Ground Defense Force
Mao-Chan
Sky and Ground are One
"April, Day X.
"Misora-Chan has been made into a Sky Defense Force member. Now she will be able to defend Japan with me! She is going to give me a tour of the Sky Defense Force Headquarters. I, myself, am very excited," read Mao aloud out of her diary as she wrote.
She looked over it again to make sure she spelled everything right, then put her diary away and walked to the Defense Force headquarters.
Little did she suspect, Rikushiro was watching her from the other room, and was deep in thought.
She is friends with the granddaughter of that copycat Sorajiro, thought Rikushiro, but I bet that other girl may be plotting something. She may even try to find out some of our strategies in the Ground Defense Force! I have to keep them from working together. For the good of the Ground Defense Force...
Misora took Mao on a tour of the Sky Defense Force, which was in the same building as the Ground Defense Force. Each of the three Defense Forces occupied one-third of the same building. The layout of the Sky Defense Force headquarters is identical to the Ground Defense Force's layout, with the exception that the walls are blue, not green. Mao almost felt like she was in the Ground Defense Force headquarters.
"So, Mao-Chan, whatever did you think of the Sky Defense Force headquarters, I ask?" asked Misora after the tour was over.
"It was very ritzy!" exclaimed Mao, using the only word she could use to describe it.
Misora giggled, "Mao-Chan, you vocabulary certainly is outdated, I say."
"Maybe because I, myself, heard that from my grandpa," joked Mao, and they both walked off, giggling...
The next day...
"Hey, Sorajiro! Who gave you permission to build that monstrosity near my Ground Defense Force headquarters?!" shouted Rikushiro, talking to Sorajiro through an audio/video link. Sorajiro was in his office, currently playing with his caricature doll, Okita-San.
"Gee, I don't know," came Sorajiro's sarcastic reply. "I got permission from the Cabinet, Rikushiro Onigawara."
Rikushiro's temper rose slightly. "You hired an elementary-level Defense Force member, your granddaughter, and you also gave her that stupid excuse of a support mecha, Hayate! You're such a copycat!"
"You're using your granddaughter as Ground Defense Force propaganda to get a budget increase," countered Sorajiro, "I saw through that plan long ago."
"Well," said Rikushiro, trying to come up with a good comeback. "I saw through your plan to steal some of our strategies in the Ground Defense Force. You are telling your granddaughter to pretend to be my Mao's best friend so that you can copy some of our strategies, Sorajiro Tsu-Copycat!"
Sorajiro was confused. "What are you talking about? There is no such plan...yet.
"Anyway, your granddaughter is cute, I have to admit. BUT...when compared to my Misora, the choice is obvious. Is yours cuter? I don't think so."
Sorajiro waved one of Okita-San's hands, and cut the transmission.
Rikushiro, Sorajiro thought, a real man fights and fights and fights, even when there is no hope.
"Right?" said Sorajiro to Okita-San. Okita-San squeaked and fell onto the floor, causing Sorajiro some dismay.
"W-what did you say?! Sorajiro, you knucklehead!" Rikushiro shouted at the empty screen. "Quite a big ego for someone who was always hiding in my shadow back in college!"
Rikushiro calmed down a little. Perhaps I should call the Prime Minister, to see if Sorajiro is telling the truth.
Rikushiro set the videophone for: Prime Minister's Office, The Diet. The Prime Minister's always nervous face appeared on the monitor.
"What is it? What is it?" asked the Prime Minister, his voice as nervous as his face.
"Prime Minister," said Rikushiro, in as calm a voice as he could muster, "I won't get mad at you. Tell me, and tell me honestly: Did you give that idiot Sorajiro permission to hire an elementary-level Defense Force member?"
The Prime Minister sweated a little more, then he said:
"Yes."
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" shouted Rikushiro. Even though they were only talking on a videophone, the Prime Minister cowered. "Not only have you allowed Sorajiro to recruit his granddaughter as an elementary Defense Force member, but you allowed him to build her a support mecha!"
The Prime Minister had a distressed look on his face, "W-well, y-y- you see, i-it's because..."
"IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER NOT ENOUGH TO DEFEND JAPAN?!" Rikushiro screamed at the videoscreen, the Prime Minister leaning back so that Rikushiro's voice wouldn't be heard as loud.
"But-but-but..." stuttered the Prime Minister, tears mingled with his sweat.
Rikushiro cut the connection.
I have to get Mao to work solo in all future defense missions, thought Rikushiro, I will not let Sorajiro's granddaughter steal our strategies...
Meanwhile, Mao and Misora were at school, and it was dismissal. They were getting the books they needed for their homework out of their lockers. Mao turned to Misora.
"Hey, Misora-Chan! Were your press interviews yesterday tough?"
Misora stated, "They certainly were! I was more nervous than I was when I was first dispatched to stop the Cute Aliens, I say!"
Mao giggled, and turned toward her first class, saying, "To tell you the truth, I, myself, felt the same--"
Misora suddenly stared ahead of Mao, and said, worriedly, "Mao-Chan! Watch where you're going, I say!"
Mao turned to look where she was going, just in time to bump into the person in front of her. Mao was dazed from bumping into the person, who was about two feet taller than four-foot-tall Mao. The person turned, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry."
Mao looked up. It was a high school senior. She had long red hair that covered her ears completely. She wore a black headband in her hair. She wore a biege long-sleeve shirt and a brown skirt. She looked vaguely familiar.
Wow, she's very pretty! Mao thought, entranced by the lady's appearance. She heard Misora whisper in her ear: "That is the President of the Student Body at our High School, Miss Yuriko Oozora, I say."
President of the Student Body?! Oh, my gosh! Mao thought, flustered. "H-how do you do?! I, myself, am--"
"Mao-Chan of the Ground Defense Force, right?" said Yuriko to Mao, cutting her off. "You're cute on TV, and even cuter in person. Not to mention you're a real go-getter for someone so small..."
Mao blushed modestly, and said, "Well, I, myself, wouldn't go THAT far..." Mao remembered where she saw Yuriko last: "Oh, yeah, you were watching me and Miss Kagome a couple days ago. How come?"
Before Yuriko could answer, she heard a shout behind her: "MISS PRESIDENT!!"
Mao and Misora watched as another high school senior, this one with glasses and short green hair, grab Yuriko by the arm, chuckling nervously. "Pardon us!" Chinami said, pulling Yuriko away from Mao and Misora as if her life depended on it. Mao and Misora stood there, thoroughly confused.
Then, to their greater astonishment, they heard a shout from behind them.
"Mao!"
"Misora!"
They turned. It was their grandfathers, both making haste to their granddaughters. Rikushiro grabbed Mao's arm when he reached her, and Sorajiro did the same to Misora.
"Mao, we need to have a little chat. Come meet me in the car."
"Misora, we have to talk. I'll explain when we get to the Sky Defense Force headquarters."
Mao and Misora barely struggled, as their grandfathers could be very forceful. They left with their grandfathers, to talk about...whatever their grandfathers wanted to talk to them about.
Once they were in the car, Rikushiro told the driver to make haste to the Ground Defense Force headquarters.
After they got there Mao asked Rikushiro, "Grandpa...oops, I mean, Chief of Staff, what's my mission for today?"
"It isn't about a mission, but I wanted to talk to you about this in private.
"Mao, never let the Sky Defense Forces beat you to the Cute Aliens. And especially never lose out to Sorajiro's granddaughter."
"Who, Misora-Chan? Why not?" Mao asked, confused.
"Because her grandfather wants her to steal strategies from the Ground Defense Force. I am separating you two so that the Ground Defense Force will be safe."
"But, Misora-Chan is my best friend," said Mao, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"I am only doing what is best for the Ground Defense Force," said Rikushiro, persisting, trying to ignore Mao's tears. "Do not interact with Sorajiro's granddaughter. This is an order from the Chief of Staff of the Ground Defense Force."
"But, Grandfather," Misora asked, "why can't Mao-Chan and I defend Japan together, I ask?"
"It's 'Chief of Staff'," said Sorajiro, "And besides, Rikushiro's granddaughter is a member of the Ground Defense Force. And you are a member of the Sky Defense Force. We're lucky the Chief of Staff of the Sea Defense Force doesn't decide to doesn't decide to make his granddaughter, if he has one, into a Sea Defense Force member."
"But, wouldn't be better," Misora persisted, "If we worked together to stop the Cute Aliens, I ask? Like a Unified Defense Force, I say."
Sorajiro waited a moment before responding. She got me there, he thought, but I have to come up with a reason to keep her away from Rikushiro's granddaughter.
"Misora," Sorajiro said, "Modern combat takes priority. In other words, we must be the first on the scene to stop the Cute Aliens. Do you understand?"
Misora tried to come up with a comeback, but she could'nt, "Y-yes, I understand, sir, I say."
Mao was wandering the corridors of the Ground Defense Force headquarters, lost in her thoughts.
I, myself, am a Ground Defense Force member. And Misora-Chan is a Sky Defense Force member. What's the difference? The ground and sky are connected. But if I can't defend with her...it just won't be the same...
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Mao's clover was beeping. That meant that a Cute Alien was coming to Japan. Mao was dispatched to the scene with Miikun, though her heart wasn't in it. Defending just wasn't the same...
...without Misora...
Misora recieved the same order, and her grandfather, not wasting any time, had her dispatched there on the double. The Cute Alien's trajectory was the same as the past two Aliens, so Misora downloaded her Type 2 Flight Gear and flew to the landing location. She saw the capsule high up above her, falling to Earth at a rapid pace.
"I'm counting on you, Misora!" came her grandfather's voice over Misora's clover.
"Roger, I say!"
Misora hovered there until the capsule burst open just ten feet in front of her. It was a teal bird alien, though Misora didn't think it was cute. She was too scared.
"It's terrifying and cuddly, I say!" Misora cried, flying away from the Cute Alien.
Rikushiro couldn't help but laugh at Misora, as he watched the Cute Alien chasing her in a circle. He turned to a Defense Force operative, and said, "Second Lieutenant Tsukishima is doing poorly. Send a message to the Sky Defense Force control room, telling them to halt their operation."
"Roger," she said, sending the message. Ten seconds later, she said, "Chief of Staff Onigawara. The Sky Defense Force Chief of Staff's reply is: 'Knucklehead'!"
A vein appeared on Rikushiro's temple, who was furious. "Who does he think he is, being so stubborn?!" He grabbed Miss Kagome, who was nearby, by the shoulders, and shook her back and forth, shouting, "Miss Kagome, where's Mao? Why isn't she stopping the Cute Alien?!"
"Private Onigawara is just arriving at the scene!" shouted Kagome back, dizzy from being shaken so much.
Mao and Miikun just arrived on the scene. Mao jumped off Miikun and looked up at Misora being chased by the Cute Alien. She heard Misora shouting, "It's too scary to defend alone, I say! It's too lonely to defend alone, I say!"
"Misora-Chan!" Mao shouted to Misora, and Misora looked down at Mao. Suddenly, Misora flew down to Mao, knocking them both to the ground. Misora was hugging Mao tightly, tears in her eyes, repeating, "Mao-Chan! Mao-Chan!"
Mao-Chan... thought Yuriko, as she and Chinami watched what was happening on a TV. She was worried for Mao and Misora, and hoped that they could defend Japan. If they couldn't, it could spell disaster for them all...
"Misora-Chan, let's defend Japan together," Mao said to Misora. "Our defense missions have one thing in common: to protect the peace of Japan. Besides, the ground and sky are connected."
"Mao-Chan," said Misora, still teary-eyed. She wiped her tears away. "You are right, I say! Yes, you certainly are right, I say!"
They both got up, and pulled their batons out.
"So I, myself, will..."
"So I will..."
They crossed their batons, and shouted:
"...defend the country!"
"...defend the country, I say!"
Suddenly, their clovers began glowing with their respective colors. They thought it was going to be their grandfathers scolding them, but the clovers were glowing too brightly. The glow was steady as well, nor were the clovers beeping. Both Mao and Misora were shocked by this.
"What's happening, Mao-Chan, I ask?"
"I don't know! This never happened before!"
The glow intensified, and became pure-white. Both were too stunned to do anything.
Yuriko and Chinami were stunned by the light coming from Mao and Misora's clovers as well, but for different reasons.
"Chinami-Chan, that's the Light of Kusanagi-Sama!" whispered Yuriko to Chinami.
"Impossible, Miss President!" whispered Chinami back. "They're full-blooded Earthlings!"
Suddenly, the glow from the clovers grew much more intense, blocking Mao and Misora completely. Everyone turned away from the TV, not wanting their eyes to be damaged.
Everyone except Yuriko and Chinami.
The light hit the Cute Alien, which was as transfixed by the Light as Yuriko and Chinami, until the light hit it. It fell out of the sky, unconscious before it hit the ground.
Mao and Misora fell to the ground once more after the light faded. They heard two people shouting in their direction:
"MAO!"
"MISORA!"
Mao and Misora turned, and saw...
"Grandpa?"
"Grandfather, I ask?"
Rikushiro and Sorajiro ran toward their granddaughters, trying to keep the other from getting to their granddaughter. They both shouted, "It's 'Chief of Staff'!" They then started fighting.
Mao said, "Chief of Staff, can Misora-Chan and myself..."
"Can Mao-Chan and me..."
"Defend the country together?"
"Defend the country together, I ask?"
Rikushiro and Sorajiro stopped what they were doing, which was Sorajiro holding Rikushiro in a headlock. They thought for a moment, then said, half-heartedly, "Well, I suppose..."
They then glared at each other for a moment, then pouted.
"Misora-Chan," Mao said, "Something tells myself that problems lie..."
"Ahead of us, I say," Misora finished.
TO BE CONTINUED...
