Chapter 5
Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 5
OP Song:
MGS3 Snake Eater - Cynthia Harrell [With Lyrics] MGS3 Snake Eater OST
Insert Song: Start
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou OST | 04 Loneliness
PART 1
Sometime before Eugene heads to the student council room, after taking a nap, he wakes up early and heads towards one of the buildings where the school faculty are staying. The building was about four floors in height. Walking undetected through the use of his Masked Rider System, even making use of some camouflage to cover for the camera systems installed in the hallways, he would knock through the front door of a room.
He waited for a moment. Then he heard a few steps as the door opened in front of him, revealing a beautiful young adult woman. She had back-length dark blue hair that had the sides tied to the back, a beautiful face, and amber eyes, along with a voluptuous figure. Her eyes carried a sense of surprise before they turn to a familiar joy, with a happy, widening smile.
"Uncle Thruston!"
The woman gave him a very sweet embrace. Eugene in turn smiled a little and embraced back.
"Hello, Kazuha."
Kazuha Aoi. The Legendary Heroic Pandora of the 8th Nova Clash. She was the granddaughter of Gengo Aoi, and the daughter of Eugene's old friend, Ryuuichi Aoi. Since she was little, Eugene would spend time with Kazuha whenever he was available at times. He met her father long ago, in an unfortunate circumstance that involved the death of his mother, Erika Aoi, via a threat and an assassination attempt as a way to coerce Dr. Gengo Aoi once again.
After the heartwarming hug, brief it may be, they both went inside, with Eugene closing the door and locking it. Taking a look around the room, he noticed a large, wide-open space that was well-suited for an apartment. There was a poster on the wall depicting Eugene in his Kabuto Zero Armor. There was a personal bathroom located somewhere on the side. A mini-kitchen where Kazuha can cook and prepare food, and right now, Kazuha is preparing some tea for herself and Eugene. There was a large mattress on the front center, just to his right.
There was a desk that had an organized stack of books, files, and other assortments. Taking a look, he noticed two names among the file folders, with names such as Satellizer L. Bridget and Rana Linchen. He eyes the names a little with familiarity before moving on to look for other things.
Grabbing what appeared to be a photo album, he would take a quick peak on where the bookmark was placed, and found a familiar photo, taken at some point during the mid-2000s. There was himself of course, looking somewhere around his 14s to 15s. There was Kazuha Aoi as a young teen, with her black hair not being as long as it was now. There was his partner, the computer engineer and programmer that he met all those years ago in Shadow Moses Island, Dr. Kyle "Octagon" Emmerich, standing right beside Kazuha. There was Kazuha's younger brother and elementary student at that time, Kazuya Aoi, a young boy with black hair and brown eyes, who at the time was an elementary school student.
Following them, there were the parents. Ryuuichi Aoi, the father, who resembles an older Kazuya, with black hair and brown eyes. Cassandra Aoi, the mother, a beautiful tall woman with blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Between the two, there was Arcadia Aoi, the youngest sister of the family, with blonde hair just like her mother, golden eyes, and bronze-colored skin.
Then there was a young thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy who was beside Eugene, wearing Aviator sunglasses. He had brown hair and brown eyes. His mouth forms a smirk in the photo.
The boy's name was Kyouichi "Kazimir" Minase. Most people who are more familiar with him, including Eugene, call him Kaz. His codenames include Stag Deer and Master Shifu. To the public, he was known as Kamen Rider Gatack Zero. Like Eugene, he was a Blackwatch Armed Agent. Back in the darker days of World War II, he was a part of the same Project Asgard and underwent the same brutal training and cybernetic procedures that Eugene had been through. He was the one who, two nights ago, was brought up by Director Ironwood as the other agent assigned to East Genetics, located somewhere right close to Tokyo Bay.
Then he would look at a photo taken in 2014. There was an adult Kazuha Aoi, with Octagon standing on the right, and a nine-year-old girl in the middle, with platinum hair that reached her back and brown eyes, smiling like the sun.
The young girl's name was Sunny Emmerich, Octagon's adopted daughter. Sometime before, he, Minase, and Octagon rescued her when she had been held captive in a facility owned by Gentek, a biological and genetic research company founded sometime in the 70s, one of many hidden subsidiary companies owned by Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.), once a branch of the nefarious organization, HYDRA, now having gone independent following World War II, becoming more of a privately funded think tank that is composed of a group of brilliant yet ambitious scientists, at times united, at other times not, forming divisions and strife over time regarding what AIM should be focused on.
After rescuing her, since her real mother had unfortunately passed away, Octagon would volunteer to raise Sunny as an adopted daughter. Nowadays in the year 2016, due to her nature as a child prodigy in light of her status as a Whispered, a human capable of creating advanced technologies ahead of Earth's time, she's working in Stark Industries Japanese Branch via connections with Tony Stark himself, an old friend of Eugene and Octagon. She couldn't really fit in per se in a normal school since she was way ahead of any of her peers.
He remembered Tony calling Sunny a "natural" and thought that it would be a waste for her to spend all of the effort to gain a tertiary college degree in computer engineering and science when she needed to automatically be part of something greater. Also, it's because Sunny was stationed somewhere in the city where West Genetics was located that would allow Kazuha to be able to pay visits to her when she's not busy working as an instructor of West Genetics.
Over the years, Sunny and Kazuha were close, almost like a mother-and-daughter pair. In fact, this peculiar photo between Octagon, Kazuha, and Sunny felt more like a family of three. Eugene remembered that he was the one who took the photo. It made him smile a little while thinking a bit about his situation.
A few moments pass and Kazuha eventually calls him, telling him that the tea is ready, to which Eugene responds with an "Alright.", closing the photo album. Then he and Kazuha would sit at the table, drink tea, and talk amicably. Eugene would explain to Kazuha what had taken place during his stay in West Genetics. Then he would get to the part where he met her aunt, Chiffon Fairchild, which caught her interest completely.
"Hm, hm," Kazuha nodded with a sweet smile. "I know. I saw you being dragged by the arm by Aunt Chiffon after the introductory ceremony. That and Octagon showed me some pictures of you two while he was spying on the school with the Mk. 5."
"Of course, he did," Eugene rolled his eyes.
"Hmm~" Kazuha would giggle a little, putting her clenched hand near her mouth. "Though... Onee-chan? Really, uncle? That's just asking for trouble, especially when you say it to the #1 Pandora in the world. You know how, instinctive, Pandora can be."
"It was admittedly the only term I could think of. Never thought it was going to bite me," Eugene spoke with a sigh while drinking tea a little. "In any case, at some point, about 6 o'clock sharp, I would need to head towards the student council room following the agreement that I made with her last night."
"So early," Kazuha spoke with amusement, putting her hand to her face. "Then again, that's just like you, uncle."
Eugene nodded. "So I thought to pay a short visit to you before I go, because I have been intending to meet up with you, but my plans get delayed due to circumstances surrounding your aunt."
"Oh, I would not worry about it, uncle, I've already gotten used to the fact that you tend to be where troublesome situations aren't too far ahead, so even when you're in West Genetics, you never stay put and take a breather," Kazuha smiled, but there was a little sadness mixed in, as she knew that Eugene wasn't just in West Genetics based on random coincidence or vacation. "Well, hey, on the bright side, I can see you a lot when actual classes start to resume next week."
"Oh right," Eugene nodded. "You're a Pandora Instructor now."
"And a darn good one too," Kazuha smirked like a cat.
"Now I pity the poor souls who were under your supervision," Eugene said.
Kazuha's expression turned serious. "Well, there are two that are under my direct supervision, if you couldn't already tell from the files that are on the desk."
Eugene became silent for a moment before resuming. "L. Bridget's youngest daughter... and that Pandora from Tibet."
"Hmm," Kazuha nodded. "Shion Nayfield, an old friend and comrade of mine back in my West Genetics and Numbers days, had recommended L. Bridget to send his daughter to West Genetics to keep an eye out for her and make sure she's safe from harm's way. She has my Heroic Stigamata, so she's in my care either way. As for Linchen, well, she's the youngest sister of an old friend of mine who requested that I handle her, so both of them have now become my responsibility."
"Hmm. You still have your work cut out for you then," Eugene said, drinking tea. Same as me, he would say, to silently complete the sentence.
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
Finding Nemo - Beyond The Sea LYRICS
PART 2
Sinshin City.
A city that is not too far from Tokyo if one were to take the train line. Having been built sometime during the 80s alongside West Genetics, reflects somewhat of the future and its ideals, and houses commercial and finance centers, as well as multinational companies. Tall futuristic buildings were seen not too far from the train where Eugene, Abel, Chiffon, and Ticy were occupying as they headed for the marine zoo that Eugene had recommended.
Just as the train moved, so did Eugene's line of thought. He was thinking about what occurred in the student council room. I wondered how many times have I been hugged at this point by this woman? He thought while looking at Chiffon who was right beside him. She was amicably talking with Ticy about something relating to turtles, with Abel on the side listening in on the discussion. Currently, he has very strong suspicions that Chiffon would know his identity at this point. The way she hugged him was a little different in tone. He could pick up a kind of gentle and warm aura, more so than usual. And that meaningful smile and those open mesmerizing eyes.
He sighed a little while looking out of the window.
Last night, he had been doing a little sightseeing in the city, noting and visiting the various locations. Then after some time, he would go back to West Genetics and would plan more with Octagon about this day. Octagon would bring up a few interesting topics that could help with this double date. One interesting fact was that the Vice President appears to be a turtle enthusiast, at least based on some of the things Octagon managed to dig up from past security feeds where Ticy was spotted being all gushy when looking at some advertisement about turtles.
Sometimes, I'm amazed at how Octagon manages to find the most obscure yet useful facts. He thought.
Eventually, they would leave the train and walk towards the marine zoo. Inside was an arching hallway where all kinds of sea creatures were seen. Among them, there were of course the familiar sea turtles swimming with wondrous harmony.
"Aaah~! Look, look, Chiffon!"
Eugene would see Ticy look on in amazement at the fish horde that was passing by undeterred, grabbing Chiffon by the arm and the latter smiling in amusement. Then he would look at Abel, sporting a light meaningful smile on his face. Eugene would look back at Ticy, before looking at Abel.
Did something happen to him and Phenyl yesterday? Eugene thought with curiosity.
"Hey."
"Hm? Oh, what is it?" Abel would notice Eugene calling him.
"Can I ask a question? What did you and the Vice President do yesterday while onee-chan was dragging me by the arm?" Eugene asks.
"Oh, umm, well," Abel smiled a little, putting his hands in his pockets. "After you two left us high and dry, it was a little awkward at first between the two of us because we were just going back and forth when trying to start an actual conversation, then before we knew it... I don't know, we just.. slowly felt comfortable with just talking about random stuff. Things like West Genetics, about the Student Council President, about me and how I got to West Genetics, how I met you, and plenty of other things."
"I suspect that in those conversations, the Vice President would have brought me up out of curiosity's sake," Eugene said.
"Well, you could hardly blame her," Abel raised an eyebrow. "Her best friend, the Top 1 Pandora in the world, holding that official record for about a year now, gaining an interest in a new freshman who had just arrived recently and said freshman seems close with her best friend? That's quite suspicious admittedly. She was asking me a lot about who you were, what you do, and how you came to West Genetics?"
"And what you did tell her?" Eugene asks.
"The same thing you told me last two nights ago, that's all I really know about you," Abel shrugs his shoulders.
"Hmm. Perhaps I'd like to rectify that. Let's try a questions and answers approach. Ask me anything you want to know and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability," Eugene said.
"Okay... do you have any interest in sea animals?" Abel asks a random question.
"Well, no, but that doesn't mean I don't admire them from time to time. I'm going to guess that you asked this question because of the Vice President," Eugene said.
"Guilty," Abel shrugs a little. "I thought that I'd need some good advice on that."
"I'm no expert in marine biology," Eugene said before thinking. Though I do know some people who are knowledgeable in that field, and it helps when trying to figure out the meanings behind codenames.
"Ne, Chiffon," Ticy would look at Chiffon with an inquiring tone.
"Hmm, what is it, Ticy?" Chiffon asks, sporting a curious expression.
They were currently a few distances away from the boys who were just discussing a few random topics. Because of this, Ticy would take the opportunity to ask Chiffon about a question that had been bugging her for a bit.
"Umm," Ticy hesitated a little, blushing as she remembered the bouquet of flowers incident in the student council room, before speaking. "I noticed that you seem to have taken an interest in a boy lately."
"Oh, you mean Eugene," Chiffon smiled a little, looking at Eugene who was talking with Abel.
"Hmm," Ticy nodded. "Are... Are you two close or something?"
"Hmm," Chiffon pondered a bit. "Well, I wouldn't say yes, but I can't say no either. Let's just say that Eugene Thruston interests me a little and leave it at that, because even I'm not sure how to classify our current relationship. Though if I have to guess, it would be somewhere above that of acquaintances, and we aren't necessarily friends either. A... mutual understanding, that's the word that could aptly describe it." Chiffon's smile became a little subtle in the end, her gaze directed at the man who had saved her father long ago.
"...Actually, Ticy, can you do me a favor?" Chiffon smiled a little.
"So who's your favorite superhero? And don't you dare say Captain America, or Spider-Man, or Night Baron, because that's just cheating," Abel spoke, sporting a pointed look.
"Hmm. Interesting question," Eugene pondered a little, with a serious expression on his face, putting his hand to his chin. "If I were to choose, I'd say... Wolverine."
Abel blinked a little. "Wolverine? That's... That's surprising. I mean, don't get me wrong, the guy's a badass, what with his sharp metal claws popping out from his hands and all."
"Sharp adamantium claws, yes," Eugene clarified.
"Right," Abel nodded. "So... why Wolverine?"
"Hmm. I could relate to him in a sense," Eugene answered.
"How so?" Abel asks. "Is it because the guy was a part of the Howling Commandos back in World War II?"
The Howling Commandos.
Back during the darker days of World War II, they were an elite top-secret combat unit led by none other than Captain America himself who were tasked with the most stupendous and dangerous of missions behind enemy lines. Most of the members were unknown and still are, but some are well known. Wolverine, or rather, James Howlett, or Logan, was one of those members. Eugene had fond memories of the old man, the latter being his drill sergeant back in the day. His training under Logan was harsh and brutal, nevertheless, that helped him survive, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
"That's right, considering the stories my father told me," Eugene answered. He wasn't lying about that, but the answer was just vague enough to prevent any unnecessary secret from spilling out, especially regarding his life.
"Hmm, an interesting choice for a favorite hero~"
Abel looked surprised while Eugene glanced a little, noticing two arms wrapping around him. He finds the interested smile of Chiffon Fairchild, and feels her warm embrace. Her left hand was tracing Eugene's chest a little, with subtlety.
Oh right, Eugene thought with exasperation, this woman also has sharp edge claws and quite a mean streak to boot.
What Eugene meant by that was that Chiffon Fairchild, like all Pandora, has something called Volt Textures. They are considered to be the Pandora's main offensive and defensive weapon, utilizing it for personal and battlefield usages, and that would include their uniforms, which can be materialized and dematerialized at will. As to her Volt Weapon, it would be a large dark blue gauntlet with gold stripes and black-bladed fingers, and that's just the incomplete version of her Volt Weapon.
Chiffon mused. "Mind if I choose a favorite superhero of my own to add to the discussion?"
"Well... sure, Madam President, it's no problem. So who's your favorite?" Abel asks.
"How about... Kabuto Zero," Chiffon's smile took a different meaning, making Eugene glance with a knitted eyebrow.
"Oh, you mean that mysterious Kamen Rider that seemed to have been around since the 70s?" Abel looked a little interested.
"The same," Chiffon said before thinking. And he's been around even before that. "If I were to personally attest, he did save my father many years ago."
Eugene paid attention, noticing the subtle meaning behind the explanation. Abel looked surprised. "He did?"
"Hmm," Chiffon's hug for Eugene became a little soft and warm for the latter. "My father was a very successful businessman you see, and that unfortunately gained him a lot of enemies who would want his expertise on certain things. He got kidnapped one time by people who wanted to force him to do their dirty work, but Kabuto Zero found him and rescued him from the kidnappers. He told me about it as a bedtime story when I was young, and since then..."
Chiffon's smile was beaming a little, hugging Eugene softly. "I had wanted to thank him... for saving my father... And I do wonder what he would say if I met him."
Eugene's expression softened a little, retaining his serious expression, before speaking with an honest tone. "...I think... he would say 'You're welcome'."
Abel in turn looked a little confused as he suddenly felt like an intruder in what almost seemed like a special moment. "Am I missing something here?" He muttered softly.
"Oh, Abel!" Ticy, much to Abel's surprise, would suddenly grab him by the arm as they walked in another direction. "There's a couple of seahorses that I found interesting in that tank over there and I want you to check them out with me!"
"Huh? W-Wait a minute, Ms. Phenyl!" Abel exclaimed a little.
Ticy would glance at Chiffon a little and give her a little wink, making the latter smile brightly. As the two leave, Eugene and Chiffon are all by themselves once again.
After a few moments, Eugene spoke bluntly. "So you know."
Chiffon nodded a little. "Hmm. Didn't take me very long. All I had to do was to browse a few files and have a little chat with my father, and then the pieces all came together for me to know just who you really are."
"Then you're at least aware of why I'm here in part," Eugene muttered.
"In part?" Chiffon became curious.
"Aside from 'personal business, Father said something about me needing to enjoy a normal civilian life, as much as that is relative to West Genetics where superpowered women can snap a normal human like a twig," Eugene said.
"Hmm, West Genetics does feel like a mix between a military academy and a normal high school, yes," Chiffon said while smiling at the prospect. "Maybe I and Ticy can help you with that."
"Much appreciated," Eugene spoke gratefully. Then he made a peculiar face. "So where do you want to go from here?"
Chiffon looked interested. "Hmm. We could just relax and explore the zoo together, just the two of us."
"That's it? No further discussions about my past?" Eugene asks.
"Oh, there would be plenty of time for that. I'd like to get to know another side of the interesting young man who I caught with my own fishing net," Chiffon spoke with humor.
Eugene shrugged a little. "Your call."
Eugene would slowly let go of Chiffon's embrace and started to take a walk. But then...
"WOOAAAH!"
He somehow slipped by a banana peel, much to his and Chiffon's surprise. The people around them noticed Eugene on the floor, surprised and curious. Chiffon would crouch towards Eugene and help him get up a little, sitting up straight.
"The hell?!" Eugene grimaced in discomfort and pain as he held his back with one of his hands. Then he looked to the side and saw the banana peel he slipped. He grits his teeth in annoyance, feeling his nerves bursting a little. "A banana peel! Who the hell would leave a banana peel on a place full of people walking everywhere?!"
"Pfft," Chiffon covered her mouth a little before she eventually, much to Eugene's chagrin. "Ahahahahahaha." Started laughing, with one hand holding onto her side. "I-ahaha-I can't-ahahaha!"
Red Beetle? Defeated by a banana peel? That's just so random, Chiffon thought with giggles.
Well, I'm glad the Unmatched Smiling Monster's enjoying herself, Eugene groaned in dissatisfaction.
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Insert Song: Start
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Expanded Soundtrack - 03 - Opening
PART 3
Flashback
"Uugh!"
Sometime in the mid-1950s, there was a young ten-year-old looking Eugene Thruston whose getting his butt beaten out of him, with someone grabbing him by the arm and slamming him on the ground.
Somewhere in the desert terrain of Arizona, there was a private military base owned by Blackwatch called Los Soledades. It served as a top-secret research facility and a training ground for new recruits drafted into Blackwatch from every military, political, espionage, social, and national background, meaning that Americans aren't the only people you can find around these parts. You'd have people from England and France, from the South American continents, even ones who came from Mother Russia, or those who are former enemies like the Germans and the Japanese.
"Ty v poryadke, brat? ("You okay, brother?")"
There was a ten-year-old Russian-Japanese-looking boy with brown hair and brown eyes, Kyouichi Minase, who would lend him a hand, speaking in Russian. Eugene took the hand as he was lifted up from the dust.
"Vse v poryadke. ("It's fine.")" Eugene responded.
They looked around the base, finding soldiers and officers wherever. Their common appearances and attire were white and black color schemes. Many were wearing black suits and black balaclava with rectangular goggles, with white vests, utility belts, and boots.
They could hear the grunts and push-ups that were being enacted by some of the recruits while the drill sergeant shouted with colorful curses like there was no tomorrow. He could hear the distinctive shots of ArmaLite Rifles being fired across the shooting ranges. Among the noise, he could hear one distinctive voice.
"Too sloppy, kid."
Eugene turns to his left as he and Minase stand in attention, finding a man with wolf-style black hair and sideburns, blue sharp eyes. He had the look of a sergeant, what with the dark grey camouflage pants, a black coat that had an eagle sign on the shoulders, and a white U-neckline shirt with dog tags found on his neck that showed the name "Logan" and "Wolverine". His hands were placed on his waist, sporting a disappointed look.
"Kaz got you by the right when you weren't paying close attention. When you least expect it, he took that opportunity to drive you down on the ground, hard, using your own attack against you. Your mistake is trying to charge right in like a bull-headed idiot against an experienced opponent. Don't. Instincts and brute force aren't gonna cut it. Sometimes, you've got to use your head and think about what you could do when your opponent can use your own attacks against you when you least expect it. Use the surroundings to even the odds, starting with this dirt," the man indicated the ground with a simple stomp from his boot. "Or even make use of spit on your mouth why don't you? Is that clear?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" Eugene spoke respectfully.
The man nodded towards the left. "Now both of you, get moving to the tires."
Then, after saluting, Eugene and Kyouichi would head towards the tire range, leaving the man to shake his head a little.
"How's the beating on the kids going, Logan?"
The man would look to another man who was walking towards him. The man had black hair, a visible brown right eye and a covered left scarred eye that had a black eyepatch, a black zippered jumpsuit with an eagle logo sewn over the shoulders, covered by a black trenchcoat, white leather gauntlets, and white boots. He had a white utility belt and various harnesses and leg straps intended to carry ammunition and small firearms.
"Eh, I've seen worst combat skills back in our day, Ironwood," Logan shrugged his shoulders. Then he gave Ironwood a serious look. "Do you really think these kids are ready for the real deal?"
"They may unfortunately need to be," Ironwood grimly stated, looking at Eugene and Kyouichi who were hopping through the tires before they eventually started crawling in the dirt. "The Cold War may not stay cold forever. I'm gonna need those two to be ready when the time comes to take action."
"Heh," Logan made a deriding look. "And child soldiers are becoming pretty common these days, what with the Nova and all. I wonder, if Cap was alive, how would see our world now."
"Well, for one, he'd be disgusted obviously at the prospect of child soldiers. He, and us, didn't fight World War II so that our children and their children would have to take up arms for us stupid adults," Ironwood said.
"Yeah, well," Logan would grab a cigar from his pocket and put it to his mouth. Then he would light it with a wooden match stick that came from the box in his pocket and light the cigar. "Not like most of us have much of a damn choice."
"Hmm. Most of our world's military hardware couldn't even do a damn thing against a Nova. All it took was just one superpowered woman who came from god knows where. And then after that woman dies, some guy got the bright idea to make a perfect counter-defense against the Nova based on that woman, and the countries decide to say: "Yeah, let's go with that." and the next thing you know, it's not about the Nova anymore, it's just for show. It's about power plays and politics, which could decide whether or not the Cold War stays cold, or ends up getting hotter than the sun."
"So now you're raising kids, to fight kids?" Logan raised a disturbed eyebrow.
"You forget, Logan," Ironwood spoke grimly, looking at him in the eye. "They aren't kids anymore, HYDRA made damn sure of that one. They can't even go to a normal school proper or stay in one location for too long without people starting to notice that, in about two years at most, the kids don't seem to age right. They aged, but very very slow, compared to even you. You of all people should understand the curses of a longer life."
"...Keep talking, bub," Logan spoke while smoking his cigar, before he removed it a little to blow off smoke from his mouth.
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Sins of The Father · Donna Burke · Ludvig Forssell · Akihiro Honda