There's Something About Birdstyle

DISCLAIMER: This story is a non-commercial work of fiction based on the anime GATCHAMAN. Original copyright of GATCHAMAN belongs to Tatsunoko Productions and Sandy Frank Entertainment. Absolutely no monetary gain has been made with this work.


THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT BIRDSTYLE
© April 9, 2008 By Rory V. Pascual


PART TWO

As a doctor and scientist, Kouzaburou Nambu never considered Psychiatry to be one of his strong fields of expertise. However, he had to admit to having perverse enjoyment in seeing the many ridiculous ways by which couples with relationship problems react. When one in the pair is still suffering from the ill effects of a head injury, the reactions could be disastrously hilarious.

Take Subject No. 1: Joe Asakura, who was sitting on the couch outside his office, with his entire head swathed in bandages, which made him look like a demented Sikh. There was an expression of pain and utter perplexity on his face as he stared at his right hand, opening and closing it as if he were waiting for a mouth to materialize on his palm that would confess to a transgression that he never remembered committing.

Then, there was Subject No. 2: Ken Washio, whom Joe was obviously waiting for. Nambu was giving his young ward the details of the Kagaku Ninjatai's next mission. There was nothing on Ken's handsome face that betrayed his inner turmoil, but the good doctor could see those baby blues flick over to the security monitor to watch the restless man waiting in the hallway. Often, he would see a look of concern cross Ken's face whenever Joe gripped his head in obvious pain. Nambu reached for a file, his pinky discreetly pressing the button for a close-up. Oh, how becoming was the pink color that dotted the Eagle's cheekbones, not to mention the way his hand carefully slid to his back! By all appearances, it seemed like he was standing 'at ease', but Nambu knew he was covering his behind. Ken was only too happy when his foster father dismissed him. Flustered as the Eagle was, Nambu did not wish to prolong the boy's discomfiture any longer.

When the door of his office slid close, the good doctor swung his chair around to face the monitor and watch the continuation of the drama outside.

Ken had paused outside Nambu's door, assuming his characteristic slouch – head and shoulders drooping much lower than before, back bent like Quasimodo, and thumbs tucked in the pockets of his white bell bottoms. With his long, wavy chocolate brown hair – which looked as if a comb hadn't raked it in years, Ken was the very image of a lazy hippie.

// Surely that posture couldn't be good for him, // Nambu thought critically.

Joe, however, couldn't be happier to see him. With a wave of the hand he was flexing earlier, he greeted, "Hi!"

The Eagle blanched at the sight of that hand. It seemed that Ken had made the decision that being with the Condor – more than his bad posture – was detrimental to his overall well-being. Ignoring that greeting, he started to walk off in the opposite direction.

Joe swiftly reached for the departing figure, crying, "Hey, Ken! Wait a minute, will you?" Like the claws of a lobster, his fingers closed with a snap on a hunk of shapely butt.

With a squeal of shock, Ken jumped as though he had been electrocuted. Favoring his abused behind, he whirled around to glower at the Condor. Joe was taken aback; never had the Eagle looked at him so fiercely.

"I'm sorry," Joe sounded so contrite. "You ignored me and I wanted to talk to you about something." He looked at his offending right hand in confusion. "I don't know. It's just that my hand seemed to have a mind of its own for a moment there. I didn't mean anything by it. Honest!"

Nambu's mouth twitched, seeing how the boy's blue eyes narrowed. Was Ken upset that Joe goosed him or was he disappointed by the fact that – as the Condor claimed – the gesture did not carry the anticipated sign of a possible attraction behind it?

Lines creased Ken's forehead, as he demanded, "What do you want?"

To only make matters worse, Joe stood up and approached the wary Eagle. Ken stiffened as his teammate yanked his T-shirt from the waistband of his pants and let it drop to cover his lower body.

"That's better!" Joe remarked, pleased by what he had done. "Even in bell bottoms, you still look like you're wearing that damned birdstyle. Must be because of the color white. You really should think about wearing dark colors for a change." He reached down and cupped a taut mound. "See? With your prudish little tushie shielded from view, it won't be a temptation to lechers."

"Oh, is that right?" There was an ominous tone in Ken's voice. "Then would you mind telling me what it is you're doing?"

"Eh?" Joe trained his eyes down at that query and froze, but with his hand still fitting the tight curve of the Eagle's bottom.

Seething in fury, Ken yelled, "If you don't mean anything by what you're doing, GET YOUR HAND OFF MY BUTT!"

Jun, Ryu and Jinpei happened to be on their way to Nambu-Hakase's office when they stumbled upon their teammates in this indecent position.

"That's telling him, Ken!" Jun crowed in fiendish glee. "It's about time someone taught that pube-peeping pervert a lesson!"

Watching the proceedings inside his office, Nambu almost choked at that hilarious description.

Because of the swiftness by which Jun spoke, Ryu was scratching his head in confusion. "Pube peep whatsis?"

"It's a new tongue twister!" Jinpei piped in. "Try saying 'Pube-peeping pervert' ten times fast!"

The duo started saying that phrase over and over again, their tongues tripping over the P's, much to the annoyance of the Condor.

"Who the hell are you calling a pervert, huh? Is this what I get for showing you brotherly concern?" Joe rounded on Jun, his grip tightening on the Eagle's behind that Ken let out a pained squawk. "Don't you see what these accursed birdstyles are doing to us? It's changing us into people with loose morals and wanton desires!"

"Uh, Joe…" Ryu interrupted. "If I remember correctly, you already WERE a man of loose morals and wanton desires before you put on your first birdstyle."

"That's beside the point!"

"Ohhh? So what is your point then?" Jun's eyes narrowed into slits at the Condor. "You didn't have any problems with the birdstyles before. Back then, you were even preening in front of a mirror like a peacock, saying that it made you look sexy!"

"I'm not talking about me; I'm talking about YOU! The birdstyles are changing you, that's what! I mean, look at you. Now, this is the Jun I know – kinda pretty, a bit of a tomboy when you're not being flirty. Practically unappealing."

"HEY! I RESENT THAT!"

"But…when you change into the Swan…" Joe continued, "…You become a siren in a micro-mini, and a tasteless one at that!"

"You're accusing me of having NO TASTE?" Jun was practically shrieking.

"Well, I'm not the one wearing plain white panties under a mini-skirt and exposing my pubes to public scrutiny."

"If you find it distasteful, then why did you even bother to look in the first place?"

"With the way you've been high-kicking every Galactor goon, anyone and everyone could see! They don't have to break their necks to peep!"

"Guys, would you break this up, PLEASE?" Ken growled as Joe's fingers squeezed his bum for the umpteenth time. "I don't think my butt can take any more abuse!"

Jinpei, however, was delighted by the Condor's insane implications. "Hey, Ryu! If what Joe says is true – that our birdstyles have personality-changing properties, we'll be turning into babe magnets in no time!"

"Yeah, you're right!" Ryu agreed, giving his diminutive teammate a high five. "It's high time we got our share of the female attention!" He then described one such picturesque scenario, with the Swallow nodding along. "Just imagine, Jinpei – you and I in a hot and steamy onsen with girls smothering us with perfumed kisses, and their manicured hands exploring…."

"DISPEL THAT THOUGHT! It's obscene!" Joe shuddered all over. "Instead of thinking about yourselves, imagine what the birdstyle can do to HIM!" As he said that last, he pointed a finger straight at a startled Eagle's face.

Ken suddenly found himself the center of unwanted attention, as his teammates grimly looked him over from head to toe. "Wh…what?"

No one answered his stammered question, as they all lapsed into the pose of deep, troubled thought – frowning faces, right elbows propped up on their folded left arms, fingers pinching their chins.

Nambu snickered at the expressions on the faces of Jun, Jinpei and Ryu. Since the only example that they have of a freewheeling playboy was Joe, it wasn't difficult to picture what was running through their heads – Ken zooming through the sky in the G-1 throwing roses at swooning females below, Ken dating one girl after another, Ken drinking it up in a bar or dancing up a storm in a disco.

On the other hand, having more experience in worldly matters, Joe's imagination ran to the more risqué.

"Joe, you're thinking dirty thoughts, aren't you?" Jinpei said accusingly. "You've got a drop of blood hanging out of your right nostril."

"NO!" Joe gasped out. "I won't let that happen! Not to my angel Ken!"

"I'm not an angel, much more yours, Joe!" Ken snarled, simmering in growing rage. "Now, would you mind…"

"You really are a damned pervert!" Jun cried furiously. "I bet you're planning to peep at Ken's pubes too!"

"Why would I want to peep at Ken's pubes? He's already as good as naked in his birdstyle! Besides, I'm pretty sure his pubes aren't anything like yours! It's like you've got an Afro under there!"

"That's it! I've had enough of your insults! Put 'em up, Condor!"

Ken would do anything to relieve his bruised ass of those squeezing fingers. "Joe, I think it would be a good idea if you let me go and just defend yourself."

"Oh, I'll fight you all right, as long as it's with fists. No kicking! I don't think my stomach could stand it."

"Moron! I'm wearing pants!"

"Ryu…Jinpei…For god's sake, DO SOMETHING!"

"Hey, look what I found, Ryu! It's a hair…and it's curly!"

"But Jun's wearing pants. That couldn't be hers! Nambu-Hakase's perhaps?"

Nambu was waving his fist at the security monitor. "Why did my name get dragged into this crazy discussion?!"

Ignored and abused, Ken exploded like a Super Bird Missile. "If you don't understand English, then…GIÙ LE MANI DAL MIO CULO!"

At that shout, everyone gaped at the Eagle in surprise. It was only then that Joe realized what he was still doing, and he jerked his hand back as though he had touched a live wire. But then, his shock was soon replaced by amazement and undisguised happiness.

"Ken…how long have you been able to speak Italian? Were you planning to surprise me?"

Ken's face turned crimson, and for a few seconds, he couldn't get his mouth to work. With an exhale of embarrassment and mild exasperation, he ordered snappily, "I'm out of here! I want all of you to report to the Briefing Room in 1300 hours! Until then, I don't want to see any of your faces!"

"Wait, Ken!" Joe went after him. "You haven't answered my question yet!"

"Shut up!"

"Come on! Why don't you say something to me in Italian?"

"LASCIAMI IN PACE!"

The Condor grimaced. "That's not what I had in mind. How about 'I love you, Joe'? That would be nice!"

Ken clapped his hands over his ears, screaming "SE NE VADA!" and made a break for the end of the hallway.

"Hey, wait up!" Joe gave chase. "We are going to be discussing a change in uniforms at the briefing later, right?"

Jun was frowning in suspicion as she watched the two leaders of the Kagaku Ninjatai disappear from view. "Why do I get the feeling that Joe's turning gay?"

"If he were, you'd only have yourself to blame, sis," Jinpei scolded the Swan in a know-it-all manner. "You're the one who knocked the screws in Joe's head loose."

"How about I do the same to you, Jinpei?"

Ryu waved to his teammates. "Come on! We're already late! Nambu-Hakase's going to have our hides!"

When they entered Nambu's office, however, they found the doctor leaning back in his plush executive chair, roaring with laughter.

"Oh, great!" Jun's shoulders sagged in dismay. "Whatever it is Joe's got, it's contagious."

Nambu's laughter quickly died down at that remark. He straightened up in his seat and faced them. "And what do you mean by that, Jun? If Joe is not being himself, then whose fault is that?"

Chastened by those rebuking queries, the Swan cast her eyes down to a point between her toes. "You wanted to speak to us, sir?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Nambu said curtly, "No, I changed my mind. The briefing we'll have would suffice."

"Sorry, sir."

"Just make sure you're on time later. You can go."

At that dismissal, they gave their superior a perky salute. Jun and Ryu headed straight for the door, but Jinpei hesitated. With great reluctance, he approached Nambu again.

"Sir…" he said meekly. "I think you dropped this, sir." Before Nambu could say anything, Jinpei turned on his heels and dashed between the Swan and the Owl, running out into the hallway. Ryu and Jun quickly followed.

Seeing what Jinpei had laid on his desk, Nambu let out a loud "Harrumph!" It was not out of annoyance, but more to stop himself from lapsing into another laughing fit.

"Damn that boy!" Nambu grumbled, poking at the curly hair strand with the tip of his pen. "How could he say this hair is mine? Not only is it the wrong color, I'm damned sure mine is not this kinky!"

~~~~~~~~~~

Nambu learned that the Kagaku Ninjatai's mission – to destroy a secret Galactor training camp in Tubatara Island, located in the Maharlika archipelago – had been successful after a brief communication with a strangely subdued Eagle. It was only hours later that the good doctor found out just HOW successful the mission was. The fact that Ken popped into his office for a debriefing dressed in his civvies – not in his birdstyle, which was his usual attire after disembarking from the God Phoenix – was a bad sign that things did not really go so well.

Settling back into his seat, bracing himself for the worst, Nambu urged his ward, "Let's hear your report, Owashi No Ken."

Ken's voice was being strangled by apprehension at the thought of having to tell every embarrassing detail of their mission to the ISO's Chief Scientist, but duty called for him to give a complete report, even if it would make his team look like a bunch of incompetents. Taking a deep breath to calm his frayed nerves, the Eagle told Nambu what happened.

Right on schedule, the Kagaku Ninjatai had assembled in the God Phoenix and took off for Maharlika. It had been smooth flying for a half-hour, which made Ken edgy. After all, from experience, it was when things looked peaceful that Galactor would spring a surprise attack. Just to be on the safe side, he had the team do a mid-air systems check and radar sweep of the area. All responded to his questions as he ticked off the items on his mental checklist one by one…except for Joe. Instead, the Condor was sitting stiffly in his chair, mumbling to himself. Upon closer scrutiny, Ken saw that Joe has his eyes closed, and that he was actually saying the Lord's Prayer in Italian.

"Joe? What in heaven's name are you doing?" Ken couldn't stop himself from asking, although he already knew what Joe's answer would be. "You are praying for the success of our mission, I hope."

His hands forming a steeple, the Condor shook his head. "I'm praying to the Good Lord that he shield me from the wiles of birdstyles…" He threw a sharp glance at the Swan. "…And to spare me from any obscene views of Jun's crotch. AMEN!"

As Joe crossed himself with the devoutness of a candidate for sainthood, the Swallow was struggling in vain to restrain an irate Swan. "Let me go, Jinpei! Just one yoyo bomb! Just one! That's all it would take to put that fool out of his misery!"

Ken himself was tempted to deck the Condor with his bird rang, but stamped down on the urge to do so, fearing that another knock on his head might cause further brain damage. Instead, he laid a gentle hand on his second-in-command's shoulder. As Joe looked at him questioningly, he pleaded, "Joe, now is not the time for this. If the birdstyles bother you that much, I promise we'll change out of them as soon as we return to Crescent Coral. You know that we have to keep our true identities a secret for security reasons. Surely you understand that."

There was a grudging tone in Joe's voice as he said, "I understand. I don't have to like it, but – believe me – I do understand."

"Grazie, Joe," Ken gave his friend a grateful pat. But before he could remove his hand, the Condor's fingers closed around it.

The Eagle did not tell Nambu how that had felt, that moment when their hands were joined – his fingers trembling and his palm sweating inside his glove, the heat that radiated from Joe's tender grip, the way his heart pounded so loudly that he thought the Condor would feel its fast rhythm in his pulse…

"Scusatemi, Ken," Joe apologized in grave seriousness. "I know how upsetting this must be for you, but I'm only looking after your welfare."

At first, Ken was at a loss for words. // Does this mean he cares about me? Or is he only saying this because he's still not right in the head? //

Smiling shyly, the Eagle answered, "I really appreciate your concern for me, but you know I can take care of myself."

"Yes, I know, but there are so many evils in the world, evils far greater than Galactor, I…I don't want you to…"

"Joe, despite the squeaky clean image you have of me inside your head, I'm no angel. I'm not the innocent that you think me to be." There…that was the closest he would ever get to revealing the truth about himself.

"But that's the birdstyle corrupting you!"

// Not again! // Ken groaned inwardly.

"You have to help me convince Nambu-Hakase to come up with a new design for our uniforms."

The Eagle gently pried his hand out of the Condor's grasp. "Mission first, Joe. We'll talk about this when we get back," he said with a reassuring smile.

After concealing the God Phoenix in a nearby coral reef, it had been easy for Ken and the others to infiltrate the camp. As they had planned, they planted time bombs in the underground smelting plant, taking extra care that they do not fall into the molds – large holes in the floor joined by interconnecting pipes, which were used to manufacture missile casings. What they had not counted on was for Ryu to accidentally trip an infrared beam, triggering the alarm. In a matter of seconds, they found themselves surrounded by Galactor thugs and – lo and behold! – leading them was Berg Katse himself. Oh, how the Eagle ached to plant his fist on that heavily-lipsticked mouth to quiet his effeminate ranting!

But as the Kagaku Ninjatai leaped into action, Ken found himself lifted in strong arms and dumped unceremoniously into a mold.

"JOE!" he called out to his teammate standing at the edge of the pipe above him. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Just stay put down there! Don't worry! I'll protect you!"

"I DON'T NEED YOU TO PROTECT ME!"

Like it or not, however, the Eagle ended up fighting Galactor goons in the dubious cover of the molds. It certainly did not help any that, for once, those green-clad heavies used their heads, getting huge sledgehammers and standing before each hole in the hope of braining him. In the next trying minutes, Ken would pop out of the molds like a Jack-in the-Box and use his bird rang to knock out the goons waiting for him at a nearby hole and then duck back down before a sledgehammer could connect with his cranium. He would then crawl into an adjoining pipe and repeat the procedure all over again. It did not escape the Eagle's notice that his predicament reminded him of a popular arcade game, and he didn't like the feeling of being the targeted mole.

At one point, Ken was forced to emerge when he heard Joe cry out in horror, "OH MY GOD!" fearing that the Condor had been injured. What he beheld, however, was Joe, with hands over his eyes, running – not from a Galactor thug, although he barreled into anyone who dared get in his way – but a furious Jun.

"MY EYES! THE HORRIBLE VISION SEARED MY EYES!"

"I'LL KILL YOU, CONDOR! I SWEAR IF I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU'RE DEAD!"

Nambu's mouth was a tight, quivering line of controlled mirth, as he listened to the Eagle's narrative. "Then? What happened next?"

This was the part Ken dreaded to tell the most. Reluctantly, he continued, "As I said, we were fighting – if you could actually call that travesty 'fighting', when the sound of laughter stopped us. Even the Galactor goons ceased their attacks. It turned out to be Berg Katse. He was on the scaffold, rolling to and fro, busting his guts out from laughing. Somehow, he got a hold of himself and ordered his men to retreat, but before he escaped, he said…"

The Eagle stopped at that point, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He wouldn't have finished what he was going to say, but then, the communications monitor flickered to life to reveal Berg Katse's grinning face.

"Nambu-Hakase!" Katse greeted the ISO administrator. It was all too obvious that the Galactor leader was in exceptionally good spirits. "Please convey this message to Gatchaman for me. I never thought I'd be so happy to lose, but this time, I truly am. Thanks to the Kagaku Ninjatai, I've rediscovered my lost childhood. I've completely forgotten how fun it was to play 'Whack-The-Mole', so my scientists have developed a different version of the game called 'Bash-The-Gatchaman' for my amusement. Even the great Sosai X is so entertained. I do hope we could play another game next time. Oh, and please give my regards to the Condor. I sincerely hope his poor eyes have recovered from the ghastly thing he had seen under the mini-skirt of Shiratori No Jun. 'Til we meet again…Ta ta!"

As the monitor grew dark, silence fell between the scientist and his ward. In an effort to ease the shame that was eating at the Eagle, Nambu gingerly pointed out, "Well, at least you succeeded in your mission."

The doctor jerked back as Ken slammed his hands on Nambu's desk with a bang. "Tell me the truth, Hakase! What's wrong with Joe? Has he gone mad? Doesn't he need to be in a hospital? Is he going to get better?"

Nambu looked the Eagle straight in the eye. "Are you really that worried about him? I thought you were more concerned about the embarrassment that he had caused you."

"Of course I'm worried! I couldn't care less if Katse is getting his kicks bashing the head of a plastic version of myself with a mallet. But Joe… Wouldn't you be worried if you see the person you care for about to fall off the deep end, and you're powerless to do anything about it?" Ken bowed his head, his eyes squeezed shut, and his hands closed into fists. "The Condor we have now… He isn't the Joe I knew!"

"How sure are you that this is the Joe you never knew existed?"

Ken's head snapped up at that quiet query, his eyes round with shock.

Nambu breathed out a sigh. "It's very obvious to me that your feelings for Joe go beyond simple caring." The Eagle was about to contradict him, but the doctor halted him with a raise of his hand. "There's no point in denying it. Besides, I've long been waiting for you to find someone you would give your heart to. It did not feel right to me that you've been sacrificing potential relationships for the sake of duty. For a while there, I thought it would be Jun. But after ten years, I realized…it has always been Joe, wasn't it?"

"Do you detest me for choosing to love another man, Hakase?"

"Any good reason why I should? You are still the boy I loved and raised as though you were my own son. What does concern me is how far you're willing to go for this relationship to flourish?"

"I don't understand," Ken remarked frowning.

"Dr. Trieste did a complete battery of exams on Joe," Nambu revealed to the Eagle. "For all intents and purposes, he is fine. Except for the concussion, he did not suffer any serious brain damage. EEGs, brain scans, even tests on his neural transmissions…everything inside his head is in perfect working order. The Joe Asakura you are interacting with now is a perfectly sane man."

"Then, what's wrong with him?"

"We interviewed Ryu and Jinpei about what happened in the observation deck that day. It seems that before he got his face bashed in by Jun, Joe was intensely fixated on two things…birdstyles and you."

"ME?"

Nambu nodded. "In fact, Ryu swore that the Condor was looking at you as you moved in your birdstyle while you were undergoing the training exercise. Jinpei even went so far as to say that Joe was…in his very terms…'lusting over you'."

"Lusting, huh?" Ken laughed wryly. "You know that Jinpei's observations tend to run towards exaggerations."

"But what if he's right this time? I've been observing Joe myself these past few days and, although his thoughts and actions might label him as insane, there is a motive behind them – something which he may not be able to do if he were his 'usual' self."

"Which is?"

"For him to be able to shower – albeit indirectly – his affections towards you."

There was a poleaxed expression on Ken's face. "Are you saying that Joe is in love with me?"

Nambu shrugged. "Well, perhaps not you exactly, but the image of you as Owashi No Ken. Handsome and sweet, the always prim and proper Eagle Scout, and – I dare say it – the angelic virgin, whose pristine virtue he must protect at all costs, even from himself."

"But…but…I'M NOT!" Ken sputtered aghast.

"Are you going to tell me you're not a virgin?" Nambu growled at the younger man. "Is there something I don't know about? I hope you remembered what I taught you about practicing safe sex."

Ken blushed hotly at those queries. "Of course I'm still a virgin! But…but…" The Eagle felt his knees weakening and he sagged into a chair before he could collapse at the weight of what he was learning about his teammate. "Then, the reason why he's so fixated on birdstyles is because he finds me attractive in them and that he wants to…" His blue eyes flew wide as a steamy thought crossed his mind, and he clapped his hands to his cheeks before his foster father could see how deep a red the color of his cheeks had become.

"Sex is just a part of what he wants to do with you," the doctor put in frankly. "However, you know that he has a reputation for being a playboy. I think there is a part of him that is afraid that you might reject him for his past flings…"

"Why would I do that?"

"…And the fact that he does not know where your true sexual leanings lie. Think about it, Ken. After so many years of playing straight, do you think it would be easy for Joe to woo another man, especially if he believes that man to be just as straight as he is, perhaps even more?"

Before the Eagle could interject, the subject of their discussion entered the office, bearing a portfolio in his hand. Seeing the startled looks on their faces, Joe said defensively, "I buzzed but there was no answer, so I decided to come in. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"Oh, no, no!" Nambu quickly reassured the Condor. "Ken and I were just discussing the concluded mission."

Joe's face soured at that answer. "Hakase, please don't be mad at Ken. I was the one who messed up. I swear it won't happen again."

"As long as you were able to accomplish your mission, that's enough for me. Now, is there anything you would like to talk to me about?"

Ken stood at attention. "I shall be going then, sir."

"No, Ken, please stay," Joe begged the Eagle. "There's something I wanted to show the both of you."

As the Condor opened his portfolio on Nambu's desk, the doctor pushed his glasses up his nose and asked, "And what's this?"

"Designs for new uniforms. I was hoping you'd take a look at them."

Despite his apprehensions of what the products of Joe's unstable mind would look like, Ken found himself actually floored by the Condor's designs.

Joe decided to outfit the team as real bird people – complete with feathers in the colors of the birds that they represented, intricate helmets, and functional sets of wings (instead of the usual capes), including the schematics for them.

For the individual outfits, Joe carefully tailored them to suit each member. Ryu's uniform had been transformed into a Robin Hood-style outfit. Instead of making the top a close fit to the body, he chose a loose, streamlined brown tunic cinched at the waist by a narrow belt so that the Owl's flabs wouldn't be too apparent. For Jinpei, he created a yellow and brown ensemble, which would make him look like Peter Pan. Ken was not sure if Jun would be pleased with the proposed design for her uniform though. Joe had actually gone through several versions – judging from the doodles all over the page that have been crossed out with a red marker – before settling on a fairy-style white and pink dress. He had been considerate enough to make the skirt as short as her original costume's, but underneath it were very short shorts with ruffles, which were apparently intended to distract the eye from peeping even lower. Joe outfitted himself with the dark reddish brown colors of his avian namesake, but same as Ryu's decided to go for a streamlined top. With those black wings, Joe was the very image of a Dark Angel.

Nambu, who was perusing each illustration with undisguised appreciation, handed the last sketch to Ken. "I think you'd better take a look at this." The Eagle did not like the crooked smile that curled up on the doctor's mouth.

Taking the offered sketch, Ken's jaw dropped instantly. If the Condor was the Dark Angel, Ken was transformed into an Angel of Light. Instead of dressing the Eagle up in the flowing white robes of the western angels, Joe decided to go with an oriental look in keeping with Ken's Japanese heritage – a white tunic, a gold breastplate with their insignia emblazoned in crimson in the center, sky blue pantaloons, and ankle-high boots.

Rather than be flattered by the lavish attention that his teammate paid to the design, Ken could not help but feel dismayed, seeing Joe's idealized version of the Eagle put to paper.

Unaware of his leader's growing distress, Joe asked anxiously, "Well? What do you think? Do you like it?" His gray blue eyes twinkled with excitement, anticipating the Eagle's approval.

Ken carefully put the sketch down together with the rest and said bluntly, "No, I don't. I'm sorry." With a bow to Nambu, he headed straight for the door, only to find his way suddenly blocked by the Condor.

~~~~~~~~~~

To say that Joe had labored over the uniform designs was an understatement. Prompted by his increasing agitation over the birdstyles, he had slaved over the sketches during the hours before they embarked on the mission to Maharlika. On the trip back, he put the finishing touches while the others were napping.

It was a monumental task for someone who had no talent in art, much more fashion design, but somehow, Joe had managed to come up with some very striking illustrations, even if he drew them while experiencing a splitting headache – a common occurrence of late – which made his eyes want to pop out. It was while he was drawing the Eagle's uniform that the headache hit hardest, and yet, despite it, he took exceptional care to come up with a design that he was sure Ken would love and approve of.

So when the Eagle flatly rejected the sketch he took great pains to make, it felt like a bullet through this heart.

His temper getting the better of him, Joe overtook his teammate before he could reach the door and seized him by the front of his shirt. "Why? What's wrong with it?" he demanded. "Do you have any idea how long it took for me to make that?"

Ken met his fiery gaze with a glare of such iciness that made Joe wince in pain. "That uniform you designed for me…that sketch…it's not me."

"What are you saying? That uniform was meant for you to wear. I swear you'll look wonderful in it." Releasing his friend, the Condor reached for the sketch with trembling hands. His voice shook as he said cajolingly, "Why don't you look at it again and imagine yourself wearing it? It's perfect for you, Ken. You'll look just like an angel. Not like when you're wearing birdstyle…"

"And what do I look like when I'm wearing birdstyle? I'd like to hear you say it right in my face, Condor."

"But, Ken…I…"

With a sarcastic laugh, Ken exclaimed, "Oh, I forgot! I'm wearing my civvies. Give me a second…BIRD GO!"

Joe turned around and flung his right arm over his face, not to shield his eyes from the glaring flash of the transmutation process. He did not want to see…

"TURN AROUND AND FACE ME, DAMN IT!"

A strong hand grabbed his left arm and wrenched him around in order to behold Ken now dressed as his alter ego, Gatchaman.

"Now, speak up, Condor! What do I look like when I'm wearing this?"

// No! // The word spilled out of Joe's lips as an aching groan. Although his head was splitting from the shining vision of the Eagle, the insistent throbbing in his loins agonized him more. Ashamed that his body would betray his lust, Joe took a step back to hide the erection straining in his jeans. But Ken only moved closer to him.

"I'm waiting, Joe!" Ken snarled in fury.

"Naked…you look…naked…" Joe's words were an incoherent mumble.

"JOE!"

The Condor broke down completely as he shouted back, "YOU LOOK LIKE A MAN-WHORE! THERE! I SAID IT! ARE YOU SATISFIED NOW?"

Joe's legs buckled from the pressure and he fell to his knees. His voice choked with emotion, the Condor sobbed, "This isn't you, Ken! I don't like it when you're dressed like this! Everyone looking at you…so dirty! As if they want to…possess…you!"

" 'Possess'? Don't you mean they want to FUCK me?" That filthy word was like a sliver of ice driven through Joe's heart. Yet, Ken had not finished his onslaught. "What if I tell you that I love it when people look at me as though I'm a sex object – to feel those eyes searing my body like a laser beam. That's why I'm really disappointed when…SOMEONE…only sees me as Gatchaman. Beneath this uniform is a man with desperate needs and desires who would do anything…EVERYTHING…to fulfill them. If that…PERSON…would only find the courage…"

"NO!" Joe shook his head stubbornly. With an anguished cry, he gripped Ken's shoulders hard, his eyes squeezed tightly shut to stop himself from weeping. "I would kill anyone who'd dare sully you…my precious angel…"

Then, gentle hands cupped his face, and the Condor opened his eyes to find the Eagle with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Oh, Joe! I'm no angel!" Ken said bitterly. "How can I make you look beyond this heroic façade and see the person who I truly am?"

Without saying anything more, the Eagle walked out of Nambu's office and closed the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Nambu was stricken to silence by the drama that had just occurred in his presence. There wasn't any doubt that Ken was hurt by Joe's denseness, but the Condor too was in greater pain at his inability and fear to confess what was truly inside his heart. Offering comforting advice was not in his capacity to give. He never considered himself an expert in the affairs of the heart after all.

But there was one thing he could do as the ISO's Administrator and Chief Scientist.

Pulling open his drawer, Nambu took out a slim rectangular box, which he laid on top of his desk. He cleared his throat to catch the attention of the Condor. For a moment, he could not speak as he saw the misery in Joe's eyes.

Regaining his professional composure, Nambu began, "I'm not supposed to give this to anyone, but since you're so desperate about seeking approval for your uniform designs, I thought I'd let you give this…" He waved a hand to the box. "…A test run."

Wiping away the tears that were filling his eyes, Joe picked it up and flipped open the lid to find a bracelet similar to what he was wearing now, except that the face was titanium and its band was dark red.

"What is this?" the Condor asked curiously. "A new transmutation bracelet?"

Nambu nodded. "I've been working out the kinks in that little trinket. You see, after the problem we had with Jun's missing shoe, I became concerned about the imminent danger of Galactor learning your true identity. So I thought of designing a new bracelet for the team."

Joe carefully picked up the bracelet from its box and dangled it before his eyes. "How does this thing work?"

"That new bracelet works in the same way as your team bracelets do. The difference is this particular trinket is highly attuned to the brain waves of its wearer. It has the capability to change your civvies into any type of clothing you choose. All you need to do is to have a very clear picture of the clothes you'd like to wear inside your head for the bracelet to work. Because that bracelet is the prototype, it's powerful enough to transform even the clothes of your teammates. To activate, instead of saying 'BIRD GO!' you just say the designated avian codename of your teammate. For example, 'OWL GO!' or 'SWALLOW GO!'"

There was an unnatural gleam in the Condor's eyes at this explanation. "You mean…"

"Yes, you could use that to show off your new uniform designs to Ken and the others. Of course, there are some limitations to its use. I'm not sure if the amount of special fiber in your present civvies would be enough to accommodate the designs you have made, but I think it's still worth trying out. This is the only way I could think of to help you…especially as far as Ken is concerned. If you can convince him, it won't be difficult to convince the others."

Joe beamed as he took off his bracelet and put on his wrist, in its stead, the prototype – a bit too eagerly it seemed to the good doctor. "Thank you, Nambu-Hakase. I really appreciate this. If you wish, I'd be happy to submit a report on how well it works."

"Yes, a report would be fine. You're free to make modifications to the bracelet based on your observations." The Condor was about to leave, but Nambu called out to him. "Joe, wait."

"Sir?"

"It would also help if you…meditated…a bit on the things that Ken told you. Maybe try to understand what he's been struggling to say."

Joe made a pained shrug. "Yes, sir, although I must admit that thinking has been quite taxing for me lately. All these headaches…"

Nambu tossed him a bottle of anxiolytics, which the Condor easily caught in his right hand. "Take two of those pain relievers in the morning and before going to bed," the doctor lied under his teeth. Dr. Trieste had specially formulated those drugs to help clear Joe's head. "It will help get rid of those headaches."

"Thank you very much, sir!" Joe said in gratitude, a devilish grin on his face. The sight of that grin made the doctor wonder if he hadn't made a terrible mistake entrusting the prototype to the still mentally unstable Condor.

As soon as Joe left his office, Nambu sagged into his chair and sighed. "I really should get extra pay for being a counselor to love struck teenaged superheroes."


TO BE CONTINUED…

* * * * * * * * * *

TRANSLATION

1. Italian: "Giù le mani dal mio culo!" = "Hands off my butt!"

2. Italian: "Lasciami in pace!" = "Leave me alone!"

3. Italian: "Se ne vada!" = "Go away!"

4. Italian: "Grazie." = "Thank you."

5. Italian: "Scusatemi." = "I'm sorry."