Nadesico Fan Fiction ❯ To Die or Not to Die ❯ Chapter 8

A/N: Hei-ho, hei-ho! Back to writing with me. ^_^ Episode 13 got a lot of use, didn't it? Thank god its over, yo. >< Okay, we're starting on Episode 15; we maybe just might go right into Episode 16 too. Of course, there is a bit of a Hikaru interlude, but that's okee. A bit more I+R stuff than G+A stuff in this chapter, but if we get into Episode 16 with this, that just might change… ^_^ Lights, camera, action!

~*~

"I mean, you are a captain!" cried out Erina. She was so sick and tired of the captain wasting her time on that low-life fry-cook.

Yurika smiled and pumped a fist in the air. "That's right! I am a captain!"

Erina sighed.

Apparently, it had been one of the few times when all the bridge women, including the female pilots, had all been in the steam bath. Everyone, that is, except Megumi. Erina still continued to harass Yurika with questions. "Why did you even accept the role of captain, anyway?"

"Well, everywhere I went… I was always referred to as my father's daughter. And it was the same all the way through school, and even at the academy. But here on the Nadesico, I can be seen for the person I am."

"Is that it?" It didn't seem like a very good reason to become the captain of one of the most powerful battleships in the world created by the most powerful company in the world, at least, not to Erina.

"Well…" Yurika got that goofy grin on her face, the smile she did when she was thinking about Akito. "There is also the part about winning Akito's heart!"

Erina rubbed her forehead. "Will you please stop talking about that idiot!"

Ryoko turned toward Erina and snarled at her, but Erina didn't even see it. Itsuki did though. She gasped slightly, then focused her attention downward, not listening to the argument anymore

'Ryoko likes Akito. Dammit, I should have seen it. Figures, every other female has something for him.' She sighed. 'Damn. Damn damn damn.' Hikaru suddenly stood up. She turned around to face the other two Angels, and, cheerily, said, "I'm going to go back to the room now. I have to get started on that new doujinshi, and you guys distract me!" Izumi just nodded and Ryoko whispered, "sure."

Itsuki took this chance to leave as well. She followed the redhead out. "Hey, Hikaru!"

Hikaru turned around, still unfogging her glasses. "Itsuki?" She put them back on. "What? Fight annoying you too?" Obviously, there were ulterior motives that Hikaru had for leaving early.

"Er… something like that. Look, Hikaru…" Itsuki just didn't know how to say it.

"Yeah. I know. I thought she didn't like him anymore either, but I guess that flame takes a lot to be doused." Itsuki blinked. She didn't expect such a poetic statement from the otaku pilot. Hikaru grinned. "I'm going to take a few more minutes to recuperate, okay?"

Itsuki nodded, then pulled on her robe, and left the woman's baths.

~*~

(Hikaru Interlude)

Itsuki left, and Hikaru didn't feel like changing that very second. In fact, she was very comfortable in her towel as it was. So she just left the baths like that. But before she got anywhere, she heard a masculine giggle.

Turning to her left, she saw a small portion of the mechanics looking through one of the sliding doors to the baths. Along with them was Uribatake. Hikaru sighed. 'Man, he really is as bad as me and Izumi. Worse, even.' She tiptoed over there.

"You know, they'll throw us out of an airlock if they catch us spying again," heard the pilot, as she got closer. She bent down and started walking on her haunches. Right until she was still unseen, but in a good position.

"I don't care, just kill me now!" squeaked Uribatake. Hikaru tried not to giggle. All the other mechanics had noticed her, except for the oblivious Uribatake. She slowly reached up and pinched his nose and mouth closed.

Uribatake pulled her hands off. "What, Are you trying to kill me?"

Hikaru giggled again. "Isn't that what you said you wanted, you bad boy?" Uribatake seemed at a lost for an answer, so Hikaru decided to make the scene even more uncomfortable for him. 'Serves him right.' "And just what're you doing out here?" 'Certainly the girls inside have heard by now…'

Uribatake made a nervous laugh. "Uh, we were just looking for an intruder!"

She didn't quite expect that answer. "An intruder?!" All the girls inside heard too.

"An intruder?!?"

~*~

Gai heard all the announcements from Akito's room, but refused to move. 'I'll make myself known when we get to the moon, and pick his stupid ass up. No need to make them think I'm the intruder…'

Gai opened Akito's bag and got out the projector. 'Hello, friend. It's been a while. How have you been?' He placed it on the floor. Then he pulled out the disks. 'Hi to you too. I could care less about you guys. We had some good times, but it's time to move on.' He placed the box down next to it. 'Don't worry, you guys. You'll find someone better than me. Someone who, I know, will love you.' Gai started to dig out wrapping paper. 'Might as well pull an Itsuki…'

About ten minutes later, Gai was in the shower, and a delicately wrapped gift sat in the middle of the darkened room. The tag read, "To: Akito, someone who will appreciate these a lot more than I ever would. From: Gai, thank you for letting me back into your life."

~*~

Akatsuki and Ryoko piled into the Hinagiku, ready to go after the Jovian who abducted Megumi and Minato. Itsuki and Yurika followed as well. "I'm coming with you. This is partly my fault." Announced Yurika, as if anyone would actually stop her.

Ryoko glared at the purple-haired pilot. "What're you doing here?"

"I owe you one Ryoko, might as well give an extra set of hands, that is, if you need it from the Lunar Theatre ace pilot instead of this long-haired bastard." Itsuki jerked a thumb at Akatsuki.

Ryoko smiled. Not many people had the guts to insult Akatsuki. Akito busted into the shuttle as well.

"What happened? How did Megumi and Minato get kidnapped? Holy shit!" He turned to Itsuki, but she wasn't listening. "I thought you were dead!" Yurika started rambling things to Akito, and Akito started rambling things to himself. At least, that's what the scene looked like to Itsuki. She got a smile out of her tomboy. She was so elated; she might as well be flying.

"Oh, shut up!" yelled Ryoko as she pulled the Hinagiku out and towards the Gekigan-type head, which started to shake with activity.

Itsuki rubbed her eyes. "Um, is it just me, or is there something going on in there?"

Akatsuki seconded it. "Might be."

Akito gasped. "Megumi and Minato must be fighting back!" Itsuki fought the urge to hit him. "Hey, wait," said Yurika.

"Eh?" commented Ryoko, wanted to get the captain to continue.

"Did that pilot remind you of someone we once knew? A pilot who collects Gekiganger merchandise." Akito and Itsuki made the connection immediately.

'Gai…'

'Jiro no baka.'

Yurika was a bit slower, however. "That's right! He reminded me of Yamada Jiro! And he even looked like him!"

Ruri's communication window opened. "I thought he looked like him as well." Uribatake popped up too. "He was probably a spy the whole time, and he just faked his death! That's the kind of plot twist he'd be into!"

"You're covering up my view screens, ya know," complained Ryoko. She eventually gave up.

"Do you think the bullet could have been stopped by a silver dollar in his pocket?" commented How Mei. "A bible or metal lighter are also optional," responded Mr. Hory.

Another window popped up. "Or maybe I'm not dead, and maybe I'm sitting in the fry-cook's room?" Yurika shrieked.

Akito's face brightened. "Gai! You made it back to the Nadesico!" Itsuki crossed her arms.

"Of course he did, fry-cook boy." Apparently, Itsuki and Gai had the same knack for nicknames. "And if you don't want to piss Miss Tomboy off even more, I suggest you make this screen a little more private." Itsuki winked at Akito, but he didn't get the message. Akito did as told though, making the window come up only for him.

~*~

"Hey, Gai. Glad you made it back." Akito smiled. Gai blushed a bit, but giggled nervously.

"Hey, it was a piece of cake, ya know? Oh, when you get back, I have, um, a present for you…" Gai was interrupted by a yell from Akito's end. The Martian looked to the side, made a face, and turned back. "Look, Gai, I have to talk to you later. Something happened, I guess." He closed the window before the other pilot could a word in edgewise.

~*~

Ryoko attempted to connect to Megumi and Minato's communicators once again, and finally got it. "Establishing communications!" A staticy window popped up showing someone who did, in fact, look a lot like Gai. "Hey, you Jovian! Leave those two women alone!"

"What? This ugly boy's face just popped up out of nowhere!" The static lifted and Ryoko yelled. Loudly.

"Ugly?!? I'll take that insult and shove it up your-" She was cut off as Akatsuki and Yurika pulled her away from the controls. Itsuki plopped into her place. "Now, that wasn't very nice of either of you…" she said, singsong. Akito's face came into the window. "Megumi! Minato! Are you all right?"

TBC…

~*~A/N: I love cliffhangers, don't you! ^_^ Well, looks like I got as far as I needed to. ^_^ In the next chapter, we get to watch our favorite four pilots' reactions to the revelations about the Jovians! See you in the next chapter! *waves*