Takeru's Worst Mistake
CHANSON DU SOLITARE
XIV.
A few days had passed, and Takeru was finally discharged. Crystal had gone with him, as did Corey and the others. He began planning with Listol and Mateo to destroy Santiago immediately, despite the UN's desire to put him on trial for war crimes. Johannes, however, became Takeru's personal pilot, whereas meanwhile, Malakar's men began to hatch a plan to destroy Crystal and Takeru both, as well as Corey and the unborn child. The Rukariatsu Colony's anger at the family would begin a massive war. They then set a diabolical plan into motion...
Meanwhile, Takeru, realizing Crystal would need to acquaint herself with the idea of her husband being a full-time soldier during wartimes, put in a specific request for the rather famous Colonel Nachtkrieger. Nachtkrieger was a decorated Harberia war hero, more than Listol, for stopping the Nyonians from launching nuclear missiles on Harberia City. He had the Ramos VI medal, awarded to those who destroyed nuclear weapons after King Ramos VI (the grandfather of Takeru) implemented it. Nachtkrieger would be a perfect example of the skilled warriors he fought alongside in Takeru's opinion. As well, he could serve to protect Crystal. He figured she'd like having him aroundâ�"Nachtkrieger was also a Lucario (by now, the respect Harberians have for the Rukario species is apparent). He had met the Colonel on many occasions, and figured his loyalty was no threat to his romance. As the shuttle landed, he had asked Crystal to accompany him.
"Listen," he said to her. "I'm very well going to be at war in the near future. You need a protector, someone to defend you from Santiago. I can't do that when I'm at war. So, I've arranged for you to have a bodyguard. I figure you'll enjoy his presence, amour. I hand picked him from the elite ranks of our armies."
"Yoshi," Crystal replied, "you don't have to do that."
"Ah, but I have!" Takeru said as the shuttle ramp went down. "I'd like you to meet Colonel Nachtkrieger."
She caught look of the soldier. He was a few inches higher than her, but his eyes were an entrancing green. He wore the attire of any Rukario, but he held a chain gun.
"One of my kind...he's an officer?"
"A field commando with a total body count of 1, 298," Nachtkrieger added.
"I'm not sure I want a desensitized killer around Corey, though,"
"His father's body count is 21, 873." Takeru replied.
Crystal looked at him, dumbfounded.
"You killed almost twenty-thousand people?!" Crystal asked in shock.
"C4's my best friend," Takeru laughed.
"How old are you?"
"14, 15 in a week or two."
"How long have you been fighting?"
"I have unusual abilities, you know. Killed my first at age seven."
"Well, I remember you used some shockwave the night Corey was conceived..."
"And Nachtkrieger's right there, misinterpreting you..." Takeru urged.
"Oh, I meant a literal shockwave...like, a pulse...I really should shut up now, shouldn't I?"
"Yes," Takeru said. "Nachtkrieger, this is Crystal. Your mission's to protect her and my son, Corey at any and all costs."
"Well," Nachtkrieger laughed, eyeing Crystal and walking off the shuttle, "I thought that this mission would be a dud. I see now," he continued, "I was wrong."
Crystal blushed.
"Hold your horses, Colonel," Takeru said. "The mission's not to get laid hereâ�"and I'd kill you if you tried."
"I guess you're right," he sighed. "Sorry, but I haven't seen a Rukario in a few years. Bunch of Harberians in the army, and what do I see off the clock? Bunch of Harberians in the city. And here you are...lucky bastard," the Colonel laughed.
"True," Takeru muttered. "But still, I don't see why the Commander doesn't let you find a mate."
"Because, if I fall in love, I guess I'll lose my strength. I guess you're a living testament to the opposite, heh?"
"You've been sucking up to the Commander, huh?"
"It's good practice," Nachtkrieger said. "So, where're you heading next?"
"Oh, I don't know," Takeru replied. "Seoul, LA, Munich, Pewter...all under Nyonian attack, and that's just the beginning. All of 'em are only fighting for my sake...and even then, I have a family to attend to. I'm sending for all available troops, but I...I just don't know."
"Heh...the war's got ya caught, eh?"
"Torn into pieces, as if there was a reason. Big pain in the...well...you got it, Nachtkrieger. Anyway...keep them safe. I'd best head onward."
"Got it."
Takeru then walked over to Crystal, and kissed her.
"I love you," he said. "Stay alive. Nachtkrieger'll keep you safe."
"I love you too," Crystal replied. "I'll be thinking of ya."
Takeru then walked to Corey.
"Be good, pal. Love you."
"Love you too."
Takeru then picked up his radio.
"Lt. Johannes, this is Crown 1. You're taking orders from me directly now, comprendo?"
"Yes. I've got Listol in the shuttle."
"Good. Keep him there, and gimme a pickup. We're going to Pewter."
"Gotcha. We've already got 100 men there, and the Japs have a few hundred too. The Nyonians aren't alone, though; this group called KPA is fighting with them."
"Perfect," Takeru said. "They're like hostages, the KPA; as long as the Koreans are there, they won't nuke the place."
"As well, there seem to be about three Rukario fighting alongside them. Malakar's now Santiago's best friend."
"Then get over here! They won't know what hit 'em!"
"I'm on the way!"
And he looked at his fiancé, then at Nachtkrieger. He figured he could trust them together...Nachtkrieger was a model soldier, after all.
"Lon'ien Harberia!" he yelled to Nachtkrieger, saluting, which translates to 'Long Live Harberia.'
"Lon'ien Harberia!" Nachtkrieger replied, returning the salute. "Pa, lon'ien Takeru!" he added, which means 'and, long live Takeru!"
"Of course," Takeru laughed as the shuttle arrived. He boarded, and looked at Crystal.
"Don't have too much fun, now!" he yelled out.
XIV.
A few days had passed, and Takeru was finally discharged. Crystal had gone with him, as did Corey and the others. He began planning with Listol and Mateo to destroy Santiago immediately, despite the UN's desire to put him on trial for war crimes. Johannes, however, became Takeru's personal pilot, whereas meanwhile, Malakar's men began to hatch a plan to destroy Crystal and Takeru both, as well as Corey and the unborn child. The Rukariatsu Colony's anger at the family would begin a massive war. They then set a diabolical plan into motion...
Meanwhile, Takeru, realizing Crystal would need to acquaint herself with the idea of her husband being a full-time soldier during wartimes, put in a specific request for the rather famous Colonel Nachtkrieger. Nachtkrieger was a decorated Harberia war hero, more than Listol, for stopping the Nyonians from launching nuclear missiles on Harberia City. He had the Ramos VI medal, awarded to those who destroyed nuclear weapons after King Ramos VI (the grandfather of Takeru) implemented it. Nachtkrieger would be a perfect example of the skilled warriors he fought alongside in Takeru's opinion. As well, he could serve to protect Crystal. He figured she'd like having him aroundâ�"Nachtkrieger was also a Lucario (by now, the respect Harberians have for the Rukario species is apparent). He had met the Colonel on many occasions, and figured his loyalty was no threat to his romance. As the shuttle landed, he had asked Crystal to accompany him.
"Listen," he said to her. "I'm very well going to be at war in the near future. You need a protector, someone to defend you from Santiago. I can't do that when I'm at war. So, I've arranged for you to have a bodyguard. I figure you'll enjoy his presence, amour. I hand picked him from the elite ranks of our armies."
"Yoshi," Crystal replied, "you don't have to do that."
"Ah, but I have!" Takeru said as the shuttle ramp went down. "I'd like you to meet Colonel Nachtkrieger."
She caught look of the soldier. He was a few inches higher than her, but his eyes were an entrancing green. He wore the attire of any Rukario, but he held a chain gun.
"One of my kind...he's an officer?"
"A field commando with a total body count of 1, 298," Nachtkrieger added.
"I'm not sure I want a desensitized killer around Corey, though,"
"His father's body count is 21, 873." Takeru replied.
Crystal looked at him, dumbfounded.
"You killed almost twenty-thousand people?!" Crystal asked in shock.
"C4's my best friend," Takeru laughed.
"How old are you?"
"14, 15 in a week or two."
"How long have you been fighting?"
"I have unusual abilities, you know. Killed my first at age seven."
"Well, I remember you used some shockwave the night Corey was conceived..."
"And Nachtkrieger's right there, misinterpreting you..." Takeru urged.
"Oh, I meant a literal shockwave...like, a pulse...I really should shut up now, shouldn't I?"
"Yes," Takeru said. "Nachtkrieger, this is Crystal. Your mission's to protect her and my son, Corey at any and all costs."
"Well," Nachtkrieger laughed, eyeing Crystal and walking off the shuttle, "I thought that this mission would be a dud. I see now," he continued, "I was wrong."
Crystal blushed.
"Hold your horses, Colonel," Takeru said. "The mission's not to get laid hereâ�"and I'd kill you if you tried."
"I guess you're right," he sighed. "Sorry, but I haven't seen a Rukario in a few years. Bunch of Harberians in the army, and what do I see off the clock? Bunch of Harberians in the city. And here you are...lucky bastard," the Colonel laughed.
"True," Takeru muttered. "But still, I don't see why the Commander doesn't let you find a mate."
"Because, if I fall in love, I guess I'll lose my strength. I guess you're a living testament to the opposite, heh?"
"You've been sucking up to the Commander, huh?"
"It's good practice," Nachtkrieger said. "So, where're you heading next?"
"Oh, I don't know," Takeru replied. "Seoul, LA, Munich, Pewter...all under Nyonian attack, and that's just the beginning. All of 'em are only fighting for my sake...and even then, I have a family to attend to. I'm sending for all available troops, but I...I just don't know."
"Heh...the war's got ya caught, eh?"
"Torn into pieces, as if there was a reason. Big pain in the...well...you got it, Nachtkrieger. Anyway...keep them safe. I'd best head onward."
"Got it."
Takeru then walked over to Crystal, and kissed her.
"I love you," he said. "Stay alive. Nachtkrieger'll keep you safe."
"I love you too," Crystal replied. "I'll be thinking of ya."
Takeru then walked to Corey.
"Be good, pal. Love you."
"Love you too."
Takeru then picked up his radio.
"Lt. Johannes, this is Crown 1. You're taking orders from me directly now, comprendo?"
"Yes. I've got Listol in the shuttle."
"Good. Keep him there, and gimme a pickup. We're going to Pewter."
"Gotcha. We've already got 100 men there, and the Japs have a few hundred too. The Nyonians aren't alone, though; this group called KPA is fighting with them."
"Perfect," Takeru said. "They're like hostages, the KPA; as long as the Koreans are there, they won't nuke the place."
"As well, there seem to be about three Rukario fighting alongside them. Malakar's now Santiago's best friend."
"Then get over here! They won't know what hit 'em!"
"I'm on the way!"
And he looked at his fiancé, then at Nachtkrieger. He figured he could trust them together...Nachtkrieger was a model soldier, after all.
"Lon'ien Harberia!" he yelled to Nachtkrieger, saluting, which translates to 'Long Live Harberia.'
"Lon'ien Harberia!" Nachtkrieger replied, returning the salute. "Pa, lon'ien Takeru!" he added, which means 'and, long live Takeru!"
"Of course," Takeru laughed as the shuttle arrived. He boarded, and looked at Crystal.
"Don't have too much fun, now!" he yelled out.