Pre Author's Notes: A few of you pointed out that Blackwater is no longer really a thing. To that I say, this is an entirely different and fictional world. Some things are different, some things are the same. Obviously I can't explain everything in every Author's Notes, or else finding out within the story wouldn't be as appealing. Don't worry, I've researched these things and planned for them in advance. I don't just write things such as that on a whim just for the shock factor of a familiar name. I have my reasons, one of them being that I'm looking at things from a bigger picture...
Gate: In the Company of Shadows
Chapter 11
Foreboding Fiascos
YOJI ITAMI - THIRD RECON JSDF, SHADOW CO.
TOKYO METRO, JAPAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 16:40:33
"You know, I really wish I was made aware of the fact that we were using the bus as a decoy, beforehand."
Itami turned around, finding Graves with his arms crossed against his chest. Though the man looked cool, calm, and collected, the mild annoyance that dripped from his voice was as clear as day.
"And I really wish I was made aware of the fact that you were going to use the Diet as a big advertisement for your company, beforehand." He shot back with an exasperated sigh. "Besides, this was pretty short notice for me as well…"
Graves' lips pursed together into a thin line. "Well at least you're adaptable," He scoffed.
Itami turned his focus back to his group. Instead of the innocent and curious looks that he expected to find on their faces, he instead found fear and unease. Were the reporters really that overwhelming for them? Or was it something else. He pulled out his phone from his messenger bag, the time reading 4:41. He glanced back up, making sure everyone was still fine and that the train would be arriving soon. That's when he noticed… he was getting quite a few stares. The eyes of the other passengers were on him, some with curiosity and others with nervousness.
He felt his throat tighten as he swallowed dryly. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. Even though they were already here, at the station, there still came an inherent risk from being out in the open like this. It didn't matter how much protection one had, they were practically begging to be attacked or kidnapped, especially if they exposed themselves so freely after that previous fiasco of a Diet meeting.
Relax, Itami. It's just some curious eyes, not some desperate reporters, crazed stalkers, or government agents. Thought Itami, trying desperately to distract himself from the growing anxiety within him. Although his body language remained passive, he could feel his face heating up. We have nothing to worry about anyway. Everything is under control and the plan is still working as intended. Just keep calm and act casual…
He took a deep breath, hoping to steady himself enough for the next task at hand. The more nervous people were in crowds, the higher the chance of them accidentally stumbling over someone else's belongings and possibly causing an uproar. Not ideal but, if they can make it through the city before nightfall, there shouldn't be a problem. To help ease his own worries, he decided to keep himself occupied while making some dry small talk.
"Uh… Graves?"
"Hmm?" He responded absentmindedly, still staring straight ahead. "Yes?"
"You have any idea if the rest of your people made it?"
"Don't know, they might not have even received the message. As you said, this was pretty short notice… Why do you ask?"
"It's just… we're getting some looks."
"Yeah?" Graves asked as he turned around. He eyed the Japanese citizens that were going about their evenings. Businessmen returning home from work, young teens going to outings with friends, and tourists visiting or leaving for the holidays. The wide range of people all shared one thing in common. Discreet glances at their entire group. "We're pretty public figures, being guarded by an entourage of armed contractors, in the middle of a busy metro station, Itami. It's a pretty unusual sight to see in Japan."
Oh yeah… forgot I was sorta famous here… "I guess we are pretty out of place, aren't we?"
"Let them look, Lieutenant. We both know Japan is a mostly polite society. They'll hold their tongues so as to not say anything rude, make a scene, or cause any altercations."
"I think I'd prefer getting told off instead of the silent and judging stares." He laughed nervously. "This just makes me feel like some sort of display exhibit at a surreal art museum."
"Comes with the territory." Graves shrugged. "You'll get used to it. This is nothing compared to our other clients. Just stay focused on what's happening right now and keep your head on a swivel." He reassured.
Itami looked away awkwardly as the conversation died down. Moments later, the sound of their train could be heard grinding to a halt in front of them, accompanied by the chime of the overhead public announcement system. "Please stand back, the barrier doors will open once the train has come to a complete stop, allowing passengers to embark."
Just like the friendly, albeit, monotone female voice said, the train finally stopped moving, and the safety doors opened up to allow access. Passengers on board funneled out at their stop, going about their day.
"The train on track three is inbound for Ikebukuro."
"This is it, people. Let's go!"
"A-Are we really getting on this?" Rory asked nervously.
"Yep, no time like the present," Graves responded, walking off without bothering to wait for any of them to follow, the rest of his contractors falling into step beside him. "You're going to get left behind if you don't get on."
"Graves is right Rory, what's wrong?" Itami asked in confusion as he looked down at her. He could clearly see her petite form shaking in fright as she clutched her halberd close, an unusual sight, considering that she was a highly effective and murderous demigoddess. She inched nervously towards the open train, unsure if she was making the right choice.
Graves rolled his eyes nearby, "Ugh - we don't got time for this Rory, come on!" He reached a hand out, snatching Rory by the arm and pulling her in. Just in time too, as moments later, the doors closed right behind her.
Itami sighed in relief. Graves comin' in clutch... I don't think I could handle the ass chewing I'd receive if the higher ups learned I just left a VIP behind like that. Not that he was worried that anything would happen to her specifically. He was just worried about what would happened to others around, should they provoke her.
As the train began moving again, Graves let go of her, causing her to nearly lose her footing.
"Ah! - Itami, we're moving!"
"Relax, just hold on to the handles or sit down, it's much safer that way."
As they stood on the train, Itami sensed that the looks he was receiving outside of the train, were now just as prevalent inside. Thankfully, most were too distracted with their devices to look up and notice the out of place cluster of people... but that didn't stop some of the more observant ones unfortunately, and the hushed whispers began to circulate the masses once more.
Ah, geez... why did I think we'd be out of the public eye on a damn train?!
Itami nearly jumped in surprise as a familiar voice interrupted his internal musings.
"Lieutenant!"
Turning around, he came face to face with his subordinates Tomita and Kuribayashi, along with their otherworld VIPs in tow. The contractors looked indifferent, if not slightly annoyed, while Bozes and the princess looked in awe at the train car moving underground.
"Oh, hey!" He called out in genuine happiness. "Good to see you all here. I was almost worried you wouldn't make it."
"We nearly didn't," He responded evenly. "We were all surprised when we were told to get on the train at Yotsuya. Got lucky back there."
"Yeah, woulda' been nice to have known that the bus was a decoy, asshole!" The Spanish man glared at Itami with a frown.
"Cool it there, Angel." Graves waved him down, coming to Itami's aid. "I'm sure Itami's plan is working as intended. Or - his superiors plan anyway."
"Plans usually work when everyone is in on it, yeah? Isn't it his job to ensure that we're in the know?" He turned to look at Itami, "Cabrón..." He muttered.
Technically my only job is to watch over our group and make sure we reach our destination safely... Itami felt like he should have said that in response, but to be honest, he didn't really want to expend the energy. No doubt he'd be talking to a brick wall. Also, does he really still hold a grudge against me for Italica? It wasn't even really my fault!
"Just try not to cause a scene, okay?"
"With all due respect, sir, You caused quite the scene yourself." Vale said, stepping forward. "Your face was on every public news broadcasting station and your name came up constantly."
"Ah, did they get my good side?" Graves joked.
"Certainly sir, but uh... the looks our boys have gotten have... worsened, for lack of a better word. Are you sure that little publicity stunt of yours was the right call?"
"Any publicity is good publicity, Vale. You've got to look at these sorts of things from a prospective business angle." At his unsure look, Graves put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I promise, we'll come out of this situation with all of our limbs intact and our banking accounts slightly bigger. Just bear with me for a little while longer, then once we're out of Japan, drinks are on me. That sounds good to me, right?" He turned to look at the rest of his contractors. "That sound good y'all?"
"Yup, yup!"
"Yup, yup?" Itami asked. "Why not just, yes sir? Yup, yup sounds like dogs barking."
"Do you really need to ask, Itami?" Kuribayashi scoffed in a low whisper as she stepped next to him. "They are barking dogs, obedient ones with tight collars and short leashes around their necks."
A weird image popped into Itami's head, one that he quickly shook out before giving her the side eye. "Might want to keep your fantasies separate from reality there, Kuribayashi... I don't think they're into that sort of thing."
The sergeant looked up at him weirdly before a massive red blush painted her face. "What?! No!" She shouted angrily as she roughly punched him in the arm. "I mean that he keeps them in line with dopamine releases, which they get every time they see a digital number go up in their bank accounts."
"Well yeah... it's a PMC. Wire transfers are sort of how they function... Can you really blame 'em?"
"Wha- can I really blame the shady private military company for being greedy?" She asked incredulously. "Yes Lieutenant, yes I can! I joined the JSDF to climb the ranks and prove myself capable. You joined the JSDF to pay for your stupid manga hobbies! They joined a PMC like a bunch of excited puppies looking to wreak some chaos. Should I expect to see you in a black uniform anytime soon just so you can fantasize about anime girls all day?"
"No way! Geez, I'm not always some desperate and pathetic Otaku."
"Really?" She asked with a deadpan expression. "Your behavior says otherwise..."
He rolled his eyes at her insults. "Well, I don't think now is the best time to be having discussion of motives and morality. What matters is that we're all back together again, and that makes my job a whole lot more easier. Everything's all good now."
"Sure, maybe for you," She said, before glancing back at their Special Region guests. "But these two have been jumpy ever since the Marunouchi line started running underground. They kept asking about whether or not they were being dragged into the underworld."
"To be fair, it's their first time on the subway. The Special Region doesn't have any underground transportation as far as we're aware. They had no idea what to expect when they crossed the gate."
As the train quietly rumbled towards the next stop, the car hit a sudden bump, shaking and startling their VIPs. The blond knight, Bozes, if he recalled correctly closed her eyes and reached for the closest thing she could hold onto to stabilize herself. That thing being one of Graves' contractors.
"Oh... my apologies. I didn't mean for-"
"Don't worry about it, Ms. Palesti," The man cut her off with a look of amusement before shifting to awkwardness as he seemed to recall something. "But we should probably have you sitting down if we want to avoid any more accidents."
"Y-Yes, that is a good idea."
Itami watched as the man carefully guided her to a seat nearby, making sure she didn't trip along the way. He really didn't understand Kuribayashi's concerns. He seemed like a decent guy, his face showed no sign of deceit or dishonesty. If anything, he looked genuinely concerned for the blonde knight. It wasn't that rare of a sight for someone to be friendly with another. Contractor or not, they were still human...
We're all stuck on this rock together, why bother hating each other for it?
She took a moment to catch her breath as she steadied herself, before looking up and meeting the man's gaze with a curious stare. "Thank you."
The contractor returned the gesture with a sheepish smile. "No thanks necessary, Ms. Palesti."
"No," Bozes shook her head as she waved off his modesty. "You didn't have to help me to my seat, but you did anyway... So, thank you."
"Well then in that case, you're welcome..."
Itami's attention was turned away from the scene as Rory practically stumbled into him. Looking down, he could see that she had her eyes shut tightly as she gripped his arm in fear. "Woah! Rory, are you okay?" He asked in gentle concern "What's the matter? You've been like this ever since we stepped foot in the station."
Rory looked up at him slowly, her eyes were wide and full of terror. "N-No, it's just... the underground reaches are Hardy's domain!" She shuddered, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Uh-huh..." Itami nodded dumbly at her, pretending as if he understood before deciding to ask anyway. "And... who exactly is this Hardy? They another one of your worlds gods?"
"She's not simply just another god," She said hesitantly, looking down at the ground. "She's the goddess of the underworld! She has been proposing to me for over two hundred years! Two hundred years, Itami! Again, and again, and again! You'd think a girl would get the message after the first month, but no! She's been insistent for so long, despite my answer always being the same! She is crazy bad news! To be in the underworld like this, there's no telling how close she may already be! She could be watching for all we know!" She whispered finally as she glanced around the train car.
Itami stared down at her weirdly as she finished her mini rant. "Okay... so then why are you getting so close to me?"
"Hardy repellent," She answered simply. "She absolutely despises men. Doesn't play that side, if you get what I mean."
"And you don't?"
"Not with someone like her!" She hissed out. "Did you know she showed me her soul collection two hundred years ago? A soul collection! Who uses that to win someone over?!"
"No offense Rory, but that sounds to me like something that you'd honestly enjoy... what with your character and all."
She frowned at him. "Itami, I may be an apostle of darkness, war, violence, and death, but being surrounded by unmoving souls all day in the underworld is not romantic or interesting in the slightest... A girls gotta stretch her legs, swing a halberd, kill some people!"
Wow, this scenario really is like something straight out of a manga... He thought to himself in amusement. Glad she's more tsundere than she is yandere though...
Itami looked up, noticing that some of the other passengers were looking at them both weirdly. Any one would if they were sat nearby, listening to Rory ramble on about how she wanted to kill and to spread some general chaos around. His eyes met an older gentlemen's, who gave a slow shake of the head before turning back to the book in his hands.
He inwardly cringed. No doubt I look like some sort of shady talent agency staff with this out of place trio... these girls are gonna be the death of me...
"Now arriving at Kasumigaseki station. Kasumigaseki station. Please take care when getting on and off from the train."
They jostled in place a bit from the stop, managing to stay up via the handles above. When the doors hissed open, Itami looked up to find a familiar beige trench coat. The man wearing it smiled politely at the group from the waiting platform.
"Hello there!"
General Ken- He thought, before mentally berating himself. Damnit Itami, now isn't the time for cheesy pop culture references!
"Komakado?" Itami asked in surprise. "How did you...? Never mind, probably just your Public Security intel."
"Right you are again, Itami." He chuckled as he stepped onto the train.
"What are you doing here anyway, Komakado?" He asked, eyeing the government man. He was acting way to casual for any sort of chance encounter. "I doubt that this is coincidence or that you simply wished to see us off with well wishes."
"I'm here to tell you that we're speeding up the schedule. You'll be taking your group straight to Hakone from here on out. We'll stay on this line until we get to Tokyo."
"Hakone? The hot springs?" One of the contractors asked from nearby. A fellow Japanese man, judging by his facial features. "What the hell are we going to a onsen resort for?"
"He brings up a good point, shouldn't we be going back to the Special Region right now? Our business here has already been concluded." Princess Pina asked.
"I'm kind of in charge of watching over the entirety of the group." Itami said easily. "The gate leads back into a Japanese military base. It would be much simpler to have foreign dignitaries all go back to to the Special Region at the same time, for convenience sake."
Komakado nodded in agreement. "Plus, the bus was a decoy, as I'm sure you've found out already. Our escort vehicles were suddenly cut off by pursuers with an interest in our VIPs, as we predicted from our plan. As expected, the moles were unaware that we had changed our transportation methods, allowing us to narrow down the number of suspected leakers to two persons."
"Will these moles of yours be a potential problem?" Graves asked slowly, interacting with him for the first time. "I trust your people are professional enough to handle this. If not? Then my people will be getting involved, and none of us here would want that, am I right?"
Komakado's eyes widened imperceptibly, clearly caught off guard by his words, but he quickly recovered his composure as he acknowledged him. "Now now, there's no need for anything hasty here, commander. They're no doubt caught on a perfect honey trap, lapping up all that sweet, sweet, false nectar. They're no longer a problem, as we can let them run themselves ragged trying to figure out our next move." He said confidently.
"As I hope." Graves replied curtly, returning to survey the train car. "You don't suspect it to be any of us now, do you?"
"Oh no!" Komakado glanced over at the otherworlders as they looked out the windows, watching as the concrete tunnel zoomed by in a blur. "I don't think they have spies that young nor would your people be able to contact anyone you don't know so soon in an entirely different world. Not that I'm implying you would..."
I wonder if he saw what happened during that crazy Diet meeting...
"Itami!" Rory whined out as she desperately clung to his arm. "We need to get out of here! I can't take it anymore, I need some air!" She was breathing heavily, her eyes darting around wildly in search of anything resembling freedom or sanity from the claustrophobic underground.
"Just give it a bit, Rory." He said in an attempt to calm her down. He looked up, finding that his team and Graves' men were now looking at them both as well. "Ah geez... We'll get off at the next stop, okay? Can you wait until then?"
She blinked up at him in response, before burying her face into his coat.
"I hate this place..." She mumbled sheepishly. "It's cramped and restrictive, how could anybody travel under these conditions?" She continued muttering under her breath.
He patted her shoulder awkwardly as he contemplated his next moves. Obviously, the plan his superiors put in place was to stay onboard the subway until they reached their destination, but with the way Rory was fidgeting, it was doubtful that they'd make it without stirring up a scene. The alternative choice was walking to the next station, obviously drawing some eyes out in the open, but it'd be unpredictable to any would be pursuers. It was going to be a bit risky if he went through with it, but it was even riskier to have a panicked and claustrophobic demigoddess trapped in a subway car full of people.
"Now arriving at, Ginza." The PA system said. "Transfers to the Hibiya line and Ginza line are both available at this next stop. The train on track four is inbound for, Ikebukuro."
Itami watched as the doors slid open, allowing Rory to immediately dart ahead of him without any warning. Several people waiting to get on backed up in surprise, nearly getting barreled over by the weirdly dressed gothic lolita. A small commotion could be heard rising as people looked up from their phones and got a good look at her.
"Who's that? A cosplayer?"
"No dude, it's that Rory girl from the Diet."
"The demigoddess from the Special Region?"
"Welp, I guess this is where we're getting off folks!" He called out.
Graves shrugged his shoulders, going along with the flow as everyone else followed without question.
"Wait, what?! Itami!" Komakado called out as he struggled to squeeze past other passengers. The group nearly made it to the exit turnstiles before he finally managed to catch up, putting a hand on his shoulder and stopping him. "There's a strict plan in place that we have to follow! Our analysts are accounting for every possible variable according to said plan! We can not divert from that just because one of the VIPs is slightly uncomfortable!"
"Walking to the next station isn't going to ruin it. We're just shaking things up." He said. "I doubt the higher ups were predicting for us to divert from the Marunouchi line, and that means our pursuers won't have predicted that either."
Komakado shook his head with a frown. "Your orders aren't to shake things up! They're to-"
"Attention Tokyo metro passengers, the Marunouchi line is currently out of service due to a faulty overhead wiring accident between the Ginza and Tokyo stations. Service will resume as soon as the issue has been resolved. We are terribly sorry about this inconvenience."
Komakado looked up in disbelief, before the hand on Itami's shoulder slid off, hanging limply by his side. "Oh..."
-O-
After walking out of the train station, Rory stopped and took a few deep lungfuls of the fresh breeze, moaning as she gave a large stretch of her body.
"Ah... the air isn't all that fresh, but it's ten thousand times better than underground." Rory said out loud as she stretched out again. After a moment, Rory pulled back up again, this time standing on tiptoes. "Ah! How I love tall buildings!" she exclaimed happily to herself. Turning around, she stared at the massive glass skyscrapers in front of her, before turning back towards the street, facing away from the building and to the crowd of people minding their own business. The sun had descended past the horizon, painting the sky blue. She'd gaze at the stars but the light pollution of the advertising street signs was really blotting out most of it.
Rory let her eyes travel from the storefronts that lined the sidewalk to the windows, noticing how each window displayed different kinds of jewelry. Most were expensive items, made from various and unique gemstones, such as emeralds, diamonds and sapphires. However, there were several small shops, each having different styles of jewelry and accessories. A few stores were selling books and CDs, while some had sections devoted to things like electronics, including phones, gaming consoles, televisions and the like. Not that she entirely knew what they were or what their functions were. A lot of the stores seemed to be advertising some sort of event as well, such as holidays, concerts, or special occasions.
Rory sighed contentedly as she admired her surroundings.
"This place really is beautiful... how can anyone not be attracted to Japan?" Rory asked herself.
"Japan is a tourist country, Rory." Graves said dryly from nearby. "A decent amount of their income comes from awed sightseers such as yourself."
"And there's nothing wrong with being awed by Japanese culture..." She retorted. "One can only roam so much of the Special Region before seeing all that it has to offer."
"Sure..." He responded, absent mindedly as he watched the surrounding crowds.
"I'll admit, I'm surprised." Komakado said, getting Itami's attention once more. "I wasn't expecting that to happen. They must have more people ready to go for these sorts of things..."
"Stopping the subway?" He asked. "I didn't even know they could do that. But why though?"
"Probably to serve as a warning and a show of their capabilities. They want to send a message that we're not safe anywhere, and that they're not to be trifled with." He said, before turning to smile at him. "Though, I don't think they could have predicted your... well, unpredictability."
"I guess it sorta works out in the end, huh?"
"Though I wouldn't go so far as to agree with that statement, I won't deny that all of their efforts have indeed ended in failure so far." He looked around suddenly, eyeing any pedestrians around them. "They'll have to be more direct at this point. I suspect that they've been pushing us into a trap with all of these inconveniences."
"AH - Hey, excuse me, mister!"
The sounds of a small commotion could be heard nearby, interrupting their conversation. They both turned to find Rory complaining to a suspicious man in a hoodie, who was currently lying on the ground, trapped under her halberd. One of the contractors could be seen kneeling down on the mans back with a hand on the scruff of his neck and the front barrel of his pistol firmly planted against his head. He was currently squirming under him with one hand in the air while the other clutched a broken and bleeding nose.
"Oi, bit of a dodgy idea to be robbin' folk surrounded by professional operators, innit mate? I'm not sure where you think you are, but this ain't Brazil!"
"Bristol, please stop running your mouth..."
"Fuck you!" The man yelled out in English from beneath him. "Ah, I think you broke my fuckin' nose God damnit!"
"Be happy we didn't break more, asshole. That could still change though..."
"Direct, but certainly not bright." Komakado commented.
"What was he even hoping to accomplish?" Itami asked.
"I'm guessing he wanted to lure our VIPs into a chase so they could corner them in a trap away from us." Graves said, before kneeling down next to the struggling man. He pulled the shades off his face before yanking the hood and beanie off. He grabbed a hold of his chin as he stared him down. "Alright, listen up here partner, cause I'm only gonna say this once. If you really are here to rob us, don't. You clearly just fucked up, and nothin' puts me in a more bad mood than a royal fuck up, which is exactly what you are. We could have forgotten about this whole ordeal and gone our separate ways while you rethink your life choices. But since you and I both know you're not some two-bit, snatch and grab thief, why don't you tell me what what I need to know in order to get your people off of my people's back, hmm?" He smirked menacingly.
The man looked up at the group of contractors surrounding him, all wearing plate carriers and armed with guns of varying calibers. A few stood slightly behind Graves, looking down at him while others kept a lookout. The man grunted back at him with a defiant stare before doing his best to spit at him. The glob of saliva didn't really reach its intended target but the message conveyed was still the same.
Graves let out an exasperated huff, before standing back up straight. "Well... I tried diplomacy. Vale!"
One of the contractors behind him spoke up. "Yes sir?"
"Help put our new friend into a peaceful slumber."
"Severance package?" He asked in confusion with a slight undertone of concern.
Severance package? Itami mused quietly to himself. What the heck are they talking about?
Graves looked up, before clicking his tongue in disappointment. "Not here, Vale. Too many eyes."
Itami followed Graves vision, before realizing that the quick scuffle had gathered quite the crowd. Onlookers were currently whispering to each other as phones recorded the scene in front of them.
Damn, how the hell do we get out of this mess?
He had been trying to keep a low profile since meeting the contractors. Most were friendly enough, if a little rough around the edges, and this little encounter cemented that fact further. Which is why it was both surprising and unsurprising just how brutal these men could actually be when that mask for the public eye slipped a little. After several seconds of watching helplessly, he finally had to step in when Vale, as he was now identified, decided it'd be a good idea to stomp the mans face into the cement below. Itami winced as the man immediately went unconscious and the blood leaking from his nose flowed freely, no longer blocked by a hand.
"Geez! Graves, I think that's enough!"
The commander rolled his eyes at him. "Relax Itami, I ain't killin' the man in front of a public audience."
Though he didn't outright say it, he clearly meant that he would have, had they not been under public scrutiny.
"Well I have to say Itami, these contractors you're with are quite the hammers. A far cry from the scalpels of Public Security that I'm so used to working with."
"You don't say..." Itami sighed as he watched Rory pick up her halberd, twirling it around as she found her familiar grip again.
Komakado pulled a phone out of his pocket before dialing a number. "Listen, I'll stay here and watch over our new guest until some of my bureau partners can get here. We'll roll him up for a little talking to while you get to our fallback, Ichigaya hotel. And please, stick to the plan this time, Itami..."
"Uh... I'll try." He said, glancing down at the unconscious thief. "Is he gonna be okay?"
"That depends entirely on how compliant he is and what he says." Komakado said before turning away from him and speaking into the phone. "Komakado here, we've got a suspicious trouble maker at Ginza station, definitely a foreign tourist. Need a vehicle here, now."
"Hey!" The Japanese contractor from earlier called out nearby, drawing their attention. "You seriously expect us to walk all the way to Ichigaya hotel like this? That's at least a fifty minute walk and we're armed to the teeth here! I don't wanna deal with any blue uniforms on the way over!"
Komakado looked down in contemplation.
"No... I suppose that would be unnecessarily risky... Okay." He turned to the phone again. "And get the convoy vehicles ready, our guests need to get to the backup location. Tourists shut down the Marunouchi line."
After several minutes of waiting, a van escorted by a convoy of blacked out SUVs came by. The SUVs looked to be suburbans, large enough to fit about seven people if packed in tightly, though the vehicles were obviously highly modified for non suburban use. The drivers all stepped out of the SUVs, moving to the still unconscious man on the ground before picking him up and moving him to the van.
"Well would you look at that Graves, looks like Yanagida came through and actually got you that convoy you wanted." He joked, gently elbowing him.
"We won't have to worry about being pulled over, will we?" Graves asked Komakado, ignoring Itami's lightheartedness. "I doubt the rest of us have a valid Japanese driver license."
Komakado shook his head. "Local authorities have been told to assist in clearing the roads. All they know is that an important convoy is making its way through the city, not the destination. Leaves any would be leakers with some possibly inaccurate intel."
"Let's hope so..." Graves whistled, getting everyone's attention. "Itami, you lead the convoy with your people and VIPs. Princess, you're riding with me and Carnival, Bozes, you're with Bishop squad, and Sentinel gets their own vehicle. Come on people, let's get a move on!"
PRINCESS PINA CO LADA - THIRD RECON JSDF, SHADOW CO.
TOKYO, JAPAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 17:05:26
Princess Pina was... well, to put it bluntly, she was tired.
The appearance of the gates was not as surprising as she expected, but what did surprise her were the people that came from said gates. Ever since she was introduced to the man who called himself Commander Graves, her entire world view was flipped completely upside down. Her firm belief, that the Saderan Empire would never be succeeded, at least in her lifetime, was absolutely shattered the moment she saw the sort of destruction that these people were capable of. The men in black and the men in green, who she has now come to know as Shadow Company and the Japanese Self Defense Force respectively. Despite both of these powers having similar strengths that scared her, it was really Shadow Company that made her more uneasy. Graves had ambitions, that she was sure of, but what exactly they were, she had no idea. A man with ambitions and the resources to fulfill said ambitions was always going to be extremely dangerous.
At least with the JSDF and Itami, they were doing their best to be accommodating and friendly, oftentimes being clearly genuine in their intentions. That still didn't make her completely trust them though...
She had heard the stories, the rumors, the tales. Word passed down the grapevine that the JSDF managed to fend off a flame dragon, impressive and somewhat scary. She also heard that the JSDF demolished nearly all of the vassal state armies sent to fight them at the gates.
Impressive... and somewhat scary... Just like how Graves managed to convince her to come along and cross the gate into an entirely different world.
When she was packing and preparing to meet their officials, she often kept wondering how different they truly were. After all, it was a different culture, a different society, and a different time. Different and new were the words that seemed to pop up in her head the most, especially after meeting the foreign affair bureaucrats. Her initial impression had been positive, although there were a few glaring flaws in her previous knowledge regarding them. After all, no one really knew what the other governments of the area looked like. The people of Japan were indeed quite different...
'Lastly, regarding the treatment of war prisoners. We are currently holding officers and soldiers from your country, approximately three thousand detained.'
'Oh my...'
'Indeed, it's a bit of a smaller number than we were expecting, but we're prepared to start sending some of them back to you. Feel free to offer a list of priorities.'
'What exactly will that cost us?'
'Nothing of course. We don't adhere to the practice of holding other people's countrymen hostage. Those ways are old and barbaric, and would no longer be acceptable today. However... we might end up asking for a few concessions.'
different culture, different society, different time...
She was given permission to look through the list of prisoners the JSDF held captive. Senators and nobles that were held hostage could be free if she so chose, and those that were returned would owe favors to her, favors which she would use to help the Empire... by helping the otherworlders. That was the condition of the deal. Their act of goodwill didn't come for free obviously. Such was the cost of war, which she was trying to prevent the Empire from falling into the moment she agreed to cross into Japan. What she was doing was for the greater good!
At least, that's what she kept telling herself as she sat in the back of a horseless carriage they called a car, surrounded by professional killers and squished in between two of them...
The interior was silent, save for the disembodied voices coming from the glowing screen up front. At least there was heating inside. She cleared her throat, abruptly cutting through the silence which sounded like a funeral procession.
"What's with the silence?" She asked. "Shouldn't we be using this opportunity to discuss what happens next?"
"I'd watch what you say, princess." One of the men next to her said. "There's no doubt that this vehicles bugged to shit."
"Bugged...? What do you mean by that?"
"Means they're listening in on us, hearing what we say..." Graves spoke up from the front passenger seat.
She looked at him in confusion. "How would such a thing even be possible, and how can you be so sure?"
He glanced back at her. "Wires, comms, remnants of cold war era spy tech, whatever - they're listening in remotely no doubt. They wouldn't trust people like us unattended and they'll want any piece of info that they can get their hands on."
None of those words made any sense to her, so she just assumed it was just another technology gap. "Are you sure you're not just being paranoid? I mean, what would they even do if they acquired such info?"
"Leak it to the press or blackmail us." He shrugged, answering her without looking back. "That's what I would do... and plugging a leak in another world is not an easy cakewalk."
These otherworld sayings were still really confusing to her. "Cakewalk?"
He glanced over at her for a moment before turning back to the windshield. "Absurdly or surprisingly easy task, which leak plugging never really is. Better to be safe than sorry for these sorts of things."
"You talk as if you know what your doing. You've obviously dealt with something like this before, haven't you?" It was less of a question and more of a statement.
Graves gave a quick nod. "A few times... We're all experts in some form of infiltration, even if it's not something you could really call a career. This isn't exactly normal business though..." He clicked his tongue. "Still, we had important business to conduct and that's mostly out of the way now."
"I see..."
"We should reach our next stop shortly," he murmured softly. She heard no real urgency in his tone; he'd seemed pretty relaxed so far, even after the attempted act of thievery on Rory, so there was really no point in worrying. Surrounded by people like them, there was no reason why any of them would need to be anxious about anything happening during their travels.
And yet, she constantly felt like she was getting ready for something. Like a storm was brewing just around the corner... but nothing had come so far. No major signs of danger or conflict. Something had been triggered by their presence, she just knew it. But where? What would happen when they reached their last stop? Why had they decided to stop at a fallback location instead of somewhere further away? She shouldn't have had these feelings on a diplomatic mission in the first place. Not that it mattered right now, they were on the move and it was unlikely anyone was going to attack them while surrounded by people like Shadow Company.
Her thoughts drifted off again. She was used to thinking about something else during these types of travel, but it was still difficult not to focus on them every once and awhile. Maybe it was the lack of sleep. Maybe it was because she kept having dreams about everything that could go wrong today. Or maybe it was because of the stress of trying to save the Empire from making a big mistake.
She shook herself, trying to push those thoughts out of her mind. Things wouldn't just get magically better in just one night. There was no point in stressing about it. The carriage slowed to a halt moments later, much like the rest of the convoy, as they arrived outside of what was presumably Ichigaya hotel. She watched as Graves and his men stepped out of the carriage in sync, looking around and making sure that the area was safe for her.
One of the men looked back at her, "C'mon miss, we're clear here."
She hastily stepped out, nearly tripping over her diplomat dress from how quickly she moved. Graves caught her by the arm before her face could kiss the ground.
"Relax princess, I get that you're tuckered out but just hold on for a little while longer. we're already here at the hotel."
She looked back up to the front, eyeing more men in suits which all looked slightly nervous as they stood near the open glass front.
Graves must have misunderstood her look as he helped her get back on her feet. "I know, no door holders so it's not exactly the luxury that you and I are used to, but at least they've got valets."
"Valets?" She shook her head. "No... this - this will do just fine. If it's alright with you Graves, I would like to lie down as soon as possible. This day has been..." She trailed off, unsure of what word to use.
"Eventful?" He finished for her.
"Yes, eventful..."
The main doors to the hotel opened up, and out stepped an older gentleman who looked quite put off by their presence.
"Welcome, honored guests!" He exclaimed with a small bow.
Itami stepped next to them, watching as the man theatrically welcomed them. "Thank you, Mr...?"
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Koizumi Hiroshi, head of the Ichigaya hotel staff! If you'll please follow me. There will be a receptionist and manager waiting for you in here." He turned sharply on his heel as he began ushering them inside.
The group followed the man inside and immediately, Princess Pina was impressed once more. The interior of the hotel was dimly lit, the orange light bouncing off of the immaculately polished, marble white floors which she could see her reflection in. Flower pots filled with perfect roses decorated the corners of the room along with well kept furniture that some guests were quietly sitting on. A sleek and dark wooden desk had a woman behind it and another man in front. They had their hands clasped together in front of them as they turned to them, giving them a small smile before bowing.
"Greetings, due to the size of your party, we've gone ahead and reserved the entirety of the first floor of suite sized rooms in the East wing." She gestured towards the multitude of thin cards laid out in front of her.
What were these for?
"Thank you kindly." Itami said as he swiped up one of them.
Graves picked up one of the cards before turning around. "Alright Shadows, I want each team to a room! Our VIPs get their own between ours! We'll be-"
As Graves was commanding his men, Pina looked to the side. Most of the other people in the lobby were quietly minding their own business, but one person in particular stood out. A blonde man in a clean cut suit approached them with a creepy smile on his face. A tattoo could be seen peeking from underneath the collar of his shirt and under the sleeve, accompanied by a shiny wrist clock.
That feeling of a brewing storm came back, and she found herself tugging on the sleeve of Graves' shirt in order to get his attention.
"Make sure - huh?" He glanced down, confusion evident on his face. "What's wrong, princess?"
She gulped before pointing towards the approaching man. His eyes followed her finger before settling on the man who now came to a stop as his men held up a palm. A single brow rose on his face as he switched from looking between the two.
"Can I help you?" Graves asked. "As you can see, we're kinda' in the middle of checkin' in. You're gonna have to wait-"
"No Commander Graves, I think it is I, who can help you..."
"Ah, so you know who I am." Graves said, stepping forward as he waved down his soldier.
"The whole world does at this point," The man said with a small laugh. "I'm here to make a proposition to you, on behalf of my employer who shall not be named. Just to be clear, I am not involved here. Just an innocent bystander doing an innocent favor, and this is not an offer of employment, so much as it is an opportunity for your company to grow and to expand and to... well... anyway, we're getting a bit technical here-"
"Get to the point." Graves said sternly, clearly not in the mood to keep listening to the man rant on.
The man paused his ramblings before smiling at Graves. "Woah, quick and no nonsense. I can already tell I'm gonna like you!"
A silent unamused look crossed Graves' face.
"Right..." The man coughed before clapping his hands together. "My employer, who shall not be named, wants to contract your Shadow Company to allow their people within the Special Region."
Graves glanced over at Itami. "I'm not sure if you remember, but if you want access to the Special Region on this side, you've got to take that up with Japanese lawmakers. This ain't my world. I have no say in these matters unless it's my territory."
"Ah, but that didn't stop you from practically spitting in Ambassador Greenhill's face, did it?"
"What I just told you is basically what I told him. I have territory in the Special Region. He clearly wanted to push his weight around just to plant agents under the guise of blue helmets to oversee my operations. I imagine Uncle Sam would have been more than happy to offer him payment as a reward for accomplishing such a thing."
"Well then it's a good thing that Uncle Sam came to you first, right?"
"No. Let me say it again, since it clearly wasn't obvious enough the first time around. I will not be accepting deals for more boots on Special Region soil. Not Chinese, not Russian, and not even the United States. End of story."
The man in front of them frowned for the first time. "Are you sure this is the best direction to go for your company? This is the only option for us, commander. We can't just sign a contract to funnel precious resources through due to Japan being in control of what comes in and out. I can't help but feel that you're making a grave mistake, pun intended, and losing out on a great business opportunity."
"That's my call to make, and frankly, I know what's best for my company more than you do, seeing as I'm the founding CEO and acting commander of it."
The man stared at Graves for a few seconds, expression unreadable. "Okay... I see how it is. If that's the way you wanna go about things, then by all means, go down that route. At least you've got integrity, I can respect that about you..." He said ominously, before stepping away and walking towards the exit.
"Wait!" Princess Pina called out. "Who are you?!"
"Forget it princess, he's never gonna tell us who he was in the first place. He was just a messenger."
Pina and Graves watched as the mystery man walked out without pause, before disappearing out of sight and into the city night. Graves groaned in frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "ugh... God damnit Itami, I thought that bureau guy of yours said the leakers would have bad intel!"
"He said possibly, not that it was a guarantee." Itami looked to be similarly frustrated. "At least it can't get any worse than this..."
Just as he finished saying that sentence, a loud blaring sound broke through the relative silence.
"What is that sound?!" Tuka asked in fright.
"That would be the fire alarm!" Exclaimed the receptionist. "Please leave the building everyone!"
Fire alarm? Pina thought to herself. As the entire group exited the building she could hear the staff gasping as they covered their mouths. She turned around, before finding smoke billowing out of several of the windows, presumably from the rooms where they would have been staying.
"Wha- how did this happen?" Pina asked aloud as several other guests could be seen rushing past.
"I have no idea..." Answered the receptionist sadly. "But there's nothing we can do about it except wait for the fire department to arrive..."
"Oh come on, give us a break already!" Sergeant Kuribayashi shouted as she angrily stomped a foot into the ground. "Why has our luck been so shitty recently?!"
"This isn't good, Itami..." Graves muttered as he looked up at the flames. "Our fallback location was leaked and we've got nowhere else to go right now."
"I know..." Itami replied. "I guess I can just call Komakado and-"
"No! Komakado was the one that pointed us in this direction, and look where that got us! I was approached by a dirty fuckin' lobbyist and the hotel we were supposed to be staying in is currently burning because I denied him! We need someplace else to lay low that no one else would know about, including your Public Security friends. Actually, especially your Public Security friends."
Itami looked down in contemplation, then back up with a determined look on his face. "You're right, you're right. There's gotta be somewhere safe here for all of us... and I have just the place in mind..."
More moving?!
"It's not an excuse for you to attend one of your nerd conventions, is it?" Kuribayashi asked in a monotone voice. "Or a maid café...! I swear if we end up in front of a maid café..."
[REDACTED] VALE [REDACTED] - SHADOW CO, THIRD RECON JSDF
APARTMENT BLOCKS, TOKYO, JAPAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 17:39:06
The vehicles were parked as discreetly as possible in a nearby alleyway and the group was now walking through the mostly empty streets of the less taken paths. The usual Japanese city night life that he had come to expect wasn't as active in this part of the city. Mostly because Itami was leading the group through what seemed to be an apartment neighborhood, and those that were awake were usually inside at this point. There was the odd person on the balcony or porch with the odd stray cat every now and then. To be honest, it was bringing back memories of Afghanistan patrols, except there was far less fear of snipers, IEDs, or ambushes and he wasn't cooking directly underneath the sun that melted the bodies the company left behind in blown up technicals over there. Safe to say, he'd take a quiet Japanese neighborhood over baking in a humid desert filled to the brim with bloodthirsty insurgents any day of the week...
Vale leaned over, asking Itami a question to break the silence. "So... where exactly are we going, Itami? You still haven't really told us."
Itami glanced behind them, making sure they weren't being followed. "Well, your boss said that we needed someplace to lay low that wasn't in the know of any government officials and their plans. I can think of one place that came to mind. We'll have all the privacy we need."
"How can you be so sure?"
"The homeowner and I know each other, we go way back."
"And their willing to house a bunch of foreign dignitaries and their private military bodyguards?"
He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Well... I didn't exactly ask, nor does she know that we're comin' in the first place..."
"You didn't tell her beforehand?" Vale asked incredulously.
"That's not exactly something I can just risk saying over the phone, if I could even reach her in the first place..."
"Great, so we're showing up unannounced. I'm sure that'll blow over well."
Itami waved him off. "I think you're worrying too much. She's trustworthy. Just need to bribe her first."
He glanced down at the bag in his hand which carried a simple white takeout box steaming with food.
They came to a halt at the top of the stairs leading into an apartment building and Itami gestured for the rest of them to wait. He pulled out an older looking and worn out key from his pocket, before inserting it into the lock. Itami opened the door, stepping inside as the rest of the group looked in with mild interest. The interior looked like a simple Japanese apartment, and deep past the hallway looked to be a kitchen with a living room far behind it. Two doors were to the right, one which he assumed to be the bedroom judging by the light emanating from within and the other most likely being a bathroom.
"Jeez, does this girl ever turn on the heating in this place?" He asked himself as he slid the door open. "Gotta be freezing all the time."
"Huh? What...?" A groggy voice came from within the room before gasping. "I-Itami! Food... I need real food!"
He rolled his eyes and crouched down as a slouched woman weakly crawled over, before stuffing her face into the bag and smelling its contents. "Yeah, I predicted that this would happen. Which is why I came prepared."
Now Vale understood why they decided to briefly stop at that teriyaki restaurant.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" She repeated excitedly as she found a new surge of strength to lift herself up and hug him. "But uh... as grateful as I am for something to add into my diet that isn't soy milk and day old cereal, what the heck are you even doing here? I thought you were across the gate?"
"Uh yeah... about that..." He began nervously. "You see, there were some interesting and important figures over there that our government wanted to speak to. Long story short, we spoke to lawmakers but we've been on a wild game of cat and mouse from third parties, so we decided that we needed somewhere to hide out for a little while."
"I... don't understand. So you decided to come here?"
"I think it'd be better if you saw for yourself... Come in everyone!"
Taking that as their queue, the Special Region inhabitants was the first to step in and the rest of the group followed suit as they checked behind them on last time. They stepped over a pile of important looking letters that had gathered up in front of the mail slot by the door. Once they were all gathered inside and the door was now closed and locked, they turned their attention to the tiny Japanese homeowner in pajamas who was now staring at them with wide eyes behind her glasses.
"Uh... w-welcome guests, please take your shoes off before going any further please..." She turned to Itami, glaring at him while she spoke in a harsh whisper. "You need to explain much more than that, mister!"
"So, Itami!" Graves cut in. Everyone turned to find the man already nonchalantly unlacing his boots. "You mind tellin' me who the hell this is and where we are exactly?"
"Well... this is my ex-wife, Risa."
Graves paused, blinking before furrowing his brow. "What...?"
"Yes, and this is my apartment that you're all in, which Itami still hasn't properly explained to me why, as of yet." She pointed out to him in an accusing tone.
Vale, not wanting to be involved in discussions between ex-partners, decided to walk away. As amusing as it would have been for him to watch Itami attempt to explain the situation, he felt that it wasn't his business to get involved in, something which the other Shadows seemed to agree on. He stepped into the living room, blindly running his hand against the wall until he found the light switch, and flipped it on. What they were all greeted to was... simple... for lack of a better word.
A couch, a coffee table, a dining table, and a TV table which, ironically enough, didn't have a TV of any sort on it. The walls were bare and devoid of any art or decorations, and some opened cardboard boxes with packing peanuts sat in the corner nearby. All in all, there was basically next to nothing in this small apartment. He guessed that it worked in their favor, considering how many people they were cramming inside. He wouldn't complain though, he remembered being holed up in much worse conditions with way more people, and that was usually when they were taking cover from mortar bombardment or enemy drones.
Vale watched as Angel brushed past him, still shivering as he made his way over to the couch. "Damn, do these Japs love the cold or something?" He asked, planting himself down.
"I don't think it's that..." Viper muttered. He walked up to the kitchen table, running a hand along the surface as he rubbed some dust between his fingers. "Seems like most of this place hasn't seen much use."
"That's puttin' it lightly, mate." Bristol said as he stepped into the kitchen. "A livin' room without a proper telly? We're not living in some third world country."
"That's because I don't need to watch anything on TV." Risa said, emerging from her room and stepping into the hallway with the rest of the group. "And don't you need a license to watch TV over in the UK?"
Bristol rolled his eyes as he took out his cigarette carton again, before sticking one in his mouth. "I can afford to pay for that." He said.
"Well, I can't. My job doesn't allow me to. Plus there's nothing good to watch on there anyways." She shot back before fearlessly swiping the stick out from his mouth. "Also if you want to smoke, don't do it in here. I have a balcony you know?" She said, pointing out to the slide door that led to the outside.
"Cheeky one aren't ya, luv?" He scoffed, taking back the cig before turning to the fridge and opening it. "You've got anything to drink in here that isn't weirdly flavored carbonated pop or cow piss."
"You mean Calpis?"
"Same fuckin' thing."
She sighed, deciding to humor him. "Right side, third shelf down, energy drinks."
He followed her directions before shrugging, picking one up and cracking it open with a hiss. "Eh, not my usual go to, but I'm too knackered to be complaining."
"Is he usually this much of a freeloader?" Itami asked, watching as the Brit walked back to the couch and carelessly planted his feet onto the coffee table.
Ronin shoved them off in annoyance immediately after, "You get used to it..." He muttered.
"Okay, whatever - gentlemen, I need you all to listen up for a moment!" Risa announced. Every head found itself turning to face her as she soon found herself the center of attention. She looked nervous, rightfully so, but cleared her throat and continued on nonetheless. "I'm not a hundred percent certain that having any of you anywhere near me is a good idea, at all... in any way shape or form... But I know Itami, and if he speaks favorably of you, then that means you're good in my book. But this is still my home, understand?"
"Yes ma'am!" Several voiced called out in unison.
"Hush! Try not to be so loud, I've got neighbors, okay? Anyways, since you're all staying here we need to set some ground rules; There'll be no tampering with any of my stuff, no messing around, and no shady or illicit activities within these walls. Simple right? I'm not asking for much. If I catch any of you doing any of those things I just mentioned, you can find your sorry butts back outside and in the cold! Am I clear?"
"that ain't much different from in here..." Angel muttered, causing Ronin to jab an elbow into his side.
"Am. I. Clear?" She glared, which to a bunch of armed contractors, was more like a child trying to seem tough to the big boys at the playground. They decided to appease to her regardless, and a few quiet affirmations and nods in response were the answers she was looking for, as she smiled in satisfaction. "Good! Now I've got a deadline to meet, so if any of you need anything, I'll be working in my room."
She opened up a nearby cupboard before pulling out a bag of coffee grounds and accompanying filters, which she began inserting into a coffee maker on the counter. Everyone sat there silently while she brewed the coffee until Ronin spoke up first. "So... what now?"
"Now, you all make yourselves comfortable." Risa said, shrugging as the finished contents began automatically pouring into a simple porcelain mug she had underneath the nozzle.
"Oh, Risa!" Itami called out, getting her attention.
"Yeah?" She asked before taking a sip of the coffee.
"Do you still have those sleeping bags?"
"Sure, never got rid of 'em. Though I doubt I'd have enough for everyone here. I've got plenty of blankets and pillows stuffed in my closet though, if everyone's okay with that?"
Itami turned around, facing the rest of Shadow Company. "How's that sound everyone?"
Graves shrugged. "Whatever you've got. Don't fret if you haven't got enough though. Some of our guys are gonna be pulling fire watch anyways."
"In that case, the coffee maker has coffee and there's energy drinks in the fridge, cups are in the cupboard next to the fridge. Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of food but there's a 7-Eleven not too far down the street from here. Other than that, my home is your home. Don't make a mess and don't get me in trouble. C'mon Itami, help me get the sheets."
RISA AOI - THIRD RECON JSDF, SHADOW CO.
APARTMENT BLOCKS, TOKYO, JAPAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 23:56:00
Risa found herself hyper focused on the screen in front of her. The line work of the characters in front of her was nearly done, and she wouldn't have to worry about filling them in with color. Coffee, real food, and significant progress on her manga... After this, she would finally be able to lean back and get some much needed shut eye. She'd been spending more and more time lately overworking herself. Not that she could blame any one else but herself for investing so much time and effort into this particular series. She knew the work was important. Her readers would be paying her big bucks soon enough and she wanted to make sure every page was drawn out properly and that no one would be disappointed. She would do her best. But the going definitely got rough sometimes...
The Winter Doujinshi Fair was right around the corner, and that's when most, if not all, of her readers would be able to purchase her works. Readers both old and new who purchased from online and booths in person would be paying to read the next pages of her works, which in turn, would help her finally pay her bills. Her phone, her gas, her water, and most importantly, her electricity bill.
Oh geez... She thought to herself. If that electricity bill went, then I'd be on the street begging for scraps come next morning...
It was a good thing that Itami showed up when he did. The warm food, money, and even the company was enough to renew her strength and push through. Her hand froze as she stopped to think about it.
Oh Itami... agreeing to accept my drunken proposal all those years ago. You must have known it wasn't going to work out, and yet, you still came back to help me. She frowned at the screen in front of her. I really am selfish, aren't I...?
.
.
.
No, now wasn't the time for self pity parties. She wasn't at the end of her wits just yet, in fact, she came back from the bleak brink! Now was a time for happiness. She opened up her web browser a moment later with a determined look, before finding her favorite content creator streaming some sort of game online.
Perfect...
"You okay there, luv?"
She nearly yelped as the familiar voice broke her out of her thoughts. She quickly covered her mouth with a hand, twisting around to make sure no one woke up behind her. Thankfully, it appeared that most of them were still asleep, save for the princess and knight who were currently perusing her manga collection. Rather enthusiastically, she might add. Her attention snapped to the door, which had apparently slid open sometime before, and one of her guests was now currently leaning against it with his arms crossed and a single brow raised at her.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine! Just zoned out a little." Risa smiled sheepishly. She hadn't realized someone else was in the room. Whoops. For being the chatty one, he sure was quiet when he wanted to be. She lifted her glasses up slightly before rubbing her eyes. The screen had dimmed about five minutes ago, meaning that it was now nearly twelve. "What are you still doing up?"
"I should be the one asking you that," The Englishman chuckled softly before looking over at the princess and her associate. "I'm one of the fools on fire watch right now, lookin' for somebody to bother."
"Well, I guess you caught me at a good time. I just finished my work." She whispered, sipping the last of her coffee and emptying her mug. "If you're lookin' for someone to bother, then I guess I'm your girl..."
"And for work you..." He trailed off, glancing at the screen before blinking in confusion. "Watch animated people play video games online...?"
She rolled her eyes and huffed in amusement. "No, VTubers are not my work. They're my source of entertainment. I'm a mangaka."
"Uh-huh..." He nodded slowly in faux understanding before giving up. "What the hell is a mangaka?"
"Well to put it simply, I draw anime books and graphic novels."
"Ah, those Japanese comics?"
"Basically. Why the sudden interest?" She asked
He stopped leaning against the door frame, silently stepping in the room before he sat cross legged next to her. "Would you believe it if I said I was curious?"
"Hmmm..." She put a hand under her chin, pretending to think on it for a moment, before shaking her head. "Nope."
"You're smarter than you look. One of the perks of bein' a babbling moron is that people often underestimate me."
So he fishes for info? She mused. "You thought I had something on your people?"
He shrugged. "I had no idea what you were doing on that computer of yours. You could have been a foreign agent leaking info about our current whereabouts."
"And you're telling me this, because...?"
"I'm a pretty good judge of character, and you seem like an honest gal. Plus, even if you were a spy, there wouldn't have been much you could do if we happened found out."
Suddenly, she felt a little uneasy about how close he was as she remembered just how armed her guests were. "Hey, it may not look like it, but I can still hold my own, buster."
"I've no doubt about that, miss." He commented offhandedly before looking at the screen again. "So if your work is drawing those weirdly proportioned comic characters, wouldn't going online and seeing more of them get tiring after awhile?"
"It's a real person behind that avatar. Unlike a comic, they bring that character to life by doing things like gaming, singing, and dancing."
"That just sounds like an idol."
"Some of them actually are idols..." She paused before turning to look at him. "How do you know what an idol is but not a mangaka?"
"I asked Itami about it when I caught him staring at a poster of women. Didn't really understand a single word that he was spouting out, but he seemed to be really into it."
"Ah, of course he was..."
"Speakin' of Itami, you two used to be a thing, huh?" He asked, glancing back at his sleeping form.
"We were..." She said slowly. "I suppose now we're just friends."
"Still friends after a divorce. That's pretty surprising, especially for a place like Japan."
"Ehh, not really surprising, it wasn't really a major problem for us. I think the fault lies mostly in how we ended up married... Which was me proposing to him on drunken courage just so I could keep myself afloat. I mean, married to a government official? The thought was very enticing to someone like me who's just barely making ends meet."
"Marriages bult on money rather than love usually never tend to work out."
"Yep, we both ended up coming to the same conclusion, and realized it'd work out better this way. Just two weird freaks remaining friends. Freaky friends I guess..."
"Seems that way..."
She offered the Brit a sly smile. "So you agree that we're both freaks?"
The man said nothing, opting to instead look around her room very obviously. Following his vision, she could see him purposefully looking at the yaoi posters and the dolls that decorated the walls and shelves, the manga the princess was so invested in, and finally the talking anime figure on the screen in front of her. Once finished, he looked back at her with a raised brow, to which she blushed in further embarrassment. "You said it, not me."
She playfully slugged him in the arm as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah, poke fun at the shut in otaku."
He shrugged, raising both his hands in mock defense. "Hey, to each their own."
They lapsed into silence for a moment before an idea came to mind. She was currently sitting next to someone who was in the Special Region. A fantasy world according to reports she had read online. The man next to her had first hand experience in another world full of cute mages, elf girls, and demigoddesses. He was a well of knowledge for her.
Maybe I can get some ideas for my mangas! She spoke up again, hoping to satiate her curiosity. "Hey, since I've answered some of your questions, it's only fair if you answer some of mine now, right?"
"I wasn't aware that we were trading questions. But sure, shoot." He said, giving her his full attention.
She gathered her thoughts for a moment before clearing her throat, "Okay, first question. What's the Special Region like?" She began, getting straight to the point.
He gave her a quizzical look, but answered regardless. "Pretty broad question, but it's pretty interesting actually. an alternate reality, teeming with people capable of true, honest to God, magic. A lot of diversity in cultures and races. But really only one main language though."
"Is it a pre-existing language?"
He nodded, as he chuckled softly. "It's an entirely different world, and yet they're modeled after the Roman Empire almost to a T. They even speak Latin and everything. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that speaking a dead language would actually come in handy one day."
She nodded enthusiastically at all that he said, letting him lead the conversation for now. This man seemed... interesting, unlike the mundane average Joe she had encountered so far. Talking to people and making friends had never really been her forte, as most of them had never really shared her enthusiasms about manga or anime as she did. It was the first time she had interacted with someone so casually aside from the cashier at the corner store and it was refreshing to speak with someone that was not only a foreigner, but from an entirely different world as well.
"There's also some political similarities, which makes operating within the region-" He paused, likely realizing he might have been divulging too much. Or maybe he wanted to do so? regardless, she filed that tidbit of info away for later just in case. "... well, I won't bore you with those details. But there's also princesses, as I'm sure you've no doubt seen one already."
"She really is a princess," Risa agreed, inspecting the ornate dress that draped over the figures behind her. "Are all the women in the Special Region so insanely cute and pretty?"
"Quite. Plenty of lookers, no shortage, the lot."
"That sounds amazing. You think I could visit it one day?"
"That depends entirely on what your country decides."
Right... Japan was in complete control of who came in and out of the gate. Wouldn't want a repeat of Ginza all over again. Not that she'd really be going outside much to get the chance. The reminder of politics and world events was enough to put a slight damper on her mood.
"Ugh, politics... So, I can't help but notice that you all don't look like regular JSDF. I mean, I'm pretty sure only one of you was Japanese."
"Mhm. Surely you've seen the news?" She shook her head. "Well luv, we're private military contractors. Have you talked with the boss?"
"Briefly. Itami said his name was... Phillip Graves? To be honest, he was kind of intimidating, but he had a sort of disarming charm to him. Not to mention the handsome face..."
"Yep, sure sounds like him. Phillip Graves, the commander and CEO of Shadow Company, the one who signs our checks, and the one who orders me around; besides my Lieutenant of course. He's also the man who just challenged your whole world on national television"
"Shadow Company? Sounds kind of edgy..." She commented absent mindedly before pausing. "Wait, he did what on national television?"
"The big man advertised the company and claimed the Special Region as his territory... and Japan's." He hurriedly tacked on. "Basically rubbed it in every major world power's face, saying they couldn't do fuck all about it."
That... sounded like a good way to make a lot of enemies. And she was currently housing these contractors employed under this very same man?
"You couldn't have found anywhere else to stay?" She asked in disbelief.
"It's like your ex said, big cat and mouse game all day. The hotel we were supposed to stay at was burned down after Graves refused some stuck up lobbyist."
Risa put her face in her hands. I want to scream so badly! Itami, what the hell?!
Seeing how distressed she was, the man put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've got nothing to worry about. We made sure we weren't tailed here, and we ditched any possible suspected leakers. Itami didn't even say where we were till we were inside."
"Thanks, I guess..." She sighed, hugging her legs close to her chest and resting her chin on her knees. "I know Itami, and his intentions are always good, but this was a pretty bad call on his part. There's nothing to justify me getting caught up in something so dangerous."
The man shrugged. "Hey, I'm sure the lad's trying his best. He's improvising pretty well, especially considering the situation."
She glanced at him, resting her cheek on her knee now. "Fair enough. Although, I think you're just saying that because you got a free drink out of my fridge." She mumbled.
"I will neither confirm nor deny that statement." He joked, which managed to bring out a quiet laugh from her. He looked slightly awkward as he recalled something. "I guess I should also apologize. I was acting kind of-"
"Very much," She cut in.
He narrowed his eyes at her, but continued on. "Very much like a prick back there. You were being welcoming to some strangers who could've brought trouble to your doorstep at any moment, and my first thought was to raid your fridge and smoke inside. Not exactly representative of my usual manners. Not that I usually bring out my manners in the first place..." He muttered.
"Psshh, it's really no problem. I've dealt with way worse people with way worse attitudes. At least you're apologizing. Plus, I realize how disgruntled you might be after being chased around the city for a bit. I mean, who resorts to arson just to get someone to meet their demands? That's absurd."
"Still, those problems never stemmed from you, and I took out my negative feelings on you by being rude. For that, I apologize."
Risa found herself pleasantly surprised. Weren't private contractors supposed to be rude? Dark, crazy, and unrelatable? The man in front of her might have been that with his first impressions, but he was quickly changing her perception as their conversation continued. Two people, both with wildly different backgrounds, and both from wildly different worlds, sitting in a small and confined room, just chatting the night away.
It felt... nice, talking to someone new for a change.
"You can apologize by giving me a name...?" She trailed of expectantly.
"Bristol..." He offered before blinking. "Why'd you wanna know?"
"I think I'd prefer it if you kept talking like we're old friends, it'd be wonderful. More wonderful than discussing dramatic world news."
"Old friends? With someone like me?" He laughed. "Do you not get out much?"
"You're talking to a shut in otaku, remember?"
"Right, right... Well, sorry to burst your bubble, missus, but you don't really make friends in this line of work."
She tilted her head. "What about your team?"
"We're more like acquaintances-"
"What about me?"
"We just met, I hardly know you-"
"That's usually how friends meet. They get to know each other over time."
"I kill people in my line of work-"
"I'm sure Itami has, even if he doesn't want to talk about it. You know, him being the Hero of Ginza and all?"
"You're a civvie-"
"It sounds to me like you're just making excuses."
"I... but-" He paused, trailing off with a frown. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath in before exhaling forcefully as he opened them again and faced her. "Well, I guess I am making excuses, aren't I?"
She smirked in satisfaction. "You really are."
"Before I accept your frankly absurd request, I have to ask, why me? Why so suddenly out of the blue? What brought this on?"
She thought about it, really thought about it. Heck, he was probably right, and she was probably making a bad choice for even thinking about this request in the first place. After wracking her brain for a good painstakingly long ten seconds, which probably felt like ten minutes to him, she still couldn't quite come up with any good or logical answer. So, she just simply shrugged. "I don't know. You're the first human being I've actually spoken with in a while and you made for a pretty pleasant conversationalist so far."
"So I'm just an anti-social girl's stepping stone to help reintegrate her into normal society?"
"Hey!" She quietly hissed out. "I'm not anti-social. I like socializing. I just don't get the chance to get out and socialize much..." She grumbled, somewhat downtrodden.
.
.
.
"Well in that case... you mind telling me more about this VTuber on your screen?"
A small grin crept across her lips as Bristol indulged her, before she launched into an extremely in-depth explanation which he focused on with rapt attention.
Author's Notes:
Graves is dealing with the first of many consequences of his actions, that being, the world has its eyes set on his company. The hotel they were going to stay in was already compromised, and a warning was clearly sent in person. Itami crams a bunch of foreign dignitaries and their armed and deadly PMC escorts into his exes tiny Japanese apartment. Local British contractor keeps himself entertained by running his mouth to a civilian and they become friends?
Not much to say about this chapter, just slowly burning through the Japan arc. Considering what happens next in the anime and manga, this chapter serves as a sort of prelude. A calm before the storm that we all know is going to hit later. That's why this chapter title is 'Foreboding Fiascos'. If things go to plan, next chapter might very well be the Hakone Hot Springs. If not next chapter, then the one after. The problem is that I want to ensure that I write it well enough and make sure it's quality, or at least, up to my standards of quality anyway. I doubt something like that could be written perfectly to appease everybody, especially considering how controversial it is already. Hell, I might even scrap Hakone entirely. It really depends on what approach I feel like taking.
Geez, this is my longest chapter yet. Breaking 14,200.
AN 2/12/2023: Back then, 14,200 was a lot for me. Bit funny, considering how much larger some of the later chapters after this are...