Gurren Lagann: Second Gear

Chapter 3: The Loving Grandmother

        I made it home just after the street lights came on. I walking into the house. Grandmother's shoes weren't by the front door, so she wasn't home yet. I guess I had time to take a shower because I don't exactly smell like a lady if you know what I'm saying. I took my shoes off by the door, then made my way up the stairs to my room. I dropped my goggles on my bed, left my bag on my desk, took off my jacket (which was in desperate need of washing), took off the rest of my clothes (which also need to be washed.) And made my way to the bathroom.

        I was in the shower for so long, you could power probably all of downtown with the amount of steam I made. The worst thing of all was my hair. I actually got a chance to wash it since Saturday, and 72 hours of not washing this mane of mine surely does have it's downside. But on the positive point of things, I found my comb, along with a couple of other things. Now that it was wet, my hair was more like a tail than anything else. I swiftly wrapped it up in a towel, allowing it to dry while I got dressed.

        As an FYI, I don't exactly have the best wardrobe. All the shirts I own I make by hand or are my grandmother's old clothes. I have to say, she had a great sense of fashion. Yet, in almost every picture I saw of her from when she was my age, she just wore a black bikini top that had a flaming pattern on it. (And I own that too. It's hanging up on my wall as we speak.) I decided to put on a purple tee-shirt with a peace sign on it and some demim shorts. I took the towel off my head, allowing my hair to free fall down to my thieghs once more and poof out into the puffy hell hazard that it was. I clipped my goggles behind my neck and shimmied them up to my forehead just as I heard the front door open. I smile streched across my face as I left my bedroom and made my way down the stairs.

        My grandmother Yoko walking in, unwrapping the scarf from around her neck and setting her metal black cane next to the front door. I skip-walked down the stairs, wrapping my arms around my dear grandmother, giving her a hug. She embraced me, patting my back.

        "Oh Inoichi!" She said in her elderly grandmother voice. "You sure do know how to maky your grandmother smile." She let go of me, then took off her coat. I took it from her, hanging it on the hook behind the door. I escorted her to the living, helping her sit on the couch. She sighed as she settled down, patting the spot next to her. I sat down, watching as she yawned and streched a bit.

        "I can't believe that I'm over one hundred years old and there are still parts of the city that I haven't seen yet." She stated.

        "Really? What did you see today grandmother?" I asked. She turned her head to look at me. There were wrinkles that started to form around her eyes and her nose. Her bright red hair was slowly starting to turn a withered grey. Grandmother Yoko is the longest living person of Kamina City at the age of 134 years old. I don't wanna lose her anytime soon, so I have to listen to her stories about her day. Now how does she get around so fast is a mystery to me.

        She leaned back into the couch. "Well, I was head over to the southern side of town when I passed by a booth selling various knick knacks and pendents."

        "Sounds cool." I replied, leaning onto her right shoulder.

        She leaned her head against mine. "I got you something dear."

       I sat back up. "Really? What is it?" Grandmother reached over the left side of the couch and pulled up her purse. She reached inside.

        Slowly, Grandmother Yoko's crinkled hand pulled at a long thin black rope. It snaked its way upward, revealing at the end...a golden brown drill. I don't know what it was, but that drill caught my attention. Grandmother Yoko pulled into over my head and settled it around my neck. I lifted up the drill with the palm of my hand. It felt surprisingly smooth. I ran my finger from the base all the way up to the tip, feelinging the spiral that was engraved into it. I don't know why, but this necklace feels important for some reason.

        "I knew that you would like it Inoichi." Grandmother Yoko said with just the slightest hint of pride. I hugged my grandmother tight, a large smile going across my face.

        "Thanks grandmother!" I exclaimed.

        "No need to thank me Inoichi." she responded. "I just want you to remember that no matter what, I will always be there to protect you." She smiled at me, making me feel all warm inside. I couldn't help but love my grandmother.  She was always so kind and warm hearted, not only to me, but to everyone around her. Now that you think about it, I don't think I've ever seen Grandmother Yoko ever been mean to a single living soul.

        "How about tomorrow, you and I can spend the whole day together?" Grandmother asked me.

        "I don't see a reason why not to." I replied. I mean, I couldn't tell her "No.", am I right? I know I usually help Viral work on his statue thingy (at least, that's what he told me it was), but I'm sure I'm aloud to take a day off, right? Right?

        Grandmother Yoko patted my head a bit, flattening my unruly black hair only for it to pop back up again. Yeah, I'm sure Viral's gonna be alright.