Chapter 65 - Onsen Event: Epilogue
...
After spending the morning in the bath, Cherino, my three girlfriends, and I took turns playing table tennis.
That is, until Hoshino and I put in a bit too much effort.
I... may have ended up hitting the ball so hard it got stuck IN the wall and the paddle... may have broken in two.
After our display of strength and speed, we all stopped for lunch. Afterwards, Chinatsu decided to get back to work looking for the Hot Springs Department. Hoshino and Yuuka offered to help, to which Chinatsu reluctantly agreed after some coercing (mostly from Hoshino wanting to explore this district). Cherino wandered off soon after, and I was left all alone again.
That is, until Nodoka popped up.
"Oh, there you are, Sensei." The blonde girl says happily.
"Hey yourself. Been busy, huh?" I ask.
"Yes, quite a few people have been coming and going. But it's nothing I can't handle." Nodoka declares, rather determined. "Have you been enjoying the resort."
"Oh yeah. I'm glad Arona got me to go, I needed all this." I say, happily. "Seriously, I feel five years younger after those baths."
Nodoka giggles in response. Glad she found that crappy joke funny. "Well, have you seen our garden?"
"There's a garden here?" I ask, surprised.
"Of course. Our Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven not only has excellent hot springs facilities, but also a wonderful garden for guests to stroll through." She explains, proudly. "Of course, it's pretty hard to maintain a green garden since it snows all year round here, so instead our resort has a dry garden made from the rocks and sand of the ruins of the former institute."
"That's... almost poetic, in a way." I observe. "Still, a dry garden was certainly a good idea." They are traditional, after all.
"I agree. When I look at the garden, I feel calm enough to believe the troubles of the world don't matter at all." She says, happily.
Ironically enough, we suddenly hear a large clamoring outside, chanting 'Denounce!' over and over again.
"The hell...?" I ask.
"A c-calm mind..." Nodoka says, strained.
'Be gone!' they begin to chant.
"Ugh!" Nodoka snaps. "Who is it now?! I was enjoying one-on-one time with Sensei!" She growls, stomping off towards the entrance. I quickly follow her as she continues to rant and rave. "I can't believe they're causing a ruckus in a resort meant for relaxation! Even if they're guests, I'll give them a piece of my mind!"
The both of us eventually reach the entrance to find that just outside is...
"Oh, goddammit." I groan.
Sure enough, the Labor Party is here, shouting with megaphones. What now?
Minori, their leader, shouts into her usual megaphone. "Be gone, Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven that oppresses the rights of workers!"
"Be gone! Be gone!" A member echoes.
"Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven needs to compensate for the Labor Party's losses!" Minori continues.
"Compensate! Compensate!" Another member echoes.
"I'm telling you, it's all a misunderstanding!" Shigure shouts back, trying to stop the protesters.
"W-What's with all this ruckus? Why's the Labor Party here?!" Nodoka shouts, catching everyone's attention.
"There's been some kind of misunderstanding." The mint haired girl groans.
"Hmph. You finally showed up." Minori says, lowering her megaphone. "Nodoka, you vicious, bourgeois manager!"
"A vicious, bourgeois manager?! Th-That's verbal abuse!" Nodoka argues.
"Not much of an insult, really." I deadpan, but go unheard.
"I haven't even been able to enjoy a life of luxury because I've been so busy running the business!" The blonde continues, before catching herself and clearing her throat. "What brings the Labor Party to our Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven?" She asks, overly-politely.
"L-Look at that face!" Minori shouts, worried, before she raises her megaphone again. "Comrades! Look at the smile of that vicious, capitalism-soaked bourgeois! I can't believe I didn't realize it before, when we suffered through life together in the cold and harsh lands... But now, after gaining wealth, you finally show your true nature, you turncoat!"
"Wait! When did we ever suffer through life together?!" Nodoka shouts, indignant. "And don't give me weird nicknames!" She then closes in on the dark haired protester. "Take a deep breath and explain why you're protesting, Minori. You're being a public nuisance." She says through clenched teeth.
"Hmph, you still haven't realized the problem with this hot springs resort." Minori says.
"Then please, enlighten me." The blonde all but growls.
"Our complaint is THIS HOT SPRINGS ITSELF!" The dark haired girl declares.
""Eh?"" Shigure and I both ask.
"What kind of nonsense is that?!" Nodoka cries. "Did we do something to the Labor Party?! We haven't even talked to you!"
"Don't feign ignorance! We've been watching the entire time!" Minori snaps back. "We watched as the evil Hot Springs Development Department of Gehenna built a hot springs resort here!"
"...Is that a problem?" Nodoka asks, confused.
"Seriously? Y'all are mad because they didn't come to you to build it?" I ask, a tad incredulous.
"OF COURSE!" Minori shouts once more. "The Hot Springs Department is not affiliated with Red Winter in any way, they are an outside labor source!"
"...Seriously?!" Nodoka shouts, clearly upset now.
Minori begins to explain. "Whenever there were large-scale public works happening at the Red Winter Academy, we, the Labor Party, were the ones who completed them, no matter how difficult or unpleasant the work was. It was a rough and arduous work environment, but we were able to endure because we had pride in that all the buildings of the Red Winter Academy were built with our own hands." She pauses, looking upset now. "But the fact that the new hot springs resort, the best tourist attraction of Red Winter, was built by an outside labor source and not the Labor Party... it seriously hurt the pride of our members!"
"We've been hurt! Our pride is hurt!" One member echoes.
"The Labor Party is strictly protesting against the tyranny of the Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven!" Minori declares.
"Protesting! Protesting!" Another member echoes.
"W-Wait a minute!" The blonde exclaims, holding her hands out as if to stop them. "The hot springs resort want built because we wanted it to be built! The Hot Springs Development Department gave us no choice!" She argues, before turning to me. "Don't just stand there, Sensei. Say something!"
"Oi, don't drag me into this." I scold the blonde, before turning to Minori. "But you're right, she's as much a victim of this as y'all are."
"The... Spec Ops students are also victims?" Minori asks slowly, trying to understand. "Hmm... I hadn't thought of it that way."
"Th-That's right! If you look at it, we are also victims who lost the former institute because of their development project!" Nodoka adds.
"True, it would be difficult if an unwanted, illegal structure was erected in one's residential area." The dark haired girl muses. "Well then, Comrade Nodoka, let us join hands against this evil."
"What?" Nodoka asks, taken aback. "There's no way we'd kick away this rare, get-rich-quick opportunity with our own feet!"
"I knew it!" Minori declares, pointing accusingly at the blonde girl. "You can't hide your evil nature, you little bourgeois!"
"Oh for God's sake." I groan. "Enough arguing and enough calling people bourgeoises or whatever the plural of the word is." I shout, silencing everyone. "This place is still a tourist attraction and is still bringing in quite a lot of money for the district. Even if y'all didn't build it, think about how many more buildings y'all would get to build with the money generated from this place."
"Sensei, I am grateful that you are trying to end things peacefully, but since the Labor Party's honor is at stake, we don't back down!" Minori declares as she and her men ready themselves for a fight.
I just throw my hands into the air, fed up with this.
Then a strong gust of wind, coming directly from the north slams into us. Everyone, save for me, shudder involuntarily at the bitterly cold wind. You'd think living around here that they'd be used to this kinda thing.
"Ack, it's so cold today." The dark haired girl groans.
"Hahaha!" Nodoka laughs smugly at the protester, pointing a shivering finger at her. "You u-underestimated the cold at the former institute! I-If it's cold, wh-why don't you give up and g-g-go back?"
"You're the one who looks freezing!" Minori rebukes. "Wearing only one thin yukata on a snowy mountain in the middle of winter. You won't last another hour like that!.
"Ugh...!" Nodoka groans, knowing the other girl's right.
Then Shigure, who disappeared sometime, comes back with a drink. "Nodoka, I brought you some warm mors."
"Thank you very much, Shigure." The blonde says, happily taking the dark red drink from her friend.
"Wait! You can't supply during combat! That's unfair!" Minori shouts, indignant, before pouting her usual cute pout. "This fight is a battle between the Labor Party and Spec Ops. For our honor! Don't rely on supplies and fight fairly!"
Shigure, in a move just like the day prior, offers a drink to the dark haired girl to bribe her. "Here, have a drink, Labor Party members."
"H-Huh? Are you... giving it to us as well?" Minori asks, taken aback.
"Of course. We have more than enough mors from the batch we made last spring." The mint haired girl explains. "Drink it while it's warm so you don't catch a cold."
"We thank you for your hospitality, but..." Minori begins. "The will of our workers isn't so weak as to be shaken by a single drink!" She declares, but still takes one of the mors hesitantly.
After taking a sip of the drink, Minori's eyes snap open.
Gotcha.
"I-It's delicious!" The dark haired girl exclaims, eyes practically shining. "What's with this mors? It's so smooth and sweet! Along with the slight bitter aftertaste, warmth spreads throughout the body... It's perfect for the cold!"
My eyes narrow. I know mors usually uses stuff like cranberries, which are slightly bitter, but knowing Shigure's proclivities...
"I'm glad you guys like it." Shigure says, smiling, as more of the Labor Party girls take the drinks. "I thought this batch fermented very well too. Would you like some more?"
"W-We'll take it!" Minori says quickly. Guess their wills weren't THAT strong, huh?
More and more of the Labor Party members take a drink as Shigure goes in and out to bring them more.
Minori giggles with a stupid smile on her face. "This is really good. We'd love more of this!" She says, the other girls nodding in agreement.
But I notice something... off.
"Minori, are you okay?" I ask, eyebrow raised.
"Of course! With this warm mors, I can withstand even the harshest of cold!" The dark haired protester argues. "Heat is rising from the inside of my body. I actually feel hot! ...Or I think I'm getting cold because I was sweating? What's happening?"
Suspicions confirmed. "I fuckin' knew it." I groan.
"Umm, I feel colder now thinking about being cold." Minori says, a bit awkwardly. "My head is dizzy as well. I can't stand this any longer..." She groans.
"Oh dear, that's no good." Shigure says, innocently. "You should go into the hot springs and warm yourself up before your sweat cools down."
"The... hot springs?" Minori asks, really looking out of it. "Are you recommending our Labor Party members to bathe in the hot springs built by the Gehenna idiots?!"
"It's not like that, President Minori." The mint haired girl says, shaking her head. "We were indeed forced to take over the resort, but we're very worried about the stability of a facility built by Gehenna students. That's why we would like the members of the Labor Party, the renowned best architects of Kivotos, to go into the baths and personally check the facility's conditions."
Oh, she's good.
"The best architects in Kivotos..." Minori muses, before letting out a silly giggle. "That's right. There are no other architecture groups as skilled as us in Kivotos!"
"Plus, drinking mors while soaking your body in a warm bath is a special kind of experience." Shigure continues.
Minori hiccups in shock, before moving over to Shigure and whispering into her ear. "Are there drinks other than mors by any chance?"
"We have a large variety of homemade fruit drinks for our guests at Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven." Shigure offers politely. "If the Labor Party visits our hot springs as guests, we'll treat you to whatever drink you like, whether it's kompot or mors."
"it can't be helped, I guess." The dark haired girl sighs. "We will have to take a bath, only so that we can check out how poorly the Gehenna idiots built the hot springs resort. I am definitely not doing this because I want to drink more mors!" She declares, red faced.
"Yeah, yeah. Good idea." Shigure says, waving the other girl off. "If you are all going to bathe together, I recommend the northern open-air, large public bath."
"Come, comrades!" Minori shouts to her men. "For the structural safety of the hot springs resort and more mors- I mean, for a revolutionary break... CHARGE THE HOT SPRINGS!"
"FOR A REVOLUTIONARY BREAK!" The Labor Party members all echo as they storm the hot springs, leaving Nodoka, Shigure and I left outside.
"Wow, those stubborn Labor Party members were powerless before Shigure's persuasion." Nodoka comments, wide eyed.
Shigure chuckles innocently. "It wasn't that difficult. A request asked with a delicious drink and words of sincerity always works."
"Yeah, she's real good at brown-nosing." I add. "That, and getting people drunk."
"Huh? Oh come on, Sensei. There wasn't anything wrong with the drinks." The mint haired girl says, innocently. "It's a traditional mors made with only lingonberry, sugar, and yeast. It's just that it fermented a bit due to poor storage conditions..."
"I know for a fact that mors isn't made with yeast, Shigure." I deadpan.
"If you're suspicious, why don't you take a sip, Sensei?" Shigure offers, moving closer to me and holding out one of the drinks.
"It's a little too early to get crunk, but... whatever." I joke, earning a giggle from the blue-purple eyed girl as I take the drink. I pause after swallowing a sip, surprised at how well it turned out. "Huh, it doesn't taste alcoholic."
"I told you." The mint haired girl teases.
"But then again, it's kinda hard for me to get drunk, so I'll be keepin' an eye on ya, Shigure." I warn, pointing two fingers at her eyes, then pointing them at mine.
She just laughs me off as she and Nodoka go back inside. I sit on a bench next to the doors and relax, drinking the warm drink among the cold air. "Huh... maybe she was just messing with me... That, or Minori gets drunk off sugar."
"What are you doing out here, Comrade?" A voice asks. Turning to the side, I see Cherino, with Tomoe, clad in her usual white and purple outfit, behind her. "You'll catch a cold, walking around in practically nothing. Those who underestimate the winters at the Red Winter Academy always pay the price."
"I'll be fine, I'm resilient to this stuff." I shrug. "I told ya before, I lived in a place way colder than this. I've built up a natural resilience to cold and heat." I pause, taking a sip of the mors. "You're one to talk though, you're wearing less than me."
"What? Are you worried that I'll be cold?" The short girl asks, before laughing proudly. "Don't waste your time worrying about such useless things, Comrade. I am the Student Council president of Red Winter Academy, the Great Leader, the Beautifier of Lands, the... uh... Anyway, I am someone magnificent in charge of all kinds of great positions! I can stand this cold even in short sleeves!" She declares, before sneezing.
"You'll catch a cold like that, Cherino." Tomoe chides like a mother. "I wish you would at least wear a jacket. Or would you like me to bring you some warm coffee milk?"
"Ugh..." Cherino groans. "Cease your pointless meddling, Tomoe! Didn't I already say that I don't feel cold at all?!" She snaps. "However, I will have a warm cup of coffee milk. With lots of sugar!"
"Yes, I will bring it right away." Tomoe says, dutifully, before rushing back inside.
"Well... I'm glad to see you're having fun here, at least." I comment.
Cherino nods in agreement. "Indeed. I hate to admit it, but there's definitely a lot to enjoy in this hot springs resort. I can play all day and still not get tired of it. In addition to the different types of baths, the lounge is fully equipped with table tennis and various other game machines." Game machines? I didn't see those. "And when you get tired, you can just go back to the baths. I looked down on this facility because it was something the Spec Ops cheapskates built, but it's actually pretty good." She admits, surprisingly.
"The Gehenna Hot Springs Development Department built it." I correct off-handedly as I take another sip on the mors.
"Yeah, come to think of it, I also heard about that..." Cherino says, remembering. "So, Gehenna students built this hot springs, huh? Normally, the idiots of Gehenna who carried out construction in our glorious district without permission would be severely purged, but they built such a wonderful hot springs resort in such a short time. I am somewhat envious." She says, before gaining an annoyed expression. "At least they would be more useful than the workers of the Labor Party! They strike more often than they work!"
I let out a bark of laughter at that. "Yeah, they actually showed up to protest the resort since they weren't the ones who built it."
"Truly?" The white haired girl asks.
"Yup." I confirm with a smile. "Right now they're 'inspecting the resort's integrity'. That is to say, they're enjoying the baths and stuff."
"Bwahahahaha!" Cherino laughs uproariously. "At least they're doing something beneficial!" She laughs, before gaining s speculative look. "Hmm..."
"What're you thinkin' about?" I ask, taking another sip of the mors. Damn this is good!
"I was just thinking of a way we could get the Hot Springs Department to join our academy." Cherino explains, before gaining a 'ah-ha!' look. "I've got it! If I award them an honorary medal, wouldn't they be moved and pledge their allegiance to me? The First-Class Mustache Labor Medal should be good enough!" She says, confidently.
"You sure they even have medals over in Gehenna?" I ask, eyebrow raised. "They might just see it as some kinda doo-dad."
"They must! Medals are the greatest things a person can be awarded with!" The loli president says, confident in her asinine plan. "If the Hot Springs Department transfers to Red Winter Academy, I'll make them build a large-class, private hot springs resort just for me, right next to the existing one!" She declares. "If I were to give a name to the newly built hot springs resort, it would be..." She muses.
"Lemme guess, the 'Mustache Hot Springs Resort'?" I guess.
"That's a perfect name, Comrade!" She agrees, enthusiastically. I have to hold back my chuckle at her actually wanting the place to be named that.
Well, I can't say she doesn't dream big.
"Since it's my own private resort, I can't forget to fill it with decorations that reflect my authority!" Cherino declares. "A statue of a mustache spouting hot spring water, a stone lantern in the shape of a mustache, and also-"
BOOM
But Cherino's crazed daydreaming gets interrupted by a nearby explosion.
"The hell was that?" I ask, worried, as I stand up, mors in hand.
"Is it another earthquake?!" Cherino shouts, frightened, looking here and there.
"Of course not." I scoff. "Let's go see what exactly."
"R-Right behind you, Comrade!" The white haired girl says, as we walk down the snowy path to investigate.
Cherino and I walk down the snowy path to find some girls wearing white hard hats and clothes that reveal a bit of skin, clearly not intended for Red Winter. All of them have various explosives scattered around. Nearby is a large, smoking crater.
A girl notices us and adopts an apologetic look. "Haha, sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't know there were people on this trail. We were doing some blasting work.
The girl, presumably the leader, had red hair done up in a short ponytail, along with sky blue eyes and two, blood red horns sprouting from either side of her head, pointing straight up. She also has on a silver hair clip and has pointed ears peeking out. She wears a rather revealing white tank top and a black skirt along with a large, black coat tied around her waist, the Gehenna logo emblazoned on the sleeve. A long, thin, black, pointed tail peeks out next to her legs, a white thigh high on her right leg and black boots with red laces covering her feet. Her hands are covered with white gloves and in one of them is a flammenwerfer.
No, not a flamethrower, a flammenwerfer, and an old-school one at that.
The flammenwerfer is painted red and is hooked up to a gas tank on her back, held with black straps over her shoulders. Her halo is a dark red is and strangely reminiscent of the Assassin's Creed logo. It has a central ring with an inner ring that has two points, making look like a devil. Over the rings are four shapes that resemble wings, two on either side, and a large diamond at the top.
"I-I haven't heard about any kind of construction! How dare you!" Cherino shouts, pointing a finger at the red haired girl, who recoils at bit. "Which club to do belong to? I will purge all the members! I... Wait, isn't that Gehenna Academy's emblem?"
"Hahaha!" The red haired girl laughs. "Yup, I'm Shimikura Megu of Gehenna's Hot Springs Development Department! We are here to develop hot springs! But... who's this kid with a mustache?"
I close my eyes, not wanting to see what happens next.
"K-Kid?!" Cherino shouts, indignant. "I am the Great Student Council President of the Red Winter Federal Academy!"
"Oh, really?" Megu asks, curious. "And who're you?" She asks me.
"Joshua, Sensei of Schale." I greet.
"Oh, you're that Sensei guy everyone was going crazy over! Awesome!" The flammenwerfer-toting girl greets happily.
"Yes, that's good and all-" Cherino cuts in "-, but more importantly, did you say the Hot Springs Department?" Megu nods. "Then you are the ones who built the hot springs resort?"
"Yep, yep. Hot Springs Department, at your service." Megu confirms. "We were a bit enthusiastic and ended up building a much bigger resort than planned..." She admits.
"A bit?" I ask, taking another sip of the mors.
"What do you think?" Megu asks, ignoring me. "It's pretty great, even in your opinion, right?"
"Hmm." Cherino hums as she nods affirmative. "I hate to admit it, but it is a great hot springs resort. The students of Red Winter Academy seem to b satisfied, and I enjoyed it as well. I don't usually award medals to students from other schools, but I will make an exception this time." She says, before puffing out her chest on pride.
Cherino snaps her fingers and says, "Tomoe!"
"Yes, President?"
"Ah!"
I shout, jumping back with wide eyes as Tomoe appears. Did she fucking teleport?! I don't even care that I spilled a bit of my drink on the snow.
"In recognition of their achievement of building a new tourist attraction at our glorious Red Winter Academy, award the First-Class Mustache Labor Medal and the Special Student Friendship Medal to Gehenna's Hot Springs Development Department!" The short girl declares.
"The what mustache and the huh medal?" The red haired girl asks in a daze.
"I don't know either." I answer, shrugging.
"Is it something good?" Megu asks.
"Y-You're not happy after receiving the Mustache Labor Medal?!" Cherino squeaks. "Why? It's a medal that the Labor Party receives only seven times a year!"
Tomoe bends down to whisper to Cherino. "President, Gehenna Academy does not have the same reward system as the Red Winter Federal Academy."
"I toldja." I point out.
"They truly don't know the value of medals?" Cherino asks, stupefied. "This is why the students of Gehenna..." She mutters, shaking her head. As she stops, she seems to remember something and asks Megu, "By the way, what kind of construction are you guys doing? Didn't you already finish the resort?"
"The hot springs' water veins may have changed course because the water pressure has started to decrease since yesterday." Megu explains. "If things continue, the baths at the resort may dry out!"
"That's definitely a concern." I comment.
"W-We can't let the baths in there dry out." Cherino says, concerned as well.
"But don't worry, our President Kasumi always comes up with the best solution for any situation." The redhead says. "According to the information we received from her, a huge magma province is hidden underneath the Red Winter Academy! Blowing up this province will not only bring back the water veins of Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven, but also allow us to build a bunch of new hot springs throughout Red Winter Academy!"
"Hmm, that's a good idea." The white haired loli says, not seeing anything wrong here.
"Uh, just to be clear here, you're gonna blow it up?" I ask, very worried.
"Yup!" Megu cheers, innocently.
"Blow what up?" Cherino asks, not seeing the problem.
"The magma province under the Red Winter Academy." Megu continues, still innocently. Pulling out my phone, I quickly text Chinatsu.
Found the hot springs girls. Hurry. They're kinda batshit insane.
"Th-Then what happens to the school above it? The district? Or my Secretariat?!" Cherino shouts, eyes widening.
"Ka-boom? Naturally." Megu says, not seeing the problem. "But don't worry-" She continues, grinning. "-, we'll build a brand new hot springs resort instead. It'll be way bigger and better than this hot springs resort!"
"Uh, yeah... no." I deny, speaking to Megu. "Yer school's already got enough to worry about with that treaty coming up, you can't just blow up a school."
"But it's for hot springs!" Megu whines.
"And I don't care." I snap. "You won't be able to build any hot springs if your school's busy fighting a fuckin' war."
"War?" The redhead asks, tilting her head.
"You just told a Student Council President that you're going to blow up her school." I deadpan.
"Eh? She's seriously the President of this place? I thought she was joking." Megu says, her sky blue eyes wide. "Still, I'm sure it'd be okay."
I slap my palm against my face. This... This is a new level of stupid.
"There's no way..." Cherino mutters. "THERE'S NO WAY THAT'D BE OKAY!" She roars.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Megu asks, still not getting it. "It's a chance to get a great resort for free."
"No matter what kind of wonderful resort it built, it's meaningless without my Secretariat!" The short girl shouts.
"But if we don't do this, the baths in the Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven will dry up!" Megu argues, actually looking a bit angry.
"I don't care!" Cherino shouts back. "I was getting annoyed by the former institute Spec Ops guys showing off anyway! You will stop this development right now!" She declares, snapping her fingers. "Marina! Bring me the Purginator Number One! Immediately!"
"Yes, President."
"?!"
I jolt again, seeing Marina just fucking teleport. How are they doing this?!
"Ugh, why is everyone trying to interfere with our hot springs development?!" Megu bemoans.
"I dunno, maybe it's because you're causing undue problems for people. There are things more important than hot springs, anyway." I point out.
"Heresy!" Megu shouts, pointing at me. The hot springs girls also gasp at my words. "We have no other option, then. If the president of Red Winter Academy won't cooperate peacefully, we'll just have to force them to!"
As the hot springs girls ready themselves, a big-ass excavator comes out from the tree line.
"Oh, for fuck's sake." I growl, pulling out my pistol I've had strapped to my leg this whole time. I quickly take aim and-
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
-shoot a rather exposed part of the excavator's innards, causing it to explode. I seamlessly holster my pistol once more as the hot springs girls stare at their smoldering machine in shock, awe and confusion.
Or rather, the ones that didn't get hurt by the explosion. They all pass out soon enough, having taken a direct concussive blast.
"None of that." I say.
"The... The excavator! Our dream of building a large-scale hot springs resort...!" Megu bemoans, before flopping down, having taken the brunt of the explosion. I'm surprised her flammenwerfer's fuel didn't explode too.
From behind us, Cherino's tank finally shows up, Marina poking out from the top. "Oh, it was already defeated? Wonderful job, President."
"That was me, actually." I wave. When did she disappear and have the time to drive this thing here?
"I-I see..." The blonde says, blinking in surprise, before she quickly changes the subject. "How dare the runts of Gehenna try something so atrocious in Red Winter's district!"
"Excellent, Marina!" Cherino cheers, breaking out of her stupor, induced by my sudden shot. "As expected from my right-hand woman! Now all that remains is demolishing the hot springs resort!" She declares.
"You sure you wanna do that?" I ask, taking a sip of my mors. Damn, it's almost all gone. "You were havin' a good time there."
"Yes, well... It's a pity to demolish such a facility." The short girl muses. "It'd be much better to dismantle the materials and use it for a statue of myself! Okay, then let's tear it down!" She declares, pointing at the facility, not too far away.
"What are you tearing down...?" A low voice asks. Turns out it's Nodoka, growling and enraged at Cherino's bold words.
"Oh, the former manager. You finally arrived." Cherino says, sounding like a video game villain.
Shigure runs towards us behind her friend, before stopping in surprise. "The Hot Springs Department and the president's tank...? What the heck is going on?"
Cherino crosses her arms and lets out a 'Hmph' sound. "It turns out those insubordinate runts from Gehenna were planning to blow up the entire Red Winter district because the hot springs might run out of water!"
"The hot springs resort will run out of water...?" Nodoka asks, confused.
"That's right." Cherino nods. "They were going to blow up the Secretariat building for such a trivial reason! Ridiculous! But don't worry, their evil plans have already been wiped out by myself and Sensei."
"You didn't do anything, Cherino." I point out.
"Well, that's..." The white haired girl stutters, taken aback.
"B-But what happens to the Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven?!" Nodoka shouts.
"Well, normally it'd just go out of business when the water dries out." Cherino says, nonchalant. "But before that happens, I'll tear down every last scrap of it. The high-quality building stones and wood used in the hot springs resort will be used to create symbols of my authority for all to marvel at... You should be proud!" She declares with a prideful laugh.
"This is... unacceptable." The blonde manager growls. "IT'S UNACCEPTABLE!"
"Wh-Why are you screaming all of a sudden?!" Cherino shouts, frightened. "I almost fell down!"
"Under what authority are you shutting down the hot springs resort, President?" Nodoka asks, eerily calm.
"Wh-What authority? I-I'm the president!" Cherino retorts, a bit wary of Nodoka.
"Presidential authority this, presidential authority that." Nodoka scoffs. "Well, President-" She spits the word out with sarcasm and venom. "-, where were you when we were freezing to death without a scrap of firewood in the former institute? You promised to let us back into the main building WEEKS ago!"
"Uh, so, umm..." The white haired girl stutters.
"Even if it's built with impure intentions, the hot springs resort is precious to us!" Nodoka cries. "This resort is the only happiness we've experienced out in this hellscape, save for Sensei coming to visit! It's our only hope!" She declares, taking a step forward, causing Cherino to take a shaky step back. "And you're here, trying to take it from us! YOU STUPID KID! FAKE MUSTACHE! I HOPE YOU STOP GROWING AND STAY A HUNDRED-TWENTY EIGHT CENTIMETERS YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!"
"H-How dare you say such offensive things to me, the most powerful person in Red Winter Academy!" Cherino snaps back. "Are you out of your mind?!" She shouts, moving closer to Nodoka as she's gained some confidence back.
"I'm not out of my mind!" The blonde snaps. "What do I have to be afraid of when you're taking everything from me? Huh?! The president... The president... I'll never forgive you!" She promises.
...before hiccuping.
Her face IS a bit red.
To the side, I see Tomoe and Shigure standing next to one another. I only noticed them when I heard Tomoe whisper, "Um, did Nodoka... have something to drink?"
"The mors I have her earlier may have been more fermented than I thought." Shigure admits.
"That, or she has a shit tolerance." I add, taking a sip of my mors. One sip left, huh?
"Even so, she only drank one glass." The mint haired girl adds, as my focus turns back to the shouting girls.
"I will not stand for this!" Cherino roars. "I was only going to demolish the hot springs resort without purging anyone because I enjoyed the manju here! But now... you'll suffer the worst punishment of all for insulting me!" She declares.
Huh, wonder what it could be. It must be pretty bad.
"The pudding mixed with water, previously given once a month to the Spec Ops students, will be discontinued!"
...Or not.
"Pudding mixed with water? The fuck, Cherino?" I shout, indignant.
"Do you think we're scared of that?" Nodoka asks, calmly. "If you continue to be unreasonable, I have other ways to deal with you!" She snaps her fingers. "Minori!"
"You called us?"
"THE FUCK?! ARE YOU GUYS TELEPORTING?!"
I shout as, this time, Minori teleports here. Nobody hears my complaints.
"I have a commission for you." Nodoka explains to the dark haired girl. "We'll hire you with the profits earned from the hot springs business!" She then pulls out a wad of cash, causing all of our eyes to widen, and holds it out for Minori to take. "One million yen! I'll pay in advance!"
"W-Wait, Nodoka. That's all of our money." Shigure warns.
"What does it matter!" Nodoka argues. "If we lose the resort, it'll all be useless anyway!"
"No it won't. You could probably build another resort with that money." I point out, taking my last sip of mors. Goddammit.
Before anything else can happen-
BANG
BOOOOOM
A shell is fired from the Purginator, hitting Minori directly, knocking her to the ground.
"G-Geez... Over before it even began?" Minori asks, as she passes out, her halo disappearing.
"And with this, all the saboteurs are gone!" Cherino declares, proudly. "Now, it's finally time to demolish the hot springs resort."
"The... The last hope we had for the hot springs..." Nodoka says, her eyes wide. "I... Wuh..." She moans, tears welling up in her eyes. "Waaaaaah!" She cries, tears flowing from her eyes as she falls to her knees in the snow.
"Wh-Wh-Why are you crying all of a sudden?" Cherino asks, taken aback. "The matter of shutting down the hot springs resort has already been decided! E-Even if you cry, we won't back down! This is a decision for the public interest of Red Winter Academy! Isn't that right, everyone?" She asks, looking at us.
"Well, um..." Marina stammers.
"Haha... Ha." Tomoe awkwardly laughs.
"Wh-Why is everyone avoiding me?" Cherino shouts, upset. "It makes me look like the bad guy!" She then turns to me. "Comrade! Do you also think I'm in the wrong?!" She asks, desperately.
"Cherino." I say seriously, causing the small girl to fearfully look at me. "You definitely went overboard." I scold, causing the small girl to look downcast. "Wouldn't it be fine to leave the place intact, even if it ain't a hot springs resort anymore?"
"I trusted you, Comrade! How could you!" Cherino says, recoiling, before shaking her head. "No! I refuse! The Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven will be shut down! If we leave any route to restore the hot springs, the Hot Springs Department could come back at some point and endanger the whole academy!"
"That's... actually a good point." I admit, a tad surprised she could come up with that.
"Of course, I could leave the resort building alone, but-"
"It's no use!" Nodoka cries, interrupting the short girl, her eyes red from her tears. "It's all over! We're done for without the hot springs! The money we've earned will quickly disappear, the building will be left unattended, and the rain and wind will seep in... We'll eventually return to living like we used to at the former institute. I didn't want to let go of what we had... I don't want to go back to those hard times! In the end, there's nothing left for us!"
"It's not like that, Nodoka." Shigure says, peacefully, kneeling down to place a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We do still have some things."
"What's left for us, Shigure?" The blonde snaps back. "There's nothing! Nothing!"
"We still have our friends from the old Spec Ops." The mint haired girl answers, smiling.
"Our friends?" Nodoka asks, blinking.
"To be honest, I never thought life was all that bad in the former institute." Shigure admits. "Of course, there wasn't enough to eat, there wasn't any kind of heating system, and sometimes there were bears... but the fact that I could be with my great friends, including Nodoka, made me happy. I don't care whether this place is a splendid hot springs resort or a desolate ruin as long as we're together. We even get to have a nice new building that used to be a hot springs resort, right? It won't be as bad as it was before." She grasps Nodoka's shoulder a little tighter as she stares right into her friend's eyes. "We'll be fine this time too, Nodoka. Promise."
"Shi... Shigure." Nodoka says, emotional.
Geez, this is bringing up some memories...
"W-Wait. I didn't say that I'd cancel the demolition of the hot springs resort yet." Cherino interrupts.
"Cherino." I whisper darkly, causing the small girl to fearfully look up at me. "Learn some tact."
"Yes, read the room, Cherino." Tomoe adds quietly.
"I..." The short girl pauses, clicking her tongue. "Fine. Everyone seems to want it, so I'll be lenient this time. I hereby cancel the demolition!" She declares, half-heartedly. "I will entrust what's left of the hot springs resort to the Spec Ops Number Two-Two-Seven students to do with as they please!"
"A wise decision, indeed. As expected from our President." Tomoe says, happily.
"You have treated your enemies with generosity. I, Marina, am touched!" Marina says, proudly.
The sound of footsteps catches our attention as Megu, awake again, walks to us. "The hot springs resort... won't be a resort anymore?"
"Megu? You're still here?" Nodoka asks, she and her friend standing back up.
"We told you to use the hot springs resort however you like, but we still meant for you to use it as a hot springs resort!" The Gehenna student shouts.
"Well, it's going to dry out eventually..." Nodoka weakly protests "If we can't save the hot springs, wouldn't it be more beneficial to renovate it for a different purpose?"
Megu sighs. "We were trying to blow up the magma province to save them, but since our plan has been thwarted, we have no choice but to carry out President Kasumi's plan B!"
"Oh, and what's that?" I ask, smirking.
"Plan B: 'If a hot springs is no longer a hot springs, there's no reason to leave it be'! We knew this was going to happen, so we buried explosives in advance when building the foundation!" The redhead declares.
"E-Explosives?!" The blonde manager cries. "S-So you're saying we're standing on top of explosives?!"
"Yep!" Megu chirps. "Our President Kasumi always comes up with the best solution for any situation! We were told to blow everything up if the Red Winter Office tried to interfere! There are no useless hot springs in the world, only useless buildings! Well then, time to detonate...!" She says, taking a detonator from between her sizeable chest. "FIRE!" She declares, pressing the button.
Everyone, save for myself and Megu, brace themselves.
But... nothing.
"Eh?" Megu asks, pressing the button on the remote over and over again. "There was supposed to be a resort-shattering explosion! Where's the ka-boom?!"
Chuckling deviously, I pull the Shittim Chest from my jacket. "Lookin' for these?" I ask as a flood of explosives falls from the tablet's dimensional storage.
"H-How...?" Nodoka asks, as everyone stares at the pile of explosives with their eyes wide.
"The dumbasses put bombs in the foundation, but one was sticking out at the open-air bath I first went to." I explain. "I asked Arona to help me find 'em all and place them in the Shittim Chest's storage. Oh, and I disconnected them from the detonator."
"A-Are you serious?!" Cherino shouts, looking as though she might faint.
"Megu, c'mere." I order. The Gehenna student freezes from my no-nonsense tone and reluctantly walks up to me. I promptly raise my hand-
"Oww!"
-and lightly chop the redhead on the head.
"There, you have been punished for attempting to ruin my vacation." I joke, smirking. "Now then." I say, walking back to the resort.
"Sensei? Where are you going?" Shigure asks.
I remain silent as I walk to the entrance of the resort. Standing up a nearby ladder next to the main doors, I climb up and grab a hold of one of the letters stuck above the doors.
crack
The letter is quickly ripped off.
crack
Then another.
crack
Then another.
crack crack crack crack crack crack
"There." I say, stepping back to the ground. "Now it's just 'Resort Number Two-Two-Seven'. Which means no need to blow it up or have anything to do with it since it isn't a hot springs." I point out. "Understand, Megu?"
The redhead stares for a long moment, before letting out a rambunctious laugh. "I guess you're right, Sensei! I never woulda thought of that! Bwahahaha!"
"Yup, no need to worry about that." I smile, agreeing. "Now, you just need to worry about her."
"Her?" Nodoka asks.
I poke my thumb to the side, where Chinatsu is sprinting towards the redhead girl.
"Yeah, turns out Gehenna clubs aren't allowed to operate out of their district. The Prefect Team's been lookin' for y'all." I smirk. "Just think of this as retribution for attempting to blow up a building."
Megu shoots me a betrayed look. "Sensei, you're so mean!" She shouts, before running off, Chinatsu hot on her heels.
"Stop running, Megu!" The elven girl shouts. How was she running THAT fast in a yukata?
We all just look down the trail, watching the two Gehenna students disappear in the forest.
"Ueeh, she sure can run fast." A tired voice comments. "This old lady can't keep up."
"Old?" Nodoka asks Hoshino, who, along with Yuuka, have finally showed back up.
"Don't ask." I suggest. "What took y'all?"
"A bear showed up and Hoshino wanted to take a nap in its fur." Yuuka deadpans.
"Aww, come on, it was so fluffy and soft looking!" The Abydos student whines.
"Taking a nap on a bear...?" Marina asks, a daydreaming expression on her face. I guess I know to give her bear-themed gifts if need be.
"Yeah, I can see that happening." I chuckle, shaking my head. "Still, Megu said the resort was gonna run out of water soon, right?"
"That's what she said." Tomoe confirms.
"Then how about we all relax in whatever's left." I suggest. "We've all been running around for a while, we oughta make use of this place as a hot springs resort one last time."
"That's quite a good idea, Comrade." Cherino says, agreeing.
"It's a shame to hear that it will be closing, but you're right. Let's make the most of it." Yuuka adds.
"It's not like there aren't any more hot springs in Kivotos." Shigure points out.
"Yeah, there's probably a bunch of 'em in Gehenna." Hoshino adds.
I let out a chuckle. "I'mma go wake up Minori. I'll see y'all inside." I say, walking down the trail to wake the knocked-out protester.
A bit later, we all squeeze into an open-air bath, the only one in the resort that still had water.
Unfortunately, it's small. Really fucking small. And there are a lot of us.
Tomoe, her hair down, sighs happily. "I feel like the day's fatigue is being washed away."
"It's a pity we won't be able to enjoy such a good bath soon." Cherino sadly adds, still clad in her swimsuit. "Is there a way to build a new hot springs resort without causing damage to the Secretariat?"
"You could always just go to Gehenna." I point out, clad in a towel and t-shirt. "It's a bit far, but still."
"Come over here, Cherino. I'll wash you." Tomoe says in a motherly way.
"Ugh!" Cherino groans. "I'm not a child!" She exclaims, attempting to free herself from her secretary's grasp. "Don't touch my mustache!"
On the other side of the bath, Shigure is holding a sake bottle of mors while sitting next to Marina. "There's something special about drinking mors in a hot bath."
"Huh? What's in that sake bottle?" Marina asks, wary. "Surely you're not shamelessly drinking in front of the Secretariat's Security Council, are you?"
"No way. This is the special mors I made last spring." The mint haired girl denies, before quietly adding, "It's just a bit fermented."
"Huh? What did you just say?" The short haired girl asks.
Shigure laughs innocently. "Nothing at all. If you're so suspicious, would you like a drink as well?"
"Well, I suppose just a sip." Marina relents, being handed a shot glass from the other girl.
"Comrades!" Minori shouts to her fellow Labor Party members, a few of them managing to join us in the bath. "Although we retreated today because of the new weapon of the evil tyrant, this is by no means our defeat! We are taking one step backward to take two steps forward! Next time, let's sabotage that troublesome tank to cut off any impeding danger and achieve a revolutionary victory!"
"It's a sabotage! A revolution!" The Labor Party girls echo, reminding me of that Beastie Boys song.
"Geez, they sure are loud." Yuuka, sat next to me, comments.
"Heh, it kinda reminds me of back home." Hoshino, sat to my other side, adds. "Though it certainly isn't as crowded as this."
"And this is why I didn't want to bathe with everyone. Too noisy." Nodoka adds, scrunching her face up a bit.
"Still, it IS nice to see everyone so happy." I muse. "There's been too much shit goin' on, so it's great to see people in such high spirits. Guess that's the magic of hot springs, huh?"
Nodoka lets out a soft chuckle in agreement. "It's hard to imagine Red Winter students any other way. We may be rambunctious, but we certainly aren't down in the dumps." She muses, wistfully, before turning to look at me. "Sensei."
"Yeah?"
"I know a lot happened recently, but did you enjoy your visit to our resort?" Nodoka asks, shyly.
"You even need to ask at this point?" I smile.
"I suppose not." The blonde replies with a giggle. "We may no longer have any hot springs, but I hope you'll come visit us again. Er, Spec Ops Number Two-Two-Seven, that is."
"You know I will." I reply.
"We'll be waiting for you then, Sensei!" Nodoka says with a bright smile.
This certainly wasn't how I was expecting a vacation to go, but in Kivotos, I think this just might be par the course.
I might've been upset if it was any more peaceful.
Kivotos is a wild place, no doubt about it.
But I don't think I'll ever regret coming to this world.
An no-one can change my mind.
Hours later, after the sun has long disappeared behind the ground, I enter my office for the first time in a few days, clad in my suit once again.
"Sensei!" Arona chirps, hopping off from my desk chair and rushing me. "Welcome home!" She says, hugging me.
"Thanks, Arona." I say, hugging her back.
"So..." The AI girl begins, letting me go. "How as your vacation?"
"About what I expected from Kivotos. Relaxing, yet chaotic." I answer truthfully.
"Chaotic?" Arona asks, tilting her head.
I let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah, I'll fill you in while we eat. I haven't had anything in a while."
"Oh! Can you make something from your home?" She asks, excitedly.
"I'll try to think of somethin' that doesn't exist here." I answer, letting out a soft chuckle.
"Yes!" She grins, pumping her fist into the air.
Better get to work, then. I'm fuckin' starving.
HOT SPRINGS RESORT NO.227 DAILY LOGS: END
AN
Honestly, I didn't want to write any fight scenes, so I just kinda skipped them. I was originally going to have this be two chapters, but it just kinda ended up this way. Skipping those fight scenes certainly helped.
Oh and that thing about Chapter 63 being the longest chapter I wrote? This one beat it. Just under 8,800 words. Blew that 8,400 record outta the water.
ALSO DID YOU GET THE DBZ ABRIDGED REFERENCE?!?!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next!