Chapter 8
No "Body" Home! The Lost Medarot
§
It was a scorching and sweltering summer day today near the Tenryo residence. Naruto has just finished his summer homework drills, drawings with pastels, and crafts with molding clay. They're complete, but Naruto wonders what else he was missing.
"Well that's because you're a fast worker," Metabee casually says as he has the fan blowing and his direction.
"Metabee! Stop hogging that fan!" Naruto yelled as he moved the fan, "I'm so sweaty to the point where I'm getting itchy!"
"Whatever," Metabee waved, "Go back to your homework, okay?"
"Metabee, I've double-checked my homework drills at least twice, there's no other drawing projects to do, and my craft project is already dried and set from this heat!"
"Then go take a shower or something!"
"I just had one last night! The town is on a water strike because the Water Department is raising the bills too high again after the main water pipe busted! We can't afford to just overuse the water for the time being!"
"Then go call Arika if it makes you feel better!"
This makes Naruto very mad, he lost his temper as he threw his assignment book on his Medarot's chin and said, "Metabee, you are the most selfish Medarot I've ever known, y'know! Why can't you be more considerate to other people and Medarots‽"
"What? So maybe I should go out on my own and hang around with Brass, Peppercat, and maybe SaintNurse?" Metabee argued.
"Did you ask any of them for a friendly date?"
"No, it's because they tend to like you more often and you're just a walking meatsack!"
"💢Don't make me disassemble you and make you walk around outside without your Medaparts like a nudist streaker! 💢"
Both the boy and the Medarot are in a heated argument in the already heated summer weather, but just when nothing seems to be quelling the situation, Mama Chidori suddenly enters the room and she grabs them in a bear hug and kisses both of them to make them behave.
Metabee was blushing ("Mrs. Tenryo?") while Naruto was feeling embarrassed as he stammered, "Mom! Wh-wh-wh-what was that for?"
"It's something that I read in a magazine," Chidori kindly explained, "It's the『Make the Kids Stop Fighting』sec-ret·tech-nique.💕"
Chidori made her son take his pack with some supplies, a bucket hat, and shades to beat the heat before sending him and Metabee outside, saying that they're full of energy and she told them not to stay out too late. And she shuts the door.
"Another fine mess you've got ourselves into, Metabee!"¹ Naruto said, "Getting kissed by Mom like that."
"A mother's love is a beautiful thing," Metabee said.
"That's not the point, y'know! How are we going to do something in the middle of a heat wave, well?"
"Oh, Naruto-kun!" Arika noticed as she and Brass were passing by the street, carrying a notebook and pencils, "Did you already finish your free research project?"
"Research Project?" Naruto parroted, "I don't mind if I'm making another one since I'm already done with mine."
"Don't brag! You lie like a rug!"² Metabee quipped, not knowing that his handler had already finished his research project while he was in Sleep Mode.
"Then how about we do it together? It'll be an exposé that will be called『A Medafighter's Way of Life』."
"You know, we could get into trouble without asking somebody else's permission," Naruto warned, "And besides, Mom says we had to stay out for a while, even though there's a water main break."
So he and Metabee joined their friends on a routine expedition trip through the town.
-Medarots-
Naruto and Arika are near a café, incognito with summer hats and shades as they check on their first subject of the day - Kikuhimé.
She was checking out the magazine store, taking a peek at one of the magazines while Peppercat is on watch for any prowlers. She's not reading the Medarot edition nor one of those adult ones (heavens, no), but is actually reading a fashion magazine for the 「Miss Medafighter Beauty Contest」in the young girl division for the stylish Medafighter and Medarot, maybe make her mother enter the contest for a shot at fame, as well as impressing Naruto.
Naruto decided that Kikuhimé is too busy with other things and they noticed Peppercat is sparking up with her weapon lock system already unlocked. So they left the scene without intruding on Kikuhimé's little hobby as future Miss Beauty Contest consultant.
-Medarots-
They check on Iwanoi who is hanging around with Kagamiyama and their Medarots. Cyandog is blindfolded to work on their techniques by playing a game of watermelon splitting. Metabee was almost tempted by the rounded shape of a watermelon, but notices something is not right as Cyandog destroyed a watermelon ball.
"That was fun and all," Kagamiyama grumbled, "But I wish we could bust a real watermelon at the beach… if it weren't for the laundry issues and our bad grades." (His family runs a dry-cleaning and laundromat building.)
"That's too bad," Keithturtle said, but then the boys looked at him strangely, "What? It's not like I don't have a voice of opinion."
"Uhhh… But still," Iwanoi moaned in disappointment, "We're always working ourselves to the bone for our boss for the upcoming World Robattle Tournament. She and our parents could at least let us go on a trip every now and then…" (His family runs a pet shop, mostly with dogs.)
"You said it, Oyabin," Cyandog agreed, but hasn't really discovered his own problems with himself.
Naruto and Co. decided to split so that they wouldn't get caught by the duo members of the Screws and their Medarots.
-Medarots-
Well, it was a disappointing trek on the reports so far. The group were thinking about Karin and Kōji's houses to understand more about their livelihoods in the upper class region.
But then, Naruto notices something glimmering on the grass and picks it up. It's not a coin of high value, but a Medarot Medal - a Mermaid Medal; a Class 3 Mermaid Medal. Naruto explains that Mermaid Medals are different from Angel Medals or Penguin Medals which have different healing abilities, but are excellent at repairing damaged Medaparts. However, he notices that there's a serial number for the original owner that somebody dropped, so he inserts it into his Medawatch.
"Hey, Naruto," Metabee said, "Examine it all you want, just don't think about pocketing it like a nekobaba."
"Very funny," Naruto was slightly annoyed.
『Nekobaba』can be read as "cat" and an "old lady". The phrase derives on how cats hide their poop with sand after defecation and has nothing to do with the old lady or an owner of the said cat.
Naruto inserts the medal into his Medawatch and closes it so they can hear the voice.
"Where am I?"
It was a gentle, feminine voice from the medal. Metabee felt elated by the medal's sweet voice.
Naruto answered, "We found your medal next to the river in the 3rd District."
"Who are you, may I ask?"
The group introduced themselves to the Mermaid Medal.
"Naruto-san? Thank you for finding me."
"It was nothing," he said, "It was almost coincidental that we found you in the grass."
"Don't flatter yourself, Naruto!" Metabee yelled.
"And who are you?" the medal asked.
"My name is Metal Beetle, but you can call me Metabee," he politely said.
"Metabee-san. I see. Thank you very much."
Arika then asked, "By the way, what type of Medarot are you?"
"I'm a [Pure Mermaid]," the medal answered.
"Wowie-wow-wow-woo, she's almost like Karin-san and SaintNurse," Naruto exclaimed, "The MAR-0 type Pure Mermaids are excellent Healing Medarots that can swim, has two accompanying sea angel drones, and were said to be one of the prettiest models of the Female Medarot lot. No offense, Brass. You're very lovely too."
"None taken," Brass cups her hands around her face, feeling rather coy, much to Arika's notice and Metabee's own shyness.
-Meda Vital Stats-
Pure Mermaid
Medal: N - Mermaid
Specialty: Healing
Naruto resumed, "So you have a name or nickname?"
"It's Hijiki," the medal said. (It is a beautiful name, says Metabee.)
"So who is your owner? Like the name and their age?" Arika asked Hijiki who answered, "My original Medafighter is Yuzu-chan Aoba, 6 years old, 1st Grade Elementary. I think I fell out of my real body when we were going somewhere in the truck."
"That sounds terrible," Brass said.
"Okay, we'll help look for your body and handler and bring you back to her," Metabee said.
"You promise?" Hijiki asked.
"You bet your medaparts, I do. A Medarot's gotta do what a Medarot's gotta do."
"Then, let's try using this as a research project," Arika suggested, "『Finding a Lost Medarot's Owner』. This could be something that our teacher loves to read."
"But how are we going to find the owner?" Brass questioned.
Then Metabee suggested, "Why don't we bring the body here? We may be able to find some clues on the way."
"Yes. Let's try transporting your body to see if it's possible first," Naruto commended his Medawatch, but was unable to do so. "It's either too far away or is covered with something that makes it impassable for transporting…" Then he has an idea, "I may have a temporary solution on helping Hijiki borrow a body. I got a test-type female Tinpet just the other day and some parts to go with it." And he transports a pink, thin, female Tinpet that looks almost like Metabee's thin frame, but a different face. Then he assembles the parts to the female Tinpet that is revealed to be a one of the newer models of Pure Mermaid lineup: the MAR-01 model - [Maitin].
-Meda Vital Stats-
Maitin
Owner: Naruto (Temporary)
Medal: N - Mermaid
Specialty: Healing
"Naruto," Arika noticed, "Where did you get those parts?"
"Oh, just junk-diving in the non-burnable trash, some bartering, and such," he said as he inserted Hijiki into the Medal Insert and closed the hatch, "With proper repairs, the Maitin parts are as good as new."
Hijiki is activated in her borrowed body as well as the 2 seahorse drones that came along with the parts.
"I'm sorry that I had to borrow this body, Naruto-san," Hijiki apologized, "This feels different than my old body, but…"
"Don't be, Hijiki," he said, "This is the successor series of your original body, and sure, it's not the same, even though it's technically a loaner. Besides, you make a good subject for testing out the newer Female Tinpet models."
"Okay! Leave it to us, and we'll take care of everything," Metabee said as if he's trying to be manly (for a Medarot).
"Must be a Male Beetle thing," Naruto commented about Metabee's nature of his medal and parts.
"Everyone, I don't know how to thank you," Hijiki kowtows in appreciation.
-Medarots-
[Broken-down Apartment Complex (as it is called)]
The party plus Hijiki (being carried via piggyback by Naruto because she trudges on land and not near water) were tracing the last steps of the latter's locations before the incident that leads to a dump of a complex, not far from the railway tracks.
"This was a previous home before we moved away," Hijiki remembered as she was let off.
The former Aoba family residence has a lot of mail sticking out of the mailbox.
"Why the heck is there a lot of mail left out in the box?" Naruto wondered.
Arika knocked on the door to see if anybody's home, but there was no reply. And no wonder, the ratty apartment has burns leftover from a fire that haven't been repaired… at all.
Suddenly, a suspiciously seedy old lady, who turned out to be the landlady, was walking around the corner and asked, "Just a minute, you brats! Are you the friends of the Aobas?"
"You might say that," Naruto replied neutrally.
"Do you brats know where the Aobas went off to?"
"We don't. We're tracing our last steps to find them ourselves, Oba-san," Arika answered.
The landlady grumbled, "Seriously, you little brats don't know, either? Not only did they skip out on 6 months' rent, they skipped town too? Oh, this is too much…" And she left the scene.
"Hijiki, do you know why your handlers have to leave town?" Naruto asked as they left the area, "They can't just leave you behind without just cause, y'know."
"Yuzu-chan's parents…" Hijiki ashamedly said, "They used to work at their jobs to support their daughter before they bought me and my body for her on her 6th birthday. Unfortunately, her father was laid off from his job and her mother died unexpectedly and they had run up an outstanding debt that the family couldn't pay it off, with interest. With the loan sharks hounding us and our old house caught fire from basically sabotage, we had no choice but to move."
"I'm terribly sorry about this," Brass said.
"You went through a lot, didn't you, Hijiki-san?" Metabee places his hand on Hijiki's shoulder.
"Please don't worry about me," Hijiki replied as she felt like there was no hope in finding her handler and her original body.
"But you know if they did skip town, finding where they moved would be difficult," Brass stated the situation.
"Then I guess we can only start asking around," Arika suggested.
"Okay, Hijiki," Naruto said to her, "We'll just have to start somewhere to find your family." And he uses his portable and private internet system to look for where the mail that was frequently sent to them. And he found the address to a loan company that he knows (from his parents) that they have a very nasty reputation - the place smells like smoke from the cigarettes and their attitudes are just as bad as well. They hope that this loan company doesn't get any funny ideas by repossessing Hijiki's medal and body to pay off the debt, because they don't have a good selling value even though they are parts of an early-generation model set. Something has got to give, says Naruto, so they wouldn't risk going to that sleazy place, lest they get scolded.
-Medarots-
[Ginjō City, 3rd District, riverside]
Naruto's party plus one regrouped before reconsidering about leaving Hijiki at the police station. Then Hijiki recalled more about Yuzu, that she is very sad and lonesome after her mother passed away, "I have been a motherly figure to her," she said.
"A… A… Is that how it went?" Metabee asked almost as if he's actually crying. (Medarots don't actually produce tears from their eyes. Naruto felt rather sorry for that poor stiff.)
"Oh, my," Hijiki said, "A boy like you shouldn't cry like that."
"Come on, Metabee. Chin up," Brass agreed.
"I know, but it's my heart that's crying!" Metabee tries to stay strong before turning to Hijiki, "Rest assured, we'll get you back to Yuzu-chan no matter what!"
"Believe it," Naruto agreed with his thumb positively up.
-Medarots-
The party took a bus fare to the countryside where Yuzu's truck is leading to. It took about an hour as they walked through the country road. Arika is already feeling tired from the long trek and in the summer heat.
"The truck went this way," Hijiki said, "I remember it clearly."
"I knew I should've carried a pack full of water bottles and some snacks," Arika complained with a rather cute growling stomach.
"I told you that finding Hijiki's handler is going to be a long trip," Naruto said as he passed an extra small package of special bread from his pack to Arika, "Yuzu's dad must have a reason for coming this way just to get lost, away from those debtors, but I don't think that is supposed to be the solution to be free that way. How about we get something good on the way back?"
Arika smiled at her friend and his unselfish generosity, as did Brass. And Hijiki is starting to like Naruto a bit more after being carried like that.
They found a small stream of running clean water flowing on the stone channel and the kids refreshed themselves before coming across a dark tunnel. Onward and upward, as the party cautiously walked through.
Inside, there was water dripping through the cracks as it fell into the paved ground. Naruto has his flashlight ready as he asked Hijiki to use it because he has his hands full.
"I'm getting a feeling that something is off about this," Naruto said.
"If I remember correctly," Arika recalled, "A lot of incidents took place here so they had to close it off. Mostly has to do with robbers mugging and robbing people on the spot in the dark. Maybe I can take some spirit photos here." And she snapped some pictures with her camera.
"Arika, I doubt that we'll find ghosts here," he said, but then they heard a crying noise with a light up ahead. Naruto and Arika nod in agreement as they investigate the sobs up ahead. And soon enough, a dirtied, young 6-year old girl in a pink dress was crying as she walked through the dark tunnel all by herself, crying for her mother and a lost friend.
"Yuzu-chan," Hijiki noticed as she let herself off of Naruto's back.
"Hijiki?" the girl named Yuzu questioned.
"Yuzu-chan! / Hijiki!" both the young girl and Medarot cried as they ran towards each other and hugged. It was almost like an emotional reunion for them. Metabee and Brass are glad that things are coming to a head.
-Medarots-
The party takes Yuzu out of the tunnel to find a place to stop by the boulders near the road.
"Everyone, thank you for everything," Yuzu politely said.
"I'm impressed that you recognized Hijiki, even though she was inside a different Mermaid-modeled body, Yuzu-san," Naruto said.
"That's obvious, Naruto-san," Yuzu explained, "I would recognize Hijiki no matter what she looks like."
"But you're covered in mud," Hijiki noticed that her handler was in this state of disarray, "You must have gone through a lot to find me."
"Yeah, I must have. But how did you end up in this body?"
"I lent Hijiki my spare Tinpet and Maitin parts to help her find you," Naruto explained, "Now she can go back to your handler and be back into your original body, right?"
Naruto notices that Yuzu is still feeling sad as she said, "I don't have Hijiki's body. It must have fallen out of the truck somewhere along the way, so I don't know where it went."
"Then, my body is…" Hijiki is worried.
"Hijiki-san, don't worry," Brass said, "Our friends will help you find your original body and it's a promise."
"After all, we already made it this far," Arika added.
"Really?" Yuzu asked.
"We're doing this out of our own kindness, Yuzu-san," Naruto confidently said, "Let's follow the road the truck took and ask anybody to see if someone saw a loose Pure Mermaid's body."
"Naruto," Metabee said, feeling like he's being a palsy-walsy to his handler, "I had noticed, but you have your good qualities too."
"I didn't know you cared, Metabee," Naruto replied.
-Medarots-
They talked to some of the people in the nearby rural town for any clues, but so far, no luck. But then, Arika did a little research on the registered Tinpet's Identification number (or by its acronym - TIN) from Hijiki and it leads to what appears to be a castle-style mansion that sticks out like a sore thumb in the rural town. It's not as big as Hanazono Academy, but is a big residence for somebody who lives here.
"It seems that the kid that lives here, found it and brought it home," Arika explained as she went ahead and rang the doorbell on the video-cam doorbell, "Excuse us. We're here to ask you about the Pure Mermaid body you just picked up earlier."
〝I know nothing about it,〟a slobbish self-absorbed older boy's voice called out on the other side of the line.
Arika tries again, "Look, I'm very certain that…"
〝I told you I know nothing, you hear me? Nothing!〟
Naruto took over and said, "Listen, friend, we have the TIN number on a little girl's lost Medarot and it leads right straight to you, understand? You may have blocked the body from transporting, but you can't hide its TIN. So are you going to let us in, Toodles, or do we have to get tough?"
〝I don't give a shit! Go away!〟the voice cussed as he uses mechanisms to pour out a barrel of water on Naruto, Arika, and Yuzu.
"You realize that this is not going to be left unchallenged," a soaked Naruto swore to the master of the house as his anger started to rise. Arika knows that nobody messes with a real prankster like Naruto when something irritates him.
Naruto calmed himself down for a moment and said to Yuzu, "Sorry that you had to listen to that, I think his bad language was caused by his bad behavior."
"It's been like this ever since Mama died and those bad men kept hassling us day after day," Yuzu dismally said, "Why can't we all just get along?"
Naruto, Arika, and their Medarots felt very sorry for Yuzu, so they have one thing left to do: raid in the punk kid's manor and retrieve the lost Pure Mermaid body and Tinpet.
They released the safety locks on their Medarots' attacking parts and let Naruto take the front as he knocked down the front gates with a powered punch and the front was breached as they were sent flying.
The residing kid uses his security apparatuses to keep the intruders out, but they are shot down by Metabee and Brass' weapons and Naruto's rock throwing while Arika protects Yuzu upon making entry.
By the time they entered the corridor where they found a lot of standing Medarots looking like statues. They were older models of the Series 1 Medarots without a single Medal to their individuality.
Then the party found what they were looking for: the Pure Mermaid Body and Tinpet contained in a liquid that prevents it from getting transported.
Just then the lights went on and a wall opens to reveal the punk kid, who turns out to be a fat, overstuffed, slob of a nerd named Norberto as he said, "I'll give you kudos for breaking into my family's manor so boldly, but you ain't gonna take away my Pure Mermaid body, never!" And he hugs the container like it was a body pillow as Arika covered Yuzu's eyes from the disgusting display and it made Brass and Metabee very unnerved. But then, Norberto sees Metabee and says to Naruto, "I see that you have an old model Metal Beetle. They're pretty rare recently. How about this? Let's have a Robattle: your Metal Beetle against my [Taraba Kuraba]⁴, and maybe I can change my mind." And he activates the floor which has a hidden elevator as a CLB-type Fiddler Crab Medarot makes his appearance.
-Meda Vital Stats-
Taraba Kuraba
Owner: Norberto (Nerdy Kid)
Medal: A - Stag Beetle
Specialty: Hand-to-Hand Combat
Naruto recognizes that this is a multi-legged close-quarters Medarot different from Kanéhachi Mk-2, so he has an advantage on rocky terrain and valleys.
"If you lose, then your parts will be added to my collection," Norberto smugly said.
"We'll just see about that," Naruto said as he planned his strategy.
"Count me in!" Metabee said excitedly.
"Boys, please stop!" Hijiki begged, "You mustn't fall for such provocations! I beg of you, there's no need to do all of this for me."
But Metabee and Naruto went ahead anyway as the latter said, "Hijiki, this is a man's honor to help those in need and to put those doing injustices to the innocent in their places. Let's go, Metabee. For your's and Yuzu's sake."
"Let's," Metabee agreed.
"Naruto-san… Metabee-san…," Hijiki is in awe as Yuzu watches the upcoming battle.
Then all of the sudden, a giant noodle box showing the [う] symbol appeared and said as Mr. Uruchi squeezed his way out of the box, "Then both sides are in an agreement! I declare an official 1-on-1 Submission Robattle. You know the rules. Any last-minute changes?"
Norberto leaves his Medarot parts as is while Naruto swapped Metabee's Submachinegun and Revolver with the new parts that he assembled: the Phange (Rifle) Medapart for his Right Arm and the Ambergul (Submachinegun) for his Left Arm.
"What are these things?" Metabee asked.
"These are the Prototype [Shingata] Horned Beetle Medaparts," Naruto explained, "They aren't too powerful, since they're in the testing phase, so they're adjusted to nearly match our parts' stats. Just wait until I show you the full set."
"Now then," Mr. Uruchi declared, "Robattle, FIGHT!"
(Ding!)
Naruto tells Metabee to keep his distance and beware mostly of his Head and Left Arm parts that can do serious damage and the Right Arm is basically weak, but has good coverage. Metabee fires his rapid-fire Ambergul at Taraba Kuraba - - - the snipe attacks were avoided.
"Send him packing, Taraba Kuraba!" Norberto ordered and his Medarot got in close and clubbed Metabee with a right hook, doing some damage to his legs.
Metabee tries to get around behind Taraba Kuraba and aim for his left arm with his Phange - - - with success as Taraba Kuraba's Left Arm ceases to function as it jettisoned.
But Taraba Kuraba wasn't giving up as he kept jabbing Metabee with a right and a left with the Decoy Krab and avoided another volley of machine-gun shots from Metabee - - - the stray shots hit and shattered the container holding the Pure Mermaid body.
Metabee is in a fix as most of his Medaparts are at a critical level when suddenly, a voice of confidence called out to him, "Metabee-san, Naruto-san." It was Hijiki in her original Pure Mermaid body as she and her Sea Angel drones prayed for success, "Do your best. Fight on, you two."
Determination was filling both Naruto and Metabee as their Force Gauge hits maximum. Just when Taraba Kuraba was about to use his head attack, Metabee and Naruto's voices started to synchronize as they said together, "It's time to kiss your 'bot goodbye!" And Metabee fired his Ultra Shot Medaforce attack - - - it connected as all of Taraba Kuraba's parts took heavy damage as the armor gauges hit zero, and his parts were jettisoned and the Stag Beetle medal was ejected, signaling that it is all over.
(DING-DING-DING!)
"Taraba Kuraba, function ceased!" Mr. Uruchi declared, "The winner is Naruto with his Metabee!" And he left the building with his report.
Naruto changed Metabee's parts back to his original set and said, "It's back to the old drawing board on adjusting the parts for the upcoming tournament." And he stowed his Maitin parts and the female Tinpet into storage via Medawatch.
Metabee ran to Hijiki and said, "Hijiki-san, I won."
"Thank you, Metabee," she said, "Thanks to you and Naruto-san, I managed to get my body back."
Norberto falls to his knees in defeat as he throws a fit, "No, no, no, no! A Medarot this pretty... I don't want to give it to anybody! I don't wanna, I don't wanna…"
Hijiki approached him and said, "I'm sorry, but I belong to Yuzu-chan and she needs me. But you still have your other Medarots to keep you company. They are not meant to be kept under lock and key or in glass containers. They just want to be your friend if you let them. This way, you won't be just collecting Medarots and you'll create a relationship based on your love for them. You understand?"
Norberto nodded in compliance. It was a saintly moment.
"Man, I want Hijiki-san to scold me that way," Metabee felt envious.
"She reminds me of… my mother," Naruto said, shedding a tear, as he had Taraba Kuraba's Decoy Krab ready for transport.
"Hijiki!" Yuzu hugged her Medarot, "I'm so glad that you came back to your original body."
"Yes," Hijiki replied in rejoicing, "From now on, I'll always be by your side, Yuzu-chan."
They cried tears of joy as they're finally reunited.
-Medarots-
[Sunset, outside at the rural area]
Yuzu and Hijiki, unfortunately, have to say goodbye to their new friends as they have to head back to their cabin with the former's dad.
Yuzu politely says, "I want to thank you all for what you've done. Since my dad and I were skipping town for the time, we have to go now. We're sorry."
While Arika and Brass tried to keep Metabee from getting excited, Naruto bent down to Yuzu's level and said, "We wish you, Hijiki, and your dad all the best." And he exchanged addresses and transferred the Maitin parts to her Medawatch and said, "You can have them, Yuzu-chan. Consider it as a going-away present, y'know." He gave her a wink, showing his promise.
Yuzu blushes at Naruto and his generosity and she hugs him and suddenly kisses him on the lips. She broke off the kiss and said, "Then it's a promise, Naruto-kun.💕 I'll grow up, just you wait and see.💕"
And Yuzu and Hijiki walked their way on the long road back home.
"Just what have I got myself into, y'know?" Naruto rhetorically asked. He looks at a Arika in her "yandere" mode along with Brass sharing a mutual feeling as they have plans to take their boyfriend on a dinner date by train on their way home; ironically, it was a ramen bar and soup restaurant in one of the stops as they share a big bowl of Mochi Soup (with a few unintentional mochi-kissings in the process). They finished their reports on the day's events before they turned in for the night.
In the meantime, Metabee couldn't help but sob as he misses a good friend that gave him the determination after having a broken heart. Brass consoles Metabee and says that it won't be forever.
Omaké
The Aftermath of the Pure Mermaid Case
It was a bittersweet way to finish the research reports about testing out the newer Female Tinpet, helping an underclass schoolgirl with her Medarot, trying out the Medaparts, and having their share of troubles as Naruto is feeling very sorry for Metabee who was heartbroken. Fortunately, the water main pipe is replaced, so there would be fewer fusses with water.
But then a week later, much to Naruto and Metabee's surprise, it turns out that Yuzu and Hijiki just moved near the neighborhood around the Tenryo and Amazaké residences as her father decided to make a new start. The loan sharks tried to raid the house to kidnap Yuzu and hold her for ransom, but we're ultimately suffered a disastrous, overwhelming, and complete defeat by Naruto and Metabee's tactics, and Chidori's sadistic ways with her santoku knife in hand as the mobsters were subsequently arrested by the police on suspicions of extortion, robbery, fraud, and murder as more victims stood up and report to the detectives about the loan company's bad dealings. Their Medarots and Medals were also confiscated.
The seedy landlady of the Broken-Down Apartments was also arrested for not keeping the buildings up to code and eventually had to vacate the residents to a more decent location and had the area demolished for newer apartments under new ownership and management. Her counterclaim for the Aobas' outstanding debt owed to her has been denied in court because she assumed that the Aobas started the fire when it was actually the same debtors who made the arson. She sits in the jail cell for her crimes to what felt like a life sentence to her. (She later died two months into her 6-month sentencing by natural causes for she couldn't bear the shame of her selfishness anymore until her poor heart gave out.)
Norberto was soon grounded by his parents of the mess he made with the trashed and shot equipment because of his own selfishness and taking Medarots without permission as they double-checked the TIN numbers of his collection before returning them to their rightful owners. Norberto's collection will have to start from scratch again as he has to shape up from his old, flabby habits, maybe win himself a sweetheart in the near future.
After a few months of settling the debt issues, Yuzu was already officially Naruto's kid sister-figure and was transferred to Ginjō Elementary in the 1st Grade, almost getting ready for 2nd Grade. She also became fast friends with Arika, Kikuhimé, and Karin, along with the kids in her class. She has dreams of becoming a lady, having a decent job, and having a family of her own, particularly with you-know-who.
And Metabee? His heart breaks yet again when Hijiki says that she likes Naruto more while she treats Metabee like a brother rather than a lover. Those were the breaks for the Horned Beetle Medarot, but she promised to stay good friends with him.
As for Naruto, his newfound kid sister-figure and her Medarot are starting to grow quite attached to him, along with Arika, Kikuhimé, and (possibly) Karin with their female Medarots.
What more can a lucky boy do?
-Winning Medaparts-
Naruto
Taraba Kuraba - Decoy Krab (Right Arm)
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Yuzu
Maitin - All Parts (except Tinpet) given by Naruto
§
A/N: ¹ Laurel and Hardy reference
² - English DUB reference
³ - The original Japanese version didn't really give out the nerdy boy's name, but the English DUB named him Norbert, so…
⁴ - Taraba Kuraba is Kuraba/TarabaCraba's original name.
I decided to change the scenarios a little to make the episode slightly more realistic and let Yuzu join in on the action, along with some alternative Medaparts and an alternate body for Hijiki, but still try to keep as close to canon as possible.
And the heat will be on!
-blukmage19