Re: Part 5, I give up.brthrs_watchdogOctober 6 2009, 02:42:03 UTC
Nakama’s mother was in the hospital - she’d been injured while looking for her daughter during one of the attacks. When they introduced themselves as the ones her daughter met with that day, Ms. Nakarai started crying and actually fell out of her hospital bed. They moved to help her up, but she drew both of them into an awkward hug. When she calmed down, the explained to her what her daughter had been involved with and the uniforms she’d made them. Ushiro was the one to tell her of the nicknames they’d given each other - and that Mako Nakarai became Nakama - which meant “precious friends.”
With Moji’s family, they could tell his parents everything but what their son had requested done with his body. They were afraid it would circle back to Nagi - and no one should have to live with the guilt that he was living with his best friend’s heart inside him. Dung Beetle told Machi, though, that Tsubasa already knew… Ushiro and Machi talked with Kanji’s father, who had indeed been held responsible for the dangerous Chutenro Tower. He was very busy now but understood why his son wanted it done. He thanked Ushiro for being Kanji’s friend all those years and told him that Chutenro Tower was going to be destroyed now.
With all the parents who hadn’t been in the loop notified now, Machi thought they were finished - but Ushiro said they had another task. He put together a plan, talking to Mr. Komoda - Komo’s father - and Mr. Tokosumi - Anko’s father. They gathered all the videos and pictures of their daughters they had and brought them to Mr. Honda - Chizu’s father. They gave them to him to use for his organization. They hoped it would make money for the victims. They felt horrible using their dead daughters like that, but…it would be what they wanted. Machi and Ushiro left the three fathers alone and Machi said that now they could spend the remaining time waiting for the next battle - though Ushiro said they had one more family to visit.
The family of Katari, the boy who’d pretended to be one of them.
On the train ride to Katari’s neighborhood, Machi and Ushiro talked again. Ushiro asked her if her brother would return to their world after her battle. She told him yes - whether she won or lost, he would go home and regain his original form. She said he was always watching over her, even right then. He wasn’t beside them, but he knew what they were talking about and could observe them. She changed the topic, asking Ushiro if he believed in reincarnation. He…ignored her at first. She told him her brother once said souls and spirits of people really do exist - but there was a one in a million chance reincarnation would happen. When Ushiro pessimistically pointed out that’s as good as it being not true, she said she still wanted to believe in it, even if there was a small chance. Ushiro finally gave her his full attention as she said that even then…she was scared of dying. She hung her head and held back her tears. She half expected Ushiro to reach over and comfort her somehow - hold her hand or something. But of course, it was Ushiro so he did nothing. She vented her frustration at him, then slumped back in her seat, knowing she couldn’t expect much from him. He surprised her by saying her brother was probably watching them right now…and it would be awkward. She wondered…if maybe he did care, in his own way.
Part 6, someone make me stop.brthrs_watchdogOctober 6 2009, 02:43:15 UTC
When they reached Katari’s house, Mr. and Mrs. Karita told them of his situation after they explained the truth. They had been planning on getting divorced before Katari’s murder. He probably wanted to claim to be a pilot to take their minds off it. His family, they said, was the most important thing for him. He’d probably wanted to…so his little brother - his brother still in elementary school - wouldn’t have to go through his parents divorce. The little boy, Shouji, was sitting in a small sandbox nearby his house, as he did every day after his brother’s death. It was decided that Machi would speak to him - Ushiro didn’t have that great a track record with younger siblings, after all. Machi approached Shouji and told him she was a friend of his brother’s. When the boy didn’t respond, she sat down next to him. He started to talk about how his parents were both liars and his brother too. It was why he got bullied all the time. Machi said his parents would never lie to him again - and his brother didn’t lie about being a pilot. When Shouji stayed quiet, Machi peeled off the bandage she’d been wearing over the acid scar she’d received during Anko’s fight and asked if he’d seen her on TV. Since Shouji hadn’t - technically, since Machi had been impersonating Komo - he asked…if his brother really was a pilot - he wasn’t a liar. Machi repeated: His family hadn’t lied to him. There were some good lies, after all.
They let Shouji play alone for the moment, sitting on a bench watching him. Since the battle could start at any moment, Machi decided to get everything out - die without regrets. She couldn’t help it - she started blushing as she asked if she could confess something to him. Ushiro calmly asked if there was something she was still lying about. Machi nearly squeaked and unhappily grumbled that she couldn’t possibly confess after that. Ushiro awkwardly looked to the side and tried to talk his way out of it. Angrily, Machi turned away, grumbling again. Ushiro managed to surprise her again - he apologized. When she called him out apologizing sincerely for probably the first time in his life, he started to leave. She apologized herself and they both sat back on the bench. She told him…that he was on her mind when she first met him, that he reminded her of her brother, that deep down…both of them really were nice people. She told him that she really liked him. He said nothing but “Thanks” but she wasn’t expecting more. Knowing they were both going to die, there really was nothing more to say. Making light of it all, she said she was probably more nervous then than when she signed the contract - she’d never confessed to someone she liked before. And then…with an eager, earnest look, Machi said they should sleep together tonight. Ushiro reacted juuust as she thought he would: completely freaking out. She teased him and asked if he didn’t want to. When he pointed out her brother would be able to watch them, she smirked wickedly, saying he would see his little sister wasn’t so obedient.
But then…she let her thoughts overtake her and said she’d never really thought about how lonely it was to be alone at night. She told him the same things she’d told Kana - that she felt like everything would disappear as she slept, that she wouldn’t be alive in the morning, so her mind couldn’t stop working. Clearing up her sad face so she wouldn’t make Ushiro depressed, she turned to him with a bright smile and said that’s why he should think about it. She said…she’d be waiting for him.
A cry from the sandbox drew both their attention - a kid in a cap and overcoat was bullying Shouji. Enraged, Machi ran over to him, demanding what he thought he was doing, picking on a little kid.
And then he drew his gun. His very odd looking gun. He pointed it at Machi.
Machi stared at it, stunned. She had only enough time to realize that in the end…she wouldn’t get to pilot Zearth after all...
Part 7. [headdesk]brthrs_watchdogOctober 6 2009, 02:44:22 UTC
...before he pulled the trigger, hitting her right in the head. She flew backwards, hitting the ground hard. Ushiro stood up, too stunned to do anything but stare at the boy and Machi’s limp form. While Ushiro stood there, paralyzed in shock, the boy walked up to him and pointed the gun at him too…and fired just as he was teleported away. The shot missed and Dung Beetle showed up, snapping Ushiro back to reality. He called out Machi’s name, but she didn’t respond. Dung Beetle said he’d left them alone for a moment because he didn’t want to hear them talking. He could, however, sense she was still alive. Their body guard, who had been too far away to do anything before, called the nearby hospital. They would be there in minutes - but Dung Beetle teleported her there himself. The body guard took the stunned Shouji back to his parents’ house and told Ushiro to go to the hospital as well.
The shot hit Machi on her right side, just barely missing her brain. The hospital worked fast and she was still alive - but in a coma she would probably never wake up from. She wasn’t shot by a boy - he was a man in his forties. He was most probably an assassin from another country, given that the gun was an illegal one from Communist China. They couldn’t question him - Dung Beetle had teleported him to the sun. The shot from the gun…was lodged inside Machi’s skull. Dung Beetle told Mr. Sasami not to inform Machi’s “family.” It would only worry them and the girl they were operating on wasn’t their daughter, after all. Mr. Sasami talked with Mr. Tate, expressing the horrible timing of the situation. If the enemy robot were to appear right now…they would have no chance. The battle would continue. Dung Beetle talked to Machi alone, even though she couldn’t hear him, unconscious and bandaged. He told her she was an idiot…but accepted that maybe he was the dumbest one among them.
Dung Beetle told Mr. Sasami and Ushiro straight out that they were in a tough situation and he wasn’t going to use Machi as the next pilot. Ushiro said he didn’t mind waiting, but he didn’t understand - if they were attacked now, they were all dead. Machi was going to die either way - and this way, it would save this Earth. He told them not to worry about Machi anymore. He would kill her. He told them both not to worry about the last pilot; he’d take care of it. When they expressed their distrust, he said his sister had been willing to die for this world - and in the end was going to. He would save it for her.
They left brother and sister alone and Dung Beetle told her he was sorry about everything. This was all he could think of. He apologized for being a heartless brother and disconnected her from the life support. Without checking to see if she was still alive, he teleported her with the intentions of sending her right about the ocean - the same ocean the fifteen kids explored all those months ago. She could rest there, in her friends’ world.
Character personality- Before her encounters with the “parallel universe pruning,” Machi was, for all extents and purposes, a normal girl. She was cheerful, happy, and enthusiastic, always trying to have fun but knowing when to relax. Her brother made it…difficult to be bright and happy at times, considering how mean he was to her, but she knew deep down he was a good person. After her world got introduced to its robot, though, her happy carefree life disappeared. Thus, Machi still keeps a jovial attitude - somewhat perky when she needs to be, openly teasing those she’s comfortable with - but below it lurks a much more introspective side. She has guilt issues, for she still believes it was her fault her friends entered the contract and her fault they were the ones that had to pilot Zearth. She keeps these things to herself, though, and thoroughly tries to be an optimist, as she did back in their world. It is, truly, for their sakes at times. This optimism has influenced her beliefs as well: Though there’s not much evidence to it, she likes to believe in reincarnation. She has, in fact, forced herself to believe it’s possible, for if it’s not, her friends are truly dead and gone and if she ever accepts that, it may break her.
So more accurately, Machi is a very emotional girl. She tries and tries to be happy for those who need her, but when it gets too much she breaks down. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in - she’s got determination to be rivaled. When she puts her mind to something, she’ll follow it through, even if it means her death - she did it once, after all.
More than anything…she’s the kind of girl who just wants those around her to be happy. No matter what it takes.
Character abilities- Without the Zearth, Machi is like any other teenage girl. She is rather athletic for her age and somewhat fast - but that’s all.
With Moji’s family, they could tell his parents everything but what their son had requested done with his body. They were afraid it would circle back to Nagi - and no one should have to live with the guilt that he was living with his best friend’s heart inside him. Dung Beetle told Machi, though, that Tsubasa already knew… Ushiro and Machi talked with Kanji’s father, who had indeed been held responsible for the dangerous Chutenro Tower. He was very busy now but understood why his son wanted it done. He thanked Ushiro for being Kanji’s friend all those years and told him that Chutenro Tower was going to be destroyed now.
With all the parents who hadn’t been in the loop notified now, Machi thought they were finished - but Ushiro said they had another task. He put together a plan, talking to Mr. Komoda - Komo’s father - and Mr. Tokosumi - Anko’s father. They gathered all the videos and pictures of their daughters they had and brought them to Mr. Honda - Chizu’s father. They gave them to him to use for his organization. They hoped it would make money for the victims. They felt horrible using their dead daughters like that, but…it would be what they wanted. Machi and Ushiro left the three fathers alone and Machi said that now they could spend the remaining time waiting for the next battle - though Ushiro said they had one more family to visit.
The family of Katari, the boy who’d pretended to be one of them.
On the train ride to Katari’s neighborhood, Machi and Ushiro talked again. Ushiro asked her if her brother would return to their world after her battle. She told him yes - whether she won or lost, he would go home and regain his original form. She said he was always watching over her, even right then. He wasn’t beside them, but he knew what they were talking about and could observe them. She changed the topic, asking Ushiro if he believed in reincarnation. He…ignored her at first. She told him her brother once said souls and spirits of people really do exist - but there was a one in a million chance reincarnation would happen. When Ushiro pessimistically pointed out that’s as good as it being not true, she said she still wanted to believe in it, even if there was a small chance. Ushiro finally gave her his full attention as she said that even then…she was scared of dying. She hung her head and held back her tears. She half expected Ushiro to reach over and comfort her somehow - hold her hand or something. But of course, it was Ushiro so he did nothing. She vented her frustration at him, then slumped back in her seat, knowing she couldn’t expect much from him. He surprised her by saying her brother was probably watching them right now…and it would be awkward. She wondered…if maybe he did care, in his own way.
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They let Shouji play alone for the moment, sitting on a bench watching him. Since the battle could start at any moment, Machi decided to get everything out - die without regrets. She couldn’t help it - she started blushing as she asked if she could confess something to him. Ushiro calmly asked if there was something she was still lying about. Machi nearly squeaked and unhappily grumbled that she couldn’t possibly confess after that. Ushiro awkwardly looked to the side and tried to talk his way out of it. Angrily, Machi turned away, grumbling again. Ushiro managed to surprise her again - he apologized. When she called him out apologizing sincerely for probably the first time in his life, he started to leave. She apologized herself and they both sat back on the bench. She told him…that he was on her mind when she first met him, that he reminded her of her brother, that deep down…both of them really were nice people. She told him that she really liked him. He said nothing but “Thanks” but she wasn’t expecting more. Knowing they were both going to die, there really was nothing more to say. Making light of it all, she said she was probably more nervous then than when she signed the contract - she’d never confessed to someone she liked before. And then…with an eager, earnest look, Machi said they should sleep together tonight. Ushiro reacted juuust as she thought he would: completely freaking out. She teased him and asked if he didn’t want to. When he pointed out her brother would be able to watch them, she smirked wickedly, saying he would see his little sister wasn’t so obedient.
But then…she let her thoughts overtake her and said she’d never really thought about how lonely it was to be alone at night. She told him the same things she’d told Kana - that she felt like everything would disappear as she slept, that she wouldn’t be alive in the morning, so her mind couldn’t stop working. Clearing up her sad face so she wouldn’t make Ushiro depressed, she turned to him with a bright smile and said that’s why he should think about it. She said…she’d be waiting for him.
A cry from the sandbox drew both their attention - a kid in a cap and overcoat was bullying Shouji. Enraged, Machi ran over to him, demanding what he thought he was doing, picking on a little kid.
And then he drew his gun. His very odd looking gun. He pointed it at Machi.
Machi stared at it, stunned. She had only enough time to realize that in the end…she wouldn’t get to pilot Zearth after all...
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The shot hit Machi on her right side, just barely missing her brain. The hospital worked fast and she was still alive - but in a coma she would probably never wake up from. She wasn’t shot by a boy - he was a man in his forties. He was most probably an assassin from another country, given that the gun was an illegal one from Communist China. They couldn’t question him - Dung Beetle had teleported him to the sun. The shot from the gun…was lodged inside Machi’s skull. Dung Beetle told Mr. Sasami not to inform Machi’s “family.” It would only worry them and the girl they were operating on wasn’t their daughter, after all. Mr. Sasami talked with Mr. Tate, expressing the horrible timing of the situation. If the enemy robot were to appear right now…they would have no chance. The battle would continue. Dung Beetle talked to Machi alone, even though she couldn’t hear him, unconscious and bandaged. He told her she was an idiot…but accepted that maybe he was the dumbest one among them.
Dung Beetle told Mr. Sasami and Ushiro straight out that they were in a tough situation and he wasn’t going to use Machi as the next pilot. Ushiro said he didn’t mind waiting, but he didn’t understand - if they were attacked now, they were all dead. Machi was going to die either way - and this way, it would save this Earth. He told them not to worry about Machi anymore. He would kill her. He told them both not to worry about the last pilot; he’d take care of it. When they expressed their distrust, he said his sister had been willing to die for this world - and in the end was going to. He would save it for her.
They left brother and sister alone and Dung Beetle told her he was sorry about everything. This was all he could think of. He apologized for being a heartless brother and disconnected her from the life support. Without checking to see if she was still alive, he teleported her with the intentions of sending her right about the ocean - the same ocean the fifteen kids explored all those months ago. She could rest there, in her friends’ world.
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Character personality- Before her encounters with the “parallel universe pruning,” Machi was, for all extents and purposes, a normal girl. She was cheerful, happy, and enthusiastic, always trying to have fun but knowing when to relax. Her brother made it…difficult to be bright and happy at times, considering how mean he was to her, but she knew deep down he was a good person. After her world got introduced to its robot, though, her happy carefree life disappeared. Thus, Machi still keeps a jovial attitude - somewhat perky when she needs to be, openly teasing those she’s comfortable with - but below it lurks a much more introspective side. She has guilt issues, for she still believes it was her fault her friends entered the contract and her fault they were the ones that had to pilot Zearth. She keeps these things to herself, though, and thoroughly tries to be an optimist, as she did back in their world. It is, truly, for their sakes at times. This optimism has influenced her beliefs as well: Though there’s not much evidence to it, she likes to believe in reincarnation. She has, in fact, forced herself to believe it’s possible, for if it’s not, her friends are truly dead and gone and if she ever accepts that, it may break her.
So more accurately, Machi is a very emotional girl. She tries and tries to be happy for those who need her, but when it gets too much she breaks down. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in - she’s got determination to be rivaled. When she puts her mind to something, she’ll follow it through, even if it means her death - she did it once, after all.
More than anything…she’s the kind of girl who just wants those around her to be happy. No matter what it takes.
Character abilities- Without the Zearth, Machi is like any other teenage girl. She is rather athletic for her age and somewhat fast - but that’s all.
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