Ground Defense Force
Mao-Chan


Chapter 9:
Operation: Japan Collection


"It's what?!" shouted Rikushiro.
"I'm afraid it has, sir," said Kagome, looking at the monitor in front of her, reading off the data that was displayed on the screen. "The capsule, which is a jumbo-type of about 18 meters long, has splashlanded just off the coast of the Kanagawa Prefecture in Yokohama, very near Seaman Maruyama's support mecha."
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," chuckled Adalbert, using his cigarette to light a new one. "Zhis is zhe perfect chance for Zylvie..." He took a long drag on his newly-lit cigarette, and breathed out a large cloud of smoke. "...to protect zhe country wizzout zhe aid of her friends."
"Traitor!" growled Sorajiro, squeezing Okita-San tightly.
"That sounds like a plan, Chief of Staff Maruyama," said Kagome, pointing to one of the large videoscreens around the room. "But your granddaughter is currently landbound with Private Onigawara and Second Lieutenant Tsukishima, waiting for the Cute Alien to reveal itself. So the three will defend the country together, whether you like it or not."
"Vell, I don't like it in zhe slightest," said Adalbert, dousing his cigarette in a nearby ashtray. "But eef it makes Zylvie 'appy, I vill have to allow it."
"Good, because we'll need cooperation for the success of this operation," said Kagome, shifting her gaze to one of the operatives, Mayumi. She wore her raven-black hair in a long ponytail down to her waist. She wore the dark-blue uniform of Sky Defense Force members, and was freakishly tall for a Japanese person, almost 5' 9".
"Operative Mayumi, has the populace of the Kanagawa Prefecture been successfully evacuated?" asked Kagome, to which Mayumi immediately responded, "Yes, Commander Mishima. All residences in the Kanagawa Prefecture were successfully evacuated."
"Good," Kagome turned to a monitor next to her and pressed a few buttons. She gasped at the image on the screen.


It's finally begun... Operation: Japan Collection, thought Yuriko as she and Chinami watched the television before them.
Chinami clenched her fists as she watched what was happening on the screen. The Cute Aliens were no longer playing games with the Defense Forces. Playtime was over. Chinami knew that all invading aliens in the future meant business. Chinami almost felt sorry for Mao and her friends, knowing what they would face, but pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind. She mustn't let her emotions get in the way of her job.


Mao, Misora, and Sylvie (wearing contacts) stood at the coast of the Kanagawa Prefecture, staring at the spot where the Cute Alien landed.
"What's wrong, Mao-Chan, I ask?" asked Misora, looking over at Mao, who just started shivering.
"I dunno, Misora-Chan," replied Mao. "I just felt like someone was watching us."
"Of course people are watching us, Mao-Chan," said Sylvie, pointing at the various helicopters from the various newstations that were filming them.
"It's not that, Sylvie-Chan," insisted Mao. "It's something... not here." Mao used the only words she could use to describe it. "Doesn't matter, right, guys? I, myself, will do my best!"

"I certainly will as well, I say!"
"I, the officer, am here, too!"
Yes, I will do my best, Mao thought. Mommy would probably be proud of me. Mao thought of her mother, Kuniko. From what she'd heard, Kuniko was very pretty. According to her father, Kuniko just showed up out of nowhere, and it was love at first sight. Just barely a year after they first met and got married, Mao was born. A few months later, however, Kuniko disappeared. She disappeared so thoroughly, it was as if she just ceased to exist. I wish I had a Mommy, Mao thought as she wiped away a tear.
BEEP! BEEP!
"Unified Defense Force members!" came Kagome's voice from Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's clovers. "The Cute Alien is beginning to emerge! When it does, commence defense operation while maintaining visual contact with the target!"
Kagome didn't need to tell them that, as at that point, a large whirlpool appeared where the capsule landed. The whirlpool expanded by the second. "Get outta there, Nahchan! Get out! Get out!" Sylvie shouted at the submarine in the bay. Nahchan immediately turned away from the whirlpool and swam away from it. The whirlpool continued to grow, then suddenly swirled upwards, forming a waterspout.
"It's coming, Misora-Chan!" whimpered Mao.
"It certainly is, I say!" replied Misora.
"The Buggers are coming!" shouted Sylvie right out of the blue, causing Mao and Misora to sweatdrop. They heard a loud POP and turned to look at the waterspout. On top of it was the gargantuan capsule that contained the Cute Alien. And it was open, revealing the Cute Alien. It leapt out of the capsule, landing in front of the Unified Defense Force members with a loud THUMP.
"It's huge, but it's cute!"
It was a Sheep Alien, almost 30 feet tall.
BEEP! BEEP!
"Elementary school Defense Force members! Commence defense operation!" said Miss Kagome's voice from their clovers.
"Roger!" Mao, Misora, and Sylvie shouted in unison, then they raised their batons before them. They concentrated hard on the word of 'defense' and a ball of light appeared on their batons. They focused the light to hit the Cute Alien, and three beams of bright-white light lanced out at the Cute Alien. The beams struck it, then rebounded off into the sky. The Sheep Alien rubbed the spot where the beams struck it, as if it had an itch ther. With a "Baa!" it turned toward Mao, Misora, and Sylvie, stomping towards them.
"Aah! It's cute, but it's scary!" screamed Mao, running off to hide.
"My whole body is shaking, I say!" shrieked Misora, following Mao.
"The Bugger has landed!" said Sylvie, hitting the Alien's feet with her baton. This only infuriated the Alien even further, and it started trying to step on Sylvie as she hit its feet. Sylvie grabbed onto its leg, holding on for dear life. The Alien began shaking its leg violently, screaming "Baa!" Eventually, Sylvie was thrown off, flying through the air. After tumbling through the air for a few moments, she landed on the Sheep Alien's head.
"Oof!" shouted Sylvie as she landed on its head. Once she got her bearings, Sylvie began whacking the Alien on the head with her baton. After a few moments, the Alien spun its head around, taking Sylvie's baton in its teeth. It swung its head around, throwing Sylvie's baton away. Her baton flew just past Miikun, who was parked nearby. Sylvie leapt off the Cute Alien, landing just in front of Miikun. She ran past Miikun and got her baton, and turned to face the Cute Alien again.
Mao and Misora were huddled behind Miikun, hiding from the Cute Alien, whimpering away. "I, the officer, am gonna join you two," said Sylvie as she crouched down next to Mao and Misora. All three were absolutely helpless; their blasts of Light did no damage to the Sheep Alien, it was the size of a house, and it was mad at them. And they sat there, whimpering fearfully, hoping the Alien wouldn't find them.


"Commander Mishima, the elementary school Defense Force members are frightened of the Cute Alien," said Mayumi, watching Mao, Misora, and Sylvie on the monitor.
"But what of the Cute Alien, Operative Mayumi?" asked Kagome, turning to Mayumi.
"The target is beginning to move towards Yokohama, and we have made an estimate of where it will arrive if it continues in that direction," said Mayumi, pressing a few buttons. An image appeared on one of the videoscreen. It was a map of Yokohama, with an image of the Sheep Alien in the Kanagawa Prefecture. In front of the Sheep Alien's image was a highlighted area, leading into the city.
"Where is it heading towards, Mayumi?" asked Kagome.
"It is heading for the bullet train station at New Yokohama Station," replied Mayumi as the image focused on said station.
"New Yokohama Station?" asked Sorajiro, bewildered.
"Vhy vould it go zhere?" Adalbert thought out loud.
"We don't have time for Twenty Questions, you two," said Rikushiro, clenching his fist. "We still have a job to do, and that's to defend the country!" He struck a dramatic pose. "Now's the time to defend!"
"What're you doing, posing for a painting?" asked Sorajiro when he saw Rikushiro posing overly melodramatically.
"Chief of Staff Onigawara is right!" said Kagome, talking over Rikushiro and Sorajiro who were currently arguing over who was being more of a jerk.
"Elementary school Defense Force members! Stop the Cute Alien before it gets to the New Yokohama Station! Hurry!" said Kagome into a small microphone next to her.
"Help me, Mommy!" came Mao's teary reply.
"Help us, Mother, I say!" Misora stuttered through tears.
"Help me, Mummy..." whimpered Sylvie.
And the rest was lost in tears.
"Girls... what about defense?" asked Kagome, though she wasn't speaking into the microphone to Mao, Misora, or Sylvie anymore.


Miikun sat there, looking at Mao, Misora, and Sylvie. It wanted to help Mao, but it did not want to leave her behind and leave her unprotected. Miikun rotated its turret to look at the Sheep Alien as it stomped towards Yokohama. I have failed Mao-Chan and her friends, thought Miikun, who was programmed with basic emotions, such as joy, anger, sadness, etc.
No, you have not failed her, said a female voice in Miikun's CPU. It was a very beautiful voice, sounding almost... godly, yet gentle.
What do you mean? thought Miikun, trying to communicate with this mysterious voice.
I mean that you only truly fail if you don't try, said the voice. There was a somewhat comforting quality to the voice, but Miikun continued to play the devil's advocate.
What do you want me to do, whoever you are? asked Miikun, beginning to grow anxious.
I want you to pursue the Cute Alien, Miikun, said the voice.
Wha--? How do you know the name Mao-Chan gave me? asked a bamboozled Miikun. And I am not leaving this spot! I need to protect Mao-Chan and her friends!
You and Hayate can protect them by intercepting the Cute Alien. Besides, Nahchan can protect them while you two are gone, said the voice. Now, go and defend the Yokohama bullet train from the Cute Alien.
And the voice vanished without a trace, leaving Miikun to just its thoughts. After thinking for several seconds, it heard a familiar voice in its head.
Miikun, did you just hear a voice, I ask? asked Hayate.
Yes, I did, responded Miikun.
Did the voice tell you to defend Mao-Chan/Misora-Chan and her friends by pursuing the Cute Alien/Cute Alien, I ask? Miikun asked Hayate and Hayate asked Miikun. They were both stunned by the response they got.
Well, the voice told me to stay behind and look after Sylvie-Chan and her friends, said Nahchan, right out of the blue. Are you two gonna leave me to look after these three kids?
Yes, we are, Nahchan, said Miikun.
Honestly, Nahchan, you spend too much time with Sylvie-Chan, I say, said Hayate.
Hayate, the time you spend with Misora-Chan is rubbing off on your speech patterns, taunted Miikun, and the three AIs laughed to themselves.
Anyway, we will stop the Cute Alien... Miikun began.
To help our human friends, I say! Hayate finished.


Mao heard the sound of a tank driving off, and looked up. Miikun was driving off, though Mao couldn't see where it was driving to. "Miikun, where are you driving off to?" asked Mao, though she may as well have asked a rock the same thing; Mao just realized that Miikun couldn't talk.
"Hayate, where are you going, I ask?" asked Misora next to Mao. Mao looked up, and saw Misora's support mecha flying after Miikun.
"Funny, Nahchan's staying right where he's s'posed to be," said Sylvie, looking out towards Nahchan, who was floating innocently in the bay.
Mao stood up.
"Mao-Chan, where are you going, I ask?" asked Misora, standing up as well.
"I, myself, am going after Miikun," replied Mao, her brow lowered determinedly.
"But, Mao-Chan, are you sure this is alright, I ask? What if they go to a bad place, I ask?" said Misora, who was also worried about the support mechas, but was being more practical.
"Hey, Nahchan's waving to us, the officers!" shouted Sylvie, who started waving both arms at Nahchan. "Hey, Nahchan!"
"Well, we'll defend them if they're in a bad place, Misora-Chan," said Mao, tightening her grip on her baton.
"Mao-Chan..." said Misora, but she had run out of reasons not to go after Miikun and Hayate. "Right, Let us go help Miikun and Hayate, I say!"
"Come on, Sylvie-Chan!" squealed Mao as she grabbed Sylvie by the arm, pulling her away from Nahchan. "Seeya later, Nahchan!" shouted Sylvie as they ran after Miikun and Hayate.
Nahchan snapped its fingers, Darn! I, the officer, wanted them to come over here! They might hurt themselves if they get too near the Cute Alien! I hope Sylvie-Chan doesn't get harmed...


"Commander Mishima, the target has arrived at the New Yokohama Station," said Mayumi with a slightly ominous tone in her voice. "The Sheep Alien looks like its heading for the bullet train parked in the station."
Suddenly, a thought struck Kagome. She realized what the Cute Aliens were trying to achieve by landing on Earth, though why they were doing it, Kagome did not know.
"Could the Cute Aliens be after the Japanese landmarks?" muttered Kagome.
"What did you say, Miss Kagome?" asked Rikushiro.
"I think I may have figured out what the Cute Aliens are after," responded Kagome.
"What is it they may be after, Miss Kagome?" questioned Rikushiro.
"The Japanese landmarks," replied Kagome. Rikushiro said, "What gives you that idea?"
"Think about it, Chief of Staff. The first few Cute Aliens landed in Ariake, Tokyo, very near some popular places. The Dolphin Alien that landed just days after Seaman Sylvia joined the Sea Defense Force landed near the Hinata Apartments. It makes more sense than many of the theories concocted by the second-grade class I teach."
"Commander Mishima!" shouted Mayumi. Kagome replied, "What is it, Operative Mayumi?" "Miikun and Hayate are gonna full-on attack the Cute Alien!"
"But that's insane!" screamed Kagome, eyes the size of dinnerplates. "Neither of them are equipped with any weapons!"
"Amazing!" shouted Rikushiro, his voice filled with awe. "What superb defense spirit!"
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," chuckled Adalbert, "How can it have defense spirit? It is only a masheen."


"Miikun!"

"Hayate!"
"Don't!" Mao shouted when she saw Miikun driving straight for the Sheep Alien. The Sheep Alien lowered its brow, raised its foot, and slammed its foot down on top of Miikun.
CRASH!
Miikun was caught under the Sheep Alien's foot. Miikun drove back and forth, but the Sheep Alien merely applied more pressure. Mao, even though she was a considerable distance away, heard the sound of buckling metal.
Miikun's getting hurt! I won't let the Cute Alien hurt Miikun! Mao thought, and she ran, slowly as usual, towards Miikun and the Alien.
"Mao-Chan, don't! It's dangerous, I say!" said Misora.
"Mao-Chan, come back!" said Sylvie.
"But I, myself, won't let Miikun get hurt!" Mao screamed as she ran toward the scene. "I can't! I, myself, can't bear to lose you, Miikun! I'll stop at nothing to defend you!"
At once, Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's clovers began to glow in their respective colors, startling all three of them.


"Chinami-Chan, look! It's the Light of Kusanagi-Sama again!" Yuriko practically shouted.
Chinami, eyes wide, said, "I know, I see it, Miss President! But what does it mean?"
"Maybe it means they're the Chosen Ones?" suggested Yuriko. Chinami turned to Yuriko, "Impossible, Miss President! They're full-blooded Earthlings! How many times do I have to tell you?!"


Mayumi looked at the energy readouts coming from the elementary school Defense Force members in surprise. "Commander Mishima, the energy output from the elementary school Defense Force members' clovers has increased dramatically!"
"Good timing, too!" said Kagome, a smile wide on her face. "The Prime Minister just gave us permission to use the Defense Barrier!" She picked up the microphone on the table. "Elementary school Defense Force members, the Prime Minister..."


"...has just given us permission to use the Defense Barrier against this Cute Alien invader!" came Miss Kagome's voice over their clovers.
"Defense Barrier..." Mao began.
"Deployment authorization..." Sylvie continued.
"Accepted, I say!" Misora finished, as she flew forward, thanks to the angel wings on the back of her Type 2 Flight Gear.
"Baa?" said the Sheep Alien, lifting its foot off of Miikun, who quickly drove away.
Once she got into position, Mao raised her baton. The end of her baton glowed bright-white as she shouted, "Barrier Beam, engage!" The broad beam of pure light shot out of the baton, and Mao flew back a few feet from recoil. The beam shot toward Misora, who caught it on the end of her baton. "Reflection Barrier, engage, I say!" she shouted as she reflected it at Sylvie. Sylvie caught the beam at the end of her baton, shouted, "Restriction Barrier, engage!" and reflected it at Mao.
When the beam of light struck the end of Mao's baton, it formed a large triangle of light. Mao was ecstatic "Complete!"
"The Defense Barrier!" the three girls shouted.


Everyone in the Defense Force Control Room was cheering. Everyone was excited at the first successful Defense Barrier. Everyone was happy for the soon-to-be-successful mission.
Everyone but Adalbert.
"Zhe Defense Barrier von't verk," he said, taking a long drag from his cigarette.
"Why not?" asked a confused Kagome.
"Because Zylvie izh in zhe wrong position," he said simply.
"Ehh?!"


And she was! She never moved from the spot that she was at when their clovers glowed. The awkward shape of the resulting Defense Barrier missed the Cute Alien entirely.
"Oh, bugger," swore Sylvie. "I, the officer, forgot to get into position."
The Sheep Alien clambored up to the bullet train station, its eyes crinkled in a smile at the sight of the bullet train. It grabbed the bullet train in its front legs, then it disappeared as if a mirage, the bullet train disappearing as well.
The Defense Barrier glowed brightly, engulfing the entire area in bright-white light.


Kagome hung her head sadly, "Defense mission failed." Kagome felt the light burning into her eyes from the videoscreens fade, just as Mayumi said, "Visuals have been restored, Commander."
"Wow! Alright!" came Mao, Misora, and Sylvie's voices from the videoscreen. They sounded... happy. How can they be happy since we failed a defense mission? Kagome thought, looking up surprised.
Mao was in front of Miikun, jumping up and down, shouting gleefully, "I'm so glad you're alright, Miikun!"
Misora was stroking Hayate, "Thank goodness you are safe, Hayate, I say!"
"Is that true?" asked Sylvie. "That's good to hear!"
And the three began giggling like little school girls. Wait a minute, they are little school girls.
Kagome hung her head again. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Kagome looked behind her; Rikushiro was the one who put his hand on her shoulder. Rikushiro didn't look mad or upset at all; on the other hand, he seemed like he accepted the fact that their defense mission failed. The nod Rikushiro gave Kagome told her she should be, too.


Chinami and Yuriko were surprised by the turn of events of late. Chinami, unsurprisingly, had an annoyed look on her face; Yuriko had a pleased look on her face.
"I know the mission was a success, but why am I still annoyed?" Chinami asked herself.
Probably because you couldn't get the bullet train, Chinami-Chan, Yuriko thought to herself. Mao-Chan, what we did may be completely wrong, but I'm happy for you...
Yes, I'm happy for you...


TO BE CONTINUED...