---Next Morning---
Waking up in bed with my lovers the next morning, all of them were out cold. The party the night before wasn't that luxurious as the base had limited resources, so I ended up spending points to liven it up a little. Needless to say everyone ate their fill, and went into a food coma...which most of the base still was in. Getting out of bed, I got changed and was going to head out when I heard an unfamiliar groan from the bed. Glancing back to the bed, I saw we had unexpected guests in bed.
'Juri, Laura, and Mika...I would have thought they would have left when they woke up in the middle of the night. I know they stumbled in here after several bottles of wine, but they did get up sometime in the night to use the restroom. Guess they just didn't care.', I thought with a smirk, 'I am not complaining.'
"Hehe...", Juri laughed from within her dream.
With almost everyone on base still in bed, I found Captain Ford manning the gate. Bringing him a cup of coffee, I took a seat next to him. Surveying the area around us the scenery was breath taking now that it was peaceful. Sitting in silence for a little while, I eventually started to talk to him.
"Sorry to hear about your family.", I told him, "Your secretary told us about the incident. I can't imagine having to do that..."
"You have nothing to apologize for. Your father is the one responsible, he abandoned you to die in Japan...I really can't blame you for his actions.", Ford said looking at the sun on the horizon, "My family dying was my fault...I trusted someone I shouldn't have. Not only did it cost me my family, it cost me my Commander and best friend. The whole reason I got this position here was because of him..."
"You close?", I questioned.
"He was my wife's grandfather.", Ford chuckled, "When it started, he and I drove a Humvee out to get them from home. We did everything we could to protect them, but in the end one weak link cost me everything. I blame myself for trusting such an unsavory man with everyone's safety...it wasn't like we had a choice though. Most of the troops ran off to collect their families, and only a small number of them made it back alive. You saw all those defensive positions, right? That was their final stand to buy their families time to flee here."
"You think you will ever be able to move on?", I asked noticing our guest a few yards away.
"I do, but...", he said looking at his cup of coffee, "I am afraid this nightmare won't ever end. Losing everything dear to you once...you never want to experience it again."
"I am sure the person eyeing you isn't going to be a wuss.", I chuckled knowing the secretary was listening.
"Eyeing me?", he replied with a confused look.
"You not remember?", I chuckled.
"Remember what?", he stated with a worried look, "Did I miss something last night? I woke up in this chair so I assumed I fell asleep on duty. Something happen that I should be made aware of?"
Telling him to talk to his secretary, he gave me an even more confused look. Suggesting that there was more than a professional relationship there, I said she cared about him a lot and that she was possessive of him. Unbeknownst to him, Juri had tried to tease him in a drunken stupor and she KO'd her with a powerful right hook. All of us were shocked the petite secretary had that much strength.
'I can still the remember the look of surprise on Juri's face when she crashed into our table. She passed out before she hit the floor...', I thought, 'What's even more concerning was how fast she got from one side of the bar to the other. That put a lot of women to shame with her reaction time.'
Saying he would talk to her, he changed topics and asked about when we were planning to leave. Informing him that the plan was to leave after breakfast, he thanked me again for everything we had done. Heading back to the bunkhouse, I could hear that the others waking up and realizing that we had guests. Laura and Mika didn't get much of a reaction form the others, but Juri did. Chun-Li had woken up and found Juri snuggling against her back. Needless to say Chun-Li didn't take that discovery lightly...
"What are you doing in our bed!!", Chun-Li shouted throwing Juri out a window in just a t-shirt and panties.
"Excuse me, I woke up in bed. I don't know how I got here.", Juri refuted as Chun-Li jumped out after her in the same attire, "Also why does my jaw hurt...did we fight last night maybe?"
"I know you, you don't get drunk that easily. You were using this to get closer to him!", Chun-Li argued jumping out the window in the same garbs as her.
"Since when do you know my alcohol tolerance!? Even if I was, it's his choice whether or not he likes me.", Juri pointed out, "Why are you being so territorial with him?"
"We have a long history Juri, you haven't once ever stayed with a man. You get what you want and leave!", she said throwing a kick at Juri, "Don't chase Victor till you are ready to settle down! Our home is relatively peaceful, we don't need a home wrecker like you ruining it!"
"You don't know me as well as you think!", Juri shouted dodging the kick, "Just because I have run out on relationships before doesn't mean shit! Did you ever think for a moment I wanted a real relationship, but the men I dated just wanted a woman to fuck? Maybe...just maybe I wanted something deeper, but the men saw me as an easy target to bend over."
"Don't fuck with me, you are one of the toughest women I know!", Chun-Li spat, "Don't act like you are-"
Throwing a punch at Chun-Li, I caught Juri's fist and told them to stop fighting. Looking at me, Chun-Li was surprised I was interfering with their fight.
"As much as I like admiring you ladies...I don't want the neighbors getting a strip tease.", I said motioning to their lack of clothing.
Looking down to see they were in their panties, the two women promptly returned to the bedroom. Staring at one another, the two of them were still at odds with each other.
"Chun-Li, you can't keep using her past to base your understanding of her. Do you know about her past?", I asked.
"Well she has...", Chun-Li started say going off of memory.
Going through her rap sheet from when Chun-Li actively pursued her, she had many crimes to her name. Stealing, murder, kidnapping, grand theft auto, weapons smuggling, and many more were things she stood accused of doing. Whether or not it was true remained to be seen, but the smirk on her face strongly suggested she did do them.
"I mean her childhood?", I asked, "Her parents were killed by Bison, just like yours."
"Wait what...", Chun-Li said looking at Juri, "Is that true? That wasn't in your documents at all."
"Yes...", Juri replied looking at her feet, "I watched him kill them, laughing the whole time as they couldn't do a thing to stop him. I tried to fight him, but a little girl couldn't do anything to him...in the end I was left laying in a pool of my own parent's blood. Chun-Li, I tried your way through the law and it got me nothing. They told me that I should be grateful he let me live, and just move on with a new family. Of course though...who'd want to adopt a child that Bison may come back to kill..."
"I had no idea...", Chun-Li stated as a sense of guilt built up in her heart.
"I don't talk about because doing so won't bring them back.", Juri said, "When I was old enough to make conditions in the underworld I discovered how corrupt your lawful way was. Bison had many executives and high rank officials in his pocket. They'd have you dance around like fools while Bison did what he wanted in the background."
"So then...instead of doing things the lawful way...", she realized.
"I wanted to do things my way...", Juri seethed, "I swore I would make him pay for taking everything from me. He took my happy life, and stomped all over it! Everything I did was to achieve that goal, and anyone that got in the way I was willing to cripple or kill to make it happen!"
"Now it makes more sense...", she remarked, "All of that wasn't-"
"In my files? It was, but Bison's people covered it all up. He knew I wanted his head and used me as his entertainment. Our cat and mouse games were nothing more than a means to pass time.", Juri said, "If this were five years ago and I told you this, would you have believed?"
Acknowledging that she wouldn't, Chun-Li apologized for making the assumption she was all bad. Telling her that she was, she just wanted her to know it was for one reason only.
"So what now then?", Miu asked.
"Bison is dead so I have nothing left to live for. I decided that being with the man that humiliated Bison was my goal. Watching Bison cower before you made my heart stop.", Juri said looking at me, "I tried for decades to make him pay, but he was always a step ahead of me. To see him completely outmatched and humiliated like that...I want to give you everything I have. I want to be with you, and get to know the man that ended that chapter of my life. My life may be a train wreck, I may be a bit unstable, but I can be a member of your family."
"Oh my, how bold!!", Bozes gasped as the other two giggled.
Glancing back at them and then to me, Juri asked if this was normal. Explaining to her that they were very pure, she gave me a mischievous smile. Telling her not to do anything, I explained I would be the one getting to enjoy that pleasure. Shrugging her shoulders, Juri opted to leave it to me. Suggesting me get something to eat, I was about to ask what they wanted when I got a phone call.
"Hey Shizuka, is everything okay?", I asked.
"No, the house is in chaos!!", Shizuka told me, "The children are misbehaving, the royals are having a melt down, and it's been so long since we saw you!"
"Shizuka...we left yesterday.", Yuko said hearing her complaints, "How bad could it be?"
Deciding to trust that Shizuka wasn't joking, I teleported home to see how bad it was. Finding myself in what could be considered a warzone, the children were driving the women crazy. The younger children weren't minding the women in the slightest as they knew they wouldn't really get punished. It was like my verbal warning yesterday had completely slipped their minds. What was more disturbing was that Honoka and Saito were in on it since the others were doing it.
"Victor!!", Wakasa cried grabbing on to me, "It is terrible, why aren't they listening? We tried to make them go to bed, but they didn't listen. They refused to eat last night because they wanted sweets, and they have been driving us crazy!! We haven't had a wink of sleep!!"
Running down the stairs like little gremlins, the kids crashed right into me. Thinking it was one of the women, Wakasa's son said something startling.
"Move it Old Hag!", Togo laughed.
"Excuse me?", I said with a cramped smile, "Is that how you are supposed to talk to your mother?"
Hearing my voice, the children went dead silent. Seeing their smiles vanish, they didn't look me in the eyes as they knew they messed up.
"Just because I am away doesn't mean you have free reign to do as you please. Am I to understand you have been giving them problems?", I questioned in a stern tone.
"N...no...", Saito said hiding behind Honoka.
"We are sorry...", Honoka stated trying to act innocent.
"You all have ten minutes to clean up your mess, and sit at the table for breakfast. Every second past that is going to be a swat on your butts.", I told them.
"Ten minutes!? We need more time!!", the boys refuted.
"Did I stutter? Your mothers may be lenient on you when you act cute, but dear old Dad knows all those tricks. You better hurry because the time has already started.", I informed them.
Bolting the children ran around putting things away and cleaning like madmen. Watching the children just do as they were told, the women sat down on the couch in shock.
"How!?", Wakasa gasped, "We tried for hours, and they didn't listen!"
"You are good mother's, but you are too soft on them. Boys need a rigid upbringing. If you give them an inch they will take a mile.", I chuckled, "They know you won't discipline them physically, and that with enough charm they can make you do what they want. I know it's rough, but you need to be stern with them. When you tell them to do something and they don't do it, you follow through with punishments."
At exactly the ten minute mark the children were at the table expecting their normal breakfast. Going to make them something to eat, I told Saori and Kikyo not to bother. Giving them peanut butter sandwiches, the kids looked at their mothers with pleading eyes. Trying to make themselves look as sweet as possible, they quickly realized I wasn't going to give a millimeter.
"Only good, well behaved children get a delicious breakfast. Bad children only get bread, peanut butter, and water for their meal.", I stated, "If you want your normal lunch, you are going to do your chores without a peep to your mothers. They are going to get some rest, and you are going to leave them alone. Any disruptions, unless it's life or death, will result in toys being taken from you and playtime outside being taken away."
Nodding their heads, the children started to eat their sandwiches obediently. Watching the scene unfold, their mothers were still trying to wrap their heads around this. Up till now they had been well behaved children when I was home. They didn't expect things to go south so quickly when I left, but it did.
"Also...Togo, what did you call your mother?", I remarked pulling a belt out of storage.
Shrinking down in his seat to avoid looking at me, I sat him back up properly.
"Never ever speak to your mother like that again. If I hear you call her anything other than Mom, Mother, or Ma'am you are going to get to get bent of my knee and paddled. You will respect your mothers, and speak to them properly.", I warned him, "The same goes for all of you too."
Nodding his head, he knew how painful the belt was. Just the thought of it being brought out was enough to make him behave. Getting up and walking over to my wives, I apologized for leaving them alone like this. Giving me hugs, they thanked me for restoring the peace.
"We should be back in a few days. If you need me I am a phone call away.", I told them so the children could hear, "Just send me a text if they give you any problems."
Leaving it at that, I headed back to the base.
---Few Hours Later---
Having refueled and said our goodbyes we were back in the sky above the Lower Forty-Eight. Currently two hours out from Ellsworth Air Force Base, Jeong had given us a call to provide an update. After working with Red Queen, Jeong was able to reroute satellites used for lumberjacking to survey the area with LiDar. After several satellites had mapped the area, Jeong was certain something was wrong.
"What do you mean wrong?", R. Mika questioned.
"Instead of being cave in, there is like large hump there.", Jeong advised, "I can't be certain, but it doesn't look natural. There may be a geological reason for it, but I haven't found anything to compare it too. Everything I had read says it should be a massive crater yet the contours are like a weird sort of puzzle piece."
"Agreed.", I said looking at the images, "Howard, anything from the General?"
I couldn't tell them about the barrier that somehow got put in place. Since there was no physical way of seeing it, the only way they would know is when debris literally hits it like Satou found out during his first day on that world. Telling them any sooner than that would make them question how I knew it was there.
"No, they ran into some bad weather that slowed their progress down. They should be in position this evening, they will relay more information to us then.", Howard answered, "When they arrive, we will do a conference call to get live updates."
"Have they run into any resistance?", Nathan inquired.
"Yes, but just of normal undead. Mutants and Demons are absent from the hordes so they easily handled it with their firepower.", Howard chuckled, "That said...it's pretty unsettling that they just vanished so suddenly."
"Agreed, it's unnerving they can just vanish so quickly with little to go on.", Ryu said.
"If the situation changes keep us up to date, thank you Jeong.", I thanked him before ending the call.