Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the character or else the press conference will become REAL!!
Yes! Prophecy Girl is nearing its end!! I mean, the ending chapter is near. If I can get it up and done in time, that is...
Chapter 8: Answers
In a building on a corner of Shinou City, Reiji hesitated whether to go in or not. After all, he felt responsible for telling Akagi about the crystal's whereabouts in the first place. And Akagi actually felt no mercy to Hikari who helped translate Unown on more than one occasion. Deciding to go in, Reiji pushed open the building door. A couple of door guards stood at either end of the large door that leads to Akagi main office area.
"I'm Reiji, ID 7345. I want to see Akagi," he announced to the guards. Deep down, he felt that his uncle was overly cautious in the security factor. Like, why would they need IDs and identify themselves with a computer before they were allowed access into the archives and other places only accessible to the archaeology team? One of the guards had used a handheld device and identified Reiji before letting him pass. A few of the team members were there and asked him whether he really knew where the crystal was.
"I'm just here to see Akagi oji-san," was his quick reply to get away from them. He stopped outside Akagi's door and knocked, waiting for the occupant to give approval for entering.
"I don't want to see you Reiji. Go home," came Akagi's voice from inside the room. "But, do we really have to kill her for it? She was your translator for some of the phrases you weren't able to read," Reiji said with a hint of anger in his voice. The door opened and Akagi stood by the door, blocking the room from Reiji's view. "Go home Reiji. I'm having an important meeting with a client," said Akagi. Realizing it was pointless to argue as he could make out a silhouette from the frosted glass of the door, Reiji left.
Akagi made sure Reiji was really gone before he shut the door. "That's some nephew you got there, Akagi. Really insists that you don't kill that girl," said the person sitting o the sofa. Akagi went back to his seat behind his desk.
"Sacrifices are necessary in the evolution of the world. Relations he and Shinji have for the girl are useless human emotions. She's only a protector for the crystal," replied Akagi. "But I really must thank you for coming today. It was some challenge trying to get your services."
The slim built, blue haired man smiled slightly. "Must you really talk this way? Do remember I was once part of your team digging for relics," he said.
"But you went back to your assassinating job soon after, Saturn," Akagi said. "Does murdering people thrill you so much? Or was it the challenge of the job?"
The man called Saturn looked up. "I ditched my current offer for you, Akagi. As an old friend who wants my services over a stranger, of course I'll take your offer. So what do you want?"
Akagi smiled a smile that could frighten kids. "It's not such as straightforward as your other clients' plans, Saturn. This time round, I want you to kill someone who is not an intended target."
"Sorry, what?" asked Saturn.
"I have inside information that Shinji cares for the girl deeply. By pretending to target Shinji, the girl will try all ways to prevent that. So your mission is to kill the girl without injuring Shinji," Akagi explained.
Saturn nodded. "I see I see. I get what you mean, but how on earth am I supposed to kill the girl if Shinji was a fake target? Nobody knows about that right?"
Akagi smiled. "That's where I come in. I'll cook up a realistic story about how the Zui ruins sparked the anger of some people who wanted the Zui ruins to be left alone. These people are targeting people of the archaeology team. I'll try to hide the rest of the team, but given Shinji's character, he'll definitely go to school, seeing how Reiji must have told him that I want to get the girl no matter what. By then, the whole school should have already known Shinji's in danger. Make yourself visible to the girl, and make sure they are together before you start aiming. Don't want to give the impression that you are killing the wrong person in the public's eyes do you?"
"Got it boss," Saturn said before picking up his bag which he had carelessly tossed onto the table when he arrived. "Don't forget to tell me when I should start loading up on ammo," he reminded Akagi before leaving.
Kengo trekked slowly to the science block, swinging Hikari's necklace from his fingers. It had definitely been a shock to suddenly find out that Shinji and Hikari had been on good terms instead of usually fighting like what he saw every day. Correction Kengo, not just good terms. Very good terms. Isn't the necklace pendant proof enough? It was obviously customized, Kengo told himself mentally. Finally he reached the science block. It was somewhat deserted as it was only used during exam finals or national science exams. Fantastic, where's west? He thought as he looked left and right for Shinji. I give up. Without a compass, I'm hopeless, he sighed internally as he gazed at the building again. The sun was behind the science block so getting snow-blinded was not much of a problem here. It was nearly three in the afternoon. Wait, the sun? That's it. Nozomi said that we can use the sun if we had directional problems. Let's see. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Ikari must be behind the block, he thought happily to himself before his face fell. Nozomi, where are you? He asked as he made his way through the block. Shinji was standing in the corridor that went straight through the building, facing away from the sun.
"About time you showed up, Kongobara," he said. "Sorry, I'm a direction idiot. I'm hopeless without a compass," Kengo apologized.
"So what you wanna know?" asked Shinji. "Get to the point, don't beat around the bush."
"How long have you and Hikari been together? Why did you hide it from us?" asked Kengo.
"Since 5 years ago. I got to know her during that virus outbreak some years back," Shinji replied. "Say, have you heard of the latest club that's forming in the school?"
Kengo nodded. "I know. The 'Ikari' fanclub or whatever they called it. Those girl members, are you afraid of them?"
"Not really, I'm the club's main source of amusement. It's Hikari I'm worried about. They might harass her or something. When school re-opened after the outbreak, you, Satoshi and Aoishi were still sick. Akada's been carted off to Yosuka where it was temporarily safe. You didn't see what happened then. So it's pointless for me to even tell you," Shinji explained.
"Well, Ikari, this ex-sick patient wants to know," Kengo said firmly.
Shinji shrugged. "Then don't ask me to repeat myself if you don't get it. Somehow Hikari didn't catch the virus. Neither did I. So we were among the few people who turned up in the first week of school. Because none of you were around, you didn't see how depressed she really was. I kinda felt sorry for her so I talked to her. Then I found out that she isn't who she portrays on the outside. Hikari isn't as cheerful as she shows; she was lonely on the inside. Somehow I let slip that I was at Nanajima during the outbreak and she started asking about Tanoby ruins. She was just as interested in olden relics as I was so… yeah, the rest of history. But apparently the current president of the fanclub saw us together before you guys got back and started to ambush Hikari everywhere, just to threaten her to stay away from me without a valid reason. It wasn't until I found out and confronted that girl and told her to leave Hikari alone. I also asked Hikari to act like we were casual friends on the outside if anything else were to happen."
"By 'anything else', do you mean to develop your friendship into a relationship?" Kengo asked smugly. "I didn't say that," Shinji replied angrily but it was obvious, even though the sun was shining on him, Shinji's face was slightly flushed.
"Oh my. Mr. I'm-Your-Untypical-Popular-Guy is afraid to admit that he has a GIRLFRIEND," Kengo teased in a mock awe voice while putting emphasis on the word 'girlfriend'. He found his mouth clamped by Shinji's hand. "Quiet!! The fanclub's base is here!!" Shinji hissed. "You want the whole world to know? Be my guest, but don't blame me for the consequences." Kengo pushed Shinji's hand away.
"Then why call me here in the first place?" Kengo asked.
"I want the president to know that I'm a homo," Shinji replied while hiding a smirk from Kengo's eyes.
"WHAT?! YOU'RE GAY?!" the words exploded out from Kengo like a bomb. Shinji nearly wanted to hit himself out cold for a week. Kengo was really like Hikari in some ways. Being gullible was one of them. But he did not have the heart to tell Kengo that Akada Nozomi never existed.
"Of course not, Kongobara. You think I went out with Hikari for fun?" Shinji asked incredulously. "It's just an impression I want to give the fanclub. Hopefully they get the message. Come on, let's get out of here. It's still minus eight out there and it's snowing. I don't wanna get stuck in school because of a snowstorm with you, of all people available. Besides, at the volume you were shouting at just now, no doubt someone from the fanclub will come down and investigate."
Muttering something about murdering him right there and then, Kengo followed Shinji out of the block.
A/N: Ok, end of chapter 8 and time for Press Conference TWO!!
Me: welcome back to another episode of Press Conference. Today we have Kengo who portrays as Kongobara Kengo in the story.
Kengo: er, thanks, serebii-san.
Me: Ok Kengo, here's your question: how did you manage to act so sad after the last chapter? Do you happen to like Nozomi-san to do that?
Nozomi: serebii-san, that's too personal a question!
Me: Akada Nozomi!! Talking to the writer during broadcasting!! Assistant!!
(a random assistant appears and carts Nozomi away)
Kengo: …
Me: well Kengo? Don't worry; Nozomi will be out in a while.
Kengo: … er…well, actually… I do like Nozomi-san. As a friend if you're thinking along the wrong lines. And...
Me: I get it. Thank you Kengo. Let's see who's up next… Let's spin the wheel to determine the next person. (spins a roulette) And the honour goes to… SATOSHI!!
Satoshi: ano… I don't know what to say…
Me: It's ok; you don't have to say anything.
Satoshi: (to the audience) … help…
Me: ok, now we have Satoshi up here and -
Satoshi: erm, what happened to the 'Masara' part after my name?
Me: Your last name is Masara?
Satoshi: No, Masara is the name of my hometown but -
Me: Then it's fine coz your last name is definitely not Masara. At least not in the English dub. So here's your question: how do you feel having to be around Haruka all the time?
Satoshi: it's great coz Haruka and I don't have a lot of scenes.
Me: are you SURE it's just the lack of spotlight?
Satoshi: Yes.
Me: O-k... I don't seem to have anything else to ask so thanks Satoshi. (Satoshi scuttles off) End. Stay tuned. Bye byeeee
Shinji: Thank goodness I'm not on today's show.
Me: (comes back) Oh, and Shinji? You're the first to go up in the next show. We may pull in someone else as a double conference.
Shinji: (dies)
I kinda lost my supply of crack, so if it's not as good as the first one, I'm sorry. If anybody has crack, please infect me with it. Thank you! Please R&R.