Chapter 13: Apprehension

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B>Ultra Symphony</B></FONT>    </div> <bR> <div> Chapter 13: Apprehension</div> <div> ***</div> <bR> <div> "Something's wrong." Kakei muttered, breaking Mikono's near-trance as she stared at the sky and had finally begun to feel exhaustion.</div> <bR> <div> "Huh?" She asked, blinking. Suddenly, the dark sky outside lit up with a distinctly pink hue. Mikono jumped back, hissing. "What the crap is that?!"</div> <bR> <div> "We have to go, NOW." He commanded.</div> <bR> <div> "What?! Go where?!?" Mikono shrieked.</div> <bR> <div> Kakei was running toward the elevator, and Mikono reluctantly followed him. "That light in the sky was generated from Theresa's transformation."</div> <bR> <div> "Huh?! You mean Ikeda-san?! But she's downstairs!" Mikono cried, trying to convince him that this wasn't cause for anything drastic. </div> <bR> <div> "Apparently she isn't." Kakei stated in no uncertain terms, pushing the button for the ground floor. The elevator whirred into action.</div> <bR> <div> "But if she went to go fight, why didn't she tell us?" </div> <bR> <div> The elevator stopped on the ground floor.</div> <bR> <div> " I don't know." Kakei sighed, running. "But she may need assistance."</div> <bR> <div> "Assistance?! You mean fighting?!" Mikono screamed, stopping dead.</div> <bR> <div> "Mikono-san, please lower your voice." Kakei said politely.</div> <bR> <div> "Do you mean fight?!"</div> <bR> <div> "Hai, if necessary."</div> <bR> <div> "No!!"</div> <bR> <div> Kakei looked at her quizzically.</div> <bR> <div> "I mean... I.. I can't!!" Mikono continued, tears coming to her eyes.</div> <bR> <div> "Mikono-san, it's not difficult. Your entire consciousness is taken over by your Ultra form. It's not you fighting, it's Ultrachibi85."</div> <bR> <div> Mikono shook her head. "Kakei-san, I CAN'T!! I mean.. I...No! I just.. I'm too.. I can't!!" Her voice was choking up.</div> <bR> <div> Kakei frowned. </div> <bR> <div> Tears were streaming down Mikono's face. "Please.. don't make me do it!" </div> <bR> <div> Kakei seemed uncertain, but he finally shook his head and kept running down the hall. Mikono exhaled shakily and fell to her knees, curling into a ball and sobbing with fear and shame. </div> <bR> <div> As Kakei ran, he shook his head, knowing he should have made her come with, but she was obviously terrified, and it was possible that her fear could have interfered with the fight. He would have to deal with that later. He waited until he got outside and transformed into Zoffy. </div> <bR> <div> He quickly used his telepathy to locate Theresa, and found her to be close to the old warehouse district. She was battling fiercely with a batlike monster with wide, leathery wings and dangerous looking talons. Zoffy shook his head and teleported over to assist her. When he landed, he took notice of what appeared to be an MEU vehicle totalled in a ditch. He shook his head, and crossed his arms over his shoulders, preparing to transform to High mode.</div> <bR> <div> The background behind him became pitch black with flames. He quickly balled his hands into fists, and as he released them, his smooth voice yelled, "Zoffy...HIGH!" And lightning struck as he grew to his traditional Ultra size.</div> <bR> <div> Theresa looked behind her shoulder as the lightning struck, and secretly smiled when she saw Zoffy rising up behind her. She turned back around just in time to catch one of the monster's claws right in her cheek. She screamed in pain as the gash became defined and blood seeped out. Zoffy ran up beside her. "Theresa, are you allright?"</div> <bR> <div> She pulled her hands back from her face, and Zoffy cringed at the blood that pooled in her palm. "Yeah, but this guy's a little too slasher-happy for my tastes." Theresa said angrily. </div> <bR> <div> The monster responded by sending out a blast of energy that knocked the two of them down. "This one is strong.." Zoffy stated, surprised.</div> <bR> <div> Theresa groaned. "No kidding.." The two of them got to their feet and double teamed the monster, sending it sprawling into a building. Theresa didn't even flinch, but Zoffy sort of wondered about the damage they'd committed. </div> <bR> <div> "While it's stunned." Theresa said, readying her heroine ray. The monster had barely gotten to its feet before she postured and released the blast of white-hot light. The monster screamed, but before the ray could destroy the monster, it suddenly disappeared in a flash of blue.</div> <bR> <div> "No!" Theresa cried, running toward where it had been. She was far too late, and she cursed when she stopped. "Shimatta! We had it!"</div> <bR> <div> Zoffy sighed. "It's okay, Theresa, we did damage to it. You did a fine job."</div> <bR> <div> She shook her head. "Dammit, though.." The two of them met eyes. </div> <bR> <div> "We have to restore our size." Zoffy said, and Theresa nodded. The two of them bent over, gracefully dipping to one knee, and they shrunk back down to human size. The people who had been watching the battle knew better than to interfere, which was a credit to them. </div> <bR> <div> Theresa ran over to the ditch and rolled what was left of the Marilyn over, groaning. "God almighty..." She whispered. Zoffy stayed back, but asked her what had happened. She shook her head. "The monster.." she murmured, and didn't say any more. </div> <bR> <div> "Theresa, what were you doing out here?" Zoffy asked.</div> <bR> <div> She slowly turned around, avoiding his eyes. The cut on her cheek had bled down her neck and was beginning to dry. "Moroboshi.. " </div> <bR> <div> "What about Moroboshi?" Zoffy asked. </div> <bR> <div> "He.. The sedative wore off. He basically said if I tried to stop him from leaving, he'd kill me, and before he left, he said that the man in that parking lot that the monster had killed, Moroboshi said that he was 'one of us'. I came to find out what the hell he meant."</div> <bR> <div> Zoffy came and stood next to her."What did you find out?" </div> <bR> <div> Theresa shook her head. "Nothing, the cops wouldn't.." </div> <bR> <div> Suddenly, they heard a growl coming from behind them. They whirled around in sync, just in time to see the same monster they'd been fighting, normal sized, explode in a brilliant flash of blue light. Theresa and Zoffy leapt down into the dirt, and the explosion died down. </div> <bR> <div> "What in the hell.." Theresa muttered, as they both got up. The street was clouded in smoke, but in the midst of the smoke, a silhouetted figure stood.</div> <bR> <div> The figure began moving, and Theresa and Zoffy moved to get up in case they needed to attack. The figure walked to the edge of the road, and as his features cleared, Theresa and Zoffy stared in disbelief. </div> <bR> <div> The figure looked down at them pleasantly, crossing his hands behind his back. When he spoke, his voice was low and sort of lazy sounding. </div> <bR> <div> "Oniisan, Theresa. Nice night, isn't it?"</div> <bR> <div> Theresa was the first to be able to speak.</div> <bR> <div> "Ul..Ultraman Jack?" She barely choked out. </div> <bR> <div> ***</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 14"><U>Chapter 14</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ultra Symphony"><U>Back</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>