Chapter 9: Do It Again (Pak)

Lunchtime was one of the rare times when I got to relax and talk with friends. The daily life of a SSS member was packed full of work, studying and drills. There was hardly ever time for us to rest. Sandra complained insistently about it, and I couldn't blame her. At times, it seemed that the only reason we were not dying of exhaustion was that we could not die.

And as it turned out, Angel could not die either. Despite taking a 37mm anti-tank round to the back, she recovered as quickly as the rest of us. Noda was keeping watch over her in some deep part of the Guild. Our original plan was to torture her to get more information about god, but it was kaput. When Angel regained her consciousness, her abilities, including her shield, also became active. She still couldn't escape the iron chains, but she deployed shield to protect herself. She also upgraded her shields somehow and made them impervious to the 37mm rounds. Angel couldn't attack us, but we couldn't do anything to her either. Our initial victory quickly led to a stalemate.

For some of us, though, a stalemate was more than welcome. The lull in Battlefront activity gave us time to catch up on our hobbies. The GirlDeMo girls performed ballads, instead of rock songs, in the school auditorium. Takamatsu devoted his time to workouts, and Hinata joined the school baseball team. Matsushita left the school altogether to train in the mountains.

For me though, the temporary peace meant even more work. Sometimes, I suspected that Yuri was trying to punish me for what happened after I killed Angel that day. I couldn't remember anything after killing Angel, but I could remember waking up the next day with blood in my mouth and vomiting blood throughout the day. Hinata told me everything the next day. It was as unexpected for me as it was for everyone else. I didn't know what caused me to snap like that. Maybe it had something to do with my past, or maybe it was the stress. I didn't know. Most of the SSS didn't seem to care either. They were too enraptured about the victory over Angel.

Yurippe was still happy with my work and designated me as the head of the new Design Division. She gave me my own personal design bureau, located deep within the Guild. I had virtually unlimited access to materials and indirect control of the Guild. The amount of work that came with the position was astronomical. Yurippe gave me the green light for the production of tanks, but she also wanted a hodgepodge of different weapons in return. She wanted a large-caliber gun to break Angel's shield, a truck to tow the said gun around, and a boat to carry the two across rivers. I couldn't for the life of me understand how a boat would be useful on a small island like Tsushima, but Yuri was rather insistent. She went as far as to set a set of strict and detailed requirements about the boat's range, speed, and capacity. The specified range of 640km (400 miles) was enough for two round-trips to the city of Nagato on Honshu. It also had to have a cruising speed of 20 knots, allowing for the aforementioned round trips to take place in just less than 24 hours. I suspected that the true purpose of the ship was to allow Yuri to visit her home on Honshu. I couldn't blame her. I was very homesick as well, but my friends on Sakhalin Island were 1,800km (1100 miles) away.

Fortunately, though, some friends were still close by. I sat down next to Otonashi. We were in the same physics class, and we often got to eat together. He turned out to be a very affable guy, and his knowledge of medicine rivaled my knowledge about planes. Like me, he also suffered from amnesia. He could not recall any of his personal life, but I suspected that he was training to be a doctor. His grades in Ms. Sakurai's biology class were superb, and his chemistry was not shabby either.

"Are you feeling better today, Pak?" Otonashi asked, "I suggest that you lay off the peppers. You don't want the endorphin rush when you're stressed."

I took Otonashi's advice and threw away the peppers. "Still a bit nauseous, but better," I replied, "I still can't remember what happened after Angel collapsed. And quite frankly, I don't want to remember either."

"I heard that Hinata has explained everything to you," Otonashi remarked, "It might have been a one-time hormonal imbalance thing. The switch from a European to an Asian diet could have had something to do with it too. Either way, I'm sure that you'll feel better soon."

"I was feeling fine until that physics exam," I replied, "I knew all of it, but I still couldn't finish. Such a mood-killer. How did you do?"

"I found it surprisingly easy," Otonashi replied, putting down his sandwich, "I didn't write down any of the correct answers though."

"Don't be too paranoid about the whole academic performance thing," I said, "Just make sure to fail at least one class, and you'll be fine. It's perfectly fine to do well in a few classes." That was what I reasoned from experience, anyhow. My grades in Japanese class were terrible, but I had the highest grade in the whole school in English, math, physics and chemistry. The chemistry teacher, Dr. Fuse, was so impressed that he offered me a position as a lab assistant. That made it way easier for me to access the chemicals, and the extra pay wasn't bad either.

"Well, it's less work for me anyway," Otonashi replied in between bites of the sandwich, "And speaking of work, thanks for saving me during Operation Twister two days ago. I really owe you one."

"That took a lot of luck and practice," I smiled, "It's Operation Tornado, and we all have to start somewhere. You actually did very well, given that you've never fired a gun before."

"Yuri ought to give you one-ton gold medals," Otonashi said, "You guys came just in time too. Angel had us cornered. If you had come just a minute later, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"It's not all smiles and rainbows," I replied, "I, for one, am a bit concerned. The whole purpose of the SSS was to create a situation in which god has to show up. We killed Angel, but god still did not show up…"

Otonashi did not seem to understand what I was saying. "Maybe it wasn't enough," Otonashi said, "We still have her locked up. Maybe we have to kill her repeatedly or send her off this island. God might intervene then."

"That might be true," I retorted, "But what if he does not? What if he doesn't exist? What if he just does not care? Would there still be a point to the Battlefront?"

My voice was not that loud, but it felt as if I had dropped a bomb in the middle of the cafeteria. All the SSS members within hearing range stopped eating and turned to look at me. Some of them looked annoyed or angry, and some looked equally confused. There was a long pause. Even the NPCs were looking in my direction.

What I said was on everyone's mind at some point, but no one connected it to the recent events. Yuri said that the purpose of the SSS was to search for god and then seek vengeance. Killing Angel was the way in which we could find god. We killed Angel temporarily, but god did not intervene. We created the perfect opportunity for god to intervene, but he simply didn't.

I did believe in a god. I understood that there was Supreme Being. The idea was as appealing as it was logical. There is a certain beauty and order to the universe that only a divine figure could have ordained. As Robespierre said, atheism is aristocratic; the idea of a great being that watches over oppressed innocence and triumphantly punishes crime is altogether popular. Christianity and Buddhism were even more popular than deism, but I didn't believe in either. I had been up in the sky, and I had seen an Angel. Both were hell.

"Don't get so cocky, punk," Fujimaki hollered at me form another table, "Just because you were the hero a few days ago doesn't mean that you get to insult the Battlefront."

"Why would god create a universe in which he can't intervene? That's like writing the lyrics to a song that can't be performed," Iwasawa critiqued.

"You've seen all the crazy things that happen here, Pak," Hisako continued, "You can't die. The buildings automatically repair themselves, and we can make steel from dirt. If that isn't enough evidence for divinity, I don't know what is."

I did not anticipate such a strong reaction. "Sorry, folks," I apologized, "You're right. Ignore what I just said. I inhaled too much acetone at the lab this morning. I'm still feeling a bit light-headed. That's all."

The other SSS members seemed satisfied with the half-hearted apology and went back to chatting. I chugged down my bowl of soup to calm myself. I had plenty of food and information to digest. The other members did make some valid points. For there to be some form of afterlife, there had to be some divine figure. Whether or not this divine being cared about what we were doing, however, was another story.

"Religion is still a sensitive topic," Otonashi advised, "But I suppose that Yuri's methodology for contacting god could be flawed. Hasn't Yuri ever tried just talking to Angel and asking?"

I shrugged, "She says she has, but Angel isn't exactly the most talkative or cooperative. It makes me wonder how she became the study body president in the first place. She probably goes around stabbing people until they agree to vote for her." I let out a sigh. "Violence… It's the only law that this damn world recognizes. Even in student politics."

"That's a little cynical, Pak," Otonashi pointed out. He looked and sounded like a British aristocrat, sipping green tea calmly out of a porcelain tea cup. "There is genuine kindness in this world. You must have… but then again, you lived through the worst chapter of humanity. Kudos to you for enduring, but times have changed."

"It never changes," I muttered, "Some people think that they are immune against all evil. They think that people become evil because their mothers didn't love them enough or because their brains were wired differently. Those are lies that people tell themselves because they can't handle the truth. The truth is, Otonashi, that evil is within all of us. People don't change that easily, so war never changes either. It never does. Not even in the afterlife."

Otonashi seemed a little disheartened by the statement and didn't reply. He was a smart guy, no doubt, but not everyone knew how the world really worked.

"Attention, Battlefront!" Yuri's voice boomed over the school broadcasting system, "Attention, all Battlefront members. Angel has escaped. Repeat. Angel has escaped!"

"Well… Scheisse," I cursed, slamming my fist onto the table, "All that hard work. Right down the drain. Which incompetent buffoons were watching her, anyway? Complete morons."

"All Battlefront members, please report to the Principal's office immediately. Be advised that Angel may on the school grounds. Use extreme caution!" The Battlefront members got up and prepared their weapons. I took out my P38 pistol, and Otonashi took out his Glock 17. As I ran through the school, I heard many loud booms and vibrations from underneath the school. That meant one thing: Angel was fighting down in the Guild. Yim and Sandra were both down there. From the sounds of it, they were fighting back with everything they could.

"What's going on, Yurippe?" Hinata asked as he rushed into the room, "How did Angel escape?"

"Wasn't Noda supposed to be watching over her?" Takamatsu asked, "I guess that means that he messed up again."

"This is just so stupid," Shiina commented.

Yuri sat with her arms crossed on the table. When the room filled up, she began to explain, "Angel has escaped using a new guard skill. We don't know that it's called yet, but it's powerful. The folks in the Guild reported hearing a loud mechanical scream, and Angel broke free immediately afterwards. They're doing their best to fight back against her, but they're losing ground."

"Is there any way that we can trap Angel underground?" Hinata asked, "If we can evacuate everyone and trap her underground, we still win."

"That's exactly what we're trying to do," Yuri answered, "We'll have to abandon the Guild, but we'll be able to save everyone. In order for us to do that, though, we're going to have to send someone down there to fight her."

"It won't be easy," Takamatsu commented, "Evacuating the wounded will take time. We'll probably need to knock her out again, or at least trap her somehow."

"And that means one thing…" Yuri was slow to finish, but I saw it coming a mile away. Eyes were already focusing on me. "Pak, we need you to do it again!"

Jargon Dictionary

Nagato:

Nagato is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The city has an estimated population of 38,000 and is renowned for its picturesque beaches, diving sites, and hot springs.

Maximillian Robespierre:

Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (1758-1794) was a politician who played a key role in the French Revolution. He was a vocal reformer calling for change in the French monarchy. Nicknamed "the incorruptible" for his steadfast adherence to his moral values and deism, he gained a reputation for defending the poorest members of society. He was one of the authors of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, the foundation of the modern French constitution. However, faced with both internal and external threats, he quickly grew paranoid and tyrannical. As a member of the Committee of Public Safety, he arrested and executed many innocents suspected of harboring counterrevolutionary ideas. He was overthrown in a coup and executed in July, 1794. He remains a controversial figure at best and served as an inspiration for Pak.

Closing:

Dima: Hey guys. Sorry for the long wait and the short chapter. I know that this chapter is a bit of a filler, but I promise that there will be a lot of action in the next chapter. I originally intended this to be a part of a longer chapter but had to divide it into two parts. As an apology, you guys now get the opportunity to roast me.

Pak: You mean as in over an open fire? That'd be great. Dibs on impaling you.

Dima: Oh right. You don't know the Internet. Make fun of me and send hate comments. Here's your chance to get ruthless.

Pak: Your hair is so flaky that Santa used your dandruff as now during Christmas.

Yuri: You don't need a special section for that. Every chapter you publish is a roast.

Sandra: Why would we send hate comments when you already hate yourself enough?

Hinata: I'm bi, and I find you offensive. Not really, hehe.

Yim: The only girls you'll ever get is from a body pillow, but even she won't get near you.

Takamatsu: I'd love to roast you, but I'm afraid I won't do as well as nature did.

Noda: Your face makes onions cry.

Iwasawa: You're the type of guy who would call his character Kirito on a MMORPG.

Yui: Stop trying to get rid of the flies around you. They are attracted to dung.

Waan: Oriemo is more original than you.

Clara R. Caldwell (loud Australian voice): I've noticed that you've been playing a lot of dating sims lately. I'm sorry that you have to compensate for something you'll never have.

Everyone else: Who the hell are you?

Clara: Oh right. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Squadron Leader Clara Caldwell of the 514th Tropic Witches. I'm this little mug's CO. (Gives Waan a noogie).

Dima: How'd you know about my games… Oh wait. Right. You live on the Internet. You get to see all my Internet traffic.

Waan: Yep. And PPSyrius sent us all the way from Malaysia to come here to roast you.

Dima: Well, then. Tell him that he made you a Siamese cat witch because that's the only pussy he'll ever get.

Hinata: Damn. What a burn.

Pak: Mist. That's brutal, dude.

Clara: Egad. Ha. I want to see the look on PPSyrius's face when he hears about this. Take off now, Waan. We'll have to go back to Back-of-Bourke pronto.

Dima: Take some aloe vera with you!

Waan: Affirmative. Taking off.

Clara: Hooroo! (Flies off with Waan.)

Dima: So, guys. There you have it. Hope you enjoyed this new chapter. I'm going to be very busy preparing for the MCATs this semester, so updates are going to be very slow. However, I'll do my best to update you on my progress. You guys can also try to start a slice-of-life RP on the forum or play through the new Angel Beats! Visual Novel.

TK: Sorry 'bout being late to the party, boys! Get chance and luck!