Gate episode 8.5

The next morning, I woke up before Bozes and Pina and went over to take a warm bath to start the morning off right. Getting the water nice and hot and getting in I soaked for a while and thought about yesterday's board meeting while looking outside at the earth. We came really close to a vote for Exterminatus…and it would have been one of if not the worse disasters for dark legion, the last time we called for an Exterminatus Horus was on the board of directors and it nearly killed the dark legion, now with Octavia we nearly went through another Exterminatus.

Pina's voice then called out, "Jango, are you in here?" before opening the door.

Pina blushed in shock when she saw me and said, "oh-! Oh, my gods I am so sorry I should have knocked please excuse my sudden walk in!"

Chuckling I said, "it's okay Pina I was just about to get out actually" and started to dry myself off and get ready realizing I didn't have a shirt I had to go out with no shirt on.

As I opened the door, I was met by Pina who couldn't stop staring at my scars.

"Those scars…what your brother said was true, you dealt with more problems than him" Pina said sorrowfully.

Looking away I said, "physical scars fade easily…it's the mental scars that stay for eternity."

Pina blushed and we parted ways so I could make breakfast and chat with Bozes for a bit. She seemed interested in the dark legion's armor and chuckling I said, "tell you what I think you and Pina might like this then" before heading to a closet and pulling out two metallic roses.

"These are dark legion shield generators, they use the same shield technology that was we use on bubble shields and tanks but makes them portable, when we get back to the special realm, I'll attach them to your armor if you'd like" I smiled.

Bozes looked a little shocked and said, "are you sure High Inquisitor!"

I nodded my head and said, "of course I am sure, think of it as a souvenir from this world" before leaning back in my seat and looking outside, the sun was just rising in Japan, the second day has started.

Once Pina and bozes were done getting ready we bid farewell to the dark legion for now and made our way to the rendezvous point where Itami and his team were waiting for us.

Waving farewell To Pina and Bozes I walked right into Rory who looked extremely jealous and said, "so how was your night with the princess and her knight huh sweetie."

Blushing I said, "I- I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Rory got in my face again and said, "oh so the high inquisitor of the dark legion did nothing with two young and beautiful women in his quarters alone?"

I nodded my head and rory backed away cautiously as Itami approached me and said, "Risa told me about the money you sent her way and wanted me to thank you personally, she paid off all her bills and now has food she can cook for the next year thanks to you."

Smiling I said, "it's the least I could do."

Itami and I looked at the senate building, and I said, "well they should be starting now" and we made our way in with Itami followed me, and then Lelei, Tuka dressed in a very snazzy suit and Rory who has to wrap her axe up to hide it.

The whole world was watching let's not screw this up.

The deliberation started with one of the many members saying ladies and gentlemen we will now start questioning the witnesses and a woman bringing out a board marked with the number of civilian casualties at 150, number of coda village evacuees at 600, and the number living at the refugee camp at 25, not bad considering 450 people made it out alive.

The lady then said, "I'm gonna be as straight forward as possible the self-defense force along with the high inquisitor gave us reports about an incident with a dragon a creature that attacked you as well as caused the deaths of 150 civilians."

Itami was the first to be called up to testify. I was crossing my fingers underneath my cape praying Itami would act professional.

"yeah, uh well it was a dragon it was really big and scary" Itami said in a bored tone.

God damn it big brother act better! I groaned in my mind.

The lady got annoyed and said, "and what do you mean by that lieutenant? People are dead, don't you think that you the self-defense force and dark legion private enforcement LLC. Could have done more to protect them."

In a sincere tone Itami said, "I certainly have regrets that so many people died that day ma'am however we didn't really have any way to stop it at the time."

The lady got annoyed and said, "so then are you saying dark legion private enforcement is Incapable of holding to their standards of being the best? Or are you saying the Self-defense force is incapable."

Itami came to my aid saying, "no I am saying we didn't have the firepower, I mean the machine guns we had didn't help much senator neither the 30 caliber nor the 50 caliber did any real damage to it, in the end it took a shot from the experimental dober cannon the High Inquisitor was using to do any real damage, if it was just the self-defense force we would need railguns and laser cannons or graviton bombs"

A dark legion representative raised his hand and said, "uhh Mr. chairman, the self-defense force and the high inquisitor brought back samples for examination they are pretty tough is has scales tougher than tungsten sheets and they actually breathe fire, it's almost like they are flying tanks they were faced with such a creature and you're telling them not to expect casualties?! That's kinda an unreal expectation don'tcha think?"

The chairman lady sighed in defeat and then said, "very well then I'd like to call High Inquisitor Jango Itami forth."

Stepping up to the stand the chairman said, "state your full name and title for the diet."

"Jango Wulfric Marquis Itami, High Inquisitor for Dark Legion Private Enforcement LLC. Former Master chief petite officer for the United States Marine Raiders and Army Green Berets, Ma'am" I said speaking into the mic clearly.

The chairwoman said, "High Inquisitor I'd like to first bring your medical history into question, is it true that Psychiatric specialists labeled you as suicidal after the incident with your commanding officer betraying you?"

A bit ashamed I said, "yes ma'am."

Snickering the chairwoman said, "and with that in mind you came to special region looking for a good death, a warrior's death as you put it, is that right?"

"yes, ma'am however If I am interpreting your line of questioning correctly I am going to assume you'll ask why I didn't save those civilians or if my quest for a warriors death took priority over civilian lives, am I correct?" I asked.

This shocked the council woman who said, "yes you are correct high inquisitor."

"I can inform you without hesitation that I in fact did prioritize the civilian lives, the flame dragon in question had tougher skin that I thought it did with the bullets from the machine guns not doing jack shit to it, so I had to resort to the dober cannon which was honestly the only weapon in my arsenal that could take it out, if you listened to the representative from the dark legion you would remember that the scales we brought back as samples were more durable than the weapons we had available, so in truth by prioritizing fighting the dragon to turn its attention away from the civilians I saved more lives than what could be have been lost" I said

This seemed to shut the council woman up who sighed in defeat and said, "no further questions from me."

The chairman sighed and said, "very well then, I'd like to call Lelei La Lalena to take the stand."

As Lelei took the stand the chairman said, "do you understand Japanese?"

Lelei nodded and said, "yes, a little."

Smirking the councilwoman said, "Then let's get started I want to take a moment to discuss living conditions at the camp, do you have any restrictions there?"

Lelei feigned innocence but confidently said, "I'm not sure what you mean by restrictions isn't that every single human being? We're all born into this world with some sort of restrictions."

Letting out a sigh the council woman said, "let me rephrase this for you, are you lacking any of lives basic necessities at the camp?"

Lelei shook her head no and said, "well no we have plenty of food clothing and shelter, and what the JSDF doesn't have the dark legion provides in excess. Theres nothing really missing, I guess. We never really seem to run out of anything."

The council woman really was trying to grab at straws here and said, "really you don't feel like the SDF and Dark Legion, which was described as ill-equipped, is responsible for the 150 victims?"

Lelei simple answered No

Next, they asked Tuka up to the stands and Lelei translated for her.

Introducing herself Tuka said, "I am an elf from the forest of loda, the daughter of Hodur, Tuka Luna Marceau."

Stuttering a bit the chairwoman asked, "um I'm sorry but I'm afraid I have to ask you this, are those ears actually real?"

Lelei translated for her saying, "are those your real ears?"

Tuka smiled saying, "sure, these are my ears, do you want to touch them?"

Guess the councilwoman had never seen an elf before because this caught her and everyone else off guard as she stuttered and said, "Miss Tuka when you were attacked by the dragon did you witness the SDF or the High Inquisitor do anything inappropriate?"

Tuka calmly said, "uhh, I can't say, I was unconscious at the time."

Defeated yet again the chairwoman said, "very well then, the next witness please."

A voice then said, "Mis Mercury will you please take the stand."

I could see it in the chairwoman's eye, she was underestimating Rory she had no idea that Rory's outfit was her outfit as an apostle or the fact that she was the oldest person in the room, this would be exciting to watch play out.

"Please state your name."

"Rory Mercury"

"Please tell us what your life is like in the Alnis hill camp."

Rory smiled and said, "it's simple really, in the morning when I wake, I pray and then, well then I take some lives then pray then when night comes, I go to sleep."

Confused at this statement the chairwoman said, "what do you mean take some lives?"

Rory smiled evilly and said, "I kill, I kill for my lord's sake, he is the god of death, it's kinda his thing."

"Let's try a different question, you appear to me to be someone who has lost someone dear to them recently, is it safe to say the self-defense force or the high inquisitor is to blame for that?"

Lelei then started to translate for Rory saying, "she says she doesn't understand the question Rory's entire family was- "

But the councilwoman had enough and said, "according to the report when the dragon attacked it killed 150 people fleeing the village not a single soldier was killed or injured during that engagement, the self-defense force is supposed to risk their lives and fight for those that are in danger and dark legion promised us the suicidal beliefs of the high inquisitor would make him fight harder to defend others while putting himself in the line of fire but here they chose to run from that fight and cost people their lives!"

Rory seemed to have a look of shock on her face, and I was about ready to run up and bitch slap the woman.

The council woman then shouted, "so you need to tell us everything, tell us what you saw, tell us what they did, tell us the truth!"

Rory then shouted, "are you a god damn idiot!" which hurt everyone's eardrums.

The council woman stuttered and said, "uhh excuse me?"

Rory went back to her Rory ways and pointed at the council woman smugly saying, "I believe you heard the question, you're probably asked that a lot, little miss thing" while removing her veil and spoke in perfect Japanese.

This shocked the councilwoman and Rory on her smug train said, "well look who just caught up I assume you want to know how Jango, and his people including his older brother fought against the dragon am I right? They did everything they could Jango took a blast from the dragon's fire head on a lived to tell the tale, they did not hide in their carriages nor behind any civilians, I tell you they did nothing of the sort."

The council woman was left stuttering as Rory said, "let's get to the point shall we, there are times when a soldier must protect their own life, you all sit here safe and comfortable and accuse others of being cowards, if you ask me, you're the cowards little miss thing."

The council woman's eye started to twitch as she said, "what did you call me!"

Rory continued and said, "they faced a flame dragon and lived to tell the tale and in the case of Jango he quite literally disarmed it, so you should offer them praise for pulling off a feat, you demonstrate a rather creative way of manipulating numbers to make them look a certain way don't you, your self-defense force and the hired Mercenary from Dark Legion Private Enforcement LLC. Saved 450 people, I can only imagine the problems in this country face if this is how they are treated, Jango and the rest of his team accomplished something no one has ever done, and that is my answer to that stupid question of yours, is that truth enough for you, little miss thing."

Growling the Council woman started to attack Rory's character saying, "I guess someone forgot to teach you how to speak to an adult little miss thing."

Feigning innocence Rory said, "you're not talking about me, are you?"

Getting angry the council woman said, "of course I am talking about you, I don't about how things are done in the special region but in this country, we respect our elders."

I then noticed Rory reaching at the red ribbon hiding her axe and her lips started to go black and I rushed into action getting in front of Rory and saying, "I just want the Diet to know for the record that Rory Mercury is in fact the oldest person in the room."

The council woman crossed her arms and said, "and just how old is she supposed to be?"

Rory smirked and said, "961 of your years honey."

This shocked everyone and I could just feel another meeting with dark legion discussing getting a sample of Rory's blood to test it for longevity.

Stuttering the council woman said, "and just how old do you happen to be Ms. Marceau?"

Tuka smiled and said, "165."

In fear the council woman turned towards Lelei and said, "what about you."

Leleli said, "I'm 15."

This seemed to calm down the council woman a bit as Lelei took the stands saying, "and I am human where I come from we live around 70 years, in fact most of the people in my world are human beings, Tuka is an elf and elves have incredibly long life spans those of her kind of the potential to live forever, Rory started out as a human but her body stopped aging when she became a demigod and an oracle a demigod will abandon her body after 1,000 years transforming into a spiritual apostle and eventually a god she has no concept of life expectancy"

The deliberation ended and with a smile we were released, and I stretched out my arms and said, "by the gods! This took way to long!"

Rory hugged me and said, "so you know my secret now high inquisitor~ does that make you blush?"

Blushing I said, "you know for a living relic you are quite fresh I must say."

Rory giggled and said, "when I become a goddess, I hope all of dark legion will join the other world because I would make you all my apostles and oracles."

As soon as we met up with Pina I smiled and said, "I assume negotiations went well?"

Pina nodded and said, "there were less of them than the Board meeting…and the office wasn't as grand, but I will admit…the Japanese senate building was private."

This confused Itami as he said, "wait what do you mean the place wasn't as grand? Jango where was the board meeting held?"

Smugly I pointed up and confused Itami realized what I meant and shouted, "no way Point Veranda!"

I nodded my head and said, "no place in the world is safer than point Veranda." Before leading them to a car.

Tuka looked confused and said, "are we not taking the bus?"

I shook my head and said, "they probably already figured we would, so we'll be taking a cloaker instead to the point of interest."

Getting into the car I could hear Rory have a sigh of relief as she said, "thank gods we're not going through the subway, Hardy's territory is not one I want to be in again!"

Soon we made our way safely to Risa's Apartment Where Risa welcomed us with a homecooked meal.

Grinning happily Risa rushed me and hugged me saying, "Jango! It is so nice to see you again!"

I chuckled and said, "nice to see you too Risa."