Hinawaka turned to move toward her destination, arriving in a second to where Yonsharin sat with her brother in front of her. She sat near her while her brother sent her looks, and she matched him with the same, until she turned her face back to watch Kinojo sitting near Yoriki with childish laughs emerging from him, then she returned her face to its straightness, letting out a sigh. [ Hinawaka ] to herself: It seems my little brother is the only one enjoying himself here, while I and my older brother are stuck in a cycle of constant strangeness. At Yoriki, who suddenly looked ahead of him sharply, Kinojo's eyes fell upon him, showing his fear of his look. [ Kinojo ]: Is... is there another problem, Mr. Yoriki? [ Yoriki ]: My problem is not with you, but with him. Yoriki continued his staring ahead where the crowd sat, and it became clear he was staring at the man Haijiki, who sat with closed eyes, calm in his posture, not carrying any plate like the rest. Yoriki's head turned quickly behind him to look where Gwankai sat. [ Yoriki ] shouting: Hey Gwankai, Mr. Haijiki refuses to feed himself. Deal with him so he understands his health cannot endure more neglect. Act. Gwankai raised his head after it had been bowed, then stood up to move away from his seat slightly, standing in his place to give his gaze to where the crowd was. [ Gwankai ]: Aaah... Oh my God. A bright smile appeared from him. [ Gwankai ]: Mr. Haijiki, since you will not eat, at least—if you please and not by command—come and sit by my side. Haijiki opened his eyes and with cold looks turned to where Gwankai stood, then proceeded to stand to move, passing everyone including Yoriki and Kinojo until he reached Gwankai. [ Gwankai ]: I will talk to you now about your brother Eno- Eyosho, but first tell me the reason for your refusal of food. This lean body of yours has suffered enough, so what is the reason for depriving it of its food? Did you like the pattern you were in or what? Haijiki sat in the seat quietly, and Gwankai sat in front of him as well, becoming face to face. [ Haijiki ]: I know what I am doing, but generally, I will tell you. [ Haijiki ]: I have been absent from the world for two years. What does this mean? It means I caused worry to a number of people, including my children and their mother, and when I finally return and they see my condition, they will force me to eat the largest amount of food, and I will not be able to refuse their desire. Here, I think you know now why I abstain from eating; the matter has become clear now, has it not? [ Gwankai ]: Ah, so that is how it is. Gwankai looked in Yoriki's direction. [ Gwankai ] shouting: I think you heard what he said, Yoriki! Yoriki's face turned toward him. [ Yoriki ]: Fine, fine, we understood. Do not shout. Gwankai returned his attention to Haijiki. [ Gwankai ]: So, as I told you, I will talk to you about your brother Eno- Eyosho. I told you before that he turned the world upside down searching for you. Haijiki placed his hand on his cheek and looked toward the submarine window showing the ocean they were traveling through. [ Haijiki ]: Of course he would search for me, for I am his older brother. Gwankai narrowed his eyes looking at him. [ Gwankai ]: How did you fundamentally fall into the hands of those Turtle Brothers gangs? I know they are not stronger than you; surely there is a reason that made you fall into their claws. [ Haijiki ]: Frankly, the story is a bit long and it might be dangerous as well. My kidnapping incident was not in vain, but because of a foolish act from me and a health reason as well. [ Gwankai ]: You can tell me everything in detail. What exactly happened? Haijiki moved his gaze away from the window, placing his hands on the table to look at Gwankai with cold looks. [ Haijiki ]: Two years before this time, I was on a mission with my group, and during its performance and after a fierce battle that exhausted our energy acquired from food, the problem was that we were still in the midst of the fight. Our submarine, which contained all the food, was blown up, and on top of all this, a bigger problem appeared, which was the arrival of the lobster Djiwilri, which increased the complexity of the matter. We were forced to enter a fight with her along with those we were fighting previously. We were forced to use our blood, and two of my group exhausted a very large amount of blood until they reached death. I was going to follow them as well, but instead of using the last amount of my blood and having my matter end in death, I chose the forbidden path..... which is fleeing from the entire battle. Gwankai's eyes widened. [ Gwankai ]: What did you proceed to do? You know what will happen to you after this step. The law is strict as you know; you will be imprisoned for ten years and a financial fine of twenty million. Even if there is no evidence of your escape, you will be imprisoned, but for five years and a fine of five million. In the end, you exited the animals' prison and will enter the humans' prison. What is this sin with dire consequences that you committed? [ Haijiki ]: I will complete the rest of what happened. When I fell into a losing battle, I fled as I said and indeed moved away. I had reached the maximum levels of exhaustion from losing energy acquired from food to losing large amounts of my blood. Then, when I moved distances away from the battlefield, a group of people passed by me—who are humans—and other persons who are anthropomorphized amphibious animals with purple cloaks. Because they are fundamentally a gang, they immediately set about taking me as goods to be redeemed, as they deal. Thus began my journey imprisoned with them for two years until finally you liberated me. [ Haijiki ]: As for your words, you are right; I put myself in trouble. I will indeed be punished for five years and a financial sum. My children will exit the period of grief over losing me and will enter it again after my imprisonment, but in the end, this is better for them than losing me forever. Better than dying and them becoming orphans, and this is the main reason that made me flee from danger; there was no solution before me other than it. The widened stares were cancelled from Gwankai. [ Gwankai ]: Well, fate was the one that was harsh with you, setting Djiwilri upon you to increase the complexity of the matter. Even if your energy from food had not ended, you would have died at the hands of that lobster. [ Haijiki ]: But..... at least we accomplished our mission. We destroyed the factory..... but the enemy was not eliminated; rather, he is the one who eliminated most of us or all of us except me, perhaps. We were only able to eliminate three individuals from them. [ Gwankai ]: Ah, it seems your opponent was stronger than necessary. Haijiki looked at him sharply. [ Haijiki ]: They are a group of lobsters, and we discovered during our fight with them that they are a family, meaning they are a mother, a father, and children, and their number is relatively large. Most of the children are female lobsters, for we only saw two male lobsters. We eliminated two of the males and one of the females. Gwankai turned his look into a look of disdain. [ Gwankai ]: You said you succeeded in destroying the factory, correct? But you did not defeat the enemy forces, only three of them. Do you know what this means? Haijiki turned his look likewise into disdain. [ Haijiki ]: Yes, they will retaliate for their factory, and perhaps they already retaliated and the matter is over. At Yoriki, who suddenly noticed ahead of him where the crowd was, then turned his face slightly toward Oshnirai. [ Yoriki ]: Aaa Oshi, there are some animals present with us here. Oshnirai's eyes turned to him, and likewise Chyohana. [ Oshnirai ]: Perhaps they are residents of the city as well. Try asking them about their living area. Chyohana displayed a light laugh. [ Chyohana ]: My God, from those brothers! Even the amphibians and animals that are like us, they did not leave them alone. [ Oshnirai ]: Why are you surprised? Humans who are like me also kidnap each other, so it is not strange that this happens from animals. Yoriki returned his face to its place to look at the crowd. [ Yoriki ] shouting: Hey, you animals! Are you residents of the city or were you taken from other places? My question to you is so we can leave you here and you do not move further away from your zones. All the animals stopped eating, paying attention to him, including amphibians and animals of other types—cats, dogs, fish, and starfish. All of them enjoy the form and height of a human. A cat with white fur and green eyes put down the plate from her hand, looking at Yoriki. [ The Cat ]: As for me, I am a resident of the city, but not the sea city; rather, the surface city. I live there as a maid in one of the rich people's houses. So, you can take me with you to your city, and from there I will continue to reach my city. One of the fish, a sardine type, also placed his plate on the floor. [ The Fish ]: As for me and the rest, we came from different places, or in truth we were subjected to kidnapping from different places. But this does not mean we demand to be left here; we can likewise come with you to your city and from there we will find a means to return to where we lived. A light smile appeared from Yoriki. [ Yoriki ]: Well then, your destination is almost one. His face turned again toward Oshnirai. [ Yoriki ]: Well Oshi, you can continue the path without needing to stop. A wide smile appeared likewise on Oshnirai. [ Oshnirai ]: Good, for we are almost about to arrive. Outside the submarine, the city appears on the horizon meters away. It seems from afar that a part of it is destroyed as a result of the shark's act that came before, and this is what attracted Oshnirai's attention. With widened eyes, she looked from the window near her to the outside. [ Oshnirai ]: Aaaa Chyoha, it seems the city has been subjected to shelling again. Chyohana looked with a smile at her. [ Chyohana ]: It is fine; the buildings will be restored. [ Oshnirai ]: But what about the lives that were taken? They are the most important; they are who live inside those buildings and houses. [ Chyohana ]: It is fine likewise; others of you can be born just as the building will be redone. Do not be stricken with misery; more humans will be born than the humans who died today. Without denial, you know that. Oshnirai looked at her with disdain. [ Oshnirai ]: Oh, Chyohana. At the submarine from the outside, which did not approach and enter the city, but moved away from it to continue moving, advancing to cross 300 meters away from the city. Before it appeared the Protection Agency, the Protection Agency with its white walls striped with longitudinal blue lines, with the height of its buildings piercing the sea surface. Inside the submarine where Oshnirai continues her driving. [ Oshnirai ]: Finally, we have arrived. Oshnirai looked at Chyohana. [ Oshnirai ]: Did you message the President to come out and receive us? [ Chyohana ]: Yes, I did previously. His non-appearance until now outside the agency means he will appear at any time. I will message him again to inform him of our arrival. Oshnirai narrowed her eyes to look with sharp looks at Chyohana. [ Oshnirai ]: Listen, Chyoha.... This time at the end-of-year celebration, turn off your phone completely so the President cannot call you and interrupt us again. For my part previously, I turned off my phone so no calls would reach me, but unfortunately they reached you, so this is what I do not want to be repeated again. [ Chyohana ]: Do not worry, I will not bring it with me anyway. There are other Kaijin besides us he can annoy. Oshnirai returned to paying attention ahead of her. [ Oshnirai ]: Well, now we have fully arrived. I will stop the submarine here. [ Chyohana ]: Ah, finally. I am bored of sitting. In a moment, the submarine's movement stopped to stand in its place, and only a few meters remained separating it from the agency. From the wide agency gate, the President appeared, coming out with his face carrying a smile, to advance slowly to stand in front of the submarine that was elevated above him, making him raise his head to it. Returning to its inside, specifically to the smiling Yoriki who stood up from his sitting. [ Yoriki ]: Our stopping of movement indicates that we have arrived. He looked toward the crowd, and Kinojo stood up as well. [ Yoriki ] shouting: Everyone, we have arrived! Prepare yourselves to return to your homes. Each one of them placed the plate that was in his hands to stand up from their places, and happiness was drawn on their faces. Hinawaka, sitting near Yonsharin, had her eyes widened to stand up as well, and Enyojo was still sitting, but signs of astonishment were visible on his face. [ Hinawaka ]: What? How did we arrive when only one hour has passed? We are supposed to arrive after three hours. Yonsharin stood up as well, staring at her with a smile that never leaves her. [ Yonsharin ]: Because... this is a war submarine. it has more features than the civilian submarine, and this is one of the secrets of our arrival within an hour. Hinawaka continued looking with widened eyes. At Gwankai and Haijiki, who stood up from their sitting, happiness was visible in Gwankai. [ Gwankai ]: I had messaged your brother before and told him everything about you. He will come running here. Everyone began moving to exit, and Chyohana came to open the wide and divided door. She opened it, clearing the way for everyone. Oshnirai approached her until everyone walked out in groups. [ Oshnirai ]: Finally, these will taste freedom a little. The crowd continued exiting to empty the space where they were sitting, leaving it behind them empty; there was nothing in it except the plates they were carrying. Kinojo stood in his place to look above him with astonishment, noticed by Yoriki who had set about exiting, turning his face to what he noticed. [ Yoriki ]: I will answer you directly without any question from you. What you see above you is glass.... luminous glass, meaning if it breaks, the place will remain illuminated. The lighting that illuminates the place is not from electricity, but from this glass. Kinojo lowered his face to smile. [ Kinojo ]: Thank you for answering me without me having to ask. [ Yoriki ]: Now, let's get out of here. Each of them returned to head outside, so Yoriki looked at Kinojo with disdain. [ Yoriki ] to himself: For his question, yes... now surely he will restrict his parents with questions. A minute and the place became empty, so Chyohana and Oshnirai remained the last to exit. They both descended together slowly and quietly until their feet reached the sand of the ground. [ Chyohana ]: Listen, Oshi. When we finish this, I want to talk to you about an important matter. Oshnirai nodded her head in agreement, and then they advanced along with the rest (not the crowd) to the President. They stood side by side, placing their hands on their heads in salute to the President, except his children who were standing near them only. [ Everyone ]: We have accomplished the mission successfully, Your Excellency. The President placed his hand on his head as well, giving them also the salute of respect, then all of them removed their hands. [ The President ]: I thank you very much for your rescue of my three children. His smile vanished as he bowed to them. [ The President ]: I offer, on behalf of my little ones, my sincere apology, for we deprived you of rest and put you on a mission you had no knowledge of. The features of any of them did not change, while Gwankai looked at him with disdain.
Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: The Threshold of Return
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