Gaojinizer- Stage 22

Unwanted Chaperone

Though the city known as Atlanta was formerly landlocked, and for the most part, sprawling, clearly the great flood had changed things. It had become more dense over the decades, fitting more people into smaller spaces, more trains, subways, and whatnot weaving between the buildings that only grew taller with every passing year. It had not only taken its place back as the rail hub it was known as centuries past, but as a port city as well. Shore leave had allowed for a certain neo-tokyo delinquent to make his way into its underbelly. The city had apparently been reconstructed in layers. The lower one, which he was in, was Just a bit shifty, but by no means something he wasn’t used to. After all, the slums of Neo-Tokyo were not a place one wanted to live, or truly travel around, if one was not from there.

Takeshi’s eyes moved around as he subtly kept his attention on everyone around him, something which he did almost instinctively. Which seemed to be a good thing, especially considering what he saw in the corner of his eye, on one of the more run-down streets.

“Oi… You’re not from around here, I can tell. The hell do you think you’re doing in our territory?” The words came from a fair skinned man, who, though looked older than him, lacked any hair on his head. Beside him, was a man of dark skin, and one who looked more tanned respectively.

“Last I checked, that's none of your business… What, you wanna throw down?” It seemed that some things never changed, with Takeshi Inoue… As he cracked his knuckles, his opponents did the same, before they charged at him, as he did the same, a left hook aimed at him missed as he sidestepped it, a right straight missed as he backstepped, and he blocked an uppercut aimed at a chin, grabbing the hand responsible, and throwing him into his ally behind him. As the two crashed to the ground, Takeshi went on the attack, slamming a fist into the stomach of the third, and sending him crumpling to join his allies… Though they weren’t out yet, they certainly felt the strikes they’d gotten thus far.

All the while, Takeshi let a smirk come to his face.

“Been a while since I cut loose like this. Been all fighting in the Gao… Good to get on my feet and let my fists do the talk-”

“Inoue!” His words were cut off by a familiar voice making its way to his eardrums. His smirk fell into a clear expression of annoyance.

“Why are you getting into random fights with street fighters?! You're technically part of the UFE, you know!” Takeshi’s attention turned from the three as he glared at her in return for her own, as the two leaned closer, sparks seemed to fly between them.

“Huh?! When the hell did that become your business. Go work on your repair bots or somethin’!”

“We’re part of the same ship. It’d look bad on me if I let YOU go around punching people, nothing less, nothing more!” She punctuated this by poking his chest, and subsequently pulling him away by his wrist.

“Th- The hell?”

“If you’re going to go around acting like an idiot, then it looks like I'll have to intervene! You’re coming with me!”

“Don’t just decide that by yourself, woman!” As this took place, the three the pilot was fighting just moments ago watched in silence, glancing at each other, and back at the scene taking place in front of them.

…

While Takeshi and Kyoko’s misadventures continued, the other machina pilots walked down the streets, decidedly, not on the understreets as the Gaojinizer’s pilot had decided.

“So, what do you think Takeshi’s getting into right now?” Han questioned.

“Knowing him, probably a fight,”Andrew answered.

“True enough.”

“Yo!” A feminine voice called out. Those there began to look over their shoulders, to see just who was approaching. The woman looked youthful, likely no older than them.She had dark skin, coiled ebon locks twisted, reaching down as far as her shoulder, the outfit on her body was simple, a baggy shirt which reached her knees, and equally baggy jeans, a pair of sneakers on her feet. Streetwear that had become popular lately, a revival of a style one could find in the early 21st century. Her expression was a welcoming one, a wide smile upon her face. Apparently, this was shared by her compatriot, a man of a slightly lighter tone, his head cut low, and straight.

“You must be the machina Pilots, The name’s Kyndall, Kyndall Watts!” Their eyes moved to the second, who looked somewhat less enthusiastic.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Lucas Coulomb..” He said, matter-of-factly.

“That we are, who might you two be?” Diederick questioned.

“Pilots, just like you four… Well, rather, pilots in training… Though that training became live combat in that last battle.” The two groups began to move toward each other, Kyndal glanced at the members of the group, focusing on Haemon, who seemed to be stunned at the sight of …Something? She raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head in confusion, though she ultimately moved past it.

“Since you all aren't from here, we could show you around!” Kyndal offered jubilance in her tone. The responses to that game were mostly agreeable enough, aside from Haemon, who mostly seemed to say nothing until he was nudged in his midsection by andrew.

“Pick your jaw up off the floor, man…” Haemon’s posture straightened up almost immediately, as he attempted to act as if nothing happened. Luckily, the woman had already begun to walk off with the rest.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Drew…” Haemon began walking off, with that said, while Andrew simply looked upon him, clear disbelief in his expression.

“Yes you do…” He mumbled.

Kyndall continued to lead them down the street, her smile ever-present all the while.

“From here, we can hit Little Kumasi, or Little Paris, farther if we wanna take the maglev, where do you all wanna head first?” She questioned.

While this took place, Kyoko and Takeshi were sitting elsewhere, in a local cafe, simply staring at each other as they sat down… Though this certainly looked like something, no doubt that even the first syllable of the word “Date” would trigger them to deny such an idea immediately.

“Well, you dragged me here… What now?”

“Only because you made me do so by being boorish, as usual…”

“How is it my fault that you can’t keep your nose in your own business…” A standard interaction, as far as these two were concerned, and yet, there seemed to be less shouting than normal. Both of their gazes eventually went elsewhere, Takeshi’s arms crossed as he looked out the window. Kyoko, to the wall, as she rested her chin onto her palm.

“... Why did you come onto our ship, anyway? You don’t look military…” Takeshi questioned.

“What’s that expression, Pot calling the kettle black? It’s not your ship, especially considering the two of us were the first ones there… But fine… My father was Ota Shinji… From my knowledge, he was one of the engineers who helped in creating the Gaojinizer. I might never know for sure, I lost him to cancer, and they’re tight lipped on those kinds of details, even still… But regardless, I have a legacy I want to continue. I want to be on his level…” So that was the case…

“So… Seems like a lot of what we all do is for our family’s then… Lost my parents when I was a kid, So did Andrew and Haemon. Don’t know about Diedericks, but he’s a prince, or somethin’ gotta be a lot of pressure on him to succeed…” Takeshi stated.

“Your parents? I don’t think you ever told me that, or a lot of things about you…”

The woman paused, as she straightened her posture.

“Not that I care all that much… Regardless, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“No need, it happened a while ago… As long as I can get back at the roaches that are responsible, Then i'm happy with it… As for me, there isn’t that much to say. After my parents died, I met up with these two other guys in the same situation, Natsuo, and Tsubasa…” The man seemed to go silent for a moment, as he began to comb through his memories. From simply running down the streets of the lower wards as children, to the street fights they participated in their later days… This nostalgia was somewhat punctuated by the pain of the event which followed. He would only hope he would not have to bear witness to such a thing again.

“Those two… They were my brothers. There weren't many opportunities in Neo Tokyo’s slums. Hell, we didn’t even go to school after we moved in. It just so-happened that we were all good at fighting. So we started running weapons for the Yamamoto-Gumi… Knew a lot of people there. Arai, leader of the family that had our district as its turf, brought us into the game, Katsu, his second in command, that guy was always quiet, hard to read…” Kiyoko watched him speak with apparent interest. Takeshi paused for some time, even if because of this, before his thought came to mind.

“You kind of remind me of someone… This girl named Kimiko, Kuba Kimiko, died with the others when neo-tokyo got hit… She was always a bit fiery, annoyed the hell out of me sometimes, but. She was a friend regardless, one I liked a lot… You kind of remind me of her.” Takeshi, at that moment, was looking out of the window, unaware of the change in the woman’s demeanor, as her cheeks seemed to tint pink, even if slightly. As he finally looked back at her, and she seemed to hide her face in her shirt, Takeshi raised an eyebrow.

“Are…You alright?”

“Yes, Perfectly fine… That said, I have to upgrade my tools… I’ll cover the bill!” With that said, she began to get up from her seat, while the pilot could do nothing more but sit there, dumbfounded.

“What was that all about?”

All the while, on the other end of the city, the aptly named Little Kumasi was an interesting sight, immigrants from Asanteman, a nation which had recently established itself after a particularly devastating invasion from the Garsalan, had taken their home here. Though the materials may have differed, they were ultimately constructed to resemble the architectural styles to which most of the inhabitants were from. Yet, Haemon’s eyes were still focused upon Kyndall. Apparently, Andrew was not the only one to notice, given how Han wrapped an arm around haemon’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Haemon… I have the perfect way to get her to fall for you.” With that said, the man stepped back, striking a dramatic pose, his hand held across his face, as he began talking in a deeper tone, a clear attempt at imitation.

“Repeat after me.. I am Haemon Florakis, Wielder of the Great Sanvolner, Shield of the Machina! All who wish to destroy humanity, must pass me!” This only resulted in Haemon staring blankly at him.

…

Before long, their time in Atlanta was at an end. Numbers were exchanged to keep in contact, and goodbyes were said, it was time for them to return to duty. The pilots of the Juzumaru returned to their ship, as did Kyndall and Lucas, who returned to the landship known as Artemis. A heavily armored vehicle with a blocky shape, littered with guns, which floated over the earth below. Takeshi leaned back into his bed, eyes closed, arms behind his head, a simple relaxing gesture. The day had gone well all thing-

The thought was interrupted, a tremor shook the ship, even as it flew above the ground, and in moments a flash of light had appeared in the corner of his eyes, this could be said for the Juzumaru’s other occupants, who were taken out of whatever they were doing, very violently, at that. A rushing of feet across the hangar continued as they all rushed toward the only window on the ship… And the one who was commonly on the bridge had already changed their bearing to view what had happened behind them…. And it was then that they saw it, an explosive bubble, which had gone to swallow, that which was formerly the city of Atlanta.

つづく

To Be Continued