Epilogue: GAME OVER
April 7, 2011
Trying to move the machine by himself had been a mistake.
Trash sat on the ground in front of the shutters, trying to recover. Fortunately, the pain was already subsiding. Hopefully, he had just pulled a muscle in his back, rather than something more serious.
Always lift with your legs. The common sense wisdom was making more sense. Maybe he was getting old? Was 21 too young to start talking like that?
Looking around at the nearly deserted street, he just hoped that he could recover before Mr. Sakuma arrived with the truck.
Trash had been so eager to clear out the junk on the first floor that he got a bit ahead of himself. With no idea what most of the machines were, it was foolish to try to start shifting things around. He had been at it for less than thirty minutes before a hard pull had been answered with a sharp pain in his back.
Waiting for the pain to subside, Trash admired what he had accomplished so far.
Most of the first-floor workshop had already been cleared out. Only a few heavy pieces of machinery and some boxes of miscellaneous parts were left.
He was lucky that Mr. Sakuma had agreed to take all the junk off his hands, even the stuff he probably wouldn’t need.
After doing some research, Trash managed to identify most of the equipment that had been stored in the factory. It turned out that the products that Ooba Industries used to make were, in fact, casting molds for jewelry.
That information wasn’t useful at first. After all, he had no idea how to use any of it, and most of it was antique to begin with. It did, however, explain the location of the factory. Just to the north were streets full of jewelers. Trash had walked past the shops hundreds of times.
Arming himself with photographs of the equipment, He started to visit shops and the offices of local business associations. While he was able to confirm the research he had done and even found some of the company’s old customers, his plan to find someone to buy the equipment from him quickly died.
As he feared, the equipment was too specialized and too old. After all, the business had failed more than a decade earlier.
That had been the plan before the big disaster up in Fukushima. Since then, his priorities changed.
The earthquake had felt very strong, but it actually hadn’t been so serious in Tokyo. Unlike up North, there was hardly any damage visible on the streets.
For Trash, things had been… less good.
It didn’t help that the building was ancient. It was worse because of all the stuff he had loaded in the store room on the second floor.
Part of the floor had broken through, spilling his collection all over the first floor. Machines had fallen over and then had boxes of random items sprinkled over them like an ice cream sundae, creating a giant mess. That had been the last straw.
As soon as things settled down, he went out again with a new offer. Take it all. Free. Just make it go away.
Even with that offer, it seemed that no one would take him up on it, until Mr. Sakuma, one of the nearby jewelers, agreed to help him clear everything out.
He wasn’t sure what the old man would do with the equipment, but frankly, he didn’t care. He just wanted the space cleared.
What they had discovered while cleaning up the shop had made it worth it, ten times over.
He had been cleaning and moving things for weeks now, and as soon as he had cleared most of the small items from the first floor, a new secret was revealed.
There was a second set of stairs in the rear of the building. In the entire time he lived there, he had no idea. It was a small stairway that had been completely obscured with boxes, but it led to a large basement.
The basement was crammed full of nothing but old molds. All were worthless, and in the end, he had to pay just to dispose of them all, but it was still a huge win. Once the first floor was cleared, he would have triple the amount of space than he had previously. There were even usable shelves in the basement.
After today’s load, the building would finally be cleared of all the old junk. He still needed to get the ceiling repaired, but once he did, he had so many ideas of what to do with all the space.
Ideally, he would put a full bathroom upstairs, and finally get an air conditioner too. Then, he could remodel the first floor and maybe put in a small storefront. He could keep the downstairs as his storage space, turning the entire third floor into his living space.
All that would cost a fortune, though, so it was a far-off dream at this point.
That said, business had been very good lately. The quake had been bad at first. He lost around ten percent of his stock to the floor collapse, and even a few of his prized pieces had been ruined.
He had been despondent by the losses and the damage done to the building, but then the calls started coming in.
His relationship with Harold Shinohara and the Victoria Hotel had redefined his entire world. For the last year, the hotel had sent him dozens of requests for everything from video games, to tours of the vintage music equipment shops in Akihabara. Harold had also helped connect him to other GMs at the other five-star hotels in Tokyo. Through this network alone, he had almost more work than he could keep up with.
Not every job was profitable, but the relationships he had cultivated were priceless. This became clear after the earthquake.
As foreign news crews converged on Japan after the disaster, Trash was slammed with requests. From sourcing dosimeters to measure radiation exposure, to acting as a translator and guide when needed, Trash had expanded his customer base and products offered exponentially.
At a minimum, he wasn’t too worried about the repair costs for the floor anymore. With more income, more space, and more customers, things were heading in a direction he wouldn’t have dreamed of a year ago.
Of course, this boom wouldn’t last. Things were already slowing down as the foreign news crews were starting to head back, now that the nuclear crisis was seemingly averted.
Trash was already looking for new ways to position his services. Luckily, Hibiki had some ideas.
Next month, he was scheduled to meet with a number of different government agencies. There was a desire to increase tourism in Japan, highlighting various aspects of Japanese culture abroad.
While Trash was intimately aware of the global interest in Japanese cartoons, comic books, and video games, he was surprised to learn that even in the Kasumigaseki, there were people pushing to promote the geek sub-culture.
Trash had always thought that there was a stigma around Akiba-style amongst the normies, but his initial conversations had shown far more than a grudging acceptance.
Feeling better, Trash stood up. He gave up on moving any more machinery for now and would wait for Mr. Sakuma and his workmen.
Lined up along the back wall were the only things that would stay. Several dozen boxes, mostly filled with rescued items that survived the floor collapse, were stacked neatly, waiting to be moved into the basement. There were a few larger items as well, including a life-size standup of Manaka Takane, wearing a pink polka-dotted bikini.
One box was open. It held a few items that Trash kept separate because he was getting ready to deliver them, or he wanted to handle them with special care.
Reaching into the box, Trash pulled out a white cardboard electronics packing box. The same type of box he had given Danny in the French restaurant. He opened it to check the contents.
Inside was a perfect, mint condition, original Nintendo GameBoy. It was the only one he had in this such good condition, and it had been one of the first things he had checked on after the earthquake.
It lacked the original box, but inside the styrofoam-lined box was an original instruction manual, a pack of four brand-new AA batteries, and even an AC adapter, although the original models did not include either.
He also included in the box, the original six launch cartridges. Alleyway, Baseball, Super Mario Land, Yakuman, Tetris, and Tennis, though the last two were exclusives from the American launch.
It pained him to give up this piece. Still, he did not regret passing it on. After all, the gift he had received was probably worth many times the commercial value of the video game. It was his duty to share a worthy piece of his culture as part of the exchange.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
He thought about the elegantly framed record album that hung on his wall, right behind his desk. The plain white square only had the name of the band on the front. Trash admired the simplicity of the design, reminding him of Apple products. He knew that the true value was hidden inside, however, with the four signatures next to the photos of each of the four band members, scribbled on the inside of the cover.
Trash put the box down and picked up the clear bag next to it.
He unzipped the plastic airtight seal, listening to the sound as the air rushed back into the space.
Taking out the jacket, he felt misty-eyed. Preserved in the same condition as it had ended up that night, the colors of his ruined MS-09 Dom jacket were still vibrant. The ripped fabric now looked like torn flesh in his eyes, and he had to put the jacket down.
This would go back upstairs with his most precious treasures. He had come to see the loss of the jacket as a noble sacrifice. The jacket offered itself, not only to save his life, but to restore his fortune.
Folding the jacket so that he could slide it back into the vacuum bag, he felt something hard. Trash felt around inside the fabric until he found the object. It looked like a small plastic toy, wrapped in plastic that had been hidden inside the “secret” pocket.
Taking it out, he looked at the unfamiliar object. It took a minute before he could place it.
A small plastic disc with a picture of a garbage can on it.
Trash unwrapped the cellophane and looked at the disk. Danny had said it was a USB drive. Indeed, the disk split in half when he pulled on the side. Protruding from the center was a USB drive.
Smiling at the cute toy, Trash pondered putting it into his PC to see what it actually held. Then he decided against it.
「You are my Tamatebako, aren’t you? Tempting me to open you so that all my fortune will return to the Princess under the sea. Well, not today. Not yet, at least.」
He put the USB back in the pocket, then placed the jacket back into the bag, squeezing the air out of it before sealing it again.
Then he noticed the slip of paper that had been inside the wrapper. Picking it up, he read what was written on it.
Beside a cartoon picture of a slice of pizza was a handwritten note.
> Mr. Landis!
>
> Have a SLICE on us! We put 1,000 BTC on this drive. LOL!
>
> Remember! Say NO to Trash! There is nothing we can’t bring back!
>
> From your friends at DataSAVERS
Trash crumpled the note and the wrapper, then tossed them both into the empty box he was using for trash.
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After the last piece was loaded on the truck, Trash bowed to Mr. Sakuma.
「Thank you so much for your effort. This has been a great help to me.」
「Don’t make too much of it. This may be helpful to my company’s future. We have heard that videos of traditional Japanese crafting styles are getting popular abroad. My nephew was hoping we could turn this into an attraction of some kind. Allow people to forge their own jewelry. Thank you for allowing us to use these things again.」
「Oh! That’s wonderful. If you can get it all working, let me know. I have friends who make YouTube content. I will try to find people who can help promote your effort. I’m truly sorry I am not able to assist with any knowledge. I regret never learning anything.」
「Not at all. This alone is a big step for us.」
After exchanging more pleasantries, Trash waved as the truck drove down the street.
Then he turned to admire the empty space. It had always seemed so small when it had been crammed with junk. Now, it looked huge. Trash was giddy thinking of all the possibilities.
Then he noticed the gaping hole in the ceiling and frowned.
「Gonna have to take care of that next.」
Pulling out his phone, he checked the time. 10:47.
Pleased, Trash realized he was ahead of schedule. He should be able to pick up the delivery from Charon and drop it off at the food bank, then get back with plenty of time to get ready for the party.
First, he grabbed his jacket off a hook on the wall. The Red motorcycle jacket was certainly eye-catching. He rolled up the sleeves, a feature that had apparently given Saki a lot of trouble as it wasn’t something most jackets of this type did. The end result might not be practical, but it was screen-accurate, and it looked cool.
Then he grabbed the helmet. It had originally been part of his collection, but having the opportunity to use it personally was too much of a temptation. He had already lost so much during the quake, what was another 30,000 yen. The plum-red colored helmet felt like the spiritual successor to his MS-09 Dom jacket. The identifier, MS-06S, was printed in black military stencil along the side of his limited edition motorcycle helmet.
Parked against the wall of the newly cleared workspace was Trash’s new pride and joy.
He rolled the 2007 Honda Zoomer scooter out onto the road, before grabbing his bag and shutting the front shutter. He attached the bag to the rack on the back of the bike, then checked to make sure the building was locked up.
The Zoomer had been expensive, over 100,000 yen, used, but it had been a true godsend when the trains stopped running after the quake. Thanks to this scooter, he had been able to make deliveries all over Tokyo, as well as help his friends. Of course, that meant that ever since, he had been making regular deliveries for Saki. He was sure he could drive to Ochanomizu with his eyes closed now.
He couldn’t complain, though, considering her gift had been the main impetus behind him getting the scooter in the first place. She had also found a designer who sold custom vinyl skins for Zoomers and got him one that finished the effect perfectly.
He hit the road, a 50cc red comet on the road, the large emblem on his back proclaiming;
> GOOD FOR HEALTH
>
> BAD FOR EDUCATION
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There had been some disagreement on where to go for the party, but in the end, they had decided on Aoyama Cemetery.
Trash had voted for Chidorigafuchi. It had the moat, and it was closer, too. Also, it seemed weird to have a party in a cemetery.
The girls vetoed that as they had been to Chidorigafuchi before and found it too hard to take pictures on the narrow pathways. Since that was the main reason for the party, his vote didn’t count anyway.
The location also made it easier to invite Hibiki to join.
In the end, the extra supplies that Charon was donating to the Tohoku relief efforts ended up taking two trips. Still, he was able to finish the deliveries and return the scooter to his building, then shower, get dressed in a more presentable outfit, and get back to Charon just in time to join everyone to taxi to the cemetery.
Wearing the outfit Saki had picked out for him was still… uncomfortable. Still, even he knew that he couldn’t meet government representatives wearing cargo pants and cartoon-covered T-shirts. Upgrading his wardrobe had been another major change.
Today, he had on a pair of dark slacks, a white dress shirt, and a forest green sports jacket. The leather shoes were still getting broken in, and he knew it was going to hurt, taking them off later. Finding things in his size had been a nightmare, but the price tag had hurt more than falling off a two-story building.
He refused to go full normie, so slung over his shoulder was a bright green turtle shell backpack, complete with ten large white spikes protruding from the surface in all directions.
Inside was his gift for Hibiki, and the flowers for Meg.
Saki was not in cosplay, though she was dressed for the occasion. Wearing a light pink summer kimono, and her hair done up in a fashionable style, she wouldn’t draw a second glance considering the venue and the season. That is unless you looked closely. Her features, and makeup were flawless, easily outclassing the countless other girls walking around in similar dress. Regardless of what she wore, Saki was Saki.
Pazu was dressed similarly to Trash, but had on a pink shirt and grey jacket. Together, the three of them would fit in anywhere in Tokyo. Trash couldn’t decide if he wanted to throw up or cry.
The only one who stuck out was Satsuki.
While she also wore a traditional kimono, hers had a distinct, old-fashioned feel. Her kimono was also light pink, but with large dark pink flowers embossed in the fabric. The style was a traditional girl’s graduation kimono, complete with bright red trousers worn over the skirt.
When she stepped out of the taxi, Trash finally noticed the wide purple belt, tied with a long flowing tail and oversized red ribbon, tying up her jet black ponytail. Recognizing the outfit, he suddenly burst out laughing.
That was until Saki kicked him in the knee. Lucky for him, it was very difficult to kick people while wearing a kimono.
「But… It’s Sakura! Sakura Shinguji! It’s so perfect… Satsuki, you win! You are the greatest! I bow to your cosplay mastery.」
The very image of a Taisho-era heroine, not a sign of the modern, westernized girl visible, Satsuki frowned.
「It doesn’t feel right without the sword. I don’t think Sakura would accept this.」
「Just endure it for now. We’ll get arrested for bringing a sword into the cemetery during cherry blossom season, even a fake one. We’ll take some pictures later with the sword someplace indoors,」 promised Pazu.
「But I want the pictures under the trees!」Satsuki pouted.
「We could try going to Ueno at sunrise,」 Trash offered.
「As if. No way that works. At best, we can find a few trees in a small park somewhere. Anyway, let’s get going. Your “Harajuku Godfather” must be waiting for us.」
「Here,」 Trash took the flowers from his bag and handed them to Saki.
Saki presented the flowers to Satsuki, then stood back.
Trash and Pazu were ready. They pulled the party streamers and fired.
「CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION!」
They all yelled together.
After Sophia University had canceled the commencement ceremony due to the earthquake, they had all planned this party to let Satsuki wear the costume she had prepared specifically for the event.
A cherry blossom viewing party.
A blushing Satsuki bowed deeply. Then, they showered her with another round of streamers.
「CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW JOB!」
On Trash’s suggestion, Meg applied to and was offered a full-time position working as a marketing associate in the newly formed Castrum Japan, Ltd. Co.
Returnees have a notoriously difficult time getting regular employment as their school records don’t show the expected Japanese schools. That and her hair and tattoos all but ensured most Japanese companies would boot her from consideration on sight.
Castrum, on the other hand, seemed ready to make her an offer as soon as she walked through the door. The salary and conditions were better than most Japanese companies as well.
As they congratulated her again, Satsuki looked at Trash, giving him a wink that sent shivers down his spine.
Then Saki made Trash and Pazu clean up all the streamers off the ground.
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Agbor had set up a glorious picnic spread, and they ate sandwiches and rice balls while the girls took thousands of pictures under the cherry blossoms. The cemetery was indeed a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful pink flowers in a picturesque setting.
Trash sat next to Hibiki, discussing the government initiative.
“Don’t put too much faith in those bureaucrats. They get paid to waste taxpayer money. Wasting your time, they will happily do for free.“
Trash smiled. He had expected that reaction.
“Then, why did you put my name forward?”
“They may be fools, but even fools can be useful under the right circumstances. Look at you!”
Not taking the bait, Trash took out the box from his bag.
Opening the box, Hibiki gasped.
“You know,” he said, closing the box and holding it in his lap. “I remember when these first went on sale. I really wanted to get one of these, but I never had any children. They only sold them in toy stores, and I was too embarrassed to go inside to buy one.”
Trash saw that sad look in the old man’s eyes as he watched Pazu desperately trying to keep up with the two girls’ endless demands for more pictures.
“Trash, you’ve grown a lot this year. The only thing I worry about is… I can’t say I don’t have regrets. About the way I lived my life. I did what I wanted to do, but looking back… I sometimes wonder if I did everything I needed to do.”
Trash suddenly stood up.
He wanted to believe he had changed for the better. He had not forsaken his geek ideals, but was trying to fashion a new path. One that would hopefully help him and, at the same time, defend and elevate the things that were important to him.
He wasn’t a pure geek anymore, not in these shoes, anyway. He would never be a normie, either. He had finally found goals worth pouring his passion into. He also understood how important other people were to accomplishing his dreams if he wanted to succeed on this path.
Bending down, he reached out a hand to his rival, mentor, and comrade.
「Hey, you Old Goat, life is too short for regrets. Let’s go take pictures with young women, under the cherry blossom trees.」
オワリ (TRASH: The End)