(chapter 14)
Oborozuka, earlier in the day
Hiroshi decided to explore the woods behind the retirement home. This would not only satisfy his growing curiosity about what was in the area, but it was also close to the community garden Aunt Lucoa usually takes Midori to.
The well-endowed blonde had taken a shine to all of them, but seemed particularly attached to Kuroko and Midori. Kuroko said it was probably because she sensed 'Nana Quetza' in their DNA. Apparently, in the timeline Kuroko and Midori came from, one of the differences was Nana Quetza rescued Grandma Val from her crashed frigate, instead of Grandpa Pat rescuing her from her wrecked racing skiff.
Parallel timelines were a pain.
While he was wandering, lost in thought, Hiroshi nearly walked into some spider-webs. He dodged past them on reflex. (Midori liked to set snares with her webs, giggling like a little maniac, whenever someone tripped them.) It was then that he saw the girl. She was about his height, maybe a little taller, and had waist-length purple hair. Currently, she was watching something outside the treeline. Hiroshi looked towards where she was looking, and saw Midori picking strawberries. Aunt Lucoa was close by, facing away from them.
"I'm sure they'll let you join them, if you ask," said Hiroshi.
The girl gasped, and spun around, obviously startled. Why didn't I hear him approach? she thought. And why didn't any of my traps trigger?
The boy was about her height, maybe a little shorter. He had green eyes, and short red hair. He looked surprised for a fraction of a second, before pointedly looking towards the top of her head. "Do you find my lower half so repulsive?" she accused.
"It's not that," he replied. "Most girls cover their, ...uh..." His hand indicated towards his chest, his face slightly going red.
She vaguely remembered her mother saying something about boys being interested in girls' chests, and quickly wove herself something to cover it. She also blushed slightly. "Why aren't you scared of me?" she asked.
"Why would I be?" he replied. "I'm not scared of my little sister, Midori, or my big sister, Kuroko. They're both arachnes. Midori is the little girl you were watching a moment ago. By the way, I'm Hiroshi."
"I'm Ventris," she replied. "Do you want to see something interesting?" She grabbed his hand, and pulled him in the direction of the middle of the woods. "Come with me! Just be quiet, so you don't spook them."
===/===
"We're here," whispered Ventris. They were at the edge of a clearing. Hiroshi carefully shifted aside a vine for a clearer look.
"A fairy colony," he whispered, slightly awestruck. "They must like you a lot."
"Why do you say that?" she asked.
"They didn't 'maze' you, too badly, for getting too close," he replied. "They're probably using your webs as an extra line of defence."
She makes the cutest little pout, thought Hiroshi.
The fairies started looking agitated. "What's going on?" whispered Ventris. "They're acting strange."
"Keep watch for a moment," said Hiroshi. "I'm going to try something." He then sat down, cross-legged, looking for all the world like a Shaolin monk, meditating on 'achieving inner-peace' ...except for the UV-coloured runes Ventris's eyes were able to see.
++UN003-MOONBASE++ User ID ShadowStalker013 recognised. Administrator access granted.
++ShadowStalker013: Access WeatherSatJPN042/RTvis.
++UN003-MOONBASE++ Access granted.
After about three minutes, the runes vanished, and Hiroshi opened his eyes. "We've got trouble. Several men, armed with a mix of firearms, mage-staves and nets are closing in."
Hiroshi then pushed a button on the device on his arm. "EP-RB ACTIVATED" appeared on its holographic display, before Hiroshi threw it into the clearing.
===/===
Several hundred feet above Japan
A black and purple aircraft changes course. The nacelles on its upper-frame glow, and the aircraft speeds towards a newly-received signal, rapidly breaking the sound barrier.
===/===
Near the Fairy Colony
"Let's move it," ordered a voice. "Each of these fairies is worth more than your lives combined. Our buyer is offering one million US each."
"We've also spotted arachne webs," said another voice. "Their silk is also valuable. Anyone who captures one alive gets an extra 50 thousand."
"Yarrgh!" a scream comes from the left of the group.
"That arachne bitch is close," called out a voice. "A web snared Tomo."
"Where's Iwato?" called a voice to the right.
"Fuck the bonus!" called the first voice. "We can't claim the fairies if we're dead." He opens fire with his subcarbine.
The roar of a low-flying fighter jet suddenly goes overhead
First voice's radio suddenly comes to life. Gunfire and panicked shouts can also be faintly heard from where the vans were parked.
"HOOOLLLLYYYY SHIIIITTTT!"
First voice looked back towards where they parked. A giant, black and purple robot could clearly be seen, towering above the treeline. Several smoke clouds marked where the vans used to be.
"Stand down, and drop your weapons!"
A small woman with light red hair, and a beige and black ICEP uniform, walked towards them.
Second voice opened fire with his AK47.
It has no effect, the bullets apparently going straight through her.
"She's an illusion!" called one of the mages. She proves him wrong, by breaking his nose with a punch that someone that size shouldn't be able to make.
Another mage fires a spell at her, to no effect.
"That's your final warning," said the woman. The robot's head turned to face them. Its head-mounted turrets pointing directly at voice one and voice two.
"You now have two options," said the woman. "Deal with ICEP, or deal with her."
A well-endowed woman with blonde hair comes into view. For those who know her well, she is uncharacteristically angry. There is a small arachne hiding behind her.
"You have entered an area protected by Quetzalcoatl, with intent to harm her friends," said the smaller woman. She then picks up the arachne. "Don't worry, Midori. Mummy's here."
several red dots appear on voice one's and voice two's foreheads.
"Make your choice."
===/===
Oborozuka, Local police station, half an hour later
"We need to get you registered with ICEP," said Captain Kuboto, talking to the young arachne.
"That's easy," she said, gripping Hiroshi's arm, making him blush. "I'm Ventris. I live with Honey, now." Hiroshi turned even redder.
"Place her under my guardianship, for now," said Erika.
She turned towards the young arachne. "Ventris, you're both too young for that sort of relationship."
"Say that to the girl hanging off the lightning dragon," she replied
"Point taken," replied Erika. "However, their parents have to regulate their behaviour."
She turned to face the captain again. "I have to talk to Director Nakahara in about thirty minutes. We have to discuss how we're dealing with the people I just arrested."
"Yes, we do need to discuss things," said an unfamiliar voice from behind her. "Impersonating an ICEP agent has severe penalties. Where's Smith? I was told she's in Oborozuka."
"She's assisting emergency services with the power plant fire," replied Erika. "As for the uniform, you can take that up with Director Nakahara."
"Captain, arrest this woman!" said the stranger. "I have no records of an 'Erika Kobayashi' as a field agent for ICEP."
"I'm sorry, sir," replied Kuboto. "Under the laws you refused to reword in the Interspecies Exchange Bill, if I lay a hand on her, I can be arrested for harming a liminal."
"That's my real body," said Erika, pointing to the fighter jet parked on top of the station's helipad, as it transformed back to robot-mode. "Do you have a set of handcuffs that fit? Oh! He passed out."
"How did he know it was you who made the arrest?" asked the captain.
"Good point," replied Erika. "You, Smith, and Nakahara are the only ones who know about the arrangement here."
The sound of a phone dialling comes from Erika. "Hello, Director Nakahara. It's Kobayashi. No, not the dragon one. Yeah, the off-world one. We've got a situation. Do you know who compiled the original list of non-human settlements? I think they may have been bought-off by traffickers."