..have fun...
"...and that's why I feel my plan to hide in the mountains until things begin to settle down is our best chance for survival. Unless you have any other questions that don't involve why we can't stay here and wait for the JSDF to come and save us, or if we could change our route to swing by your homes personally…" With that last question answered I stepped off my impromptu podium and made for the storage lot office, hoping I might be able to at least sit down for 10 minutes.
As I walked I waved to a few people who greeted me or thanked me for either saving them or setting up this haven, however temporary. One or two people from the meeting tried to follow me and ask me some follow up questions, unfortunately, they were repeats of 'why can't the JSDF help us?' or 'why can't we go by my neighborhood, it isn't that far out of the way'. I waved them off, making vague promises to talk to them later about it and just kept walking. The sun was starting to get lower into the sky as the afternoon wore on. I nearly stopped walking when I realized what all had happened today and it wasn't even six yet. Dear God in His Heaven, if this was what I had to look forward to I'd be gray and bald before I was thirty… Lord gimme strength.
As I made my way up the staircase, I saw from the front window that the light was on and someone was inside. When I stepped inside, I blinked in surprise at the change in decoration. Replacing the smashed-up office furniture was a proper queen-sized bed set into the corner with mismatched sheets and blankets, along one wall was a full sized couch that I knew hadn't been there before and along the other wall was a wooden dining set with two upholstered chairs and a candelabra complete with candles.
"Is that you, Tom?" I heard Shizuka call from one of the back rooms.
"Yeah, it's me, honey," I replied distractedly, still taking in the now cozy apartment I was standing in. "So when did this all happen?" I gestured to the renovations, even though she wasn't able to see my motion.
"Oh, it seems that some of the others wanted to thank you for all you've done for everyone and did all this as a thank you." She called again.
I was more than a little surprised, when did they have time to do all this? "They didn't-"
Shizuka interrupted my protestations. "Ah ah ah, Tom. They wanted to do this, and it'd be rude to not accept it. Now could you come back here, I need your help with something."
I sighed and rubbed my shoulders. At this point, I wanted nothing more than to shrug off my armor, towel off, and take a nap. But no. I couldn't afford to. I was on a very strict schedule. I needed to get as much done as possible before the EMP hit and then I needed to get these people to safety before the shock of the event let off and the sheer enormity of the situation of the situation really set in and they started freaking out.
God help me.
My thoughts trailed off as Shizuka entered the room. She'd gotten out of the pencil skirt and white blouse she'd been wearing earlier and was now wearing a scarlet red dress that seemed to be painted on her and only reached down to her mid-thigh, while up top her breasts pushed out of her dress far enough that it looked like if she sneezed or even breathed too deeply they would jump right out. Her hair was done in a loose bun and she had a touch of makeup that enhanced her already flawless features.
My brain broke.
I must have been staring because she looked me over once before striking a pose, jutting one hip out while resting a hand on her opposite hip and raising her other hand behind her head. Lord did that dress accentuate dem' curves. "Like what you see, Tom-kun? We found this box of dresses in one of the storage lots and since no one else could wear them, the others decided to give them to me."
She made her way over to me, her hips swaying in the most hypnotic fashion. She placed one hand on my armored chest, a thrill went through me and my mouth went dry. She looked up at me and started toying with the straps. "I bet you're sweaty under all that armor. They couldn't get us a proper bath but there's some hot wash clothes you can use to wipe yourself down."
She then placed her hand on my cheek and traced her fingers along my jawline, before walking into the main room, as she passed by she said. "The others have everything covered for tonight, let this lady reward her mighty conquering hero..."
I stood there, stunned silent, for about two heartbeats, then I said the two most painful words of my life.
"Shizuka, no."
She stood there seemingly as dumbfounded as I'd been when she walked in. "W-what?"
I grimaced, "Believe me, I'd like nothing more... but..." I sighed deeply and leaned against the wall, letting go of the false bravado I'd been keeping up the entire day and letting my exhaustion show in full. "We're not done yet," I replied, "Honey, the clock is ticking. We need to get to your place tonight, raid Rika's gun safe, get her Hummer, and then get to the Takagi estate so we can relocate their population to this side of the river before the EMP hits. And then, and only then, will we have time to sleep as much as fool around."
She stood there for several moments, her face a storm of several emotions, confusion, hurt, anger, before finally settling on resigned acceptance. "Shit."
That made me blink. Shizuka, did not curse. Ever. The few times heated words escaped her lips I could literally count on one hand with digits to spare. To be that blunt and crass in her language meant she was just as close to her wits' end as I was.
"Well put," I replied dryly, earning a tired chuckle from her.
"I..." She sighed. "I was just hoping we could get a little bit of privacy to... to maybe forget the day happened if just for a moment?"
"Privacy?" I asked in feigned ignorance. "What's that? It sounds like a food. Is it any good?"
She punched me in the arm in response. Hard. "Tom!"
"Sorry Zuka," I said with a laugh. "Had to lighten the mood somehow and if I'm not laughing I'd be crying." I paused. "Or screaming. Or generally ready to break something. But I was serious. Privacy probably isn't in the cards until we're in the mountains. Neither is sleep, to be completely honest."
She took a deep breath, then sighed. "Alright, I'll… go get changed…" She then turned and headed back towards the back room she'd come out of.
As I watched her go, it took everything I had not to throw my head back and howl my rage and frustration to the heavens.
What I did do, however, was storm out of the office wishing I could rip something's head off. "Oga!" I yelled out.
"Yeah?" the aforementioned delinquent called over from where he was emptying a cargo container. "Whatssup?"
"I need one of your boys to hotwire a beater for me," I replied with a scowl. "There's some shit I need to pick up off location," I snapped out, "And there's going to be a vehicle waiting so I need some disposable hoopty to get there."
One of the many newcomers who I didn't recognize looked over and exclaimed: "Wait, you're leaving?"
"No!" I snapped out, letting my frustration come fully to a head. "Unlike you, some of us don't have the luxury of waiting for the people with a plan to tell us what do do. I have to get in a vehicle, drive halfway across the city to my girlfriend's house, then empty her roommate's gun safe, dig up the keys to her hummer, which, mind you, is EMP proof, and then make it to the Takagi estates before dawn. And maybe, if I'm very fast... and very lucky... then just maybe I'll be able to fit in some sleep before I get back here."
That shut him up nicely, something I hadn't managed to get the fat fuck to do during the debriefing earlier. I shook my head as that thought went through my mind, that was uncalled for. It was the stress getting to me, something that would get me killed if I didn't focus.
A few minutes later, the car came rumbling by and fuck me that's one ugly hunk of junk. The thing seemed to be 90% rust and was only keeping in one piece through spit, gum, duct tape and the Intervention of God himself. Well, I asked for a beater and I got one.
Looking over my shoulder, I called out for the people who would be accompanying me on this mad little adventure. "Shizuka, Miss Miyamoto, Takashi, Miss Busujima, Miss Takagi, and Kohta, gear up, we're going on a gun run." My voice had always carried well, and in my clipped tones, it sounded across the lot like a gunshot. Saeko was the first to arrive, the sword I'd set aside in for her in the school armory in her hands and… was she cuddling it?
Shaking my head I looked her over, aside from some elbow and knee pads she wasn't all that heavily armored… save that she was wearing a set of leathers form-fitting enough that I could tell she was diligent in her "landscaping", and from the smirk on her face she was dressing for effect.
Alright. Somebody tell me. Who did I murder in a past life to deserve this shit?
And no Shido doesn't count.
Trying to hammer away certain dark thoughts by working through my plan of action again, I found salvation when the others showed up soon afterward. Both Takashi and Kohta were suited up in their huscarl gear and Rei was dressed in denim and leather, wielding a spear with a wicked-looking blade on top. Saya wasn't armed, save for a small knife on her thigh while Shizuka, back in her normal dress, was holding a first aid kit. Smart girl.
Nodding, I gestured to the vehicle. "Alright folks, pile on in, the sooner we leave the sooner we get the guns and can get to your house, Saya and bring the cavalry back here for evacuation."
The others took one look at the car then back to me. "How are we supposed to fit in there? It can barely hold four." Saya voiced the thoughts of the others, her voice dripping with disdain.
I gave her a flat look. "Sit in someone��s lap."
That set her off, as I knew it would. "Oh hell no, I'm not sitting in any of those perverts' laps."
Glaring at her, Rei responded; "You could alway sit in either Shizuka-sensei's or Saeko-senpai's laps."
"Like I said, those perverts." Which got a glare from the sword girl in question.
"Right then. Pinky's riding in the trunk." I said in a tone that was completely done with this shit.
That shut her up right good.