from the kitchen at highest speed, the equivalent of a low trot, arriving at the closet, "I have to go find her... she could be hurt"
Hyatt grabbed a heavy sweater from the closet, she quickly pulled it over her uniform, "It could get cold at night..." she thought as she was putting on her shoes. Menchi walked up to her as she sat a moment near the door, she saw how heavily Hyatt was breathing and was quite sure that the night wouldn't end well... and on the plus side if Excel really was in trouble that would mean one less mouth to potentially have to feed.
Hyatt felt the familiar trickle of blood run down her chin, her heart beating faster than normal through her hurried movements and worry... she knew she wasn't going to last to long out there. She turned her head at Menchi's bark to find the little dog's teeth clamped onto her sweater sleeve. She chuckled lightly at the scene through her weakened condition, "arigato Menchi, for worrying about me..." she managed to pull him easily from her sweater sleeve, lifting him from the ground she gazed up at him, some indiscernible emotion in the little dog's eyes.
Hyatt stood, placing Menchi safely back on the ground, she turned to the door, "You be good while I'm gone Menchi..." she stated through the little dog's frantic barking... "I have to go find sempai..." she walked to the door.
DingDong! DingDong! Hyatt's hand was mere inches away from the doorknob when the bell rang, she again retracted her hand slightly from the knob in puzzlement, staring at her hand in wonder. After a moment and a few more rings she screwed up her courage enough to open the door, grasping the handle she flung the door open into the waning light of the setting sun... "Hyatt-kun"
She heard the familiar voice even before her eyes adjusted to the light, "ah Ilpalazzo-sama, It's a pleasant surprise... I was just going to look for Excel-sempai, have you seen...?"
It was at that moment that her eyes focused well enough to see what it was her master was carrying in his arms, "oh..." she started before the full impact of the situation seemed to sink in. She gazed from Ilpalazzo to the prone, unconscious form of Excel that lay in his arms and back again, "This seems ironic..."
Kabapu stood, his hands clasped behind his back, staring out the window... staring at his beloved city, his face a mask of deep thought. "Kabapu-hakase they are here..."
The Head of the Safety Assurance agency nodded lightly to the intercom, "very well, send them in..."
At his acknowledgment the double doors leading to his office swung open. Though his gaze remained skyward he knew instantly the ones who had entered, "do you have the package I requested...?" he asked dryly...
"Yes..." came Matsuya's reply, "affirmative..."
"We got the package!"
"I for one want to know what the heck it is! It's just a little box..." Iwata grumbled further, all evidence of his prior beatings seemingly erased. Kabapu merely chuckled dryly, "very good, could you place it on my desk?"
"hai!" Ropponmatsu2 bounded forward dropping the small cloth wrapped box onto the table with a dull thud. Kabapu turned as the young robot walked back to the group, standing in a well ordered line. He evidently never found his original mustache for now an even more laughable concoction hung about his upper lip. The group struggled hard not to laugh at this latest venture, it was a well waxed slick black bit of hair much like a certain Agatha Christie character might possess... "I thank you for what you did in serving your city in this capacity..." Kabapu quickly placed the small box into an open drawer without a second glance at it, "I would like to apologize for my outbursts yesterday..." he began, turning away from them to face the cold glass once more... "they were horrendous degradations against you all and I am greatly ashamed by them..." his voice became low and somber.
The group looked from one to the other, Matsuya was the first to speak up, "It could be said that our actions were a little too harsh..."
"Not to mention Illegal, breaking numerous military and judiciary codes of..."
"Sorry!"
"We will do better next time..."
"I'm not sorry, I think he deserved it if it helped straighten him out some..."
Sumiyoshi quickly turned to Iwata, "It's not that we actually mean it, it is more that he feels better..."
"ah, I see... sorry then!"
After all the various apologies and explanations subsided, Matsuya was again first to speak, "Speaking of yesterday, did anything about the two terrorists strike you as memorable? That might lead to us discovering their whereabouts...?"
"What she means is do you know who they are?" Sumiyoshi added through his usual Kansai...
Kabapu paused a moment, his gaze unfocused taking in all the wondrous elements of his beloved city all in one heartwarming moment. He sighed, "I have been many things in my lifetime..." his voice trailed off into the hearts and minds of those in the room. He sighed again, "I cannot say that I can remember anything about them... no I do not recognize either..."
A silence followed that filled the City Defenders with an uncomfortable feeling, "You are dismissed..." everyone released a sigh of relief as they made their way from the oppressive silence, "wait, what about our reward...?" Sumiyoshi unfortunately worded this quiery just a tad bit too late as the double doors closed shut behind them...
Kabapu sighed heavily, "To think it has been three years since then..." his hands clenched into fists at his sides as the memories of a past life careened through his subconscious mind, "how can that be you? How can you still be alive... Excel..."
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Chapter Three: The Excel We Know... end
Well this one turned out long... but I feel in my heart and in my head that every aspect of it, in some way, contributed to the whole and part of what is to come in this wondrous work of fan made literature.... thank you, and I hope to hear a loud uproarious review from anyone who reads it, even if that review is a screaming flame that seeks my destruction, though I disdain those, I would welcome them...
But being serious for a moment, a review often says more about the individual who writes it than what he/she is actually reviewing.
Next Up! Chapter Four: Break