Fallout
CHANSON DU SOLITARE
X.
Crystal had wondered what the previous night had meant. The pamphlet didn't make it sound degrading; it said a man would like it. Takeru said whereas he did, the practice wasn't necessary. Her respect for him swelled at this, though.
Meanwhile, Takeru and Listol went to a bar. The bartender denied Takeru liquor at first, but he handed the man a card the UN had given him, and they were drinking in no time. Suddenly, though, a Japanese soldier ran in.
"Takeru! Listol! We have to go!"
"The hell..." Takeru wondered.
"The Nyonians are attacking Lilycove! We need help!"
"Damn," Takeru said. "Listol, where're our guns?"
"In a lockbox by camp," the Captain replied.
"OK," Takeru said to the soldier. "Let's get the SCARs, and then we'll go."
The three ran to camp, and then, after they got their guns, Crystal came up to them, Corey in her arms.
"Where's Dad going?" Corey asked, confused.
"War," he said.
"What's war?" Corey asked.
"The bane of life, the destroyer of all things," Takeru replied.
"What happens there?"
"People die."
"Why are you going?"
"Because I have a job to do, son."
"Will you be OK?"
Takeru looked at Crystal. The stark reality hit them simultaneously, and tears welled up in her eyes at the idea of him dying there.
"I...I don't know, son," Takeru said. "I've been before, and I've survived each time."
"OK."
"Um, Corey, why don't you go play with Uncle Max?"
"OK!" he said, not realizing the severity of what was ongoing.
The lovers then looked into each others' eyes, and the pain, the reality, of eternal loneliness, it struck then, and they embraced each other, crying madly. Listol saw thisâ�"his inspiration, a military genius, broken down, his spirit in tatters, and he realized then that he was as mortal as the next man.
"I will return," Takeru said. "I'll return to you, and I'll be there for our son, and I swear, if one thing keeps me alive out there, it'll be our family. I'll be there, ready."
Crystal then spoke. "I...I love you," she said, tears pouring down her face.
"I love you too," Takeru replied.
Corey then walked over, as if on cue. Takeru hugged him suddenly, and then spoke.
"I'm gonna be gone for a while, OK?" he said. "Be good for Mommy, alright?"
"OK!" Corey said, still not realizing what was going on.
"Love ya, kid," Takeru said.
"Love ya too, Dad. Say, why are you crying?"
"Because...because I love you guys so much," Takeru said. The words were true, to a degree.
"Takeru-sama!" the Japanese soldier yelled. "I hate to cut this short, but Capt. Takeshi needs help!"
"Very well," Takeru said. He called the others over.
"I will be headed to war soon," he said. "Get Crystal and Corey to a Center immediately, and keep watch. I beg this last favor of you."
"Sure," Brock said. Takeru then handed him an M9.
"You will need this," he said.
The three had arrived at the city's outskirts hours later.
"Where were you guys?!" Capt. Takeshi yelled. "You should've been here an hour ago!"
"Sorry," the other soldier said, "but..."
Then, a large missile was seen flying over them. Takeshi took out his binoculars, and looked at it, as it flew closer to the ground. Takeru followed suit, and then spoke.
"Riandoka," he said, half-frozen by fear.
"Riandoka?!" Takeshi yelled. "That's a...oh, my God..."
The missile flew towards the center of Lilycove, and hit there. Before it struck, Takeru, realizing seconds were all that remained, yelled out "Get behind me, and look away from the flash!" He shut his eyes, and extended his arms, as if to repel the missile.
"You idiot! You'll be fried!" Takeshi yelled.
"He's correct!" the other soldier yelled. Listol, though, knew what Takeru was doing, and, in a show of faith, crouched down behind him.
"These aliens have taken leave of all their senses!" Takeshi yelled.
Suddenly, the missile hit. Takeru's arms immediately emitted a force field in one direction, saving himself and Listol. The Japanese soldiers, though, were killed instantly.
When the flash subsided, the two Harberians looked up. A massive, mushroom shaped cloud was rising over the impact point. Survivors were yelling out for help, and one man yelled out, "It's always us, damn it!"
"Riandoka!" Takeru yelled.
"What's 'Riandoka'?" Listol replied.
"The deadliest weapon in our history," Takeru said, "It destroyed Cape Mire, and so all traces of them and all Riandoka as well, were destroyed! Then, all of the Nyonia's Riandoka Missiles and devices were defused! We had Mire covered up as a storm!"
"Holy crap," Listol said.
"We have a half hour before the dust kills us," Takeru continued. "Let's go!"
"Dust?"
"Radioactive dustâ�"fallout, as the humans say."
Meanwhile, in Viridian...
"Thanks for helping us, Nurse," Crystal said.
"No problem!"
"Listen, do you have a phone? My fiancé is at war, and I miss him terribly."
"Sure, let me go get it ready. Max, do you mind turning on the TV? That might help her with the stress." Joy said.
He complied, and when he turned it on, Jerry Springer was on.
"I love this show!" Crystal said. "But still, Corey can't watch itâ�"wait, what's going on?"
A black screen had appeared, and a shrill warning tone came on.
"The following message is transmitted at the request of the Japanese Prime Minister," a dull (yet frightening) voice said. "This is the Kanto Emergency Warning System. Lilycove, a city in Hoenn, has been under siege recently. In a surprise turn of events, a nuclear weapon has been detonated by the aliens known as 'Nyonians'. The bomb has killed more than fifty thousand people. The fate of the suspected target, a rival of these aliens, is unknown. Please be alert."
Crystal's heart was stabbed with fear of Takeru's demise. After Joy entered a second later, the message looped.
"Here's a phone, in case you want to call him," the nurse said.
But Crystal was frozen in grief.
"He's dead," she whispered.
"Pardon?"
"He's dead! He's dead! The missile that hit Lilycove...he was fighting to free that city!" Crystal shrieked.
"But," Ash said, "It said they didn't know where the target was at. I'll bet you anything he was that target, and the goodbye you guys said inevitably put him in a different position than they expected. He could be alive! I'm sure he is."
"You're right," Crystal said. "He's probably fine."
Meanwhile...
"Run! Run!" Listol yelled. "Ten minutes until the fallout settles!"
Some men on the horizon aimed weapons at them. Takeru saw insignias on their jackets, and fired at them.
"Nyonians!" he yelled to Listol. "Light 'em up!"
After a few minutes or so, the enemy was defeated, and they ran onward.
"Four-minute warning!" Listol yelled.
"Aw, screw this!" Takeru yelled. He pulled out a radio. "S.S. Katana, this is Crown 1, requesting immediate pickup at current location for two. We have four minutes, over."
Admiral Mateo responded.
"Roger that," he replied. "This is S.S. Katana, acting Admiral Mateo responding. Sending a shuttle to pickup immediately within four minutes. May I ask the nature of your situation, over?"
"Biological threat," Takeru replied. "Radioactive particles of dust are flying through the area; we need immediate assistance, over."
"We have detected a massive explosion there, is said explosion the cause, over?"
"Yes. ETA of evac shuttle requested, over?"
"Three minutes, over."
"Good. Crown 1 over and out."
Takeru then saw a bit of fallout dust land on his arm-he brushed it off immediately.
Meanwhile...
"Excellent work, Viktor," Santiago bellowed. "Even if that bastard Takeru lives, this is a message to him and all his human allies that Nyonia is ruthless, that Nyonia is strong, that Nyonia is power!"
"Yes," the spy muttered, "but why do I feel so guilty?"
"I don't know," Santiago replied. "Are your priorities straight?"
"Yes," Viktor replied, "but firing that missile seems to have killed women, children even!"
"And you expect that Santiago to have not done the same for his nation? He'd do it for a wife, a friend, or for revenge, possibly!"
"You're right," Viktor said. "I apologize, my Lord. I was simply thinking like a fool."
"Well, we all do that! It's a thing all mortals experience. Now, then, Viktor, my friend, let's go find a bar that hasn't shut down over Lilycove's demise, while they still don't know our faces! Here, I'll pay, to congratulate a mission well accomplished," Santiago laughed, slapping Viktor playfully on the back, as if it were all a joke.
"Right, my Lord. Thank you," Viktor said, entering a disguise of mindset, although guilt crept in at his actions...
X.
Crystal had wondered what the previous night had meant. The pamphlet didn't make it sound degrading; it said a man would like it. Takeru said whereas he did, the practice wasn't necessary. Her respect for him swelled at this, though.
Meanwhile, Takeru and Listol went to a bar. The bartender denied Takeru liquor at first, but he handed the man a card the UN had given him, and they were drinking in no time. Suddenly, though, a Japanese soldier ran in.
"Takeru! Listol! We have to go!"
"The hell..." Takeru wondered.
"The Nyonians are attacking Lilycove! We need help!"
"Damn," Takeru said. "Listol, where're our guns?"
"In a lockbox by camp," the Captain replied.
"OK," Takeru said to the soldier. "Let's get the SCARs, and then we'll go."
The three ran to camp, and then, after they got their guns, Crystal came up to them, Corey in her arms.
"Where's Dad going?" Corey asked, confused.
"War," he said.
"What's war?" Corey asked.
"The bane of life, the destroyer of all things," Takeru replied.
"What happens there?"
"People die."
"Why are you going?"
"Because I have a job to do, son."
"Will you be OK?"
Takeru looked at Crystal. The stark reality hit them simultaneously, and tears welled up in her eyes at the idea of him dying there.
"I...I don't know, son," Takeru said. "I've been before, and I've survived each time."
"OK."
"Um, Corey, why don't you go play with Uncle Max?"
"OK!" he said, not realizing the severity of what was ongoing.
The lovers then looked into each others' eyes, and the pain, the reality, of eternal loneliness, it struck then, and they embraced each other, crying madly. Listol saw thisâ�"his inspiration, a military genius, broken down, his spirit in tatters, and he realized then that he was as mortal as the next man.
"I will return," Takeru said. "I'll return to you, and I'll be there for our son, and I swear, if one thing keeps me alive out there, it'll be our family. I'll be there, ready."
Crystal then spoke. "I...I love you," she said, tears pouring down her face.
"I love you too," Takeru replied.
Corey then walked over, as if on cue. Takeru hugged him suddenly, and then spoke.
"I'm gonna be gone for a while, OK?" he said. "Be good for Mommy, alright?"
"OK!" Corey said, still not realizing what was going on.
"Love ya, kid," Takeru said.
"Love ya too, Dad. Say, why are you crying?"
"Because...because I love you guys so much," Takeru said. The words were true, to a degree.
"Takeru-sama!" the Japanese soldier yelled. "I hate to cut this short, but Capt. Takeshi needs help!"
"Very well," Takeru said. He called the others over.
"I will be headed to war soon," he said. "Get Crystal and Corey to a Center immediately, and keep watch. I beg this last favor of you."
"Sure," Brock said. Takeru then handed him an M9.
"You will need this," he said.
The three had arrived at the city's outskirts hours later.
"Where were you guys?!" Capt. Takeshi yelled. "You should've been here an hour ago!"
"Sorry," the other soldier said, "but..."
Then, a large missile was seen flying over them. Takeshi took out his binoculars, and looked at it, as it flew closer to the ground. Takeru followed suit, and then spoke.
"Riandoka," he said, half-frozen by fear.
"Riandoka?!" Takeshi yelled. "That's a...oh, my God..."
The missile flew towards the center of Lilycove, and hit there. Before it struck, Takeru, realizing seconds were all that remained, yelled out "Get behind me, and look away from the flash!" He shut his eyes, and extended his arms, as if to repel the missile.
"You idiot! You'll be fried!" Takeshi yelled.
"He's correct!" the other soldier yelled. Listol, though, knew what Takeru was doing, and, in a show of faith, crouched down behind him.
"These aliens have taken leave of all their senses!" Takeshi yelled.
Suddenly, the missile hit. Takeru's arms immediately emitted a force field in one direction, saving himself and Listol. The Japanese soldiers, though, were killed instantly.
When the flash subsided, the two Harberians looked up. A massive, mushroom shaped cloud was rising over the impact point. Survivors were yelling out for help, and one man yelled out, "It's always us, damn it!"
"Riandoka!" Takeru yelled.
"What's 'Riandoka'?" Listol replied.
"The deadliest weapon in our history," Takeru said, "It destroyed Cape Mire, and so all traces of them and all Riandoka as well, were destroyed! Then, all of the Nyonia's Riandoka Missiles and devices were defused! We had Mire covered up as a storm!"
"Holy crap," Listol said.
"We have a half hour before the dust kills us," Takeru continued. "Let's go!"
"Dust?"
"Radioactive dustâ�"fallout, as the humans say."
Meanwhile, in Viridian...
"Thanks for helping us, Nurse," Crystal said.
"No problem!"
"Listen, do you have a phone? My fiancé is at war, and I miss him terribly."
"Sure, let me go get it ready. Max, do you mind turning on the TV? That might help her with the stress." Joy said.
He complied, and when he turned it on, Jerry Springer was on.
"I love this show!" Crystal said. "But still, Corey can't watch itâ�"wait, what's going on?"
A black screen had appeared, and a shrill warning tone came on.
"The following message is transmitted at the request of the Japanese Prime Minister," a dull (yet frightening) voice said. "This is the Kanto Emergency Warning System. Lilycove, a city in Hoenn, has been under siege recently. In a surprise turn of events, a nuclear weapon has been detonated by the aliens known as 'Nyonians'. The bomb has killed more than fifty thousand people. The fate of the suspected target, a rival of these aliens, is unknown. Please be alert."
Crystal's heart was stabbed with fear of Takeru's demise. After Joy entered a second later, the message looped.
"Here's a phone, in case you want to call him," the nurse said.
But Crystal was frozen in grief.
"He's dead," she whispered.
"Pardon?"
"He's dead! He's dead! The missile that hit Lilycove...he was fighting to free that city!" Crystal shrieked.
"But," Ash said, "It said they didn't know where the target was at. I'll bet you anything he was that target, and the goodbye you guys said inevitably put him in a different position than they expected. He could be alive! I'm sure he is."
"You're right," Crystal said. "He's probably fine."
Meanwhile...
"Run! Run!" Listol yelled. "Ten minutes until the fallout settles!"
Some men on the horizon aimed weapons at them. Takeru saw insignias on their jackets, and fired at them.
"Nyonians!" he yelled to Listol. "Light 'em up!"
After a few minutes or so, the enemy was defeated, and they ran onward.
"Four-minute warning!" Listol yelled.
"Aw, screw this!" Takeru yelled. He pulled out a radio. "S.S. Katana, this is Crown 1, requesting immediate pickup at current location for two. We have four minutes, over."
Admiral Mateo responded.
"Roger that," he replied. "This is S.S. Katana, acting Admiral Mateo responding. Sending a shuttle to pickup immediately within four minutes. May I ask the nature of your situation, over?"
"Biological threat," Takeru replied. "Radioactive particles of dust are flying through the area; we need immediate assistance, over."
"We have detected a massive explosion there, is said explosion the cause, over?"
"Yes. ETA of evac shuttle requested, over?"
"Three minutes, over."
"Good. Crown 1 over and out."
Takeru then saw a bit of fallout dust land on his arm-he brushed it off immediately.
Meanwhile...
"Excellent work, Viktor," Santiago bellowed. "Even if that bastard Takeru lives, this is a message to him and all his human allies that Nyonia is ruthless, that Nyonia is strong, that Nyonia is power!"
"Yes," the spy muttered, "but why do I feel so guilty?"
"I don't know," Santiago replied. "Are your priorities straight?"
"Yes," Viktor replied, "but firing that missile seems to have killed women, children even!"
"And you expect that Santiago to have not done the same for his nation? He'd do it for a wife, a friend, or for revenge, possibly!"
"You're right," Viktor said. "I apologize, my Lord. I was simply thinking like a fool."
"Well, we all do that! It's a thing all mortals experience. Now, then, Viktor, my friend, let's go find a bar that hasn't shut down over Lilycove's demise, while they still don't know our faces! Here, I'll pay, to congratulate a mission well accomplished," Santiago laughed, slapping Viktor playfully on the back, as if it were all a joke.
"Right, my Lord. Thank you," Viktor said, entering a disguise of mindset, although guilt crept in at his actions...