Standard Disclaimer!
Being a poor college student and not being born in Japan, I find that I don't have either the capital or the connections to say I own anything of Nadesico. I am merely boring them to create a story. While some characters were created by me, I don't mind if you use them.
This story, hopefully, is going to cover most of the Nadesico time-line so don't expect a sudden end.
Unfortunately this isn't my only project. It is one of three. And being such is in a rotation of work, a chapter of Anata, then ood, then the Mst of CoaEG.
Well, shall we begin.yes, yes we shall. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
Anata no Ichiban Ni Naritai Chapter-4 "The Hammer Falls"
"Checking the computer logs of an orphanage, what's the point!" the underpaid, irritated Nergal data analysist said for the twentieth time in the last hour.
For the last two weeks said orphanage was under heavy surveillance, wire tapes, bugs, and all computer logs were to be gone over. Most of the workers didn't even know why they were searching for anything strange from such an odd location. The personnel never questioned orders though, they all worked as told.
The angry man was about to call it a night when, "Hello what's this." By pure accident the man stumbled over a hacked file in a secure file location linked to the orphanage. "Bingo!"
The tech reported his findings as ordered to his superiors and was given the rest of the week off with pay.
The tall man, "I knew that the woman was hiding something from us."
Looking over the print out of the hack the short man replied, "Agreed, whoever did this was a computer expert. We have something to go off of now."
Grinning, "All we need to do now is question a few people there and this 'problem' is solved," the tall man said.
Adjusting his sidearm, "Get Erickson, we move now," finished the small man as they made their plans. ----------------------
".And that is how you make scrambled eggs," Akito said proudly to Ruri.
Looking skeptically at him, she tried a bite, and then another, and another, soon the plate was empty. "Much better than the other food served."
He didn't know how to react; somebody had actually eaten his food and liked it. Taking the plate away from her and putting it in the washer, Akito took another look at Ruri. The pair had been spending a great deal of their free time together ever since she suddenly appeared. Whether in class, although Ruri seemed to know all the lessons already, free time, or even at lights out the two were in each other's company.
They didn't talk to each other a lot, just felt comfortable with a person that had a similar air about them, despair. The other kids noticed this, and after the initial shock of the creepy boy having a friend, one equally as creepy, most stopped caring.
The kitchen incident from two weeks ago actually bolstered their friendship. After a few embarrassing moments of staring into each other's eyes waking up in each other's arms, they laughed. Akito didn't have friends, not since Yurika left for Earth those few years ago. Now it seemed that he had another one.
Letting a brief smile pass, they left the kitchen without being noticed, and headed back towards their room. Passing the front hall on their way, Ruri stopped and looked out the window. A sudden panic gripped her as she clutched Akito's hand and drug him off at a quicker rate of speed, knocking Nurse Takeshi over in the hustle.
The green-eyed woman said to herself, "What's gotten into those two?" Of all those at the facility none were as shocked or glad to see the two together. Kyoko felt as if Ruri was sent solely to befriend the Tenkawa boy.
Taking a look out the window to see if something had scared them, she took was afraid. The Nergal van from before had reappeared, but this time she doubted she could get them to leave easily. ----------------------
Out of breath and panting, "What's wrong Ruri, why did you start to run?"
Spinning to face the young Akito, Ruri was split, one part of her wanted to tell the boy exactly what was happening, the other half demanding a lie. The later half won out. A plan to save herself from capture formed in her mind.
"I hacked into the Nergal mainframe looking for info on my past," the former voice calling her a coward.
"You're.past?" Akito said as he climbed up to his bed.
Resigned to her fate and the deception of Akito, "My parents, something happened to them and I wanted to know what, but now those Nergal people are after me."
Waves of nostalgia washed over him, "Just like me.what are you going to do?"
Taking the chair by the room's desk, "I don't know, hopefully they don't suspect to much." Her mind doing calculations on what damage to the time- line would occur if she were found out.
Akito took Geki into his arms, "They won't do anything to you will they?"
"If they do anything, it most likely would be imprisonment."
No! He couldn't allow it. He lost his parents, his friend Yurika, and when he finally got another friend he couldn't lose her too. "What, what if you said you were looking for information on MY parents?"
Ruri, while hoping for this, was surprised. She looked into his eyes and found nothing but conviction in them. 'Just like his elder self.a selfless man.' She knew the men were looking for the hacker responsible for breaking into the Boson Jump files. Those files were oddly connected to the Tenkawa family, why she couldn't decipher. If she did as Akito said, she could get off hook.
It pained her to resort to underhanded tactics to remain safe, but she had no alternative. "You would really do that for me Akito-san?"
Jumping off the bed and looking into her face, "I don't want you to get into trouble."
Akito's words from Peace Land echoed in her head, 'A princess has to have a Knight to protect her.' She had her Knight again; she smiled at him and touched his cheek with her right hand, "Thank you Akito-san."
Akito blushed at the contact and for once she actually thanked him openly. He smiled at her and they began to hatch a plan. ----------------------
In another part of the facility
"This is highly irregular gentlemen. I hope you have a good explanation," the director said to the two suit clad men.
"I assure you Mr. Takeshi, this is not intended to make you look bad. We just want to ask a few children some questions, that's all," the short man said.
Kyoko stormed into the office, "But they're children! How can you do this to children!"
Erickson stood and stopped Kyoko's advance, "We will make this as easy and quick as possible. If you hamper us though we will cut all funding."
Kyoko was about to continue her protest but a look from her husband silenced her. In the no win situation they were in, all they could do was cooperate. They agreed that two of the three men would talk to the children one at a time in room designated for schooling. ----------------------
Erickson dismissed the current child and addressed the small man, "Who's the next child Jackson?"
A flip through a clipboard as the next girl entered and sat, "Hibiki Maki, daughter of Admiral Meia Hibiki."
Maki took a look at them men and sneered, "Can you make this quick gentlemen, I have things to do."
Jackson clenched his hands together; he couldn't stand teenagers, especially spoiled ones. He asked her the standard bluff questions to set the mood. Maki answered them with her typical off temper attitude.
Once the preliminary questions were voiced Erickson took over.
"Have you noticed anybody new lately?"
Without a moments hesitation, "Yeah, Tenkawa's lil playmate."
At the name Tenkawa, Jackson excused himself from the room and headed out to the van.
While he left, Erickson continued, "When did this person show up, and can you tell me anything about them?"
Maki put two and two together and figured the men were looking for Ruri for something, and with an opportunity to be rid of another worker class she opened the floodgates.
"She calls herself Ruri Hoshino. She has an ICS on both hands and spends most of her time with Akito or in the computer room."
Writing down the information with great detail, "And she appeared when?"
"Oh, she's been here about two and a half weeks," and she added just for spite, " she's a real freak all pale with platinum hair."
After he wrote down what Maki said, he dismissed her and waited for Jackson to return. He only needed to wait for about five minutes.
To the returning Jackson, "What scared you off like that?"
"What that girl said, Tenkawa. I didn't think it was possible to be 'the' Tenkawa but it is."
Still in the dark Erickson probed deeper, "Who is this Tenkawa boy anyway?"
"Nobody really of importance, its just Admiral Mitsumaru set up the boy's residency."
That information caused a start from Erickson, "THE Admiral Mitsumaru?"
"The very same. We have a very touchy situation here, if we make a mistake involving the boy we may be out of a job," Jackson stated flatly as he adjusting his necktie.
They both knew it was an understatement. To upset the Admiral on this was considered a great offence. Ever since the accident that caused him to leave Mars, anybody that divulged information or caused slander to the Tenkawa's disappeared.
They shared a moment of silence as the contemplated their next move. A conspiracy was obvious, but to not press forward wouldn't have any benefits either. Jackson read the report of the Hibiki girl and they agreed to question the girl Ruri. ---------------------------
Even though she was expecting it, Ruri was apprehensive about the upcoming meeting. She had made her plan with Akito, knowing that after her talk they would call on him to see if her story checked out.
Ruri took her seat before the two men who introduced themselves as Agent Erickson and Jackson.
Jackson was first to speak, "Miss Hoshino, you recently moved into this orphanage?"
As Ruri opened her mouth to speak Erickson cut her off, "Answer the question already!"
Narrowing her eyes at the small man she realized what they were doing, 'Baka, you played you cards to soon.'
"Yes, I recently found myself.alone and needed shelter."
"Isn't that convenient then, you just happened to find THIS place above all others. What a smart little girl," Erickson emphasized his words to be as belittling as possible.
"Erickson, this is an orphanage, where else would she go?" Jackson countered.
"But isn't it a little TOO simple?"
"It's perfectly normal, calm down and let her continue."
Shrugging off the abrasiveness of the mans words she answered, "I didn't chose to come here, after the incident I was injured. I was brought inside by Akito Tenkawa."
Jackson went over his field notes and realized she was telling the truth, "You use computers a bit, Miss Hoshino?"
Lowering her head, 'A bit, they used to be my life.' Composing herself, " I have used computers before yes."
Erickson bellowed into her face, "THAT'S NOT WHAT HE ASKED YOU!"
Shocking the man, Ruri stood right in his face and retorted, "I believe it WAS what he asked me."
Acting to calm his companion, "Calm down Erickson, it's rude to treat her like this."
They were losing to a girl; Jackson realized it was time for the trump card. "We ask you this because we traced a hack job from the Nergal mainframe back to a computer here. When we checked who was logged in it was you."
They pair were following Ruri's plan perfectly, she countered with, "I was doing a favor for my.friend Akito."
Looking down his nose at her, Erickson spit out, "Friend, didn't think people like you HAD friends."
"A charming young girl like this with no friends, surely you jest. But what did he want you to do for him that involved a Nergal mainframe?" Jackson said in a sickeningly sweet voice while adjusting the hidden camera he had in his pocket.
Sighing heavily she initiated the final part of the plan, "His parents, he wanted me to find out what happened to his parents."
Cutting his concentration Erickson sat down, "T.Thank you Miss Hoshino that is all."
Standing up to leave, she gave them on final address, "Erickson-san you were not a very convincing 'bad cop.' "
After she was out of the room, they contacted the third man out in the van. The man was currently reviewing the hidden camera's footage and doing background checks on the girl's story.
Jackson asked, "Does it check out?"
"From what I have here, it is a very plausible story. The Tenkawa file is in the same location as the Boson Jump info, both heavily classified."
Knowing more than the others, Erickson continued, "We'll have to talk to the boy to see if his story coincides with hers."
Over the channel, "Yeah, but drop the good cop/bad cop routine this time ok?" ----------------------------
The talk with Akito did coincide perfectly with Ruri's story. The agents drilled Akito for over an hour, twice as long as other children, for cracks in the story. They did so with great reluctance, but they knew they couldn't get the girl to slip up.
Despite various tactics, nothing they did resulted in a discrepancy in either story. They had the wrong place. They were about to start another bout of questions with Akito when Kyoko burst into the room.
Walking over and taking him into her arms, "That is enough, he's just a boy!"
"Ma'am you need to let us do are job."
"No, I have to do my job. And that is to protect these children. Look at this boy, he's trembling."
True enough the prolonged exposure to the agents had caused Akito to weaken. He clutched the sides of the nurse like a lifeline.
"But Mrs. Takeshi." Jackson started.
"No buts! Unless you want us to report to your superiors that you've harassing my children, I advise you leave." She then directed her attention towards Akito, calming him with pleasing words and reassurances.
Whispering to his partner, "Elmhurst just said he checked that hack.it was into the Tenkawa file, we have the wrong location."
Jackson bowed to Kyoko, "Then I apologize Ma'am and we will leave."
True to their word, the two agents left the orphanage and returned to Nergal to continue searching in other locations. ----------------------
Ruri hurried out of the computer room after altering the traces of her previous hack, and awaited Akito's return.
She felt terrible. She had used him. The only connection to her past and she used him. She eyed Geki and took him into her arms. She tinkered around with the upgrades she gave him while she waited.
As time grew longer and Akito still hadn't arrived, Ruri's dread grew. 'What if they do something to him to force a testimony?' She felt a cold chill run down her. Could she live with herself if they did something to him, even if she remained free?
Walking past the open door, Maki entered the Tenkawa/Hoshino abode. "You still here? I thought that after my talk to the men they'd throw you in a zoo."
Yellow eyes narrowed as Ruri stared down the larger girl. A small portion of the pain she was feeling being displayed as she set the plushy on the ground. "Geki lock on and fire."
Laughing heartily, "What can that dumb thing do to me.you are a freak."
Her laugh was cut short as Geki spoke, "Target acquired, commencing attack. Let's Geki-ga-in!' the triumphant call was followed by a volley of q-tips being fired from both arms.
Maki was struck in the face by multiple projectiles and fled the room to escape the mighty wrath of the plushy.
Flipping the off switch and taking her seat again, Ruri felt slightly better. Would the small thing she did make up to the one friend she had left.and a friendship that was growing quickly. --------------------
Eventually Akito returned to the room, and as Nergal goons didn't follow him, Ruri guessed the plan had worked.
She asked him how he was, and if they did anything to him. She again smiled at him when he told her that they did not. Showing him a small token of her esteem she handed him the upgraded Gekiganger, calling it Geki V 2.5.
Once the finished talking about the incident Kyoko appeared at the door and told them it was lights out. The now standard procedure occurred as Akito left the room so Ruri could change. When signaled to enter, Akito blushed again, he couldn't help that he found her remarkably cute in the blue PJ's.
He climbed into his bed and she turned off the lights.
Ruri was slightly startled to be addressed by him suddenly, "How are you feeling Ruri?"
Turning to her side, "I am fine Akito-san, thanks to you."
He hung his head over the side of the bed, " I didn't mean about today.you cry in your sleep sometimes."
Her half shut eyes opened fully, had she actually cried in her sleep? She had bad dreams of her past life.her life in the future, but bad enough to cry?
"Have I been?"
Nodding from his position, "It's ok, Kyoko-san said she heard me crying too."
'He cried, Akito-san cried?' Her old feelings of abandonment suddenly didn't hurt as bad, sure she was going to have to adjust and be very cautious but it wasn't that bad now.
Possessed by a strange desire, Akito climbed out of his bed and into hers.
The bewildered girl blushed then propelled the boy out of her bed and onto the floor, "What were you doing?"
Crawling on his hands and knees back to her, "It was something Kyoko-san did for me, when I was having trouble sleeping."
As her blood pressure lowered, "Kyoko-san slept in your bed?" she said with skepticism.
Shaking his head, "No she didn't sleep in the bed, she stayed with me until I fell asleep. It really helped me."
'He's concerned for my well being even after what I asked of him.' She shook her head, "I thank you for the offer but I must decline. I would feel.uncomfortable right now."
He accepted her decision and ascended to his bed again and looked into the ceiling. He noted how Ruri's breathing tapered off and guessed she was asleep. Outside their room, Kyoko leaned against the wall.
"Evening dear," she called to her approaching husband.
Mr. Yuri Takeshi kissed his wife's cheek, "Long night?"
The look on her face expressed the emotional fatigue she was feeling, "Understatement."
Yuri noticed the room number they were standing by, "How is he?"
"He's good. I had to step in on those bastards questioning session though."
Laughing softly at the idea of his gentle wife berating a Nergal officer, he took her arm and began escorting her to their room. He knew Kyoko took extra care of Akito over the other children for reasons beside the official order. "He's going to be fine you know. You don't need to be so worried."
Looking into her husband's eyes, "I know, its just when I look at him.I see Macki."
"He would be about Akito's age. But he isn't Macki." Yuri admitted.
Fighting back the swell of emotion, all Kyoko could do was nod.
The loss of their son was still painful. A mutated form of the flu had hit the colony when their son was ten. No cure for the few unfortunate people that contracted the disease was found and those with it died slowly. Two years after Macki died of the disease, Akito appeared as a blessing for the still mourning Kyoko.
As the entered their shared room, "I just feel so sorry for him, he lost his parents at such a young age and now.now he's so alone."
Pulling his wife into a fierce hug, "He has you doesn't he? You've helped him through much of his pain, and now as much as I hate to admit you were right, he's opening up to the Hoshino girl."
Nodding softly, "He deserves good friends." --------------------
Akito was stirred from his light slumber by the sounds of whimpering. He stole a quick glance at Ruri as she slept and saw a few tears coming out of her eyes. Slowly he attempted to sneak back into her bed, hoping to offer her some small comfort.
As he blushed and neared her, she didn't resist his approach. He lay an arms length away from her and placed his hand on her shoulder. The result was almost instantaneous; Ruri stopped her fidgeting and calmed down. Akito felt a bit nervous about sleeping in her bed for a second time, but he pushed those feelings aside. He wanted to help her as he was helped.
Eventually he fell asleep, neither of them had bad dreams. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- Author notes
Well, I tried to have this work out as to not alter time line too much, at least the part that doesn't involve the young Tenkawa.
The end may be a bit bold but to children, comfort and kindness take odd forms. Akito is Ruri's knight as even though he is withdrawn I think he'd try to help his new friend.
You may disagree and if you do.take up the key board and write a better story :) Well comments, idea's, requests are always enjoyed
Thanks go to Golden Kitsune for pre-reading again.don't know what I'd do without ya man.
Ja-mata
Zentrodie (zentrodie@secondimpact.com www.geocities.com/zentrodie.geo)
Being a poor college student and not being born in Japan, I find that I don't have either the capital or the connections to say I own anything of Nadesico. I am merely boring them to create a story. While some characters were created by me, I don't mind if you use them.
This story, hopefully, is going to cover most of the Nadesico time-line so don't expect a sudden end.
Unfortunately this isn't my only project. It is one of three. And being such is in a rotation of work, a chapter of Anata, then ood, then the Mst of CoaEG.
Well, shall we begin.yes, yes we shall. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
Anata no Ichiban Ni Naritai Chapter-4 "The Hammer Falls"
"Checking the computer logs of an orphanage, what's the point!" the underpaid, irritated Nergal data analysist said for the twentieth time in the last hour.
For the last two weeks said orphanage was under heavy surveillance, wire tapes, bugs, and all computer logs were to be gone over. Most of the workers didn't even know why they were searching for anything strange from such an odd location. The personnel never questioned orders though, they all worked as told.
The angry man was about to call it a night when, "Hello what's this." By pure accident the man stumbled over a hacked file in a secure file location linked to the orphanage. "Bingo!"
The tech reported his findings as ordered to his superiors and was given the rest of the week off with pay.
The tall man, "I knew that the woman was hiding something from us."
Looking over the print out of the hack the short man replied, "Agreed, whoever did this was a computer expert. We have something to go off of now."
Grinning, "All we need to do now is question a few people there and this 'problem' is solved," the tall man said.
Adjusting his sidearm, "Get Erickson, we move now," finished the small man as they made their plans. ----------------------
".And that is how you make scrambled eggs," Akito said proudly to Ruri.
Looking skeptically at him, she tried a bite, and then another, and another, soon the plate was empty. "Much better than the other food served."
He didn't know how to react; somebody had actually eaten his food and liked it. Taking the plate away from her and putting it in the washer, Akito took another look at Ruri. The pair had been spending a great deal of their free time together ever since she suddenly appeared. Whether in class, although Ruri seemed to know all the lessons already, free time, or even at lights out the two were in each other's company.
They didn't talk to each other a lot, just felt comfortable with a person that had a similar air about them, despair. The other kids noticed this, and after the initial shock of the creepy boy having a friend, one equally as creepy, most stopped caring.
The kitchen incident from two weeks ago actually bolstered their friendship. After a few embarrassing moments of staring into each other's eyes waking up in each other's arms, they laughed. Akito didn't have friends, not since Yurika left for Earth those few years ago. Now it seemed that he had another one.
Letting a brief smile pass, they left the kitchen without being noticed, and headed back towards their room. Passing the front hall on their way, Ruri stopped and looked out the window. A sudden panic gripped her as she clutched Akito's hand and drug him off at a quicker rate of speed, knocking Nurse Takeshi over in the hustle.
The green-eyed woman said to herself, "What's gotten into those two?" Of all those at the facility none were as shocked or glad to see the two together. Kyoko felt as if Ruri was sent solely to befriend the Tenkawa boy.
Taking a look out the window to see if something had scared them, she took was afraid. The Nergal van from before had reappeared, but this time she doubted she could get them to leave easily. ----------------------
Out of breath and panting, "What's wrong Ruri, why did you start to run?"
Spinning to face the young Akito, Ruri was split, one part of her wanted to tell the boy exactly what was happening, the other half demanding a lie. The later half won out. A plan to save herself from capture formed in her mind.
"I hacked into the Nergal mainframe looking for info on my past," the former voice calling her a coward.
"You're.past?" Akito said as he climbed up to his bed.
Resigned to her fate and the deception of Akito, "My parents, something happened to them and I wanted to know what, but now those Nergal people are after me."
Waves of nostalgia washed over him, "Just like me.what are you going to do?"
Taking the chair by the room's desk, "I don't know, hopefully they don't suspect to much." Her mind doing calculations on what damage to the time- line would occur if she were found out.
Akito took Geki into his arms, "They won't do anything to you will they?"
"If they do anything, it most likely would be imprisonment."
No! He couldn't allow it. He lost his parents, his friend Yurika, and when he finally got another friend he couldn't lose her too. "What, what if you said you were looking for information on MY parents?"
Ruri, while hoping for this, was surprised. She looked into his eyes and found nothing but conviction in them. 'Just like his elder self.a selfless man.' She knew the men were looking for the hacker responsible for breaking into the Boson Jump files. Those files were oddly connected to the Tenkawa family, why she couldn't decipher. If she did as Akito said, she could get off hook.
It pained her to resort to underhanded tactics to remain safe, but she had no alternative. "You would really do that for me Akito-san?"
Jumping off the bed and looking into her face, "I don't want you to get into trouble."
Akito's words from Peace Land echoed in her head, 'A princess has to have a Knight to protect her.' She had her Knight again; she smiled at him and touched his cheek with her right hand, "Thank you Akito-san."
Akito blushed at the contact and for once she actually thanked him openly. He smiled at her and they began to hatch a plan. ----------------------
In another part of the facility
"This is highly irregular gentlemen. I hope you have a good explanation," the director said to the two suit clad men.
"I assure you Mr. Takeshi, this is not intended to make you look bad. We just want to ask a few children some questions, that's all," the short man said.
Kyoko stormed into the office, "But they're children! How can you do this to children!"
Erickson stood and stopped Kyoko's advance, "We will make this as easy and quick as possible. If you hamper us though we will cut all funding."
Kyoko was about to continue her protest but a look from her husband silenced her. In the no win situation they were in, all they could do was cooperate. They agreed that two of the three men would talk to the children one at a time in room designated for schooling. ----------------------
Erickson dismissed the current child and addressed the small man, "Who's the next child Jackson?"
A flip through a clipboard as the next girl entered and sat, "Hibiki Maki, daughter of Admiral Meia Hibiki."
Maki took a look at them men and sneered, "Can you make this quick gentlemen, I have things to do."
Jackson clenched his hands together; he couldn't stand teenagers, especially spoiled ones. He asked her the standard bluff questions to set the mood. Maki answered them with her typical off temper attitude.
Once the preliminary questions were voiced Erickson took over.
"Have you noticed anybody new lately?"
Without a moments hesitation, "Yeah, Tenkawa's lil playmate."
At the name Tenkawa, Jackson excused himself from the room and headed out to the van.
While he left, Erickson continued, "When did this person show up, and can you tell me anything about them?"
Maki put two and two together and figured the men were looking for Ruri for something, and with an opportunity to be rid of another worker class she opened the floodgates.
"She calls herself Ruri Hoshino. She has an ICS on both hands and spends most of her time with Akito or in the computer room."
Writing down the information with great detail, "And she appeared when?"
"Oh, she's been here about two and a half weeks," and she added just for spite, " she's a real freak all pale with platinum hair."
After he wrote down what Maki said, he dismissed her and waited for Jackson to return. He only needed to wait for about five minutes.
To the returning Jackson, "What scared you off like that?"
"What that girl said, Tenkawa. I didn't think it was possible to be 'the' Tenkawa but it is."
Still in the dark Erickson probed deeper, "Who is this Tenkawa boy anyway?"
"Nobody really of importance, its just Admiral Mitsumaru set up the boy's residency."
That information caused a start from Erickson, "THE Admiral Mitsumaru?"
"The very same. We have a very touchy situation here, if we make a mistake involving the boy we may be out of a job," Jackson stated flatly as he adjusting his necktie.
They both knew it was an understatement. To upset the Admiral on this was considered a great offence. Ever since the accident that caused him to leave Mars, anybody that divulged information or caused slander to the Tenkawa's disappeared.
They shared a moment of silence as the contemplated their next move. A conspiracy was obvious, but to not press forward wouldn't have any benefits either. Jackson read the report of the Hibiki girl and they agreed to question the girl Ruri. ---------------------------
Even though she was expecting it, Ruri was apprehensive about the upcoming meeting. She had made her plan with Akito, knowing that after her talk they would call on him to see if her story checked out.
Ruri took her seat before the two men who introduced themselves as Agent Erickson and Jackson.
Jackson was first to speak, "Miss Hoshino, you recently moved into this orphanage?"
As Ruri opened her mouth to speak Erickson cut her off, "Answer the question already!"
Narrowing her eyes at the small man she realized what they were doing, 'Baka, you played you cards to soon.'
"Yes, I recently found myself.alone and needed shelter."
"Isn't that convenient then, you just happened to find THIS place above all others. What a smart little girl," Erickson emphasized his words to be as belittling as possible.
"Erickson, this is an orphanage, where else would she go?" Jackson countered.
"But isn't it a little TOO simple?"
"It's perfectly normal, calm down and let her continue."
Shrugging off the abrasiveness of the mans words she answered, "I didn't chose to come here, after the incident I was injured. I was brought inside by Akito Tenkawa."
Jackson went over his field notes and realized she was telling the truth, "You use computers a bit, Miss Hoshino?"
Lowering her head, 'A bit, they used to be my life.' Composing herself, " I have used computers before yes."
Erickson bellowed into her face, "THAT'S NOT WHAT HE ASKED YOU!"
Shocking the man, Ruri stood right in his face and retorted, "I believe it WAS what he asked me."
Acting to calm his companion, "Calm down Erickson, it's rude to treat her like this."
They were losing to a girl; Jackson realized it was time for the trump card. "We ask you this because we traced a hack job from the Nergal mainframe back to a computer here. When we checked who was logged in it was you."
They pair were following Ruri's plan perfectly, she countered with, "I was doing a favor for my.friend Akito."
Looking down his nose at her, Erickson spit out, "Friend, didn't think people like you HAD friends."
"A charming young girl like this with no friends, surely you jest. But what did he want you to do for him that involved a Nergal mainframe?" Jackson said in a sickeningly sweet voice while adjusting the hidden camera he had in his pocket.
Sighing heavily she initiated the final part of the plan, "His parents, he wanted me to find out what happened to his parents."
Cutting his concentration Erickson sat down, "T.Thank you Miss Hoshino that is all."
Standing up to leave, she gave them on final address, "Erickson-san you were not a very convincing 'bad cop.' "
After she was out of the room, they contacted the third man out in the van. The man was currently reviewing the hidden camera's footage and doing background checks on the girl's story.
Jackson asked, "Does it check out?"
"From what I have here, it is a very plausible story. The Tenkawa file is in the same location as the Boson Jump info, both heavily classified."
Knowing more than the others, Erickson continued, "We'll have to talk to the boy to see if his story coincides with hers."
Over the channel, "Yeah, but drop the good cop/bad cop routine this time ok?" ----------------------------
The talk with Akito did coincide perfectly with Ruri's story. The agents drilled Akito for over an hour, twice as long as other children, for cracks in the story. They did so with great reluctance, but they knew they couldn't get the girl to slip up.
Despite various tactics, nothing they did resulted in a discrepancy in either story. They had the wrong place. They were about to start another bout of questions with Akito when Kyoko burst into the room.
Walking over and taking him into her arms, "That is enough, he's just a boy!"
"Ma'am you need to let us do are job."
"No, I have to do my job. And that is to protect these children. Look at this boy, he's trembling."
True enough the prolonged exposure to the agents had caused Akito to weaken. He clutched the sides of the nurse like a lifeline.
"But Mrs. Takeshi." Jackson started.
"No buts! Unless you want us to report to your superiors that you've harassing my children, I advise you leave." She then directed her attention towards Akito, calming him with pleasing words and reassurances.
Whispering to his partner, "Elmhurst just said he checked that hack.it was into the Tenkawa file, we have the wrong location."
Jackson bowed to Kyoko, "Then I apologize Ma'am and we will leave."
True to their word, the two agents left the orphanage and returned to Nergal to continue searching in other locations. ----------------------
Ruri hurried out of the computer room after altering the traces of her previous hack, and awaited Akito's return.
She felt terrible. She had used him. The only connection to her past and she used him. She eyed Geki and took him into her arms. She tinkered around with the upgrades she gave him while she waited.
As time grew longer and Akito still hadn't arrived, Ruri's dread grew. 'What if they do something to him to force a testimony?' She felt a cold chill run down her. Could she live with herself if they did something to him, even if she remained free?
Walking past the open door, Maki entered the Tenkawa/Hoshino abode. "You still here? I thought that after my talk to the men they'd throw you in a zoo."
Yellow eyes narrowed as Ruri stared down the larger girl. A small portion of the pain she was feeling being displayed as she set the plushy on the ground. "Geki lock on and fire."
Laughing heartily, "What can that dumb thing do to me.you are a freak."
Her laugh was cut short as Geki spoke, "Target acquired, commencing attack. Let's Geki-ga-in!' the triumphant call was followed by a volley of q-tips being fired from both arms.
Maki was struck in the face by multiple projectiles and fled the room to escape the mighty wrath of the plushy.
Flipping the off switch and taking her seat again, Ruri felt slightly better. Would the small thing she did make up to the one friend she had left.and a friendship that was growing quickly. --------------------
Eventually Akito returned to the room, and as Nergal goons didn't follow him, Ruri guessed the plan had worked.
She asked him how he was, and if they did anything to him. She again smiled at him when he told her that they did not. Showing him a small token of her esteem she handed him the upgraded Gekiganger, calling it Geki V 2.5.
Once the finished talking about the incident Kyoko appeared at the door and told them it was lights out. The now standard procedure occurred as Akito left the room so Ruri could change. When signaled to enter, Akito blushed again, he couldn't help that he found her remarkably cute in the blue PJ's.
He climbed into his bed and she turned off the lights.
Ruri was slightly startled to be addressed by him suddenly, "How are you feeling Ruri?"
Turning to her side, "I am fine Akito-san, thanks to you."
He hung his head over the side of the bed, " I didn't mean about today.you cry in your sleep sometimes."
Her half shut eyes opened fully, had she actually cried in her sleep? She had bad dreams of her past life.her life in the future, but bad enough to cry?
"Have I been?"
Nodding from his position, "It's ok, Kyoko-san said she heard me crying too."
'He cried, Akito-san cried?' Her old feelings of abandonment suddenly didn't hurt as bad, sure she was going to have to adjust and be very cautious but it wasn't that bad now.
Possessed by a strange desire, Akito climbed out of his bed and into hers.
The bewildered girl blushed then propelled the boy out of her bed and onto the floor, "What were you doing?"
Crawling on his hands and knees back to her, "It was something Kyoko-san did for me, when I was having trouble sleeping."
As her blood pressure lowered, "Kyoko-san slept in your bed?" she said with skepticism.
Shaking his head, "No she didn't sleep in the bed, she stayed with me until I fell asleep. It really helped me."
'He's concerned for my well being even after what I asked of him.' She shook her head, "I thank you for the offer but I must decline. I would feel.uncomfortable right now."
He accepted her decision and ascended to his bed again and looked into the ceiling. He noted how Ruri's breathing tapered off and guessed she was asleep. Outside their room, Kyoko leaned against the wall.
"Evening dear," she called to her approaching husband.
Mr. Yuri Takeshi kissed his wife's cheek, "Long night?"
The look on her face expressed the emotional fatigue she was feeling, "Understatement."
Yuri noticed the room number they were standing by, "How is he?"
"He's good. I had to step in on those bastards questioning session though."
Laughing softly at the idea of his gentle wife berating a Nergal officer, he took her arm and began escorting her to their room. He knew Kyoko took extra care of Akito over the other children for reasons beside the official order. "He's going to be fine you know. You don't need to be so worried."
Looking into her husband's eyes, "I know, its just when I look at him.I see Macki."
"He would be about Akito's age. But he isn't Macki." Yuri admitted.
Fighting back the swell of emotion, all Kyoko could do was nod.
The loss of their son was still painful. A mutated form of the flu had hit the colony when their son was ten. No cure for the few unfortunate people that contracted the disease was found and those with it died slowly. Two years after Macki died of the disease, Akito appeared as a blessing for the still mourning Kyoko.
As the entered their shared room, "I just feel so sorry for him, he lost his parents at such a young age and now.now he's so alone."
Pulling his wife into a fierce hug, "He has you doesn't he? You've helped him through much of his pain, and now as much as I hate to admit you were right, he's opening up to the Hoshino girl."
Nodding softly, "He deserves good friends." --------------------
Akito was stirred from his light slumber by the sounds of whimpering. He stole a quick glance at Ruri as she slept and saw a few tears coming out of her eyes. Slowly he attempted to sneak back into her bed, hoping to offer her some small comfort.
As he blushed and neared her, she didn't resist his approach. He lay an arms length away from her and placed his hand on her shoulder. The result was almost instantaneous; Ruri stopped her fidgeting and calmed down. Akito felt a bit nervous about sleeping in her bed for a second time, but he pushed those feelings aside. He wanted to help her as he was helped.
Eventually he fell asleep, neither of them had bad dreams. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- Author notes
Well, I tried to have this work out as to not alter time line too much, at least the part that doesn't involve the young Tenkawa.
The end may be a bit bold but to children, comfort and kindness take odd forms. Akito is Ruri's knight as even though he is withdrawn I think he'd try to help his new friend.
You may disagree and if you do.take up the key board and write a better story :) Well comments, idea's, requests are always enjoyed
Thanks go to Golden Kitsune for pre-reading again.don't know what I'd do without ya man.
Ja-mata
Zentrodie (zentrodie@secondimpact.com www.geocities.com/zentrodie.geo)