PART C: "Calm Before the Storm"

PART C: "Calm Before the Storm"

HOKKAIDO, December 22nd
Just a week after the games at Hana Ban Ban...
About a week before the Akihabara Battle Assault Event...




It was snowing in Hokkaido. Natsume and her dad were on their way to Sapporo, for a great vacation. They also planned to spend Christmas here. The wind was chilly, and the roads slippery, but overall the trip was fine. It was the perfect getaway from the busy Tokyo atmosphere. The Ichimonjis were all safe in their blue car, traversing the road to Sapporo.

"So, Natsu..." asked her dad, "We're going to meet a special friend of mine in Sapporo. He also owns a shop, one that's way bigger than ours. Be polite and show him respect, alright?" Mr. Ichimonji had never felt so nostalgic. This was the place where he grew up, and taking Natsu to see the sights of good old peaceful Hokkaido was, very rewarding for him.

Natsume smiled at her step-dad. "Sure Popsy. So this is the place where it all began huh?" she asked, humming to the tune of J-pop on the radio. Mr. Ichimonji cleared his throat. "1979... the year when Gundam was first broadcast. After I saw that show, I was never the same. Hahaahahaha!" Natsume was excited as well. She clung on to her Kshatriya's box as the car turned left to a bend in the road.

"I left a small note at the door of the shop last night, telling those interested to represent HBB to come to Sapporo and join us. This will be a great training camp for them!" Mr. Ichimonji said, smiling. He knew that there are some potentials among the customers... and that they will probably respond to this new challenge.

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Some important reminders to everyone:

1. Indicate the place or time at the top of every post, like this example I made.
2. You have the options, stay in Akihabara or go to Hokkaido and train there.
3. Charlie Nightingale can also go to Hokkaido if he wishes. Or he can stay home and train those who wish to remain in Akihabara.
4. Hana Ban Ban is currently managed by an NPC. It's still accessible for a few games, but Natsume isn't there.

Leon shivered as he rode the train up to Sapporo. This weather was horrible. He sat in his seat, misserable, looking out the windows at the bleak snow covered landscape as it went past.

"All this for one rematch."

He says with a sigh, looking down at the tool box in his hands. Before leaving this morning, he had made sure that all of the weapons were there this time, including the bazooka, each in their own slot. He opened his tool box every once in a while to double check that it was still there.

A little while later, Leon steped off the train at Saporo, and after a bit of asking around, found out the location of the Gumpla Cafe in this town. With a sigh, Leon trudged through the snow, headed for the destination.

Flowers

Hokkaido, December 22nd

Kenji was sad to see that the Hana Ban-Ban Cafe closed so soon, but Ms. Shopkeeper and her father mentioned on a note on the shop's door that they'd be going to Sapporo in Hokkaido for training and that anyone willing to represent the shop could go there and meet up with them there (if they have the means that is). Kenji knew he had to go, this an being invaluable experience for him. He has been saving up cash for more Gunpla and tools, but this was more important. It was hard convincing his parents to let him go to Hokkaido, especially with Christmas only a few days away. His mother was most indefinite about it, talking about how they've spent every past christmas together. But his father eventually allowed him to go, saying how he was old enough to make decisions for himself. So he packed his things in his bag along with Blue, which he nestled carefully between all his other things. His parents gave him a little extra cash, for good measure. Soon he was on the train to Sapporo, where his journey into the world of Gunpla would continue.

HOKKAIDO, December 22nd
Just a week after the games at Hana Ban Ban...
About a week before the Akihabara Battle Assault Event...

Kisu looked out the window from his parent's cottage in Sapporo. They had agreed to let him use it for a week during this training event. Kisu was certain they had agreed to let him stay in the house because his father felt guilty about them going on a three week business trip the week before Christmas. But Kisu had stopped caring about this issue years before he was an adult and he had gotten what he wanted the use of the cottage during the training event Mr Ichimonji's note had mentioned. So after leaving Crimson in the care of a trusted classmate he had left for the event, and he had arrived in Sapporo a couple of hours before. He had unpacked his things and gotten settled in and was ready to go look around.

What Kisu really wanted to do was look for some winter animals perhaps by going snowshoeing out in the countryside. But he was unfamiliar with the area and it was a rather cold day so he decided to wander around the town instead. He figured he would wander around for a couple of hours grab a lunch from a local restaurant then head to the training camp that the note had mentioned. Having decided Kisu grabbed his Tallgeese III's carrying case and headed out the door.

Hokkaido, December 22nd

Jeremy was glad that he had a drivers license, otherwise he wouldn't be able to come. He was quite pleased with how his Providence had turned out after he redid the color scheme and was looking forward to the Battle Assault. While he might have lost his first match, he wasn't too concerned about it, after all, he was still a force to be reckoned with, and if he ever fought an Epyon or something else that used solid type attacks, he would be very well off. Heck, just standing there and taking it would halve the damage. He was going to use this time well. Perhaps even beat a couple people, who knew what could happen. But he wasn't going to sit idle and let others become better without taking steps to improve himself, so off to Hokkaido he went.

BOSS FACTOR (Gunpla Store)
Sapporo, Hokkaido...

Boss Chief, as his name implied, was the one in charge of his store, the Boss Factor. He stretched his arms, the cold temperature of the winter holidays made him all drowsy. It was almost noon, but nobody from Akihabara came yet. He began to wonder if Mr. Ichimonji was just monkeying him about a batch of players coming here to train.

"I highly doubt someone from Akihabara would come all the way to this isolated region and play Gunpla Battles here. There are a lot of decent competition in Tokyo. Why waste time and money going here?" he asked some of his customers. They simply shrugged, unsure of what to say about that.

Although Boss Chief had a pro record of 0-0 in Gunpla Battling, he had actually fought hundreds of times. Usually he trains newcomers with controls and mock battles, and these often have no effect on the win-loss record. Secretly though he longs for someone good enough to make him fight a real, sanctioned match.

~relaxing sounds~

Hokkaido, Hot Springs...



Mikoto also took notice of the small note left outside the Hana Ban Ban Cafe. She packed her bags way ahead of time and headed for Hokkaido. It was a long trip but she knew it'll be well worth it. With all the rising stars of Gunpla these days it's hard to sit and be idle while they grow better and better. So, instead of lying around her bed the whole Christmas break, she decided to pack her model kits and take the bus to the Northern island of Japan.

That was a few days ago. Now she was in Sapporo, renting a small room near the shopping districts. Today though, she wanted to relax. She went to the onsen for a nice warm bath. But she wasn't alone. She brought two model kits with her just to see if they'll sink or swim in the water.

"The players here in Hokkaido, I can't wait to see them play. And probably, I can learn a thing or two from them..." she said, as she sank down the pool with her two Gunpla sinking with her.

Coincidentally, Risa was also in the same public bath. She had travelled miles from Akihabara with the school Gunpla club, to join what was posted outside Natsume's cafe. That "training camp" that everyone was talking about.

"Cham cham cham! La la la!" Risa merrily sang, as she removed her towel and dipped into the warm steamy waters of the bath. She caught Mikoto in the corner of her eye. And she saw two Gundam toys in her hands. Perhaps oblivious to Risa, that black haired girl joined her in the water.

"Hi! I'm Risa Tachibana! You like Gunpla too? I love Gunpla!" she introduced herself to Mikoto, not knowing she is the Akihabara Champion. "Not many girls like Gunpla, but we're the same!"

Mnemosyne16 wrote:

"Hi! I'm Risa Tachibana! You like Gunpla too? I love Gunpla!" she introduced herself to Mikoto, not knowing she is the Akihabara Champion. "Not many girls like Gunpla, but we're the same!"

Mikoto slowly rose out of the water, like a scene from a horror movie. The redhead was all over her face, asking her is she likes Gunpla. "Of course, I do. I'm a Gunpla enthusiast too. The name is Mikoto, Mikoto Aizawa!" Mikoto said with sweet smiling eyes.

She didn't know if Risa recognized her name, but she didn't care one bit. Being a Gunpla Meister isn't really important at the moment. She had just made a friend. Mikoto placed the Gunplas out of the water for a while. As she reclined in the water, she noticed Risa's breasts sticking out. She reached for them and squeezed them gently with her hands. "My, my! We're of the same size!" Mikoto blushingly commented on Risa's breasts.

Hokkaido,December 22nd
Mid-day... at a public bath
A week or so before the incoming Akihabara Battle Assault Event

"Aaaah! No!" Risa cried, moving away from Mikoto. She covered herself and crouched low in the water. "Why--wh--why did you do that?" Risa asked Mikoto. In her whole life nobody has grabbed her boobs like that before, so it was very natural for Risa to be scared. Situations like this put her on the verge of crying. She didn't understand why Mikoto had to grope her like that. But when Mikoto spoke to her her fear gradually subsided.

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"My, my! We're of the same size!"

"Umm.. uhuh!" Risa shyly responded. She took a good look at her boobs, then Mikoto's boobs. "It appears that, mine is slightly larger! Teehee!" Having said that, Risa slowly, curious with Mikoto's words, came closer and inspected the tits of her fellow bather. "A tit for tat!" she playfully answered back, gently tapping Mikoto's boobs. She watched them jiggle around like bouncy melons. "Now we're even!" Risa teased the Akihabara Champion.

Hokkaido,December 22nd
Mid-day... Wandering the streets alone
A week before the incoming Akihabara Battle Assault Event



Kisu was enjoying the his walk around the town so much he barely noticed the cold as he walked. At the moment he was just aimlessly wandering the town. He loved the crisp yet fresh air and the locals he had met were all friendly and courteous to him. He also loved the sound of the crunching snow a hold over from his childhood and it was only after he had been wondering around for a while that he realized just how hungry he was, suddenly he felt like he was starving. As he walked now in search of food he saw a sushi restaurant and walked in.



Kisu upon entering saw it was a quaint yet friendly place so he went to a table and sat down. Having taking a seat he ordered a local special with contained a huge plate of sushi containing a dozen different styles of sushi and a large bowl of rice. With a smile he began by eating some pickled ginger root and followed it with a piece of his favorite a Tekka Maki roll. It was delicious and he happily got to work wolfing down the rest of the plate.

Leon finally, after a while manages to find the Boss Factor. He stands outside the rather Large Cafe, shaking in the cold, having had a long walk from the train station, as well as the weather. With a small sigh, knowing he was about to finally leave the cold, Leon opens the door to the Cafe.

"Taidama."

He calls out the traditional Japaneese Greeting.

"I was informed that there was supposed to be some sort of training here? I am usually frequent the Hana Ban Ban cafe, and we were asked to come here."

Hokkaido, December 22nd - Mid-Day



To say that Luciano was surprised with himself was an understatement. Here he was traveling all the way to Hokkaido for Gunpla Battling even though it was just a game, well it wasn't just game mind you, though he was mostly traveling here because he was interested in representing and supporting Hana Ban-Ban in whatever future events the shop decided to take part in. That was how he and 'Jinx' had ended up in the backseat of a car his father had arranged to take him anywhere he wanted whilst he was in Hokkaido, he'd even been driven up to the region and had little say in the matter. Sometimes his father could be real overprotective.

Alas that aside the trip was rather uneventful and he had spent more time online looking over various Gunpla that he may one day be able to use alongside his GN-XIV. One, another GN MS from a 00 Sidestory, was of particular interest and was related to a machine, another Gundam he himself counted one of his favorites. He made a note to look into getting one of this CB machine. His thoughts were interrupted as the driver reminded that him that they were about to arrive at his destination, the Boss Factor. He thanked his driver, informing him he'd call later, then stepped out of the custom black, tinted windows sedan.

Custom briefcase in hand he stepped into the shop noting that there was a larger amount of customers than those at Hana Ban-Ban which was surprisingly given the isolation the region suffered from. However the need for warm clothing like his long coat, sweater, gloves and boots was very high. He walked in just as someone asked the question he was about to ask himself:

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"I was informed that there was supposed to be some sort of training here? I am usually frequent the Hana Ban Ban cafe, and we were asked to come here."

Luciano stepped up to the counter, "Indeed. Is the right place for the training, Mister Shopkeeper?", he smiled pleasantly although he was shivering a part from the cold which only served to make him more hopeful this was indeed the right place.

After disembarking off the train, Kenji finally made it to Sapporo. On the way there, he used his laptop to find any hobby shops in town. There was only one in town (at least the only one that was note worthy) : The Boss Factor. It was absolutely freezing outside, even when he was wearing his giant winter coat, mittens, and scarf, but the snowy scenery was beautiful. The first thing that needed to be done was to find this hobby shop. Kenji spent the pst 45 minutes looking for the right address, until he happened upon a small building with a large sign above it reading "THE BOSS FACTOR". he walked inside, still carrying his things in his bag, noticing that a few people were already there. He recognized one or two of them as customers that went to the Hana Ban-Ban Cafe, glad to know that they saw the note as well. He walked up to them and said "Hey everyone, are you guys here to train as well? Is Ms. Shopkeeper around here somewhere?"

Hokkaido, December 22nd - Mid-Day

Nehemiah took a deep breath as he walked around in the cold. He had come all the way from Akihabara, looking to train at the BOSS FACTOR. He had seen the note that the Hana Ban Ban had left outside of the store, and decided to travel here to try and get more experience.

He grasped his backpac's straps and looked around trying to find the store. He caught sight of the sign above the BOSS FACTOR, and headed toward it. He walked inside, and saw a small crowd growing around the counter. He waled forward, and heard the others asking whether or not this was the place for the training. Deciding it would be best not to ask the same question again, he waited on the shop owner to respond to the others.

THE BOSS FACTOR
A Samurai-themed Gunpla Store

Sadly for the newly-arrived customers, only a small kid was at the counter. He just stared flat at those who were looking for Boss Chief. On the other hand, Boss Chief himself was in the backyard. Wielding an ancient samurai sword, he was practicing his kenjutsu skills with the falling cherry blossom petals. And then the Chief got a small piece of log and threw it into the air, spinning. Before it hit the ground, he swung his mighty sword and split the log right across the grain, cutting it into two equal halves.

Boss Chief's elderly gardener clapped. "Amazing as always, Sir Boss Chief! So why aren't you in the shop? I'm sure sir, there are a lot of customers by this time" Boss Chief sheathed his katana and turned his back on the gardener. With a rough voice, he broke into a song.


The gardener just looked at Boss Chief, very shocked. It was the first time he heard his master sing. Boss Chief lay down on his hammock as the snow fell on his face. He didn't feel like running the shop today.

Hokkaido- December 22nd

Jeremy walked up to The Boss Factor and took in a deep breath. It had been a while since he had been to the samurai-themed shop. In fact, he had only ever been here once, and that was when he was in a mood for sword wielding gunpla and he had picked up a Gundam Astray Red Frame with its awesome sword and scabbard. He wasn't looking to buy anything this time, however. This time he was looking for training. But, seeing as the last time he was here he had sort-of met the owner of the shop, Boss Chief himself, he didn't know what to expect. It had been about 4 months since he had seen the man but their meeting had been burned into his memory. He wasn't too keen on meeting the man again if he had that sword of his with him. While he wasn't an amateur with it, his body still screamed danger whenever he saw one. He only hoped the man left it in the back.

So, with all that brainwork done, he decided he would probably feel better if he put off meeting the legendary gunpla builder for a little while longer. So he got back in his car and drove to the local hotel where he had booked a room for the duration of his stay. He was glad school had gotten out the previous week otherwise he wouldn't be able to do this.

Pulling into the parking lot, he parked the car and went inside where he checked in at the front desk and got his key and walked to his room where he set his stuff down, getting ready for the long week ahead of him. He pulled out his gray and blue Providence and hoped that it would be up to the training ahead.

Mikoto got up. She picked up her two model kits and wrapped herself in a towel. "Hey, you wanna eat at a sushi meal? I know a great place to hang out! It's just a few blocks away from here, whatddya say?" she invited her new friend. Mikoto walked into the locker room.

Mikoto was putting on her brassiere when Risa, acting like a baby, grabbed her legs and started to cry. “Hey, hey Risa stop that! No my thighs Risa! It tickles me!” she wiggled. She tried to pry the innocent girl away from her with her feet, and once she was done she sat on the bench and looked at her. “Say what!? You went all the way to Hokkaido without a pair of reserve underwear!?” she asked the redhead. Sighing she dug into her bag and brought out a small pink thong.

“Okay, okay, stop crying I’ll lend you mine!” she told her, reassuring Risa. She quickly dressed up, to avoid more embarrassment.

Hokkaido, December 22nd
Onsen, Men's side

As Jeremy was walking to the onsen with a spare set of clothes he was shocked by a loud noise through the walls that scared the crap out of him. It took him a moment to calm his heart down enough that he was able to make out that a girl had failed to bring a spare set of panties with her. Shaking his head in an effort to clear away the mental images that created, he put his things in a locker and changed. He then went into the onsen and lowered himself into the steaming water and gave a sigh as it started its work on his tense muscles.

vangran wrote:

Hokkaido, December 22nd
Onsen, Men's side

As Jeremy was walking to the onsen with a spare set of clothes he was shocked by a loud noise through the walls that scared the crap out of him. It took him a moment to calm his heart down enough that he was able to make out that a girl had failed to bring a spare set of panties with her. Shaking his head in an effort to clear away the mental images that created, he put his things in a locker and changed. He then went into the onsen and lowered himself into the steaming water and gave a sigh as it started its work on his tense muscles.

Hokkaido, December 22nd
Onsen, Men's side

While Jeremy was relaxing his tense muscles in the water, another man came in. Of course this was a public bath, and all notions of shame within the same sex should be disregarded. This man was quite old, but he still had a lot of packed muscles in his body. Before entering the water, he did some tai-chi, in the nude, in front of Jeremy. He didn't seem to care.



"Look, the East is burning red!" said the old yet powerful man. He joined Jeremy in the relaxing hot waters. Placing his hand on Jeremy's shoulder, he spoke to him in a stern and fatherly voice. "You look very familiar to me..." the old man said. He flexed his muscles. "It's been a while since I shared a bath with somebody who looks like he has honor. Something you can't see among the young these days. You heard the women on the other side, yet you show no malice or desire to peep. However, your manhood tells me otherwise!"

The old man grabbed Jeremy's ''thing'' and felt it. "Search your heart, you know it's true! You are the undefeated of the east! Zenshin! Tenpaykoran! Feel the surge of manhood in your veins!"

Tokyo-Chistose Airport, Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan (longform address lol)
December 22
8:36 AM


Charles walked to the parking lot after dropping of his american friend off for his flight. Charlie had enjoyed the time catching up with him as it had been a few years since his last visit. He arrived at his Red RX-8 nicknamed "Sazabi" with the 7 from an RX-7 placed in front of the 8.

Once inside he turns on his in car computer and searches for the largest hobby shop in the area. After a few seconds it pulls up a list and at the top is a shop called "Boss Factor". Charles thinks the name sounds familiar, but just shrugs it off and heads in its direction.

Hokkaido Onsen
Men's Side

Totally freaked out by the man pulling his "thing", Jeremy somehow mustered up the strength to break free of the man's grasp and leapt out of the water.

"I don't know who you are, but you're totally freaking me out. I am so filing a complaint. See ya later."

And with that he ran into the locker room, swiftly changed into his spare clothes, and ran out of the onsen, water flying from his hair, his face beet-red.