(June 10 2024)—-
I CAN WALK NOW! THE CABBIT WALKS! Oh man, I have been everywhere, I've ran to towns nearby that we took from Akechi a while ago, I ran to a few nearby outposts to check on the girls who have been keeping them out of enemy hands, and I've been running through some nice small towns nearby as well. I remember when this all started, we were trying to take land ten miles beyond the hospital and all the poor girls at the outposts were only getting four hours of sleep per night because of how thinly stretched we were. After we took most of the territory in Akechi's region, they've just living it up at the outposts. They were able to go out and take outposts further East, as few as they were. When they weren't doing that, they were teaching nearby locals how to shoot. In short, everything was finally good. Akechi was still at large to some degree, but he was so backed into a corner, we could breathe much easier and kick back to a certain degree. The biggest concern to me was keeping the town just to the West of Akechi's estate, which I'd dubbed 'Bordertown,' free from invasion. A large amount of the girls were in Bordertown setting up defenses and arming the locals. Akechi would most definitely try to retake the town, since he was sandwiched between a big town no longer under his control and Neptune's region, which he was forbidden from as a result of losing so much land to our forces. It was finally open season on Akechi, and it was going to stay that way for the foreseeable future, but I decided to let everyone take a few breathers, especially since one of our snipers, Springfield, had broken her leg and was brought back to the hospital to recover, albeit against her will. She ended up being in a wheelchair, just like I was. I showed her the ramp Soppo and I would ride down, but that apparently didn't appeal to her much. Anyway, Narukami told us all he would make mega beef bowls for everyone, so I was sitting there salivating as I waited. All I could think about was the endless pile of beef I was about to savor… until Suomi busted into the dining room.
"I GOT IT! IT CAME!" Suomi yelled happily. She was holding a small box, which she put on one of the tables. A bunch of girls, Nanako and I all crowded around to see what was in the box. Suomi opened it, revealing something made of colorful clay… and it looked like me. It was apparently one of Chris-Chan's medallions.
"You actually bought one of those medallions Chris-Chan made?" MP5 asked in disbelief.
"You gave Chris-Chan money?" AN-94 asked while giving Suomi a death glare.
"Not real money, I sent him some of that fake money used in the Monopoly game." Suomi said as she put the clay thing around her neck. "I guess he didn't notice the money was fake until after he shipped it... assuming he knows the money is fake at all. Anyway, isn't it cute?"
"You know what you're supposed to do with that, right?" MP5 asked. "I saw Chris-Chan announcing it on tv."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to shove it up my butt." Suomi said matter-of-factly.
"Ok then… but if I ever see any stains on it-" Bren was cut off.
"I'M NOT GOING TO SHOVE IT UP MY BUTT!" Suomi yelled.
"Dinner is served, everyone!" Narukami said, breaking the tension. The smell of carefully and thoroughly cooked beef filled the room. It smelled….. Perfect.
"Big bro is a really good cook." Nanako told me. "I can't wait for everyone to try it." Narukami started sliding bowls full of beef towards everyone in the cafeteria. I was about to take a bite, but then I felt something climbing up my back. I knew it was Soppo right away.
"Hi, Catman!" Soppo said with glee. "What are you eating?" I put some beef on my fork.
"Narukami made beef bowls for everyone." I said as I held the fork in front of Soppo. "Try it." Soppo then took the beef and started eating it like a squirrel, just little nibbles. Heck, she even darted her head around while she was chewing.
"I like it, Catman!" Soppo said. "Can I have more?"
"We can share mine." Nanako said. "I won't be able to eat all of this." Soppo happily jumped off my shoulder and started indulging with the rest of us. I patted Narukami on the back as he sat down next to after having served everyone their dinner.
"Thanks for cooking, brother." I said.
"Glad to do it." Narukami said. "I figure it's time to celebrate. We took Bordertown a week ago, and the next time we make a move, we'll be moving on Akechi's estate. That fu-" Narukami cut himself off because there were two children at the table who didn't need to know the "F" word existed. Narukami continued, "...Hecker is as good as dead."
"Oh, I have an idea!" MP5 jumped out of her seat excitedly. "When we get Akechi, we should shove Suomi's medallion up his butt!"
"Wha... I'll kneecap you if you try that!" Suomi yelled as she covered the medallion with her hand.
—-
After a while we all finished eating, but I definitely over-ate. I knew I was reaching my limit… but the beef bowl was too good. I had never been that full in my life. Almost everyone else did the exact same thing as I did. Most of the girls were either sitting at the tables hunched over trying to not vomit, or they were heading back to their rooms to go to sleep, even though it was only 6:30 in the evening. We probably should have planned things out better, because someone still needed to relieve MP40 and Kar98k, who are both down in the lobby guarding the big hole in the wall I M Meen made earlier last week when he breached the hospital. We did set up barricades to cover the hole, but they wouldn't hold very well because they were mostly made of sheet metal and stuff we leaned against it to keep it upright. I figured I could just bite the bullet and keep watch for the night. M4A1 saw me heading towards the door.
"Are you going to bed, Shikikan?" M4 asked.
"I wish." I replied. "I'm going to watch the barricade for tonight."
"I'll watch it with you." M4 said.
"Aren't you super full right now?" I asked.
"Nope. I didn't want to overeat." M4 said. "I'll meet you down there, I just need to put Jr. to bed." M4 walked over to one of the tables and picked up Soppo, who had also overeaten. As I was walking out of the dining room, I couldn't help but notice Suomi was sleeping on the floor. I don't think anyone else noticed she was there, so I went into her bedroom, took her pillow and blanket off her bed and brought them into the dining room. I slid her pillow under her head and put the blanket on top of her.
"Sleep tight, Suomi." I whispered. I then grabbed my AK from my room and slung the UMP-45 on my back, then headed down to the lobby.
"Guten abend, Shikikan. What can we do for you?" Kar asked me.
"Go do whatever you want." I answered her. "I'll take watch for the night."
"No you won't." MP40 said. "The Shikikan shouldn't have to do the crappy work."
"I want to do it, so go upstairs and have some dinner, that's an order." I said. MP40 scoffed, but not in a degrading way.
"Why are you so good to us?" MP40 said as she and Kar got out of the chairs and headed upstairs.
"Übrigens," Kar said as she turned to me. "We brought the coffee maker down here, coffee should help you stay awake." I had never tried coffee, so I was curious about it. I waited until Kar and MP40 were gone, I'm not really sure why looking back, then poured myself a cup. It was super bitter and sent an unpleasant chill down my spine. I don't want to say it was disgusting, but I certainly didn't want to drink anymore. I figured as the night went on and I struggled to stay awake, I would be more willing to drink more.
"Sorry Shikikan," M4 said from behind me. It startled me a bit. "Jr. woke up before I left the room and she made me tell her a story." She came and sat on the bench across from me. We sat there in awkward silence while looking through the little hole in the barricade. It was there intentionally so one could stick their gun out and shoot through it, just in case you're wondering. It was so quiet I could hear the clock in the lobby going 'tick…tock…tick…tock.' It was kind of nice… at first. After a while it started getting to me in an almost personal way. It made me feel alone in a weird way. M4 got up and poured herself a cup of coffee, but she poured something else into it.
"What did you pour into your coffee?" I asked.
"It's a creamer." M4 answered. "It makes the coffee actually drinkable. I assume you tried some coffee already?"
"I did. It was way too bitter." I said, recalling the taste and getting a chill down my spine just from the memory. M4 put her cup on the floor then went up to the coffee machine, poured me a cup and grabbed a creamer. She handed me both.
"Pour the creamer in, but make sure you watch it spread in the coffee, it's pretty fun to watch." M4 said. Luckily there was still some light, so I was able to see. I stared at the black coffee and poured in the creamer, and wow, it was like I put a tiny smoke grenade in the cup. It started in the middle, then very quickly engulfed the bitter blackness in a nice light brown color. I tried it, with a shiver going down my spine because I was expecting the worst, but it was surprisingly delicious.
"Isn't it so much better now?" M4 asked.
"It's like a night and day difference!" I exclaimed, but not too loudly. "It's not as good as an angry orchard, but it comes kind of close."
"You know there are other types of creamers you can try." M4 said with a smile. I could actually feel my face brighten when I heard that. "Wait here, I'll go get all of them. Let's have a taste-test party!"
(June 11 2024)_—-
It was about 2:45 am when I checked the clock again. Time honestly flew because I was trying different coffee creamers with M4 and at a certain point we were mixing and matching. We were still keeping watch, but do you expect us to just sit there and do nothing but look out the window all night? We'd both fall asleep. I want to say by that time I had about twenty cups of coffee, so I felt very weird. It was like a headache, but a 'good' headache, if that makes sense. I also felt like I could run across the vast desert to Akechi's mansion and break his body over my knee. M4 and I were also passing the time by having random conversations, all of which I enjoyed. I had never really gotten to talk to M4. A lot of the war stories she told me were bummers, but luckily our conversations got more lighthearted the more coffee we had. Eventually, she asked me about where I came from.
"So so so… let me get this straight… you just go from dimension to dimension vanquishing evil?" M4 asked me in a very jumpy-manner after I went over my past.
"That's pretty much it." I answered. "And what do I get for fighting evil and beating it? A trip to the void in between dimensions. A void of nothingness and loneliness. Not like there was any coffee or angry orchards in the void! Just nothingness, let me tell you!" As I said that, I shook my fist very rapidly, then chugged another mug of coffee.
"Whoa, Shikikan, way to kill the mood." M4 said jokingly. "Seriously though, so you just end up floating there? Do you sleep in the void?"
"Probably. I don't even know half the time. It's pitch black, I can't even tell if my eyes are open or closed." I answered as I stood up and got another mug of coffee.
"Ok, ok, if you had to pick a dimension to stay in… for the rest of your life… which one would it be?" M4 asked with wide eyes. I didn't even have to think about my answer.
"I've been in this dimension for the longest time," I answered right away. "I think everyone I've fought alongside here are the closest friends I've ever had. The others that I worked with in past adventures felt a little more 'along for the ride,' but all of you girls and Narukami actually help me fight. We're a team, and a really good one too."
"I totally understand that feeling." M4 said. There's a certain bond that comes from fighting like this alongside others you will grow to trust. That's why betrayal can hurt more than a bullet going through any part of your body." M4 kind of slid off the side of the bench after saying that.
"You've been betrayed?" I asked.
"Before I came to this dimension." M4 said with her head hung. "I don't really want to talk about it." There was a short pause after this.
"So how did you end up being Soppo's caretaker? Are you her mother or something?" I asked. "I bet the "M" in M4 stands for "Mom."
"Nah... my teammate SOPMOD II made her and left me with her while my team went out for drinks after a successful mission. I chose not to go since I don't really like that kind of atmosphere. I didn't really enjoy Kar98's Oktoberfest party, if I'm being honest." M4 looked down at her gun in between her legs and sighed. She very quickly looked back at me. "It was hard for me to love Jr. at first. She kind of scared me. Even to this day she kinda does... at times"
"I get that feeling." I said. "When I first met her, I was afraid I would wake up with my face turned inside out. The very first thing she did to me was latch onto my face and bite it." M4 just laughed at that. Of course it's funny to her because she never got her face bitten by a surprisingly strong baby. "I absolutely adore her now."
"She definitely has that kind of effect on people… and I don't think she would ever actually chew off anyone's face. I mean, as long as you're not one of Akechi's men. That's when she'll turn your face inside out, like you said." M4 said while laughing. She then looked at me with a slightly serious expression. "There's something else I want to ask you… it's really awkward and you probably won't like this question." M4 said in a really hyper manner.
"Yeah, what is it?" I asked. "Ask me anything, it's like the best talk show in the world right here!"
"Do you like Suomi?" M4 asked. That hit me like a brick. I started feeling extra fidgety.
"I mean… I like her as a friend." I said as my cheeks were burning.
"I didn't mean as a friend." M4 said. "Come on, tell your teammate. We're all like best friends… Come oooonnnn." M4 pleaded. I happened to glance out the window, and I saw lights moving in the distance. They were getting closer. I gripped my AK and stuck the barrel through the hole in the barricade. "Nope, no getting out of this." M4 said, thinking I was acting like something was coming. It wasn't an act. There was actually something coming.
"M4, someone's actually coming, I'm being serious!" I said in a light panic. M4 looked out the window, then grabbed her M4A1 and also stuck it through. There was something coming, and it was an entire calvary! Trucks, foot soldiers and the giant truck with the screen on the back, the same one I saw before I went outside to give myself up that fateful day.
"Good morning little goodie-goodies!" I heard a disgustingly familiar voice say. Of course, it was I M Meen. "I do hope you are all not taking your little naps, because you must all be awake to see what happens when you cross Lieutenant Akechi!" Just then, the trucks with guns mounted on them started firing at the hospital. Bullets started flying through the barricade, barely missing me and M4.
"Shikikan! Go wake everyone up! I'll stay down here and try to buy you some time!" M4 said desperately as she put a fresh mag in her gun. I hesitated.
"M4… they'll kill you." I shakily said.
"Just hurry! Please!" M4 pleaded as she got behind better cover. Knowing I didn't have time to stand there and argue, I ran upstairs as quickly as I could to wake everyone up, assuming the gunshots didn't already do that. Suddenly I heard a bottle breaking, followed by a big 'whoooosh.' I wasn't sure that that was. I kept hearing that same noise repeatedly… coming from outside.
"I do understand it can get quite cold at night, bookworms!" I M Meen taunted over the loudspeaker. "Allow me to warm you all up, so you can get back to your peaceful little naps." The entire hospital was catching on fire! I M Meen wanted to burn us out! I had to get to the others! "Allow me to demonstrate my true powers as the most powerful magician in the world!" I M Meen yelled. A second later, the flames were everywhere. I had to get everyone out!
"Klonoa! Brother, where are you?" I heard Narukami yell. I ran through the thick smoke towards his voice. He had Nanako on his back. "We have to get Nanako outside! She shouldn't be breathing this in."
"Don't go out there alone!" I warned. "There might be honor guards in here." Just then, Bren, AN-94 and G11 ran out of their bedrooms.
"What the bloody heck is going on here?" Bren asked in a panic. Please note she didn't say 'heck.'
"Both of you go with Narukami and keep him covered!" I commanded. "He needs to get Nanako out of here!"
"zvuchit neplokho, Shikikan!" AN-94 acknowledged. "Good luck finding the others!" The three of them left to get Nanako outside to safety. I headed back down the hallway frantically checking all the bedrooms. Luckily most of the girls were over in Bordertown, so there weren't too many at risk here, but I wanted to save everyone who was in the hospital. I ran into M4's room to hear poor little Soppo crying.
"Catman? M4? Where are you?" Soppo bawled. I ran over to her and picked her up.
"It's ok, Soppo! I'm here!" I said in a shaky voice as I hugged her tight. I had to get Soppo out, but I couldn't leave the others. I ran back out into the hallway and saw one doorway with a bunch of burning pieces of wood in front of the door. "Is anyone in there?" I hollered into the room.
"Shikikan…" I heard a weak voice say. "Helf…mich…" That was Negev! I couldn't leave her there! I gritted my teeth, knowing I would burn my hands touching the burning wood even though I was wearing gloves. I quickly pulled the wood away from the door to make an opening. 'Just keep going, Klonoa. Ignore the pain.' I said to myself. I wasn't clearing the doorway as fast as I wanted to, but luckily UMP-9 came running over.
"Shikikan! How can I help?" 9 asked.
"Hurry, help me get these boards out of the way! Negev is trapped!" With 9's help, we made an opening big enough for me to squeeze through, after I gave Soppo to 9. I picked up a near-unconscious Negev and went back into the hallway. MP5, MP40 and Kar98k came running over with Springfield in a wheelchair.
"Shikikan! We have to get out of here, now!" MP5 yelled. I nodded in agreement. We both started running towards the stairwell, but then I froze. I couldn't run. "Shikikan! Come on, hurry!" MP5 yelled.
"Listen to her, Shikikan!" We can't inhale this smoke!" Springfield yelled.
"...Suomi…" I recalled. "She's in the dining room! I have to save her!"
"Klonoa und Suomi sitting in a baum…" Kar98k began to sing.
"NOT NOW!" I yelled. I may have startled Kar, but seriously, I was in no mood! "Everyone get out of here now!" I yelled. They all left reluctantly, and I ventured further into the hospital towards the dining room. The doorway to the dining room was engulfed with flames. Without hesitation, I ran through the fire. I couldn't see anything and I was starting to feel dizzy and nauseous. I tripped over something on the floor but I quickly realized it was Suomi's pillow... but Suomi wasn't there! I searched for her frantically, and I heard some very faint coughing! I followed the sound until I found Suomi slowly dragging herself across the floor, trying to get to the doorway! I picked her up and ran back through the fire. As soon as I got further down the hallway, she went completely limp! I had to get her out of the hospital! I kept running, down the stairwells and to the lobby. As I got closer, it sounded like there was a firefight in the lobby. I ran over to where the group was.
"Klonoa! There are flamethrowers guarding the exit!" Narukami yelled as he switched mags. I leaned Suomi against the wall and helped everyone who could fight. I did a quick headcount, and luckily every girl who was staying in the hospital at that time was there. There were CWC honor guards coming in through the barrier… and they were wearing the same thing as the guy who was going to burn me alive. I got all the willpower I needed to fight despite my feeling very ill.
"Shoot the tanks on their backs!" Narukami yelled. "They'll explode which will kill the flamers instantly!" We all ran down there and flanked the flamers while Narukami and Kar98k sniped at their tanks, exploding them one by one. Eventually we got a big enough opening. I was about to run up to get Suomi, but Kar98k got her, since she was closer. Narukami grabbed Nanako, and AN-94 grabbed Negev and they all ran through where the barrier used to be, but I still had to find M4. I snuck back into the hospital, hoping no one would see me. I didn't want to endanger anyone else. As I was looking, I noticed a room that wasn't on fire. As I got closer, I noticed an exploded fire extinguisher. 'M4 must have shot it' I thought to myself. I went into the room and saw one of the honor guards sitting against the wall with blood pouring out of his stomach. I also saw… M4… laying on the floor… with her throat slit. I struggle to write this. Is there no end to cruelty? When will it stop? I got another second wind and walked over to the pale weak guy sitting against the wall. He was still alive. The guy who killed M4... I couldn't let him live any longer.
"Stand up." I sternly told him. "Get against the wall before I force you there."
"W…what?" He asked. I grabbed him by the arm and forced him against the wall. I also turned him towards the wall. "No… please don't shoot me like this! I don't want to die like that! Let me bleed out! Please!" I took a few steps back and emptied my AK mag on him. He slid down the wall and back onto the floor leaving a massive trail of blood on the wall. I slowly turned around and picked up M4's dead body and took her outside. I wanted to bury her next to UMP-45 and M200. I walked outside the hospital slowly towards the two girls' graves, which was a safe distance away from the hospital. I put M4's body down gently and started digging a hole in the sand. I was hoping the other wouldn't find me, because I didn't want Soppo to see M4 like this. Unfortunately, after some time, the group found me.
"Klonoa, there you are! I'm so relieved that you..." Narukami cut himself off. I looked behind me to see everyone standing there shocked.
"...M4?" Soppo asked. She jumped out of 9's arms and towards M4's body.
"Soppo… no. Please no!" I said desperately, holding back tears. I crawled over to Soppo and picked her up to try and avoid her seeing M4 dead, but it was too late. I held Soppo close as she started crying. Narukami got down on one knee and held Nanako close as she started crying as well. Everyone else looked devastated. Negev and Suomi were still unconscious.
"We... we'll help you bury her, Brother." Narukami said softly as he put his hand on my shoulder. "We should be quick though. We have to get out of here. Everyone helped dig a hole with their bare hands. We buried M4 then headed away from the hospital, hoping to find somewhere we could all be safe. We didn't have time to say any words for M4... we just left her there. As we walked, I remembered the guard I executed against the wall… he was begging me not to do it… and I still did it for no reason other than trying to feel a little better about M4's death. I was so blinded by what these monsters have done…
...What am I becoming?