[FIC] Gang and Girl Visit Hinata: Havoc Ensues (part seven)
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:33 am
The table was impeccably set. The girls had done a fine job. Trays, pots, plates, and bowls of food were scattered about, all smelling wonderful. Shinobu had outdone herself. Pitchers of ice water and tea were accompanied by bottles of sake and beer. Haruka and Kitsune had contributed from their private stock. Cheerful banter filled the room. Many of the individuals at the table had no real inkling of the dangers at hand. There would be time for that soon, enough. Sousuke would let them enjoy this moment together. A little while longer.
Shinobu had taken a plate of food up to Motoko’s room. The young warrior had no intention of leaving her room. With a terse ‘Thank you,” she asked that the food be taken away.
No one had seen Su for a while. Kaname claimed it was because Sousuke implied he wanted to see her naked…or because he told her he did not want to see her similarly clad. Either way, it MUST be Sousuke’s fault. Haruka begged to differ, saying the young inventor was probably tinkering away in her lab. Naru and Shinobu made certain that Tama was present and accounted for.
Haitani and Shirai, already worn out and run down, continued waxing the floors and cleaning up the damage caused by various fights and fits of childhood vindictiveness. They were salivating like Pavlov’s dog, every time they caught a whiff of food, and each time someone exclaimed just how delicious some dish was. No one so much as threw them a bone.
Two names were not brought up during dinner. Seta. Kurz. Each person at the table thought their own thoughts and said their own prayers. Nothing more could be done at that time. Melissa had long since ordered Sousuke not to have Kentaro transport him to the site where the two men had last been seen. Their fate was in their own hands. Sousuke was needed here. After dinner, Melissa would go and prepare her M9 for combat.
During the dinner, Naru noticed something sitting on one of the unoccupied chairs. It was Keitaro’s sketchbook. She remembered what kind of trouble she and her friends had caused when the looked at it without Keitaro’s permission. Still, this is a party of sorts. It might be fun to embarrass him in front of everyone. Keitaro had a momentary sense of dread when he saw Naru stand up and walk in his direction, a mischievous grin on her face.
Grabbing the book, Naru ran back to her seat, clutching the pilfered item close to her chest. "Kei-tar-ro, let’s see what you have in your sketchbook this time.” She started flipping through pages. Kitsune and Sara looked rather gleeful. Mutsumi was smiling. Shinobu was chewing on her fingernails.
“Naru! No. That’s my personal property. You have no business….” Keitaro stood up clumsily, tipping over his chair. He was interrupted by Naru.
“Oh. I see. It sure sounds like you have something to hide. Let’s see what it is….”
“Maybe a naked picture of Shinobu” Sara added helpfully. Shinobu let out a squeak, turning beet red.
The first sketch that Naru did not recognize was a wonderfully detailed pastel of Souske being struck on the head by Kaname’s halisen. The evil grin on the whacker’s face was realistic and frightening. The grimace on the whackee’s face was truly worthy of sympathy.
Keitaro cringed, as if he expected the Naru punch.
“It’s OK Keitaro” Naru said cheerfully. “This is really good. I’m certain Kaname and Sgt. Sagara do not mind that you captured their playfulness on paper.” She held the drawing up for everyone to see.
Keitaro was still cringing. He had good reason. There was still a chance. He ran to grab the book from Naru.
Another page flipped. Naru’s smile froze, snapped, and fell broken to the floor. Flames burned in the back of her eyes. She looked ready to chew steel. Keitaro was too late. The price of his failure was a nice view of the Hinata skyline, sun setting. It was beautiful.
While Naru was in mid kick, Sara swiped the book from her hands. “Look what that LOSER drew!!!” Kitsune, Shinobu, and Mutsumi crowded around. Shinobu fell back into her chair, her face ashen. Mutsumi said “Oh my!” Kitsune smiled at Kaname. “It seems you made quite an impression on our perverted manager.” She passed the book to Mutsumi, who then handed it to Kaname, who was rendered speechless.
Keitaro had drawn a charcoal of Kaname, close to anatomically correct. She was essentially naked, standing in the hot springs, covered by small whisps of steam in strategic locations.
“I can see why you are displeased, Naru.” Sousuke had stood up to see what the fuss was all about. “The artwork is inaccurate. Kaname’s posterior is much larger than that.” Haruka closed her eyes. Melissa slapped her knee. Sara looked expectant.
Kaname shocked them all. She gave Sousuke a quick kiss on the cheek. “That’s for noticing me, Sousuke. Keep up the good work.” The sea change came rather suddenly. WHAM!!! “That’s for telling a woman the truth!”
When Keitaro staggered back in, the group continued enjoying the dinner and drinks. At some point, however, Naru fell victim to her insecurities. “Keitaro…you, Mutsumi, and I should be studying now. We’ve wasted so much time today. One of us had an ‘E’ grade.” She didn’t need to mention who.
“Oh come on, Naru. This kind of thing doesn’t happen all the time. Besides, I remember when you didn’t spend much time with your studies!” Keitaro did NOT want any further discussion of grades.
“Keitaro! I have always….” Naru looked irritated.
“She’s a shy little cutie you just want to wrap your arms around,” Keitaro quoted. “Remember, the college talent show? I do. I have all of the magazines with you on the cover.” He turned to Kaname and Sousuke and explained further. “Naru was a pop star until her violent tendencies took over. Do you remember the song ‘To a Future Filled With Smiles’? That was one of her hits.” Kaname nodded her head, eyes wide in surprise.
“So was Keitaro” Kitsune said, laughing. “Her career ended when she punched him and someone caught it on film.” Kitsune looked at Shinobu. “Shinobu, honey…aren’t you going to speak up?” She smiled when she saw the young girl blush. “You were part of ‘Beauty and Blade.’ “ Taking a long sip of sake, she told that tale.
The drink, the mood, and the talk of music prompted Keitaro to do a little quiet singing himself. “Imagine me and you, I do….I think of you day and night, it’s only right…to think about the girl you love, and hold her tight…so happy, tooogetherrrr.” No one paid much attention at first, except for Tama. The song was “Happy Together,” a 60s hit by the Turtles. Engrossed in his song, Keitaro sung louder and louder, catching everyone’s ear. “I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you…for all my life…when you’re with me, baby the skies will be blue…for all my liiiiiiiife… The last note drove Tama away.
“He really IS a major LOSER!!!” Sara was now a song critic. She looked around for something to throw at Keitaro. Most of the pots and plates were empty. Darn!
“Yes, Sara’s right” Naru said with a ‘Hmmppff.’ “Your singing will probably frighten Sara and Shinobu out of a year’s growth. I think Tama went to throw herself in the boiling pot.” She stuck her nose in the air.
“Well then, Miss Pop Star, why don’t YOU show us how it’s done?” If Keitaro kept that up, he’d be cruisin’ for a bruisin.’
Naru started getting angry. Then she had an idea. Yes, that song will do. She wasn’t a big Rolling Stones fan, but even Keitaro ought to get the message. A little paraphrasing was in order. “Under my thumb…the squirmin’ dog, who just had his day…under my thumb…a boy who has just changed his ways….” When she was done, she snapped her fingers. Keitaro sat down.
Kitsune clapped her hands loudly. Sara let loose with a prolonged cat call.
That might have been an end to the singing. Sousuke spoke up. “Kaname is a singer, as well. She sang at the birthday party that was thrown for the Tuatha De Danaan, the submarine I am often based on.” He grimaced when Kaname stomped on his foot.
Kaname tried to beg off singing, but everybody was insistant. For some reason, at that moment, she actually wanted to see how clueless Sousuke was. It was a familiar thing in a strange place. She caught everybody by surprise by belting out her best Grace Slick impersonation. “Don’t you want somebody to love…don’t you need somebody to love…wouldn’t you love somebody to love…you BETTER find somebody to love….” Vintage Jefferson Airplane.
Kaname stared at Sousuke when she was done. His expression didn’t chance. She sighed. Melissa chuckled.
Uninvited, Kitsune stood up on her chair, holding a bottle of sake like a microphone. She went for an obscure one. She couldn’t even remember the name of the group…The Flying Lizards. The song spoke for itself. “The best things in life are free……but you can give them to the birds and bees……I want money.” She took a bow, lost her balance, swung her arms in circles, and landed in Keitaro’s lap, breasts near smothering him. “Keitaro, sugar…have I ever told you just how much I care about you. I can’t resist any longer. I have to kiss you….” This time it was a fried squid that she stuck on his upturned face. For a moment there, it looked as if Naru was about to explode.
That whole scene gave Mutsumi inspiration. She was somewhat looped herself. Off came her sweater. She started singing, standing close to Keitaro. An old Exile tune. “I wanna kiss you all over…and over again… She leaned forward, her chest pressing against the back of Keitaro’s neck. Kaname smiled. It was fun watching Mutsumi play Naru like that. Still singing, Mutsumi walked over to Sousuke. “I wanna kiss you all over…til the night closes in…til the night closes in…” She plopped into Sousuke’s lap and gave him a big wet smooch. Naru clapped her hands. She loved seeing Mutsumi play Kaname like that.
Try as they may, no one at the table could convince Shinobu to sing. Listening in, Haitani and Shirai decided to get into the act.
“Hey, Shinobu! Do MADONNA!!!” Shirai waved his rag above his head.
“Yeh! ‘Like a Virgin’ “ Haitani shouted. Even from that distance, he could see Shinobu’s face go red.
In a high-pitched falsetto, both Haitani and Shirai warbled “Like a virgin…ooooh…kissed for the very FIRST time…..” They both burst out laughing, slapping each other on the back.
Shinobu looked like she was about to run from the room sobbing. She thought back to her previous worries about kissing. She began to get angry. She put two fingers into her mouth and whistled sharp and long. She walked over to where the two miscreants were standing. She didn’t sing. She spoke the lyrics from ‘Welcome To The Jungle.’ “Welcome to the jungle…we got fun and games…we got everything you want…honey we know the names.” Shinobu smiled, seeing what she hoped she’d see. “In the jungle…welcome to the jungle…watch it bring you to your knees, your knees…I wanna watch you bleed…”
Shiro waddled into the room. Shinobu headed back to the table. It was time to clear off the remnants of dinner. There was coffee, tea, and dessert to serve.
When the young girl began to take away the dishes, Sousuke stood to offer his assistance. Kaname glared at him. He was never that attentive to her!
Kitsune had other ideas. “No no no, Sousuke honey. Everybody else did their part. Now it’s your turn to sing us something.” She poured the remainer of her current bottle into her cup. Mutsumi put her chin on her hands, a dreamy look in her eyes. Keitaro started smiling. Good…let someone else embarrass themselves.
“I am sorry, Miss Konno. I have not been trained in singing. Therefore, I must unfortunately refuse.” Hearing that, Kitsune gave Kaname a sympathetic look. Undaunted, she stood up slowly with a languid smile on her lips.
“Well, Sousuke. I figure we need some kind of entertainment. I’ll just have to try and convince you. For every minute you remain silent, I’ll just have to take off one piece of my clothing.” Blood was dripping out of one of Keitaro’s nostrils.
“Uh---” Sousuke was reduced to monosyllables.
“10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Oh my. Could it be that you WANT to see me strip? I was wrong about you, sugar!” Off came Kitsune’s shirt. Keitaro was leaking blood at a prodigious rate.
“Uh---”
“5...4...3...2...1...Maybe we should continue this in private…” Off came Kitsune’s shorts. Keitaro fell backward off of his chair. Kaname picked up the halisen.
“Uh---”
“SOUSUKE!!! Sing. Now!!!” Kaname smacked the back of Sousuke’s head, sending his face into a slice of pie Shinobu had just placed in front of him. He was not the only victim. Naru had had enough of Keitaro’s antics. He was flung bodily into the next room.
“5...4...3...2...” Kitsune didn’t have a chance to finish unhooking her bra.
Still seated, his face covered with whipped cream, Sousuke began to sing. He did not have natural talent. “When Johnny comes marching home again……HURRAH…HURRAH……We’ll give him a hearty welcome then……HURRAH…HURRAH……” Mutsumi whistled. Kitsune threw Sousuke her shorts. They should not have encouraged him.
That felt good. Nothing like a martial song to get the blood flowing. It most likely would be good for the digestion. Sousuke was on a roll. He stood up on his chair, and sang out in a hearty baritone. He treated everyone to a rendition of the Red Army’s ‘We Should Bravely Go To Battle.' Everyone’s jaw dropped. Sara stuck her fingers in her ears.
Sousuke looked around the table when he was finished. Everyone was speechless. They were entirely engrossed. Excellent. This would help inspire them for the coming battle. He continued with a rousing rendition of ‘The March of Harlech,’ the song sung by the 18th century British soldiers surrounded by warriors of the Zulu nation. How apropos!
When he finished, he politely awaited the applause. Opening his eyes again, he saw that the table was empty. Were they that gung ho? Had they run off to steel their souls for combat?
***********************************************************
Sousuke found them all in the kitchen. They had taken their desserts with them there. Sarah was sitting on a countertop, shoveling cookies into her mouth. Mutsumi was slicing up a watermelon. Naru kept stealing Keitaro’s pie. Kitsune was adding too much brandy to a custard. Kaname was wearing an apron, and was helping Shinobu clean pots and pans.
“I saved you some Namagashi and Karinto, Sousuke.” Kaname smiled at Sousuke. Her smile disappeared when she saw the look on his face. “Look, Sousuke. We were only joking. Your singing wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes it was” Sara piped up.
“Certainly was.” Mutsumi handed Sousuke a piece of melon.
“I’ll probably have nightmares.” Kitsune grinned. “I might have to drink myself to sleep.”
“At least it was better than someone I know” Naru said, sticking her tongue out at Keitaro.
“NARU!” Keitaro tried to grab his pie back from Naru. She pulled it out of his reach, causing him to overextend and bump into Mutsumi. Mutsumi fell, jarring Kitsune. Kitsune stumbled, grabbing ahold of Shinobu’s apron. Shinobu knocked Keitaro down onto Mutsumi. Kitsune tripped over Keitaro and pulled Sousuke to the floor with her.
Keitaro wasn’t certain where he was. His voice was muffled, but his words were comprehensible. “Where am I? It’s so soft and so warm. I could stay here forever.” His face was in Mutsumi’s lap. Mutsumi smiled up at Naru.
When Keitaro realized where he had been, he only had a moment to say a prayer before Naru tried to stomp him into wine.
Kitsune was in no hurry to get up. “I’m so very weak. Whatever shall I do. You were so gallant, breaking my fall.” She opened her eyes momentarily and caught sight of the look of discomfort on Sousuke’s face. She pressed herself even firmer against him. “I don’t know if I can walk. You’ll have to help me back to my room. When we get there, I’ll give you a reason to sing….” She smiled. Kaname’s fuse was almost as short as Naru’s.
“Will you excuse us please, Kitsune?” Kaname said sweetly, giving the older woman a hand up. “SOUSUKE!” She was about to launch into one of her tirades, but something wasn’t right. Sousuke looked unhappy. It didn’t have anything to do with the response to his singing. “Sousuke, what’s wrong?”
Sousuke slowly looked around the room, eventually making eye contact with everyone there. They instinctively knew that the conversation was about to get serious. No more time for fun and games.
“There is something we need to discuss.” Sousuke stood at attention, his eyes very intense. “This is bigger than anyone of us here. It is more important than this Apartment house. It is of greater significance than the entire city of Hinata.” The look on Sara’s face told Sousuke that she knew where the conversation was headed.
Kentaro popped his head into the door. “I see that I have another brief part. I suppose it’s time that I mention what Seta and Sgt. Weber told me.” Sara clobbered him hard on the head with a ladle. IDIOT! It’s about time” she shouted. She dumped a pot of Kuri-kinton down his shirt. “Your even worse than that LOSER, Keitaro,”
After Kentaro told his part, Sara added a few corrections. Kitsune merely muttered “Seta.” Sousuke went on to describe Gauron, and some of their previous meetings. He told them that Melissa had gone off to get her Arm Slave ready. Just as he was about to begin his speech, the room shook and a low rumble could be heard in the distance. That might have been the fruit of Kurz’ and Seta’s labors.
“We have broken fast together. We have laughed as friends. Ws have sung as comrades. Very soon, we will need to fight together. We may give it our all, and still die together.” Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin would approve of his no nonsense approach. Kaname was not so pleased.
“S-o-u-s-u-k-e…can you try not to be so melodramatic. They’re not soldiers. I’M not a soldier.” She stood with her hands on her hips, a disapproving look on her face.
“Kaname, there is no time for niceties. There is a battle coming….” His words were indeed prophetic. It simply wasn’t the battle he was talking about.
Su stood in the entranceway to the kitchen. A droning mechanical sound came from behind her.
“You have kept me from the turtle stew that is rightfully mine. You have eaten all of the yummy desserts. You have prevented me from getting naked. You have all been very very naughty. You should NOT treat a villain that way.” A wild look on her face, Su jumped up on the table. She took out a controller with multiple levers and buttons. “ATTACK!!!”
A staggered line of radio controlled T-64s rolled into the kitchen, turrets traversing to lay their barrels on each of the kitchen residents. A flight of model F-86s flew in the door and started circling the room. A series of explosions rang out. The small tanks were firing. The Saber jets were launching rockets.
Sousuke moved first to cover Kaname. Keitaro reached out to bring Naru safely under the table, but only managed to pull her skirt down. Rolling out the door following Naru’s punch, Keitaro was followed by a small number of tanks and a couple of jets. Soon there were explosions in the other room, folowed by a series of yelps and screams.
At first, Naru, Kitsune, Mutsumi, and Kaname were too shocked to move. Shinobu hesitated, but managed to grap her P-90. Sousuke had his Glock 17 out, and had grenades at the ready. Those tanks were powerful! The window shattered. Pots and jars exploded. Pans were knocked free form their hooks, falling down from the ceiling with a great racket. Smoking holes dotted the walls.
So far, by a great stroke of luck, no one was seriously injured.
The jets launched their salvos, blowing up the stove top, a couple of chairs, a rice cooker, and a plate of fried cheesecake.
Shinobu fumbled a clip, but got it right soon enough. She cut loose soon after Sousuke had taken out his third tank. A steady grip on the gun, she swept her fire back and forth in calm determination. Turrets flew, tracks were thrown, hatches blew off.
The other women remained huddled together on the floor. Naru’s hair was the worse for wear. There were large gaping holes in Kaname’s dress. All of Kitsune’s bottles had been broken. Mutsumi was untouched, until a miniature rocket exploded her watermelon, covering her with the pulp.
That was the turning point.
Grabbing a frying pan, Mutsumi began knocking jets out of the sky. For a brief moment, Sousuke remembered the climactic scene in the original King Kong film.
Kaname, no stranger to explosions and gunshots, began to use her halisen for something other than training Sousuke. Gojira, Sousuke thought. If Kaname had spiny plates down her back, they’d be glowing now.
Naru was the last to remember her God-given talent, but she made the very most of it. Naru punches. Naru kicks. Even a Naru elbow slam. The number of tanks was decreasing rapidly. There was no celluloid beast that did her credit.
Sara was clearly in her element. These were things she was allowed to break. No, encouraged to break. And of course, once she got started, how could she be held to blame if she managed to destroy other things as well!
Kitsune, perhaps, was the only clever one. She fled the scene.
“That is just the beginning!” Su shouted.
Looking out through the door, Sousuke saw Keitaro laying on the floor, tied up, a waving white flag in his hand. Dozens more tanks were moving their way. Squadrons of jets began to take off from the hallway runway.
Sousuke’s reflexes and combat judgement were exceptional, as he once again proved. Find the linchpin. Identify the keystone. THERE. A carefully placed shot knocked the controller from Su’s hand. A burst from Shinobu’s P-90 finished it.
“Villains are not so readily thwarted!” Su called out, taking out another controller. That was knocked out of her hand by a tossed halisen and fragmented by a Naru stomp. “You can’t escape a terrorist that easily!” She pulled out a smaller remote control, one with a single large red button. She pushed it.
Each tank and jet fighter exploded with great force. Sousuke and Shinobu were knocked under the table. Kaname was thrown backward, landing in a sink filled with sudsy water. Naru was completely covered with various desserts. Mutsumi lay passed out on the floor. Sara was unscathed, clenching her fists and yelling “YEH! Let’s do it again!”
“You have defeated me. To the victor go the spoils. I am your prisoner.” Su shimmered, transforming into her adult form. “Should I leave these clothes on, future husband?” She swayed her hips as she walked towards Sousuke. She played with the strings on her blouse. THIS was fun, too…
“SOUSUKE!!!”
Su handed Sousuke another remote control.
************************************************************
The mess could wait, Sousuke insisted. After everyone had pitched in to put out a few small fires, they made their way into the living room area, each finding a comfortable place to sit. Naru wanted to leave Keitaro tied up, but Soususke wanted all of their undivided attention. Haitani and Shirai were helped down from the rafters. When they saw Shinobu’s face, they were tempted to climb right back up. Shiro was taken back to Su’s room. Haruka wandered in, but Motoko refused to leave her room. It wasn’t time for Kentaro yet.
“If there is to be ANY chance for victory, we must all work together. The first thing each and every one of you needs to do is make a decision. Will you stay and fight, or will you leave for safety. This may be your home, and this building may be in your city. But, I am a professional. So are Sgt. Weber and Sgt. Major Mao. There may be a couple of others” Sousuke nodded to Haruka who flashed a quick salute. “I have faced death many times. I have taken lives. I know how I will react in the heat of battle. You do not know these things.”
Keitaro felt compelled to speak up. “As apartment manager, it is my job to make certain decisions. My choices may not always make sense at first…but, in the end, things always turn out for the best. That is the way this show works. As you have noticed, the two of us have been kicked, punched, slammed, and sent into low orbit. Neither of us have suffered lasting injuries. So, if….”
“I am sorry to interrupt, but the rules will most definitely change. I am still sore from the fracas with Su and some of Kaname's tender ministrations before that.” Sousuke had raised his hand, halting Keitaro in mid-sentence. “How far they will change, I cannot say. There is only one way to find out for sure---I would hope that no one has to lose his or her life to serve as an example for the rest of us.”
“Sousuke, do you really think any of them will be of any use in the type of conflict you are implying?” As usual, Haruka was the practical one. “Aside from Shinobu, none of them have had the opportunity to use weapons. They have not been trained in defensive techniques. They have no concept of counter-insurgency tactics. What possible help can they be? Shouldn’t you just notify the JSDF and let them handle things?”
“Those are valid questions, Miss Urashima. If this was a simple terrorist action, you might be entirely correct. The readings taken from this area suggest Black Technology at work. The man that Haitani and Shirai described has escaped operations far beyond anything the JSDF and local police force are capable of mounting. Mithril will not work where the native forces are involved. Without Mithril, there is little chance for success. Failure would have far reaching consequences that I will not discuss here.”
Haruka had caught the subtle inflection in Sousuke’s voice. “If matters are that grave, is there a contingency plan that we do not want to hear about.” She put out her cigarette.
“Yes. That is why the choice is stay and fight, or leave. Staying and not fighting is risky for many reasons. The most pressing matter would be a cruise missile strike. As a mercenary outfit, Mithril has no sovereign soil. While life and freedom of choice are high on our list of priorities, we are compelled by our very nature and capabilities to look at the bigger picture.”
“I see.” Haruka looked concerned. “Why only three soldiers and one Arm Slave? Why not a squad of troops hiding in the forest?”
“This was essentially a fact finding mission with emergency Arm Slave back-up. The presence of Gauron has upped the ante. The findings passed on by Kentaro and Sarah from Seta suggest an urgency that cannot be ignored.” Sousuke nodded to Sarah who preened...then threw a plant and pot at Keitaro.
“I have radioed my commanding officer and requested air cover. Harrier jets can be here within minutes of my signal. Three addition Arm Slaves are ready for launch at a moment’s notice. They will not be launched on a whim, however. Our organization has backers with deep coffers, but equipment is limited and cannot be simply thrown away. Our technology cannot be captured by anyone. Not even nations friendly to our cause. Equipment that cannot be removed must, by necessity, be destroyed.”
“I’ll ask Haruka’s question again.” Naru looked frightened.
“Don’t worry Naru, I’ll protect you.” Keitaro stood up and struck a pose. “I won’t let him harass you!”
“Who…asked…YOU?” Naru shoved Keitaro, who staggered backward, flipping over behind the couch. She turned back to look at Sousuke. “With all those forces available, why should we even BE here?” Everyone else but Kaname nodded their heads.
“Yes, as manager….” Keitaro, back on his feet, tried to assert his authority. He was foiled by the large ceramic vase that Sara broke over his head.
Sousuke stood up, and paced about. “You may end up as the manager of a large smoking hole in the ground.” Keitaro gulped. Su perked up. Mutsumi exclaimed “Oh my!” Kaname nodded her head. Sousuke continued speaking. “It is still possible that your participation can prevent that….”
“But how. Aunt Haruka said….” Keitaro joined Haitani and Shirai up on the rafters. “Call me Haruka. Just Haruka.” Brushing her hands together, Haruka sat down as quickly as she had gotten up.
“If I may continue.” Sousuke took out his pistol and placed it conspicuously on an end table within arm’s reach. “We were already interrupted by unexpected combat in the kitchen. Time is of the essence. I would like to speak my piece before something else happens. I do not wish to to shoot anyone.” Every one but Kaname was shocked. Was he joking?
Kaname got up and went to stand behind Sousuke. Her action did not escape everyone’s notice.
Keitaro decided to stay up on the rafters.
Sara looked hopeful.
Haruka shook her head and sighed.
Kitsune opened another bottle of sake.
Shinobu kept a tight grip on Su’s arm.
Mutsumi smiled, hand up at the side of her face.
Naru frowned. Her scowl deepened when she noticed someone else join them.
“If I might interject, you are simply going about things in the wrong way. Keitaro is a nitwit, and no matter what you say, he will never change. And these girls, they will not respond well to violence or threats.” Kentaro had shown up and placed a large tripod on the floor and opened a large screen. Pushing a button on a controller, he activated a digital projector. His key chain held a gold-plated laser pointer.
“Take Naru, for example. I met her in high school, when she was hopelessly in love with Seta.” Naru blushed. Kentaro kept on talking. Sousuke debated with himself for a moment. Grimacing, he took a clip of rubber bullets out of his pocket. “I knew then that she was a diamond in the rough, and I watched her closely until she foolishly rejected me."
“He's probably still a stalker!" Kitsune shook her head in disgust. When she saw Sousuke pick up the pistol and exchange clips, she dove behind her chair.
“That wasn’t very nice of you back then” Shinobu piped up, “trying to take advantage of her when she was so vulnerable!” Sousuke glared at her. She bit her lip, cowered a bit, but then straightened up. She glared right back at him. Sousuke actually grinned.
“Oh please! What I am trying to get at here is the fact that Naru remains a classic Type-2C personality. She’s hopelessly affected by the Desires to Love and Be Loved In Return Syndrome. She needs to be shown rather than told she’s loved. She needs to be pampered and coerced into following orders and suggestions rather than frightened and threatened. And Shinobu, that sweet little pussy cat, she’s a classic type-3D personality. She….”
Su had been watching Sousuke closely. “The game’s afoot!” She yelled, jumping about. “Let the games begin!”
Sousuke shot Kentaro three times in rapid succession.
“Mr. Sakata would appear to be the classic 4F personality” Kaname said, her hand twitching on her halisen. “He’s a slave to the Loves To Talk So Much That He Pisses Off Souske And Gets Shot In The Ass Syndrome.”
Sara ran over to Sousuke and gave him a quick affectionate hug. She then gave the prone Kentaro a rather wicked kick in the groin. Keitaro was chuckling up near the ceiling. Naru looked sharply up at him. He went quickly quiet.
“Does anyone have any objections if I continue?” Sousuke asked in polite fashion. Nobody said a thing. “As I was saying, your participation in the coming battle might make the difference between victory and defeat…between the Hinata Apartments and the Hinata Crater. The enemy we are facing does not belong to this anime. As a result, they will not benefit in any way from the rules and physics usually in effect here. Being the principal figures in this show, each of you may still retain some semblance of your prior skills and prior good fortune. The key word…”
“Har har har har…tough luck Keitaro. You know what THAT means!" Haitani and Shirai each took one of Keitaro’s legs and pushed him off the rafter. Swinging his arms and legs, Keitaro plummeted downward, landing face first in Naru’s cleavage.
“PERVERT!!!” Naru yelled, grabbing the hapless Keitaro by the neck and slapping him silly.
Sousuke shot Haitani and Shirai down from the ceiling. “Sara!” The two young men would have run if they were able.
“You’d better be quiet while I do this, you LOSERS. Sousuke does not want any more interruptions!” Sara flashed an ‘OK’ sign to Sousuke.
“The key word is may. You would be taking a large risk, but one or all of you might turn out to be someone who makes a difference. Before you all go off to your rooms and do some soul searching, I want to give you a brief primer on guerilla actions and discuss the benefit of planning and teamwork. This shouldn’t take too long. To start with….”
“Oooo-oo-ooo.” Tama flew into the room, an ancient looking sword and scabbard in her mouth, wanting to do her part.
Another distraction. Sousuke shook his head and sighed. He could NOT wait to get home. Faulty Lambda Drivers and emotional journeys to Afghanistan were better than this. He did wish, however, that the ARX-7 was not currently under repair. It might have proved crucial in battle. And, with the shield up, none of these characters would be able to try his patience….
“Oh no, not that,” Naru said, experiencing a sense of déjà vu.
“Here, you shouldn’t be carrying something like that around, you crazy turtle!” Kaname reached up to grab the sword and scabbard from Tama. She managed to pull only the sword free. Her eyes went supernatural as the Cursed Blade of Hina took control of her.
Thinking quickly, Naru ran off to get Motoko.
Kaname cackled evilly, waving the sword about, menacing everyone she came near. Haruka moved quickly, diving to the floor and catching Kaname’s legs in a scissors grip. With demonic strenghth, Kaname twisted her body, slamming the older woman against a post. Before she could make another move, Haruka was kissed by Kaname---the entity possessing Miss Chidori drained her victim’s strength.
“Ah, ha ha ha ha haaaa….” Kaname began chasing Su, who thought it was a great game. Unsuccesful, Kaname made a charge towards Mutsumi.
“Oh my! Let me save you the trouble.” Mutsumi passed out.
Shinobu held her P-90, but realized she couldn’t stop the evil spirit without killing Kaname. She ran off to the kitchen. When she came back, she had a concussion grenade. She tossed it at Kaname’s feet, and the explosion threw the blue-haired girl high up off of the floor. She flipped, landed smiling, and tripped Kitsune, knocking her onto her back.
“Oh, how very kinky. I hope I remember this!” Kitsune exclaimed before she too was drained of strength.
Su returned, a big grin on her face. She was cradling a large futuristic looking weapon in her arms. The mega positronic cannon. It had done a fabulous job destroying the Hinata seaside ruins and creating the Seasde Tea House hot springs.
Bolts of energy flew about the room, catching small areas of carpet on fire and blasting large holes in the exterior wall. Kaname did a miraculous series of back handsprings to avoid being hit. She was knocked off her feet by one near miss.
Jumping up, Kaname zeroed in on a dodging Keitaro. “I’ll lead her away from you guys” he yelled. Inside his head he was holding a running conversation with himself: I can’t let her catch me or I’ll end up like THEM! But, Kaname is really cute, and this might be the only chance I get to kiss her. No no no…she’s NOT my promise girl…besides, I have Naru… But if I let her kiss me, no one can blame me. Who can defeat an evil spirit? Even if I remember the kiss, it won’t really be Kaname kissing me! Hey, shouldn’t I have tripped or something by now?
“Motoko still refuses to leave her room!” Naru shouted, running back into the room with Motoko‘s sword. She saw Kaname corner an ambivalent Keitaro. “KEITARO!!!” She yelled, but not out of concern. That two-timing wimp would pay for this….
Sousuke had seen enough. They had all reacted better this time. There had been some true heroics and attempts at teamwork. But, he had to be honest with himself. That was not the reason he had purposefully hesitated.
“Let’s see just how much things have changed. I shouldn’t need any mystic nonsense to drive out a spirit.” With that, he emptied the remainder of the clip into Kaname’s backside. The spirit fled her body immediately, screeching like a scorched cat.
Sighing, Sousuke went and picked up the halisen for Kaname. Being polite was the least he could do. Kaname likely would not want to hear about the necessity of his actions.
When she was through with him---and everyone else regained their senses---he would continue with his lessons.
He was beginning to feel sorry for the enemy.
************************************************************
End of part seven.
Shinobu had taken a plate of food up to Motoko’s room. The young warrior had no intention of leaving her room. With a terse ‘Thank you,” she asked that the food be taken away.
No one had seen Su for a while. Kaname claimed it was because Sousuke implied he wanted to see her naked…or because he told her he did not want to see her similarly clad. Either way, it MUST be Sousuke’s fault. Haruka begged to differ, saying the young inventor was probably tinkering away in her lab. Naru and Shinobu made certain that Tama was present and accounted for.
Haitani and Shirai, already worn out and run down, continued waxing the floors and cleaning up the damage caused by various fights and fits of childhood vindictiveness. They were salivating like Pavlov’s dog, every time they caught a whiff of food, and each time someone exclaimed just how delicious some dish was. No one so much as threw them a bone.
Two names were not brought up during dinner. Seta. Kurz. Each person at the table thought their own thoughts and said their own prayers. Nothing more could be done at that time. Melissa had long since ordered Sousuke not to have Kentaro transport him to the site where the two men had last been seen. Their fate was in their own hands. Sousuke was needed here. After dinner, Melissa would go and prepare her M9 for combat.
During the dinner, Naru noticed something sitting on one of the unoccupied chairs. It was Keitaro’s sketchbook. She remembered what kind of trouble she and her friends had caused when the looked at it without Keitaro’s permission. Still, this is a party of sorts. It might be fun to embarrass him in front of everyone. Keitaro had a momentary sense of dread when he saw Naru stand up and walk in his direction, a mischievous grin on her face.
Grabbing the book, Naru ran back to her seat, clutching the pilfered item close to her chest. "Kei-tar-ro, let’s see what you have in your sketchbook this time.” She started flipping through pages. Kitsune and Sara looked rather gleeful. Mutsumi was smiling. Shinobu was chewing on her fingernails.
“Naru! No. That’s my personal property. You have no business….” Keitaro stood up clumsily, tipping over his chair. He was interrupted by Naru.
“Oh. I see. It sure sounds like you have something to hide. Let’s see what it is….”
“Maybe a naked picture of Shinobu” Sara added helpfully. Shinobu let out a squeak, turning beet red.
The first sketch that Naru did not recognize was a wonderfully detailed pastel of Souske being struck on the head by Kaname’s halisen. The evil grin on the whacker’s face was realistic and frightening. The grimace on the whackee’s face was truly worthy of sympathy.
Keitaro cringed, as if he expected the Naru punch.
“It’s OK Keitaro” Naru said cheerfully. “This is really good. I’m certain Kaname and Sgt. Sagara do not mind that you captured their playfulness on paper.” She held the drawing up for everyone to see.
Keitaro was still cringing. He had good reason. There was still a chance. He ran to grab the book from Naru.
Another page flipped. Naru’s smile froze, snapped, and fell broken to the floor. Flames burned in the back of her eyes. She looked ready to chew steel. Keitaro was too late. The price of his failure was a nice view of the Hinata skyline, sun setting. It was beautiful.
While Naru was in mid kick, Sara swiped the book from her hands. “Look what that LOSER drew!!!” Kitsune, Shinobu, and Mutsumi crowded around. Shinobu fell back into her chair, her face ashen. Mutsumi said “Oh my!” Kitsune smiled at Kaname. “It seems you made quite an impression on our perverted manager.” She passed the book to Mutsumi, who then handed it to Kaname, who was rendered speechless.
Keitaro had drawn a charcoal of Kaname, close to anatomically correct. She was essentially naked, standing in the hot springs, covered by small whisps of steam in strategic locations.
“I can see why you are displeased, Naru.” Sousuke had stood up to see what the fuss was all about. “The artwork is inaccurate. Kaname’s posterior is much larger than that.” Haruka closed her eyes. Melissa slapped her knee. Sara looked expectant.
Kaname shocked them all. She gave Sousuke a quick kiss on the cheek. “That’s for noticing me, Sousuke. Keep up the good work.” The sea change came rather suddenly. WHAM!!! “That’s for telling a woman the truth!”
When Keitaro staggered back in, the group continued enjoying the dinner and drinks. At some point, however, Naru fell victim to her insecurities. “Keitaro…you, Mutsumi, and I should be studying now. We’ve wasted so much time today. One of us had an ‘E’ grade.” She didn’t need to mention who.
“Oh come on, Naru. This kind of thing doesn’t happen all the time. Besides, I remember when you didn’t spend much time with your studies!” Keitaro did NOT want any further discussion of grades.
“Keitaro! I have always….” Naru looked irritated.
“She’s a shy little cutie you just want to wrap your arms around,” Keitaro quoted. “Remember, the college talent show? I do. I have all of the magazines with you on the cover.” He turned to Kaname and Sousuke and explained further. “Naru was a pop star until her violent tendencies took over. Do you remember the song ‘To a Future Filled With Smiles’? That was one of her hits.” Kaname nodded her head, eyes wide in surprise.
“So was Keitaro” Kitsune said, laughing. “Her career ended when she punched him and someone caught it on film.” Kitsune looked at Shinobu. “Shinobu, honey…aren’t you going to speak up?” She smiled when she saw the young girl blush. “You were part of ‘Beauty and Blade.’ “ Taking a long sip of sake, she told that tale.
The drink, the mood, and the talk of music prompted Keitaro to do a little quiet singing himself. “Imagine me and you, I do….I think of you day and night, it’s only right…to think about the girl you love, and hold her tight…so happy, tooogetherrrr.” No one paid much attention at first, except for Tama. The song was “Happy Together,” a 60s hit by the Turtles. Engrossed in his song, Keitaro sung louder and louder, catching everyone’s ear. “I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you…for all my life…when you’re with me, baby the skies will be blue…for all my liiiiiiiife… The last note drove Tama away.
“He really IS a major LOSER!!!” Sara was now a song critic. She looked around for something to throw at Keitaro. Most of the pots and plates were empty. Darn!
“Yes, Sara’s right” Naru said with a ‘Hmmppff.’ “Your singing will probably frighten Sara and Shinobu out of a year’s growth. I think Tama went to throw herself in the boiling pot.” She stuck her nose in the air.
“Well then, Miss Pop Star, why don’t YOU show us how it’s done?” If Keitaro kept that up, he’d be cruisin’ for a bruisin.’
Naru started getting angry. Then she had an idea. Yes, that song will do. She wasn’t a big Rolling Stones fan, but even Keitaro ought to get the message. A little paraphrasing was in order. “Under my thumb…the squirmin’ dog, who just had his day…under my thumb…a boy who has just changed his ways….” When she was done, she snapped her fingers. Keitaro sat down.
Kitsune clapped her hands loudly. Sara let loose with a prolonged cat call.
That might have been an end to the singing. Sousuke spoke up. “Kaname is a singer, as well. She sang at the birthday party that was thrown for the Tuatha De Danaan, the submarine I am often based on.” He grimaced when Kaname stomped on his foot.
Kaname tried to beg off singing, but everybody was insistant. For some reason, at that moment, she actually wanted to see how clueless Sousuke was. It was a familiar thing in a strange place. She caught everybody by surprise by belting out her best Grace Slick impersonation. “Don’t you want somebody to love…don’t you need somebody to love…wouldn’t you love somebody to love…you BETTER find somebody to love….” Vintage Jefferson Airplane.
Kaname stared at Sousuke when she was done. His expression didn’t chance. She sighed. Melissa chuckled.
Uninvited, Kitsune stood up on her chair, holding a bottle of sake like a microphone. She went for an obscure one. She couldn’t even remember the name of the group…The Flying Lizards. The song spoke for itself. “The best things in life are free……but you can give them to the birds and bees……I want money.” She took a bow, lost her balance, swung her arms in circles, and landed in Keitaro’s lap, breasts near smothering him. “Keitaro, sugar…have I ever told you just how much I care about you. I can’t resist any longer. I have to kiss you….” This time it was a fried squid that she stuck on his upturned face. For a moment there, it looked as if Naru was about to explode.
That whole scene gave Mutsumi inspiration. She was somewhat looped herself. Off came her sweater. She started singing, standing close to Keitaro. An old Exile tune. “I wanna kiss you all over…and over again… She leaned forward, her chest pressing against the back of Keitaro’s neck. Kaname smiled. It was fun watching Mutsumi play Naru like that. Still singing, Mutsumi walked over to Sousuke. “I wanna kiss you all over…til the night closes in…til the night closes in…” She plopped into Sousuke’s lap and gave him a big wet smooch. Naru clapped her hands. She loved seeing Mutsumi play Kaname like that.
Try as they may, no one at the table could convince Shinobu to sing. Listening in, Haitani and Shirai decided to get into the act.
“Hey, Shinobu! Do MADONNA!!!” Shirai waved his rag above his head.
“Yeh! ‘Like a Virgin’ “ Haitani shouted. Even from that distance, he could see Shinobu’s face go red.
In a high-pitched falsetto, both Haitani and Shirai warbled “Like a virgin…ooooh…kissed for the very FIRST time…..” They both burst out laughing, slapping each other on the back.
Shinobu looked like she was about to run from the room sobbing. She thought back to her previous worries about kissing. She began to get angry. She put two fingers into her mouth and whistled sharp and long. She walked over to where the two miscreants were standing. She didn’t sing. She spoke the lyrics from ‘Welcome To The Jungle.’ “Welcome to the jungle…we got fun and games…we got everything you want…honey we know the names.” Shinobu smiled, seeing what she hoped she’d see. “In the jungle…welcome to the jungle…watch it bring you to your knees, your knees…I wanna watch you bleed…”
Shiro waddled into the room. Shinobu headed back to the table. It was time to clear off the remnants of dinner. There was coffee, tea, and dessert to serve.
When the young girl began to take away the dishes, Sousuke stood to offer his assistance. Kaname glared at him. He was never that attentive to her!
Kitsune had other ideas. “No no no, Sousuke honey. Everybody else did their part. Now it’s your turn to sing us something.” She poured the remainer of her current bottle into her cup. Mutsumi put her chin on her hands, a dreamy look in her eyes. Keitaro started smiling. Good…let someone else embarrass themselves.
“I am sorry, Miss Konno. I have not been trained in singing. Therefore, I must unfortunately refuse.” Hearing that, Kitsune gave Kaname a sympathetic look. Undaunted, she stood up slowly with a languid smile on her lips.
“Well, Sousuke. I figure we need some kind of entertainment. I’ll just have to try and convince you. For every minute you remain silent, I’ll just have to take off one piece of my clothing.” Blood was dripping out of one of Keitaro’s nostrils.
“Uh---” Sousuke was reduced to monosyllables.
“10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Oh my. Could it be that you WANT to see me strip? I was wrong about you, sugar!” Off came Kitsune’s shirt. Keitaro was leaking blood at a prodigious rate.
“Uh---”
“5...4...3...2...1...Maybe we should continue this in private…” Off came Kitsune’s shorts. Keitaro fell backward off of his chair. Kaname picked up the halisen.
“Uh---”
“SOUSUKE!!! Sing. Now!!!” Kaname smacked the back of Sousuke’s head, sending his face into a slice of pie Shinobu had just placed in front of him. He was not the only victim. Naru had had enough of Keitaro’s antics. He was flung bodily into the next room.
“5...4...3...2...” Kitsune didn’t have a chance to finish unhooking her bra.
Still seated, his face covered with whipped cream, Sousuke began to sing. He did not have natural talent. “When Johnny comes marching home again……HURRAH…HURRAH……We’ll give him a hearty welcome then……HURRAH…HURRAH……” Mutsumi whistled. Kitsune threw Sousuke her shorts. They should not have encouraged him.
That felt good. Nothing like a martial song to get the blood flowing. It most likely would be good for the digestion. Sousuke was on a roll. He stood up on his chair, and sang out in a hearty baritone. He treated everyone to a rendition of the Red Army’s ‘We Should Bravely Go To Battle.' Everyone’s jaw dropped. Sara stuck her fingers in her ears.
Sousuke looked around the table when he was finished. Everyone was speechless. They were entirely engrossed. Excellent. This would help inspire them for the coming battle. He continued with a rousing rendition of ‘The March of Harlech,’ the song sung by the 18th century British soldiers surrounded by warriors of the Zulu nation. How apropos!
When he finished, he politely awaited the applause. Opening his eyes again, he saw that the table was empty. Were they that gung ho? Had they run off to steel their souls for combat?
***********************************************************
Sousuke found them all in the kitchen. They had taken their desserts with them there. Sarah was sitting on a countertop, shoveling cookies into her mouth. Mutsumi was slicing up a watermelon. Naru kept stealing Keitaro’s pie. Kitsune was adding too much brandy to a custard. Kaname was wearing an apron, and was helping Shinobu clean pots and pans.
“I saved you some Namagashi and Karinto, Sousuke.” Kaname smiled at Sousuke. Her smile disappeared when she saw the look on his face. “Look, Sousuke. We were only joking. Your singing wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes it was” Sara piped up.
“Certainly was.” Mutsumi handed Sousuke a piece of melon.
“I’ll probably have nightmares.” Kitsune grinned. “I might have to drink myself to sleep.”
“At least it was better than someone I know” Naru said, sticking her tongue out at Keitaro.
“NARU!” Keitaro tried to grab his pie back from Naru. She pulled it out of his reach, causing him to overextend and bump into Mutsumi. Mutsumi fell, jarring Kitsune. Kitsune stumbled, grabbing ahold of Shinobu’s apron. Shinobu knocked Keitaro down onto Mutsumi. Kitsune tripped over Keitaro and pulled Sousuke to the floor with her.
Keitaro wasn’t certain where he was. His voice was muffled, but his words were comprehensible. “Where am I? It’s so soft and so warm. I could stay here forever.” His face was in Mutsumi’s lap. Mutsumi smiled up at Naru.
When Keitaro realized where he had been, he only had a moment to say a prayer before Naru tried to stomp him into wine.
Kitsune was in no hurry to get up. “I’m so very weak. Whatever shall I do. You were so gallant, breaking my fall.” She opened her eyes momentarily and caught sight of the look of discomfort on Sousuke’s face. She pressed herself even firmer against him. “I don’t know if I can walk. You’ll have to help me back to my room. When we get there, I’ll give you a reason to sing….” She smiled. Kaname’s fuse was almost as short as Naru’s.
“Will you excuse us please, Kitsune?” Kaname said sweetly, giving the older woman a hand up. “SOUSUKE!” She was about to launch into one of her tirades, but something wasn’t right. Sousuke looked unhappy. It didn’t have anything to do with the response to his singing. “Sousuke, what’s wrong?”
Sousuke slowly looked around the room, eventually making eye contact with everyone there. They instinctively knew that the conversation was about to get serious. No more time for fun and games.
“There is something we need to discuss.” Sousuke stood at attention, his eyes very intense. “This is bigger than anyone of us here. It is more important than this Apartment house. It is of greater significance than the entire city of Hinata.” The look on Sara’s face told Sousuke that she knew where the conversation was headed.
Kentaro popped his head into the door. “I see that I have another brief part. I suppose it’s time that I mention what Seta and Sgt. Weber told me.” Sara clobbered him hard on the head with a ladle. IDIOT! It’s about time” she shouted. She dumped a pot of Kuri-kinton down his shirt. “Your even worse than that LOSER, Keitaro,”
After Kentaro told his part, Sara added a few corrections. Kitsune merely muttered “Seta.” Sousuke went on to describe Gauron, and some of their previous meetings. He told them that Melissa had gone off to get her Arm Slave ready. Just as he was about to begin his speech, the room shook and a low rumble could be heard in the distance. That might have been the fruit of Kurz’ and Seta’s labors.
“We have broken fast together. We have laughed as friends. Ws have sung as comrades. Very soon, we will need to fight together. We may give it our all, and still die together.” Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin would approve of his no nonsense approach. Kaname was not so pleased.
“S-o-u-s-u-k-e…can you try not to be so melodramatic. They’re not soldiers. I’M not a soldier.” She stood with her hands on her hips, a disapproving look on her face.
“Kaname, there is no time for niceties. There is a battle coming….” His words were indeed prophetic. It simply wasn’t the battle he was talking about.
Su stood in the entranceway to the kitchen. A droning mechanical sound came from behind her.
“You have kept me from the turtle stew that is rightfully mine. You have eaten all of the yummy desserts. You have prevented me from getting naked. You have all been very very naughty. You should NOT treat a villain that way.” A wild look on her face, Su jumped up on the table. She took out a controller with multiple levers and buttons. “ATTACK!!!”
A staggered line of radio controlled T-64s rolled into the kitchen, turrets traversing to lay their barrels on each of the kitchen residents. A flight of model F-86s flew in the door and started circling the room. A series of explosions rang out. The small tanks were firing. The Saber jets were launching rockets.
Sousuke moved first to cover Kaname. Keitaro reached out to bring Naru safely under the table, but only managed to pull her skirt down. Rolling out the door following Naru’s punch, Keitaro was followed by a small number of tanks and a couple of jets. Soon there were explosions in the other room, folowed by a series of yelps and screams.
At first, Naru, Kitsune, Mutsumi, and Kaname were too shocked to move. Shinobu hesitated, but managed to grap her P-90. Sousuke had his Glock 17 out, and had grenades at the ready. Those tanks were powerful! The window shattered. Pots and jars exploded. Pans were knocked free form their hooks, falling down from the ceiling with a great racket. Smoking holes dotted the walls.
So far, by a great stroke of luck, no one was seriously injured.
The jets launched their salvos, blowing up the stove top, a couple of chairs, a rice cooker, and a plate of fried cheesecake.
Shinobu fumbled a clip, but got it right soon enough. She cut loose soon after Sousuke had taken out his third tank. A steady grip on the gun, she swept her fire back and forth in calm determination. Turrets flew, tracks were thrown, hatches blew off.
The other women remained huddled together on the floor. Naru’s hair was the worse for wear. There were large gaping holes in Kaname’s dress. All of Kitsune’s bottles had been broken. Mutsumi was untouched, until a miniature rocket exploded her watermelon, covering her with the pulp.
That was the turning point.
Grabbing a frying pan, Mutsumi began knocking jets out of the sky. For a brief moment, Sousuke remembered the climactic scene in the original King Kong film.
Kaname, no stranger to explosions and gunshots, began to use her halisen for something other than training Sousuke. Gojira, Sousuke thought. If Kaname had spiny plates down her back, they’d be glowing now.
Naru was the last to remember her God-given talent, but she made the very most of it. Naru punches. Naru kicks. Even a Naru elbow slam. The number of tanks was decreasing rapidly. There was no celluloid beast that did her credit.
Sara was clearly in her element. These were things she was allowed to break. No, encouraged to break. And of course, once she got started, how could she be held to blame if she managed to destroy other things as well!
Kitsune, perhaps, was the only clever one. She fled the scene.
“That is just the beginning!” Su shouted.
Looking out through the door, Sousuke saw Keitaro laying on the floor, tied up, a waving white flag in his hand. Dozens more tanks were moving their way. Squadrons of jets began to take off from the hallway runway.
Sousuke’s reflexes and combat judgement were exceptional, as he once again proved. Find the linchpin. Identify the keystone. THERE. A carefully placed shot knocked the controller from Su’s hand. A burst from Shinobu’s P-90 finished it.
“Villains are not so readily thwarted!” Su called out, taking out another controller. That was knocked out of her hand by a tossed halisen and fragmented by a Naru stomp. “You can’t escape a terrorist that easily!” She pulled out a smaller remote control, one with a single large red button. She pushed it.
Each tank and jet fighter exploded with great force. Sousuke and Shinobu were knocked under the table. Kaname was thrown backward, landing in a sink filled with sudsy water. Naru was completely covered with various desserts. Mutsumi lay passed out on the floor. Sara was unscathed, clenching her fists and yelling “YEH! Let’s do it again!”
“You have defeated me. To the victor go the spoils. I am your prisoner.” Su shimmered, transforming into her adult form. “Should I leave these clothes on, future husband?” She swayed her hips as she walked towards Sousuke. She played with the strings on her blouse. THIS was fun, too…
“SOUSUKE!!!”
Su handed Sousuke another remote control.
************************************************************
The mess could wait, Sousuke insisted. After everyone had pitched in to put out a few small fires, they made their way into the living room area, each finding a comfortable place to sit. Naru wanted to leave Keitaro tied up, but Soususke wanted all of their undivided attention. Haitani and Shirai were helped down from the rafters. When they saw Shinobu’s face, they were tempted to climb right back up. Shiro was taken back to Su’s room. Haruka wandered in, but Motoko refused to leave her room. It wasn’t time for Kentaro yet.
“If there is to be ANY chance for victory, we must all work together. The first thing each and every one of you needs to do is make a decision. Will you stay and fight, or will you leave for safety. This may be your home, and this building may be in your city. But, I am a professional. So are Sgt. Weber and Sgt. Major Mao. There may be a couple of others” Sousuke nodded to Haruka who flashed a quick salute. “I have faced death many times. I have taken lives. I know how I will react in the heat of battle. You do not know these things.”
Keitaro felt compelled to speak up. “As apartment manager, it is my job to make certain decisions. My choices may not always make sense at first…but, in the end, things always turn out for the best. That is the way this show works. As you have noticed, the two of us have been kicked, punched, slammed, and sent into low orbit. Neither of us have suffered lasting injuries. So, if….”
“I am sorry to interrupt, but the rules will most definitely change. I am still sore from the fracas with Su and some of Kaname's tender ministrations before that.” Sousuke had raised his hand, halting Keitaro in mid-sentence. “How far they will change, I cannot say. There is only one way to find out for sure---I would hope that no one has to lose his or her life to serve as an example for the rest of us.”
“Sousuke, do you really think any of them will be of any use in the type of conflict you are implying?” As usual, Haruka was the practical one. “Aside from Shinobu, none of them have had the opportunity to use weapons. They have not been trained in defensive techniques. They have no concept of counter-insurgency tactics. What possible help can they be? Shouldn’t you just notify the JSDF and let them handle things?”
“Those are valid questions, Miss Urashima. If this was a simple terrorist action, you might be entirely correct. The readings taken from this area suggest Black Technology at work. The man that Haitani and Shirai described has escaped operations far beyond anything the JSDF and local police force are capable of mounting. Mithril will not work where the native forces are involved. Without Mithril, there is little chance for success. Failure would have far reaching consequences that I will not discuss here.”
Haruka had caught the subtle inflection in Sousuke’s voice. “If matters are that grave, is there a contingency plan that we do not want to hear about.” She put out her cigarette.
“Yes. That is why the choice is stay and fight, or leave. Staying and not fighting is risky for many reasons. The most pressing matter would be a cruise missile strike. As a mercenary outfit, Mithril has no sovereign soil. While life and freedom of choice are high on our list of priorities, we are compelled by our very nature and capabilities to look at the bigger picture.”
“I see.” Haruka looked concerned. “Why only three soldiers and one Arm Slave? Why not a squad of troops hiding in the forest?”
“This was essentially a fact finding mission with emergency Arm Slave back-up. The presence of Gauron has upped the ante. The findings passed on by Kentaro and Sarah from Seta suggest an urgency that cannot be ignored.” Sousuke nodded to Sarah who preened...then threw a plant and pot at Keitaro.
“I have radioed my commanding officer and requested air cover. Harrier jets can be here within minutes of my signal. Three addition Arm Slaves are ready for launch at a moment’s notice. They will not be launched on a whim, however. Our organization has backers with deep coffers, but equipment is limited and cannot be simply thrown away. Our technology cannot be captured by anyone. Not even nations friendly to our cause. Equipment that cannot be removed must, by necessity, be destroyed.”
“I’ll ask Haruka’s question again.” Naru looked frightened.
“Don’t worry Naru, I’ll protect you.” Keitaro stood up and struck a pose. “I won’t let him harass you!”
“Who…asked…YOU?” Naru shoved Keitaro, who staggered backward, flipping over behind the couch. She turned back to look at Sousuke. “With all those forces available, why should we even BE here?” Everyone else but Kaname nodded their heads.
“Yes, as manager….” Keitaro, back on his feet, tried to assert his authority. He was foiled by the large ceramic vase that Sara broke over his head.
Sousuke stood up, and paced about. “You may end up as the manager of a large smoking hole in the ground.” Keitaro gulped. Su perked up. Mutsumi exclaimed “Oh my!” Kaname nodded her head. Sousuke continued speaking. “It is still possible that your participation can prevent that….”
“But how. Aunt Haruka said….” Keitaro joined Haitani and Shirai up on the rafters. “Call me Haruka. Just Haruka.” Brushing her hands together, Haruka sat down as quickly as she had gotten up.
“If I may continue.” Sousuke took out his pistol and placed it conspicuously on an end table within arm’s reach. “We were already interrupted by unexpected combat in the kitchen. Time is of the essence. I would like to speak my piece before something else happens. I do not wish to to shoot anyone.” Every one but Kaname was shocked. Was he joking?
Kaname got up and went to stand behind Sousuke. Her action did not escape everyone’s notice.
Keitaro decided to stay up on the rafters.
Sara looked hopeful.
Haruka shook her head and sighed.
Kitsune opened another bottle of sake.
Shinobu kept a tight grip on Su’s arm.
Mutsumi smiled, hand up at the side of her face.
Naru frowned. Her scowl deepened when she noticed someone else join them.
“If I might interject, you are simply going about things in the wrong way. Keitaro is a nitwit, and no matter what you say, he will never change. And these girls, they will not respond well to violence or threats.” Kentaro had shown up and placed a large tripod on the floor and opened a large screen. Pushing a button on a controller, he activated a digital projector. His key chain held a gold-plated laser pointer.
“Take Naru, for example. I met her in high school, when she was hopelessly in love with Seta.” Naru blushed. Kentaro kept on talking. Sousuke debated with himself for a moment. Grimacing, he took a clip of rubber bullets out of his pocket. “I knew then that she was a diamond in the rough, and I watched her closely until she foolishly rejected me."
“He's probably still a stalker!" Kitsune shook her head in disgust. When she saw Sousuke pick up the pistol and exchange clips, she dove behind her chair.
“That wasn’t very nice of you back then” Shinobu piped up, “trying to take advantage of her when she was so vulnerable!” Sousuke glared at her. She bit her lip, cowered a bit, but then straightened up. She glared right back at him. Sousuke actually grinned.
“Oh please! What I am trying to get at here is the fact that Naru remains a classic Type-2C personality. She’s hopelessly affected by the Desires to Love and Be Loved In Return Syndrome. She needs to be shown rather than told she’s loved. She needs to be pampered and coerced into following orders and suggestions rather than frightened and threatened. And Shinobu, that sweet little pussy cat, she’s a classic type-3D personality. She….”
Su had been watching Sousuke closely. “The game’s afoot!” She yelled, jumping about. “Let the games begin!”
Sousuke shot Kentaro three times in rapid succession.
“Mr. Sakata would appear to be the classic 4F personality” Kaname said, her hand twitching on her halisen. “He’s a slave to the Loves To Talk So Much That He Pisses Off Souske And Gets Shot In The Ass Syndrome.”
Sara ran over to Sousuke and gave him a quick affectionate hug. She then gave the prone Kentaro a rather wicked kick in the groin. Keitaro was chuckling up near the ceiling. Naru looked sharply up at him. He went quickly quiet.
“Does anyone have any objections if I continue?” Sousuke asked in polite fashion. Nobody said a thing. “As I was saying, your participation in the coming battle might make the difference between victory and defeat…between the Hinata Apartments and the Hinata Crater. The enemy we are facing does not belong to this anime. As a result, they will not benefit in any way from the rules and physics usually in effect here. Being the principal figures in this show, each of you may still retain some semblance of your prior skills and prior good fortune. The key word…”
“Har har har har…tough luck Keitaro. You know what THAT means!" Haitani and Shirai each took one of Keitaro’s legs and pushed him off the rafter. Swinging his arms and legs, Keitaro plummeted downward, landing face first in Naru’s cleavage.
“PERVERT!!!” Naru yelled, grabbing the hapless Keitaro by the neck and slapping him silly.
Sousuke shot Haitani and Shirai down from the ceiling. “Sara!” The two young men would have run if they were able.
“You’d better be quiet while I do this, you LOSERS. Sousuke does not want any more interruptions!” Sara flashed an ‘OK’ sign to Sousuke.
“The key word is may. You would be taking a large risk, but one or all of you might turn out to be someone who makes a difference. Before you all go off to your rooms and do some soul searching, I want to give you a brief primer on guerilla actions and discuss the benefit of planning and teamwork. This shouldn’t take too long. To start with….”
“Oooo-oo-ooo.” Tama flew into the room, an ancient looking sword and scabbard in her mouth, wanting to do her part.
Another distraction. Sousuke shook his head and sighed. He could NOT wait to get home. Faulty Lambda Drivers and emotional journeys to Afghanistan were better than this. He did wish, however, that the ARX-7 was not currently under repair. It might have proved crucial in battle. And, with the shield up, none of these characters would be able to try his patience….
“Oh no, not that,” Naru said, experiencing a sense of déjà vu.
“Here, you shouldn’t be carrying something like that around, you crazy turtle!” Kaname reached up to grab the sword and scabbard from Tama. She managed to pull only the sword free. Her eyes went supernatural as the Cursed Blade of Hina took control of her.
Thinking quickly, Naru ran off to get Motoko.
Kaname cackled evilly, waving the sword about, menacing everyone she came near. Haruka moved quickly, diving to the floor and catching Kaname’s legs in a scissors grip. With demonic strenghth, Kaname twisted her body, slamming the older woman against a post. Before she could make another move, Haruka was kissed by Kaname---the entity possessing Miss Chidori drained her victim’s strength.
“Ah, ha ha ha ha haaaa….” Kaname began chasing Su, who thought it was a great game. Unsuccesful, Kaname made a charge towards Mutsumi.
“Oh my! Let me save you the trouble.” Mutsumi passed out.
Shinobu held her P-90, but realized she couldn’t stop the evil spirit without killing Kaname. She ran off to the kitchen. When she came back, she had a concussion grenade. She tossed it at Kaname’s feet, and the explosion threw the blue-haired girl high up off of the floor. She flipped, landed smiling, and tripped Kitsune, knocking her onto her back.
“Oh, how very kinky. I hope I remember this!” Kitsune exclaimed before she too was drained of strength.
Su returned, a big grin on her face. She was cradling a large futuristic looking weapon in her arms. The mega positronic cannon. It had done a fabulous job destroying the Hinata seaside ruins and creating the Seasde Tea House hot springs.
Bolts of energy flew about the room, catching small areas of carpet on fire and blasting large holes in the exterior wall. Kaname did a miraculous series of back handsprings to avoid being hit. She was knocked off her feet by one near miss.
Jumping up, Kaname zeroed in on a dodging Keitaro. “I’ll lead her away from you guys” he yelled. Inside his head he was holding a running conversation with himself: I can’t let her catch me or I’ll end up like THEM! But, Kaname is really cute, and this might be the only chance I get to kiss her. No no no…she’s NOT my promise girl…besides, I have Naru… But if I let her kiss me, no one can blame me. Who can defeat an evil spirit? Even if I remember the kiss, it won’t really be Kaname kissing me! Hey, shouldn’t I have tripped or something by now?
“Motoko still refuses to leave her room!” Naru shouted, running back into the room with Motoko‘s sword. She saw Kaname corner an ambivalent Keitaro. “KEITARO!!!” She yelled, but not out of concern. That two-timing wimp would pay for this….
Sousuke had seen enough. They had all reacted better this time. There had been some true heroics and attempts at teamwork. But, he had to be honest with himself. That was not the reason he had purposefully hesitated.
“Let’s see just how much things have changed. I shouldn’t need any mystic nonsense to drive out a spirit.” With that, he emptied the remainder of the clip into Kaname’s backside. The spirit fled her body immediately, screeching like a scorched cat.
Sighing, Sousuke went and picked up the halisen for Kaname. Being polite was the least he could do. Kaname likely would not want to hear about the necessity of his actions.
When she was through with him---and everyone else regained their senses---he would continue with his lessons.
He was beginning to feel sorry for the enemy.
************************************************************
End of part seven.
