Chapter 14
Woods around JGSDF Camp Fuji, Sunto District, Shizuoka
May 11, 2013
2:00 P.M.
Ikeda Kurumi
"Bullshit!" I called the lying rat out. "You put something called a 'Light Machine Gun' in my hands earlier! What do you mean you can't make machine guns?!"
"The Vickers Berthier?"
"Yes!" I yelled amidst the telepathic accusations that Ichigo and Ran were starting to send his way, and over the sound of his musical instrument.
"My bad. Let me rephrase my words. I'm not sure what's inside a machine gun, and that Vickers Berthier is just me making guesses."
"So you gave my wife a contraption that could blow up in her face rather than shoot bullets at the enemy?!" Ichigo asked in a disbelieving tone.
"Look, she won't be maimed if it explodes, as opposed to everyone not wearing a magical item."
"Could everyone shut up and concentrate on the thousands of soldiers coming to attack us?!" Ran yelled in an exasperated tone. “Mr. Krauncha, at present you’re the most powerful supernatural being in our locale. Could you perform anything more lethal against that army over there other than the sonic attack you are subjecting them to at present?”
'Oh. So that is what he is doing with his musical playing earlier.'
“I’m a gandharva! A court musician for Lord Ganesh and other gods back home when I am not serving as Lord Ganesh's transport vehicle! Killing people with magic is not in my job description, so I didn't bother to learn how!”
“Then what about what you did in our house?! The magical beams, the invisible blasts of something, the boiling water?!” I yelled at him in outrage that he is claiming he doesn't know how to kill people with magic when he already killed enemies or failed to kill enemies a few days ago.
"That’s...basic self defense!”
At that moment I was…tempted. Very, very tempted to ask for an explanation as to how that was considered only basic self defense, and to ask Ran if what this lying rat said was true. But there was no time.
So what I did instead was to yell at him to stop spouting inconsistent lies and go do some ‘Basic self defense’ on the advancing Skinchanger soldiers.
“Item the first! I was able to do most of that when you weren’t wearing the ring from the Yavanas! But with you wearing that right now I’m reduced to making awesome but not entirely practical miracles!” Krauncha replied. “Item the second! I don’t know martial arts! I only watched the Kshatriyas and the Devas do that from the side!”
“Then stop complaining and miracle them to death! Do something you inconsistent, lazy, lying bastard!” I screamed at him.
Krauncha stopped playing his musical instrument, and then glared and hissed at me. Then he did the same at the direction of the Skinchangers.
“Madar chod! You are all madar chod! I already received some bad karma thanks to the people I killed at Matsumoto, and now I’m going to get a lot more bad karma because of you madar chod!” He screamed angrily.
A second later Krauncha started playing his instrument again, in an angry manner, while suddenly starting to glow an eye searing gold. And all the while he angrily shouting at the world in what appears to be Indian language.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woods around JGSDF Camp Fuji, Sunto District, Shizuoka
May 11, 2013
2:00 P.M.
Ohta Ichigo
“Wake up everyone! Wake up!” I heard Ran scream into my ears.
My eyes suddenly opened, and I sat up from the ground.
Looking around, I saw everyone else on the rampart besides my three ancestors, who were still continuously shooting at the Skinchanger’s direction, waking up and fighting off the remaining drowsiness that they felt.
Major Suzumoto was one of the first ones to completely wake up. After a few moments of looking at his fellow Self Defense Forces members, he…reacted badly at seeing everyone else other than my ancestors not shooting at the Skinchangers.
“Everyone, start shooting! Now! Ran, what happened to us?!” Major Suzumoto roared out frantically and with barely hidden panic.
“You all fainted from an unfiltered exposure of holiness! You all were not ready for it!” Was Ran’s answer.
“Holiness?! Holiness?! What - how is anyone supposed to fight a war while worrying about fainting just by looking at the wrong thing at the wrong time?!”
“Don’t worry Mr. Suzumoto!” Ran replied. “From now, as long as I'm present everyone not supernatural will be protected from holiness induced fainting! Oh, and everyone can safely look at Mr. Krauncha now!”
I did as she had invited us to.
Just as had happened back at our home in Matsumoto, Krauncha was covered in Adult Video style mosaic. But this time it wasn't just him that was covered, the glow that was centered around him and extended up to a few meters away from him was also covered by mosaic.
That was the reason my wife was also covered in mosaic.
Beyond the mosaic covered area at the bottom of the rampart…
All the holes where the trees had sunk into the earth had turned into geysers that sent fat columns of molten gold spraying to a height of four to five times the height of an average Japanese person, at a rate of one fountain that lasted for three seconds every five seconds. And these various geysers were slowly flooding the forest floor with molten gold and fire.
The geysers of molten gold had a dramatic effect on the enemy army.
Those who were too near the golden geysers died from being coated in molten metal. Those who were not as near screamed out in pain as they merely got hit by spatters of molten gold from every direction.
Half of those who were hit by spatters started to run back to Camp Fuji in panic, and died within seconds as they died from being too near to some of the geysers in their flight or stumbling into pools of molten gold when whatever they were wearing as footwear didn't protect their feet from the superheated metal. The other half of those who were hit by spatters had the idea of crouching in place and shielding themselves with their magical shields, but were soon forced to move and die by creeping pools of molten gold and fire approaching from every direction.
And those who had not entered the forest bunched up at the edge and deployed their magical shields to protect them from the molten gold, only to suffer as the shields and the bunching up turned them into a perfect target to shoot at by everyone else on the rampart
I smiled.
I quickly unslung my own rifle from my left shoulder and was about to raise it and aim down its sights when Akio’s hysterical scream suddenly ruined the good mood.
"What is that idiot thinking?!"
"What's your problem?!" Major Suzumoto shouted back at Akio, who had stopped shooting at the moment, echoing the confusion of everyone on the rampart within hearing range who were born in the modern era.
"First rule of fighting in a forest! Don't burn it while you're in it! And the idiot is spreading around molten metals that will cause everything flammable to burn! With us in the middle of it!"
“Don’t forget the fumes of the molten gold ancestor!” Hisashi added. “I had a friend who worked as a bladesmith! He said breathing in the fumes or vapor of molten metals is very bad to one's health!”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woods around JGSDF Camp Fuji, Sunto District, Shizuoka
May 11, 2013
2:02 P.M.
Ikeda Kurumi
“See! You can do it! No need for me!” I triumphantly declared as the entire Skinchanger army was stopped dead by Krauncha’s molten gold.
The Indian rat suddenly stopped shouting in Indian and glared at me, without stopping in his playing of his musical instrument.
“Yeah I did it kutti! And now I’m going to pay the price for pulling this particular miracle very, very soon!”
I gave the Indian rat an incredulous stare.
“Why exactly are you going to pay some price?! This is clearly self defense!”
“All I’m going to say on the topic is that its never a good idea to make a symbol of something negative indulge in more activities of what it metaphorically represents! Never!”
I was about to ask him what that meant, but before I was able to do so I breathed in something. And then I immediately started coughing and spitting in an attempt to get the metallic taste out of my mouth.
"Let's just get back on top of the stupid rampart! The gold fumes aren’t good for your health!" Krauncha yelled while floating backwards and still strumming his musical instrument.
I agreed and started to walk backwards in a crouch while trying not to inhale more of said gold fumes, with the shield held in front of me just in case the Lighteaters started to send bullets my way again.
I discovered I didn’t need to do that by the time Krauncha and I had ascended the top of the rampart, to the cheers of the Self Defense Forces personnel and a personal tight hug from my boyfriend, because the smoke and the spreading fires had blocked both sides view of the battlefield.
Ichigo quickly disengaged from the hug, slung his rifle back onto his shoulder using its strap, and gently pulled me down the slope of the rampart to its bottom, where my parents were standing to my surprise. Once there he and Mama asked me if I was alright.
“I inhaled some smoke, and I...don’t know. Other than that I’m fine. How about...what are all three of you doing here? Weren’t you three supposed to be with Ao, Mother and Father?”
“We were worried for you Kurumi,” Papa answered. “Now that you’re back with us, let’s get back to safety.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woods around JGSDF Camp Fuji, Sunto District, Shizuoka
May 11, 2013
2:09 P.M.
Ohta Ichigo
“Mama!” Ao yelled from Moe’s lap, as Ms. Yamato and Mom carefully maneuvered the wheelchair the inari and my daughter were on to face us, a task complicated by the roots of the trees we were all hiding under and a still unconscious Dad sleeping very near them.
“Ao!” My wife happily said as she strode forward and knelt, to give our daughter a gentle hug made awkward by the fact that it was being done on the lap of a crippled girl.
Thankfully Moe didn’t mind things happening on her lap, judging by the smile she sent my way.
As all the members of my immediate family had their reunion, I looked around to see how the other hospital patients were taking recent events.
They were either huddled around in family groups and comforting each other, or were by themselves. And of those who were by themselves, some were on their cellphones talking or texting with their loved ones, some were giving me and my family wary looks, and some were praying.
"Ichigo!" Kurumi suddenly called to me. "What are you standing all the way over there for?! Come over here!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Sorry, I was just thinking," I said as I rejoined my family, the inari and her teacher. "How is everyone holding up? Was anyone hurt from the shootout earlier?"
"We're physically alright," Mom replied. "Emotionally, me and Ms. Yamato here were scared for you guys. But we calmed down when Ao and Moe told us what's happening out there."
"It's true Papa," my daughter chirped when I stared her way. “Grandma was so, so very worried for you and Lola and Mama and Lolo while Ms. Yamato was worried for Ms. Ran. Ms. Moe and I were also worried about all of you So Ms. Moe and I decided to look at what you guys are doing and tell it to Grandma and Ms. Yamato.”
“Then that means you saw – ”
Everyone jerked in surprise as the noise of an intense shootout broke out once again.
I wasn't sure as to why. Maybe it might be because I was partially desensitized to the shootout since I had just participated in one, or maybe it was because I had already killed in self defense, or even because I was more concerned about my daughter.
Whatever the reason, I gathered myself after a few moments of shock and yelled over the shootout.
"Then that means you saw everything that happened?! All the magical aliens dying and Mama being shot at!? In very graphic detail?!"
Everyone not Ao, Moe, Mom or Ms. Yamato immediately understood what I was thinking off, that an almost five year old girl had just seen a lot of people dying. They quickly sent accusative looks at Moe, who quickly replied in her own defense.
“I didn’t let Ao see or read anything! I temporarily possessed her, with her consent and the permission of Mrs. Ohta, so I could use her powers to see the fighting and tell the other three!”
“Possessed?!” Kurumi said in an enraged tone, from right beside me, as she glared at Moe. A moment after this I looked at Mom, who quickly yelled that she was satisfied by Moe’s completely detailed explanation of what she was about to do.
“Mama, it’s ok! I told her it’s ok to do it, and I could kick her out anytime I wanted to,” Ao added further.
As if dragged by a magnet, my wife and I looked each other in the eyes at the same time. And we slowly shook our heads.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woods around JGSDF Camp Fuji, Sunto District, Shizuoka
May 11, 2013
2:15 P.M.
Ikeda Kurumi
“I will not allow myself to be possessed by anyone!” Ao replied with a chastened look on her face.
“Good!” I smiled at her. Then I frowned at Moe, who I had also dressed down along with my daughter a while ago, with help from my beloved Ichigo.
“I won’t possess anyone unless lives are at stake!” Moe recited in surrender.
“You better do so or we will have words Moe.”
With that done I let out a very tired sigh and sat down on the forest floor. A moment later I grabbed Ichigo’s hand and gave him a light yank.
“What is it?” Ichigo asked as he sat beside me.
“I’m tired so I’m going to sleep,” I replied at the same time as I leaned into his shoulder, only to bump my head into the ‘Smelly’ rifle he had slung over his shoulder. A few seconds later the rifle was on the ground in front of us, and my head was in the crook of my fiance’s shoulder.
And then I closed my eyes to –
“Well, I guess you two really have become responsible parents.”
“Mrs. Taro, please,” I pleaded without taking my head away from its comfortable resting place or opening my eyes. “My family is tired and stressed from everything this day so I beg you. Leave us alone, even for just one day. Please.”
“Have I said anything else other than complimenting this example of parenting from you and Ichigo?” Mrs. Taro said as the rustles of dead leaves and her voice came closer and closer to us.
“She has a point,” Ichigo commented with a whisper.
“...no,” I admitted loud enough for everyone in our little group to hear.
“Well then. May I sit here with you guys?”
“...sit wherever you want.”
Within moments I heard her sit somewhere near. It was quickly followed by a question from Mama, asking Taro what she was doing ever since we went out of the hospital.
Taro explained that she had been talking with her bosses in the Equal Employment, Children and Families Bureau and its parent organization, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare via cellphone. And then with her subordinate, who apparently went into the town of Oyama to arrange lodgings for herself, Ms. Yamato and Mrs. Taro earlier this day, and after that she talked with her husband and her son in Yokosuka.
She then told us what news she learned via cellphone.
It wasn't good.
Apparently the military bases in the Mt. Fuji area weren't the only places in Japan currently under attack. Neither is Japan the only country under attack right now.
In the case of Japan, Tokyo was being fought over by indiscriminate magical alien soldiers on one side and the combined and shocked forces of the JSDF, United States Forces Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Police on the other side, assisted by various easily recognizable supernatural beings and magical girls of unknown allegiance who came out of nowhere. There were also reports from local TV networks of fighting in every prefectural capital and every location where a military base was located.
The news from overseas wasn’t much better. All the international cable news stations available to Japan reported fighting in all but one of the nuclear armed countries of the world, as well as every major non-nuclear armed nation, of which Japan is one of.
“Mrs. Taro, which country were you talking about when you said ‘all but one of the nuclear armed nations’?” Ichigo asked as soon as Taro had finished giving us the bad news.
“Israel,” Taro replied.
“Israel as in the Holy Land?” Mama quickly responded.
“The Holy Land of three religions? Strangely, yes. Except for Egypt, all of Israel’s direct neighbors weren’t attacked either, regardless of how weak or how strong their military was. It was quite the puzzle to the Americans, according to what my boss heard.”
“Have you heard anything about the Philippines?” Mama asked.
“I haven’t heard anything about the Philippines, but I was informed Vietnam was at war while Singapore has fallen.”
“Putang ina” Mama cursed with a worried tone. “My cousins are all working in Singapore right now. Putang ina. Putang ina.”
It was at this moment that I finally decided to open my eyes and look around.
Mama was leaning back against a tree to my left, her face in her right hand and while worrying for her cousins, my relatives from my Filipino side. At the same time Papa was beside her, whispering to Mama and hugging her at the waist to comfort her.
Mother, sitting on a mat of dead leaves right beside Father’s stretcher, was still occupied with giving Father with the saddest expression I had seen on her in almost five years of living together. And she had been doing so ever since the middle of the lecture that I gave my daughter and Moe.
Everyone else, including me by this point, gave Mama sad looks full of sympathy from where we were seated.