I hadn't intended on pursuing this, but because I had quite a few of you asking me to continue the story, I prodded my muses in trying to come up with more. I hope to continue this to the end of the year, and I'm not sure how frequently the post will happen, but rest assured I'll try to get the whole thing done to the best of my ability. Anyway, here's the first installment! I hope you enjoy it. ****************************************************** Joe stared at the flowers that sat outside his bay at the track. Who had put them there and why, was a complete mystery to him. The fact that they were roses, weren't helping matters any. It filled him with unease, one that settled deep in his gut. A sense of foreboding set him on edge, and he realized would need to be more vigilant than usual. Great, just what he needed--something else to worry about. In the cutthroat world of stock car racing, if you weren't up to snuff, your sponsors would give you the chop. His ranking had moved up during the last two races, and he had actually managed to eek out a big first place win, beating out Lorenzo Rini, from the Preston Team, who came in second. The local reporters swarmed his car, as he undid the chin-strap to his helmet, removing it in the process. He gave a few words to the press, before shifting the car into gear, to move it off the track. By afternoon, the crush of people outside his bay had finally dissipated so only a few of the regulars were hanging around. It had taken awhile for Stu to start telling them all to take a hike, especially after it had been announced that Joe had broken the time record for the final lap. They all seemed to want to offer him congratulatory handshakes, or slaps to the back. He watched as one of the maintenance workers came by with his push broom, sweeping up the cigarette butts and stray litter that had been tossed aside during the day. Joe could hear a bunch of the other guys joking around as they cleaned up. Their laughter about a new movie about zombies and general trash talking fading into the background. Almost against his will, his eyes settled once more on the red blooms atop the oil drum outside his doorway. Blue-grey eyes narrowed. How long had they been there exactly? A few days? A week? It wasn't longer than that for sure. Was it something innocent? Or was this at the root of something more malevolent? They always had to be careful with their identities, and there hadn't been any problems with the Devil Stars in close to a year. Nambu thought their numbers had dwindled to almost nil, after a covert ISO operation had targeted them. The populace was fed so much misinformation about their lives, he was hard pressed to believe they had any inkling who he really was. Not to mention his body double was a blonde who looked nothing like him. However, he didn't want to tip his hand by showing his unease, or persecute anyone over it, at least, until he knew the whole truth of the matter. Come on, Asakura. Follow the script. Picking up his toolbox and throwing it into the trunk, he shrugged into the leather jacket he had draped over a stack of old tires in his bay. The adrenaline rush he felt earlier had completely faded, leaving him with an empty, almost hollow feeling. And he though he hated to admit it, he totally underestimated just how much the appearance of those flowers bothered him. But, first things, first. The team had promised Jun they would swing by the Snack later that night, for she started having live music on Saturday evenings after seeing how successful the last big party at the Snack had gone. So he'd have to listen to a song or two, have a couple of drinks and ask Jinpei to whip him up something to eat, before begging off or slipping out the back door. For what it was worth, he didn't want to stick around to witness the next chapter of the "Ken and Jun" saga. In the wake of the attack on Utoland City, he could used a damned drink--that was for sure. They had barely defeated Katse's latest monstrosity and the God Phoenix had taken heavy damage. He wouldn't be surprised if Ryu had been sleeping in the hangar bay to make sure everything was repaired to his satisfaction. The ISO and city officials were currently hashing out who exactly was going to pay for the damages caused by the battle. Ken was furious at the near thrashing they had taken. Upon their return to the base he ripped them all a new one, multiple times. And his mood didn't improve any when Nambu informed him he wanted him to appear together with ISO representatives before the City council to explain the near destruction of the city. It was at times like this, Joe was profoundly glad he wasn't in Ken's shoes. He started the car, the G2's engine firing up with a well tuned purr that made him smile. As he pulled out of his bay, he couldn't help but glance at his rearview mirror, catching sight of the roses that stood sentinel beside his door. And in his mind's eye, he could hear the echoing whisper of a voice from the past: "There is no forgiveness for children of Galactor..."

Oohhh... A mystery!

Ooooh can't wait to learn more! Poor Joe, he and Jun can bond at the J about their hatred of flowers.

Thanks guys, I just hope I can keep it going! *bites nails*

Originally posted by Redbird Thanks guys, I just hope I can keep it going! *bites nails*

I hope so too, Redbird!

Next installment in the story, a bit longer here. (I will probably want to revisit and make the starting post longer at some point as well....*sigh*) Hope you enjoy it....... ********************************************** Jun paused for a moment and leaned against the mop handle in her hand, surveying her work. The floor to the Snack was squeaky clean, the windows were spotless and the chrome behind the counter sparkled. She had been left to do most of the cleaning herself after Jinpei had begged off earlier that morning, stating he wasn't feeling well, but then disappeared for parts unknown. A small smile tipped the corner of her mouth. When he told her his story, she was sure he was engaging in a bit of subterfuge, but she didn't have the heart to contradict him. Things had been rough for all of them lately and she knew he probably wanted to go hang out at the skate park with the other kids his own age--something he rarely had an opportunity to do. Ken had worked them over especially hard this week, considering the damage Utoland City had taken after Katse's last attack. They were all exhausted, Joe had even told Ken that he'd had enough and had walked out in the middle of a training session the other day. That hadn't gone over too well with Hakase, she thought, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. Visions of the Eagle and Condor duking it out in the hallway outside their training rooms, had flashed through her head as she watched Ken's eyes darken behind his tinted visor, but to her surprise he hadn't done anything, just let Joe walk out, the door sliding closed behind him with a quiet hiss. The rest of them had paid the price for the remainder of the training session though, her hand moving to rub an aching shoulder in memory. But she was proud of the way the Snack looked. She had worked hard most of the afternoon to clean up the place. She even went so far as to drag out the rickety metal ladder from the storage closet and dusted off the disco ball and the large day-glo picture hanging over the jukebox. Some of the tables would need to be moved away from the small stage and rearranged, but Ryu promised he'd come by to help her with it. As she walked towards the rear of the eatery to dump out the dirty water in her bucket, she idly wondered if Ken would wind up showing his face later that night. She swore swore she had enough of him and his wishy-washiness. Wishy-washy Washio. That's what Joe called him sometimes. He hadn't been stopping by the Snack too often these days. And she'd been wondering what he'd been up to. He wasn't like Joe who came and went with the wind. Ken was usually around during his off time, but it seemed no one had really seen much of him except at the base. Not to mention ...he had left a book there a few months ago, one about Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy , that she still had stashed behind the counter because he kept forgetting to take it home. That was, unless Jinpei had thrown it out. Why he would want to read something like that, she had no idea. He had the strangest taste in literature at times. Jun dumped out the dirty water into the alley and set the mop out back, just outside the rear door in order to dry and set the pail under the sink in the kitchen. And she STILL didn't know if he was seeing that woman--the one who cooked for him. She had been tempted to drop innocent hints around Jinpei to see if he heard anything, but decided against it. While she loved her little brother, he had a big mouth and she wouldn't be surprised if he accidentally let something slip around Joe that she'd been asking after Ken--specifically about his love life. That would be the very last thing she needed right now. She could see that Condor smirk in her mind's eye, and mentally swatted it away in annoyance. Awhile back, Ken had promised help her with the year-end inventory, but in light of how weird things were between them now, she wasn't so sure if he'd actually keep that promise. It was upsetting . Above everything else, she thought they were friends and teammates first. And Jun couldn't help but feel a little hurt that he'd been avoiding her outside of missions. Why couldn't he be honest with her? Why couldn't they have a conversation about this like adults? Maybe she should be more direct with him? Ask to sit down and talk to him? If he didn't show to help her out on inventory day, she could manage without him. Having him help do inventory was secondary to everything else. First he actually had to show up. She definitely needed a change, she thought as she absent mindedly flipped through a fashion magazine on the counter. Maybe take some classes or join an online dating site or something. Hakase would probably have a fit at the latter though. He was constantly telling her she needed to be careful with who she kept company with. It made her angry. They were told they couldn't date within the team, yet they couldn't date anyone else. But.......apparently Ken dated. Ryu dated. Sometimes it seemed Joe had a revolving door of girlfriends. Why couldn't she see anyone? At times she wanted to tell Hakase he needed to get over his phobias of them having their cover blown. She knew there was a slim chance it might happen, but she couldn't live in a vacuum forever. Why didn't anyone understand her? Why did it seem there was a double standard when it came to what she wanted? She didn't want to spend her whole life alone. She was young and pretty and there had to be more to life than what she currently had. Jun wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand . The whole situation had been tossed about in her head ad nauseam and she was sick of it. It was time to take action, she vowed to herself, a determined look crossing her face. She was going to have fun tonight no matter what. She was going to dance her ass off all night long. The Snack had been packed the last few weekends, and she was sure she'd have no problem finding a dance partner. Hell, she'd dance by herself if she had to! They had been so busy, that she'd given thought to hiring a bouncer or two for the weekends. It really wasn't a bad idea considering one of their patrons had walked into the men's room on a packed Saturday night to find some guy getting a BJnext to the sink. Just what she needed.... people having sex in the bathroom! She was just glad it wasn't Jinpei who saw it. Even though he'd been forced to grow up faster than other kids his age, he was still much too young to be exposed to such things. Tossing the magazine aside, she contemplated making herself a sandwich and grabbing something to drink, when the front door to the Snack opened with a jingle.

Ooh, very interesting, can't wait to see what trouble has come through the door.

Jun makes a lot of good points!

Next installment: *************************************** All he wanted to do was go back to sleep, Ken Washio thought, a grumpy groan emanated from his throat, head buried in his hands. It seemed lately that everything had gone south. He was backed up on deliveries, his phone had gotten cut off again due to lack of payment, and his motorcycle was on its last legs. Their previous encounter with Galactor had left parts of Utoland City in ruins, not to mention Katse had gotten away...again.....living to fight another day. The City Council lambasted the ISO for their actions, and the ISO in turn had come down hard on Dr. Nambu, who of course passed it right down to him. While Nambu had understood the difficulties they faced, and was more sympathetic to their situation than anyone else, he still wasn't pleased with the end result. He had raked Ken over the coals for about two hours after their mission, and later on informed him of the meeting with the City Council and various other Governmental and ISO representatives. Ken snickered to himself as he stared blankly at the paperwork in front of him. What were they going to do? Send him a bill? Garnish his pay? He would laugh if the thought wasn't so pathetic that it made him want to cry. And then there was Joe. His 2IC, who walked out of their training session the other day. His fist tightened against the tabletop. Nambu ordered him to go over their last few training tapes, and to watch some of the satellite feed of their fight in the city, in order to try and spot anything that could be done better. Then told him to come up with a plan in order to fix those things, make everything run smoother, flow better. In his opinion, the only way things were flowing right now, was down the drain. In order to make everything run like a well oiled machine, he needed full cooperation and participation....from everyone. Was he hard on his team? Yes, because their situation within the ISO demanded he be tough with them. And he expected the best from them. The team hadn't taken to their new training schedule too well, especially Joe. They all knew, Joe had his moments. Ken could tell better than anyone when the Condor had had enough, but sometimes, if you pushed him harder in the right/[I] way, hit all the [I]right buttons, there was a big payoff. Except this time there wasn't--only a giant payload, set to blow at the drop of a hat. So even though it riled him, he grit his teeth and let Joe walk. But the issue would need to be addressed. Nambu usually let him handle things as he saw fit, unless there was a serious transgression that merited reporting. While this was not one of those times, he didn't want to see things escalate further, and while it was part of his job, he sometimes hated the fact that he was forced to be Judge, Jury and Executioner when it came to meting out discipline to his team. And it was usually Joe, more than anyone else that forced him to play those roles. A smile crossed his face remembering the time he had assigned Jinpei over to the maintenance workers at the Crescent Coral Base on his off time, after some of his bugs had gotten loose from their habitat cases he kept in the science lab, infested the base and laid eggs everywhere. In the air ducts, the computer systems, the living quarters. Thank the gods, they never reached the hangar that housed the God Phoenix. The poor kid was so tired by the end of the month, he didn't even want to think of the word "cockroach". Hakase also put an end to him collecting them as well, much to Jinpei's disappointment, and to the relief of the CCB staff. He knew Joe would prove harder to deal with. A few nights before the attack, they had gone out for drinks, just the two of them, to kick back and wind down. That and raise a little hell, Joe said with a smirk. The flashy strip joint Joe dragged him to immediately set off alarm bells. Ken wasn't exactly sure why, but something about the place, didn't seem quite right to him. He had said as much to Joe, in a whisper, but Joe stated nothing seemed amiss to him. Maybe he had been overly stressed and not getting enough down time. Was he imagining things? It had taken him a bit, but he had loosened up after a few drinks, entranced by velvet skin, swaying hips and long hair. Nevertheless, he was more than a trifle glad when they left. After the strip joint they wound up at a smoky techno dance club, that was packed to the gills. Flashing neon lights and pounding music took on a life of their own. Joe bought them some kind of shots in long test tubes from a goth-looking shot-girl, with spiky black hair roaming through the crowds. The liquid was a disconcertingly bright electric blue that tasted faintly of pineapple. They had downed a few of them and Ken found he didn't remember too much after that. Only glimpses here and there and one of Joe stuffing him into the car, with a half-assed salute and a swift "Roger!" after Ken complained he couldn't feel his legs anymore. He woke the following morning, face down on his couch, wearing the clothes from the night before and missing a shoe (which he later found under said couch). His mouth tasted awful and idly wondered just what the hell was in those blue things they drank. He supposed it had been a fun night, but it wasn't anything he wanted to repeat again anytime soon. But now he wondered how he was ever going to write these damned reports. Ken glanced up at the clock above the sink. It was already well past one. He had been staring at the forms for well over an hour already, their lines growing blurry. It was becoming more and more obvious they weren't going to get done today. If he tried he was sure they'd come out half-assed Ken sighed and clicked his pen closed, tossing it atop the papers, rising from the chair. What he needed to do was to get out. Everyone was going to meet at the Snack that night to catch some live music, but that was still hours away. And he had a feeling that the crazy girl who had been stalking him had finally given up. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of her recently and it was a relief. While it was about time she got the message he wasn't interested, that left another problem. Jun. He knew somehow Jun found out everything involving that girl and assumed the culprit was probably Jinpei. Female problems was the last thing he wanted to deal with at the moment. Pushing everything else aside in his mind, he grabbed his keys in his fist, deciding he was going to go out and finish his deliveries, then give his bike the once over when he returned. Because if the bike wouldn't run, there was no way he'd get to the Snack later on, and he'd have to ping Joe for a ride. He was sure once he got airborne he'd be feeling better. When he was high above the earth, among the drifting clouds and sun, he usually did. And he'd have plenty of time to try and tune up his bike, and shower before heading off to the Snack later that evening.

Uh oh, I have a bad feeling about this flight.

Next bit is up, for those interested: Jinpei watched the other kids in the park, chin resting on his propped up knees. The breeze ruffled his hair, and clad in his thin T-shirt, he broke out in goose-bumps even thought it was unseasonably warm out for the time of year. Hakase said he was afraid Galactor was behind it. Earlier that day the weather reporters had exclaimed over the suddenly summer-like conditions so late in the year, but they didn't offer any scientific explanation for the phenomena. The general public certainly seemed to have no qualms about enjoying the unexpectedly tropical weather. And he wondered if they knew what was really going on. A rag-tag team of kids were playing baseball on the diamond at the far end of the park, he could hear the shouting from where he sat on the dying grass. He watched as a group of girls roller skated together, half hanging on each other trying not to fall, as they gossiped and giggled. Adults jogged along the running trails in brightly colored athletic gear, headphones firmly in place, blocking out the rest of the world. A family of four was camped out by the fountain with a picnic basket, the grown-ups talking and setting up plates while the two kids tossed a frisbee around. He wasn't one to make sweeping generalizations but sometimes, being a Science Ninja sucked big time. Those other kids were so lucky. They were normal. They all got to go to regular school, hang out at the mall and go to movies. They didn't have to worry about the world blowing up when they woke in the morning; only what to have for breakfast and what to wear on any given day. A grimace pulled at his mouth. He never got to do anything fun. It was always work, work, work or fight Katse, which he supposed was work too. There was no alternative. Jinpei, do the dishes! Jinpei, clean your room! Did you finish the homework assignment your tutors gave you? Jinpei watch the Snack tonight I'm going out! How many comic books do you need, Jinpei? Just the other day, Jun had made him scrub out the fridge at the Snack because of some over-looked food in the back of it had gone rancid. The memory of it made him gag. While he was in the middle of cleaning it, arms elbow deep in a bucketful of soapy hot water, she had even looked at him like it was HIS fault somehow. It wasn't fair. After doing all the grunt work that was forced upon him, he thought he deserved a silver chalice filled with nothing but his favorite junk food. But he kept his mouth shut about that one, Jun would complain he already ate too much garbage as it was, and did he want to get some kind of disease due to poor nutrition? He poked the toe of his sneaker deep into the dirt, watching the ants scurry. A week ago, he asked Joe-aniki if he would take him to see a Monster Truck rally at the indoor coliseum, but he declined. Said he was too busy working on his own car and trying improve his track record, to watch other people running over junkers with those things. Jinpei secretly thought it was because Joe would have a heart attack anytime he saw someone crushing what he considered to be a vintage automobile, as flat as a pancake. He could hear the Condor's voice in his head now : "What? With some engine and body work, I could have that thing cherry'd out and purring like a kitten in no time!" But he knew Joe badly wanted the trophy for the Autumn Aces Series that the track was currently promoting. There was supposed to be a lot of prize money in it too. So, his only other option was to ask Aniki or Ryu to go. There was no way he could see his oft "stick-in-the-mud" Aniki wanting to take him, not to mention he didn't have a car. That meant Ryu was probably the safer bet. Maybe they could even make a weekend out if it. Catch a movie, go fishing or play video games too. Jinpei glanced at his watch with a sigh. He should probably start heading home. Jun would be looking for him soon, as he'd been gone since early that morning. No doubt she'd have a list of chores for him to do when he got back, without so much as a "Thank You". Reluctantly he rose from the grass, dusting off his butt with his baseball cap, and flipping up his skateboard with his foot. He was tired of being made of feel like a slave. Maybe he would walk home the long way.....

Aw, poor kid.

Aw, poor Jinpei. The life of a superhero kinda sucks, huh?

Unfortunately, due to an attack of life, I've left this languishing (along with all my other writing projects ) . I've started picking it up again, so if anyone is still interested in reading/commenting, please feel free to do so! I have an idea of where this *might* be going but the story will probably run over into this year's prompts as well. So we'll have to see what happens..... NOTE: Yes, pretty sure my grammar sucks. LOL. *************************** Was it done? Ryu squinted through the plastic door in the microwave and shook his head, hitting the stop button. He poked the fish he caught yesterday with a finger. Nope. Still not cooked. With a sigh, he upped the power setting and hit START once again. He shot his oven a scowl while the spicy fish spun slowly around on the glass turntable. The smell made his mouth water. As much as he hated microwaved food, he had no choice--the heating element in the oven was shot. Cash flow was in the negative digits right now, so it would have to wait until he could afford to fix it. Technically he could put it on his charge card, but he was already stretched to the limit at the moment. He would just have to suffer through it . Now he imagined he was feeling how Ken felt most of the time. How Gatchaman lived on ramen noodles and frozen dinners was beyond him. Food wasn't meant to be nuked. Food needed to be cooked over some kind of flame, in his book. Give him an oven or a gas grill any day and he was good to go. As he watched the fish cook, and shifting his weight from foot to foot, he almost regretted telling Jun he'd help her out at the Snack this afternoon...BUT...he knew she needed the help and she was always letting them hang out there, and rarely complained when they raised a ruckus or got too loud. Well, except for the time Joe....well...yeah, that was probably better off forgotten. The microwave beeped multiple times to let him know the fish was done, and he cast a dubious look at the dried out halibut before dropping the plate on the kitchen table. No doubt she'd be all dolled up for Ken, having made her hair nice and put a fresh coat of pink nail polish on both finger AND toenails. More than likely Ken would dominate the conversation in some way or another. He really was going to have to sit Jun down and have a talk with her. A "Heart-to-heart" as it was. Jun was too smart and pretty to waste her time chasing after Ken. She deserved better--someone who could make her really happy. Who could put a smile on her face. The sad thing was is he believed she knew it too, but for some reason was stuck on their commander. Breaking the fish with a fork, he braced himself and took a bite. He chewed and thought. Not too bad. Not too good either. It would have to do for now. As he ate he wondered if Joe was going to show up that evening. He was hit or miss lately with his commitments, but he gave up a long time ago wondering just what the Condor did on his off time. Didn't want to know, if you asked him. Ryu took another bite of his fish, choking back a cough as the spicy batter overwhelmed him. Better off not knowing he thought, reaching for his water glass. Whatever crimes or misdemeanors his teammate wanted to perpetrate while they were off duty, were his own business. Given Joe's track record of being stalked by Galactor agents, he wanted no part of it. If Joe wanted to take his life in his own hands each time he went on a date, more power to him. Jinpei on the other hand, would probably not even bother to show up, just out of spite. That was another one he needed to have a talk with. Why did it always come down to HIM trying to smooth things over between his teammates? You'd think by this point in time, he would know better and would keep his nose out of other people's lives. Pushing away from the table with a grimace, he stood up taking the plate with his half eaten fish with it. Ryu knew the answer. He was fooling no one, let alone himself. His teammates were his family. And he hated to see the people he loved most, hurting and doing things to hurt themselves, even if they were done subconsciously. Everything lately seemed to be coming to a head. Like a festering boil. Flipping up the lid to the kitchen garbage pail, he watched as the fish slid into its depths. As much as he wasn't relishing the thought of the conversations he planned on having, sometimes, you needed to pop a blister in order to get any relief.

It seems as though Ryu might think he was a janitor in a past life or two -- always cleaning up after everyone else!

Great story, Redbird. You've got some skill and finesse with the written word there. I came in rather late, though. What's the 200 Challenge?

Thank you for your kind words. I'm happy you're enjoying it! The 200 Challenge was one given by our very own EW. You had to use all 200 prompts given in a year in one response. I think Becky Rock was the first to do it, in an awesome BOTP fic. Mine from last year is here: http://www.gatchamania.net/thread.php?threadid=5028&sid= This current one I'm doing stems off from the first one, so take a peek if you're so inclined. (I'm rather proud of the first half I must say! LOL)

Originally posted by GrumpyGhostOwl Great story, Redbird. You've got some skill and finesse with the written word there. I came in rather late, though. What's the 200 Challenge?

Back when Bradbury's Jar hit prompt #200, I issued a challenge to write a fic using all 200 prompts. Becky jumped the gun a bit and wrote a fic when we'd hit 150 or so. So, technically, RB was the first to do it.

Originally posted by ElectricWhite Back when Bradbury's Jar hit prompt #200, I issued a challenge to write a fic using all 200 prompts.

Oops my bad, I stand corrected! My brain is definitely fried. LOL.

This is still coming along really well! Any fics I do like this end up feeling so forced.

Joes mystery roses, Jun's party and over being single and not dating, Ken's over working- with a stalker, Ryu... well, he's Ryu, Jinpei.. yep... the lead up is there for the party at the Snack J and something coming. Lets see what happens! (I love plots!) Ebony rubs her hands with anticipation. Have I got it so far???

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne Joes mystery roses, Jun's party and over being single and not dating, Ken's over working- with a stalker, Ryu... well, he's Ryu, Jinpei.. yep... the lead up is there for the party at the Snack J and something coming. Lets see what happens! (I love plots!) Ebony rubs her hands with anticipation. Have I got it so far???

You've got it so far, Ebony. The question is, have I got it!? (That remains to be seen, gods help me!) LOL

Originally posted by Redbird

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne Joes mystery roses, Jun's party and over being single and not dating, Ken's over working- with a stalker, Ryu... well, he's Ryu, Jinpei.. yep... the lead up is there for the party at the Snack J and something coming. Lets see what happens! (I love plots!) Ebony rubs her hands with anticipation. Have I got it so far???

You've got it so far, Ebony. The question is, have I got it!? (That remains to be seen, gods help me!) LOL

Thats always the question when you start writing an idea and not sure how you want it to end. That why i hesitate with some challenges. I outline a lot, like details, set ups, sub-plots complex. It ends up a novel! Barely time to edit and proof etc. (But still like to do something I enjoy and be creative.) Its a nice set up you're doing. Its like looking at a prospective drawing, you see where its leading too within the scenes, but not enough to make it predictable.

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne That why i hesitate with some challenges. I outline a lot, like details, set ups, sub-plots complex. It ends up a novel! Barely time to edit and proof etc. (But still like to do something I enjoy and be creative.)

I can totally understand that. I tend to be a perfectionist myself and am my own worst critic. My fics aren't beta'd, just given a quick once over. I like to plan things out, but sometimes the story takes on a life of its own--fun, but harrowing at the same time.

Originally posted by EbonyswanneIts a nice set up you're doing.

Thank you! I appreciate the comments We'll see how far I can take it, and how it all hashes out. Have some ideas, but will see!

Originally posted by Redbird

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne That why i hesitate with some challenges. I outline a lot, like details, set ups, sub-plots complex. It ends up a novel! Barely time to edit and proof etc. (But still like to do something I enjoy and be creative.)

I can totally understand that. I tend to be a perfectionist myself and am my own worst critic. My fics aren't beta'd, just given a quick once over. I like to plan things out, but sometimes the story takes on a life of its own--fun, but harrowing at the same time.

Originally posted by EbonyswanneIts a nice set up you're doing.

Thank you! I appreciate the comments We'll see how far I can take it, and how it all hashes out. Have some ideas, but will see!

I have most of mine beta'd. Not all, ones posted here for challenges don't always have the time to hand it over it. At times its nice to see the raw creative spirit in a story too. Like having the first tasting of a potentially good red wine straight out of the vat before its bottled, you taste the tannins and can tell it will shape up well. Only gets better with time and loving attention. Mmmm... why does it all come down to wine??? Thats why IF's were fun at one time. You mentioned Beck Rocky, she's a good storyteller. I like her work.

It's been awhile since I worked on this story, but I managed to finish up the next chapter. Comments etc, are appreciated for those who are inclined to leave any. Hope you enjoy! Warning: I suck at writing romance! You are forwarned! LOL. ************************** It had taken Jun a long time to realize, her life revolved around men. When Jun was younger, she came up with the hypothesis , that if you wanted a chance of finding a boyfriend, that "special someone", you needed to be surrounded by men. Needed to get out there and be seen. To join clubs or participate in sports. That's how normal women got to go on dates and see movies and to fancy dinners. Walks in the park, holding hands. When did she ever have the time for any of that? She was not what most people considered a "normal" woman. Once, she read in a self-help magazine, that many people found love amongst co-workers. Hakase, Ken, Joe, Jinpei and Ryu. Men. Superiors. Bosses. Comrades. Brothers. Friends. But nothing more. Never anything more. Not for her. One of Jun's most favorite phrases, was that when a window closes, a door opens. Or something like that. Just when she had given up all hope.....the door to the Snack opened..... And there he was. A dream walking. Walking towards HER. He was tall, with long shaggy beach blonde hair that brushed his shoulders. He stopped just inside the entrance and looked briefly around the eatery, slightly raising his black Wayfarer sunglasses in order to see better. When he spotted her, he propped the glasses atop his head. She felt a smile curve her lips as he walked towards the counter. He moved with a strange sort of feline grace. While he was tall, he was very lean. Thinner than Ken and not as broad, she caught herself thinking, then quickly tried to banish Gatchaman to the recesses of her mind when she realized she was comparing the two. And oh, dear She could smell his cologne from here too. Whatever he was wearing, it smelled absolutely divine. Something green and fresh, with a hint of citrus. "Hi there," Jun offered as he approached. "What can you get me....I mean, what may I get for you today?" She blushed, her face burning a fiery red, and he laughed low in his throat. It was a warm sound, that trickled its way over her, like she imagined honey would. "Well," he began as he slid onto one of the stools at the bar and shrugged out of his brown leather coat and draping it across the seat next to him. "What do you suggest? What's popular? I haven't eaten all day and I'm starving. How about something hot? " And with that, Jun's smile slid off her face like an egg sliding off a greased skillet. Oh dammit. Food. He wanted HOT FOOD. Something actually cooked. Or fried or baked from the oven. Where was Jinpei? She needed someone here that could actually cook! Think Jun, think! She let out an embarrassed little laugh, voice cracking slightly. "Err...our cook had an emergency this afternoon, and our oven decided to go on the fritz, so I'm afraid most of what we have on hand isn't anything complicated." she leaned an elbow on the counter. " I could make you a killer sandwich though. The works." She made a sweeping gesture with her other hand. "And we always have hot coffee on hand, or beer if that's your thing." He opened his mouth to reply, when she smacked the counter lightly with her palm, her face alight. "Oh and desserts! We had some wonderful chocolate cake delivered earlier this morning from the best bakery in town. My treat, for not having anything hot available." The stranger laughed, a dimple appearing in his left cheek. "How could I turn down free chocolate cake?" "Alight, deal. I'll a take one of your killer sandwiches....umm......I'm sorry but you didn't tell me your name..." A large grin split her face, green eyes sparkling. "Jun. My name's Jun." "Glad to meet you Jun. I'm Kevin." He stuck out his hand ,and they shook hands warmly. His hand was soft, not calloused and scarred. Was it her imagination, or did he hold on, just a fraction of second more than he had to? ***** Jun watched Kevin from under her lashes as she split the French bread lengthwise. This certainly was not what she expected this afternoon. It was a rather.....pleasant surprise. He casually flipped through the magazine she had discarded earlier, and sipped at the full mug of coffee she left for him before she went into the kitchen. She began to hum and opened the fridge to see what they had available for sandwiches. Thank goodness they did have some cold-cuts. Roast beef, two kinds of cheese, spicy chicken. She grabbed everything plus an onion, lettuce and tomato and began slicing. The situation was so full of clichés. One lonely woman, plus one mysterious stranger, not to mention a handsome one at that. And a bar. But the opportunity seemed like a gift from the gods. Just at a time when her "singleness" hung around her neck like a proverbial albatross. Maybe--just this once, her luck was turning. Maybe, for once, the gods were smiling upon her. One look at him, relaxing at the counter--sitting in the very SAME seat that Ken usually occupied, all common sense flew out the window. Ken? Ken who? Jun grinned to herself, as she began to carefully slice the tomato into thin pieces. She haphazardly piled the sandwich fixings together onto the bread and added some pickles alongside it. Then wrestled open the box from the bakery that was delivered earlier, lifting out a piece of gooey pre-sliced chocolate cake, depositing it onto a plate. "So, what brings you to town?" she asked Kevin, as she walked the food out to the counter. " I don't believe I've seen you around here before and I know all the locals." God what a lie Junie! She thought to herself. "That looks great, Jun." he picked up the sandwich with both hands, and paused a minute to take a bite before continuing. "My car." he said around a mouthful of roast beef. "It broke down a few blocks from here." "Oh no! What's wrong with it?" Kevin shook his head, shiny hair bouncing. "No idea. I don't know anything about them." "Really?" It was so strange to hear a guy say he knew nothing about cars--she was so used to Joe yammering on about gas mileage, and timing belts and such. "Nope, I'm definitely not mechanically inclined. It's at the garage over on 3rd street, I think it is? Said it would take a few hours, they told me there were a few coffee shops down on the main drag and I came across you, so here I am..." "3rd street? I hear they're good." Honestly, Jun had no idea if they were good or did shoddy work, and she really didn't care as long as he kept talking. "So Kevin, you're not mechanically inclined. What do you do for a living?" "I'm an actor." "Really?" Oh brilliant! Come on Junie! Think of something else to say! "That's unusual. What kind of acting?" "Oh nothing much.", he waved a hand in the air. "I do a lot of theatre work, some local stuff. That kind of thing." "Waiting for your big break huh?" she teased. "Aren't' we all?" he joked, glancing up at her. Jun noticed his eyes were a lovely shade of hazel. Almost like the coffee in the cup, that he lifted to his lips. "Tell me Jun," Kevin asked breaking into the chocolate cake with his fork. "What passes for fun around here?" "Well, right now every Saturday night we have live music starting at 9pm until 12, then until closing it's all jukebox. During the week, we have a photography club that likes to use a few booths for their weekly meetings. And I was thinking of renovating a corner of the Snack to house some bookcases and maybe have poetry readings or something on Wednesday evenings." "Sounds like you've got some good ideas." "I'm always trying to think of a way to draw more business. Keep things new. I'm not always successful at it though." "Maybe you can help me with something." Kevin asked as she refilled his coffee cup. "Me?" "Yes, you." He paused, briefly licking his lips. "You see I have a decision to make" "Oh?" She frowned. "I normally don't do this, but.....yeah. I'm having trouble deciding whether or not to ask a pretty girl out." Jun stared at him blankly. "I'm new in town," he continued, sparkle in his eyes."And I need someone to show me around a bit. So, what do you say, Jun? Care to spend an evening with a stranger?"

Some enchanted evening, you might see a stranger... Sorry. I didn't mean to start singing South Pacific tunes.

Originally posted by ElectricWhite Some enchanted evening, you might see a stranger... Sorry. I didn't mean to start singing South Pacific tunes.

Is that song from South Pacific? I had no idea! LOL

I think you did the romance quite well. This is sweet. Why am I imagining Ken finding out that he can no longer have his usual seat because it's been given to another guy? LOL

It read well, I had a laugh at some of Jun's girly responses to the handsome stranger walking in her door. I loved the ideas she came up with. "I'm thinking of turning the corner of the J into a book corner...poetry on Wednesday nights..." I wanna see the teams faces when she invites them for a poetry reading... Kevin... Oh Kevin... *grins.* Ken might surprise her since he's a person who loves reading a lot.

Thanks, gals. I'll be the first to admit, for me personally, Jun is not the easiest nor my favorite to write, but oddly enough I had fun with this one. Ebony: Yeah, their faces would be hysterical, no? Jinpei would insist they keep comic books mixed in for the kids and would magically disappear when time for the reading came; Joe, if he showed might offer a dirty limerick that would get him kicked out (a brilliant plan! LOL), I could see Ryu maybe sticking around for a bit to be polite then slipping out. As for Ken, I'm not sure...*thinks* But, yes I can totally see where Ken might enjoy having a book corner (Of course these reactions will now have to be worked into the story you know!)

Hi Redbirds- I have soooo much catching up to do, but I just read the latest installment. Love it! Ken had better watch out with the new guy around! Am I right to be a little suspicious of Kevin, though? 😉

Originally posted by Springie Hi Redbirds- I have soooo much catching up to do, but I just read the latest installment. Love it! Ken had better watch out with the new guy around! Am I right to be a little suspicious of Kevin, though? 😉

Well not necessarily Springie, the story is still unfolding and I have an idea of where things might be headed. Whether or not my characters LET it go that way is another thing! LOL

Then it must just be my Jun x Ken bias ... 😉Great writing!

Usual disclaimers apply here: not BETA'd, horrible grammar etc, follows. I think this chapter marks the end of the BJ Prompts for 2016. Will have to see if I can carry this over into the 2017 ones! *************************************************** By the time Joe made it to the Snack it was dark. Jinpei had been pinging him since late that afternoon, "reminding" him he was supposed to show at the snack that night. At one point, he stopped responding. But something in the kids' voice told him something wasn't right, and when asked what was going on, Jinpei said nothing, only told him to get down there soon. Hands shoved into his coat pockets and head hunkered down against the rain that started to fall, he walked past the parking lot down the block from the Snack, noting Ken's bike was there. Joe raised mental eyebrows at the sight of it. Well, well. Flyboy finally decided to show after all. Wonder what brought him out. Wait..... Who was he kidding? It was obvious--Ken must've run out of food and was looking to mooch something off Jun again. The boy was lucky she didn't just permanently ban him from the place. From what he understood, Ken had finally gotten paid for a few of his deliveries and had put some money towards his ginormous tab. If Joe were Jun, he wouldn't give Ken as much as a cheese sandwich, but Jun was a sucker for Ken's sob story, not to mention his huge blue eyes. Sheesh! She was so sentimental! Women......he snorted as he pushed open the door to the Snack. Laughter erupted out from inside, as he opened it. The smell of food and cologne wafted out in a wave. The place was packed to the gills. He hadn't seen a crowd like this in a long time, granted Jun constantly needed to close due to Galactor attacks. Yet....something was off. Immediately, Joe felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, skin prickled gooseflesh, even though the eatery was overly warm. He stopped just inside the door, unzipping his jacket, trying to see around the hordes of patrons coming and going. Just then, the crowd shifted and he saw Jun sitting at the bar, her back to him. She was laughing, her head thrown back, dark hair trailing over her shoulders. He pushed his way past a older man twice as large as Ryu. Joe didn't make it far. The jukebox changed songs, and people rose from their tables and headed for the dance floor, ready to dance the night away. But in the crush he saw Jinpei bussing a table, clearing plates into a plastic tub so he could take the dirty items to the kitchen for washing. As he finished he looked up and spied Joe. Something was definitely wrong, he thought as the kid caught his eye. The look of subtle terror that had been stamped on Jinpei's face melting into one of relief, as they locked gazes. Joe frowned at him, giving him a questioning look. But the kids' body language deflated, as if all life had been drained from him and he turned away to clear another table. From the strange vibe he was getting from the place, it seemed the apocalypse was coming down. Joe half expected to see the holy angels descend from the heavens, blowing their trumpets heralding the end of the world and the sky to open up and rain blood. Determined to find out just what the hell was going on, Joe began shoving people aside in earnest to reach the bar. He didn't even give the illusion of being polite about it, just began grabbing shoulders and pushing past patrons, male or female. And then he saw.... That Jun was sitting at the bar with some guy. Wait a minute... A guy? Joe did a double take. He was sure his mouth was probably half hanging open. This guy was in Ken's seat. What was he doing sitting in Ken's seat? For that matter, where wasKen? He watched as Jun rose from her seat, clasping the hand of the man she had been talking with. When he got a look at his face, even Joe had to admit the guy was good looking. She began swinging their clasped hands together and leaned in close to whisper something in his ear. Whatever she asked him was met with a grin and a nod. Jun then shot him a coy look from under her lashes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Well lookit that. Junie was working it. Good for her, Joe thought. They briefly caught each other's eye and he saw the corner of her mouth tip up towards him before she turned away, leading her friend towards the dance floor. A chuckle worked its way from his throat as Joe walked behind the bar and grabbed himself a beer. Perks of knowing the owner. He popped the top off and leaned back against the bar, elbow resting on the edge. At least someone was getting lucky. If it wasn't him, it might as well be Jun. God only knew it wasn't going to be any of the rest of them. To be honest, wasn't quite so sure about Ken sometimes, though. Joe thought he might be getting some kind of action on the side but he never hinted at it. God forbid Gatchaman ever admit to having the same base biological urges as the rest of humanity. Nambu might have a conniption if he found out it were true. That alone just might make it worth it. But Joe remembered he himself had sworn off women, at least for the time being. He had other more important things on his mind. Like winning the autumn racing series. And grinding Galactor into a paste. He casually sipped at his beer, sword sharp eyes roaming the crowd. Dizzying multicolored lights bounced off the walls, while some kind of techno beat thumped through the floor. He could feel the pulsing notes in his bones as the crowd gyrated. A slight movement, a shadow really, by his elbow caught his attention and he turned to see Jinpei standing next to him, frantically brushing at his shirt with his hands, and grumbling to himself. Upon closer inspection, the kid was covered in glitter from head to toe. Little pink and blue bits dotted his hair and his face. He looked like he'd been attacked be a deranged fairy or something. "What the hell happened to you?" Joe sputtered, choking out a laugh, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "FINE. GO ahead and laugh.... " Jinpei groused. crossing skinny arms over his chest, causing more sparkles to fall off his shirt and onto the floor. "Forget it! I'm not gonna to tell you. I don't expect you to understand...." "You should be more careful Jinpei." came a voice from behind them. Ken. "Glitter is made of glass--make sure you don't' get any of that in your eye or the patron's food." Joe glanced over his shoulder to see Ken standing just inside the kitchen like a guardian with the keys to the Kingdom, watching the Snack like a hawk. "Yeah kiddo, why don't you go take a shower and wash that crap off." Joe suggested poking him in the arm. "I can't." "Why not?" "I'm keeping an eye on Jun." Jinpei said, thrusting his chin out stubbornly. "And Kevin..." Joe rolled his eyes. "Jinpei, Jun can take care of herself." The youngest opened his mouth to retort but was cut short by their commander. "Jinpei, go wash all that off. And hurry up, you have work to do, right?" A brief look for hurt flashed across Jinpei's face before mumbling something about being tired of being the youngest, before trudging off into the kitchen towards the stairs that lead to the apartment above the Snack, and leaving flakes of glitter in his wake. "Did you have some kind of disagreement with the squirt earlier?" "No." "So, where were you? At a prior engagement?" "Upstairs." He looked at Joe like it were obvious and he should know this without having to ask. Without waiting for a snarky answer, or a snarky question, Ken gestured for Joe to follow him as he made his way over to a booth in the far corner that had just been vacated. Dirty plates and bowls had been left behind and he pushed them to the side. Joe slid into the booth, across from him, beer in hand. The two of them sat there for a few moments; watching the dancers, watching who came and went. Strike that. Ken was watching who came and went. Joe was watching Ken observe everyone else. Something was definitely up. Ken's visage wasn't just frosty, it was arctic. "What's eating you?" Joe asked, eyes searching Ken's face. Ken gave him the patented "Eagle" look. "Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" Joe scoffed. "It's after noon right?" His only response was an eye roll. "So," he paused. "What gives?" Ken just grunted a very un-Ken-like grunt. "Come on, spill it Washio. What gives?" "That guy... I've seen him before somewhere. I'm almost sure of it Joe." "Who? Lothario over there? "he gestured towards the dance floor with his beer, where Jun and Kevin were doing the bump and grind across the dance floor. Kevin slid his hands into the back pockets of Jun's jeans as they danced. "You're kidding me right?" Ken shook his head. "Him? You're pulling my leg." Joe paused a minute toying with his beer bottle. "Are you sure you're just not jealous?" Dark eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Jealous? Of what? " "That someone's giving Jun attention? Seeking sanctuary in her arms...." "Jun can do whatever she wants to Joe. And I'm not interested in her like that." Joe sighed. "Ok boss-man." He downed the last of the beer. "So where do you think you've seen this guy before?" "I can't put my finger on it...." "Maybe he's been here before?" "No. Jun wouldn't be so taken with him...." Joe's eyes danced. "Ah... see you are jealous." "Joe. Please." There was that no-nonsense tone and look again. Jesus! Did he practice in front of a mirror on his off time? "Fine, fine." he flapped a hand towards his commander. "Ok, so he has

Ah, the plot thickens!

Ken suspicious nature is spot on! His denial too. I loved sparkling swallow too funny. I'm not worried about grammar.( It has its place but its not my area to critique anyway.) I read it for the story. Im enjoying it. Keep going.

Poor Kevin if he's innocent. He's gonna have to deal with 3 large brothers and a small but even snarkier and devious younger one.

Next chapter is ready. I'm surprised at how quickly this one was done. My usual disclaimers apply here (not BETA'D etc, etc). Hope you enjoy.... **************************************** The following Friday evening: Ryu walked into the Snack, the bell on the back of the door jingling just like it did every other time he walked over the threshold. But what was different about this time he walked into his normal hangout, was the owner. Right away, he could tell there had been a change in her. While she wasn't a wallflower nor unfriendly, he noticed a new spring in her step as she walked about the Snack, taking orders from her patrons, joking and talking to the regulars. The only phrase he could think of that captured his thoughts was "light of heart". Jun raised a hand in greeting to him, as she spied him by the door, and gestured that he should take the booth in the far corner. He nodded to her with a smile, shoved his keys into his pocket, walking over to the aforementioned booth. "Be there in a jiff!" she called out from the kitchen. Ryu took a seat and noticed Jinpei was furiously working in the kitchen, trying to catch up with orders. His skinny arms fairly flew as he furiously stirred a pot, flipped an egg and threw something in the microwave. Ryu blinked when he suddenly slung a few plates of food onto the pick-up counter for Jun to bring out to customers. When she put another order on the carousel he could hear the poor kid grumble in protest. Biting back a quiet chuckle, he looked around the Snack. It was pretty busy. There were 3 families with kids occupying the other tables, as well as a handful of people going out on early dates as well as one or two patrons dining alone. He was sure after the indie movie theatre let out a few blocks away, it would fill up quickly. Jun's place had become the "go-to" eatery for early movie goers after the diner across the street from the theatre burnt down. And no one seemed to like the coffee house a block away for some reason. "Ok sailor," Jun cheerfully quipped from just beside his elbow. "What'll it be?" Without waiting for an answer she immediately began to rattle off choices: "Spaghetti with meatballs? Miso soup and fishcakes? Or maybe a giant hero...? She thoughtfully bit the end of her pencil, then raised it, pointing it skyward in inspiration. "Oh I know......" "Jun?" "We had some special..." "Junie?" Ryu interrupted gently. She stopped, staring at him. "What? What's wrong?" "Just a burger this time around." A confused look came over her features and she blushed. "Oh....I'm sorry Ryu." she apologized with a little laugh. "Don't be sorry Jun. It's nice to see you in a good mood." She shook her head to clear it, writing down his order. "Do you want fries or onion rings?" "Fries please." "Extra pickles, no onion right?" He smiled. "You've got a good memory Jun." "Comes with the job, you know that Ryu." He nodded. Yeah, he knew. Between running a bar and being a Science Ninja you definitely needed a good memory. "I'll be back in a few with your drink. Beer?" "Soda's fine thanks." "You got it." He watched as she bustled away, calling out a hello to the young couple that walked into the Snack. Jun guided them to a table, clearing away the empty glasses before having them take a seat. In all the years he had known her, he had never seen Jun this way. It was a little weird. Nice, but weird. He wondered what the other guys would think about her newfound attitude. Jun was never shy, but the whole thing involving Kevin seemed to change her world. For the better too, it seemed. "That was fast." he said in surprise as Jun returned, sliding a plate right under his nose. She set down the soda and a straw next to it. He noticed she put down an extra one for herself and she slid into the booth across from him. "Jinpei had one already made. A customer changed his order at the last minute and he was keeping it warm in the oven. He only made it a few minutes before you walked in." she assured him. "Ah, my good fortune then right?" She watched as he put pepper on his burger and ketchup on his fries, while sipping her soda. "So......" he began. "What's got you in such a good mood? I take it things are going well in the ......umm....personal department?" Jun rested her chin on her hand. "I went to the movies and to dinner with Kevin the other night. And he paid! He actually came and picked me up here, while you and the guys were playing poker. "A smile danced around her mouth. "We had a great time." "You're going out with him again soon?" Jun shrugged. "Probably. He wanted to see me again this weekend, but I told him I couldn't." "Why? I thought you liked him a lot Jun?" Oh, I do Ryu. it's just that...." "Just what?" he asked, reaching for the ketchup again and adding more of it to his fries. She twirled a lock of long dark hair around an index finger. "Well, I already have plans tomorrow night." "Oh yeah? Doing what? Mopping the floor in here?" he joked. "No..... I have a date with someone else." The ketchup splooshed out all over the table with a wet glopping sound, while Ryu looked up at her, surprise written all over his face. She giggled and pulled out a bunch of paper napkins from the metal napkin dispenser, wiping up the mess before wadding them together and setting them aside. "Someone else? " he stammered, brown eyes wide. "Who?" She grabbed one of his fries, nibbling on it and leaned back in her seat, grinning. "His name is Gio. " "Gio?" "That's right." Ryu blinked at her for a moment and shook his head. "Wow, Jun......" "What? I'm not allowed to go out?" "That's not what I mean.....it's just that...." He could feel Jun glaring at him, as he tried to find the right words. "It's just not like you. Kevin is one thing, but ....some other guy too?" "And what's wrong with that?" she snapped. "I'm tired of staying here while everyone else goes out and has fun. I want a life too you know!" Ryu flinched inwardly at her unexpected outburst. He certainly didn't fault her for wanting to date and have a personal life. On the contrary, he knew exactly how she felt. Sometimes, he did feel bad for her, not because she couldn't get dates or anything, but because Jun was a girl. Not that it was bad she was a girl, but it seemed that Nambu came down on her harder in regard to her personal life, then he did with the rest of them. From what he gathered, Ken might have dated on and off, but he never really spoke about anyone in particular. Joe on the other hand, always seemed to have a date or someone to go out with, though lately even he had been fairly quiet about any off time escapades. Hakase had long given up about trying to lecture him about his personal life, having thrown in the towel years ago. Joe was pretty much just on the receiving end of stern looks, when it came to that. He gave her a lopsided smile. "I'm sorry Jun.....I guess I put my foot in my mouth again, huh?" Ryu sighed. He was no good at this stuff. He wrapped his hands around his burger and took a large bite out of it, the juices running down his chin. "So what's the deal with this other guy? Now you have TWO boyfriends?" "He's not my boyfriend. I met him at the bookstore. We got to talking and he asked me out. There's no way, I'm passing up this opportunity!" "Are you feeling ok Jun? Not feeling dizzy or anything?" Ryu asked frowning slightly, brows drawn together as he wiped his chin with the back of his hand. "NO." she retorted emphatically. "I really wish all of you would stop hovering around me and asking me all these silly questions. Jinpei's been doing it all week. And answer me this: Just WHY are you asking me these questions?" Ryu gaped at her, mouth open. "Well, you know why Junie. And I don't mean anything bad by it. But we all know how you feel about Ken and ...." She slapped a hand down on the table. "What about Ken? My God, I'm so tired of having all of you ask me about him. What is it? Poor Jun can't find anyone other than Ken to moon over? Is that it?" "Naw, that's not it at all..." "Then what is it?" Ryu grinned sheepishly. "We all just want you to be happy. You're too intelligent to be hung up on Ken, and if this guy ....ummm..." "Gio." "Err, right. Gio." Ryu mentally rolled his eyes. "If ya think he'll make you happy, then go for it." "I totally plan on it.". "Have you told Hakase about him at all? Or about Kevin?" Jun shifted uncomfortably in the booth, averting her eyes. "Not yet." "Afraid to bring it up huh?" She toyed with the straw in her glass. "Not afraid. Just not looking forward to it." "Well you're gonna have to do it. You know that right?" "Yeah, I know." "Oh and one more thing." "What's that?" "You have to make me a promise, Jun." She canted her head at him quizzically. "If you want your relationship to last with either of these guys....." his voice trailed off. "Yes.....?" "Don't cook for them Jun." She threw a french fry at him. (Continued in next post immediately following)

(Continued from prior post from today--read that first!) Later that night.................... "Gio....?" Joe drawled feeling his beer catching up with him. "What the hell kind of name is that? Isn't that the name of a crappy car or something?" Ryu snorted and started to say something, but thought the better of it. "Maybe we should take the guy out somewhere?" he suggested. "Oh for what, some kind of weird male initiation thing? No way!" Jun told him, shaking a finger in his face and taking away their empty glasses.. "You guys leave him alone. All of you!" "We're just trying to make him feel welcome Junie." He cast a sidelong glance at Joe, who was clearly not in a good mood and was certainly not rolling out the welcome wagon for anyone. "Oh ho!" she exclaimed walking back into the kitchen and dumping more dishes in the sink for Jinepi to wash later on. "More like 'we wanna check him out'. I know how you guys operate." "Aw, come on sis! It might be fun." "No way Jinpei and that's the end of the conversation..." "Jesus Christ"." Joe muttered, rubbing his forehead and wincing. "You guys are ....I'm outta here...." "Joe-aniki are you ok to drive?" the kid called out from behind the bar as he washed glasses with a rag. Joe half waved a hand in Jinpei's direction and shrugged slowly into his jacket. "Come on Joe you're drunk as a skunk. Lemme give you a lift home...." Ryu offered, pulling his keys from his pocket. "I'm FINE." Joe sighed spreading his arms out wide and letting them drop to his sides. "Really. I'm OK." "Joe..." "Ryu..." Joe began , shooting him a dark look beneath his brows. Ryu sighed. He knew that look. It was Joe's "don't push me any further" look. Even though his eyes were bloodshot it got the message across. "Alright, alright..." Ryu threw his hands up in supplication. "Don't ever say we never gave you a choice he murmured under his breath as he watched Joe wave a brief good-bye and disappear out the door and into the night. It was a beautiful night. Clear and crisp. Joe decided to take the long way home. He was out on the highway, windows rolled down to wake him up on a bit. He blinked and yawned. Maybe he did have a bit too much to drink. Ah well, no help for it now... Luckily the highway was pretty much deserted at that hour; all respectable citizens being safely tucked into bed already. It was what? Maybe three in the morning? He wasn't sure. Joe eased up on the gas a little as he came upon a barely lit stretch of highway. Due to budget constraints, the city was scaling back its repair and replacement programs. Slowly, a single headlight appeared in his rearview mirror. He frowned. It was moving pretty fast. A motorcycle. Damn he thought as it began to pull up next to him, drawing close to the rear bumper. They were in a big hurry..... Gradually, it started to pull even with the driver's side window. He gave it a quick glance. The rider was slight, and clad in all black. A strange feeling began to gather in the pit of his stomach. Somewhere ....he'd seen that bike somewhere before right? All thoughts of the motorcycle was wiped from his mind as suddenly, he was blinded as another car came barreling up behind him, its headlights flooding his car cabin. It was as bright as a spotlight..... "What the fuck!" he exclaimed, squinting in the rear view mirror. "Asshole!" How the hell did it get the jump on him? He didn't even see where the damn thing had come from and it was way too close and way too bright to see what kind of car it was. Joe heard its engine gun as it veered out from behind the G2 and into the lane next to him; the one that the motorcycle occupying. He watched as the car, this time noting it was all black with tinted black windows, roared up behind the bike almost touching the rear tire. It was a model he hadn't seen before and it bore no badges that he could see. That alone didn't sit well with him. What the hell was going on....? He saw the rider look over their shoulder, the bike swerving as they did so. The rider gave the bike more throttle, fluidly pulling away from the car. The mysterious car followed, hot on their heels, dogging the rider. Holy shit, it was going to run them off the road. How fucking fast were they going? He glanced down at his instrument panel, he was doing almost 90 and they were pulling away from him. The bike suddenly hit the brakes hard, dropping back, and the unknown car streaked by them. Joe gunned the G2, engine roaring like a beast released from the depths of hell, tires chewing up the asphalt, as it barreled down the highway. Seeing his approach, the mysterious black car tried to swerve into him, as he made to pass him. Joe would draw back, the car would slow down as well. He tried to speed up, the other car nosed in front of him. So you wanna play chicken, huh? During their "game", the bike managed to get around and ahead of them. Slipping past, riding the breakdown lane and rapidly disappearing around the next turn. Joe was neck and neck with the car, as they paced each other around the curve. The lane lines on tarmac blurred into a solid line, and Joe noticed a mile marker as they whizzed past. The black car rammed the G2. Joe cursed as he heard metal scraping metal along his front quarter panel. It then flew past him, towards the bike. He heard a screech of tires on asphalt, and saw the bike go flying off the side of the road into the darkness. Joe shot past the motorcycle and watched as the car's red taillights winked out down the highway ahead of him. Chancing a look at his rearview mirror, he downshifted the G2, thinking to turn around to see if the rider was injured. They had to have been toast... there was just no way someone could survive a wreck like that. Just then he was immediately blinded by headlights as the black car screamed across the road towards him from the other direction, having turned around and come back for more. His reaction time dulled, it cut him off and sent him over the breakdown lane and to the side of the road. Joe lost control of the G2 and slammed nose first, into a tree. When Joe opened his eyes, his car was pulled off at a rest stop on the highway. He groaned low in his throat as an air horn blared in the distance. How did he wind up here? Wincing, he raised a tentative hand to his head. It felt like someone had hit it multiple times with a bat. He reached out, tilting his rearview mirror down. There were no bruises or cuts on his face that he could see. Stomach churning, he slowly opened the car door and got out. Shielding his eyes against the bright sunshine, he leaned in and nabbed his sunglasses from the back of the visor and slid them on. How long had he been out? Muscles shrieking in protesting, he stretched and paused. The G2. There was nothing wrong with it. No dents. No quarter panel damage. He touched the hood lightly, fingers tracing the metal, frowning to himself. What the fuck happened? Mind whirling a mile a minute, he walked around the car, carefully inspecting it and found no damage on it at all. Mouth set in a grim line, he got back into the G2 and started it up. The engine caught immediately, purring like the well oiled machine it was. Palming the steering wheel, Joe pulled out of the rest stop and back onto the highway, back towards the way he originally came the night before. There had to be something.....wreckage from the motorcycle, smouldering ruins. Something...... Remembering the mile marker from the night before, Joe approximated where the bike had left the highway. He pulled the G2 over to the side of the road, in the breakdown lane. He closed the door and looked out over the road, hands on his hips. A cool breeze ruffled his hair, a bead of cold sweat trickled down his skin between his shoulder blades. The only thing he saw was dying grass as far as the eye could see. A determined look formed on his features, and he strode with purpose across the grass, eyes downcast searching the ground for clues. But there were no tire marks in the grass, or scorched earth. Not even the scent of gasoline, which would indicate a wreck, and even more so, no bike parts scattered across the ground. Not liking what everything was pointing to, he walked back towards the car. This should be about the spot where he was forced off the road. There was the tree. He crossed the highway, boots crunching the dirt and gravel. Carefully, he picked his way down into the ditch. There were no skid marks on the tarmac. No gouges dug into the soft soil from spinning tires trying to find purchase. The worst part was the tree itself. With the force he remembered hitting the tree, he expected to see total devastation However, tree was intact. The gnarled bark was unbroken. There were no fallen limbs, no splintered wood littering the ground. Nothing. NO signs of a crash. Was it some kind of freak accident? No, it couldn't be. Nothing involving him was ever an accident. A mysterious car runs him off the highway and into a crevasse? Nofucking way that was an accident......

LOL on the "don't cook for them." And ooooh, poor Joe, what an unnerving mystery!

Jun is playing the field. go Jun about she stepped out and lived a little. She could stock up on restaurant freezer meals. Wondering what Ken's going to think of Gio. Can he keep up with her dating life...wonder if she has a bodyguard shadowing her... lol Oh... and mystery!! Joe's crash and missing culprits.

This was posted over on MsAnns' site but not here, so just updating: ******************************************* Back at the ISO Building Utoland City; Meeting joined in progress.. "According to our hypothesis....." Nambu Hakaske began, flipping through his notes and activating the large viewscreen at the front of the conference room. "I don't want to hear your "hypothesis". I want facts . What happened out there recently was inexcusable. Do you understand me?" The doctor froze, his eyes meeting those of the program director. "Don't give me those clichés, doctor. I'm wondering if this team is worth all the time and money we've invested in them. Sure they were good....in the past. " There was no sound in the room save for a pencil tip-tapping against the table. "I think they're slipping. Weak. " "Yes," chimed in Dr. Aliza Simmons, folding her hands neatly together. "I agree. Yesterday's news perhaps." Doctor Mauritano, cleared his throat. "I hate to say it but, quite frankly I think this team is becoming an Albatross around the neck of the ISO." Kozaburo fixed each of his long time colleagues with a harsh stare. "You do know Director Anderson, that 3 out of the last 4 years, funding to the team has been slashed by over 40%? I can't run a elite covert team on a shoestring budget. " "Desperate times call for desperate measures doctor. If you can't make it now, how will all the money in the world help you? You have to make do with what you have. If they can't cut it....." A fist slammed onto a table, ratting glasses of water sitting atop it. "You know perfectly well Director. Money buys technology. The warplane needs upgrading, badly. The training facilities haven't been updated in over 2 years, we have equipment that's falling to pieces. .." "But it's not only about the money." Dr. Simmons cut in. "What about its team members? Especially the second in command, The Condor? " A low murmur circulated through the room. "Indeed," the Director intoned. "Our...investors are rattling chains and raising questions. Good ones. Is this someone that should be kept on such a team? It seems every other mission, the Condor is the subject of insubordination. Why is this man still a part of the roster?" At that moment, Hideki Sanyo, one of the ISO psychiatrists assigned to the group decided to speak up. "Director Anderson, may I remind you that you had final approval of the Science Ninja members years ago, not to mention that you're the one who annually reviews their profiles and approves of their continuance within the organization." The man in question cleared his throat, leaning his considerable bulk back in his chair. "Yes, that's true--but tell me Sanyo, didn't you, yourself, raise some concerns about the Condor as well, during our last review some months ago?" Sanyo held his ground. "Yes, I did express some concerns regarding the Condor--" More murmurs broke out across the table. "However," the psychiatrist firmly continued. "I felt that team cohesion was important, and replacing him with another would be detrimental to the group as a whole." "I agree." Nambu added. "The team has been together since they were children. Raised together, trained together since day one. The bonds forged between all of them are as such they cannot be easily severed, and bringing in someone new....." "Nonsense!" Dr. Simmons snapped. "The Gatchaman team ultimately act as one. One team member should be as easily replaced as another. To say anything otherwise, just proves that the team is ill prepared and inflexible. That will ultimately be their downfall, and in light of the events of late, it very well might be Earth's as well!" "It's not just the Condor, Kozaburo."Anderson stated, meeting his eyes. "What about the Eagle? What of the destruction to Utoland City? Not to mention him permitting the Condor to storm out of an important training session? What kind of control does he have over his team, let alone over his mission assignments? What exactly happens on the bridge of the God Phoenix? " Nambu Hakase rose from his chair, hands fisted on the table. "I cannot believe what I'm hearing! Are you stating that the Eagle is an unfit leader?" "What I'm saying is that I think perhaps we're putting all our eggs in one basket. And that quite possibly, the team needs more monitoring on as well as off the field." Anderson reached for a sheaf of his papers, pulling out a few pages. "For example. The Swan. G3. It states here she operates an eating establishment in her off time." "Yes that's correct." "Why?" He tossed the papers back down on the table. "I'm thinking this team is way too occupied with things other than their jobs at hand. And it's been showing in their work." "To be fair," Sanyo told him. "The team members' time off activities and civilian cover jobs were approved well before this point in time. It's important they try and retain some sense of normalcy in their lives, and be part of the society they protect. It helps them relate to the populace--they're humans, not machines." "What exactly are you saying?" Nambu questioned in a thin voice, trembling with barely veiled anger. "I believe it's time we looked into replacement members or alternates. Ones that can fit into the team when needed." "The Science Ninja Team isn't a puzzle to have pieces shoe-horned into place, Director!" Anderson assessed him coolly. "Who's saying pieces are going to be shoe-horned?" "Meaning?" "Meaning, the ISO has had its eye on suitable candidates that might factor into his equation nicely." Kozaburo gripped the edge of the table, face paling slightly. "You've already done it, haven't you? There's not to be any more discussion because you've found replacements---without consulting myself or the rest of our colleagues--ones who aren't in attendance today." "I decline to comment any more at this time, though I do think some of us agree on the matter." Director Anderson mused. "Aliza, we already know your thoughts. Alberto?" A frown marred Mauritano's face. "I think it prudent we keep all avenues open as a precaution." He paused. "Perhaps we start small. With the Condor..." "Doctor Mauritano. Who was it that risked his life to save YOUR records? The ones pertaining to the new biological weapon we were planning on using against Galactor? From the computer files that YOU lost, through no one's fault but your own. That you YOURSELF were investigated for..." "And cleared of any wrong doing...." he interrupted with an arched brow. "I don't appreciate your implications. Get to the point Doctor." "My point is that the Condor, and each and every one of the Gatchaman team have risked their lives for you, and for every person on the planet. The sacrifice they've made...they deserve to at least....." "Deserve?" Director Anderson chuckled. "No one deserves anything, let alone a team that seems to be more of a liability than an asset lately." He glanced at the clock on the wall and rose from his chair. "This meeting is finished. I've a meeting with GeniCon Biologics this afternoon. Kozaburo, we'll keep you apprised of the situation accordingly."

Ouch! *bites nails*

All hands on deck... lucky for them Ken and Joe were NOT in the room. A few lives saved in those minutes.

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne All hands on deck... lucky for them Ken and Joe were NOT in the room. A few lives saved in those minutes.

LOL Ebony, true!