* * * * *
It was a one-story building made of brick. The rooftop ledge of which was dominated by a large white sign with black lettering.
"OOWASHI DOJO
D. Washio-Prop."
Below that notice, hung a slightly smaller sign bearing the likeness of a Steller's Sea Eagle.
Officially, this dojo taught a substyle of uechi-ryu karate based on eagle-claw kung fu. In reality, it was a front for a spy ring that Washio Daiwa had been placed in charge of only five-and-a-half years following his recruitment and training by the Am Jha Hwa Rang! And, so far, everything was going better than he had originally planned. Yet, even as the Zainichi spy opened the dojo, in preparation for that day's first class, he immediately sensed that something was out of the ordinary.
His instinct proved correct.
"Widaehan Doksuri."
The thirty-something ninja in the black hoodie, matching sweatpants, and white sneakers stiffened at the sound of that female voice. He slowly turned around to look behind him. For there was only one woman, currently visiting the United States, who knew his North Korean code-name (which meant "great eagle" in English)!
"Tomiko-chen?"
"Only my friends may call me that. You...will address me as Torafuzuku."
Washio smiled at the dual hook-sword-wielding kunoichi standing in his office doorway.
"The Tiger Owl? I like that! It suits you."
"And I know the truth about you," she countered: "Joseph Hunter told me everything...before I crushed him out of existence between my ass cheeks!"
"Oh, really! And what is it you think you know?"
"I know you used the martial arts lessons you gave his security guards to befriend him. And thereby eventually learned his secret! A secret you promised you would never reveal...so long as he periodically supplied you with classified information relating to American government contracts."
"But, as time went on, you developed the same proclivity. Even to the point of reviewing his stories using your initials (written in the American fashion)!
Washio chuckled: "A rather clever touch, if I do say so myself! Although, admittedly, nowhere near as clever as the pun on your own little name. Phan Tomiko? Phantom Miko?"
His ex-girlfriend refused to be distracted as she persisted with her questioning.
"The only thing I don't know is why. Why would you debase yourself in such a fashion?"
He simply shrugged: "What can I say? What began as morbid curiosity...became a forbidden pleasure. One for which I offer no apology, whatsoever!"
"You are a disgrace, Washio," Tomiko replied: "To yourself; to the Am Jha Hwa Rang; and to the Chosen People's Republic."
Washio now laughed maniacally.
" 'Chosen People?' Now, that's the funniest pun of all! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Cumulative hormone imbalance," muttered Tomiko: "It must be. You've been driven insane by one too many size fluctuations; and you refuse to admit it! For that reason, and because of our past relationship, I am willing to let you commit seppuku..."
She threw the hook sword in her right hand on top of his desk.
"...with me as your kaishaku. Your only other alternative is being killed by me in single combat. After which, I shall feed your corpse to my little owl!"
Washio looked down at the hook-sword.
"I choose...Door Number Two! Kiaiiiiiiiiii!"
Whereupon, he grabbed up the hook-sword and vaulted over the desk!! Shrinking away to virtually nothing as he did so. To not be outdone, Tomiko did the same thing at the same speed.
Shouts and clangs soon came wafting upward from the carpet.
* * * * *
KYOTO, JAPAN
(2 WEEKS LATER)
"My condolences on your loss, Tomiko-chen," said Park Kim Jung: "It's a shame it had to end this way for him. Washio-san had great promise!"
"Domo arigato, Sensei," she replied.
"Did he die relatively quickly?" Park now asked: "Or did he babble like a lunatic to the last?"
"He did seem to have one lucid moment," Tomiko admitted: "He said something about the Am Jha Hwa Rang not having been formed, by Pyeongchang, to compete with the Heikegani-ryu. But, rather, to blame them for any assassinations, committed by us, on behalf of advancing the cause of world socialism! At least, that is what Pyeongchang believes."
"In reality, the Knights of the Night are allegedly controlled by the Heikegani-ryu! Part of their master plan to control the North Korean government the same way they control the Earth Tiger Tong of China."
Park shook his head in all-too clear pity.
"Washio-san was farther gone than I thought. Which makes your 'euthanasia' of him all the more commendable."
"Arigato, sensei," she replied: "For I would hate to think there was any basis to what he said. I would therefore hate to learn that the Am Jha Hwa Rang are simply puppets. Rather than puppet masters!
Park laughingly nodded, before asking Tomiko-chen to kneel upon the bare floor, which she did. Whereupon, he withdrew a bokken from a scabbard across the small of his back. He then used it to melodramatically tap the kunoichi once on each of her shoulders.
"Arise! You who will now be known, permanently, as Torafuzuku."
* * * * *
EPILOGUE
ISLE OF THE GOD-TEACHERS
Mr. G leafed through the entire manuscript.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked (with an ever-decreasing hope he could change his fellow author's mind).
Aryc Omcic nodded.
"It was a pleasant experience, initially. But, now, there's no joy in it. Not only do I have more works in progress than I do completed efforts. But, to add insult to injury? Asukafan has let this website go to hell! At least as far as the original concept goes. Instead of restricting the stories to interactions between normal-sized men and giantesses, or shrunken men and normal-sized women, he's permitting the posting of stories about slash, incest, and molestation of kids under the age of ten!!!"
"So, unless and until he rectifies that, I'm out of here. But, I won't be impulsive about it. In fairness to him, I'll delete only my incompletes. See you around, G."
"It's been nice knowing you, C."
The two authors then shook hands before going their separate ways.
THE END
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
JAPANTOWN,
SAN JOSE, CALIF.
(6:00 A.M./PDT)
SAN JOSE, CALIF.
(6:00 A.M./PDT)