September 19, 2016, 9:25 AM
The Westwood Apartments
San Antonio, TX, USA
Benjamin sighed as he puttered about in the maintenance shed that held the swimming pool filtration and heating equipment. He was performing the daily chemical test so he could forecast how much of what chemicals the pool needed for its regular maintenance.
It wasn’t an unhappy sigh. Far from it. It was one of contentment. Ben had a regular routine now, and he was quite happy about that. The dark clouds wouldn’t settle over his mind until he was in his bed.
Alone.
No, can’t think about that, he thought to himself vehemently. Things are good now. I have positive cashflow. My bills are settled. My credit score is improving. Things are gonna be fine. I can start looking for a date... later.
Just as he was finishing up the tests, though, a piercing scream cut through the morning air and Ben bolted out of the shed, listening for the source.
The laundromat.
Dashing across the parking lot, Ben was there in just under five seconds, poking his head in to see what was wrong.
Inside, he found Mihoshi, teary-eyed and blubbering. With her was Ayeka, her face ashen and her gaze vacant as she held up what look like a pair of panties...
...if a pair of panties had been attacked by voracious moths. And noxious chlorine fumes wafted out of the space.
“Ah crap,” said Ben.
“What happened?” asked a voice behind him. Ben turned around to find Noike looking deathly concerned.
“You asked Mihoshi to handle the laundry, didn’t you?”
“I did, why?”
“She washed all of your underwear. And with waaayyyyy too much bleach.”
Noike swallowed. “How... how bad?”
Ben shook his head. “I think it’s better to ask, how many clean changes of underwear do you ladies have left in your closets?”
Noike sighed. “Not enough for regular use.”
Ben nodded. “Right. Well, I was going to go pick up the van today. Might as well break it in by taking everyone shopping.”
##
It only took Ben about a half-hour to get to the dealership using the Clockwise Looper bus. From there, he signed off on the final paperwork, and then drove back to the apartment complex to pick up the girls. And then they were off to the Rivercenter Mall in the downtown area.
The Ford Transit XLT Passenger Wagon had been something that Ben had splurged on somewhat, citing the liquid asset savings brought on by Washu in upgrading and fitting out the apartment units. Lord Phantomhive grudgingly accepted the proposal, with the quid pro quo that any further vehicle purchases be on Ben’s own dime unless Ben could cite a valid need for such a thing.
Lord Phantomhive added that he had faith in Ben’s ability to keep things running smoothly, but at the same time he had better not mess up.
That said, the Transit van had a number of amenities, such as an onboard video entertainment system, lane-keeping warning system, fifteen passenger seating, powered running board, a complete roadside assistance and first aid kit, and the towing package with the five cylinder Power Stroke turbo diesel engine.
It was a bit cramped because Ben had opted for the low roof line, but this was mainly so that he could park it in San Antonio’s at-times claustrophobically small parking garages.
Though with everyone not being taller than Ben, there were no real issues in that department, and the ride was declared to be a smooth and comfortable one.
##
September 19, 2016, 11:15 AM
VIA Route 75
Buena Vista Street at Cattleman's Square
San Antonio, TX, USA
“FREQUENT. ROUTE. SEVENTY. FIVE. WEST. COMMERCE. FOR. DOWNTOWN.”
Kaname’s eyes fluttered as the mechanical voice echoed in her head. Why was the bus’s announcement system working in English? Suddenly, the features all began to register.
This was not one of the buses from her home.
Panic began to rise in her stomach and she forced it back down, because Kaname was a level-headed young lady and there was no way in hell she was about to make a scene and attract undue attention.
“Please remain calm,” said a familiar voice next to her that suddenly made the entire world seem safe once again.
“Sousuke!?” said Kaname, barely keeping it at more than a whisper. “What is going on? How long have I been out?”
“Twenty-two minutes from the time I regained consciousness myself. From what I can understand, we’re somehow in America. The City of San Antonio, Texas to be exact.”
“... How did this happen? Was it Amalgam? Was it... Leonard?”
“My brother had nothing to do with it.”
“Tessa!?” Kaname said in surprise. “You too!?”
“Indeed. And I can assure you, Kaname, this is very much real.”
“... So what do we do now?”
“I think it would be best if we pretended to be tourists,” said Teletha testarossa. “At the very least we’re not wearing our uniforms, so that won’t stand out. Though your hair may present an issue. The only person I’ve seen with your color of hair was an obvious dye job.”
“If anyone asks about it, we’ll just say that I’m that good.”
“That should work.”
“NOW. APPROACHING. FLORES... FLORES. STREET. PLEASE EXIT THROUGH THE REAR DOOR.”
“This seems a good place to get off,” said Sousuke. “Let’s go.”
Kaname and Teletha both nodded and the left through rear door, coming face to face with a small memorial. Kaname blinked as she found herself reading it.
“‘Dedicated to those that are still on patrol...’ What?”
“It’s a memorial for submariners,” said Teletha with reverence in her voice. “Whenever a submarine is lost, the custom dictates that they be forever regarded as being out on patrol, never to return home.”
“How... how sad...” said Kaname softly as she began reading the plaque in greater detail. It stung her nationalist pride somewhat to know that these people had all died fighting against her own country, but she had never been party to the “Hirohito Did Nothing Wrong” crowd.
But then, Kaname noticed something strange.
“Wait a minute.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Teletha.
“This is in English. And I’m reading it with no trouble. And right now, I’m speaking English like as if I spoke it my entire life.”
Teletha sucked in a breath. “How did I not notice!?”
"You're from Boston, right?" said Kaname. "You're already a native speaker, so it's only natural you wouldn't notice."
“We’ll worry about it later,” said Sousuke. “Across the street.” Sousuke pointed with his head to a plaza across the street. “There is a cathedral over there. It appears to be a popular tourist destination. There are also tables over there. We can probably get a better idea of how we stand if we sit down. There are also signs saying that there is a WiFi hotspot in the area. You can use your phone to gather information.”
Kaname nodded and soon they were seated at one of the metal mesh tables while Kaname made some queries online.
“Good news,” she said. “There’s a currency exchange in the shopping mall about a kilometer up the road from here. I’ve got about five-thousand Yen on me, so we should be able to get at least forty US Dollars. That will be better than nothing.”
“Understood. I have twenty-thousand myself.”
“Why do you have so much on you!?” said Teletha in shock.
“I never saw any reason why not. There is very little crime in your town, and I can deal with most pick-pockets with ease. Besides, cash transactions cannot be tracked. Let’s move on. I would also suggest we find some inexpensive food afterwards. We are going to need our energy but we’ll need to make our money last.”
“Fine by me,” said Kaname. “I was getting a bit hungry anyhow. Except just this once I want a good burger from a real restaurant.”
“Why is this important?” asked Sousuke.
Teletha giggled. “Sergeant, have you forgotten? Kaname lived in America for a few years with her father. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s been missing the taste of a good American hamburger.”
“You got that right,” replied Kaname. “The stuff they serve back home never compared to it.”
“Understood,” said Sousuke. “Let’s get moving. We’ll want to get there before the currency exchange closes.”
##
September 19, 2016, 10:10 AM
The Rivercenter Mall
San Antonio, TX, USA
“So, why did we come all the way downtown just for underwear?” asked Noike as they exited the elevators and entered the shopping mall proper.
“Mainly so that you ladies would have a good selection to choose from. We’re gonna go to the Victoria’s Secret store.”
“That place!?” exclaimed Ayeka. “But... those undergarments seem so... so...”
“Ayeka, it’s fine,” said Ben consolingly. “Look, I admit, they do have some pretty racy stuff in there. But they also have a lot of very attractive and perfectly normal undergarments in there of all sorts. Also, I have it on good authority that their undergarments are of excellent quality. So long as you let the ladies inside properly fit you, then you should be very comfortable with your purchases today.”
“How do you know such things?” asked Ayeka in surprise.
Ben shrugged. “I had a few girlfriends and one best friend that was very open with me. You tend to learn a few things that most men don’t.”
“Ah, I see. Ah, if I may ask, how open with you was this one friend?”
Ben chuckled. “Well, not quite THAT open if that’s what you’re thinking. She did tell me a lot about her past that she never told anyone. And she didn’t care if I caught a look at what her mother gave her.”
“Wha... really?”
Ben nodded sagely. “Let’s just say that she was a very well assembled woman.”
Noike chuckled at that. “It’s alright, Ayeka. Ben is... just a rather worldly sort.”
“My experiences have been rather interesting,” he agreed. “Okay, here it is. You ladies go ahead, shop to your heart’s content. When you’re ready, give me a call and I’ll handle the transaction. But you lot are on your own for carrying everything back to the van!” Benjamin winked at them, bringing about a few titters.
“What are you two going to be doing?” asked Washu.
“I’m gonna take Tenchi over to The Express and get him properly outfitted with a couple of suits and a few other outfits. Same for me for that matter. Now g’wan. Scoot!”
##
12:35 PM
Later, as Benjamin and Tenchi were making their way back to the Victoria’s Secret, Ben stopped as he saw something odd.
A girl with blue hair.
That in and of itself may not have been odd, but then he noticed that the tiny girl next to her had platinum-blonde hair that was so light that just ‘platinum’ by itself suited her better. And then there was the boy - a bit exotic looking for being Afghani-Asian. But the cross-shaped scar on his jawline was a dead giveaway.
“Holy shit. Tenchi? See those three over there?”
“Yeah?”
“Trail them at a discreet distance. Those are characters from an anime, and I am 100% sure they’re not cosplaying.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because they’re not wearing uniforms.”
“Huh?”
“Normally they’re in uniforms. So that would be what a cosplayer would wear, because that’s what’s most visually distinctive right after their physical characteristics. But they’re in regular street clothes instead.”
“Oh, I get it!” said Tenchi as the light went on upstairs.
“...Looks like they’re heading for the currency exchange. Find a bench nearby there, sit down, and look like you’re waiting for me.”
“Got it. And if they leave?”
“Watch which way the go without being obvious about it and let me know.”
“Okay, will do. Are they dangerous?”
“It depends on how they’re approached. It needs to be handled carefully. Hurry up and go.”
“Right.”
The shit is about to hit the fan...
The Westwood Apartments
San Antonio, TX, USA
Benjamin sighed as he puttered about in the maintenance shed that held the swimming pool filtration and heating equipment. He was performing the daily chemical test so he could forecast how much of what chemicals the pool needed for its regular maintenance.
It wasn’t an unhappy sigh. Far from it. It was one of contentment. Ben had a regular routine now, and he was quite happy about that. The dark clouds wouldn’t settle over his mind until he was in his bed.
Alone.
No, can’t think about that, he thought to himself vehemently. Things are good now. I have positive cashflow. My bills are settled. My credit score is improving. Things are gonna be fine. I can start looking for a date... later.
Just as he was finishing up the tests, though, a piercing scream cut through the morning air and Ben bolted out of the shed, listening for the source.
The laundromat.
Dashing across the parking lot, Ben was there in just under five seconds, poking his head in to see what was wrong.
Inside, he found Mihoshi, teary-eyed and blubbering. With her was Ayeka, her face ashen and her gaze vacant as she held up what look like a pair of panties...
...if a pair of panties had been attacked by voracious moths. And noxious chlorine fumes wafted out of the space.
“Ah crap,” said Ben.
“What happened?” asked a voice behind him. Ben turned around to find Noike looking deathly concerned.
“You asked Mihoshi to handle the laundry, didn’t you?”
“I did, why?”
“She washed all of your underwear. And with waaayyyyy too much bleach.”
Noike swallowed. “How... how bad?”
Ben shook his head. “I think it’s better to ask, how many clean changes of underwear do you ladies have left in your closets?”
Noike sighed. “Not enough for regular use.”
Ben nodded. “Right. Well, I was going to go pick up the van today. Might as well break it in by taking everyone shopping.”
##
It only took Ben about a half-hour to get to the dealership using the Clockwise Looper bus. From there, he signed off on the final paperwork, and then drove back to the apartment complex to pick up the girls. And then they were off to the Rivercenter Mall in the downtown area.
The Ford Transit XLT Passenger Wagon had been something that Ben had splurged on somewhat, citing the liquid asset savings brought on by Washu in upgrading and fitting out the apartment units. Lord Phantomhive grudgingly accepted the proposal, with the quid pro quo that any further vehicle purchases be on Ben’s own dime unless Ben could cite a valid need for such a thing.
Lord Phantomhive added that he had faith in Ben’s ability to keep things running smoothly, but at the same time he had better not mess up.
That said, the Transit van had a number of amenities, such as an onboard video entertainment system, lane-keeping warning system, fifteen passenger seating, powered running board, a complete roadside assistance and first aid kit, and the towing package with the five cylinder Power Stroke turbo diesel engine.
It was a bit cramped because Ben had opted for the low roof line, but this was mainly so that he could park it in San Antonio’s at-times claustrophobically small parking garages.
Though with everyone not being taller than Ben, there were no real issues in that department, and the ride was declared to be a smooth and comfortable one.
##
September 19, 2016, 11:15 AM
VIA Route 75
Buena Vista Street at Cattleman's Square
San Antonio, TX, USA
“FREQUENT. ROUTE. SEVENTY. FIVE. WEST. COMMERCE. FOR. DOWNTOWN.”
Kaname’s eyes fluttered as the mechanical voice echoed in her head. Why was the bus’s announcement system working in English? Suddenly, the features all began to register.
This was not one of the buses from her home.
Panic began to rise in her stomach and she forced it back down, because Kaname was a level-headed young lady and there was no way in hell she was about to make a scene and attract undue attention.
“Please remain calm,” said a familiar voice next to her that suddenly made the entire world seem safe once again.
“Sousuke!?” said Kaname, barely keeping it at more than a whisper. “What is going on? How long have I been out?”
“Twenty-two minutes from the time I regained consciousness myself. From what I can understand, we’re somehow in America. The City of San Antonio, Texas to be exact.”
“... How did this happen? Was it Amalgam? Was it... Leonard?”
“My brother had nothing to do with it.”
“Tessa!?” Kaname said in surprise. “You too!?”
“Indeed. And I can assure you, Kaname, this is very much real.”
“... So what do we do now?”
“I think it would be best if we pretended to be tourists,” said Teletha testarossa. “At the very least we’re not wearing our uniforms, so that won’t stand out. Though your hair may present an issue. The only person I’ve seen with your color of hair was an obvious dye job.”
“If anyone asks about it, we’ll just say that I’m that good.”
“That should work.”
“NOW. APPROACHING. FLORES... FLORES. STREET. PLEASE EXIT THROUGH THE REAR DOOR.”
“This seems a good place to get off,” said Sousuke. “Let’s go.”
Kaname and Teletha both nodded and the left through rear door, coming face to face with a small memorial. Kaname blinked as she found herself reading it.
“‘Dedicated to those that are still on patrol...’ What?”
“It’s a memorial for submariners,” said Teletha with reverence in her voice. “Whenever a submarine is lost, the custom dictates that they be forever regarded as being out on patrol, never to return home.”
“How... how sad...” said Kaname softly as she began reading the plaque in greater detail. It stung her nationalist pride somewhat to know that these people had all died fighting against her own country, but she had never been party to the “Hirohito Did Nothing Wrong” crowd.
But then, Kaname noticed something strange.
“Wait a minute.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Teletha.
“This is in English. And I’m reading it with no trouble. And right now, I’m speaking English like as if I spoke it my entire life.”
Teletha sucked in a breath. “How did I not notice!?”
"You're from Boston, right?" said Kaname. "You're already a native speaker, so it's only natural you wouldn't notice."
“We’ll worry about it later,” said Sousuke. “Across the street.” Sousuke pointed with his head to a plaza across the street. “There is a cathedral over there. It appears to be a popular tourist destination. There are also tables over there. We can probably get a better idea of how we stand if we sit down. There are also signs saying that there is a WiFi hotspot in the area. You can use your phone to gather information.”
Kaname nodded and soon they were seated at one of the metal mesh tables while Kaname made some queries online.
“Good news,” she said. “There’s a currency exchange in the shopping mall about a kilometer up the road from here. I’ve got about five-thousand Yen on me, so we should be able to get at least forty US Dollars. That will be better than nothing.”
“Understood. I have twenty-thousand myself.”
“Why do you have so much on you!?” said Teletha in shock.
“I never saw any reason why not. There is very little crime in your town, and I can deal with most pick-pockets with ease. Besides, cash transactions cannot be tracked. Let’s move on. I would also suggest we find some inexpensive food afterwards. We are going to need our energy but we’ll need to make our money last.”
“Fine by me,” said Kaname. “I was getting a bit hungry anyhow. Except just this once I want a good burger from a real restaurant.”
“Why is this important?” asked Sousuke.
Teletha giggled. “Sergeant, have you forgotten? Kaname lived in America for a few years with her father. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s been missing the taste of a good American hamburger.”
“You got that right,” replied Kaname. “The stuff they serve back home never compared to it.”
“Understood,” said Sousuke. “Let’s get moving. We’ll want to get there before the currency exchange closes.”
##
September 19, 2016, 10:10 AM
The Rivercenter Mall
San Antonio, TX, USA
“So, why did we come all the way downtown just for underwear?” asked Noike as they exited the elevators and entered the shopping mall proper.
“Mainly so that you ladies would have a good selection to choose from. We’re gonna go to the Victoria’s Secret store.”
“That place!?” exclaimed Ayeka. “But... those undergarments seem so... so...”
“Ayeka, it’s fine,” said Ben consolingly. “Look, I admit, they do have some pretty racy stuff in there. But they also have a lot of very attractive and perfectly normal undergarments in there of all sorts. Also, I have it on good authority that their undergarments are of excellent quality. So long as you let the ladies inside properly fit you, then you should be very comfortable with your purchases today.”
“How do you know such things?” asked Ayeka in surprise.
Ben shrugged. “I had a few girlfriends and one best friend that was very open with me. You tend to learn a few things that most men don’t.”
“Ah, I see. Ah, if I may ask, how open with you was this one friend?”
Ben chuckled. “Well, not quite THAT open if that’s what you’re thinking. She did tell me a lot about her past that she never told anyone. And she didn’t care if I caught a look at what her mother gave her.”
“Wha... really?”
Ben nodded sagely. “Let’s just say that she was a very well assembled woman.”
Noike chuckled at that. “It’s alright, Ayeka. Ben is... just a rather worldly sort.”
“My experiences have been rather interesting,” he agreed. “Okay, here it is. You ladies go ahead, shop to your heart’s content. When you’re ready, give me a call and I’ll handle the transaction. But you lot are on your own for carrying everything back to the van!” Benjamin winked at them, bringing about a few titters.
“What are you two going to be doing?” asked Washu.
“I’m gonna take Tenchi over to The Express and get him properly outfitted with a couple of suits and a few other outfits. Same for me for that matter. Now g’wan. Scoot!”
##
12:35 PM
Later, as Benjamin and Tenchi were making their way back to the Victoria’s Secret, Ben stopped as he saw something odd.
A girl with blue hair.
That in and of itself may not have been odd, but then he noticed that the tiny girl next to her had platinum-blonde hair that was so light that just ‘platinum’ by itself suited her better. And then there was the boy - a bit exotic looking for being Afghani-Asian. But the cross-shaped scar on his jawline was a dead giveaway.
“Holy shit. Tenchi? See those three over there?”
“Yeah?”
“Trail them at a discreet distance. Those are characters from an anime, and I am 100% sure they’re not cosplaying.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because they’re not wearing uniforms.”
“Huh?”
“Normally they’re in uniforms. So that would be what a cosplayer would wear, because that’s what’s most visually distinctive right after their physical characteristics. But they’re in regular street clothes instead.”
“Oh, I get it!” said Tenchi as the light went on upstairs.
“...Looks like they’re heading for the currency exchange. Find a bench nearby there, sit down, and look like you’re waiting for me.”
“Got it. And if they leave?”
“Watch which way the go without being obvious about it and let me know.”
“Okay, will do. Are they dangerous?”
“It depends on how they’re approached. It needs to be handled carefully. Hurry up and go.”
“Right.”
The shit is about to hit the fan...