Gatekeepers Fan Fiction ❯ A Rising Power: Your Heart ❯ Making Up... a Sudden Attack! ( Chapter 3 )

A Rising Power: Your Heart

Chapter 3 - Making up… A Sudden Attack!

Legend:

Word - denotes character thought

<Word> - denotes sound effect

[Word] - denotes concept of setting, time

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[Ikusawa residence, Akihara district, Japan]

"Mmm… that was great Rurippe! For the first time in my life, you've finally cooked right!" Shun remarked as he patted his full stomach.

<POW>

"Itai!"

He winced in slight pain as he rubbed the aching spot on his head where his girlfriend landed her fist.

"You idiot! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that!" Ruriko retorted with her hands on her hips.

"S-Sorry, I really can't help it! And besides," he pulled her close to him as their faces were inches from each other, "You'll always be my Rurippe to me, no matter what."

Ruriko felt herself blush at their distance, but was happy nevertheless. She felt tears welled up in her eyes.

"Shun-kun…"

The two teens embraced, not caring of the presence of the third person in the room, namely, Ruriko's father. Daimaru watched the tender moment between his daughter and his best friend's son.

Senji, if only you were here now, looking at your son. He's definitely grown and turning to a proud, respectable man you wanted him to be.

He decided to break up the moment.

"Cough, cough… ahem."

They shifted their attention to him with slight blushes and smiles on their faces.

"Well, seeing you two are getting comfortable, I'll be the one to clean the dishes."

He noticed his daughter starting to help him by picking up her plate.

"No, no, Ruriko, it's ok, look, go and spend your time with Shun. You two haven't seen each for two years! Shun, I'll leave her to you; this is your chance to make up for your lost time."

He then started gathering their plates one by one and carrying them to the kitchen. Ruriko watched her father disappear in the kitchen.

"Sigh… that father of mine… well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to leave the dishes to him once in a while."

Shun placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Rurippe, I think he's right. Don't worry about it. Besides, I've heard from him that you're the one doing the housework around here! You should relax."

The two teens walked to the living room and sat down.

"How did you know that I'm the one doing all the housework here?" Ruriko asked.

"He sometimes keeps in touch with me whenever he has a lot of free time from his work. We corresponded with each other through letters. I'd get an update from him filling me in on what's happening in the neighborhood here and also my mom and sister. But most of the time, he mentions a lot about you missing me so much."

Ruriko felt her heart beating with emotion.

Thank you, otousan. You even took some time to mail in the packages sent for Shun.

"Did you get the packages I sent to you while you were busy there?"

"Hmm? Packages? Oh, you must mean those baked cookies! Of course, I got them. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to eat them all. But they taste great! Also, I received your letters. You know, they never cease to take a lot of my time; I mean, I was really glad to hear from you, especially since the team took off in their own ways."

Shun smiled and reached for her hand, grasping it gently.

Ruriko couldn't help but feel attracted to his eyes portraying the lovable side of him.

"Shun… I missed you so much!"

She laid her head against his chest and held onto him tight. He enveloped his arms around her and stroked her long, brown hair. He inhaled deeply her fragrant scent he came to remember.

He gently lifted her chin to meet her face. He saw tears of happiness after meeting her once more.

"Me too… Rurippe."

He pressed his lips against hers. The sudden contact of those lips turned into a passionate kiss lasting for a minute. After breaking up to catch their breaths, Shun spoke.

"Rurippe, there's something I have to tell you. I've been called on a mission by Commander Shirei to check up a possible Gatekeeper candidate in the Philippines."

Ruriko looked up to him and listened intently.

"I'm not sure when I'd be coming back, but hopefully it'll be in a week to locate the person."

"Why don't I come along with you?"

"I'm sorry, Rurippe, but that mission is to be carried out by me alone. The Commander got Ms. Ochai to file a LOA (Leave of Absence) to my university. I won't be long."

"Sigh… after finally meeting each other after a long time, this has to happen. I feel like something's splitting us apart."

She snuggled against him once more.

"That won't happen, Rurippe. I'll make sure of it. I promise to return to you, no matter what." He held her tight against him.

The kitchen door was opened slightly to let Daimaru overhear their conversation. He smiled in thought.

Don't worry Shun, she'll be doing fine until you come back. I'll make sure it.

He closed the door and resumed finishing washing the dishes.

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[Danilo's apartment in Pasay City, Philippines]

A talking alarm clock did its work at the assigned alarm time in Danilo's room.

<BEEP> <BEEP> <BEEP>

"Ugh… what time is it now…" Danilo lazily pressed the button for the clock to announce the time.

<DONG --- "The time now is 8:30 AM.">

"Alright, alright… I'm getting up."

Danilo stretched his arms let out a big yawn. He grabbed his towel and headed straight to the bathroom for a shower.

After cleaning himself up in 15 minutes, he went back to his small room and got dressed for class --- a dark blue polo barong, white shirt, blue briefs, white boxers, black pants and socks, and dark brown leather shoes. He checked his things inside his backpack.

Hmm… apartment keys, check. Eyedrops, check. LRT ticket card, check. Wallet and cell phone, check. Well, I guess I'm all set then.

He went to the small refrigerator and opened it. He took out two slices of bread and a slice of cheddar cheese. As he closed the ref, he noticed a note posted and read it. It went like this:

==========

"Danilo,

I'm off to some business. I'll be back with groceries to fill up the refrigerator. As to lunch, well, you'll find some ulam consisting of sinigang na baboy, apritada, and arroz caldo. I figured you should learn to get used to appreciate your Filipino side of appetite. I'll be back very late and try to bring you some sashimi and beef teriyaki along the way.

You take care now, ok.

Tito Benny

==========

"Hmm… I don't have enough time for lunch. I guess this cheese sandwich will do for the time being. I'll take a quick bite at Jollibee once I get there."

He ate his sandwich and took out from the refrigerator a small can of pineapple juice. Then he took from a small shelf, stood nearby the door of his room, a packet of vitamins. He ripped one off from the packet with ease and swallowed it. He drank his juice and threw it in the trash bin once done.

He looked at the wall clock posted on the living room. It read 1:00 PM.

Crap. Better leave.

He checked himself once more on a mirror posted on the room as well. He then left and locked his apartment. He proceeded to the LRT Vito Cruz Station.

Upon arriving there, he waited for the LRT train to come. As he looked around waiting, he felt a bad feeling creeping through him over.

Something's not right. What the hell is that!

Suddenly, his eyes caught a sight that surprised him --- the man in black.

Ok, I'm definitely not hallucinating here. That's a man dressed up in black and wearing those dark shades! Why is he always where I'm around?

He saw him standing on the other side of the station. Just as his supposed name suggested, he wore all black clothing, covered by a black raincoat and a hat. His black shades covered his eyes. Danilo observed the color of his skin and saw it to be a pale gray. Then, he heard him speak.

"Target found. Permission to eliminate."

It's as if he's like a robot. Wait a sec, 'permission to eliminate'? 'Target found'? Who's he talking about?

Danilo then noticed a black, rectangular case carried in his hand. The man walked a few steps back and stood erect as a statue.

Just then, Danilo heard the honk of a LRT train passing by. It parked momentarily in the station, unloading and loading the passengers

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Author: The train is heading southward in the express system, so it covers Danilo's view on the man, for he is standing on the other side of the waiting platform. The platform Danilo is on is for the train going northward in the express system. Those of you Filipino reviewers can understand what I'm typing here.

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As soon as the train finished taking in new passengers, it sped off. Danilo saw the man in black in the same position. But he then spoke out of the blue.

"Permission received. Proceeding to eliminate target."

With that said, the case he carried suddenly transformed into a portable cannon. The weapon was aimed directly at Danilo. The sound of energy loaded inside was heard from within.

"This… doesn't look good," Danilo muttered to himself.

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[Airplane heading for Philippines]

"Our E.T.A. (Expected Time of Arrival) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport located at Manila is 1 hour and 15 minutes," the captain's voice rang throughout the speakers all over the AEGIS special transport aircraft where Shun took. He looked outside of his window seat to see the drifting clouds dancing in the sky in all shapes.

"Hmm… this mission must be important to the Commander. I wonder why he's still feeling uneasy despite no word of Invader threat?" Shun wondered. On his seat tray lay the mission file. He opened it to find a piece of paper explaining his assignment.

==========

AEGIS Mission File

==========

File no. SPE-01 AEGIS Far East Branch

Agent:

Shun Ukiya

Mission Background:

Despite the climatic end of the Invaders in the Diet Parliament building in Japan, we aren't at ease to relax and enjoy the peace rewarded for our efforts. There are numerous reports indicating an analysis in the rise of anomalies slowly building in parts of Asia. Our analysts and specialists have no idea why they'd occur, but they assume that it would be the return of the Invaders.

During a routine anomaly search in the entire continent of Asia, we stumbled across a mysterious Gate energy that happens to appear and disappear from our scans at various time intervals. It was first discovered in our scans at 2000 AD. At present, we couldn't detect other possible Gatekeeper candidates. As we conducted a study from that time, we concluded that a possible Gatekeeper was detected. The mysterious Gate energy happens to be in the Philippines, somewhere, in the National Capital Region. We think it's most probably located in Manila.

Another mysterious Gate energy was to be found in Japan, and like the one in the Philippines, it began to appear and disappear from the scans. Strangely, no more of it was to be heard of again.

But then again, we couldn't simply follow on absolute presumption of things.

Mission Objective:

You are to rendezvous with an AEGIS Filipino agent who will lead you to our Philippine branch. From there, you are to enlist their cooperation in searching for the signal of the mysterious Gate energy. You must find the location of the signal and checked whether it is the possible Gatekeeper candidate we presumed. The AEGIS Filipino agent will be your contact with the Philippine branch. This mission is to be considered top secret.

As to basic necessities, ask from the agent to get what you need. Get to understand the country's culture and other factors. Blend in.

Once you have memorized this file, dispose of it immediately.

==========

"Whew… how long has it been since I've been given an assignment by AEGIS? Ah, whatever. Anyway, I have to accomplish this mission."

Shun closed his eyes and relaxed his head against the headrest of the seat he was on. An image of his love etched into his mind.

Rurippe… I promise I'll be back for you.

He drifted into deep slumber.

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[LRT Vito Cruz Station, Philippines]

The bustling atmosphere of city activity in the LRT station would still be resuming its routine schedule…

<PHOOSH> <PHOOSH>

…Had not the rapid bursts of energy fire erupted from the mysterious portable cannon held by the man in black.

<BOOM> <BOOM>

"Woah!" Danilo exclaimed as he narrowly dodged the oncoming energy fire. He quickly jumped over the ticket pass with his backpack worn and ducked behind the other side. He took a small peek around the corner at his mysterious attacker.

<PHOOSH> <PHOOSH> <PHOOSH>

Three energy shots missed him by a few inches.

"Yipe!"

He took cover and tried to catch his breath. He felt his heart about to burst through his chest.

What the hell's going on? Sheesh! First, my first contact with my Gate powers. Second, I found myself wandering through my mind and meeting up with Yukino. Now this man in black who wants to terminate me by those energy shots! Why must I be the one, kami, to get in trouble with weird and mysterious things like this?

He saw steps of stairs leading down nearby. But he was considering his other alternative.

If I get out by those stairs in one piece, that man will definitely be following me and firing off in pursuit. Damn, I can't risk having him following me while firing that. A lot of innocent people are going to get hurt! But I can't just sit my ass here waiting for my end. Crap… now what do I do?

Meanwhile from the man in black, he sprayed energy fire throughout the entire station like a Rambo flick.

"Target found --- Yamagami, Danilo," he said.

The LRT ticket sellers and waiting passengers fled in panic. Two station security guards immediately took out their pistols.

"Ibitawan ang baril mo!" they warned.

The man in black ignored their warning and continued his onslaught. They fired their pistols at him.

<BLAM> <BLAM>

Their bullets hit their mark --- but with no effect.

<CLANG> <TINK>

They bounced off from his body. The guards' jaws dropped in shock.

"Imposible… hindi siya nagtamaan!" one of them exclaimed.

The man shrugged off their attack and fired back at them.

<PHOOSH>

"ARGH!"

It was the only word from them as their bodies disintegrated into dust. The man looked around for his primary target. Danilo watched helplessly at the guards' quick demise.

"Damn it!" he muttered through his clenched teeth in frustration. Suddenly, he heard his heart pounded heavily.

<DOKI> <DOKI> <DOKI>

"Ugh… oh man, not now!"

He felt his head ache and clutched with his hands.

<ZING>

He felt a burst of power dwelling through his eyes.