The Soldiers thought it was already ridiculous enough that the Commander and Mr. Muska were willing to spend manpower and resources staying in Cairo for some legend in the sky.
As it turned out, they only realized today that there were clearly many more ridiculous things to come.
For instance, a python taller than a man and thicker than a plaster pillar appeared in the room where they were enjoying their leisure.
It ate the guard!
In an instant, shouts and the sounds of sparks flying erupted!
The roaring bullets hit the black-and-yellow snake skin, clanging and ricocheting off. After the short man fired the few rounds in his hand, he could only watch as his comrades were swallowed one by one by the snake.
Finally, it was his turn.
Imhotep was very confused by Mori Tsukisa's methods.
'I could have cleared them out for you; you know my spells.' The High Priest looked at his beloved, shortening his usual long strides to follow the two most important women in his life like a delicate bald girl.
Anck-Su-Namun and Mori Tsukisa.
The elder and the younger were still discussing clothing.
"I know, I know." Mori Tsukisa had just finished explaining a certain modern design style to Anck-Su-Namun and said casually, "I want the life line."
"Can you stop interrupting?" Anck-Su-Namun raised her eyebrows and glared, looking back at Imhotep who was following with mincing steps. "I am discussing important matters with the goddess of beauty; don't let those beetles crawl around my legs."
The pitiful High Priest was just trying to use his Little Darlings to attract his lover's attention. They hadn't seen each other for three thousand years, yet the moment she woke up, she clung to Mori Tsukisa, leaving her actual lover out in the cold.
The deep blue Scarabs squeaked, only to be impatiently shaken off by Anck-Su-Namun. They crawled back pitifully, looking at their even more pitiful Master... What important matter? It was just clothes and shoes!
Imhotep huffed twice, but no one paid him any mind—Arrietty was fast asleep.
The helpless High Priest could only lower his head dejectedly and follow along again.
The two girls were still whispering.
'I think you can get familiar with the modern era first, and then I'll provide the funds to open a design company for you.'
'A design company?'
'Don't you want to do it yourself and have everyone wear what you make?'
'Can I...? ' Anck-Su-Namun was shocked. 'I am a woman... I cannot...'
'Of course you can.' Mori Tsukisa looked at Anck-Su-Namun curiously. When this topic came up, the gorgeous Egyptian woman became a bit timid, as if she weren't the same fearless person from moments ago. 'Perhaps being a model would be good too.'
'You can wear all kinds of beautiful clothes.'
'A woman...' Anck-Su-Namun pursed her lips and cast a subtle glance at the still-sullen Imhotep. 'I... can do that?'
Only then did Mori Tsukisa realize there was a massive chasm between the era the other lived in and her own.
She covered her mouth and giggled, beckoning with her finger for Anck-Su-Namun to lean down, then whispered: 'Yes, everything I said is possible. I will help you convince Imhotep.'
'After three thousand years of separation, there are many interesting things you two need to experience together. Don't rush.'
'The romantic story hasn't even begun yet.'
Mori Tsukisa left behind the expectant Anck-Su-Namun and the bewildered, curious Imhotep, skipping toward the Base entrance.
Everyone had gone to drink; there wasn't a soul here.
The girl's slender index finger tapped the iron gate and gave it a gentle push.
Amidst the ear-piercing sound of twisting metal, the iron gate came crashing down.
"Let's go. Nagini should be finished."
...The fat Commander took a nap, and when he opened his eyes again, there wasn't a single person left in the large two-story Base—the phone lines had been cut, and he tried to shout loudly for his guards.
Instead, his call brought a giant python that burst through the window, its mouth covered in blood.
Immediately after, the door to his office was pushed open. After a sturdy, fierce man opened it, two ladies walked in gracefully.
"Hi, fat Commander." Mori Tsukisa waved. When she saw Nagini, her brow furrowed: "Are you injured?"
Imhotep: Wise and beautiful Isis, that is someone else's blood.
"Maybe it's bleeding gums. I told you, relying on the mouth is too inefficient and you get hurt too easily." The girl babbled nonsensically while finding a sofa to sit on, tilting her head toward the cold-sweat-drenched Commander: "I advise you not to draw your gun, sir."
—His courage had already been spent when he fled his own country; the so-called drawing of a gun was merely Mori Tsukisa's imagination. With that giant python staring at him, he didn't even dare to move.
He was no warrior, just an obese patient scared out of his wits.
"I want to know..." Mori Tsukisa looked at the ceiling hesitantly, stopping her words.
Oops...! She forgot the name of Baru's girlfriend.
Arrietty seemed to have expected this. She helplessly hung upside down from her Majesty's head, grabbing her ear while inverted: "Sheeta!"
"Oh, Sheeta."
Mori Tsukisa patted her forehead, returning to her confident self: "Where is she?"
The Commander slumped in his chair, trembling as he looked at the snake—even when speaking, he addressed the snake, as if fearing that if he looked away for a second, the snake's mouth would open wide and swallow him whole, clothes and all.
"On... on Muska's airship."
"Muska's airship?"
"goliath! He named it goliath!" The Commander shouted twice, then slowly lowered his voice under the vertical pupils' gaze: "goliath... Muska said it represents a giant, infinite power and authority, invincible..."
"I don't want to hear Mr. Muska's vulgar naming style. Tell me where they flew?"
—Arrietty thought Muska's 'vulgar' name sounded quite good, at least better than the 'Hammer and Rapier' duo name Mori Tsukisa had given her and Kina.
The Commander shook his head nervously: "He activated that dead... that girl's stone! That... blue one!"
The fat man gestured wildly toward the sky outside the window: "A blue light pierced through the clouds! That's the beacon!"
Imhotep nodded to Mori Tsukisa.
"Alright, you are a Commander too. You just let Muska fly away with your airship?"
"Mine?" The Commander touched his lips, his thick, fat fingers adorned with multi-colored gems: "He gave gold... I, I need gold..."
Most of the Soldiers in this Base had been taken by Muska onto the giant airship, the goliath, which was why Nagini's infiltration had been silent, not even giving them time to react.
By the time all the Soldiers had been torn into scattered limbs, the heavy cannons hadn't even had their safety locks opened.
"One more thing—"
"Sister!"
"Sister, I'm here!"
A young voice rang out outside the window. Mori Tsukisa turned and saw Baru flying a cool-looking aircraft. He circled outside the window and, amidst the buzzing of the propellers, slowly landed on the lawn, blowing up countless bits of debris.
Without waiting for it to come to a full stop, the Boy leaped down, waved at the window, and shouted from afar: "Sister! Are you okay?!"
Mori Tsukisa waved back cheerfully.
"My brother is here." The girl's eyes crinkled as she spoke to the trembling Commander: "Tell me the docking positions of the other aircraft."
Arrietty quietly tugged on Mori Tsukisa's hair a few times.
"Right," reminded, the girl paused and then added, "And... the location where you hid the gold."
Anck-Su-Namun glanced at the Little Sprite.
Arrietty lifted her chin triumphantly and made a peace sign from within the black hair.
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