Here is chapter 2 of part 21 (The Destruction of The Loved Ones) of The Adventures of Mythical Super Hero Anne:
Matthewsan
was sitting on the luxury futon sofa, watching the colour television. On it, a
respectable looking man, dressed in a dark suit was sitting behind a large
mahogany desk and talking.
"...and
so", the man was saying as he smiled, "the United States of the
1950's became the laughing stock of the entire financial world thanks to the
Ford Motor Company's poor selling invention called the Edsel Vehicle. We'll be back to American Business Blunders
after these important messages from your employer."
The
logo for Tondo Motor Corporation appeared on the screen, as the same pleasant
female voice from the loudspeaker at the plant said: "Attention Tondo
Motor Corporation factory workers! If you intend to rise and shine by five
o'clock tomorrow morning, it is recommended that you go to bed
immediately. That is all."
The
man came back on the screen and said, "Join us next week, on American
Business Blunders, as we explain the Savings and Loan crimes."
Matthewsan
clicked off the television and laughed his friendly, hearty laugh. "I love that program," he said,
putting down the remote control. "Malirra, it is time for you to go to
bed."
Malirra,
Matthewsan's sister, was commonly believed to be the oldest and wisest person
in the world. She was, as always,
dressed in her kimono, and her white hair was done up in a bun, held to her
head with two chopsticks, which formed an 'x' through the bun, and her eyes
were closed. To Matthewsan, she looked
as if she were sleeping, so he nudged her gently, and said, "Wake up and
go to sleep. You must be up at dawn, so
that you will be able to keep all your appointments tomorrow for the people
coming to you, seeking wisdom and truth."
Malirra
opened her eyes and looked at her brother, as he helped her from the futon
lounger. She was so wise that she spoke
only in riddles. "Malirra say, 'Bed
is the place for sleep and fun... Fun for two, and sleep for one.'" Matthewsan laughed at this riddle as he took
her into her bedroom to put her to bed.
Finished
of cleaning the supper-time meal utensils, Toshomiko and Diannakiro came into
the living-square, having heard, through the paper wall separating the
kitchen-square from the rest of the apartment, Malirra's latest bit of wisdom.
"Your
adopted father-sister is a very wise woman," said Diannakiro.
"She
is the oldest woman in the world," replied Toshomiko.
"That
is why," said Diannakiro, "people come from every city and village to
seek her advice. You are lucky to live
in the same household as her, Mythical Super Hero Anne."
Toshomiko
glanced quickly to the door of Malirra's room.
It was closed, and she could hear Malirra and Matthewsan chanting their
prayers behind it. She turned back to
Diannakiro. "Please,
Diannakiro," said Toshomiko/Mythical Super Hero Anne. "It is important that you never call me
by my supposedly mythical super hero name.
My adopted father and adopted father-sister cannot know that I am
Mythical Super Hero Anne, for it would put them in great mental and physical
danger."
Diannakiro
bowed her head, deep in shame. "I
am sorry for almost having given you away.
Please forgive my stupidity and carelessness. From now on, I shall call you only by your
adopted name... Toshomiko."
"I
accept your shameful apology," said Toshomiko, bowing. "I give you
forgiveness.
Matthewsan
came back into the living-square. "Toshomiko. Diannakiro." he said. "You two girls must also go to bed if
you want to be at the factory for morning workout. Malirra is in the bathroom, so you will have
to wait a couple of minutes until she finishes."
Just
at that minute, Malirra could be heard through the wall separating the bathroom-square
from the living-square. She had just
thought of another pearl of wisdom, and as was her custom, said it out loud so
as not to forget it. "Malirra say,
'Most men are standing when they pee, but women sit, just like me.'"
As
she flushed the toilet, Matthewsan, Diannakiro and Toshomiko broke into
laughter. As the laughter subsided, Diannakiro said, "Malirra is not only
wise. She is oftentimes witty as
well."
Matthewsan
nodded in agreement. "Somebody
should write all her sayings down in a book sometime. The publishing company I own in
be sure to publish it."
"Yes,"
said Toshomiko, "but for now we must concentrate on going to bed. Let us listen to the news while we wait for
Malirra to finish peeing."
Matthewsan
clicked on the radio, and stood beside it. As he listened, he became horrified,
hearing a live news report from the streets of
"...heading
towards the peaceful northern end of the city!" cried the news reporter,
above a din of wails and cries from the many thousands of Tokyons who must have
been running wildly and chaotically about the streets. "I repeat!"
cried the news reporter. "Our
beloved city,
is under attack, once again, by the evil super-monster Gilzilla, who has yet
again come out from his home beneath the sea.
He has rampaged all throughout the inner-city, destroying hotels, retail
businesses and restaurants, and countless civilians! The mayor of our city is sending a plea to
the robotic super hero Mythical Super Hero Anne to come to our rescue yet once
again, for it seems our U.N. sanctioned tanks and aeroplanes are no match for
Gilzilla's great ire. He is still loose
and heading towards the peaceful northern end of the city!...I repeat! Our beloved-"
Matthewsan
clicked off the radio, and flopped himself down in the luxury futon sofa, so
dazed was he with concern. "We live
in the peaceful northern end of the city!
Gilzilla is on his way to destroy us! Our only hope now is Mythical
Super Hero Anne." He jumped up from
the futon. "I must go and get
Malirra. She will know where to find
Mythical Super Hero Anne."
Matthewsan shuffled out of the living-square, towards the
bathroom-square.
Diannakiro
looked at Toshomiko, not knowing what else to do. My friend looks so pale and
small, and strange, thought Diannakiro. It is peculiar, she thought, that a Japanese girl would have red hair and
freckles. Then she remembered that
Toshomiko was adopted from a far away place, an island of super heroes, where
no one looked normal. Diannakiro
wondered if all the people from this far away place had mythical super powers
as great as Mythical Super Hero Anne's.
If they did, she wished they were all here now, to fight the monster
Gilzilla, for she was not sure that one super hero was enough to stop him. She knew that Mythical Super Hero Anne and
Gilzilla had fought many times in the past, and always the fights ended in
stalemate. What tricks, if any, had Mythical Super Hero Anne learned, what
powers, if any, had she discovered since their last meeting that would ensure
Good's victory over Evil? Diannakiro
voiced her concern to Mythical Super Hero Anne. "Toshomiko," she
said, being careful not to call the hero by her super hero name, "what can
you do? Gilzilla is a horrible monster
who wreaks havoc on all that he surveys."
Toshomiko
looked deep into the eyes of Diannakiro.
She could see the doubt that lingered in her. But for all the doubt that may have been in
Diannakiro's mind, there was none in Mythical Super Hero Anne/Toshomiko's. With
every battle she had had with Gilzilla, she had learned a little more about his
techniques and style of battle. She was
more confident than ever that she would defeat Gilzilla this time.
To
assuage Diannakiro’s fears Toshomiko/Mythical Super Hero Anne performed her now
famous super-hero pose- hands on hips, feet slightly wider than shoulder length
apart, chin thrust proudly out- and said, "I will fight Gilzilla and
destroy him!" The surety in her
voice instantly calmed Diannakiro's worried mind, so strong was its conviction. "This time I will make sure that he is
destroyed. Not like last time, when he
was able to slip through the Sunday School Picnic trap I set for him."
(see The Adventures of Mythical Super
Hero Anne, Part 19, "Carrot Stew For Me And You". ed. note)
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