Chapter 18 "President Kejinto's Most Trusted Medical Specialist"
Chapter 18
President Kejinto’s Most Trusted Medical Specialist
YEAR 2065
“I’m never traveling through time again!” Katuo is rubbing his throbbing bottom. He and Siko had fallen out of the time portal, which then disappeared into the air, and landed on hard ground.
“Me either!” Siko rubs his aching head. “How she travels through time a million times, I have no idea!”
Finally, there you are! Where the hell have you been?! It had been more than five hours! Ketsu was driving me crazy!
Katuo notices that the sky is already turning orange along with the setting sun. He sighs lightly as he falls back to the ground. “We had… a crazy day.”
Siko laughs. “Still though - it was interesting!”
Hm. What year did Jikan take you to?
“We have no idea.” Katuo shrugs his shoulders, not even bothering to get up at all. He must have felt the soreness from the short fight he had with his future sister.
“Did Jikan come back?” Siko asks.
No. I think she’s gone for good. Probably until the year when she will be born. Now, new Gods… I have a question… How did you get back? It can’t have been the same Jikan that you fought today.
“Where is Ketsu? He must have been so worried about us, right?” Siko asks, ignoring Hikyou’s question.
Excuse me?
“Yeah, let’s find him before he gets another panic attack.” Katuo nods in agreement. He easily gets up from the ground.
H-hey! That’s not fair! I’m Double God! You can’t just ignore me!
<3<3<3
“I'm so glad you're ok!” Ketsu is hugging both Siko and Katuo too tight, making them choke on the lack of oxygen. He is babbling too fast, “I was so worried when I couldn't hear Hikyou-sama anymore! I kept calling him while I was looking for you! I thought you were dead for real!”
Katuo tries to tear himself apart from Ketsu. He says, “Well, we are back, aren't we?”
The Gods decided to come back to the White House because it is one of few places there they often hang out. They found Ketsu in the large living room crying out of his heart.
“Y-yeah.” Ketsu wipes away tears from his eyes. “So, how did you manage to get back here?”
Katuo and Siko remain silent, but Ketsu decides not to push them for any further information. Dark Angel smiles at them. You don't want us to know without risking something real important, eh?
“Finally, there you are!” Akane comes into the living room. “Katuo… I swear you're so like your father - disappearing on us all the time!”
“Mr. Kejinto has always been doing that for years.” Ketsu laughs heartily. “He will be back before you know it!”
Akane sighs lightly. “It's just that the media has been bothering me all day today. Said something about Tezuka going to Tokyo.”
“Isn't that where my father was sent to weeks ago?” Siko asks, his concern growing. “Has something happened in Japan?”
“I thought you already knew? There is a battle in Tokyo. It’s been going on for a few weeks now.”
“What?!” Three teenagers cry.
“W-wait! My father has been fighting this whole time?” Siko asks anxiously. “Why was I not informed?”
“Hmph. That explains my father’s disappearance,” Katuo says. He turns to Siko and Ketsu. “It’s our chance! We can go and save Japan!”
“No way!” Ketsu cries in concern, “You are not ready yet! It’s way out of your league!”
“You knew too?” Siko asks sadly.
Ketsu flinches at his cousin and says softly, “Y-yeah… I’m sorry. I had no idea how to tell you about it…”
“If my father had to go to Tokyo without his bodyguards or federal agents as well as without notifying anybody, including his own secretary… then something’s wrong.” Katuo crosses his arms, thinking deeply. “Does that mean that Ryu is in real danger?”
“Then, we have to go!” Siko cries.
“No, I can’t allow you to go.” Akane snaps. “If your mother were here, she wouldn’t approve of this either!”
“Hi, I’m back!”
Everyone falls over when a beautiful woman with long wavy brown hair waves her hand cheerfully at the doorway. She blinks at their surprise. “Oh! I’m sorry. This is not my house... Did I interrupt an important conversation?”
“Mom…” Siko sweatdrops.
“Rosa! You’re here!” Akane exclaims before she frowns when she realizes that she has to explain… once again. “Rosa, we have to talk. Come with me.”
After the women leave for the kitchen, Katuo quickly places his arms around the Mitsukai cousins’ shoulders. “We can take a private plane to Tokyo.”
“But it will take around 15 hours!” Ketsu cries. “Can’t we just leave it up to your fathers? They know how to fight the Volesmashians. They’ve been doing this for a long time.”
“If Ryu did not need Tezuka’s help, then why did he leave?” Katuo asks.
“He’s right,” Siko says softly, making Ketsu shake his head furiously in disagreement.
You’re not going.
“What?” The young gods ask at the same time.
I don’t know what’s going on in Tokyo, but your fathers know what they are doing. It's none of your concern.
Katuo scowls deeply. “Are you fucking kidding? Are you saying that we are weaker than those simpletons?!”
They may be weak… but when it comes to you being outnumbered by them, they can kill you. Besides, they have solid strategy and teamwork. They have been fighting Earthlings for the last few centuries.
Katuo frowns.
“Can we just… at least check on them?” Siko asks quietly.
No. You’re staying where you are. End of discussion. With that, Hikyou’s presence disappears completely.
“Why that bastard!” Katuo clenches his fists in anger.
He calms down a little bit and then takes Siko’s trembling hand. “Come with me, Siko. And you, Ketsu.” He turns to the Dark Angel with a threatening tone in his voice. “Don’t follow us.”
<3<3<3
“Siko, I love you,” Katuo whispers into Light God’s ear, but Siko just drops his head onto his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Don’t hide from me. I won’t say anything to anybody else.”
Since they left, Katuo decides to take him far, far away where they can hide themselves. They are staying at a cabin with a large lake. They can see the reflection of a large moon on the lake. They are standing just at the edge of the lake, losing themselves in each other’s embraces.
Siko lets himself go. He is sobbing all over Katuo’s shoulder. “Wh-what if D-dad has died? Is that why Tezuka went to Tokyo?”
Katuo wipes the tears away from Siko’s face, but it only makes Siko lean into his palm. He places a light kiss on the other teenager’s lips. He mumbles against his lips, “If Ryu did die, then Tezuka would not have gone at all. Trust me… I know my father pretty well.”
“But…” Siko shakes his head. “I can’t just sit around and do nothing.”
“Since when do you have that sudden determination?” Katuo raises an eyebrow at him. “You were not like that before we found out that we were gods. Every time Ryu went to a war, you acted like you did not care.”
“I-I know that!” Siko says angrily. “But I was powerless before! That’s why I tried to… Tried to prepare myself… just in case…”
“If he dies?”
“Yeah… But we are gods now! We can help my father!” Siko says anxiously. “Can we go? Please? At least to see if my dad is ok?”
“Okay.” Katuo hugs him a little tighter this time. “We can leave tomorrow morning. At 6 o’clock. We can take my private plane.”
“Thank you!” Siko sniffs, trying not to cry any more. He takes a deep breath before he says, “I love you too.”
<3<3<3
TOKYO, JAPAN
Siko is playing with his Ai necklace nervously. “The city looks to be completely unharmed. Are you sure it's Tokyo?”
Katuo glances at Japanese people in suits walking around and looking either busy or in a rush. “Yes.”
He takes out his mini tablet and asks himself, “I wonder if Mom got the wrong information?”
“Hey!” Siko exclaims, “Why don't we go to my dad’s office? Sometimes he took my mom and me with him here for vacation… er, and for his work too.”
“What are we waiting for, then? Let's go!”
Katuo quickly follows Siko until they get to one of the buildings. He glances at the large sign with both English and Japanese languages, “Space Force of United Earth. First Division.”
“Come on!” Siko takes Katuo’s hand and uses his card to swipe the number pad right next to the double door. As soon as a green light flashes, they enter the building easily.
“H-hey! What are you doing here, kids?” A soldier in black uniform stops them. As soon as he recognizes them right away, he stammers, “O-oh… You must be Siko and Katuo! Oh crap…”
“Where is my father?” Siko asks.
“H-he…” The soldier glances at another soldier with a nervous look in his eyes but only receives a shrug instead. “I’m so-sorry, sir. I’m not authorized to tell you.”
“Then, where is President Kejinto?” Katuo asks.
“S-sirs… I have to ask you to leave --”
“You will never be able to reach them. They are in space,” an unfamiliar voice says out loud. “Exactly 250 kilometers from here.”
“Sir!” All of the soldiers quickly salute.
“You… Are you Sky?” Siko blinks innocently. He is looking at a male blonde-haired stranger, also dressed in a black military uniform, standing at the other side of the security point. He has seen him in Jikan’s timeline, but he is supposed to be dead, right? It’s as if he is a ghost.
‘Sky’ laughs suddenly. “That’s what your fathers called me when they met me for the first time. No, I’m not Sky. Let’s just say… I work for your fathers.”
Katuo narrows his eyes in suspicion. “Name and rank?”
“I’m Colonel Nightyle Kurosawa. Just call me Night.” The Colonel casually makes his way past the security point. “Kids… It’s not safe for you to go into the battlefield.”
“Is my father okay?” Siko asks nervously.
“General Mitsukai is missing,” Night says boldly. “President Kejinto took over his duty. There’s nothing we can do right now.”
Panic overwhelms Siko, as he begins to hyperventilate; his heart rate going faster and faster. “M-my father… He is n-not okay, after a-all?”
“Siko!” Katuo calls worriedly and catches Siko before he faints. He carefully lays the Light God on the floor and glances at Night. “You said you work for my father, right? Why aren’t you with him?”
“Your father was expecting you to come here. It’s because of you that he decided to appoint me to be your babysitter. A Colonel like myself has no choice but to be a babysitter.” Night sighs in annoyance as he takes off his black cap to scratch his head. “I’m supposed to take you home, but your father also asked me to make up your mind on your own. I swear, that guy confuses me all the time!”
“We are going to space.” Katuo glares at Night.
“So demanding. Like father, like son.” Night chuckles softly. “Fine. Your father won’t be happy. At all.”
“Won’t you lose your job?” Katuo raises an eyebrow.
Night flashes a big grin. “Follow me.”
<3<3<3
“You're definitely going to get fired,” Katuo says without any concern in his tone.
Night laughs lightly as he puts his cap back on. “Maybe.”
They are standing in front of a three-passenger space aircraft inside one of the large warehouses.
“Will Siko be ok?” Night worriedly glances at the unconscious son of General Mitsukai still being held over Katuo’s shoulder.
“Yes. Let's go.”
“So demanding again.” Night chuckles softly. He opens the cockpit and waits patiently until the teens get inside. He joins them and sits in the pilot’s seat.
Katuo wonders if Night has a piloting license or not but as long as he is taking them to Tezuka and Ryu, he does not care.
He really hates it when Siko is sad and worried. Siko has always been like that in front of only Katuo every time Ryu gets called back to the First Division - either to his office or worse, a war. He always cries out of sadness, screams out of anger, and panics out of fear. However, to others, including Ketsu, he always acts like he does not care.
“K-Katuo?” Speaking of the devil, Siko has woken up.
“Siko, we are going to…” Katuo gives Night a questioning stare.
“International Space Station,” Night answers, “It was attacked and invaded by the Volesmashians last week, but when President Kejinto showed up yesterday, the ISS was taken back. He has been there since then.”
"Let's go, then," Katuo demands.
"But there's no guarantee that we will be completely safe on the way to the ISS. There is likely to be a Volesmashian troop waiting to strike down the Earthlings like us."
Siko is about to open his mouth but keeps it closed when he frowns.
"Siko, we will be fine." Katuo assures him. "We are gods now, aren't we?"
Night releases a light chortle. He begins to press and switch several buttons. “Gods, eh? Well, since nobody's objecting... Ready or not, we are launching in thirty seconds!"
Siko is holding his Ai necklace tightly. Please, dad… Please be ok. That’s all I need to know…
The space aircraft begins to roll out of the warehouse and then lifts itself upward, facing the sky.
Counting down thirty seconds feels forever for Siko, as he is whispering a few more words to his necklace but Katuo cannot hear him at all.
Finally, the countdown hits zero, and the aircraft blasts off into space.
<3<3<3
“We are almost out of the atmosphere, but…” Night smirks, even though Katuo and Siko cannot see it. “We have guests.”
“Hm?” Katuo frowns when he spots hundreds of Volesmashian space jets, ridden by the soldiers. “How many enemies are out there? Can we avoid --”
He freezes when their space plane gets closer to them. It turns out that they are on the battlefield. At least it used to be a battlefield.
Hundreds of earthling soldiers are either dead or wounded just floating through space.
“What is going on? Earth is lo-losing?” Siko stammers.
“What is this? Another army from Earth?” One of the Volesmashian soldiers says sarcastically.
“N-Night, what are you doing?” Katuo asks as he watches Night putting an oxygen mask on.
Night ignores him as he presses one of the buttons opening his cockpit. He lifts himself into space after closing the cockpit. He takes off his cap and lets it go into vast space. He casually puts his hands behind his own back.
Dozens of Volesmashian soldiers in red uniforms are pointing their solar-powered weapons at the calm Earthling.
“Fire!” Their Lt. Commander yells. The soldiers begin firing immediately.
Without saying a single word, Night quickly swings his leg through the space.
Suddenly, thousands of laser bullets stop, hovering in the empty space.
“W-what?” One of the soldiers asks in shock.
“Reflect,” Night says dangerously. The bullets quickly turn around and launch themselves back to the Volesmashians who scream out of fear. Screams of pain and death echo throughout the vast space.
Having witnessed the power of the Colonel of the Space Force of United Earth, Katuo cannot help but tremble.
Night smiles almost gently even though he has wiped out half of the Volesmasian troop. “Healer’s Target.”
A circle of green light appears around Night. It remains like that for a few seconds before it suddenly grows larger across the vast space. Green flickering orbs are all over the area from the green circle.
Injured and wounded Earthling soldiers in black uniforms begin to heal faster than usual and get up easily.
“Colonel Kurosawa!” One of them exclaims in both relief and happiness.
“W-what is this power?” Siko asks shakily.
“I have the power of healing,” Night grins widely as he gives him a thumb-up. “President Kejinto’s most trusted medical specialist!”