RyoTheSaiyan - the answer to your question will be revealed early in this chapter, glad your liking the story and how you continue to read it.
Chapter One: Returning Home Planet Anubis… Dekabase
Early on the morning of the funeral, Doggie gets up. Instead of putting on his dekablack uniform, he puts on his chief uniform. He would have to leave the base early to get to the funeral grounds before the Dekas of Anubis spotted him. He let Swan be, since she has had a rough couple of nights and she needed all the sleep she could muster. Swan and Doggie were leaving at the same time as Numa, sometime after the funeral, to get back to Earth and assist Yasu in any way possible. Checking the bags, he spots the case that Swan put his sword in after freeing it from his license. Smiling, he quickly leaves Swan a note of instructions and left the room. It didn't take him long to leave the complex and head to the curry shop for something to eat before making way to the funeral grounds to chat with a few other chiefs that most likely showed up for it. The warm spring deeply contrast the cool autumn that Japan was in at the moment.
Shaking his head clear of thoughts, he enters the shop and heads to the counter. He beats the counter like a drum as he waits for someone to come. This place is open, it's just Aleric in the mornings, though. Doggie thought as the familiar dog came up.
"Change in outfit?" Aleric noted.
"There is a planet called Earth out there in the vastness of space, I'm the chief of the SPD stationed there." Doggie said softly as Aleric put the curry on the counter.
"I see. Figured I close shop for a few hours and go, Tank was a good man." He said as he watched Doggie eat the curry.
"Yeah, that'd be nice." Doggie said, "To think that no one in the Dekabase knows I'm a chief."
"Is that so they don't go thinking that you are replacing Tank?"
"You were always smart." Doggie said, "That's the exact reason."
"Well, it was good to see you again after so long, fate might not be so kind in the future." Aleric said.
"Hey, keep this in mind, Aleric." Doggie said, leaning it close, "Even if you pass away, talk with the Guard Griffin of Hell, he'll call the Guard Dog of Hell and you can communicate with me."
"I heard about that, and I'll keep that in mind." Aleric said, "You best get going before someone spots you, Sunt and Kris walk by here on patrol."
Doggie glanced at the clock. "When, normally?"
"Between 7 and 9." It was already 8, the funeral meeting was at 12, and the funeral was at 15. (Planet Anubis has 30 hours in a day, the 15th hour is noontime or midnight.)
"I'm good, as long as I have a place to hide." Doggie said, "I don't have to be anywhere for a little while."
"Alright, in back right now." Aleric said, opening the countertop to let Doggie inside, "and stay in the kitchen."
"Alright already." Doggie said, slipping into the kitchen just as Kris and Sunt walked in. He didn't realize that his friends came in to pick up some curry to take with them on the walk back. Staying hidden, he watches Aleric talked with the two dekas.
"Doggie hasn't stopped by, has he?" Sunt asked.
"Didn't know he was on the planet." Aleric said.
"Huh, I thought he came by the curry shop to let some criminal have a second chance." Kris said, "at least, that's what Rufus told us."
"I might've been off shift." Aleric said, "Or out of the shop."
"Oh, I see, well we'll be on our way now." Sunt said, then the duo left the building. Doggie waited a few minutes before easing out of his hiding place.
"Smooth."
"Well, I had a feeling you don't want to reveal your rank so soon." Aleric said, "Better get going then."
"See you later." Doggie said, before exiting the shop and heading to the funeral sight.
A short walk later, he spots some people around the grave. The coffin was still up as Doggie made his way over to it. Closed casket, but perhaps for the better. Letting his hand slid against the polished marble, he walks over to the other chiefs nearby.
"Anyone know when Chief Numa O is showing up?" he asks, looking at them.
"No, but he said he'll show up before the funeral." One person said, "Saying something about getting a few things before coming."
"I see." Doggie said. Glancing around, Doggie wondered how many commoners would show up, since Tank was well known throughout the whole planet.
Tank's spirit wants to wait and hear what everyone has to say before I can take him to the gates of Heaven. A voice echoed in his head. Doggie nodded to himself as he stares into the distance at nothing in particular.
...A Solar Eclipse...
A gentle shake broke Doggie out of his doze as he glances up. Seeing Numa standing there, a hand on his shoulder, brought Doggie back to the present. Shaking the sleep out of him, he wondered how long he had been napping.
"Still an hour before the funeral, but I just wanted to double check with out about Sunt." Numa said, answering Doggie's unanswered question.
"Positive, he has what it will take in the long run, I'm sure of it." Doggie said, standing up.
"Alright, I trust your judgement." Numa said, "I think I'll give you the honor of giving the uniform to Sunt, since you know him better."
"This is a privilege." Doggie said, taking the black uniform from Numa. He then looked out onto the field where many people have gathered. The team had the front seats, which was good and bad. "They haven't seen me yet, have they?"
"No, the other chiefs have been smart in hiding you behind them." Numa said.
"An hour is an awful long time to wait." Doggie thought aloud as he got up to stretch, "but it'll be worth it."
Much to Doggie's surprise, the hour flew by and he was settling down with the half a dozen other chiefs that came to say something about Tank. He would be the last to speak since he was going to get Sunt say a few things about Tank when he is made chief himself. Even that time seemed fast as it soon became Doggie's turn to speak.
"…And now I think I'll turn it over to Doggie Kruger." Numa said, he had gone up before Doggie to say a few things. Giving his head a shake, the light blue dog got up and walked to the podium.
"Before I say anything, no I am not replacing Tank as the new chief of Anubis." He stated, seeing many sadden faces, "I've actually been a chief for many years now stationed on another planet, hide that fact because I knew and Numa knew that you would just think I was replacement." Getting some jitters out, he looks out on the crowd. "What's to say that hasn't already been said about Tank… well I think it's safe to say that he was the very reason I found out more about me then I ever would, he's my role model, and a second… or third, father to me. I say that because of Aleric, the owner of the West District Curry Shop, is my Godfather.
"Tank got me into the Special Police when I was about 17, at that point I had spent a lot of time on the streets, stopping now and then at the curry shop. I joined up and Tank personally taught me the ropes to SPD and how things ran. A year or two later, it was discovered that I house the spirit of the Guard Dog of Hell, earning me the nickname Jigoku no Banken universally.
"He's my role model because many of my leadership roles I gained from being around him. On Planet Earth, where I am stationed, I treat each of the Dekas with respect and I try to learn their strengths and weaknesses, just like Tank did here many years ago.
"And finally, there is one last thing to do…" Doggie stared right as Sunt now. "Chief Numa has given me the privilege of announcing the new Anubis Branch Chief, part of the reason that I came home was to figure out who would make a good chief, so I spent some time with everyone and listened to their thoughts, and it seems that…. Rufus can breathe a sigh of relief, for it is Sunt Moonrise that will take the reigns that Tank had dropped."
Everyone clapped happily as Sunt walked up, bewildered that he was going to be the new chief. When he got up there, Doggie handed him the uniform. Sunt takes it and puts it on, then turns to the crowd.
"I should've seen this on coming when Doggie asked us who we thought would make a good chief for Anubis Branch." Sunt said, "Tank always said that I'd make a good leader from behind the desk since I'm not that strong, and now I get to experiment with that."
Numa walked over with a case in hand and passed it to Sunt, who took it and opened it. Inside was a jeweled badge like all the other chiefs wore. Putting it on, he shakes Numa's hand. Doggie smiled softly as he watched his friend get a pat on the back or insightful tips from the others.
Suddenly, his license beeped. Although Swan couldn't fix the license for him to transform into Dekamaster, he could get communications again. Grabbing it, he opens it up.
"It's me." He responses, Sunt walks over to listen in.
"Boss, I hope you plan on returning, we just had an attack from three alienizers that some girl named Yasu said she was after!" it was Jasmine's voice.
"I'm just about to leave," Doggie said, "Can you guys last another two days?"
"Yeah, and make sure to bring Swan back with you, Yasu says her license is broken."
"Like I'd leave her with the Anubis Seijin." Doggie joked, then closed the line. "Sorry I can't stay for the party I know you guys were planning, I have to return to Earth."
"I understand, Doggie, just try to keep in touch this time." Sunt said.
"No problem… Moonrise." Doggie teased, then headed off, meeting Swan in the crowed before vanishing.
"Why did he call me by my last name?" Sunt wondered.
"Because Kruger is like that." Numa said, walking over, "Actually, I call everyone by their last name usually."
"Oh." Sunt said.
Planet Earth"Another two days?" Umeko said in disbelief, "Why so long?"
"It's a long trip from Earth to Anubis." Yasu said.
Yasu has long brown hair with a braid down the right side of her face. Her sharp gold eyes watch each member of Earth Branch as she absently adjusts her jacket. Her purple uniform is rare in the SPD force and having a gold badge shows her rank. Her license sits quietly on her belt.
"How would you know?" Hoji asked, curious.
"I've traveled Space more then I've spent time on ground, it's just something I know." Yasu said.
"I see." Sen said, "you're that kind of Deka that goes where you're more needed unless chasing a group of criminals."
"Yeah, that sums it up." Yasu said, sitting down, "Every planet I go to I learn something that'll help me in the long run, this is my first visit to Earth."
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll learn something." Tetsu said, "Boss is very resourceful."
"Let's hope so, because at this point, I may need his insight." Yasu said.
The alarms went off again. Hoji got the location and the dekas moved out. They found only one of the three criminals that Yasu had been chasing, and she was quicky to identify him.
"Braze, he's a strong foe by himself and is difficult to counter." Yasu said softly, "he's Ratz left hand man, so watch yourselves."
"Roger." The team said, then headed out in their dekasuits.
As they approached Braze, the strange alienizer turns to them. "Noisy brats chased my prey away." He said.
"Didn't you know hunting for kills is illegal to do?" Tetsu asked, looking at him.
"All kinds of Dekas tried to stop me and my buddies, but no one has been successful."
"Well, your streak ends now." Hoji said, "Let's go!"
"Roger." The team said, then raced out to fight.
"Boring." Braze said, then pulled out a staff and swung it hard at Jasmine and Umeko. Both girls landed on the ground hard as the men attack.
"Fire Fist!" Tetsu called out, and fireballs were fired at Braze. The criminal blocked the fireballs as they came at him. "What?"
Sen and Hoji double-teamed and attacked with their D-Knuckles. They got in a few hits but were pushed away like a pile of empty boxes. The team struggled to their feet.
"Yasu wasn't kidding, he's tough." Umeko said, "and like when we faced the trio before, they attacked me and Jasmine first."
"It's because they are after women." Yasu said, walking up to the team. "They attack women, and kill those between the ages of 25-30, equivalent or exact."
"That's right, each species has a different life span." Sen said.
Yasu stood in front of the team, staring at Braze. "Oh, you again, you pesky bitch." Braze said.
"How many planets does this make for my chase… a dozen, 18?" Yasu wondered aloud, then drew her sword, "I might not have my suit, but I can give you a wound to show Ratz."
"Ha, you've done this countless times and we're scarless." Braze said, pointing a hand at Yasu, "What can you prove differently?"
"D-Sword Lunar." She says, ignoring Braze's comments. Holding the sword in her left hand, she stares him down.
"Bitch." He muttered, then charged forward. The dekas surround the area to make sure he doesn't try to escape. Yasu dances out of the way of his first attack and blocks the next with her sword. Pushing him back, Yasu strikes him with a thrust, he yelps in surprise.
"Bastard." Yasu said calmly, "you're the one who is killing woman who can't get away from your looks, why do you kill them?"
"Because the one who hired us is looking for someone." Braze said, then suddenly vanished. Stumbling forward, Yasu looks around.
"Who are they looking for?" Yasu wondered aloud, putting her sword away.
"We should look into that." Hoji said as the team came over, their transformations canceled.
Yasu nodded, then the group headed back to the dekabase.
The next two days pasted uneventful and information-less. The team met at the hanger bay as a shuttle came in. After landing, Doggie and Swan stepped out, Doggie carrying a case and Swan holding two small bags. The team was happy to see Doggie back.
"Boss!" they called, rushing over to meet up with him. They were happy to see him.
"Hey." He says, somewhat sadly. Looking up to where Yasu stood, he gave her a nod.
"You alright, Boss?" Sen asked.
"I'll be fine." Doggie says, "I'll be fine."
"So you're that infamous guard dog I've heard about?" Yasu asked, walking over.
"Yeah." Doggie said, "and you know a thing or two about the Galaxy Sword Style."
Yasu stopped short, rather surprised. Shaking her head her only smiles. "How could you tell?"
"Not many Dekarangers hold a sword like yours."
Yasu only raised an eyebrow. Doggie lifted up his case and opened it, revealing his D-Sword Vega. Yasu nodded, understanding what he was saying.
Swan was staring at the license on Yasu's belt. From her angle it looked fine, but she knew something was wrong. "Can I look at your license?" Swan asked, handing the two small bags to Jasmine.
"Oh, sure." Yasu said, pulling it out and handing it to her. Swan gave it a look over. "My name is Yasu, chief." She says, directing it to Doggie.
"Yasu, feel free to call me 'Boss' like the team." Kruger said, patting her on the shoulder.
"Doggie, your license." Swan said, holding her hand out.
"Right, you can fix it now that you are where your tools are." Doggie said, pulling out his master license and passing it to Swan.
"Give me an hour and both will be fixed." Swan said, then walked off.