Ground Defense Force
Mao-Chan


Chapter 2:
Misora-Chan of the Sky Defense Force


(Note: Underlined text = Morse code)

"April, Day X.
"I, Misora Tsukishima, was watching Mao-Chan's bravery on TV today, I say," Misora read aloud as she wrote in her diary. She turned her attention back to the TV, where Mao was in her Type 2 Ground Gear, saluting repeatedly. The TV announcer said, "And now, today's most popular segment, Today's Mao-Chan Corner! Today, it looks like Mao-Chan is hard at work, practicing her salute."
Mao-Chan is a fine Defense Force member, Misora thought. She is my idol, I say. I wish I could defend with Mao-Chan, I say.
Little did Misora know, her grandfather, Sorajiro Tsukishima, Chief of Staff of the Sky Defense Force, was watching her through an ajar door. He wore a blue business suit, and a large white hat. Unlike Rikushiro, who was imposingly tall, Sorajiro was barely a foot taller than Mao or Misora. He held a doll named Okita-San in one hand, and a small blue object in the other.
How can this be? thought Sorajiro, squeezing Okita-San, which squeaked. She's idolizing the granddaughter of that idiot Rikushiro. Well, Rikushiro, two can play at that game...
Pulling the blue object into the light, revealing it as a blue clover, he walked towards Misora...
"Because of the emergence of the Cute Aliens, we were able to reveal the Ground Defense Force to the public."
This was Rikushiro, who was standing with a Defense Force officer named Toku-San outside the Defense Force Headquarters. Defense Force Headquarters looks like any government building, but with a 100-foot tower in the middle. Toku-San wears a dark-green hat, with a light-green clover on the front, and a light-gray suit.
"It was well worth it to push for the construction of our headquarters," said Rikushiro, who then turned to Toku-San.
"Don't you agree, Toku-San?"
"But, Mr. Ground, why don't we just send the Self-Defense Forces to stop the Cute Alien invaders?" said Toku-San. Rikushiro leaned toward him so that he was face-to-face with Toku-San. Rikushiro's face was stern.
"Our enemies are CUTE Aliens!" shouted Rikushiro. "How do you think we would look if the Self-Defense Forces sent soldiers and tanks, armed to the teeth, to take out the Cute Alien?"
Toku-San was startled for a moment, but then said, "Well, people might think we were bullying the Cute Aliens."
"That's right!" Rikushiro stated, leaning in even more. "The public would want us shut down, and the Cute Aliens would have their way! In order for us to combat Cute Aliens effectively, we must use cute recruits!"
"That is correct, Chief of Staff Onigawara," said Miss Kagome, who had just arrived on the scene. Toku-San stood erectly, and saluted. Rikushiro turned away from Toku-San, and towards Miss Kagome, and said, "Most impressive, Miss Kagome. You have a full grasp on the situation, correct?"
"Absolutely, sir," said Miss Kagome. She thought, I can follow anything the Chief of Staff says!
"Good," said Rikushiro. "Because I have a special assignment for you."
Kagome's heart raced. The Chief of Staff wants me to do something for him! she thought.
"Yessir?!" she said, a little too eagerly. Rikushiro didn't notice, though.
"Are you ready?"
"Yessir!"
Misora saw her grandfather walk into the room, and sat down on the couch next to her. Sorajiro turned his head towards Misora.
"Misora, you don't have to go to school today," he said, still hiding the blue clover in his hand from Misora's view.
This is most unlike Grandfather, I say, thought Misora, bemused. He only does this when he has something very special for me, I say.
Misora said, in her usual formal tone, "But Grandfather, why mustn't I go to school, I ask?"
"It's 'Chief of Staff'. And besides," said Sorajiro, pulling the clover out into the open. "You need to start your training."
Misora thought she was seeing things. She rubbed her eyes. The blue clover was still there. It looked just like Mao's, only it was blue instead of green. Coming out of the bottom was a paper with the hiragana for Misora's name.
"Right?" Sorajiro asked Okita-San in his hand. He squeezed Okita-San, causing it to squeak.
This means I will be able to defend with Mao-Chan, I say! Misora thought, barely able to contain her excitement. She grabbed the clover out of Sorajiro's hands, all her formalities forgotten. She put it on her chest, and was about to press it, when...
"Misora! Don't download your Type 2 Flight Gear, except in a defense mission! Every download costs us 25000 Yen, so only download when it is absolutely necessary."
"Roger, I say!" Misora said, saluting. Sorajiro said to Misora:
"Misora, we must leave for Sky Defense Force Headquarters immediately. There, you will begin your training...
"...as a Second Lieutenant of the Sky Defense Force."

Mao walked to school, which was faster for her than running. Strangely, Misora wasn't waiting for her outside the gates. I, myself, hope that Misora-Chan isn't sick or anything, Mao thought worriedly. She's my best friend, and I hope she's alright.
Mao was late getting to her homeroom.
"Sorry I, myself, am late, Miss Koyama. I--"
She looked at the teacher's desk, and did a double-take.
Miss Kagome was at the teacher's desk, and was talking to the class: "I will be your homeroom teacher starting today. My name is Kagome Mishima. It's nice to meet you."
"Ehhh?!" Mao shouted, her eyes wide. "H-how come?"
Miss Kagome tapped her finger on her desk. Though most of the students thought she was just being temperate, Mao recognized it as Morse code:
"Sit down, and be quiet."
Mao made her way to her desk, and sent a Morse code message back to Miss Kagome, "Roger."
"I'll explain at lunch," Miss Kagome tapped back.
The rest of the lesson proceeded as normal. Mao, though, was still wondering why Miss Kagome, a Commander of the Defense Forces, was her teacher now as well.
Lunch couldn't have come slower. When it finally rang, Mao was bored to tears, and nearly dozed off. She was awoken by a shout:
"Wake up, Private Onigawara!"
Mao woke up. The classroom was, except for herself and Miss Kagome, empty.
"I'm sorry, Commander Mishima, for falling asleep in class!"
"When you are in school, you'll address me as Miss Kagome, Mao-Chan."
Kagome realized she was probably being too harsh with Mao. She was, after all, eight years old. Kagome decided to be calmer as she continued.
"So, you wanted to know why I will be your teacher?"
Mao nodded slightly.
"I was asked to be your teacher, Mao-Chan," Kagome explained. "Because the Chief of Staff wanted a Defense Force operative to watch you while you are at school, and to respond to emergencies at an early stage."
Though much of Miss Kagome's explanation would have gone in one ear and out the other to any other eight-year-old girl, Mao understood completely.
"Oh, I, myself, get it! It's part of a defense operation, right?"
"Yes, that's right!" said Kagome. She muttered under her breath, "Why do I have to do stuff like this?"
"Huh?" said Mao, who almost heard what Miss Kagome had said.
"No, no, it's nothing," Miss Kagome stuttered, waving her hands dismissively.
Mao thought she heard someone else whispering, coming from the door. She looked over, and saw two seniors (that's high-school seniors, not 55-and-over seniors), one with long red hair, the other with short dark-green hair. As soon as they were spotted, however, they bolted.
That's weird, Mao thought. Who were they, and why were they watching us?
"Private Onigawara!" Miss Kagome said, recapturing Mao's attention. "Report to Ground Defense Force Headquarters after school. Understood?"
"Understood!" said Mao, saluting, and heading to lunch.

Now, as for the two seniors. They hid behind the door as Mao continued to the lunchroom. The one with long red hair was Yuriko Oozora, President of the Student Body. She wears a black headband in her hair, though her bangs are short enough that they are out of her eyes, with or without the headband. Her hair covers her ears completely. The one with short dark-green hair was Chinami Noki, Yuriko's best friend. She wears the type of glasses that do not need to connect to your ears. Her hair also covers her hair completely. Both have brilliant-purple eyes, and matching uniforms (beige shirt, brown skirt). They both look very pretty.
Chinami was currently glaring in Mao's direction, while Yuriko had a look of admiration on her face. Chinami said to Yuriko, "Miss President, that was eight-year-old Private Mao Onigawara of the Ground Defense Force."
"Wh-what a cute little girl..." said Yuriko, her headband flying off. Two light-brown cat-like ears pop out of the top of her head.
"Don't compliment the enemy, Miss President!" said Chinami, turning to Yuriko. She was so shocked by Yuriko's cat ears that she double-taked, identical ears popping out of her head.
"Miss President, your ears are showing!" shouted Chinami.
"So are yours, Chinami-Chan," countered Yuriko. She heard footsteps, and realized Miss Kagome was leaving the room.
"Quick, hide 'em!" said Chinami, throwing her hands on her head, pushing her ears back into her hair. Yuriko did likewise, just as Miss Kagome came out of the room. She looked a little worried.
"Is everything alright, you two?" she asked.
"Sure," said Chinami. Yuriko finished, "Nothin' wrong here."
Kagome stared at them for a few moments, their hands on their heads, then continued to lunch...
The rest of the school day is virtually uneventful, so we'll just skip ahead to Mao at the Ground Defense Force Headquarters...
"I can't see anything, Grandpa," said Mao. He had covered her eyes with a blindfold, so that she couldn't see the surprise he had for her.
"It's Chief of Staff, Mao," said Rikushiro. "Besides, it's a surprise."
Mao had no idea where they were going, though Rikushiro knew exactly where to go. He lead Mao through various corridors and rooms. Finally, he opened one door, and Mao, though she was blindfolded, could tell the room was brightly lit. Rikushiro removed Mao's blindfold. Mao gasped, "Amazing!"
Rikushiro had lead Mao to a construction room. In the center was a large white tank, with a copy of Mao's clover on either side of the turret.
"You like it, don't you, Mao?" asked Rikushiro. "This tank is your support mecha in your future defense operations. I call it White Tiger!"
Miss Kagome was next to Rikushiro, and she said, "And the person who was in charge of the development was me---"
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Mao said, ignoring Miss Kagome, who hung her head humiliatedly.
"You mean 'Chief of Staff'," he said.
"Thank you, Chief of Staff!" Mao said, running towards White Tiger. She bowed and said, "Hello!"
To Mao's great surprise, the tank's turret lowered, then raised, in an impromptu bow.
Mao turned excitedly and practically shouted, "He bowed back! Did you see?"
"That's because," Miss Kagome said, "of a special silicon-chip AI---"
"It's amazing, isn't it, Mao?" interrupted Rikushiro, in false awe.
"Yes, sir!" said Mao. She saluted to the tank, and said, "I, myself, look forward to working with you! Your name is...hmm...I'll call you Miikun!"
Rikushiro said, "Its name is White Tiger."
But Mao ignored him, and said, "It's nice to meet you, Miikun!"
"Ch-Chief of Staff?" asked Kagome, worried. He normally isn't happy when he doesn't get his way, she thought. But how will he act around his granddaughter?
"Well, Miikun is fine," said Rikushiro, resigning to the fact that his granddaughter preferred simpler names.
Toku-San, who helped build Miikun, was sitting in the corner of the room. He spoke up, "Are you sure about this, Mr. Ground? This thing don't have any weapons to stop the Cute Aliens."
"Of course!" said Rikushiro, "You don't think I would let my cute granddaughter use real weapons, so you! What a cute granddaughter needs is a cool toy!"
This guy doesn't make any sense, thought Toku-San and several other operatives.
The sirens started blaring, bathing the room in red light. A voice spoke over the PA, "We've got an emergency! Our sensors have detected an object we believe to be a Cute Alien! Arrival trajectory is the same as before."
Everyone in the room knew what had to be done immediately.
"Chief of Staff!" said Kagome, turning to Rikushiro.
"The Cute Alien couldn't have come at a better time!" Rikushiro told Kagome. He turned to Mao. "Mao! I mean, Private Onigawara! Prepare to defend Japan from the Cute Alien invader as a Ground Defense Force member!"
Mao's father was reading his newspaper as usual, and was channel- surfing on the TV, when a news report said:
"We interrupt our current program to show a live broadcast of: 'Mao- Chan, Defend Japan from the Cute Alien Invaders'!"
Talk about your doting grandfathers, thought Mao's father.
Mao was now in her Type 2 Ground Gear, and she was riding Miikun to the same place she did when she defeated the Rabbit Alien. Only this time, she was far more confident in her abilities to defend.
She watched the capsule falling down to the ground, when it burst open in midair, just twenty feet above her.
"Aww, that's so cute!"
It was a small Bat Alien, barely a foot tall. It squeaked with every flap of its wings. It twirled once, and when it faced her, it was holding...
"It's a space bomb!" came Miss Kagome's voice over Mao's clover. "Get out of there, Private Onigawara!"
The Bat Alien threw the bomb towards Mao; it landed on the ground, its fuse not lit yet. Mao kneeled down, looking at it. Suddenly, it sprouted wings, and jumped around, its fuse now lit. Mao crouched, crying, "It's scary!"
"Why don't you run away, Mao-Chan?!" Miss Kagome said through the clover again, though Mao was too scared to hear her.
BOOOOOM!
The bomb went off, exploding in a cloud of smoke. Mao, however, was not hurt. She looked up to see...
"Miikun!"
Miikun had tilted on its side, shielding Mao from the blast. It was covered in soot, but was otherwise OK. Mao thanked Miikun, and ran out of the way as it landed on the ground.
Miikun spun it turret towards the Cute Alien, hitting it, causing it to fall.
"You did it!" Mao shouted to Miikun, overjoyed. "Amazing!"
"Wait, Mao!" came Rikushiro's voice from Mao's clover. Mao looked at it, concerned. "Look at the Alien!"
Mao looked again, and the Bat Alien was flying away.
"Oh, no! It flying away into the sky!" She tried to run after it, but she tripped, and she began to cry.
"If it escapes into the sky, then I, myself, a Ground Defense Force member can't protect anyone. I can't protect everyone..."
"Mao-Chan!"
Mao's blood went cold. She knew who that was, but it was impossible. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't, but it was. She looked up.
"Misora-Chan!"
Misora was riding on the wing of a large red jet, which had a blue clover on either side of the cockpit. She had a blue clover on her chest.
"Mao-Chan!" Misora shouted back, "My grandfather made me a Defense Force member, I say!" She gestured toward the jet she was on. "This is my support mecha, Hayate, I say. Now, I will be able to defend with you, Mao-Chan, I say!
"Type 2 Flight Gear...Download!" Misora pressed the clover's face. "Ku-bo!"
In a bright flash, Misora was in her Type 2 Flight Gear. It looks much like Mao's Type 2 Ground Gear, with the exception that the clover is blue, and she has white, angel-like wings on her back.
"Second Lieutenant Misora Tsukishima of the Sky Defense Force!" Misora said, saluting. "I will protect the skies of Japan, I say!"
Misora leapt off Hayate, and flew after the alien. It squeaked and flew away. Suddenly, Hayate flew into its path, trapping it between Misora and Hayate. She crossed her arms, and reprimanded it:
"Making trouble for Japan and Mao-Chan is a big no-no, I say! Got it?"
The Bat Alien squeaked, then hung its head in defeat.
Throughout Japan, people were quite pleased with the way Misora handled the situation.
"She didn't fight him, she put him in his place!"
"I can't believe she scolded an alien!"
"And she's cute to boot, isn't she?"
Misora flew back to the ground, the Cute Alien in her arms. She landed in front of Mao.
"Misora-Chan, you did it!" Mao congratulated.
"I certainly did!" said Misora. "My first dispatch was a complete success, I say!"
Rikushiro was in his office, and was quite displeased. He was glad the mission succeeded, though he was unhappy that HIS granddaughter didn't stop the Alien.
"So," he said, "Sorajiro has made his granddaughter into a Defense Force member..."
Sorajiro was in his office, and was happy that his granddaughter succeeded in her very first mission.
"Rikushiro," Sorajiro chuckled, "I won't let you have your way forever..."
He looked at Okita-San, and said, "Right?" and squeezed Okita-San, who squeaked.
"Sorajiro, you copycat!" shouted Rikushiro. "But I can say that one thing's for sure..."
"I can say that one thing's for sure..."
Both grandfathers shouted, "My granddaughter is cuter than your granddaughter!"

TO BE CONTINUED...