Chapter 20: Towards the Downpour
November 20th. Fourth Day of the CCSE.
(Near the river. 05:16 AM.)
[Takeru]
I stretch my arms towards the sky, the first signs of light beginning to appear up there along some small clouds going nowhere. Nothing but the rustle of the wind can be heard nearby, the humid smell of leaves and mud everywhere around us. I'll let them sleep for a few minutes more, I already found some mushrooms and leaves we can eat. They need their rest.
I think I reached an answer to my doubts, after debating with myself since the start of my shift. This is the BETA world I was in last time. Now, let's go back to the beginning.
After all my loops my original world, let's call it the Alpha world, became too close to the BETA world to the point that the exchange of information between both was much stronger than normal. Because of that I came to this place, to reverse the situation to its original balance. However, at first I thought I had arrived to a different world given the differences of this reality to the ones I experienced in the past. That was a mistake.
Let's talk about Alpha and Beta as trees.
Tree A is now too close to Tree B, their branches are all entangled. I thought that I jumped from A to B at the very beginning, and then I kept returning to B's roots every time I died. Therefore, I was trapped in a loop on Tree B.
Last time I managed to reach the end of a branch in B and I returned to Tree A. However, by that point B's branches were too close to A and got in the way. I tried returning to B to fix that, but I thought I ended up in another tree, Tree C. That is my current location.
I had no idea why I arrived at C, or why I got to C's roots when I wasn't trying to reach a tree's roots. Actually, it should have been impossible to do so. Tree C was similar to B, but it had many differences that made me think I was in another tree. That's what made me doubt.
But I think I figured out why this happened. Well, maybe not why exactly, but where I am and how I got here. There was never a third tree.
Yuuko-sensei referred to the alternate realities as worlds and during that fateful Christmas she said that all worlds are parallel to each other, but what if they're universes instead? Alpha is my home world within the Alpha Universe. That doesn't mean that my world is the only one where there are no BETA, there are many other similar worlds connected as branches to it. There might be a world out there where Yuuhi didn't die and Meiya didn't become the heir of the Mitsurugi Group, a world where I choose someone to be with, a world where I might not exist.
The worlds are the branches of the tree known as reality, and all those alternative realities exist within the forest that is that specific universe. In a similar way, all the different worlds I might have visited during the loops are still there, somewhere in the great forest that is the Beta Universe. A world where I married one of my squadmates, another where I got together with Yuuko-sensei, a world where I didn't survive Operation Iceberg, the world where I joined Operation Babylon, lost everyone, and ended up destroying the JFK Hive. The possibilities are unlimited.
It's kind of like the possible outcomes of Magorea's Mask. The 'big' events might be the same, but depending on how Lonk decides to help the people the lasting ripples will be different. Does he help the monkey? Does the singer recovers her voice? Again, the possible outcomes are many. And in that same sense, this world is just like the other one I was in, part of the same forest I got lost in before, but with its own micro circumstances that are unique to it. So, a connection between me and this place could be made, under the right conditions.
So, how did I arrive to this world? It was actually quite simple when I thought about it without freaking myself out.
Parallel Universes A and B are too close, they start exchanging data between all their possible worlds within them more strongly than they should. My world got affected by this, probably more strongly due to the fact that I was the cause of the chaos.
Then, when I tried to move from A to B, I did so with one thought in my mind: To have the chance to save everyone, or as many people as I could, no matter the consequences. If there is a will, there is a way. The mind is at its peak when it comes to causal matters, so I willed myself to the branch within the Beta Universe where my wish could be granted.
Here in this mad world lies the possibility of a future where my squad survives, if I can turn that into causal data and use Sensei's theory, the one she said that allowed control of what information we leak to other worlds, to transfer it to the rest of the Beta Universe I can save all the branches from the BETA.
If I manage to survive and achieve my desired result and pass that data to the other conductors in the parallel worlds of the Betaverse, I will be saving the versions of everyone that I love so much. Or at the very least, stop the forced shared of data due to the ripples of my past loops to prevent the negative outcomes to screw us over.
I had thought that the 'roots' of the world, its starting point, was my arrival. Of course, from my point of view everything starts on that 22nd of October. But that is not the case, the world exists from much before, and every little difference I made during all my loops takes me to a different branch.
Like for example, perhaps taking the boat or not didn't affect anything in the long run in my last loop, but the data was there. I didn't take two loops last time, I did only one. So I shouldn't remember the two outcomes, and yet when I got the fuel in my hands I doubted as I thought about which path I had taken.
That means that the data is there, just that I didn't take that branch. The same applies to what happens during Christmas, who did I get together with, whether or not I sent my lover in the Alt. V fleet, whether I survive Babylon or not. All those worlds are parallel branches of another branch.
And I believe that in that same sense, this world is another branch of a branch. The first BETA world I was stuck in was also another branch of the Betaverse. The general rules of this reality apply to both branches. BETA exist, humanity is on the brink of total annihilation, TSF are on the 3rd Generation, and the general political landscape is somewhat similar. However, many little differences exist between these branches but they're still part of the same tree.
Which means, if we're not careful, the data from the failed branches might begin to leak into this world, or towards others. Or even worse, towards my home worlds. Hell, that might be happening as of now over there.
Now, how did I time travel? Causal Pull, let's call it. What greater pull could exist in this world than the creation of its conductor? What stronger link to me, the Causality Nucleus, could possibly exist here? I mean, this is actually not the first time this happened to me when I thought about it. When the loop started I also got sent to the past. I had clear memories of a teen version of Meiya, who I hadn't met until that same day in my world and I also had forgotten about when we met as kids. The Takeru from the morning of October 22nd didn't knew who Meiya was, so only a Takeru from after that date could have had memories of her. So when the loop started, I got sent to the past from my world into this universe. And the same happened during last loop as well as this time.
I can only wonder if there's another reason for me to be here. If I arrived here due to my willpower then that's that. But maybe there's something else? No point in overthinking it, when the time comes I will learn whatever that reason is or I may never know.
I need to be extra careful from now on though, regardless of whether my ideas are right or not. I have to try to not create negative data unnecessarily since it might be leaked to other conductors, I might not be able to keep my memories one day and if all the negativity my squad felt towards me and the suspicions I feel now towards the Royal Guard make their way into me that will be bad. I can't do anything about what's beyond my control, so I might have to one day fight against the Shogunate and I have no power over the feelings of the rest.
If both Tsukuyomis, Takamura, Yuuhi and Meiya come at me I'll have to fight them, and that data will exist and be leaked to the other worlds so long as I don't fix the ripples. And even if it doesn't affect me, it might affect the others through their interactions with me. Yuuhi and the Shogunate may become my enemies in all loops from now on, or even in other parallel loops where other Takerus are unknowingly receiving data from me, if I don't try to fix their suspicions.
Hell, I might be receiving data from either the future me of this timeline or from another parallel world. What if this paranoia is a premonition of the things to come? What if these frozen hands are trying to warn me to stay on my guard?
Well, I'll try my best to not interact towards anybody with hostility from now on. Meiya and Chizuru seem to be willing to start over, so that's a nice first step. The negativity already exist within their hearts so I have to be tactful with them. Sensei did say that it's difficult to… to…
Wait one second… Holy shit, how could I have forgotten about that?! So I DID affect them!
How was it? The more you focus on the bad things, the more you'll be affected by the data leaks of the negative futures? Then, when they started to have negative thoughts about me… When they interacted with me, they received negative causal information through the Conductor. Perhaps now that I'm a stronger Nucleus I can also pull more information related to me, making the transfer occur faster. Then… The more time I spent with them when they were suspicious of me, the more negative they got. Maybe that's why they reacted so badly after the Stallion's test. Sensei did say it's really hard to break a link to a data leak. I suppose… Chizuru might revert to how she was being until now if she grows suspicious of me again. Tama and Mikoto might also end up affected by the negativity once they learn I killed the soldiers.
"Hahaha… I fucked up, big time." Placing both of my hands behind my head and leaning back onto a tree, I chuckle as I watch the clouds as they flee.
Now that the data is here… Any and all parallel worlds might be affected by it. I don't want to think what effect I could have on Yuuhi or the Guards if I'm forced to interact with…
…Wait another second…
Oh shit, the coup! There's no way I will be able to avoid them if I let that happen! I gotta do my best to prevent it, especially since everybody is super sensitive about foreigners here. It wouldn't take much effort for Sagiri to rally the people and the army against the UN or Chizuru's dad now. So no making trouble, save the people of the villages yourself during the Mount Tengen incident instead of sending random UN soldiers, and stay out of the Guard's and Meiya's way.
No, wait… I have the Minaru Kamui with me. Goddammit!
When Tsukuyomi-san learns that I have a Minaru Kamui… And if she tells Maya-san… or Yuuhi…
"I'm so dead, aren't I?" I hope I can loop again because it seems I'm headed towards a certain execution at the hands of the Royal Guard. Sigh… Whatever happens, happens.
Just like how some games lock their true ending behind Hard Mode, my desired world lies somewhere in here. I don't care what I have to do, I'll bring that hope to reality. Even if I become an enemy of the Empire and end up dead or somewhere else, so long as my beloved ones live in peace that's fine. Though I don't know if I'll be able to stay near them now, the negative causal leaks might very well turn them into my enemies suddenly.
That will be the biggest hurdle I have to overcome. The same applies to everybody else, if anyone gets suspicious of me that will turn into paranoia and later into blind hatred. I may have to fight alone most of the time, or I'll have to keep my identity hidden like during the Invasion of Niigata.
And I do have to talk this out with Sensei, as well as this matter of the chasers. But no getting depressed! I'll despair after I'm dead!
"Hmm… Yeah, I can do this. I just have to be careful from now on."
I don't know if I can fully trust Meiya and Chizuru, but I want them to live. I want to protect them, even if only to stop the memories from their deaths from resurfacing. Their reactions yesterday seemed honest and I think it's okay to trust in them for now, but the more time I spend with them…
…And I don't want to see them like that again. In the end, all this is my fault so I shouldn't be complaining. This is my cross to bear, no one forced me to come here this time after all, what happened in my world was my fault. And I did kill people, so they have… all the right reasons to grow hostile towards me once the test is over.
Hmm? It looks like Meiya woke up.
"Yaaawn… Uuugh…" She looks like she needs another day of sleep. Rubbing her shoulders slowly, she raises from the ground groaning a bit.
"Good morning Mitsurugi."
"Oh, good morning Ta- …Shirogane. What hour is it?"
"A bit past 0530, how are you feeling?" I did not miss that slight pause, she almost tried to call me Takeru again. This Meiya never called me by my name, is she receiving some memories from another world?
"If I had to say, four out of ten."
"Let me wake up Sakaki, I already gathered some stuff to have breakfast."
"Wait. Can we talk for a while before that?" She looked at me intensely, squarely in the eye as she put her ponytail in place, despite how she was trying to drown another yawn.
"I mean, we can talk while we eat."
"I wish to speak of something without Sakaki listening, it's important. Please?" I nod at her and she smiles as she gets up.
"Alright. What did you wanna talk about?" I sit by a tree that was a bit away from our spot, Meiya comes near and sits in front of me.
"First, allow me to thank you again. Despite how I abandoned you, you still found kindness in you to come to my aid. You were able to make a hard decision during a crisis, I had not the bravery to harm those soldiers even when they all attacked me. Your strong resolve shone through, allowing you to bloody your hands to protect us. Thank you kindly, Shirogane." She tries to bow but I extend a hand to stop her.
"Stop it. We already went through this yesterday, helping your comrades is the obvious thing to do." She nods at my words with a smile. "…And you shouldn't be thanking me for killing people." Grimacing, she nods once more, her hands gripping her pants a bit too tightly.
"…Indeed. I am merely glad that you can still consider me your comrade despite what I did, and that you were there to protect us." Coughing, she straightens up. "Well then, I wanted to ask for your forgiveness. I stained my honor as a samurai by running away, abandoning you, failing to protect Sakaki, and eventually forcing you to do what you did to aid us. Shirogane, could you spare some kindness to forgive me?" She bows to me again. I know how much your honor and traditions mean for you, but you don't have to be like this.
"There's nothing to forgive. You did your best, Mitsurugi. And I told you I acted on my own, my own decisons aren't your fault."
"That's not true. A samurai must never run away from danger. And that's what I did when I left you behind, and even then I couldn't do anything. It was mine own weakness that spawned this whole situation." Her shoulders drop again as her eyes almost close, as if they were filled with smoke, her voice becomes but a sliver of its usual.
"Look, don't punish yourself so much. No one can protect its life alone, right? You did what you could to protect Sakaki. And as I said, I did what I wanted to do on my own."
"That might be so… However, I cannot leave this stain on me. I'm sorry. Please, Shirogane. Forgive me." She gets on her knees and brings her head to the ground. "As a samurai in training, I cannot live with such dishonor on me. Please, allow me to mend my mistake."
"You don't have to be like this. And I already forgave you." I know she won't take that as an answer. And not a second later, she looks up with purple fire in her eyes once more. Haha, she truly looks like my Meiya now… even with her obnoxious stubbornness.
"That is not enough. I wish to earn your forgiveness. For me, my honor is all I have. Please Shirogane, allow me to mend my mistakes. I cannot simply leave this stain on me."
"There's no stain on you. You did-"
"I abandoned you and failed Sakaki. And that was what forced your hand. Please…" Entwining her fingers as if she were praying, a puppy would be left shocked at her stare. "Please, allow me to earn your forgiveness." And then, she bows again.
She's taking the honor code too seriously, as always for her. I'm not a noble or a fellow here. Actually, I'm your enemy since Yuuhi wants me dead. You'll probably come after me when it's revealed that my sword is a 'fake' one. I still have no idea how I'm going to explain this. Yuuhi must have a list of who have these swords, she will immediately know I shouldn't have this, add that to the fact that she knows I'm not this world's Takeru and you have a giant problem. Sigh…
"…For real, you're taking this too far. You don't have to do anything, it's fine."
"No, it isn't. I want… I have to earn it." She holds my gaze firmly. Always so stubborn.
"But I decided what to do on my own."
"However, my own shortcomings were what forced that scenario. You would not have… resorted to such a solution if an alternative had been available to you, right?" Looking right back at me, she stiffens up. Again, suspicion in her voice. "Surely, such methodology isn't how you prefer to operate."
"…No, I wouldn't have done that if I had the choice." Sighing, I close my eyes. "For real. I fought to kill because… they didn't leave me another choice."
Hunching over like I did during my very first full gear march, the pressure, the weight, the pain bending my back, twisting my stomach. Unlike before, I don't have an excuse.
I killed Meiya because we had no choice. And the situation forced me to fight in the coup. But this time… the choice was all mine. No orders forced me, no external fact pushed me. I broke that woman's arm, I shot to kill even if I hesitated.
"Look, I tried to incapacitate them. But even then, they still tried to fight. So… So I chose to do it. Yes, they were being aggressive, but… I could have shot at their hands or chest. And I didn't. So don't thank me."
"…Are you not regretting this outcome?"
"Sigh… I'm just, I don't know, depleted. I just…" The last looks those men gave me resurface, the horrified gaze of the woman comes back. …Meiya's bloodied face comes back. Gulping down acid, running a hand over my eyes, I lean back. "When the choice was in front me, I decided to protect you two. Do I regret it? Yeah. Would I do it again? …Yeah, probably. It's just… Didn't think doing it on my own would be so… simple. I guess I'm kind of surprised at how cold and ruthless I was when the bullets came knocking at my door."
"Huh? What do you mean by, doing it on your own?" Narrowing her eyes, her tone slowed down.
"I got someone killed before, remember?"
"But that is not the same as-"
"That's why."
"Huh?"
"When I had to…" Biting my lips, can't hold her gaze. "…kill her, I was destroyed. I just kept convincing myself that I just had to do it. I didn't do it right away, I doubted. But now? It took me a second. And, even if it saved our backs, I don't want to run away from what I chose to do on my own. I didn't show mercy, and this isn't how I wanna do things. So that's why… you shouldn't thank me. Pulling the trigger… shouldn't feel so light."
Again, I hunch over. As if my arms were dragging lots of heavy bags from the super, as if the plastic was sawing off at my palms, I can't muster any strength to move.
I don't want to accept that murder is this easy. I should be feeling guilty. But I'm not, it's as if I were resigned. 'Those are the rules we live by', I don't want to accept that it is so easy. Not because of a mission, not because of the situation. To resort to killing as the default isn't how I wanna do things.
…Because if I surrender to that, I feel like I'll just resign myself to the outcome of Ouka. I don't want to… keep spreading pain.
"…Pull the trigger, Takeru."
No, it shouldn't be my first choice. I didn't want to kill you… We can't fix our problems through gun shots. I shouldn't feel so little guilt.
"…Pull the trigger, Takeru."
Guh… I know, the perfect solution doesn't exist. I chose Meiya's and Chizuru's safety over their lives. But… But I don't want to take that road again. I came here… to save people… to not have you all die… If I just resign myself to killing and maiming everyone who is against me… Won't I just be like a BETA? Like the ones who used you as meat shields in Iceberg?
I don't want to be that kind of person. Bloodying my hands… shouldn't be… my first and only choice.
"Pull the trigger, Takeru!"
No! I'm… I can't… I shouldn't be… accepting this so easily.
Killing should have purpose, because you're taking a life, something that's extremely precious. Murdering and hurting others without reason, just as the easy way out…
That's… the last resource. To be such a monster… But if it protect my beloved ones…
I shiver in place, hugging my sides, again feeling that cold blanket over my back. Her cries as I hesitated to shoot the cannon keep repeating in my ears. Screwdrivers dive into my head, my throat closes up, it feels as if the ground were spinning.
"Takeru?" Her voice sounded closer.
Opening my eyes, taking a deep breath, she was looking at me, downcast eyes and a hand hesitating on whether to shake my shoulder or not. Taking a sec to calm my breathing, running a hand over my face, I manage to subdue the pain.
"S-Sorry, I… I'm still in shock, I guess."
"Forgive me. I knew of your burden, yet I still held doubts towards you." She gives me a bow. Her hands are shaking. "I should have known that you were under great duress after having to pull…" Suddenly stopping, she looks down as she clutches her shirt. "…after the ordeal."
"Don't apologize. I murdered them, that won't change."
"That may be so… But, precisely because of how this shall affect you after this, and how it is obvious that you are not even remotely as well as you claim to be, I must ask you to forgive me. Twas mine own folly what has brought this pain to you."
No, that's wrong. I'm suffering for what I myself did, before and yesterday. But I can't keep being like this. I can't push my emotional burdens onto others. This is my problem, I'll deal with it on my own. So, I gotta make you get that you're free of guilt. That's gonna be hard, though.
"Look, I'm thankful that you're still nice to me after all that happened. It… means a lot, for real. But you did nothing wrong, Meiya. So, can you tell me why do you want to earn this instead of just accepting that I forgave you?"
"Because my offense can only be mended by doing something for you. Only you, who I have wronged, can lift the stain on my honor. I cannot move on until I've properly earned your forgiveness."
"Yes, you can. You do not need to do anything to earn my forgiveness. You can still become a samurai, because I was the one that made a mistake." Her gaze again falls to the ground, and she speaks up in a frail, slow tone.
"That's not true. Because I abandoned you and didn't protect Sakaki, you had to spill blood. That is the truth. I was warned to not make any more mistakes, or else she would report my misconduct. I'm sure 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi will learn of this, after all the soldiers are part of the CCSE." She stops for a while as she shivers slightly. "If you inform the 1st Lt. that I've earned your forgiveness, I am convinced she will still reprimand me yet again however, I won't lose my sword and mission. Please… Ask anything you desire of me, anything at all. Please let me clean my honor." She looks up to me with those shiny, puppy dog eyes my world's Meiya did during our last talk back in my world.
Squinting my eyes, I stopped breathing for a sec as my heartbeat began clashing against my chest from within. You can't do this to me… Short of receding, she keeps staring while making those cute little groans she always makes whenever she does this.
Hauu… I can't deal with this… If it makes her happy I can play along, but what can I ask her? I can't ask her to speak with Tsukuyomi-san, since once she learns of this world's me our relation will crumble. So then, what can I… Oh, I think I know what I want.
"I'll forgive you on one condition."
"What would it be? State your terms, you can ask anything of me!" She moves closer quickly, looking at me with bathed breath.
"Anything at all?" I say in a teasing tone while cracking a smile and placing a finger on my cheek, she twitches as it seems her cheeks gain a reddish tint while she purses her lips.
"…Almost anything. So long as it's something I can do without going against my morals. I won't allow you to t-touch me again." She's still hung up on that? She can be so cute sometimes.
"Alright. I think I know what I want." I smirk at my sudden idea.
"Truly? Tell me, I'll do it!" She gets even closer to me, her eyes sparkling.
"You will do it, right?"
"If I can then I will. No matter what kind of task you ask me to perform for you, or what item you ask of me. I will comply to your orders." She is honest to a fault so she isn't lying.
"I want you to let me call you Meiya. No more complaining."
…
"…Shirogane, I seem to not have heard your order very well. What did you ask of me?"
"To let me call you Meiya as much as I want." For some reason her face is getting red, her mouth opens and closes and her eyes dart from me to the ground. She wasn't this easy to tease in the other worlds. And she got used to me calling her that in an instant too.
"Why… Why do you want that? I mean, you could… make me do any other-"
"No. I want you to stop complaining when I call you Meiya."
"But why? …If that's what you desire, I will allow you to call me by my name. However… Isn't there anything else you wish me to do? I could… look for your family or any friends you might have here." She seems to be real nervous, maybe it's a bigger deal in this world?
"I told you Sensei already tried and found nothing. I just want to call you by your name, and now you have no choice but to comply."
And I just like saying it, even if you're a different Meiya. It also might help in you not getting negative again, even if only for a brief time. I don't want to have you keep blaming yourself for my mistakes, and I also can't ask you anything without making the Shogunate suspicious of me. I can… have that, right? Calling you as always, despite what I did. Can I at least… ease up around you?
She folds her arms, groaning a bit. I sigh, hunching over and feeling empty. Of course she won't agree. I'm not someone… she would trust. Then, she coughed, yet averted her gaze when I looked her way.
"I… suppose can allow you to call me Meiya from now on. However, could you explain me why you desire to do so? You were quite adamant against me doing something for you just a second ago."
"It's a beautiful name, that's all. I just think it suits you well, and I rather use that than your surname. And I can tell this is important for you, so that's that. So… let's make peace and work together until the test is over, Meiya. Um… Meiya?" Her eyes and mouth remained wide open as her face reddened, I could practically hear gears screeching within her head. "…Hey Meiya, you in there?" I wave my hand in front of her and she seems to have come to her senses.
"Huh? What is it, Shirogane?" She spoke slowly in a monotone voice with glazed eyes.
"Meiya, you look tilted. You okay?" She slowly nods.
"Til… ted?" She then tilted her head, raising a brow. She's broken, completely.
"Hey, you sure you're okay?" I might have overdone it with the teasing this time. Please tell me you're not mad.
"Eh… Yeah, it was just… shocking to hear you say that my name was…" She blushes and can't finish her sentence. So she was just embarrassed? "A-Anyways! We now have our accord so… Do you truly forgive my actions, Shirogane?"
"Yeah, you have been forgiven Meiya." She smiles widely at me, like the Meiya of my world used to do. As sweetly and shining, it's more than enough to clean all the shit I had clogging my chest.
"Thank you… Truly, you have my utmost gratitude. I swear that I won't give you more trouble. However, I still wish to be there when you hand over your blade."
"Yes, I know. Let's do peace for the remainder of the test. We can talk our problems at the base." She nods at my words, signing our deal.
"I'm glad we could reach an agreement. Now I must ask the same of Sakaki, since I did fail in protecting her." There is no stopping her when she gets like this, so no point in arguing.
After shaking the dirt off her pants, Meiya got up, woke up Chizuru, and, after repeating the same things, she asked Meiya to teach her how to improve with a blade. Thankfully, we're back to normal. We started to eat breakfast as we shook off the stiffness, discussing what we should do from now on. In the middle of that our radios started making noise.
"A transmission?" Chizuru takes one out and presses some buttons. "Here Sakaki, over."
"Squad? Are you all alright?" The Instructor sounded as usual on the other side.
"Instructor! We got separated after we got attacked by some soldiers. What was that about?!" Mikoto's yelps rang through the speaker.
"So that's why I heard two voices. Which of you reached the evac point?"
"Me, Miki-san, and Kei-san did, Instructor." She sounds kinda out of breath, I wonder if they're alright.
"They're already at the evac point?!" Meiya was truly surprised. I mean, last time we did arrive early to it, now that they have better stamina and were probably running in fear of being found it's not so surprising.
"What was it with those two-"
"Silence!" Mikoto's complains were cut short by the Instructor's yell. "If you say a word about this test's trial you'll be disqualified. Sakaki's team still has to arrive at the evac point." Ouch, what got into her? Also two what? Don't tell me they put two gun batteries this time.
"Roger. But anyways, are the others alright?"
"Alive and kicking." I shout as I pack my weapons into my belt.
"Takeru?! Are you alright?! And Meiya-san and Chizuru-san?" Hearing her sound so worried about us is heartwarming, honestly. Thanks Mikoto.
"We're both here and we're alright." Chizuru replied instantly.
"Yeah, alright is kinda pushing it right about now. But we're safe." I rub my left shoulder, that was now purple and hurt a bit.
"Cadets, you can talk after the test. Yoroi, there are instructions on how to proceed near the place where you found the fire signals. Follow the instructions to reach your new objective. Sakaki, your team must continue to the designated evac point and once you're there look for these new instructions. That is all." And she cut the connection, just like that.
I think Mikoto might have wanted to say something else, but if she tries to talk through the comms she'll get eliminated from the CCSE. Marimo-chan is nowhere to be found.
"Well, our objective hasn't changed. Shirogane, Mitsurugi, let's make haste to the evac point. It seems like we still have a long way to go to finish this CCSE."
"Roger." We both nod and finish the mushrooms and fruit I had gathered.
Obviously that's not the case because I still have the fuel with me. So long as the soldiers are taken care of, we can run away on the boat safely. And so, we start moving south along the cliff. I can only hope we find a bridge or something to be able to cross fast, before the soldiers catch up to us.
November 20th. 03:10 PM.
(Yuuko's Office.)
[Yuuko]
Pouring some coffee on my mug, I reread the paper that had come my way.
This morning I got a report from Marimo about the test on the island, she sounded quite distressed. That's par for the course for her, but this time she had a very good reason to sound so preoccupied.
I cannot believe him! Of all the things he could have done, he had to go and murder some of the soldiers. High Command was under great pressure this time, I couldn't do a thing to prevent them from sending a squad of soldiers as another challenge of the CCSE.
Three injured, two deaths. Not even I will be able to cover you this time, Shirogane. The Captain of the squad sent a very aggravating report on his encounter with him, considering he is seen as a foreigner here… I should take some measures before it's too late. You're too valuable to lose you now, especially after the readings stabilized once more since your departure.
That being said, if he chose to kill them… I suppose he did what he had to do at the time. It's an issue I will have to address later, but Marimo did say the soldiers had a… less than stellar attitude during their encounter. There is still the matter of the last two members of that squadron… I should begin the preparations, as quickly as possible.
A knock on my door snaps me from the distant island's problems.
"Come in." I unlock it and Pyatkh steps into the room, letting the man behind her enter as well, and with a bow she then leaves.
As I ordered, Isumi and Hayase were at the door too in case anything happened. Now that Shirogane is gone this is the most appropriate time for an attack, if he has any intention of doing so.
"Good afternoon, Professor. Beautiful as ever, I see."
"Chief Yoroi, take a seat. We have quite many matters to discuss." He tips his hat and sits down.
"I brought you some nice intel today. Did you know that a new restaurant opened in the golden district in Tokyo? Their sushi is simply marvelous." Why do you always have to do this? I am not falling to your misdirection again.
"Chief Yoroi, could you cut the crap today? I'm expecting important reports from you." This talk just started and I'm already losing my patience.
"Oh? I thought you liked sushi. And here I was thinking that we could have a pleasant talk about food." He fakes a puppy dog look, slowly raising a hand to wipe away a non-existent tear from his dry cheek. Sigh…
"Chief Yoroi…"
"There have been many movements in these weeks that have raised some alarms in my office." Joining his hands together, he takes his serious gaze. What is he talking about? Where are my reports on the deals?
"I thought you came here for the deal on the new parts for the Gekishin and to bring me some intel on Takamura. What is this about?"
"Well, you see…" After a moment of silence where he closed his eyes, he cleared his throat and adjusted his posture a little bit. "Let me start from the beginning. You do remember that you allowed the Blood squad to 'test' some of the new parts you had made? Her Highness was most pleased with the reports she received and would like to form an official joint project to develop new technology with the UN." Yes, I could see this coming from a week ago.
"And? How is that any different from the other projects they tried to do?"
"Because this time it won't be a joint operation between the UN and a branch of the IJA. The proposal is to make a joint project with the Ministry of Defense itself."
"Well, the Shogun does have control over the military matters here after all. But are you sure that the Minister will comply?" He smiles a bit as he relaxes onto the sofa.
"Of course not. She knows the project will be rejected by the Parliament." He raises his hands, his tone shows a hint of disgust at the last word despite the never changing smile.
"Then, why are you mentioning this to me?"
"Because we won't be making a new project. Her Highness' idea is to restart a project that has already been approved but was-"
"The XFJ Project, right?"
"And here I was, trying to make a shocking reveal. These days I seem to have lost my edge." He says with a deadpan tone as he sighs, shaking his head slowly as if he were truly sad.
"Chief Yoroi, you have yet to explain anything. Could you please?" Sheesh, I'm getting so pissed off at him right now. What are they playing at?
"You see, the Shogun wishes to make an accord with you."
"First a joint project, now it's an accord. Could you stop with the wordplay and tell me what is this about?"
"I will get to it in due time. But as it may be, I have heard some… unsightly rumors as of late." You seem determined to ignore me today. "Some people are waiting for a spark, to lit the torch of war once again."
"I see. Does this have anything to do with next year's elections?" Testing my loyalty, perhaps?
"Yes, we have confirmed that some people have been coming and going very secretly from the Diet Building to the IJA's HQ. There seems to be someone important pulling some strings. Today at night a new budget increase for the production of the Shiranui will be passed on the Parliament, and a deal to send some Type-1Cs to certain elite squads of the IJA has been made as well."
"And how does this ties with me? I don't remember asking for this intel." He frowns at my words. Is this all a lie? Show me your cards already.
"Some of these actions have already involved you, Professor. While Takamura-dono's proposal to continue the development of the Type-99X-EML Railgun was accepted thanks to her own efforts, two people directed her towards you. One is Eiji Iwaya, an important man in the Weapon Research Department of the Ministry of Defense. I had a talk with him, he knew that you would be the most fitting person to put in charge of this since it was the intel you gave them what allowed the railgun to even exist." Yes, I remember that. One of the first 'favors' the Empire asked of me to prove my loyalty.
"So the first one was nothing more than good intentions. What about the second?"
"The second one… We still don't know who it was, but all leads me to think this person's influence was used in some sort of deal. Some connections were used to send Takamura-dono here as a UN officer, which gave the UN a nice new toy to play around with, and probably managed to convince the right people to gather the amount of votes needed to pass this new budget. And I think you know already what they asked of the UN."
"To keep Squad 207B as Cadets? Yeah, I know. I already took my measures to get what I want without making problems for the UN." He briefly smiles before continuing.
"Takamura-dono was most joyful when she knew she'd be arriving here, I can assure you she has no harmful intentions. Since she was in charge of the XFJ project since its conception, we were hoping you could restart it if you deemed it worthwhile. The Shogun wishes you to take charge of it to restore the relations of the UN and the Empire." So Takamura is an ally, huh? However, he is hiding something. Yoroi never reveals so much intel without his speech devolving into some jokes along the way. This is way too suspicious.
"Are you sure this is a good idea? To have a noble bow her head to the UN like that?" I cross a leg over my lap, resting my chin onto my palm. I slowly lower my eyelids, he doesn't even react. Instead, he smiles at me.
"Why, yes, of course. She might have been captivated by your beauty, though. I, too, sometimes wish I could work under such a pretty face." Damn you, Yoroi. I press forward and now you start joking. Sigh…
"Chief Yoroi, if you do not take me seriously this conversation will be over. Why is the Shogunate sending a member of the Fudai here?" I play with my bangs as I stare at him, you're pissing me off. Stop with the lies and the false praise already. Damn dog of the Shogunate.
"No need to raise your voice. I told you that these were her own efforts, Takamura-dono insisted on continuing the development of the railgun and the only possible ally that could help was the UN, and there's no better place than this base to assign the project to."
"So this is all just a coincidence?"
"A favorable coincidence, yes. Regardless of the strings that were pulled and the deals behind our backs, both you and Her Highness need allies to brave the storms that will come. Which is the reason she desires your help in this rekindling of the XFJ Project. I'm sure you know that her influence is dwindling every day in the MDF, and the Diet is taking more and more liberties with every law they pass to shoulder the burdens of the war, even if that comes with its fair share of drawbacks." More things that are not my problem, does he think I care about all this? I can't allow myself to be so deeply involved in these ploys, or else Alt. IV might suffer the consequences.
"And yet she sends someone who was at Yukon, immediately after the favor I asked you, and is putting more pressure on me to take even more projects under my wing? Why can't she send this project to the Imperial Research Department?"
"You know that Japan does not have the funds necessary to restart the project by itself. The Shogun knows that all the politicians and members of the Guard would rather lock the project down than hand it over to anyone again, but she knows that we as a nation need to start contributing to the UN. America is close to finishing the F-35, Europe has developed many quality crafts and weaponry under Prominence and is holding the BETA alongside the African Union, even COSEAN is developing a new type of ammunition despite all their setbacks. The Empire needs to appeal to the world or it will be secluded." I know that, that's why I'm trying to develop the Yellow Dust to gain me more support. All the data Shirogane has given me has produced quite the useful tools to that end, too.
"And what do I get in return?"
"The monopoly on the project. You can use it in any mission or side project you wish, so long as the Empire gets part of the royalties of it when the final products eventually get licensed by the UN. Also, the Empire would be more than willing to be the producer of the new tech you made, so that you don't have to wait until America passes the project through their Senate."
"You're telling me the Shogun will give me control of the railgun and the Shiranui Second? Isn't that really nice of her! But why would she go so far?"
"Well, you're the one and only Professor Kouzuki. Who wouldn't want to be on your good side? Hahaha." Sigh… I swear to God… "Ahem… I did mention that Her Highness needs an ally in these dire times. We need to renovate our military forces before the BETA attack again with their full force like in 1998. We won't be able to resist another invasion when more than half of our MDF units use Gekishins or Kagerous. The Shiranuis are still not as widespread as we want them to due to the continued casualties our men at the frontlines suffer, and only the best squadrons have them. If the BETA were to attack from Cheorwon and Sadogashima at the same time, we won't be able to hold the line if they break into the mainland."
"But didn't you say a new budget was already approved? With that they could get almost all the MDF to use Shiranuis and replace all the older models in the rear." They could do it faster if they allow the Fubuki to be deployed in battle too, like Shirogane mentioned once in passing while we tested the XM3.
"This will come at the cost of the civilians' quality of life. Her Highness is not pleased with this turn of events. If you aid her she will be in your debt, I'm sure you can use her influence to gain more time for your research. She does not want to keep pushing more burdens onto the people. Her Highness knows that the power struggle won't end soon and decided to ask for your aid. You both need a strong ally, and the Empire has risked much in its support to Alt. IV since the '98. I do not need to remind you of all that had to-"
"No, I remember very vividly what had to be done. The Empire alone didn't shoulder the burden of the war during those years. I was the one calling the shots back then, don't forget."
"…My apologies, I didn't mean-"
"It's fine. So you're saying that my wishes and those of Her Highness are still in alignment?"
"As aligned as the hearts of two lovebirds in spring. Speaking of birds, I found another dodo plushie that-"
"Then, let me be frank with you." I raise my voice a bit, before he starts to go into another rambling of those damn birds. "The UN doesn't need to take the XFJ Project to have an upgrade for our TSFs, with my recent tests and the results I've obtained the Empire only needs to buy the license to mass produce the parts. And we may have another surprise ready for all of you." He won't be able to contain his curiosity, I know he'll ask.
"Oh? What could it be? Is this related to Takeru Shirogane in any way?" Finally got you to talk about him. …But it is surprising that he would mention it. Was all the rest just a lead-in to this?
"I don't know. But now that you mention it, did you find anything about him? You did say before that you found nothing, are you losing your touch Chief?" I try to taunt him into talking.
But then his expression grows tense as if he had a gun pointed at him, as if he had drank coffee mixed with milk instead of black. Yoroi never gets this serious unless he absolutely has to. After clearing this throat once, he answers in a slow, dry as ice tone.
"I did find something… unexpected." He crosses one leg over the other, joining his hands as he leans back comfortably.
"What, exactly?"
"You see, I did a through investigation. I went to all the databases and registries I could while not arising suspicion. I couldn't find a trace of his life in Japan, but what I did find was rather interesting. I believe Takeru Shirogane was involved in some… unsavory matters. I think it would be for the best that you handed him over to the Empire."
"…Chief, what is the meaning of this?" Is this a threat? Handing him over… They want Shirogane. I squinted my eyes at him, he remained as he was.
"Do not take this as a threat, consider it a warning from a friend. You should tread carefully around Takeru Shirogane, assuming that's his real name of course." What on earth is he talking about? What did he find? Or, is this all a ploy to execute the 'fake Guard'?
"Explain yourself." He nods as he slowly strokes his chin.
"Haha, please don't look so angry. You'll ruin your beauty."
"Chief, you have ten seconds to explain yourself before I call for the Valkyries."
"Please don't shoot the messenger, I am merely doing my best to protect you."
Protect me? This time he wasn't lying or playing around, his eyes didn't wander and his smile vanished. He's… being serious?
"You see, I couldn't find why, how, or when he lost his memory, there were no records of anything regarding his life. I also couldn't find any data on when or why he left the Empire. There is the chance that he was a traitor, otherwise I cannot explain why the online databases of the Ministry of Information were wiped clean. However, since we lack so much intel, there is a possibility that this Cadet is merely impersonating Takeru Shirogane. In any case, I believe it would be in your best interests to either hand over Shirogane to the authorities or send him to the Capital to resolve this matter of the missing info in the databases."
All the while he spoke with the same quiet but harsh voice, his complexion unfaltering like a wall of ice or the results of my failed equations. He's not lying, to make Yoroi look like this… What did he find?
"You make it sound as if his presence here could somehow work against me. What did you find?"
"I am merely saying it would be for the best if he were questioned about his iden-"
"As his current legal tutor, I wish to know about these matters that might trouble the life of my protegee." He squinted his eyes for a second, plucking his lips as if his code had ran into a large snowballing pile of errors.
"I suppose I could tell you, if you insist so much." Taking a second to shift in his seat, he delayed his answer as he exhaled and crossed his arms. "During my search in a certain archive, I found some papers with details of Shirogane's… works. It seems he started working for the Shogunate at some point between the terrorist attack on the old Capital and the Battle of Kyoto, during the rule of Hidekatsu Saionji-sama, as a bodyguard of sorts. He later was officially recruited into the Royal Guard, and continued to serve even after the late Shogun's death, and was assigned to a Royal Guard squadron as a permanent member after the coronation of Koubuin-sama as the next Shogun."
He took a moment to gauge my reaction, seeing that I remained unfazed he slowly continued.
"However, all leads me to believe he was already working as a soldier or as an escort since an early age, he was merely sixteen at the time. To be recruited by the Shogunate despite his age, there is no way he was a rookie in his line of work." Makes sense, the Shogunate wouldn't recruit a complete beginner when it has access to all workers in the Empire at its disposal.
This is just what I wanted to hear. But it's not what I expected to hear. What exactly did he do? Of course, Yoroi might think Shirogane is an infiltrator because he's supposed to be dead, yet he's here working for the UN. He also said he could have been a traitor since his data was wiped out like when someone is exiled from the Empire. But this world's Shirogane probably died during Lucifer, so that isn't the case. However, he did say that I should hand him over. I suppose this is the Shogun's way of dealing with Shirogane without clashing with me. While this proves I do have her support, this doesn't explain why his data is gone or who this world's Shirogane truly was, however.
What if… he was a heretic Royal Guard? If that is the case… I might need to prepare a different set of measures. I need that intel.
"What kind of works did he do?" Yoroi, to my surprise, shakes his head as an answer.
"I think I'm not allowed to say."
"You think? Can you stop being cryptic for once?"
"Well, this comes from a… hard to approach source. I fear my neck might be snapped if I talk too much." So this came from the Guards' archive… Probably one I cannot hack into. The only place where records of Shirogane still exists, where he supposedly engaged in 'unsavory' matters.
"Nothing you say here will leave these four walls. Are you implying you don't trust in me, Chief?"
"No, of course not. I am just saying knowing of this might put you in a difficult position. I believe the best course of action is to send Shirogane to the Capital so that he can solve this situation of the databases."
"As I said before, as his legal tutor I will be handling this matter personally until he returns from the CCSE, and will continue to assist him afterwards. And if it is such a delicate matter, as the leader of Alt. IV I must know of whatever this is. Chief Yoroi, as his tutor, I ask for the details. And don't worry, not a word leaves this office." I narrow my eyes and cross my hands, letting a cobra dwell in my words.
Yoroi, however, doesn't return his usual smile. He closes his eyes, pondering his move. This whole conversation has been off, I suppose he either found something truly serious in the Guard's archive or the Shogun sent him with certain orders regarding the 'dead' Royal Guard stationed here.
And I won't allow them to take Shirogane away from me.
"Hmm… I'll tell you the most basic info, but do not tell him anything of this. He may be a spy in disguise, after all. Let's see then…" Entwining his fingers, he leans closer and speaks up in an almost inaudible voice. "Takeru Shirogane was officially inducted into the Royal Guard during the mass recruitment after the Battle of Kyoto, however it seems he took part of it in a Zuikaku Type-C as a member of the Wolf Squad led by the, at the time, Colonel Daizaburou Guren. The fact that he piloted a TSF and survived the fall at age sixteen is already a great feat in and of itself. There wasn't much data about his duties or missions, but what I think you should know is that he was assigned to a squad serving directly under the Koubuin House's command."
"The Koubuin House? He served the Shogun?"
"Yes, before she was chosen as the next Shogun. He was later transferred to the Imperial Palace when Her Highness took her new role, so he served the Shogun until he left the Empire, whenever that was. I cannot tell you of his missions, I'm sure you know why." I nod as I entwine my fingers.
So he was a direct servant of the Shogun, no wonder they got suspicious of him in no time at all. Then, why is his data gone? It makes no sense. If he was a close fellow of them, what made them erase so much of his data? What are these 'unsavory' matters he was involved with?
"…I suppose you won't tell me anything else regarding his missions?"
"As far as the records go, his last known deployment was during Lucifer. He was part of the rear working under express orders of General Guren, and that's the last mission he did for the Shogunate as far as I know. If I may, what do his records say about his past?"
"…That's classified. I'll deal with that myself, Chief."
"…Is that so? Well, there was next to no data about him where I looked. I think he may have had an accident during Lucifer or he may have committed many offenses up until that point, and after the mission someone decided to send him away to the UN in hopes of him never returning, in a form of payment for his efforts in the capture of the Yokohama Hive." He stops, entwines his fingers, smiles again, and looks back at me as he squints his eyes ever so slightly. "That is, if he didn't die that day. Someone might be replacing him, trying to impair your relations with the Empire. He cannot be trusted until this has been clarified. I do not know how he approached you nor what his records say of his past, but you should send him to the Capital as soon as you can, so that we can confirm whether or not he truly is who he claims to be."
"Have you forgotten I have Yashiro with me? She already has confirmed he is no threat to me."
"Well, he might be under hypnosis or mind control. He might not even be aware of it himself, like the people the cyborg took care of during his time here."
So now you're saying Shirogane works for those bastards… Going so far, all to have me send him to the Capital… I inhale deeply, meeting his gaze as he continues.
"Even if he is indeed Takeru Shirogane, the works he did for the Shogunate… were not your usual tasks. Again, I believe sending him back to the Royal Guard would be the best for both of you. If he truly is who he says, he might even recall some memories of his past. It would be most troublesome for you if any relatives were to press charges against you for 'keeping him' from the truth, don't you agree?"
So he came here to pressure me with this. A Royal Guard who worked for the current General of the Royal Guard and the Shogun, who was involved in 'unsavory missions'… And obviously, the Empire wants to know whether this man is their Shirogane, who somehow is alive after two years, or a spy that came from abroad.
Great, this just had to come out when he went and killed two people. Worst timing, even worse situation. If word of this reaches the wrong ears… The Shogun already knows he's here. That's why she's sending Yoroi to tell me all of this intel. She's testing my loyalty again, with her support on the line. But I can't lose Shirogane, I won't let them lay a finger on him. If they take him to the Capital, they'll assume he's a spy. The fate he'll suffer then… and considering those readings… I'll have to take some hits, but I won't allow them to take him away from me.
"Shirogane is too valuable to lose, I did scout him as my personal bodyguard after all. And don't worry, I have him under control. I can assure you he is who he says he is, and even if he might have been a dangerous person in the past, Shirogane now follows my orders to the letter." A brow twitched for a second. "Considering his recent experience in Yukon, I believe forcing him to return to the Guard is not advisable. If he ever remembers anything, I will tell him the truth. However, until that day comes, I will have him continue living here while assisting him in clearing this matter of the databases."
"…Is he truly Takeru Shirogane? Or is he merely bidding his time? I was notified he had many discussions with Meiya Mitsurugi-sama. Do you know happen to know why?"
"No, they were arguing like they usually do. She does challenge him to many fights, due to how good his swordplay is. And I told you Yashiro already confirmed he is not a dangerous element."
"Even so, this error in the databases has to be addressed." He deadpans me as he closes his eyes.
"When the time comes, I will be monitoring this matter closely. Or, what is it? Are you implying you do not trust in my judgment?"
"No, of course not. If he really is Takeru Shirogane, then it would be for the better that he learns of his real identity sooner rather than later."
"You do know you could just tell me something about who he was, right? What kind of works did Shirogane do while he was in the Guard?"
"Sorry, but my lips must remain sealed. I cannot risk my standing to be compromised, I only delved into that archive because of the risks that come with a spy being so close to you. If you are sure he truly is Takeru Shirogane, then I suggest you don't take too much time before dealing with this matter, in whichever way you deem appropriate."
He won't talk. And he already insisted on sending him to the Capital, to either clear this 'error' in the data or to officially return him to the Guard. Of course, with some concern towards whether he's really Shirogane or not. He already made his part crystal clear, so let's see how you react to my answer.
"Then, I suppose I want to keep him away from the Guard and under my control at all times, just in case any painful memories resurface. Don't worry, he won't do anything against the Shogun or the Empire. I don't know who he was, but as of now he's working for me. And you know my pawns don't ever disobey me."
For a mere second, his lips plucked again.
"Then, let me give you my answer towards the proposal you mentioned before." His hands tensed up as he meets my eyes. "I won't continue the XFJ Project, I already have too many projects on my hands. The railgun is one thing, but to develop a new TSF from the ground up? That's not happening, I still need to finish my research and my many other projects. Also, I will order Takamura to be demoted to 1st Lieutenant and I will restrict her clearance level to S2. I do not trust her as much as I trust Isumi for her to be a Captain in my base. I'll keep the deal with the current tech, the Empire will have priority for the licensing but that's all. I don't need more political problems on my head."
"Professor, if I may, I think you're making a mistake. Her Highness would be more than willing to send one Type-94-1C for testing. There's also no reason to distrust Takamura-dono, her experience in Yukon seems to have changed her. She isn't like the rest of the nobility. I ask you to reconsider." That's nice, you being serious. So let's keep pushing, to get as much intel as I can from your reactions.
"There is nothing to reconsider. The UN cannot shoulder all the burdens the Empire can't deal with. Otherwise, the other nations will start to ask for the same treatment. If Her Highness wants my support then Takamura better be ready to serve me well. Even if she is a noble I expect her to obey the UN's code and to perform as if she were just another grunt. If nothing out of the ordinary happens, I might change my mind." He narrow his eyes at me.
"It sounds as if you suspected the Empire of something, Professor." He sharpens his gaze and tone as I see his breathing slightly change.
"Well… Let's just ponder the following questions. What's going to happen when I do complete the railgun? Or the parts? These will be recognized as Japanese inventions, but will belong to the UN. If you give me the XFJ Project, the Second will become a patent of the UN too. Do you think the nobles or the loyalists within the IJA will be happy about that?"
"I'm sure you could pull some strings to make them a shared property."
Oh, the nerve! I cannot stand them! Do you even know how difficult it is to draw so many diagrams? To check so many different pieces and programs? Yashiro has been sleeping six hours for weeks now. I spend hours, literal hours, just checking reports and mails to make sure no mistakes are made in any of all the projects we are tackling here. And you want half of the royalties?
"Why should I? I'll have to rebuild the railgun entirely using my funds and resources, a weapon that wouldn't exist if not for the intel I gave you. You want royalties from the parts I made with funds from the UN? What did the Empire do to help in their development, other than two weeks of low intensity testing?"
He closes his eyes and rubs his chin. I wait for a while but he doesn't respond.
"Tell me, Yoroi. What do I gain from this? You already know I can upgrade all 2nd Gen and lower TSFs on base and give them stealth capabilities, right? What do I get from this deal?" I speak bluntly to force him to talk, with how loyal he is to the Shogun he'll either snap and show me his true intentions or will give me the real prize for this favors the Shogun is asking of me.
"You seem to be unnecessarily wary of us. The Shogun does not bear ill will towards you, Professor."
"But she might towards my guardian. It feels really weird, having you insist so much on how I should send Shirogane to the Capital. You should know better than to aim your gun at my pawns. Angering me is not something you want to do, Chief." I narrow my eyes at him, smirking as poison drips away from every letter I uttered. He closes his eyes and after a deep breath he finally replies, tipping his hat.
"I see, forgive me for not expressing myself well enough. You should know I am on your side, despite my position." He says as he looks at me with a smile. I return to my poker face as I put a hand on my chin, leaning back into my seat. "I do not know how the Royal Guard will react to Shirogane, given the missions he performed while he worked there, but I believe you shouldn't worry about a lone soldier when you can obtain many other bodyguards. Surely you don't plan on getting into a fight with the Royal Guard over a single soldier?" He says, the small smile still painted in his face. When I didn't melt my poker face, his smile did. "However, do let me tell you Her Highness has some interesting projects she-"
"If this is about more projects we would have to take care of and end up receiving half of the royalties don't bother. If all the Empire is going to do is ask for favors without actually contributing anything and demand to get around half of the profits you can consider this talk over. Should I call Pyatkh now?" He returns a glare and takes a folder out of his coat.
"I do not know why you're on your guard, however, Her Highness does see you as her ally. Perhaps this matter with Shirogane has put you in a bad mood? It isn't like you to be sour at these things, hahaha." I couldn't help but to frown, he raised both of his hand in apology. "However, let me tell you that if you're interested in this, Her Highness is ready to sign this transfer at a moment's notice." He then hands me the folder.
Let's see… Authorization for testing of export models? I won't even bother to read this. She just wants to use the UN to test some new tech to profit with it. Nobles, they never change. I press the button of the comms.
"2nd Lt. Pyatkh, please come escort Chief Yoroi back to the entrance."
"Professor, you're not interested in the Takemikazuchi?"
"Why would I… What did you just say?" I heard it clearly. He said Takemikazuchi.
"Then, next time I visit I shall bring you some Takesushi instead, I think that will surely please you. Hmm… I hope I can get some octopus ones or a golden roll, otherwise you'll get mad at me ahaha!" He takes the folder and gets up with a smile, and starts walking towards the door.
"Hold it! What is this about the Type-00?"
"Oh? Did you not read the papers? The Shogun is willing to give this base around ten Type-00C for your personal use, under the excuse that they're being used for an export trial. I believe that Squad A-01 would greatly benefit from this upgrade in performance. But if you're not interested in-"
"Sit down, it seems we still have a lot to talk about. But first, are the Royal Guards on board with this decision?" He raises his hands in a comical fashion.
"Hahaha, of course not. The machines and their maintenance crew, as well as any needed spare parts, will come straight from the Koubuin House. You could say it's a personal offering from the Shogun, to show how much she wants you on her side." If this is true… Ten Type-00C, all for me?
"Then, I suppose nobody will try to harm Shirogane or to forcefully take credit for my developments?"
"…I cannot guarantee that Takeru Shirogane will be left alone for much longer, it's a matter of time until Her Highness decides to act on his circumstances. However, all of your inventions will be yours and nobody will lay a hand on them. You know that these are turbulent times, I'm sure that as a fellow Japanese you do not wish to return to those days of 1999." Ugh, please no. Anything but that, we don't need more political problems.
"Fine, I'll hear you out earnestly from now on. But I expect this deal to go as you're saying. If Takamura does anything to harm my research or personnel, the deal is canceled. Same goes for the unit stationed here." Let's see how you react to this.
"But… The reports about him from the Guards here were mostly positive. He was reported as a gifted individual with a good conduct. Were they just lying in case the data got leaked? Are they aware of who he is?" I can't read him. Is he going along to hide his real intentions? Or, is he truly surprised?
"That's what I want to know. Can I really trust you when the Guards here are prying for his info and watching over his movements all day long? Let me remind you that I called him here, Shirogane is here to protect me. If the Shogun wants him gone, should I take that as an offense against my person?" I don't know if it's wise to treat him like this, but I need to somehow make them reluctant to harm him. I can't lose Shirogane, as risky as this is for both of us. There will be little I could do if Her Purpleness truly asks for his head.
"Do you truly want to keep him by your side?"
"Obviously. He is my bodyguard, regardless of what he did in the past he's useful to me now. Shirogane won't be making a move without me knowing of it." He shakes his head as he adjust his position on the chair.
"I don't think that's a wise decision. But I am no one to comment on your judgment. It is possible that these years without his memory have changed him, after all." He doesn't sound convinced of it.
"If anyone from the Empire harms him, I'll cancel the deal for the parts and I'll stop working on the railgun. I might reconsider taking the XFJ project if you can confirm to me that he isn't being targeted by the Royal Guard." Even if this is a trap, they already have their sights on us.
Probably this is the Empire's last ditch effort, they either get the support of the UN for this or they go maverick. Might as well try to probe for intel before they come against us. I don't believe one bit this thing about the Type-00C, but if I can actually get my hands on those…
"Give and take, huh? Shirogane's safety in exchange of taking the project? I'll try, but I promise no results. It will take some time, and I'll need to be careful since I've been coming here quite frequently as of late. I also don't know if Her Highness already has plans for him, and I fear I might be overstepping my boundaries if I ask her about it. Give me some weeks, I'll get you an answer."
"Fair enough. I assume you could forward my plan for an eventual strike at Sadogashima to Her Highness, so that everything can be arranged ahead of time?"
"Oho… So you're preparing for that already?"
"Of course I am. This Christmas will be a good one for us, if you all cooperate with me."
"…Very well, I'll do my part. I assure you Her Highness will be more than pleased to speak with the right people to prepare the board you desire, if nothing odd happens."
I suppose she won't stop insisting on taking Shirogane away from here. While I can use their need to restart the XFJ Project to make sure Sadogashima goes perfectly, I doubt many will like that. Add that to their insistence to survey the possible spy, and I'm left with little choice but to clash with them until we get demolishing results. Her Purpleness won't be placated easily if she wants Shirogane out of commission, but she underestimates me if she thinks I'll bend so easily. Neither she nor the Guard can be so foolish to try to spark up a political conflict at this stage of the game.
"Alright, let's hear what this document is about."
"Sure enough, should I tell you all about that delicious Takesushi?"
"Chief Yoroi, for the last time, be serious!"
"Do not frown so, your face is one of the Empire's seven wonders. What would we do without such beauty?" Again with that smile. Dealing with you is so exasperating.
"Sigh… Just talk already."