It depended on the type of stimulation I received, but hysteria mode only lasted from around twenty to forty minutes. By the time I had reached terminal two of Haneda Airport, I was already back to normal mode. Even so, I couldn’t afford to stop. If my deduction was correct, Aria was about to come face to face with that person. She was about to come face to face with the “Butei killer.” With a flash of the badge in my Butei handbook, I bypassed the check-in area as well as the metal detectors and ran through the gate.
Aria. If you want to go back to England, be my guest. But don’t engage in combat with the “Butei killer” any more. If the “Butei killer” defeated my brother…you won’t be able to beat the “Butei killer” on your own. That’s a fact. My brother was strong—stronger than anyone. He was clever too. Even if I were in hysteria mode, I couldn’t even begin to compare with him.
Aria…! Next time you won’t get off with just a wound to the forehead! You’re gonna get killed! You’ll die!
I ran down the boarding bridge and as they were closing the hatch, just barely managed to get on ANA flight six hundred, Boeing 737-350 headed for London Heathrow Airport. The hatch made a loud sound as it shut behind me.
“I’m a Butei! Cancel this flight!”
I thrust my Butei badge in the face of a flight attendant with a small build who looked at me with eyes wide open.
“S-Sir, I’m terribly sorry, but what exactly–”
“There’s no time to explain! Just see to it that this plane stays grounded!”
Quite startled, the flight attendant nodded her head up and down and hurried up the stairs to the second floor. I wanted to go with her, but fell to my knees instead. Leaving Assault and letting my stamina drop so low had taken its toll on me. I was completely out of breath from sprinting all the way here and didn’t feel like I could take another step.
Well…at any rate, I’ve managed to keep the plane from taking off.
Just as that thought entered my head, I could feel the plane jolt into motion.
It’s…moving.
“U-Um…I-I couldn’t stop it. T-The pilot said that according to regulations, once we’ve entered this phase, the flight can't be aborted without orders from air traffic control,” said the flight attendant coming down from the second floor and trembling as she looked at me.
“W-What kind of idiot…?!”
“P-Please, don’t shoot! First of all, are you really a Butei? The captain screamed at me saying, ‘Stop the plane?! We haven’t received any instructions like that!’”
What a moron! What should I do? Should I force them to stop the plane even if it means threatening them with my gun? No, that’s no good. From what she just told me, it’s evident that the captain doesn’t trust me. Threatening him at this point probably wouldn’t stop the plane.
Looking out the window, I saw that ANA flight six hundred had already entered the runway. If I forced them to stop now, we’d be running the risk of colliding with another plane on the runway. I gotta think of another way. It’s too late to stop the plane. If I’ve lost the initiative, then I’ll just have to fight defensively or we’re going to lose. There’s no other choice but to change strategies. The plane had risen into the air and the fasten-seat belt lights disappeared. It was a hassle, but I calmed down the flight attendant and had her guide me to Aria’s seat—or rather, private room I should say. The cabin deck structure of this plane was clearly different from that of a regular passenger plane. The first floor was an expansive bar, and on the second floor was a center passageway with doors lined up on the left and right side. I had seen something like this on the news before. It was an ultra-luxurious passenger plane called a “flying resort”, and all of its seats were located in suites. In other words, it was a newly designed aircraft patronized by celebrities that didn’t have typical seats, but instead was built with twelve private rooms you would find at a first-class hotel, and each room was completely furnished with its own bed, shower room, and other amenities.
“…K-Kinji?!”
Aria opened her crimson eyes wide when she saw me enter her suite decorated with fresh flowers.
Great. For the time being, at least we’ve managed to meet up with each other.
“…You never cease to amaze me, milady Aria. A one-way ticket like this probably costs around two thousand dollars, no?” I made the comment while admiring the double bed and Aria got out of her seat glaring at me.
“Barging into a person’s room without permission? How rude!”
“You have absolutely no right to say something like that, wouldn’t you agree?”
Aria must have remembered how she forced her way into my apartment because she held her tongue despite her anger.
“…What did you follow me here for?”
“Why does the sun rise? Why does the moon rise?”
“Oh, shut up! If you don’t answer me, I’m gonna open a hole in you!”
I think Aria was displeased with me using her own line against her, seeing as she placed her hands on the hem of her skirt. I was actually relieved.
Good. She has her weapons with her.
“Butei Charter, Article Two, ‘Fulfill the contract made with your clients at all costs.’”
“…?”
“I promised to work with you to resolve the first case that came up after returning to Assault. That case of the “Butei killer” still hasn’t been resolved.”
“What are you boasting about? You’re just a useless guy who can’t do anything!” Aria howled like a lion cub, bearing her tooth.
“Get out of here! Thanks to you, I know all too well now. I really am suited for an “aria”! There isn’t a person in this entire world who can be my partner! That’s why I’ve decided to continue fighting alone! It doesn’t matter if my opponent is the “Butei killer” or anyone else!”
“…I wish you had said that a little sooner.” I sat down in the other available chair and looked out the window at the city below us as if it actually held my interest.
“…Once we get to London, go straight back to Japan. I can at least get you an economy class ticket in exchange for your severance pay. You don’t have anything to do with me anymore! Be sure you don’t talk to me!”
“I’ve never had anything to do with you.”
“Shut up! I forbid you to speak!”
Amidst strong winds, ANA flight six hundred soared in the skies above Tokyo Bay. Aria, with a miserable look on her face, had her arms and legs crossed as she was sitting in her chair and staring out the window. ‘I might as well be hanged’ is what I was thinking to myself. Whether the destination was London or anywhere else, if I was going to get on a plane, I would be flying regardless. At this point, the only thing left to do was wait for the enemy to make the first move.
“This is your captain speaking. I want to apologize to our guests, but in order to avoid turbulence from the typhoon, the plane will be making a detour, so our flight is estimated to be around thirty minutes late.”
The captain finished his announcement and the plane shook slightly as it resumed its flight. The shaking itself wasn’t such a big deal…
Crack! Craaack!
The sound of thunder could be heard from the comparatively nearby thundercloud.
Craaaaaack!!
A particularly loud thunder strike resonated, causing Aria’s eyes to open wide as she ducked her head.
“Scared?”
“O-Of course I’m not scared. Don’t be dumb. More importantly, don’t talk to me. Hearing your voice is irritating to no end.”
Another loud boom echoed as soon as she finished speaking.
“Kyaaa!”
I smiled wryly at seeing Aria yelp out.
Well, well. There’s something that even Miss Aria the Quadra can’t handle. Who would’ve thought it’d be thunder.
“If you’re so afraid of thunder, crawl under the sheets and tremble all you want.”
“S-Shut up, you.”
“It's gonna be a big mess if you wet yourself.”
“Y-Y-You’re an idiot!”
Craaaaaack!!
“Uwah!”
It had finally reached to the point where the deafening sound of thunder caused Aria to jump right up out of her seat. And then she really did crawl under the covers of her bed. The situation developed so identically to the way I had imagined that I couldn’t help but laugh, ignoring the dire circumstances.
It’s possible she actually wet herself.
“Aria, do you have a change of underwear?”
“K-Kinji, you’re such an idiot! I-I’m gonna open a hole in you later!”