In Gods' Good Time: Chapter Twenty Four of an Angel Beats Fan Fiction Story

In Gods' Good Time: Chapter Twenty Four of an Angel Beats Fan Fiction Story

by

C V Ford


Chapter 24: One He Did Not Suspect


Morning break. By himself in the cafeteria, Duffy sat with his coffee, musing on his God given good fortune. In about three weeks he was to exchange vows with the most beautiful, caring young woman he met ever. And he didn't "mess things up" as he had in relationships past. Making the promise of things later all the more sweeter.

He was a guy after all.

So what did it matter this not being a "normal" situation? He, Rachel, the others ...

"We may not be alive so to speak but that doesn't mean we have to be dead," he thought.

A movement to the front broke his reverie. Kaji approaching with a sheaf of work orders. The foreman would sometimes find him on his breaks, handing him notes so he wouldn't need to check in later.

After a brief exchange of greeting, the foreman left the papers and exited.

Glancing at the receding figure, Duffy examined the notes.

The second bringing him up quite short.

"Whatever you do, show no reaction on reading this. Someone may be watching.

"Please see me IMMEDIATELY in the office. This is of grave importance regarding matters of a very personal nature."

Being the stoic type, Duffy kept the reactions to what he hoped an undetectable minimum. After reading ALL the notes (Keeping up appearances in case of aforementioned observation.), he pocketed them, casually got up and left, leaving cup and saucer on the tray caddy at the entrance.

He never once would have suspected Kaji as a genuine. The way he acted, went through the motions, he was the NPC of NPCs. In all the time he had been here, through his observations, Jack saw no indication the man to be anything other than the "R.U.R." (1) he made himself out to be. There had to have been GOOD reason for him to have concealed himself all this time.

"Matters of a very personal nature," he thought. "This better not have anything to do with Rachel. Doubt it though. He's been here longer. Longer than me, even. Shoot. First person I ever talked to here."

Arriving at the utility building behind Class A, Jack noted the garage doors down. Pulling to loosen the .45 in his under the coveralls shoulder holster, the man cautiously entered, heading to the office in back where Kaji awaited. At his desk, the lead motioned for him to sit.

"No one followed you? See you leave and come here?" Nervous.

"None that I noticed. If I was, well ... I wouldn't have been able to tell. Besides, she's not in the habit of shadowing me ALL the time and hardly does that anymore anyway. Got other things to do."

"That's good for now ... I guess." A look of resignation on his face.

"Never would have thought you to be uh, for real so to speak." A suspicious Jack starting the conversation. "It'd be an understatement to say you've hidden yourself well. Mind telling me why, sir?"

"I ... Have good reason to. It's partly why I called you here."

"That reason being?"

Kaji looked down at the desk, hands on several papers stapled together. Moving them toward Jack, he stated, "I need you to do a favor for me ... A big one."

"A favor?"

"Yes ... ," continuing to slide the papers forward. "I need you to deliver ... This."

Lifting the sheaf, Duffy examined. In spite a very expanded vocabulary and his knowledge of several hundred kanji  and getting the hang of the other two alphabets, the script still came across as a seemingly endless parade of mangled spiders.

"Mind telling me what this is all about?"

"You're entitled, considering what I'm asking ... and about to tell you anyway."

"Should be ... interesting."

Both men settled back in their chairs. Duffy felt this to be a long one. He was right. Kajis' tale WAS ... interesting.

"Like you, on coming here I was confused, bewildered. Had no idea what I fell into. Of course, being Japanese, it wasn't so hard to take in as you had. No one noticed me, I fit in.

"I was also relieved at the same time ... at first. It wasn't the hell of suffering and misery I expected. I also not only didn't have to worry where my next meal was coming from but I had a job, with title and position. An actual place in uh ... society I could be a part of. Something I found very hard to maintain when I was alive.

"This wasn't Heaven. I could see that right off. But, like I said before, it wasn't damnation either. For the first couple days, I thought my troubles were over ...

"Then I saw ... HER.

"She was ... older. Her looks may have matured but I could tell right off who she was.

"I've been spending time in hell ever since."

xxxxx

On conclusion of Kajis' story, Jacks' mind was a mix of conflicting emotions. Running from pity to utter contempt of the broken creature before him, he didn't know wether to feel sorry for or spit on him. Thoughts of emptying a full mag of .45 into the man ran through his head.

Maintaining self control, Duffy picked the papers off the desk and re-examined.

"Mind if I bring someone else in on this?"

Kaji giving off a nervous twitch asked, "someone ... else? ... I ..."

"Another neutral third party," Jack held up the papers. "Can't read this. Need someone to verify."

"Oh," relieved. "O'Hara-sensei?"

"Yes. I'm taking this for her to look at before delivering. No insult intended. This is sudden and I need to make sure something isn't being put over on me."

"I ... understand."

xxxxx

Leaving the utility garage, Duffy went down the side of Class C and entered the buildings' first tier. Going to a wall phone in the teachers' communal office he dialed Rachels' cel. Like his apartment phone (He was a cel phone "hold out". Didn't care for them.) Rachels' still operated on the number she arrived with. After these several months it still felt odd, his dialing a Toronto, Canada number, area code and all.

xxxxx

Almost an hour after school let out, Yuri sat at her desk in Safe and Sound pondering the strange phone call Duffy-san called in earlier.

A matter of grave importance, he said. Concerning her. And it would be a good idea to get some "muscle" to attend as well. Noda, Matsushita, TK, Fujimaki and Oyama patiently standing by, others soon to arrive.

Looking up at the clock she noted the time. A knock at the door (Mallet trap deactivated for the moment.) revealing the foreign couple punctual ... and seriously reserved.

Yuri motioned the two to sit.

"So ... ," the Front leader starting hesitantly, not sure what it was they were here for, "just what is this 'matter of grave importance' you mentioned?"

Jack glanced sideways at Rachel still examining the papers. Noting the mans' attention, she handed the sheaf to him.

"Rather than give an account of what was told us, your reading will serve better and save us both time and  breath."

"Reading ... As in?" Yuri cocked an eyebrow, pointing at the papers.

"Yes, this." He held up the notes then placed them before her.

"What is it exactly?"

"A confession." Reply in flat statement, Duffy sliding them toward her.

"Confession ... ?"

"By someone you've ... uh ... been very much wanting to meet for quite some time. Sorry ... can't put this into words very well.

"As you know, Rachel can read this certainly better than I could ever hope to. She's cross checked this with his story and it matches what he told us. He wanted us to deliver this to you and-"

"He?"

"Someone you've met before."

"Before?" The girl hesitantly picked up the papers.

"Though you've never seen his face. At least not when you initially met."

"!?"

"And he very much wants to meet with you," Rachel added noting the curious male members of the Front gathering 'round. Duffy also noticing their closer presence.

Noda, stepping up to Yuris' side, looked quizzically at the sheets before his leader. A sidelong glance from her to the halberd wielder gave no sign of annoyance or disapproval of the young mans' close proximity as in the past.

"Good," thought Duffy. "She's gonna' need ALL the moral support she can get when she takes this in."

Holding the document, both hands, Yuri read.

Not even half way down the page, a tremor in the hands evidenced, not lost on those about the desk.

Reaching out, Noda placed a comforting hand upon a feminine wrist only to have the hand brushed abruptly aside. His shock at such quickly dissuaded as Yuri, with a quick intake of breath, relented and grabbed the young mans' mitt for support, holding tightly.

Her other hand clenched, the papers partly crumpled under the grasp.

Shaking spasmodically, Yuri set the sheets down hard.

Looking straight into the mans' eyes, a wide eyed look of shock and maniacal hatred.

"YOU!?"

"Not until a few hours ago," the man talking low and slow. "He had everyone fooled ... You ... me ...

"To tell you the truth, I'm not happy with this guy either. It was all I could do to keep from shooting him myself. Had no idea I was working next to a monster all this time."

Abruptly standing up, both hands now flat on desk surface, Yuri quick-glanced at each of the six young men about.

"FIND HIM ... NOW!"

"We've ... got to find him ... FIND HIM! ... The bastard! ... The son of a-! ... "

"Find who!?" The collective question from the young men.

"The-," Yuri looked at Jack then back up to the men. "The Building and Grounds foreman! He's not an NPC!"

"Not an-"

"What!?"

"This is-"

"His not being an NPC, how does that-?"

"Just FIND him!"

"Hold it. Yuri, he can't-" Jack trying to reason.

"Find him ... NOW! He mustn't- ... GO!"

"Wait! Guys! HOLD IT!"

The six stopped themselves in mid-rush to the door, a surprised Hinata, Sakaki and Takamatsu just entering through. Alternately looking between the foreigner and their leader, minds partially confused. A stoic Shiina, having unobtrusively taken her usual corner during the precedings, looked on.

Yuri, again with that hate charged look toward Jack. The sudden usurpation of her authority in her group by an outsider, not sitting at all well.

"He's not ... going ... anywhere hon," Duffy stated. "... Except here."

Rachel, taking a risk, leaned forward, reaching out, both hands enfolding Yuris' right. Though shaking violently, the girl made no effort to slap them away. The gesture seemed to have a calming effect as the girls' face went from ferocious to stern.

"Why ... would he-?"

"Where else would he go?" Jack making a rhetorical question. "There's no place he could hide on the school grounds. You and your group know the place better than I do and I know I could find him quick enough. Certainly not the guild tunnels. The woods? Matsushita and I know the hills better than he ever could and no matter what, Shiina'd track him down before any of us could get to him.

"No ... Like I said before ... He's not going anywhere ... But here.

"Which should be," the man glanced at his watch and then at the wall clock, "in about twenty minutes."

To be continued ...

xxxxx

1. R.U.R. (Rossoms' Universal Robots) - A 1920, three act science fiction play by Karel Capek about a revolt of synthetic humans.

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford


Go to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list on fanfiction.net here.

Go to fanfiction.net here.

For chapter index go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here. Scroll to In Gods' Good Time in the Angel Beats Section and select chapter.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here.

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, and events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.

LCL Bath Salts!? You Gotta' Be Kidding Me!

LCL Bath Salts!? You Gotta' Be Kidding Me!


Okay, so I'm cruising through the net and thought I'd take in a look at a "friend"s' blog, Aardvarks Plumbline. At the top, I see:

For Jay Agan

LCL Bath Salts

Well that name looked familiar (Thatsa' me!) and ... LCL bath salts?

SAY ... WHAT!?

Before going any further, I'd like to point out that this "friend", a one Mr. Weatherly Hardy, owner/proprietor/haberdasher of Aardvark Tees, has in the past, chided me about some kind of Rei-phobia he thinks I may have.

While it's true the thought of being turned into a puddle of orange yuck and having my soul stolen by a floating, blue haired, emo chick I find to be a bit unsettling, it's no reason to make fun. It's just I'd rather miss out on the Rei-pture and stay the way I am.

In response to one article I'd written, he chided me about "talkin' smack" on "poor soulless Rei". I have to keep reminding myself to take in the book and movie (The Bridge at Poor Soulless Rei by Thornton Wilder.).

He even once, in my regard to his once having been a "brony", dared to compare his choice of entertainment to my worship of Goddess Haruhi!

Hnnngh!

Well! ...

Clicking on the "LCL Bath Salts" link brought me to Rocket News 24 with an article titled:

Official Evangelion bath salts are just as crazy and mentally scarring as the anime itself.

Yup! "Second Impact Bathwater" is now on the market.

That's right kiddies! If you can't wait for New Years' Day 2016 to come around (Most Neon Genesis Evangelion chronologies put the occurrance of Third Impact on or around that date. ) and want to beat the rush, you can sprinkle some 'a them there El See El bath salts in the tub and soak away in a wash of Adams' blood.

Down by the old blood stream ... where I first met youuuuu,

Think of all the serene "fun" you can have pretending you're awash in a sea of LCL, being one with the Instrumentality hive mind.

Think of all the not so serene fun you'll have if someone calls EMS thinking you cut your wrists!

Then again, there's the barrel of laughs you could have with this stuff and a "friend"s' swimming pool!

Hmmm ... Can you ward off sharks with this? Maybe not. It's red after all.

Harold Camping take note! You too Mr. LaHaye!
And all the rest of you rapture bunnies out there!

Aardvark Tees, shirts made of WIN! here.

Aardvarks Plumbline blog here.

Rocket News 24 here.

LCL Bath Salts article here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here. If there are any articles, red, orange or otherwise under this 'un, yer already there!

Lost His Muzak Again: A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction Story

Uh ... No thanks ... I'll pass ... No REALLY! ... I ... HOLY- ... YIKES! ... SPLAT!

Lost His Muzak Again: A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction Story

by

C V Ford

xxxxx

"Hmmmph!" Asuka hmmmphed coming out of the shower and espying Shinji prostrate on his bed. "Just what is it he listens to on that museum piece anyway?"

A gruelingly long last dance lesson session of the day and he had hardly improved in his co-ordination. Actually it was more Asukas' impatience getting the better of her rather than any shortcomings on Shinjis' part.

The temporary living arrangements didn't help either. Their being cooped up together in this twin bed "motel room" on base got on her NERVS the moment she was informed she would be caged with this "animated turnip" for almost a week! Hopefully enough time to work out the unique tactics required to defeat Israfel(s), the seventh angel(s).

Insisting on "ladies first" when it came to showering, she had quickly appropriated the bathroom before he could call dibs and had been in there almost a solid hour. With nothing else to do but wait, Shinji popped the earbuds in and promptly went to sleep. Now the "vulgar" tableau of a very relaxed, sweat grimed, even faintly smiling young man fast asleep greeted the fiery haired ones' now flashing blue eyes.

"About to see the end of the world as we know it ... Things going crazy left and right ... Rapture bunnies all atwitter ... And what does he do? Kicks back with that STUPID old SDAT, Walkman whatever and pushes off for Happyland! I ... SWEAR ... I just ...! Hnnnngh!"

Ever since they met, she noticed he hardly ever parted with that old portable tape player when at home or on trips and now ... here. He seemed fine without it on missions and daytime functions. He seemed to use it a lot when sleeping or just spacing out. Just what was it about that thing he was so attatched to it? And always that one tape.

"Probably some kind of dorky J or K-pop or ... something," the girl thought. "SNSD ... Yeah ... that's it. Gee! Gee! Gee! Gee! Ba-by, ba-by, ba-by! ... Gyah! These Japanese have no taste in music at all!"

Having already dressed in the bathroom (She'd absolutely DIE before letting geek boy see HER naked!) she sauntered over to the low console shelves on the wall by her bed and selected a book.

Straightening up she examined her selection and paused.

That SDAT or rather what may be on it continued to prey on her mind.

"NO! I'm NOT gonna' check it out. I'M ABSOTIVELY POSILUTELY NOT ... NOT! ... HNNNNNGH!"

Slowly, Asuka turned ... step by step ... inch by inch ...

"Wouldn't hurt to check it out," the redhead reasoned. "Just find out ... what it is ... whatever the dweeb ... likes to listen to ..."

Reaching over, she deftly plucked the earbuds from out the unconscious young mans' ears.

xxxxx

Watching the screens in the monitoring room, Misato sighed in disgust.

"Great! They're at it again!"

Launching herself from the monitors, the lilthe form of the NERV tac-ops chief suppressed the urge to mash an alarm button before stalking out the door and down the hall. The situation didn't warrant it but it would have felt good to hit it all the same.

"Good God! ... Why does she ... ALWAYS have to push it? OH! GOD!"

She noted Rei, fresh from a meeting with Gendo, approaching from the other direction. Giving her a wave off, Misato, not even knocking, entered.

xxxxx

On her second door stalk-thru of the day, an exasperated Misato grimaced and sighed at the spectacle meeting her eyes.

Holding the SDAT and earbuds out of reach and Shinji at arms length, the redhead exclaimed., "sunshine!? ... Lollipops!? ... Rain-bows!? ... You gotta' be kidding me! What kinda'-"

"Yeah? And just what is it you listen to fraulien? Dick Wagner!?"

"That's ... Rick-ard Vagner to you ... peasant!"

"Pardon me! Had no idea how much you were into your musical nazis-"

"SAY WHAT!?"

"DA DANT DA DA DAH,  DAAH, DANT DA DA DAH, DAAH, DANT DA DA DAH, DAAH, DANT DA DA DAAAAAAH ... !" Enunciated Shinji, intoning Ride of the Valkyries.

"Really lame geek boy! Besides, I'm more into the good stuff ... like Ramstien and-"

"Like I said, musical na-"

"And as for this ... ," holding the player out of reach even further.

"Hey! It's what I like to listen to. Now give it back!"

"Oh!? Watcha' gonna' do big boy?" Asuka intoned in a baby voice. "Beat up widdle ole me if I don't?"

"Nobody's beating up anybody but that damn angel out there," declared Misato snatching the tape player from Asukas' malicious grasp.

"Hey!"

"Hey nothing! Here Shinji, take-"

Misato paused, then inexplicably popped the buds in her own ears. Reversing the tape a few inches she pressed play.

Shinji, looking on, facepalmed.

"Oh! I love this one!"

"What!?" Asuka took on a look of stupified incredulousness. "You can't mean-"

"What's happening?"

"Yeek!" Asuka jumped on noticing the blue haired apparition beside her. "How long have YOU been standing there!?"

"Oh ... Rei!" Misato acknowledged. "We're checking out Shinjis' taste in music. So Shinji, THIS is what you listen to. Didn't know you were into American rock oldies."

"Just some stuff I like. Look ... Can I have it back please? I-"

"Here Rei," Misato handed the player to the pale one. "Check this one out. It's just starting up."

Before Shinji could grab the SDAT, Rei had the buds in. After a moments' delay, a look of beatific bliss appeared on the pale girls' face, head slightly bobbing and swaying to the music.

"Oh great!" Asuka, arms crossed, exclaimed on seeing Rei 'in the zone'. "God only knows what Wonder Girl here is 'grooving' to."

Oblivious to one and all, Rei "rocked on".

Papapa humma mau mau

Papa hoom mau mau

Da dut dut!

Papapa humma mau mau

Papa hoom mau mau

Da dut dut!

Funni-est sound I ever heard ...

Papapa humma mau mau

Papa hoom mau mau

And I can't understand a single word ...

Papapa humma mau mau

Papa hoom mau mau

Is he ser-i-ous or is he playin'  ...

Papa hoom my my is all he's sayin' ...

Papa hoooooo!

Papa papa hooo hoooo!

END

Storyline (only) copyright © 5-14-15 C V Ford

Yes! Rei rocks to the Rivingtons!

Tang ... or else!

xxxxx

Check out the Rivingtons on You Tube here, and here.

Rockapella version here .      

Leslie Gores', Sunshine Lollipops here.

Story inspired in part by the story, Sweet Haruhi by the sweeper1957 here.

Review of Sweet Haruhi here.

thesweeper1957s' profile page and list of anime fanfiction stories on fanfiction.net here.

Fan Fiction dot net here.

Go to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list at fanfiction.net here.

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here. If there 're any other articles under this 'un, yer already there.


Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the copyrighted names/characters, places, lyrics and events mentioned in this work. They are the sole properties of  their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.

In Gods' Good Time: Chapter Twenty Three of an Angel Beats Fan Fiction Story

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford


Chapter 23: Rachels' Story


"I don't know how you do it," Jack marveled, setting down his fork, "but you do."

Another fantastic meal with Rachel concluded, the man settled back at his place at the table watching the gorgeous apparition working in her kitchen. He wasn't a believer in luck. The term, fortunate was more to his liking.

And if fortune would hold ...

He reached in his pocket, holding the ring box, nervously running his thumb over the small lid.

Yes ... if fortune would hold ...

"Just a matter of working out whatever deal needed with the cafeteria staff," said the history teacher coming out of the kitchen. "The Principal okayed my uh ... 'shopping' there so that place is like a supermarket to me."

Yes ... the principal.

"Gotta' do SOMETHING with all those meal tickets." Sitting down.

"Yeah ... well ... There's something else I'm hoping the principal would okay."

"Oh?"

Getting up, the man circled the table. Sitting down next to her, he steeled himself as he withdrew the small box from his pocket. With both hands, he held it as he opened the lid.

Rachels' quick intake breath put Jack in an even quicker state of aprehension. The amazed and hesitant look on her face did not bode well.

"I ... made it myself. The ring and setting that is," nervous. "Cha and his bunch found the diamond ... did the cutting and mounting ... I-"

"Oh Jack! ... It's beautiful ... but ... I ... it ..."

"You ... don't have to make a descision right away. I'll understand."

"It's not that, it's that ..."

!?

"There aren't any clergy. No one to perform the ceremony ... And we can't just move in together. It wouldn't be right, it-"

"Quaker wedding."

"What?"

"A Quaker wedding."

A flash of recognition hit the teacher.

"I've been giving this lots of thought for more than a while," he started. "Doing some research. There is a way and is just as valid as a civil or church wedding and certainly better than common law."

"Yes," she recollected from her own knowledge. "What they did in the early days of both our countries when priests and ministers couldn't be had."

"We take it before the Lord, in the presence of witnesses and declare our intentions and vows. All witnesses present sign a statement. We file it in school records."

"That would be where the principal comes in," Rachel stated.

"And having Tachibana and Nakamura there, they being the two ... uh ... 'factions' ... would make it complete. The principal, wether human or not, is for all intents and purposes is just as authentic an authority figure as anyone could be here."

"I'm not sure if Kanade is old enough to and-"

"Yuri is ... And even if she isn't, there will be others present who made it past eighteen before coming here. Cha for instance. That and the fact most of the Battlefront have anyway. Besides, even if they had all come here before reaching legal, they've certainly passed that during their stay.

"So it comes down to this," he partly concluded. "Will you ... marry me?"

The mans' apprehension started to increase slightly as the object of his affections made a long pause of indecision. Something of her own apprehension beginning to show.

"Jack," she began, "before I say ... anything ... I ... I want you to know ... I do love you and ... care deeply ... but there's ... something that-"

"I've never asked."

"Asked?"

"Whatever's in your past is of no concern to me. The past is what it is and stays there."

"Maybe for now. But it will always be there for me. And even though nothing would be said now, things will come out in bits and pieces over time ... Things that-"

"Things that need not be said. It-"

"But they do, Jack! I need to say them."

"Now-"

"I need to say them to you."

!?

"It's only fair."

"Fair? How's that?"

"Remember some time ago? You told me about yourself. You were more than uncertain about us and felt-"

"That doesn't obligate YOU in any way."

"But you felt an obligation to yourself as well as me ... as I now. I need to clear the air for myself as well as both of us ... as have you."

xxxxx

"I completed my Bachelors' and that definitely opened some doors. If one is to take up working residence in Japan, a BA is one of the minimum requirements.

"4M Company is an international investment firm trading in commodities, securities and the like, particularly in Asia. They're always on the lookout for talent in languages as well as in the financial sector. They had their eye on me while I was in college and I was assured of employment on graduation. I worked for them while earning my bachelors assisting in their translations departments. I also helped teach English to their Japanese staffers who came to Canada for their two to three year stays.

"When I got my BA they offered to send me to Japan. I jumped at it."

"I wasn't under any illusions about the country. I didn't want to set myself up like some silly otaku who thinks the country is a land of happy little anime makers. My study of history outside of the required courses in college revealed a lot.

"In spite of outward appearances of being a modern democracy, I knew Japan to be a feudal state, ruled from the top down."

"Yeah," answered Duffy. "The emperor isn't some ceremonial stooge or figurehead they trot out for special occasions. The Diet being pretty much a rubber stamp outfit."

"Yes. The value of each individual is measured in how well one obeys ones' immediate superiors. I knew the country had a past of heavy sexist and racist oriented tradition. Not only would I be looked on as an outsider but as a woman as well. Business is run the same way as well.

"I knew one had to tread lightly there," she looked about her. "Or rather ... here."

"I still wanted to immerse myself in Japanese culture as much as possible and the chance to do so at company expense was too good an offer to pass up, so I went.

"My duties were still pretty much the same but my BA led to the position of a teacher of English and not just an assistant. The fact I'm able to read most of their Kanji as well as the two phonetic alphabets was a big factor in my being there."

"I was there two months, really getting into it, when I was given a temporary teaching assignment at a branch office in Kyoto, north of here and ...
Duffy cocked his head at Rachels' moment of hesitation.

"Well, cut to the chase ... I met him on that assignment ... had an affair."

"He was a charmer, I fell for it. He was married but that didn't stop me from being stupid. We started seeing each other on his biweekly trips to the main Tokyo office.

"Three months later, I missed my period. Doctor confirmed ... I was pregnant. I knew I was taking a risk, even with birth control. Obviously it didn't work."

"Pill's only 97% effective at best," Duffy speculated. "Cuts down the odds but the chance is still there."

"If I thought it through at all, it was wrong even with that. It's still an abortion drug ... works also by keeping a fertilized egg from implanting.

"When I told ... him ... He tried to talk me into an abortion. I wasn't going to do that ... murder."

Duffy nodded.

"He gave me a choice. Either abortion or it was over. Would give me a month to decide."

Rachels' face darkened.

"The way he put it had me decided alreadly. Very cold, distant about it. Like a damn business proposal."

"Like you said. A real charmer."

"Next thing I know, I'm out of my teaching position and clerking in our translations department a few floors below the board offices. One of his cronies let it be known to me in that roundabout way of theirs that this was to keep me from seeing and embarrassing him during the next biweekly  board sessions. I was also told it was also a prelude to my being let go in case I made the 'wrong' decision and keep the baby."

"Bastard ... " Duffy directed his disgust at lover boy.

"Yes ... he was at that.

"Then the real surprise hit."

Jack leaned forward.

"My next period came."

"The new tests showed the originals came up with a false positive. I immediately went to another doctor for a second opinion, he confirmed the same. I wasn't pregnant to begin with.

"When, a couple weeks before the next board meet, I was reminded of my descision deadline. That's when I made a little arrangement of my own."

"Arrangement?"

"Plan actually."

"Plan?"

"For making my exit from the company in as loud and flamboyant a manner as possible. None of that roundabout, reserved Japanese discreteness and politeness they're so famous for."

"Yeah ... They certainly have a thousand ways to politely screw you over while keeping things quiet."

"I let it leak about the faulty preg test and that I'd like to see him.

"I always traveled light, so it was no problem packing. Stuff was pretty much packed to begin with. A couple days before the meeting, my then room mate, who I KNEW was running into to him through one of his cronies, was off on a 'business trip' with that same associate, so she didn't see the luggage go out the door. Bags were waiting in storage at Narita, everything in place.

"A few hours before the board meeting, we met at a restaurant across from the building. I had on a dress and shoes he gave me as part of the act. The message wasn't lost on him and and his beady little eyes lit up on seeing me.

"Told me things ... WILL ... not could, be the same as they were before. I was to be his ... whore ... and I would be back to my teaching position. Maybe even an advancement of some kind."

"That was magnanimous of him."

"Yes, he could be a very kind and giving bastard.

"I agreed ... NOT!

"About a half hour before the meeting, I change into pants and sneakers and laid low 'till about fifteen minutes into the meeting."

"That's when you made your move?"

"Yes. Taking the dress and shoes along, I get to the board floor. A large room with all these clerking and secretarial cubicals in the center, ringed on the outside walls with offices and conference rooms.  I practiced the speech for about a week, making it short so I could be done before anyone could do anything. I get up on the reception desk at the head of the room, and announce to one and all his and my little affair and what a weasel he was."

"Holy crud! I'll bet that stirred things up."

"Oh yes! Things like that just aren't done in Japan."

"So what happened next?" Smiling.

Rachel was relieved Duffy was not only taking this well but getting into it.

"After about a minute, I notice someone running to the boardroom. A minute after, the top staff comes rushing out, including the CEO of all people! Had I known he would be coming all the way from Ottowa I'd have had an even better speech planned.

"Well, HE was in that bunch, bowing, scraping, and apologizing to everyone like the little bootlicker he was. The Japan CEO, speaking through his top flunky, was admonishing him about keeping his whores and dalliances under control.

"I almost about lost it when I denounced HIM, the company, and the bunch in front of me. I settled on cursing them out in Japanese, English and since a couple of their Quebec people were there, some French too.

"I notice the flunky telling HIM to get me down from the desk and remove me from the room. He comes up, making with the big talk and tries to grab my leg. That's all I needed-"

"Oh?"

"I throw the dress and shoes at him and a kick to the shoulder. Sent him back a couple feet. What happened next ... unbelievable! Little coward runs screaming back to the boardroom.

"I then turn to the rest, tell them something about how I can't be fired because I quit. That's when I got out of there."

"How'd you get out? I'd imagine security would have been called by then."

"I wasn't about to let them have the satisfaction of escorting me out. I jump off the desk, hopped an elevator partway down, switched floors where I already had my overnight case stashed and took the freight elevator the rest of the way. It was out the loading dock and into the street just as a couple uniform staff arrive. Got a cab and in a couple of hours was out of Narita, heading to L.A."

"Why Los Angeles?"

"Phoned a friend there the week before. Said she would put me up for awhile ... til I got my bearings."

"Why not back to Toronto?"

"My parents. Couldn't face them."

She noted Duffys' look of concern.

"Not that they would have given me trouble. They knew I was having problems and urged me to come home. They're always like that. They would question my decisions or chide me over consequences later but ... They were always praying for me."

"They always find out," she gave a little laugh. "I always tell them."

"So I stayed in L.A. for awhile. Shouldn't have ..."

"Why's that?"

"This is where it really gets bad, Jack."

The man, reaching over, clasped both hands over hers.

It was her turn to shrink away but couldn't. The mans' firm grasp held.

"You don't have to go on, you know."

"I do know, Jack. And I feel you SHOULD know."

"If anything, it's more for you than anyone else. A catharsis of sorts. Get it off your back like I did."

She continued.

"The friend who put me up. Knew her since high school. Like you, she was a real movie buff and collecter. I was more into anime but our interests more or less coincided.

"She had a dream of going to Hollywood. Making it some way in pictures. Things didn't work out like she planned but she still got into ... movies ... If you could call it that ... So ... did I ... unfortunately."

Rachel felt Jacks' grip get firmer. In sharp contrast his voice became softer.

"I take it ... What you mean by movies in this case ... has to do something with that ... 'other Hollywood' ... In the San Fernando Valley?"

"Yes."

She noted the look on Jacks' face. There seemed no condemnation. She still looked away, shame starting to show on her own.

"I needed money if I was to stay in L.A.. Thought maybe I could get a fresh start of some kind from it. Fresh start to a total dead end was what it turned out to be.

"At first the ... 'work' ... looked easy ... as well as the money. That's how they draw you in. The first month anyway. After that, the pace picks up and ...

"A grueling, dirty business. Run by grueling, dirty people. Up to three eighteen hour sessions a week. And the things they have you do! I managed to keep from a lot of what they wanted but it still took a toll."

"Yeah," Duffy intoned. "The internet's created a more than constant demand for new product. Not like the days of just film and print where one had to be satisfied with a few movies and magazines."

"Yes. The work is so heavy. I've seen people heavily into drugs and alcohol trying to cope. It never works. Didn't for me ... "

"And the disease factor. It's like growing cultures in a petri dish ... worse. I got colds and flues every month like clockwork. The health clinics they had us patronize were a joke. Regularly passing HIV infected people off with a clean bill of health.

"After about six months I got out of there. Got back with my parents in Toronto and went to a real doctor. One test after another and I had to be sure. I was lucky to have gotten off with only type one Herpes.

"Funny ... Ever since I came here a few months ago, I haven't had a flare up since."

Duffy, reaching, put out a hand, stroking Rachels' cheek. She shrank away.

"I didn't care, Jack!" Small sobs started their rack. "I'd already been a whore for a vile little man. At the time, I didn't think it would be any different showing myself as one to the whole world."

Strong arms enfolded about, they drew the woman to the man. He held her head to his shoulder, soothing sounds emanating.

"I care ... ," he declared, " ... about you. You're not a ... whore. You're Rachel O'Hara. A beautiful, loving woman who I hope soon is going to be my-"

"I can't! I'm not-." She shuddered from the small sobs emanating.

"What? Good enough ... Worthy?" The man 'chided'. "For quite some time I felt the same way about myself toward you, remember? That is ... until ... YOU ... pointed out how we're all here for a reason of SOME kind. I thought that reason to be many depending on the individual ... but ... It's actually only one reason ANY of us is here.

"That reason being ... well ... We all have one life to live. A time on Earth exclusively ones' own to go through and make of it what one can. That life ... and how it's lived is the only one you have. Whatever happens in that life, things you do ... don't do ... descisions, good or bad ... circumstances beyond our control ... Our dealings with others.

"We have to accept it ... come what may ... And at the end ... know that it was a life lived and lived as well as one could. Your life ... my life ... theirs ...

"It's all about acceptance."

"Acceptance?"

"After the end. How things turned out ... came to be. And no matter what ... To be able to say ... This life was mine."

"Jack .... It's a joke ... a sad little ..."

He held her tighter.

"We're here in this place ... this inbetween ... dead. Between, for all we know, Heaven and hell ... And you want to-"

"Who says we're dead?" He softly cut her off. "Yuri and her bunch? Just because they made it an off and on again battleground doesn't mean it's the same for you 'n me.

"Look at them? Sure! Why not? Let's learn from others mistakes and avoid doing them ourselves. I've found, especially after you arrived, that death, if you could call this that ... I don't ... not anymore ... Is NOT the end. I've found life can be lived ... even here.

"And I want to live it with you.

"And say ...

"This life ... even here ... was OURS."

She stiffened in his embrace for a few moments then relaxed. Looking up she noted the combination of sincerity and determination in his eyes. She could see he meant what he said. His commitment ironclad.

"Then the aswer is yes, Jack. I will marry you."

The ring fit perfectly.

Rachel stared at her left hand for a few seconds, admiring the adornment. Duffy noted her hand slightly trembling for but a moment then ceasing.

Looking about the apartment her eyes fell upon Jacks'.

"We're ... still here," she said smiling and surprised.

"Disappointed?" Jack smiling back.

"No ... ," planting a light kiss on the mans' lips, "... I'm not."

The kiss he returned much longer, arms pulling her tighter to him.

"Here ... Or where whatever THERE is. It's Heaven wherever you are."

xxxxx

The news traveled quickly. The crazy gaijin couple was getting married! And in such a unique way.

The emotions of both student body and faculty were mixed. Interestingly enough, NPCs among both groups also expressing interest.

The girls were mainly enthralled. The guys, a mix of curiosity and puzzlement.

Yui became less hyperactive and more doe eyed. Hinata more nervous than aggravated.

In their quiet way Sakaki and Takamatsu became closer.

The object of Shiinas' affections ... Terrified.

Some ... A bit envious.

One of whom sat at her desk in Safe and Sound trying to wrap her mind around the idea. Not so much about the marriage itself as how one could seek, let alone find, happiness in what she felt was nothing more than a land of sadness and regret.

Though all were invited to the wedding (Within a months' time.), invitations had been sent to a select few. Yuri held hers in her right hand, examining and contemplating. Wondering how one could put such a dare in the face of fate. She was certain the two would disappear any day and yet ... It didn't seem to concern the couple at all. They had even referred to the possibility of being "obliterated" as ... Going home (!?). It made no sense to her at all.

"Has to be that strange religion of theirs," she speculated aloud. "Wanting to be in the presence of-" (Psalm 16:11)

She let out a sharp gasp and pulled her left hand midway between herself and the hand she had unconsciously grasped while deep in thought. Noda had been leaning with his right on the desk reading his own invite, not saying anything when her fingers wrapped about his.

He had made no sound or action of recognition lest she drew her hand away sooner. As it was, as far as his affections for the unknowing goddess he worshiped was concerned, he was content to take what he could get. At this moment, it was far a LOT more than what he had gotten in the past.

Noda, always watching, following. Never leaving her side except when on some fools' errand in effort to please or impress. The devoted one, dedicated to his leader. A dedication meaning much more than what he let on.

She knew he had a worshipful affection for her and, when he was not being hasty and doing something foolish, felt good when he was around. In a controlled setting when led properly, he could be an invaluable asset.

The masculine hand moved over, covering hers. She, blushing, hand slightly trembling, about to backhand him but thought better of it.

Happiness ... Here? ... In this ... place?

Noda felt her tenseness ebb. Feminine fingers intertwining with his.

To be continued ...

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

xxxxx

Go to In Gods' Good Time chapter index on C V Ford's Anime Fanfiction Page
here. Just scroll to the story blurb in the Angel Beats section.

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here.

Go to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list at fanfiction.net here.

Go to fanfiction.net here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here. If you already see articles under this 'un then yer already there.

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, and events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.

Sweet Haruhi: A Review of a Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Fan Fiction Story

Credit: Colorization of line art by Dennisstelly.

Sweet Haruhi: A Review of a Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Fan Fiction Story


Not a crossover story but think of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya combined with the "gestalt" of My Little Pony Freindship is Magic and you have ... Sweet Haruhi.

I stumbled across this one when about to sign off from fanfiction.net. I usually don't do much reading of others fan fics because, as everyone who reads my works know ... I ... am the greatest anime fan fic writer ever to come along.

Then ... Something comes along to tack the word ... MAYBE ... on to that. Hnnnnngh!

In this case it's Sweet Haruhi by thesweeper1957.

Sweet Haruhi is one of those stories that does just that. No, my ego is not fragile in the least but it does get affronted from time to time.

Having nothing better to do, I read the summary blurb and clicked to the story. After a few paragraphs in I realized I WAS doing something better to do.

Kyon wakes up in an alternate universe where it's, as stated in the Leslie Gore song "Sunshine, lollipops ... Rainbows every where ... Everything is wonderful when ... We're to-geth-er!" (I thought parts of Aaron Coplands', Our Town to be appropriate in places as well.). Yes, it's like that. And not in just basic, primary Fisher Price colors.

The sky's bluer than blue. The world is clean, bright and colorful. Everyone's generally happy, enthusiastically so. Even in their work. So much so, it's like play. No war, strife or crime. Law enforcement is mainly for crowd control at events and giving directions. Never is heard, a discouraging word, and the sky is ... Oh! I mentioned that already.

Oh yes! Not to mention elves, dwarves, fairies, dragons and unicorns show up. I'm not making this up! ... thesweeper1957 did.

However, if there's one unchangable constant in any universe that would be ole "put upon" Kyon. The new world Haruhi may have created gets him a bit discombobulated. Of course, he takes the above in his usual snarky stride and resolves to find a way back to the land of normalcy. Wotta' dip!

But ... Something happens. Something or rather SOMEONE appears who really knocks the sarcastic slider for a loop and a half.

She's in love with him. She calls him honey. She wants to be near him always. She's not kicking him around! She's actually ... NICE ... to him. She even makes him lunch!

And that's when Kyon really gets bento-ed out of shape!

This CAN'T be the Haruhi he's known and "loathed". This isn't the Goddess Whackjob he's always at odds with. This kind, caring, wonderful apparition? Imposter!

This grudgingly makes him more resolved to "go back".

Kyon's not really into happy, is he?

Does he find a way back?

Does he make it back to our world?

Is he really that DUMB!?

It's best you find out yourself by reading Sweet Haruhi.

thesweeper1957s' other stories aren't bad either. Check 'em out!

As for me, I'm heading off to Disneyland! ... Sees ya'!

Go to the story, Sweet Haruhi by thesweeper1957 here.

Go to thesweeper1957s' profile page and fan fiction stories list at fanfiction.net here.

Youtube presentation of Leslie Gores' Sunshine Lollipops song here.

Youtube presentation of Aaron Coplands', Our Town here.

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here.

Go to C V Fords' profile page and fan fiction stories list at fanfiction.net here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here. If there are any articles under this 'un, with or without sunshine 'n lollipops, then yer already there.

Liberal Jackass

Yeah ... Screw you too ... jackass!


Ex-Army blog main page here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here.

Princess Tutu: REAL MEN WATCH IT!

Princess Tutu: REAL MEN WATCH IT!


My masculinity has been called into question. HNNNNGH!

Over a week ago, I posted on my blog a Hell Girl fanfic story, Unlikely Avenger, having to do with the Kennedy assassination. A so-called "friend" by the name of Keith von Sulzer, expressed interest so I pointed the story out to him.

A couple days later, he informed me he read the story and liked it. But ... there was something else he saw on my blog main page he was not too crazy about.

"So what's this gay anime you're watching?"

"What!?"

"Y'know ... THAT ... gay anime."

"Gay ... anime?"

"You know ... An anime that's gay."

"Uh ... yuh ... right!"

"Why are you watching something like that?"

"I'm not watching anything gay, anime or otherwise."

"Sure you are," said the miscreant grinning. "And it gives me some doubts about you."

"NOW JUST A MINUTE!"

The conversation/accusation continued while I racked  my brain (Man that hurts!) trying to figure out what show he was going on about. Since he's not one to go beyond my blogs' main page, I figured it had to be something within a few past articles. Then it hit me (That hurts too!).

"Wait a sec ... You don't mean ... Princess Tutu?"

"Yeah! That's it."

"NOW JUST A MINUTE!"

Now I ask you ... Does this look gay to you? It's not. It's ...
something else. Yeah ... Uh ... something else ... maybe ...

The conversation/accusation went on, I insisting Princess Tutu ... and I ... weren't gay and he talking of the possibility that Princess Tutu ... and that I, because I liked it ... might be "a little light in the loafers".

Needless to say the conversation kept NOT going well.

He clocked out of work grinning and me snarling.

Gentlemen ... That is those of you who like the anime, Princess Tutu ...

Get your tutus on (METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING!) and say it loud and proud:

REAL MEN WATCH PRINCESS TUTU!

Indeed ...

Princess Tutu: What the Ducking Duck! here.

Unlikely Avenger: A Hell Girl Anime Fan Fiction Story here.

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page! here.

Go to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list at fanfiction.net here.

Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here. If there are any other articles under this one, "gay" or otherwise, you're already there.

Lost His Muzak: A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction Story

"Yeah ... Love that Spike Jones."

Lost His Muzak: A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction Story

by

C V Ford


"Hmmmph!" Asuka hmmmphed as she came out of the shower and espied Shinji prostrate on his bed. "Just what is it he listens to on that antique anyway?"

It had been a gruelingly long last dance lesson session of the day and he had hardly improved in his co-ordination. Actually it was more the girls' impatience getting the best of her rather than any shortcomings on the young mans' part.

The present living arrangements were no help either. Their being cooped up together in this twin bed "hotel room" on base got on her NERVS the moment she was informed she would be imprisoned with this "animated turnip" for almost a week! Hopefully enough time to work out the unique tactics required to defeat Israfel(s), the seventh angel.

Insisting on "ladies first" when it came to showering, she quickly had taken over the bathroom before he could say even one word in protest and had been in there almost a solid hour. With nothing else but wait, Shinji popped the earbuds in and promptly went to sleep. Now the "obscene" tableau of a very relaxed and sweat grimed young man fast asleep greeted the fiery haired ones' now flashing blue eyes.

"On the verge of the end of the world and what does he do? Kicks back with that STUPID old SDAT, Walkman whatever and drops off the planet! I ... SWEAR ... I just ...! Hnnnngh!"

Ever since they met, she noticed he hardly ever parted with that old portable tape player when at home or on trips and now ... here. He seemed fine without it on missions and daytime functions. He seemed to use it a lot when sleeping or just spacing out. Just what was it about that thing he was so attatched to it? And always that one tape.

"Probably some kind of dorky J-pop or ... something," the girl thought. "These Japanese have no taste in music at all!"

Having already dressed in the bathroom (She'd absolutely DIE before letting the dipwad see HER naked!) she sauntered over to the low console shelves on the wall by her bed and selected a book.

Straightening up she examined her selection and paused.

That SDAT or rather what may be on it had her somehow intrigued.

"NO! I'm NOT gonna' check it out. I'M ABSOTIVELY POSILUTELY NOT ... NOT! .... HNNNNNGH!"

Slowly, Asuka turned ... step by step ... inch by inch ...

"It wouldn't hurt to check it out," the redhead reasoned. "Just find out ... what it is ... he listens to ..."

Reaching over she deftly plucked the earbuds from out the unconscious young mans' ears.

xxxxx

Gaping at the screens in the monitoring room, Misato gasped.

"HO-LEE ... ! NO! ... ASUKA! ... DON'T!"

Launching herself from the monitors, the lilthe form of the NERV tac-ops chief mashed an alarm button before crashing out the door and down the hall.

"Dear God! ... Should have told her! ... Should have told her! ... SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER! OH! GOD!"

xxxxx

On her second door crash of the day, Misato was filled with trepidation at the sight meeting her eyes.

A confused Asuka pressing the earbuds home, alternately staring in dumfounded amazement at Misato and a now twitching, gasping, choking abed Shinji.

"Quick!" Misato shouted, dashing over to the bed. "Help me with him!"

Tearing the earbuds off, Asuka helped prop the wheezing young man upright as Misato held him by the shoulders, shaking him awake.

xxxxx

"You see Asuka," a concerned Dr. Akagi explained, "it's an extremely rare disease affecting the brain, symptoms of breathing difficulty similar to severe COPD. Only a few thousand cases worldwide ... The majority of which are European descent, blonde females."

The redhead turned to the now slumbering Shinji.

"Why didn't he ever say anything? All he had to do was-"

"He didn't want to trouble you with it," Misato put in. "You know how Shinji is. That, I guess, and possible embarrassment."

"Baka Shinji ..."

xxxxx

Asuka lay on the bed opposite, pondering their predicament in general and Shinjis' in particular.

"If only," she thought, "but then ..."

Turning she looked across the rooms' short expanse at the now peaceful form on the bed opposite, earbuds again affixed.

All she could think of at that moment was what she heard on the tape. The soft new age muzak in accompaniment to the looped soundtrack of Misatos' voice:

"Breathe in ... breathe out ... breathe in ... breathe out ... breathe in ... breathe out ... "

END

"Congratulations! You got rid of that stupid SDAT!"

xxxxx

Yeah, I know. Old blonde joke. But it seemed tailor made for Shinji and that
SDAT.

Storyline (only) copyright © 2-28-15 C V Ford

xxxxx

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here.

Go to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction list on fanfiction.net here.

Go to Fan Fiction dot net here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here ... unless yer already there which means there are other articles under this 'un.


Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the copyrighted names/characters, places, and events mentioned in this work. They are the sole properties of  their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.

Unlikely Avenger: A Hell Girl Fan Fiction Story

Unlikely Avenger: A Hell Girl Fan Fiction Story

by

C V Ford

"My husband ... unfaithful ... And so blatant about it. Even having his trysts right here in our home! His philandering's been going on for years and is so dismissive towards me over it ... Mocking me. He's on top of the world right now ... Everyone adores him. If only the people knew. His popularity's made him think he's the next best thing to God. Thinks nothing can touch him ..."

"Your wish?"

"I want you to touch him ... HARD! Take him straight to HELL! A hell far worse than what he's put me through."

xxxxx

The drive from the large municipal airport uneventful but for the swelling, adoring crowds of wellwishers and fans. Sidewalks crowded beyond capacity, filled with those wanting to get a look at what they thought to be more than a dream for what almost amounted a "new heavens and a new earth". Celebrity of messiah-like dimensions. This man of the hour/decade/millenium. A demi-god of hope for what more than hinted at a "second coming".

She knew better. The publicity of skilled writers and handlers covered up what would have belied the sterling image of the nations' perfect family man. Definitely NOT the saint everyone thought him. An adulterer of the first water ... and flaunting it before her out of sight of the eyes of a smitten public. If they only knew.

Sitting next to him in the back of the open topped car, she smiled and waved, helping to shore up an already more than sturdy facade. The masses needed a continuous feeding as the couples' publicity section constantly reminded them of it.

Contemplating the events of the past few weeks, she went over her present situation.

It was during a visit with her husbands' sister (The wife of a well known film actor.) in Los Angeles. Waiting at the airport terminal for the limos' arrival, she spotted a copy of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper carelessly dropped on an end table. It wasn't so much the indecipherable (To her.) three alphabet script of the page that caught her attention as it was the bold print ad in the center ... In plain English:

WE WILL TAKE VENGEANCE ON YOUR BEHALF. YOUR GRIEVANCE SHALL BE AVENGED

With following text, describing particulars.

She asked the accompanying matron of her two children the meaning of the ad. The governess replying about seeing only a blank space. Odd.

Folding the paper, she slipped it into a shopping bag.

Later in the day, she inquired the same of an aquaintance only to get the same answer. She slipped the curious object in a dresser drawer on arrival back home.

It was much later a mansion staffer told her that page the "advertisement" appeared on was part of the missing persons' section.

Two days before, after a particularly heated spousal arguement over her husbands' dalliances, her thoughts turned to the newspaper and acted on the ads' instruction.

It wasn't as if she could actually send the request. She couldn't just affix a stamp to it and drop it in the mail without security being able to scrutinize it. And the "nebulous" address certainly didn't ensure actual receipt of the letter.

No ... It was only a form of therapy for her ... a relief valve for letting off emotional pressure. She would place it in her dresser drawer as a futile reminder.

On sealing the envelope ...

She let out a startled gasp on noticing the sudden presence to her right.

She almost immediately called security just outside the mansion suites' door but something told her the black clad adolescent and the provocative looking woman with her were not an immediate threat ... and may have had something to do with the strange advertisement.

A not so short conversation confirmed it and the bargain was struck. It was all she could do to keep from screaming as the transformation process from geisha to red straw doll in hand took place.

As the car and accompanying escort/motorcade turned right, nagging second thoughts from the past twenty four hours came to the fore. As a devout Catholic, she had to do everything in her power to make her marriage work. Had she done so? Had she exhausted every venue to repair the rift made by her husband and bring him to fidelity? And the covenant made with that strange harbinger ... so ... final. Canceling out and replacing one mortal sin with another. An irreversible one.

The column of vehicles rounding to the left and downhill, she made her decision.

She would make one more try at saving their marriage. Find some other way to resolve this problem in their lives.

Opening her purse, she checked for the now not needed straw doll she had placed there but a day before.

Missing.

Her husbands' clutching at his throat, gagging and falling toward her turned her attention to him. Reaching, she drew him near. A sharp, cracking report coming but a moment after. The man in the car seat in front, looking on attentively, jerked as well from an impact also accompanied by a repeat of that same sound.

Trying to undo the tie and shirt collar button, her husbands' head jerked sharply back, a fine spray of red mist hanging momentarily. She gasped, noticing a flap of scalp and hair hanging off his heads' right side.

... she controlled her panic and climbed over the back seat,
helping one of the foot security men onto the cars. rear deck.

Seeing there was nothing she could do for the moment, she controlled her panic and climbed over the back seat, helping one of the foot security men onto the cars' rear deck.

The motorcade sped up, leaving the planned route and racing for the nearest hospital.

xxxxx

After a thorough check of the hospitals' rest room, the woman was left alone, the all male security staff guarding just beyond the door.

Splashing cold water to her face, a heretofore prescence again made itself felt.

Turning toward the girl and tall woman she tearfully asked.

"Why ... Why did you ... I didn't-"

"It was not our doing," the pale one answered. "Having done so would have been quite different and your husband would never have been found."

"Then what-"

"Your covenant with me was broken on your relenting. The actions taken were by another not known to us. His dark thoughts, if any ... are his alone."

"But if-"

"Your time is long and you have much to do. Your destiny in eternity is again open. You may yet know the joys of Heaven. Your heart must, however, change. Perhaps your own holymen may be able to tell you how." (1)

?

"And you may also yet-," the provacative looking one speaking for the first time, "-again find love in the arms of another. One more caring and attentive."

"Ma'am!" Medium rapping at the door by a Secret Service man. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes!" Turning toward the door. "I'm ... I'm fine. Be out in a minute."

Turning back, only the restroom tiles and empty stalls met her vision.

xxxxx

2:10 PM, CBS News, Walter Cronkite reporting:

Here is a bulletin from CBS News. In Dallas, Texas ... Three shots were fired at President Kennedys' motorcade in downtown Dallas. The first reports say that President Kennedy has been seriously wounded by this shooting.

More details just arrived. These details about the same as previously. President Kennedy shot today, just as his motorcade left downtown Dallas. Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and grabbed Mr. Kennedy, she called "Oh no!", the motorcade sped on.

United Press says the wounds for President Kennedy perhaps could be fatal.

Repeating, a bulletin from CBS News, President Kennedy has been shot by a would be assassin in Dallas, Texas.

Stay tuned to CBS News for further details.

xxxxx

Later, CBS News, Walter Cronkite reporting:

From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparantly official ... President Kennedy died, at 1 PM, Central Standard Time. 2 o'clock Eastern Standard Time ...

xxxxx

In Dallas the prime suspect is still being questioned. He is 24 year old Lee Oswald of Dallas. He is a former Marine who has spent some time in Russia who, at one time, applied for Soviet citizenship. He has been associated with The Fair Play for Cuba Committee ...

xxxxx

IN MEMORIAM:

Jaqueline (Jackie) Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis  1929 - 1994

END

xxxxx

1. This is an explaination of the plan of salvation God has provided for the individual. Usually referred to as "The Roman Road" (Most of the verses are from the Book of Romans.).

Romans 3:10-12 10)As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11) There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. 12) They are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unprofitable; there is none that does good., no, not one.

Psalms 14:3 - They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one.

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;

No one is blameless. If you have trouble wrapping your mind around this, think of it as you would an illness or physical condition. It is a state which we are born under.

Romans 5:12 - Wherefore , as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

The how and why we are that way. Adam is the reason we're under the weight of sin and trapped in this deadly cycle of entropy, decay and death.

Romans 5:8 - But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus is the way out. The other side of the equation. With our acknowledgement of our sinbound state we can go on to have the Lord correct that.

Romans 10:13 - For whosover shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:9-10 - 9) That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10) For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.

This is the how in regard to Jesus. Do these and the cycle has no spiritual claim on you.

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Jesus is waiting for you to answer. He has been there all along knocking. It could be you just didn't (Or didn't want to.) hear it.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Of course, it goes without saying, "Go and sin no more". I really stink at this. However, one should always keep going back and asking the Lord for guidance and strength to resist (It's called prayer.). This is what's known as repentance, an active turning away from giving in to ones' baser instincts and it's an ongoing thing.

For guidance I strongly suggest one get in touch with a strong bible believing pastor/church in your area.

xxxxx

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here.

To to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list on fanfiction.net here.

Wikipedia article on the Kennedy assassination here.

Wikipeda article on Jackie Kennedy Onassis here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here.

xxxxx

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, and events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.

In Gods' Good Time: Chapter Twenty Two of an Angel Beats Fan Fiction Story

In Gods' Good Time: Chapter Twenty Two of an Angel Beats Fan Fiction Story

by

C V Ford

xxxxx

Repeat of DISCLAIMER from Chapter 21: I take/assume NO responsibility or liability for any and all death, dismemberment, maiming, disfigurement, scarification, injury, mishap, physical/mental trauma, property damage/destruction, or criminal/terrorist activity that may be brought about by the misuse/carelessness or malice, intended or otherwise, by other individuals of the information contained in this chapter herein.

While the ownership and use of firearms are a right (At least in the United States of America. Consult the local laws of your own country in regard to this.) it should be treated and guarded by ones' self as a sacred privilege with attendant heavy responsibilities of ones' own conduct and behavior in regard to this.

BE SURE TO READ THE RULES OF FIREARMS SAFETY AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER. (1)

When one owns and uses firearms, one LITERALLY has the power of life and death in ones' own hands.

THE RESPONSIBILITY IS YOURS.

xxxxx

Chapter 22: To Each Her Own

"So he comes into the shop. Had to be one of the guys in management at the Marysville Honda plant. I could tell he was fresh off the plane as he's staring around in absolute TOTAL wonderment.

"I give him a few minutes to take it all in. Looked like he was in Disneyland the way he was gawking at everything ... like ... 'WOW! These crazy Americans really ARE into guns!'

"So I ask, 'May I help you?', and he comes up ... and I swear to God and all that's holy ... He asks ... and I'm NOT kidding when I say this .... He asks ... With a completely innocent, wide eyed, beatific look on his face ... 'Can I get shot here?'"

"What!?" Takamatsu open mouthed.

"No!" Rachel open mouthed in a perfect 'O'.

Sakaki just stared open mouthed.

"Now ... I know it's not polite to bust out laughing howling out and out loud in someones' face and I didn't. My guts are siezing up. Throat constricting.  My neck and jaw tightened up so much it HURT!

"I immediately excuse myself, indicating I'm getting something and head back to the store room for two reasons: Priority One, get the giggles out ... and FAST! I still couldn't laugh out loud even back there as he'd hear so I'm heaving and choking like a stand up grand mal siezure ... Man! it hurt so much!

"After about thirty seconds of the 'dry heaves' I come out with Priority Two, our three alphabet paper (Kanji, Hirugana, Katakana.) with the welcoming blurb, rates and range rules.

"He seemed happy with that for the moment and I'm back in the store room for another bout of Priority One. Another thirty seconds and I'm back out ... Not completely flushed of the yuks 'n giggles but enough to conduct business.

"We go over the range rules and I set him up with eye/ear protection, a .38, ammo and targets. I'm with him on the range about ten minutes demonstrating safety and handling then leave him to it.

"It's then another few minutes bout of Priority One getting out the residual giggles ... My sides hurt for a couple days after, I'm tellin' ya'."

"His command of English wasn't quite up to snuff I take it?" Rachel laughing.

"Better than my then idiot Japanese."

"She's here," everyone turning to a calm Sakaki.

"That, or a very large squirrel," smiled Jack as he and the others espied the boulder now clear of the sandwich and juice.

"It's her alright," replied a chuckling Takamatsu. "Don't know how she does it but she does."

"Oh really ... ," a skeptical Rachel. "How could she? We've been watching that rock off and on all this time, we would have noticed-"

"This is VERY good O'Hara-sensei," a satisfied Shiina said from the chair next to the teacher. "What do you call this?"

"YEEK!"

Rachel jumped up on just noticing the scarfed presence next to her, looking up and calmly munching on the afore vanished sandwich.

"How ... How ... did she-?"

"It's a gift," Duffy giggled. "And the operative phrase, as you put it, 'off and on'. My guess is she moves when we're 'off' and not 'on'."

Shiina refrained from giving the man a "look". Gift? A very hard won gift indeed. All those endless hours ... YEARS ... of training. Still, the man retaught her some invaluable lessons albeit inadvertantly. And the knowledge he was imparting here was ... interesting. That and her "extra curricular activities" he kept to himself.

"It ... It's ... ," Rachel recovering from her surprise and reseating, "it's Panini. Made them from what ingredients I could get from the cafeteria kitchens."

"So how long have you been sitting there?" Sakaki curiously inquired.

"Mmmm ... enough ... ," the ninja replied, friendly ominous, relishing the food.

"I've a question Duffy-san," stated a now serious Takamatsu.

"Oh?"

"If you're on at least neutral terms with Angel, how come you're teaching Sakaki and I marksmanship?"

"It's not Angel I'm worried about."

The others, even Shiina giving a slight lean in the mans' direction, looked attentively at him.

Noting the others attention, Duffy continued.

"Before coming here, if anyone told you you'd soon end up in a neverending high school where you were eternally young ... could kill or be killed and not die ...
What would you say to that person?"

"I'd say he was baka-tai with a capital BAKA!"

"Exactly ... Now I don't know how long any of you've been here. Maybe it's been years, who knows? Compared to you, Rachel and I've been here only months. Maybe you've gotten used to it. All I can think of is how fantastic this set up is. As far as I'm concerned ... ANYTHING could happen.

"You already have a fantastic 'enemy' in Angel. Who knows what else might one day be here lurking about."

"You mean like that NPC we have as student council vice president?" Sakaki.

"That and other things." Duffy wondered as to why Yuri,and thus the rest, would keep referring to Naoi as an NPC. "Yes ... and other things."

"Other things? ... Like?"

"Before coming here, something like this would've been be so much sci-fi/fantasy to me. Anything could happen as far as the author's concerned. Now that I'm here, I have to take in the consideration of the possibility of other crazy things coming along. So far, it's just Angel and the veep.

"I've talked with Yuri off and on about this. She likens the whole situation to a video game of sorts, hence her calling the zombies NPCs."

"Yes," grinned Takmatsu, "non-player characters. She was something of a game addict before coming here."

"I remember her mentioning some games have some kind of 'fail safe' feature wherein player characters are prevented from being too powerful and may even be killed off if the game goes on too long or something. I'm not big on vid games, me being into Minesweeper and online Checkers.

"But if there's an elimination feature with my- ," the man snugged up against Rachel, "-or for that matter, Rachels' name on it, I'd like to be prepared ... And have as many friends backing me as possible and vice versa.

"Other things? Who knows? Maybe one day all those NPCs might turn on you in some way. Maybe something big and hungry might come wandering onto the school grounds from outta' the woods. Saitou says there might be something big, mean and hungry stoogeing around in that creek. Other than you battlefronters or Angel, there's no one here able to cope with something like that."

"There's you," remarked Rachel smiling.

"Or you now," the man indicating the revolver on the teachers' hip.

"I'm not sure if-"

"You will if ever the time comes ... IF. Makes me wonder ... There might even be the possibility of you," Duffy looking at the other three, " and the rest of the Battlefront having to join forces with Angel one day-"

"No way!" Takamatsu

"I don't ... think so... ," Sakaki

"... ," Shiina

"In any event, it's only rudimentary marksmanship you've learned today. Not moves and tactics. It's one thing to learn to hit the target. As you know from personal experience, combat shooting is a lot more involved."

"You got that right!" Takamatsu exclaimed.

"Could I try it?"

Duffy turned to Shiina just now finishing a second sandwich and pointing to Rachels' S&W.

"Oh?"

"To see what it's like."

"Hmm ... ," the man thought, "... and yet ... ."

Getting up they proceeded to the firing line, the rest following.

Handing the eye protection and safety glasses over, Shiina took them and put them on without question.

"She passes the first 'test'," Duffy thought. "Shows she's serious. But then, when has she ever not been?"

Setting up the targets the man walked back to the firing line.

Turning to Rachel, Shiina again pointed to Rachels' revolver.

"May I?"

Taking the wheelgun and pointing downward, the ninja girl, turning to Duffy, pressed the cylinder release, opening the handgun. Pressing the plunger, the cartridges fell into her other hand.

"Could we go over the uh ... sighting procedure? Everything else I have down."

With a lifted eyebrow, Duffy went through a quick run down, the others looking on.

Review concluded, Shiina in goggles and "phones" stepped up to the firing line as everyone donned their own eye/ear protection.

Duffy noted the way the ninja girl stood. Fighting (boxer) stance instead of the "turret" stance (Feet shoulder width apart.) as he had the others do. Ayoob grip with the index of the supporting hand an inch forward and snugged under the trigger guard.

It was just as he did. Even the supporting hands' thumb was on top of the thumb of the holding hand, as he would if holding a semi-auto in order to prevent the slide from coming back and cutting the opposable digit while in operation. A habit he stuck with even when he himself held a revolver.

Cocking back the hammer for single action use, Shiina then peered through the sights. Drawing in a breath, letting out half of it, she rested her index finger, middle of the pad of the first joint, on the trigger ... and PRESSed.

The first shot registered at "six o'clock" just touching the outside of the bullseye.

The rest of the five shot string she placed in a tight pattern at the center of the bull. All five of the next string placed center as well.

Emptying the cylinder, she turned to Rachel, handing the gun to the teacher grip first.

Turning to Duffy, "thank you. It was ... interesting."

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Duffy in rhetorical.

"From you."

?

"Sometimes I would follow you coming here and watch. I wasn't quite sure how you did it until today when I heard your instruction. Your review of the sighting procedure with me completed it."

"It's still surprising how you scored," he answered, nodding at the target beyond.

"Concentration is everything."

"Y'know, you would do quite well if you started carrying one of these."

"I think I'll stay with what I have."

"To each her own," thought Duffy.

xxxxx

"They were from Yokohama, visiting relatives working in management at the Honda plant. Had their girlfriends along, wanted to take a picture of me with a babe on either side.

"So we get into the shot and one of them indicates for the women to get in closer to me. Without thinking, I say 'ALRIGHT!' and put my arms around their shoulders and draw them in.

"There I am, close in between, with two squealing good looking babes and I'm thinking: 'Yeeeesss, life is goooood!'"

"What were the two guys doing then?"

"They laughed and one took the picture. I only held them for as long as the shot took so it wasn't like I was assaulting anyone.

"Yeah," Duffy mused, "the early '90s were a good time for me."

"Geez!," laughed Rachel who had snugged her chair up to Duffys' and was seated sideways, leaning with her back on the man, head on his shoulder. "I wasn't even ten then."

"So what's the movie this Friday?" Inquired Sakaki changing the subject.

For the past month and a half, Friday 'movie nights' in the Class C lounge had gotten to be a regular affair. Word had gotten 'round and students, wether Battlefront, sentients, or npcs, were curious as to what strange films the gaijin would be watching in the 'double feature' that week. Usually between fifty to seventyfive would be cramming the lounge every Friday.

"There's One Rachel picked out." The man had the good sense to always grudgingly accomodate for a 'chick flick', half the audience being female. Both he and Rachel had fun sneaking glances at Yuri from time to time with a more girlish expression on her face whenever she was viewing.

"Oh!?" Sakaki liked Rachels' choices.

"It's called," Rachel in reply, "The Lovely Bones." (2)

"Funny title." Takamatsu.

"It's about a young girl caught up in a situation not unlike our own."

"Worth checking out," Sakaki turning to Takamatsu.

"What's the other one?"

"The Bad Sleep Well," Duffy answering. "A flick by Akira Kurosawa from the early sixties. About corporate corruption."

The couple couldn't help but marvel. The two Gaijin never failed to surprise when a Japanese film even they hadn't heard of was revealed to be in their possession. They truely were movie buffs!

"I like the grey ones."

The group turned to Shiina. Everyone puzzled over her remark.

"Oh! ... ," realized Duffy. "You mean the older black and white movies?"

"Yes. I like them more."

"You seemed to like that last color flick."

"That one about that American samurai?"

"The Last Samurai (3), yes. The way you were laughing, you must have thought it was a comedy."

"It wasn't?"

The rest looked at one another, grinning and suppressing giggles.

Frowning on seeing the looks on their faces she continued, "I thought the ...
What is it? ... yes ... the action scenes were ... unrealistic. I never did any-"

Noting the abrupt halt in her speech, Duffy always eager to talk movies, tried continuing the conversation.

"You seemed pretty interested in the film overall."

"Before I met you and," nodding to Rachel, "O'Hara-sensei, I had only seen very few other European gaijin. Until then, I had only heard stories of, pardon the expression, 'the white hairy barbarians' from the other side of the world. That movie ... as you call it ... reminded me of one of them. He was an important one."

"By any chance, did you know his name?" Asked Rachel in a flash of inspiration.

Being the history buff he was, Jack had a good idea where this was leading.

"Uh ... I only saw him from a distance but ... yes."

"His name wouldn't happen to have been maybe William or ... Will Adams?"

Shiina returned a puzzled look.

"Um ... He was also known as Anjin Miura." (4)

The audible intake of breath from the usually quiet, stoic Shiina took the group by surprise.

"Bingo!" Duffy exclaimed silently. "She really dated herself. This definitely makes her the 'oldest' here."

"How did you-," the ninja girl cut her question in mid utterance. Smiling in realization she pointed at Rachel. "History ... right?"

"Yes ... It's what I do."

A short pall of silence fell over the group. Knowing this wasn't really the time or place for deep  historical discussion, Rachel settled on a new tack.

"Would you mind ... sitting down with me and talk sometime later this week? Just you and I?"

Shiina paused for but a moment. "I ... wouldn't mind. Maybe ... I'll think about it."

xxxxx

The older two, deciding to stay longer, saw the younger three leave. Sakaki and Takamatsu hand in hand, with the ninja bringing up the rear.

"Whadaya' think, hon?"

"I think ... I'm going to have a VERY interesting history lesson for myself later this week."

"Shiina?"

"Yes, definitely," the teacher stated. "She may not be a famous 'grade A' historical figure, just a 'foot soldier' so to speak, but the insight from her perspective would be invaluable to me."

"Too bad you can't send those findings on considering our ... and their ... situation."

"A good teacher is a student all her life. For here, it's enough that I know."

As they observed the trio disappearing down into the woods toward the creek, Duffy put his arm around Rachels' shoulders.

"Hmm ... ," the man thinking to himself watching the receding Sakaki and Takamatsu holding hands.

If this continued, as it most likely would, he speculated about how long his and Rachels' chaste relationship could continue without it getting more "difficult". He wanted to honor God in all this as did Rachel. No cheapening or "messing" things up as he had in the past.

He was under no illusion as to where the kids stood on these things. Boys being boys, girls being girls. It was a wonder to him that the place hadn't turned into an eternal, non-stop teen orgy, especially in light of the fact no pregnancies ever resulted. It was still an orderly school so typical of Japan and any "dalliances" kept pretty much discrete. All the same, as a Christian he felt it incumbent to set an example for them.

Marriage? If so, how? No clergy present. And yet ... There had to be a solution for Rachel and he ... Somehow.

To be continued ...

xxxxx

Notes:

1. The following are the RULES OF FIREARMS SAFETY quoted verbatim from the website of the National Rifle Association:

1) ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.

2) ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.

3) ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.

4) Know your target and what is beyond.
Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.

5) Know how to use the gun safely.
Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know its basic parts, how to safely open and close the action and remove any ammunition from the gun or magazine. Remember, a guns' mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.

6) Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
Just like other tools, guns need regular maintenance to remain operable. Regular cleaning and proper storage are a part of the guns' general upkeep. If there is any question concerning a guns' ability to function, a knowledgeable gunsmith should look at it.

7) Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
Only BBs, pellets, cartridges or shells designed for a particular gun can be fired safely in that gun. Most guns have the ammunition type stamped on the barrel. Ammunition can be identified by information printed on the box and sometimes stamped on the cartridge. Do not shoot the gun unless you know you have the proper ammunition.

8) Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
Guns are loud and the noise can cause hearing damage. They can also emit debris and hot gas that could cause eye injury. For these reasons, shooting glasses and hearing protectors should be worn by shooters and spectators.

9) Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.
Alcohol, as well as any other substance likely to impair normal mental or physical bodily functions, must not be used before or while handling or shooting guns.

10) Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person's particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules.

11) Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

12) Cleaning

A. Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used.

B. A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.

C. Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The guns' action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.

xxxxx

2. The Lovely Bones (Paramount Pictures, 2009) - Produced and directed by Peter Jackson. Saoirse Ronan stars as Susie Salmon, a young lady who runs afoul of a serial killer and is (Due to her unwillingness to relieve herself of spiritual/emotional "baggage".) "trapped" in an "inbetween", neither Heaven or earth, and watching over her family. A real tear jerker. Definitely NOT recommended for old softies like me ... or YOU!

3. The Last Samurai (Warner Bros. Pictures, 2003) - Tom Cruise stars as an American military advisor to an emerging 1860s Japan who falls in with an anti-change Samurai clan and fighting on their side.

4. Will Adams/Anjin Miura (1564 - 1620) - An English trader/navigator who became not only one of the very few Europeans to become a naturalized Japanese Citizen, but also attained the ranking of Samurai.

James Clavells' book, Shogun is based on the life of Will Adams.

xxxxx

I would like to thank Dima02 on fanfiction dot net for giving me an idea about "fleshing out" Shiinas' past. I've left mine vague enough by only placing her in roughly the same period of history he has, leaving him to complete that "history".

The two "incidents" regarding Japanese tourists mentioned in this chapter are among some of the many comical moments experienced by this author when working at The Powder Room and Pistol Range in Powell, Ohio back in the '90s.

xxxxx

Go to In Gods' Good Time chapter index on C V Ford's Anime Fanfiction Page
here. Just scroll to the story blurb in the Angel Beats section.

Go to C V Fords' Anime Fan Fiction Page here.

Go to C V Fords' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list here.

Go To Dima02s' profile page and anime fan fiction stories list on Fan Fiction dot net here.

Go to Dima02s' Angel Beats fan fic story here.

Go to Fan Fiction dot net here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here. Any other articles under this 'un means yer already there.



Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, and events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their works.