The next day, the Teigeki seemed quieter than usual. Wearing her favorite Russian fur coat, Maria stepped into the cafeteria. She gazed towards the melancholy woman sitting at the table, not touching the food in front of her. 'Kanna...' she thought, wanting to go comfort her friend.
Suddenly Lobelia walked over and dropped the watch on the table. "There you go." she replied, put her hands inside the pockets of her black trench coat, "I didn't really sell it to some pawn shop. I was going to, but I changed my mind since it meant so much to you."
"A... Arigatou yo." Kanna uttered, still looking down at the watch, "Sorry I tried to punch your head off." Her violet eyes softened and she lifted her head with a smile. "Heh, let's forget about it!"
As Lobelia and Kanna shook hands, Maria moved away to the hallway, smiling in relief. 'Perhaps everyone will be okay after all. I'm just worrying too much!'
* * *
Of course that was what she thought. Next thing she knew, another fight had broke out at the stage, during the casting assignments for the upcoming play. The Paris Kagekidan wanted a shot at the roles and well... things got ugly.
"Do you think Maria is going to snap and pull out the gun??" Tsubaki asked, she and the other Teigeki Musume sitting up in the balcony. "I've never seen her this angry since the time Oogami-san walked in on her in the locker room..."
"(I hope it keeps going. I really don't want to go back to work!)" Yuri whispered, "(As soon as its done, you know Ms. Workaholic over there is gonna drag us back to the office to do the sorting and phones. Mou, I can't take it anymore...!)"
Kasumi popped up at her elbow. "Don't think you can escape your responsibilities! It's part of our duty as the Kazegumi! We can't fail to slack off even in times of peace... we've got a theater to run!!"
"Daijoubu daijoubu!" Tsubaki said, frantically waving her hands, "The work will get done. After all, we left Tsubomi-san to work on it..."
"YOU DID WHAT?!" Kasumi exclaimed, Yuri and Tsubaki getting so scared that they ducked down into the next aisle and hid behind the seats, "Who's idea?!" They pointed at each other. "Well, that's it! We've got to go back now...!"
But an explosion cut them off. The entire stage filled with smoke as all of the Hanagumi, Paris or Tokyo, stood fried and burnt. "MOU!! You make Airisu soo MAD!!"
"Yatta! That was cool!! Let's see it again!" Tsubaki chimed, leaning down onto the railing and watching the players either faint or try to put out the fire that had started on the first curtain. "And you wanted to miss this, Kasumi-san??"
Yuri nodded cheerfully. "Nothing like a good catfight to get things interesting around here! Every since it became clear that Oogami-san had decided on Sakura-kun, I just couldn't find a juicy story. But a lot of exciting stuff is gonna happen with this Paris Kagekidan here!"
Kasumi just violently grabbed them both by the arms. "Back to work NOW!" she said, dragging them away.
* * *
After what happen, the Hanagumi separated. They just couldn't be in the same room together, even with people of the same team. Very sad about the situation, Erica went outside to sit on the steps by herself. 'Oogami-san... where are you...?'
All of a sudden, she felt rumbling. Standing, she gazed out into the street. She had a bad feeling as the sky became gray and screams were heard in the distance. "W-What's happening??!"
"Erica-kun!!" Kaede stood at the door, in her green military uniform, "Hurry to the basement - we have an emergency meeting!"
"H-Hai!" she stammered, scrambling up the steps and going with her downstairs. The battle planning room was already full of the soldiers and Yoneda had been ready to give an explanation.
"A surprise attack?" Reni asked, her face trying to stay calm.
"Aa, we had no idea." Yoneda said, showing the map of Teito, "This ship arrived at the bay about five minutes ago, full of armored soldiers."
"Sonna ya!" Kouran gasped, as the screen showed the images of the enemy leaving the bay.
Cliquecot popped her head up under Kouran's arm. "You mean... wearing koubu like the ones we use? But how?"
Yoneda slowly looked to Kaede, who stepped forward. "Let's not worry about that right now. What's important now is to stop them from advancing. Already they've destroyed everything in their path. We don't know where their destination is, but they are headed in our direction."
"You don't suppose they've figured out where your base is." Glycine uttered, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder, "Maybe you all are their target."
"Uresai de~su! That includes you French people too!" Orihime argued, the two of them glaring each other down.
"Stop it, there's no time for this." Maria said, moving in between them, "How many soldiers estimated, Sir?"
Yoneda cleared his throat then sputtered out, "Over t-thirty..." The room fell silence and stared at him. He was just as pale as them, "We've got military backup already barricading the city and the Shougeimaru on standby! You're not fighting alone!"
"San... jyu...?" Airisu cried, grabbing onto Reni, "Kyaa, kowaii! Airisu is so scared!"
Kaede quickly added, "I've called up the Paris Headquaters and they've agreed to send your armor abroad, but for the meantime, the Paris Kagekidan will have to help out in other ways other than being on the battlefield."
"Really! You mean, we can still help out!?" Erica gasped, grasping Hanabi's hands and happily jumping up and down, "I'm so glad that we could help!"
Sumire whipped out her fan and sighed, "Look, I'm getting tired of just standing around and doing nothing but chitchatting...”
”I agree with Cactus woman here!” Kanna chimed, “Maria, give us the order to move out already!"
"Understood!" Maria said, holding up a fist. "Teikoku Kagekidan - SANJOU!"
* * *
Five rows of black koubu had stopped in Ginza. They appeared to be waiting for something. Then, without warning, they broke out of formation and began reeking havoc on the surrounding buildings. "Don't stop until the Kagekidan has fallen!!" yelled out one who seemed to move ahead of everyone, "Here they come - no blood no glory!!"
"Minna," Maria said through the intercom, as they stepped out into the crumbling street, "I know it seems bleak, but we must stop them and protect Teito. Let's go!"
"R-Ryokai!" her troops replied, trying not to sound nervous. But already the soldiers had turned in their direction. The air soon became filled with fire and bullets.
The leader chimed, "How happy I am... to finally meet the world-famous Teikoku Kagekidan! Such lovely flowers... colorful too!!"
"HAAAAA!" Orihime hollered, blasting a group. "Nan de~su ka?! It barely did any damage!! M-Maria-san...?"
"Keep trying!" Maria cried, shooting at a couple. The armor protected against her attacks, so she decided to use her ice attack. Three armors were hit and frozen, but in the next instant they broke from the ice. 'M-Masaka...!'
Kouran showed up on her screen. "Their armor is similar to ours and the types our enemies had used in the past. Very advanced ya... there has to be a way... but I don't know anything right now..."
Both Kanna and Sumire had been surrounded, forced to hand-to-hand combat with several at a time. Kanna bashed one in the suit, not even denting it nor making any impact. “It’s not working! Dammit!”
Airisu tried to teleport out of the way of a blast but ended up getting targeted again with one anyways. Reni moved in the way to brace her, but the blast engulfed them both, their koubu both nearly breaking down. “Mou! Airisu can’t move…” she cried tearfully as Reni struggled to get the koubu on its feet.
“Yamero!!” Reni snapped, glaring towards the approaching enemy. She managed to spear her lance through one of them, exploding it, but the others continued to advance. ‘No… what do we do?’ she thought, her koubu finally breaking down.
“Maria-taichou! What are supposed to do?!?” Sumire exclaimed on the intercom, “None of my attacks are working at all! Fuujin Ryu seems to be ineffective! Reni and Airisu are down – and there are still tons of soldiers!! I don’t know how much longer…”
Sumire and Kouran’s koubu were also bombarded with attack. The power going down due to malfunction, Sumire’s voice faded from the intercom. ‘Dammit!’ Maria thought, showering the air with her machine gun, ‘Nothing is working… nothing!!’
“HAAAAAAA!!” Kanna yelled, ripping off an arm from one of the soldiers and hurling it at another. “Minna! Don’t give up! Never ever give up!!”
“Sou yo!” Kaede’s face appeared on the screens. “You’re overpowered and outnumbered… demo, you’re not fighting alone!”
Lobelia then appeared on the screen. “Never say die, Tokyo Kagekidan!” It was then they realized that they were on the roof with much arsenal. Lobelia hurled down explosives in time to save Reni and Airisu from further attack. “Heh!”
“Let’s keep it up!” Glycine said, as she aimed the steam cannon at the bunch about to attack Sumire. “So what if there’s still more than twenty… we’ve got nothing to lose!”
Hanabi then looked around. “Huh? Where did Erica-san go?!”
In one of the shaking buildings, Erica took cover, holding onto a group of children. “Don’t worry! I’ll get you all to safety! The Lord is on our side!”
Kaede explained to the others. “She insisted on helping the civilians. It was very kind of her…”
”Bleh, what a goodie-goodie.” Lobelia sighed, throwing over more explosives. “That girl makes me ill.”
The explosives nearly got Kanna. “OI OI!! Watch it!!” she exclaimed, barely missing death.
‘There’s still hope…’ Maria thought, still being able to fight without much damage, ‘With everyone’s help, we can make it…’ All of a sudden, a nearby soldier activated their self-destruct, blowing themselves up and including Maria in the blast. “Kyaaaaaaaaa!!”
”M-Maria-san!!” Orihime cried, lifting her head. But she was on the other side of the battlefield, surrounded as well.
”MARIA!!” Kanna yelled, running over as her friend fell to the ground.
* * *
Meanwhile, Yoneda finally got a hold of Oogami on his kinematron. “Oi yarou!! Where the hell are you?! There’s an attack on Teito!!”
”W-What did you say?!” Oogami gasped, “Why didn’t you call me earlier?!”
“I’ve been trying but there’s been interference on the kinematron. No doubt it’s the enemy’s tampering… but that’s beside the point! The others are getting killed out there!” he angrily said, showing them the battle scene. The main street in Ginza was covered with warpath, “You gotta get into action right away. I’m sending over the Shougeimaru to your coordinates as soon as the street is cleared.”
Sakura suddenly popped up. “Shihainin, matte! Have the troops fall back towards the theater…”
”Baka yarou! That will draw a crowd there! We can’t risk having them close to our headquarters! And the Paris Hanagumi are on the roof! How much dangerous do you want to make it?!”
”Iie! Open the Shougeimaru while the enemy is on the street.” Sakura explained.
“Sou da!” Oogami joined in, “This should a lot of damage until we can all regroup!”
”I hope you two are right…” Yoneda stammered, not liking this plan at all. “But the Shougeimaru’s cannon should do some damage too. Yoshi! You two, stand by!”
”Hai!” they replied as Yoneda faded from the street.
Carrying his bag on his other arm, Oogami took Sakura by the hand. “I don’t think I can just stand by… I’m worried about everyone.”
”I understand, demo… how in the world…?” She stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Aa! Oogami-san!!”
”Hah?” he stammered, turning around. He saw a pair of kids getting off their bicycles. Sakura then smiled and pulled him along. “Chotto, Sakura-kun!! What are you…?!”
“Sumimasen,” Sakura said, bowing to the boys, “Could you lend us your bikes please? Onegaishimasu??”
”Waah!! It’s the Tegeki Star, Shinguji Sakura!!” one of them exclaimed, “I’ll do anything for her!!”
”Sorosoro, Oogami-san, ikimashou?” Sakura said after thanking the boys who nearly fainted from joy.
”D-Demo!! You can’t ride!” he exclaimed, remembering the last time, which also happened to be their last date, “And it’s down hill from here!”
“Atashi daijoubu desu!” she replied, “Let’s hurry to everyone!” Oogami slowly smiled and nodded his head. He and Sakura got on the bikes, soaring down the hill. “KYAAAAAAA!!”
“S-Sakura-kun?!” he cried, worried that she would fall over, but he too had difficulties of his own, “UWAAAAAAH!!!”
* * *
“You want us to move where?!” Kanna asked over the intercom, she and Orihime the only ones left able to function. Suddenly Orihime went down. “Iyada! Not again!!”
”Dammit de~su!!” Orihime cried, as her koubu lost power. “Kanna-san, it’s up to you!”
“N-Nani?! Oi oi!!” she exclaimed as the soldiers now directed towards her. She just turned and ran towards the theater. ‘Here goes!!’
While the air filled with fire and bullets, Kanna sped and dove down at the steps of the theater, at the same time, Kasumi activating the Shougeimaru, this time without the siren. The soldiers stopped on the street as it split in half.
“W-What’s happened… is it… the Flying Whale?!” Hanabi exclaimed, peering down at the street.
“Sure doesn’t look like a whale.” Cliquecot pouted, crossing her arms.
”The pressure is…” Glycine uttered as fire soared down the street and several black soldiers malfunctioned. “Look!!”
”Heh! Not bad.” Lobelia said, crossing her arms. “Still, there’s a few more left. I don’t think that beast girl can finish it off.”
”W-What did you call her?!” said a voice. Kaede and the Paris Kagekidan turned around to see Sumire, Reni and Airisu. “I’m the only one allowed to call Kanna-san names!!”
”Knock it off you two.” Reni said, turning to Kaede, “We got out in time. Last I saw, Kouran, Orihime and Maria-taichou are on their way too.”
”But what about Kanna?!” Airisu cried, “Airisu is worried about her!”
”The Shougeimaru is helping her all it can and we’re out of ammunition.” Kaede explained, “But all of the troops are close to the theater now… we better go for cover before…”
A blast shook the building and everyone nearly lost their footing. Already there were soldiers directly below them. Hanabi nervously looked down. “If the Shougeimaru shoots at the enemy then…”
‘Taihen… taihen!!’ Kaede thought, gazing down at the fiery street and the remaining soldiers. Maria and Orihime came running over, still trying to fight. ‘Everyone is at their limit… how much longer…?!’
Suddenly a yell rang through the street. “HAJA KENSEI!! GOKUI OUKA RANBO!!” A pink light surged down the main street, soldiers erupting with explosions everywhere.
“The pretty kagekidan…” laughed their leader, “I actually got to fight…” His voice faded away as his own koubu self-destructed.
“YATTA!!” exclaimed everyone on the roof. Maria smiled down the street, putting away her gun. “Good job, Minna…”
Meanwhile, Kanna’s koubu had finally collapsed. “Dammit!! I can’t get up! So much for our pose!”
* * *
At the end of the street, Sakura shielded her sword and stared at the fiery scene before her. ‘Hah?!’ she thought, watching a giant demon emerge, ‘M-Masaka!’ Her eyes widened and turned a reddish color as she dropped her sword and stared into the demon’s face. “D-DAME DESU!!”
“Sakura-kun?!” Oogami exclaimed, throwing aside the bicycle and running to her side, “Sakura-kun, doushita!?”
From one of the buildings, Erica came rushing over with a child on her back and a train of children following her. “What’s wrong with Sakura-san?!”
“I-I don’t know…” Oogami stammered, trying to hold onto her, but the trembling had begun, “Sakura-kun… speak to me.” Suddenly a blast emitted from her, knocking both Erica and Oogami over. “SAKURA-KUN!!” Oogami gasped as he hit the ground.
The ribbon falling from her hair, Sakura collapsed.
* * *
While the Tsukigumi cleaned up the streets, there was much going on in the battle room. Yoneda sat silently at the end of the table sipping his sake as the girls continued to bark at each other.
“What’s the big idea trying to kill me with those explosives??!” Kanna snapped at Lobelia, grabbing her by the collar and readying to punch her.
“I saved your life, you damn dimwit!”
”Ara~! You two are always fighting each other! Why don’t you fight the enemy with this much vigor!” Sumire laughed, despite her many injures, “OHOHOHOHOHO… OW!”
“YOU SHUT UP!” they yelled at her.
“Minna! Calm down so we can start this meeting!” Maria yelled over the voices.
“DATTE!!” Airisu pouted, “This girl here took Airisu’s seat!! Airisu always sits next to Reni!!”
Cliquecot stuck out her tongue, “Reni can sit with whom ever he wants to! Nyaa!!”
Reni blinked. “A-Actually…”
But Airisu cut her off, going to fight with Cliquecot. “WHY YOU CHILD…!!”
Maria dropped her head and sighed. She suddenly heard everyone become quiet. Lifting her eyes to the door, she saw Oogami carrying an unconscious Sakura, Erica behind them with Oogami’s bags. “W-What happened to Sakura?!”
“I don’t know.” he uttered, his face full of worry now turning to anger, “But I want to know who’s the one responsible for this, Shihainin!”
Yoneda put down his sake and stared at this serious expression. “Oogami…”
”Who are we fighting now!? And why do they have so much advancement as us that we could barely beat them! And… what did they do to make Sakura-kun…” Pausing, he tried to control his emotions, but it wasn’t any use. “She won’t answer me at all!”
“Oogami,” Yoneda tried again. He then hit a switch and image was projected on the screen. “Today at 6:00 hours, there was a sudden jail break just outside Teito. At 8:00 hours, all of the equipment at the navy and Hanayashiki malfunctioned and a ship was able to enter Tokyo Bay… soushite, the Tsukigumi caught a hold of this visual information just yesterday…”
Oogami gazed at the screen in as much shock as everyone. “The… Ma… jin…ki…?!”
“This is all part of a secret project done by enemies of the International Defense Corps.” Yoneda explained, hitting another switch. “It is known as the ADIA project.”
Oogami stared at the other image on the screen, his brow darkening. “Adia-san…”
***************
Preview!
Kouran: The enemy has become clear to us, but how do we expect to fend against their next attack! And what has happened to the support for the Teikoku Kagekidan?!
Glycine: You guys don’t seem very popular in your own town. Why bother putting on a play? Hey, give us a try too!
Both: “Practicing Lines” next time on Sakura Taisen! A storm of Romance in Taishou cherry blossoms!
Kouran: Oogami-han, please be our leader again…
