Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (chapter 2) [FIC]
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:29 pm
The level of chatter in the homeroom was way beyond normal.
No one was surprised, seeing that Teletha Testarossa had come to join the class for another week. Everyone was ecstatic, crowding around the diminutive girl.
Tessa seemed somewhat stunned, something the Jindai students attributed to their massed greetings. Sousuke, who stood ramrod stiff back in one corner of the room, was also in a bit of a haze. His fellow students assumed that he was feeling a bit shocked, after a near death experience.
“How’s it hanging, Sousuke!” OnoD’s joke made reference to Sousuke’s hanging onto a rope for dear life. But, Sousuke had heard that kind of greeting from Kurz before. It referred to something very different from a scaffold and a length of hemp.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke blinked rapidly. He had gotten a word out. That was a definite victory.
“You better be more careful, stud.” One of the other guys smiled, looking over at the young soldier. “If something happens to you, who’s going to take care of cuddly Miss Tessa?” He always called Sousuke ‘stud,’ precisely because he seemed clueless around women.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke looked over at Kaname, who was watching him, trying not to let him know what she was doing. His usual frantic and anxious feeling regarding his Captain’s safety… and the things that one Commander Richard Mardukas might do to him if anything happened to her… was strangely absent. If an alien saucer landed and abducted her, he probably wouldn’t be able to do more than say ‘Uhhh’ at that moment.
“So… Miss Kagurazaka … are you going to put Tessa’s desk next to Sousuke‘s?” Kyouko tied to look innocent, but there was a definite gleam in her eyes. “Or, are you going to put her next to Kaname?” She took a picture of Tessa, marveling at the look on her face.
“Neither, Miss Tokiwa.” The teacher made a stern face. “I don’t want Mister Sagara and Miss Chidori getting in trouble.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke swallowed hard. He was aware of the colloquialism about ‘getting a girl in trouble.’ His collar was wet with sweat.
“Sousuke!” Shinji burst into the class room, squeezing between the well wishers all swarming around Tessa. “Hey Sousuke!” He held a large glossy journal in his hand, looking as if he had found the Holy Grail in the bottom of his cereal box. “It finally came in.”
“That is…” Sousuke cleared his throat. He was finally able to start bringing his mind back to safer things. “I assume that is the new 'Arm Slaves Quarterly'…” He looked at Kaname out of the corner of his eyes. Why was she grimacing?
“Yes. It's a double issue.” Shinji looked like he was excited enough to pee his pants. He was hopping up and own like a small kid, knees held tightly together. “Look at this… the Cambodian Fighting Tournament… just like the ones you were in after you left school… see….”
“Affirmative.” Sousuke had every right to tense up, thinking about Nami and Michel. But, at the moment, the old memories actually made him feel calmer.
“Wow!” Shinji almost tripped over a desk. He pushed his glasses up on his nose before they fell off. “This RK 92. It looked like someone knocked it up pretty bad.” Shinji pointed at one of the losing contestant’s machine.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke tensed up again. Knocking up. More suggestive words. He had to get control of himself. He was a Specialist! At least, in military matters. In certain other things, he was worse than a greenhorn.
“All right everyone. I’m as glad as the rest of you to see Miss Testarossa again. “ Miss Kagurazaka called out above the din. “But, I would like you all to take your seats now, so we can get started.” She nodded her head. “First, I’ve been asked to pass along a message from Miss Kaga. It’s about your Home Economics class. She doesn’t want to see any stragglers coming in late after lunch. You’re all expected to have buns in the oven by 12:20.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke sat down next to Kaname. Looking over at her, he saw her face turn pink. She looked away from him. That gave him an opportunity. He reached into his weapons bag, intending to slip a pistol into his desk without Kaname or the teacher seeing.
“Sousuke…about what you saw…” Kaname turned to look at him, having gathered her courage. Shehad wanted to approach this carefully with Sousuke. He was way beyond his years in some ways, but still just a boy in others. Damn that Tessa. No… it had been her own pride that did her in… she couldn’t push the blame off on someone else this time. “We can talk about that after school…”
BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG…
“Awwww-www-ww-w…” It wasn’t Sousuke’s day. “I… I apologize…” He doubled over in pain. Ricocheting rubber bullets had careened out of his desk. A couple had hit him in the chest and groin area. “It fired prematurely…” With the growing rush of blood sound in his ears, he had only heard Kaname say ‘We can’ and ‘After school.’ “Owwww-www-ww-w…”
“MISTER SAGARA!”
The teacher did not sound very happy. Everyone in the room stepped out of her way as she hurried over to see what Sousuke had done this time. “Are you alright?” She had never seen Sousuke looking cross-eyed before.
“It is… not a…” Sousuke sucked in a deep breath. His eyes watered. “Problem…”
“Sousuke.” Kaname sat stunned. She looked over at Tessa. The girls shared a brief moment. Only Sousuke!
“You’re just not ready, Sgt. Sagara.” Tessa sighed. Only she, Kaname, and Sousuke knew what she was talking about.
“A-… Affirmative,” Sousuke said.
“We’ll see about that,” Kaname said, narrowing her eyes. Once again, her pride and possessiveness got in the way.
BANG!
“Take you finger off the trigger, Mister Sagara!” Miss Kagurazaka ordered.
“Y-… Yes… M-… Ma’am…” Sousuke said between clenched teeth.
“I’ll help Sousuke to the Nurse’s Office,” Tessa said. “He may need his wounds looked at.” She wasn’t aware of where Sousuke had been hit until she saw where he put his hand. She began turning red in the face.
“Not by you!” Kaname said, glaring at Tessa. She clenched her fists, trying to get under control. This day certainly wasn’t going the way she had planned.
“Why don’t you give him mouth to mouth,” one wise acre said. “Just like you were going to do by the pool.” He like the rest of the class remembered Tessa’s previous visit like it was a treasured book or a favorite movie. He chuckled along with the other students.
“That’s right,” OnoD said. “Kiss it and make it better…”
“Oh my…” Tessa put her hand to her mouth.
“No way in Hell!” Kaname put her hand on her halisen.
“Awwww-www-ww-w…” Sousuke moaned when he stood up.
“Mister Koutarou… Mister Kazama…” Miss Kagurazaka spoke, waving her hands at the two boys. “You two help Mister Sagara to the Nurse’s Office.” She looked over at Sousuke who was reaching into his desk. “Leave it! You have no business playing with that in class.” She meant the pistol of course.
Kaname and Sousuke happened to look at one another for an instant. It was a very good thing that their classmates could not read their minds. When the young operative moaned again, his two friends took him gingerly by the elbows and helped him out of the room.
After that, Kaname spent the rest of the hour staring daggers at Tessa’s back. A number of her friends kept tossing her notes, asking about Sousuke, their relationship, and where Tessa would be spending the night. Naturally, they never got caught. But each time she tried to read one or simply slip it into her desk, the teacher caught her.
“There’s the bell…” Miss Kagurazaka said, when the ringing sound marked the end of that session. “I hope the rest of your day is not quite so eventful.”
Rushing out of the room, Kaname headed down the hall that would bring her to the Nurse’s Office. Tessa was close on her heals. She had an idea where the blue-haired girl must be headed. That would save her from having to ask directions.
As often happened, Tessa tripped. She caused a chain reaction, as a number of other hall walkers fell over her and each other.
“Serves you right,” Kaname said, turning to take in the scene. “Why don’t you just stay there for a while?”
Tessa was helped up by a number of star-struck boys, neither off whom were aware that they had welts on their foreheads. Risking another fall, she ran as quickly as she could manage, her high heels clacking against the floor tiles. “He’s my subordinate,” Tessa said. “And, he said I was his friend.”
“Great… wonderful… good…” Kaname tossed her hair and marched briskly on her way. “He’s my boyfriend… I’m the one who should see how he is.”
“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t try to show me up,” Tessa said. She knew just what role she had played, and felt guilty. But, she was not about to let Kaname Chidori boss her around.
“I wouldn’t have had to show you up, if you weren’t talking so big.” Kaname retorted. Kaname knew her role in things, too. But, this was her school. She was Class Rep and Student Council Vice President. That was close enough to ‘Captain.’
Neither of them said another word until they walked into the Nurse’s Office. Trying to get through the door at the same time, they were stuck side by side for a few moments, before Kaname wriggled free and stepped in first. They both stopped, hearing the Nurse talking to Sousuke behind a partition. They could see his shadow and hers, but nothing more. The dark area at the bottom of Sousuke’s shadow suggested that his pants were down.
“I’m sorry that you had to wait so long,” the middle-aged woman said. “We’re almost done now. I can’t say I’ve ever seen this before. The kind of wound, I mean.” She chuckled. “I shouldn‘t laugh; but, it is kind of funny.” She tried to sound more serious. “I suppose we should expand our Sexual Education talks. We already cover the Human Body… Love and Intimacy… Relationships… Pregnancy… Diseases… Variances, Paraphilias, and Dysfunction… right?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Sousuke said. The sound of his voice told Kaname that he was just answering to move the subject along.
“We also take time to counsel girls not to get involved in Enjokosai or brothels.” The nurse but the stopper back on a bottle. “Do we need to have equal time, telling young men not to shoot themselves in their…” She left the word hanging.
“No, Ma’am.” Sousuke sounded embarrassed. He didn’t know that Kaname was standing there angry, having heard the older woman make light of things. He also didn’t know that his Captain was standing there listening as well.
“Good,” the nurse said. “After that dries, you can get dressed again. I’m going to send you home for the rest of the day. I’m certain someone can get your assignments for you.”
Kaname opened her mouth to say she would, but stopped just in time.
“Hmmmm-mmm-mm-m…” The Nurse could be seen sitting back down on a stool near Sousuke. “Come to think of it… were you and Miss Chidori back from your… time away… when we had those classes?”
“I…” Sousuke shook his head. “I was still working to bring her back, Ma’am…”
“Well… well… well…” The nurse tapped her fingers on a small folding table top. “We should rectify the situation. No time like the present.” She went over to a cabinet and removed a number of folders. “This will give me a chance to see if those pain killers will be enough. After we‘re done talking, I can give you something more if necessary.”
“I…” Sousuke flinched. “But…” He looked at the folders. “It would save you time if Miss Chidori was present too…”
“You big idiot…” Kaname clenched her fists, whispering under her breath. “Don’t bring me into it…”
Tessa smiled. That had Kaname clenching her teeth too.
“Oh?” The nurse smiled, raising one eyebrow. “Embarrassed? Think that feeling anxious is wrong, because you’re a guy? Big bad soldier should know everything about sex?” Her voice changed. “That’s exactly the kind of thinking that gets boys into trouble.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke did indeed feel somewhat inadequate. But, why shouldn’t he? He was clueless about so many things that most teenagers took for granted. Sex wasn’t anywhere the top of his list, but it was tops in his mind that day.
“Or, is it because you have some other reason to want to hear things together with Miss Chidori?” The nurse paused. “Forget I asked that. It’s none of my business.”
“Kaname is my girlfriend,” Sousuke admitted. “But… we do not…” He thought about what he had heard Tessa say outside, about birth control pills.
Kaname smiled. She was very glad to hear Sousuke talking about her being his girl. It didn’t hurt that Tessa was standing right next to her. The young Captain looked like she had sucked on a particularly sour lemon.
“But you’re thinking about it?” The nurse was scrutinizing Sousuke’s face. “Or she is?” She pursed her lips. “I can also serve as a counselor, you know. If either of you have questions or concerns, I’d be glad to help you.” She waited a moment. “I read through both of your records when you came back to the school. I know that neither of you have parents nearby.”
“She must bethinking along those lines,” Sousuke said. He found that he really did want to talk about this. He didn’t feel up to talking with Kurz and Melissa, having no idea where things might go with them. And, with Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin missing, he no longer had anyone he viewed as a father figure, not that he necessarily would have been able to approach the SRT commander with this subject. “Today… during a foolish and self-indulgent exchange with another girl… she dropped something in front of her…”
“S-…S-…S-…” Kaname felt her temper rising. Just how much did that big stupid head intend to tell the Nurse? That ‘foolish’ didn’t sit to well with her either.
“Self-indulgent…” Tessa shuffled her feet some, feeling like someone had turned a big spotlight on her.
“Condoms?” The Nurse guessed. “I take it this other girl is interested in you too?”
“Birth Control Pills,” Sousuke said, finding it hard to get those foreign words off of his tongue. “I did not know she had them. Neither did the other girl, who was acting exceedingly childish, especially for one of her intellect.”
“Ch-… Ch-… Ch-…” Tessa made a face. Childish? Who was he calling childish? He was the one who was stuck in the middle of arrested development!
Kaname didn’t know whether she should choke Sousuke to within an inch of his life, mentioning the Pills, or give him a big kiss for thinking Tessa childish.
“Lucky you,” the Nurse said, commiserating. “Not about the oral contraceptives, necessarily. Although I must commend Miss Chidori for thinking ahead.” She sighed. “It is never good to get caught in the middle of a catfight.”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke said. “In Afghanistan, growing up, I saw numerous conflicts between feral cats, and between wild canines. There are indeed similarities between that and what I saw outside.”
“S-… S-… S-…” Kaname fought the urge to pull back the partition and give Sousuke a piece of her mind.
“Th-… Th-… That…” Tessa had to struggle to keep her voice inaudible. Just wait until she had Sgt. Sagara back onboard Da Danaan.
“A little free advice,” the Nurse said. “Never let either girl hear you say anything like that.” She chuckled. “It might just save your life.”
“Too late,” Kaname muttered.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Sousuke nodded. “I am not the most clever with my words, unfortunately. But, I know enough not to incite Kaname with mention of her immature behavior with Miss Testarossa.” He paused, sniffing slightly. Was that a hint of perfume? No. It was merely the antiseptic the Nurse had used where the impact had torn his skin. “And, it would be very unwise for me to tell the Captain… Tessa… that her actions were unworthy of someone of her stature. By that, I am not commenting on her being short.”
“Just… you… wait…” Kaname took one step towards the curtain, but then took two backwards. “Immature, huh?” Now the big dope was lumping her in with Tessa?
“Short…” Tessa’s eyes narrowed. She had a look on her face that Kaname had never seen before. The two girls nodded to one another. “Someone is going to find himself short on pay this month…”
“Miss Testarossa,” the Nurse said. “The attractive young American girl visiting the school? I reviewed her immunization records, not to mention her academic qualifications.” She chuckled again. “You certainly have a way of attracting rather amazing young women. I don’t know if you’ll find that a blessing or a curse.”
“Neither do I…” Sousuke shrugged. Most of the time it felt like a blessing, if he bothered to think about things in those terms. But, there were moments that Kaname had him tied up in knots… or covered in welts.
“Oooo-oo-o…” Kaname began trembling some. “So… I might be a curse, huh…” The big jerk should have answered ‘blessing’ for her, and ‘curse’ for Tessa.
“I’m sorry that it bothers you so much, Sergeant…” Tessa whispered, feeling her ire on the rise. It was one thing, not being the girl who won Sousuke’s affection. It was another thing, thinking that he might consider her some kind of big annoyance.
“It seems that I always attract Wh-…” Sousuke stopped, about to let ‘Whispered’ slip. He was pretty certain that something like that wouldn’t be in either girl’s file. “There was another girl who wished to be more than friends.” He sighed, thinking of Nami. “But, it may be that being around me is the curse.”
Kaname and Tessa both felt their anger die out. For different reasons, each knew about the red-haired girl who had been on Sousuke’s A.S. team.
“Being a teenager is filled with doubts,” the Nurse said. “Especially about yourself. That’s something you need to work through on your own. But, the topic of sexual relations does not need to be a total mystery. I think we should jump ahead a bit, and talk about oral contraceptives, since that is very fresh in your mind.” She paused. “Is that why you had your accident today? Mind not where it should have been?”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke said. “The disclosure came as a shock. I fell off the roof. Only a rope saved me from being here earlier…” He showed her his rope-burned hands. “…Or the hospital. The talk in the classroom reminded me of the earlier event.”
Kaname looked down at her shoes. The full weight of what she had done began to settle in her stomach like a week’s worth of undigested food. Sneaking a look at Tessa out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the other girl was wrestling with feelings of guilt as well.
“Your legend continues to grow,“ the Nurse said. She had read Sousuke’s school file as well. “OK. The subject at hand. Female oral contraceptives consist of a pill that women take daily. That pill contains doses of synthetic hormones, either designed to be in synchrony with the menstrual cycle, or to keep a constant level of the hormones.”
“Daily…” Sousuke slid partially off of the examining table. “Does that mean that Kaname… Miss Chidori… will be wanting to… every day…” His eyes went very wide.
“Wh-… Wh-… Wh-…” Kaname had to fight to keep from coughing and giving herself away. “What?”
“Tsk… tsk… tsk…” Tessa’s eyes lit up. “My… my… my…”
“That’s merely to have the hormones work properly,” the Nurse said. “The Pill prevents pregnancy in three ways. It works primarily by preventing ovulation, but it also makes the uterus less likely to accept implantation of an embryo if one is created. The synthetic hormones thicken the mucus in the cervix making it more difficult for sperm to reach any egg.”
“Sperm…” Sousuke blinked rapidly. “Uhhh…” He slid a bit more towards the edge of the table. “Yes… I understand…”
“Fine,” the Nurse said, smiling. The young man in front of her had piloted a miraculous machine in a battle right in the streets of Tokyo. But, he was reduced to a doe-eyed lump of flesh by something most boys probably joked about since they were old enough to shave.
Kaname shook her head. She didn’t know whether to smile and be glad that Sousuke was so naïve in his way, or hang her head and sigh. Either way, he was certainly unique. Looking over at Tessa, she found reason to smile. As well educated and scientifically gifted as the other Whispered girl was, the topic seemed to have her a little off balance too.
“Many women occasionally forget to take the Pill daily, impairing its effectiveness.” The Nurse scribbled something down on a pad of paper. She was certain that Miss Chidori would have gotten good counseling from her physician, since the BCPs required a prescription. But, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure. “Correct use of the pill usually implies taking it every day at the same hour for twenty days, followed by a pause of seven days. Some packets provide placebos for that time.”
“I will make certain Miss Chidori follows orders explicitly!” Sousuke spoke in a great rush. When he realized what he had said, he slid off the table. The sound of falling and bouncing instruments could be heard. A roll of gauze skittered under the partition, stopping by Kaname’s foot.
“Uhhh…” Kaname didn’t realize what utterance she had used. It had Tessa turning an amused eye on her. Then, the full weight of Sousuke’s comment struck her, too. She almost tripped.
“Well, it’s certainly good to be a partner in things. That’s a very mature attitude, Mister Sagara.” The Nurse helped Sousuke up. “Some drugs reduce the effect of the Pill and can cause breakthrough bleeding, or pregnancy, together with unprotected sex, of course. These include antibiotics, barbiturates, phenytoin and carbamazepine. The traditional medicinal herb St John's Wort has also been implicated.”
“Kaname does not take any medications,” Sousuke said. “Except for weight loss pills.”
“You’re dead…” Kaname didn’t need to look at Tessa to know that she was smiling.
“But… as I have told her before… she does not require those.” Sousuke added.
“Oh… never mind…” Kaname grinned.
“She also does not abuse drugs,” Sousuke said, as always feeling the need to be complete.
“She just abuses you, right?” The Nurse laughed at her joke.
“Affirmative,” Sousuke said.
“Dead!” Kaname could care less about the irony. “So very dead…”
“Tragic,” Tessa said, loud enough so that only Kaname could hear her. She was getting a much better idea just how much emotional see-sawing a girl would have to go through, if she had Sousuke for a significant other.
“That’s something you… or she… might want to talk to someone about some day,” the Nurse said, seriously. “Just because you’re tough enough to take it… and do more than your share to earn the young ladies displeasure… too much of anything is bad.” She let that sink in.
Tessa flipped her ponytail back and forth in jaunty fashion. She gave Kaname a ‘What?’ look when the other girl scowled.
The Nurse went on to describe some of the side-effects of the Pill, as well as some of the cautions and contraindications. While it was Kaname’s responsibility to choose whatever she took into her own body, she felt that Sousuke should be well aware of the things that his girlfriend would be facing.
“If is something that would harm her, I would not allow her to take it.” Sousuke said firmly.
“Oh?” The Nurse raised one eyebrow. “How would you stop her?” She wanted to make certain that the young man, someone who had been a soldier from a young age, did not show any warning signs that might foreshadow an abusive relationship.
“I would continue to give her no reason to need such a thing,” Sousuke said, as if abstinence would be some valiant deed on his part. Once again, his own implications caught up with him. “Uhhh… I…”
“Really?” Kaname narrowed her eyes. “Maybe I changed my mind.” She put her nose in the air. “Idiot.”
Tessa began humming, hearing that. She grinned when Kaname shushed her.
“There’s never any need to rush into things, in any case.” The Nurse gave Sousuke a very pointed look. “Anyway, the effect of the Pill on a woman’s sexuality are difficult to judge, depending on the individual and the particular formula. Do you need to lie down?”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke coughed. “I am fine. Please continue. I will see this mission through to the end.”
“If neither of you need to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, then the use of the Pill and nothing more makes birth control seem invisible, and may make relations seem spontaneous and more natural.” The nurse jotted down more notes. She needed to remember to loan Sousuke and Kaname the videotapes that the other members of their class had watched. “When combined with the Pill’s high degree of effectiveness, this may enable the couple... especially the woman... to relax more easily during sex.”
Tessa was fidgeting. Listening to all that in the very awkward context had her ready to leave, head over to Sousuke’s apartment where she would be staying, and either take a cold shower, or hide her head under a pillow for two weeks straight.
Kaname’s reaction was very much different. She was glad to hear that everything she had been told by her doctor at the clinic was being confirmed by the school nurse. She was also very glad that someone else was telling Sousuke this. It would have been hard for her, especially given the way Sousuke was.
“On the other hand, the Pill’s various side effects may prove disruptive on a physiological or even a psychological level,” the Nurse added. “The hormonal disruption caused by the Pill may result in mood swings, and possibly an injured self-image due to weight gain. Some women who use the Pill despite the teachings of their religious traditions may feel conscious or unconscious guilt; others may not fully trust an invisible method of birth control. This wide range of variables makes prediction of the Pill’s effect on sexuality difficult, but the fact that the Pill can and does have an impact in this area, for good or for ill, is well-documented.”
“Mood swings,” Sousuke said, looking concerned. “What if the woman already has significant and unscheduled changes in behavior?”
“Like Miss Chidori?” The Nurse asked.
“Yes,” Sousuke said.
“Sousuke…” Kaname added another black mark on her list. Tessa smiled. Her last visit had been very special in some ways. This one promised to be very interesting.
“Does she have mood swings, depression, anxiety and irritability for a couple of weeks each month?“ The Nurse rubbed the back of her neck, thinking of her own menstrual history. “If she does, it could be Premenstrual stress syndrome, or given your description of her, a severe form called premenstrual dysphoric disorder.“
“Premenstrual stress syndrome?” Sousuke asked. “Is that a sickness? Is there reason for concern?”
“PMS is very common,” the Nurse said. “Most women have some degree of it at some time. It may be more of a reason of concern for you than her." She silently admonished herself for being sracastic. "Other than emotional effects of stress, all that she might suffer are bloating and cramping.”
“PMS…” Sousuke nodded his head. “That I have heard of. One of my comrades once suggested that Kaname might have continual PMS. I did not know what that meant then.” He shrugged, thinking about the multitude of things he had heard from Kurz Weber.
Tessa nodded her head, looking down at her nails.
“He also said that Miss Testarossa should have No Menstrual Syndrome, even though she is one hot babe.” Sousuke swallowed hard. “Those were his words.”
Tessa froze. Kaname began getting steamed again.
“It is his opinion that she will never have sexual relations, given her unique position.” Sousuke said. “He keeps telling me that I should bounce her like a rubber ball.” He cleared his throat. “His words again. Otherwise, he thinks that she will need to run naked along the docks, out of sight of her protectors.”
Kaname pictured more bouncing than she ever wanted to. But, she couldn’t help but toss her hair, hearing that part about the docks. That was a keeper for sure.
Tessa looked like she was ready to pass out.
“That’s all very interesting, I’m sure.” The Nurse sighed. She could see that Kaname Chidori had her hands full. What a pair! “But… back to the subject…”
“I will question Kaname about bloating and cramping,” Sousuke promised. He listened intently. It almost sounded like there was a dog growling somewhere outside the room. “But, since her behavioral changes occur daily, I think it may be something else.”
“I suggest you choose safer topics of conversation,” the Nurse said, shaking her head. “The school only has a limited supply of medication, and I can’t write prescriptions.” She thought a moment. “I think you might see a definite change in Miss Chidori’s behavior, if you think a bit more before you speak and act.”
“Damn straight!” Kaname put her hand over her mouth. That one had come out very loud.
“Oooo-oo-ops…” Tessa quickly slipped out of the room, after bouncing painfully off of the door jam. She kept from tripping, barely.
The partition was suddenly pulled back. The Nurse stood up, hands on her hips. She gave Kaname a very disapproving look.
“I… it… we just wanted to see how Sousuke was doing…” Kaname realized that she was standing alone in her corner of the room. “Tessa…”
“Mister Sagara, now might be a good time for you to go on your way. If the pain gets any worse, or the swelling in that… area… does not go down, you should pay a visit to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital.”
“Ma’am…” Sousuke realized that his pants and underwear were still down. So did Kaname. He quickly got dressed, knocking over a jar of tongue depressors.
“Miss Chidori,” the Nurse said, her voice an exploration in arctic temperatures. “While you may not be ill at the moment, I think we may need to have a little talk.”
“About bloating,” Sousuke added helpfully. “And cramping…”
“OUT!”
The Nurse and Kaname spoke at the same time and pointed to the door.
“May I pull up my zipper first?” Sousuke asked.
“YES!”
That was the two women again. “Honestly,” the Nurse said. “You don’t know the half of it,” Kaname claimed.
“I will be at home, Kaname.” Sousuke said, waiting at the doorway. “Should I prepare for your spending the night?” His eyes went wide, seeing the play of emotions across Kaname’s face. “Uhhh… I mean... since Tessa will be… uhhh… sleeping in my apartment.”
“Geeeez…” The Nurse shook her head again. “Does that boy have a death wish or something?”
“For his sake, I hope so.” Kaname watched as Sousuke disappeared from view.
No one was surprised, seeing that Teletha Testarossa had come to join the class for another week. Everyone was ecstatic, crowding around the diminutive girl.
Tessa seemed somewhat stunned, something the Jindai students attributed to their massed greetings. Sousuke, who stood ramrod stiff back in one corner of the room, was also in a bit of a haze. His fellow students assumed that he was feeling a bit shocked, after a near death experience.
“How’s it hanging, Sousuke!” OnoD’s joke made reference to Sousuke’s hanging onto a rope for dear life. But, Sousuke had heard that kind of greeting from Kurz before. It referred to something very different from a scaffold and a length of hemp.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke blinked rapidly. He had gotten a word out. That was a definite victory.
“You better be more careful, stud.” One of the other guys smiled, looking over at the young soldier. “If something happens to you, who’s going to take care of cuddly Miss Tessa?” He always called Sousuke ‘stud,’ precisely because he seemed clueless around women.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke looked over at Kaname, who was watching him, trying not to let him know what she was doing. His usual frantic and anxious feeling regarding his Captain’s safety… and the things that one Commander Richard Mardukas might do to him if anything happened to her… was strangely absent. If an alien saucer landed and abducted her, he probably wouldn’t be able to do more than say ‘Uhhh’ at that moment.
“So… Miss Kagurazaka … are you going to put Tessa’s desk next to Sousuke‘s?” Kyouko tied to look innocent, but there was a definite gleam in her eyes. “Or, are you going to put her next to Kaname?” She took a picture of Tessa, marveling at the look on her face.
“Neither, Miss Tokiwa.” The teacher made a stern face. “I don’t want Mister Sagara and Miss Chidori getting in trouble.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke swallowed hard. He was aware of the colloquialism about ‘getting a girl in trouble.’ His collar was wet with sweat.
“Sousuke!” Shinji burst into the class room, squeezing between the well wishers all swarming around Tessa. “Hey Sousuke!” He held a large glossy journal in his hand, looking as if he had found the Holy Grail in the bottom of his cereal box. “It finally came in.”
“That is…” Sousuke cleared his throat. He was finally able to start bringing his mind back to safer things. “I assume that is the new 'Arm Slaves Quarterly'…” He looked at Kaname out of the corner of his eyes. Why was she grimacing?
“Yes. It's a double issue.” Shinji looked like he was excited enough to pee his pants. He was hopping up and own like a small kid, knees held tightly together. “Look at this… the Cambodian Fighting Tournament… just like the ones you were in after you left school… see….”
“Affirmative.” Sousuke had every right to tense up, thinking about Nami and Michel. But, at the moment, the old memories actually made him feel calmer.
“Wow!” Shinji almost tripped over a desk. He pushed his glasses up on his nose before they fell off. “This RK 92. It looked like someone knocked it up pretty bad.” Shinji pointed at one of the losing contestant’s machine.
“Uhhh…” Sousuke tensed up again. Knocking up. More suggestive words. He had to get control of himself. He was a Specialist! At least, in military matters. In certain other things, he was worse than a greenhorn.
“All right everyone. I’m as glad as the rest of you to see Miss Testarossa again. “ Miss Kagurazaka called out above the din. “But, I would like you all to take your seats now, so we can get started.” She nodded her head. “First, I’ve been asked to pass along a message from Miss Kaga. It’s about your Home Economics class. She doesn’t want to see any stragglers coming in late after lunch. You’re all expected to have buns in the oven by 12:20.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke sat down next to Kaname. Looking over at her, he saw her face turn pink. She looked away from him. That gave him an opportunity. He reached into his weapons bag, intending to slip a pistol into his desk without Kaname or the teacher seeing.
“Sousuke…about what you saw…” Kaname turned to look at him, having gathered her courage. Shehad wanted to approach this carefully with Sousuke. He was way beyond his years in some ways, but still just a boy in others. Damn that Tessa. No… it had been her own pride that did her in… she couldn’t push the blame off on someone else this time. “We can talk about that after school…”
BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG… BANG…
“Awwww-www-ww-w…” It wasn’t Sousuke’s day. “I… I apologize…” He doubled over in pain. Ricocheting rubber bullets had careened out of his desk. A couple had hit him in the chest and groin area. “It fired prematurely…” With the growing rush of blood sound in his ears, he had only heard Kaname say ‘We can’ and ‘After school.’ “Owwww-www-ww-w…”
“MISTER SAGARA!”
The teacher did not sound very happy. Everyone in the room stepped out of her way as she hurried over to see what Sousuke had done this time. “Are you alright?” She had never seen Sousuke looking cross-eyed before.
“It is… not a…” Sousuke sucked in a deep breath. His eyes watered. “Problem…”
“Sousuke.” Kaname sat stunned. She looked over at Tessa. The girls shared a brief moment. Only Sousuke!
“You’re just not ready, Sgt. Sagara.” Tessa sighed. Only she, Kaname, and Sousuke knew what she was talking about.
“A-… Affirmative,” Sousuke said.
“We’ll see about that,” Kaname said, narrowing her eyes. Once again, her pride and possessiveness got in the way.
BANG!
“Take you finger off the trigger, Mister Sagara!” Miss Kagurazaka ordered.
“Y-… Yes… M-… Ma’am…” Sousuke said between clenched teeth.
“I’ll help Sousuke to the Nurse’s Office,” Tessa said. “He may need his wounds looked at.” She wasn’t aware of where Sousuke had been hit until she saw where he put his hand. She began turning red in the face.
“Not by you!” Kaname said, glaring at Tessa. She clenched her fists, trying to get under control. This day certainly wasn’t going the way she had planned.
“Why don’t you give him mouth to mouth,” one wise acre said. “Just like you were going to do by the pool.” He like the rest of the class remembered Tessa’s previous visit like it was a treasured book or a favorite movie. He chuckled along with the other students.
“That’s right,” OnoD said. “Kiss it and make it better…”
“Oh my…” Tessa put her hand to her mouth.
“No way in Hell!” Kaname put her hand on her halisen.
“Awwww-www-ww-w…” Sousuke moaned when he stood up.
“Mister Koutarou… Mister Kazama…” Miss Kagurazaka spoke, waving her hands at the two boys. “You two help Mister Sagara to the Nurse’s Office.” She looked over at Sousuke who was reaching into his desk. “Leave it! You have no business playing with that in class.” She meant the pistol of course.
Kaname and Sousuke happened to look at one another for an instant. It was a very good thing that their classmates could not read their minds. When the young operative moaned again, his two friends took him gingerly by the elbows and helped him out of the room.
After that, Kaname spent the rest of the hour staring daggers at Tessa’s back. A number of her friends kept tossing her notes, asking about Sousuke, their relationship, and where Tessa would be spending the night. Naturally, they never got caught. But each time she tried to read one or simply slip it into her desk, the teacher caught her.
“There’s the bell…” Miss Kagurazaka said, when the ringing sound marked the end of that session. “I hope the rest of your day is not quite so eventful.”
Rushing out of the room, Kaname headed down the hall that would bring her to the Nurse’s Office. Tessa was close on her heals. She had an idea where the blue-haired girl must be headed. That would save her from having to ask directions.
As often happened, Tessa tripped. She caused a chain reaction, as a number of other hall walkers fell over her and each other.
“Serves you right,” Kaname said, turning to take in the scene. “Why don’t you just stay there for a while?”
Tessa was helped up by a number of star-struck boys, neither off whom were aware that they had welts on their foreheads. Risking another fall, she ran as quickly as she could manage, her high heels clacking against the floor tiles. “He’s my subordinate,” Tessa said. “And, he said I was his friend.”
“Great… wonderful… good…” Kaname tossed her hair and marched briskly on her way. “He’s my boyfriend… I’m the one who should see how he is.”
“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t try to show me up,” Tessa said. She knew just what role she had played, and felt guilty. But, she was not about to let Kaname Chidori boss her around.
“I wouldn’t have had to show you up, if you weren’t talking so big.” Kaname retorted. Kaname knew her role in things, too. But, this was her school. She was Class Rep and Student Council Vice President. That was close enough to ‘Captain.’
Neither of them said another word until they walked into the Nurse’s Office. Trying to get through the door at the same time, they were stuck side by side for a few moments, before Kaname wriggled free and stepped in first. They both stopped, hearing the Nurse talking to Sousuke behind a partition. They could see his shadow and hers, but nothing more. The dark area at the bottom of Sousuke’s shadow suggested that his pants were down.
“I’m sorry that you had to wait so long,” the middle-aged woman said. “We’re almost done now. I can’t say I’ve ever seen this before. The kind of wound, I mean.” She chuckled. “I shouldn‘t laugh; but, it is kind of funny.” She tried to sound more serious. “I suppose we should expand our Sexual Education talks. We already cover the Human Body… Love and Intimacy… Relationships… Pregnancy… Diseases… Variances, Paraphilias, and Dysfunction… right?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Sousuke said. The sound of his voice told Kaname that he was just answering to move the subject along.
“We also take time to counsel girls not to get involved in Enjokosai or brothels.” The nurse but the stopper back on a bottle. “Do we need to have equal time, telling young men not to shoot themselves in their…” She left the word hanging.
“No, Ma’am.” Sousuke sounded embarrassed. He didn’t know that Kaname was standing there angry, having heard the older woman make light of things. He also didn’t know that his Captain was standing there listening as well.
“Good,” the nurse said. “After that dries, you can get dressed again. I’m going to send you home for the rest of the day. I’m certain someone can get your assignments for you.”
Kaname opened her mouth to say she would, but stopped just in time.
“Hmmmm-mmm-mm-m…” The Nurse could be seen sitting back down on a stool near Sousuke. “Come to think of it… were you and Miss Chidori back from your… time away… when we had those classes?”
“I…” Sousuke shook his head. “I was still working to bring her back, Ma’am…”
“Well… well… well…” The nurse tapped her fingers on a small folding table top. “We should rectify the situation. No time like the present.” She went over to a cabinet and removed a number of folders. “This will give me a chance to see if those pain killers will be enough. After we‘re done talking, I can give you something more if necessary.”
“I…” Sousuke flinched. “But…” He looked at the folders. “It would save you time if Miss Chidori was present too…”
“You big idiot…” Kaname clenched her fists, whispering under her breath. “Don’t bring me into it…”
Tessa smiled. That had Kaname clenching her teeth too.
“Oh?” The nurse smiled, raising one eyebrow. “Embarrassed? Think that feeling anxious is wrong, because you’re a guy? Big bad soldier should know everything about sex?” Her voice changed. “That’s exactly the kind of thinking that gets boys into trouble.”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke did indeed feel somewhat inadequate. But, why shouldn’t he? He was clueless about so many things that most teenagers took for granted. Sex wasn’t anywhere the top of his list, but it was tops in his mind that day.
“Or, is it because you have some other reason to want to hear things together with Miss Chidori?” The nurse paused. “Forget I asked that. It’s none of my business.”
“Kaname is my girlfriend,” Sousuke admitted. “But… we do not…” He thought about what he had heard Tessa say outside, about birth control pills.
Kaname smiled. She was very glad to hear Sousuke talking about her being his girl. It didn’t hurt that Tessa was standing right next to her. The young Captain looked like she had sucked on a particularly sour lemon.
“But you’re thinking about it?” The nurse was scrutinizing Sousuke’s face. “Or she is?” She pursed her lips. “I can also serve as a counselor, you know. If either of you have questions or concerns, I’d be glad to help you.” She waited a moment. “I read through both of your records when you came back to the school. I know that neither of you have parents nearby.”
“She must bethinking along those lines,” Sousuke said. He found that he really did want to talk about this. He didn’t feel up to talking with Kurz and Melissa, having no idea where things might go with them. And, with Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin missing, he no longer had anyone he viewed as a father figure, not that he necessarily would have been able to approach the SRT commander with this subject. “Today… during a foolish and self-indulgent exchange with another girl… she dropped something in front of her…”
“S-…S-…S-…” Kaname felt her temper rising. Just how much did that big stupid head intend to tell the Nurse? That ‘foolish’ didn’t sit to well with her either.
“Self-indulgent…” Tessa shuffled her feet some, feeling like someone had turned a big spotlight on her.
“Condoms?” The Nurse guessed. “I take it this other girl is interested in you too?”
“Birth Control Pills,” Sousuke said, finding it hard to get those foreign words off of his tongue. “I did not know she had them. Neither did the other girl, who was acting exceedingly childish, especially for one of her intellect.”
“Ch-… Ch-… Ch-…” Tessa made a face. Childish? Who was he calling childish? He was the one who was stuck in the middle of arrested development!
Kaname didn’t know whether she should choke Sousuke to within an inch of his life, mentioning the Pills, or give him a big kiss for thinking Tessa childish.
“Lucky you,” the Nurse said, commiserating. “Not about the oral contraceptives, necessarily. Although I must commend Miss Chidori for thinking ahead.” She sighed. “It is never good to get caught in the middle of a catfight.”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke said. “In Afghanistan, growing up, I saw numerous conflicts between feral cats, and between wild canines. There are indeed similarities between that and what I saw outside.”
“S-… S-… S-…” Kaname fought the urge to pull back the partition and give Sousuke a piece of her mind.
“Th-… Th-… That…” Tessa had to struggle to keep her voice inaudible. Just wait until she had Sgt. Sagara back onboard Da Danaan.
“A little free advice,” the Nurse said. “Never let either girl hear you say anything like that.” She chuckled. “It might just save your life.”
“Too late,” Kaname muttered.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Sousuke nodded. “I am not the most clever with my words, unfortunately. But, I know enough not to incite Kaname with mention of her immature behavior with Miss Testarossa.” He paused, sniffing slightly. Was that a hint of perfume? No. It was merely the antiseptic the Nurse had used where the impact had torn his skin. “And, it would be very unwise for me to tell the Captain… Tessa… that her actions were unworthy of someone of her stature. By that, I am not commenting on her being short.”
“Just… you… wait…” Kaname took one step towards the curtain, but then took two backwards. “Immature, huh?” Now the big dope was lumping her in with Tessa?
“Short…” Tessa’s eyes narrowed. She had a look on her face that Kaname had never seen before. The two girls nodded to one another. “Someone is going to find himself short on pay this month…”
“Miss Testarossa,” the Nurse said. “The attractive young American girl visiting the school? I reviewed her immunization records, not to mention her academic qualifications.” She chuckled again. “You certainly have a way of attracting rather amazing young women. I don’t know if you’ll find that a blessing or a curse.”
“Neither do I…” Sousuke shrugged. Most of the time it felt like a blessing, if he bothered to think about things in those terms. But, there were moments that Kaname had him tied up in knots… or covered in welts.
“Oooo-oo-o…” Kaname began trembling some. “So… I might be a curse, huh…” The big jerk should have answered ‘blessing’ for her, and ‘curse’ for Tessa.
“I’m sorry that it bothers you so much, Sergeant…” Tessa whispered, feeling her ire on the rise. It was one thing, not being the girl who won Sousuke’s affection. It was another thing, thinking that he might consider her some kind of big annoyance.
“It seems that I always attract Wh-…” Sousuke stopped, about to let ‘Whispered’ slip. He was pretty certain that something like that wouldn’t be in either girl’s file. “There was another girl who wished to be more than friends.” He sighed, thinking of Nami. “But, it may be that being around me is the curse.”
Kaname and Tessa both felt their anger die out. For different reasons, each knew about the red-haired girl who had been on Sousuke’s A.S. team.
“Being a teenager is filled with doubts,” the Nurse said. “Especially about yourself. That’s something you need to work through on your own. But, the topic of sexual relations does not need to be a total mystery. I think we should jump ahead a bit, and talk about oral contraceptives, since that is very fresh in your mind.” She paused. “Is that why you had your accident today? Mind not where it should have been?”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke said. “The disclosure came as a shock. I fell off the roof. Only a rope saved me from being here earlier…” He showed her his rope-burned hands. “…Or the hospital. The talk in the classroom reminded me of the earlier event.”
Kaname looked down at her shoes. The full weight of what she had done began to settle in her stomach like a week’s worth of undigested food. Sneaking a look at Tessa out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the other girl was wrestling with feelings of guilt as well.
“Your legend continues to grow,“ the Nurse said. She had read Sousuke’s school file as well. “OK. The subject at hand. Female oral contraceptives consist of a pill that women take daily. That pill contains doses of synthetic hormones, either designed to be in synchrony with the menstrual cycle, or to keep a constant level of the hormones.”
“Daily…” Sousuke slid partially off of the examining table. “Does that mean that Kaname… Miss Chidori… will be wanting to… every day…” His eyes went very wide.
“Wh-… Wh-… Wh-…” Kaname had to fight to keep from coughing and giving herself away. “What?”
“Tsk… tsk… tsk…” Tessa’s eyes lit up. “My… my… my…”
“That’s merely to have the hormones work properly,” the Nurse said. “The Pill prevents pregnancy in three ways. It works primarily by preventing ovulation, but it also makes the uterus less likely to accept implantation of an embryo if one is created. The synthetic hormones thicken the mucus in the cervix making it more difficult for sperm to reach any egg.”
“Sperm…” Sousuke blinked rapidly. “Uhhh…” He slid a bit more towards the edge of the table. “Yes… I understand…”
“Fine,” the Nurse said, smiling. The young man in front of her had piloted a miraculous machine in a battle right in the streets of Tokyo. But, he was reduced to a doe-eyed lump of flesh by something most boys probably joked about since they were old enough to shave.
Kaname shook her head. She didn’t know whether to smile and be glad that Sousuke was so naïve in his way, or hang her head and sigh. Either way, he was certainly unique. Looking over at Tessa, she found reason to smile. As well educated and scientifically gifted as the other Whispered girl was, the topic seemed to have her a little off balance too.
“Many women occasionally forget to take the Pill daily, impairing its effectiveness.” The Nurse scribbled something down on a pad of paper. She was certain that Miss Chidori would have gotten good counseling from her physician, since the BCPs required a prescription. But, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure. “Correct use of the pill usually implies taking it every day at the same hour for twenty days, followed by a pause of seven days. Some packets provide placebos for that time.”
“I will make certain Miss Chidori follows orders explicitly!” Sousuke spoke in a great rush. When he realized what he had said, he slid off the table. The sound of falling and bouncing instruments could be heard. A roll of gauze skittered under the partition, stopping by Kaname’s foot.
“Uhhh…” Kaname didn’t realize what utterance she had used. It had Tessa turning an amused eye on her. Then, the full weight of Sousuke’s comment struck her, too. She almost tripped.
“Well, it’s certainly good to be a partner in things. That’s a very mature attitude, Mister Sagara.” The Nurse helped Sousuke up. “Some drugs reduce the effect of the Pill and can cause breakthrough bleeding, or pregnancy, together with unprotected sex, of course. These include antibiotics, barbiturates, phenytoin and carbamazepine. The traditional medicinal herb St John's Wort has also been implicated.”
“Kaname does not take any medications,” Sousuke said. “Except for weight loss pills.”
“You’re dead…” Kaname didn’t need to look at Tessa to know that she was smiling.
“But… as I have told her before… she does not require those.” Sousuke added.
“Oh… never mind…” Kaname grinned.
“She also does not abuse drugs,” Sousuke said, as always feeling the need to be complete.
“She just abuses you, right?” The Nurse laughed at her joke.
“Affirmative,” Sousuke said.
“Dead!” Kaname could care less about the irony. “So very dead…”
“Tragic,” Tessa said, loud enough so that only Kaname could hear her. She was getting a much better idea just how much emotional see-sawing a girl would have to go through, if she had Sousuke for a significant other.
“That’s something you… or she… might want to talk to someone about some day,” the Nurse said, seriously. “Just because you’re tough enough to take it… and do more than your share to earn the young ladies displeasure… too much of anything is bad.” She let that sink in.
Tessa flipped her ponytail back and forth in jaunty fashion. She gave Kaname a ‘What?’ look when the other girl scowled.
The Nurse went on to describe some of the side-effects of the Pill, as well as some of the cautions and contraindications. While it was Kaname’s responsibility to choose whatever she took into her own body, she felt that Sousuke should be well aware of the things that his girlfriend would be facing.
“If is something that would harm her, I would not allow her to take it.” Sousuke said firmly.
“Oh?” The Nurse raised one eyebrow. “How would you stop her?” She wanted to make certain that the young man, someone who had been a soldier from a young age, did not show any warning signs that might foreshadow an abusive relationship.
“I would continue to give her no reason to need such a thing,” Sousuke said, as if abstinence would be some valiant deed on his part. Once again, his own implications caught up with him. “Uhhh… I…”
“Really?” Kaname narrowed her eyes. “Maybe I changed my mind.” She put her nose in the air. “Idiot.”
Tessa began humming, hearing that. She grinned when Kaname shushed her.
“There’s never any need to rush into things, in any case.” The Nurse gave Sousuke a very pointed look. “Anyway, the effect of the Pill on a woman’s sexuality are difficult to judge, depending on the individual and the particular formula. Do you need to lie down?”
“Uhhh…” Sousuke coughed. “I am fine. Please continue. I will see this mission through to the end.”
“If neither of you need to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, then the use of the Pill and nothing more makes birth control seem invisible, and may make relations seem spontaneous and more natural.” The nurse jotted down more notes. She needed to remember to loan Sousuke and Kaname the videotapes that the other members of their class had watched. “When combined with the Pill’s high degree of effectiveness, this may enable the couple... especially the woman... to relax more easily during sex.”
Tessa was fidgeting. Listening to all that in the very awkward context had her ready to leave, head over to Sousuke’s apartment where she would be staying, and either take a cold shower, or hide her head under a pillow for two weeks straight.
Kaname’s reaction was very much different. She was glad to hear that everything she had been told by her doctor at the clinic was being confirmed by the school nurse. She was also very glad that someone else was telling Sousuke this. It would have been hard for her, especially given the way Sousuke was.
“On the other hand, the Pill’s various side effects may prove disruptive on a physiological or even a psychological level,” the Nurse added. “The hormonal disruption caused by the Pill may result in mood swings, and possibly an injured self-image due to weight gain. Some women who use the Pill despite the teachings of their religious traditions may feel conscious or unconscious guilt; others may not fully trust an invisible method of birth control. This wide range of variables makes prediction of the Pill’s effect on sexuality difficult, but the fact that the Pill can and does have an impact in this area, for good or for ill, is well-documented.”
“Mood swings,” Sousuke said, looking concerned. “What if the woman already has significant and unscheduled changes in behavior?”
“Like Miss Chidori?” The Nurse asked.
“Yes,” Sousuke said.
“Sousuke…” Kaname added another black mark on her list. Tessa smiled. Her last visit had been very special in some ways. This one promised to be very interesting.
“Does she have mood swings, depression, anxiety and irritability for a couple of weeks each month?“ The Nurse rubbed the back of her neck, thinking of her own menstrual history. “If she does, it could be Premenstrual stress syndrome, or given your description of her, a severe form called premenstrual dysphoric disorder.“
“Premenstrual stress syndrome?” Sousuke asked. “Is that a sickness? Is there reason for concern?”
“PMS is very common,” the Nurse said. “Most women have some degree of it at some time. It may be more of a reason of concern for you than her." She silently admonished herself for being sracastic. "Other than emotional effects of stress, all that she might suffer are bloating and cramping.”
“PMS…” Sousuke nodded his head. “That I have heard of. One of my comrades once suggested that Kaname might have continual PMS. I did not know what that meant then.” He shrugged, thinking about the multitude of things he had heard from Kurz Weber.
Tessa nodded her head, looking down at her nails.
“He also said that Miss Testarossa should have No Menstrual Syndrome, even though she is one hot babe.” Sousuke swallowed hard. “Those were his words.”
Tessa froze. Kaname began getting steamed again.
“It is his opinion that she will never have sexual relations, given her unique position.” Sousuke said. “He keeps telling me that I should bounce her like a rubber ball.” He cleared his throat. “His words again. Otherwise, he thinks that she will need to run naked along the docks, out of sight of her protectors.”
Kaname pictured more bouncing than she ever wanted to. But, she couldn’t help but toss her hair, hearing that part about the docks. That was a keeper for sure.
Tessa looked like she was ready to pass out.
“That’s all very interesting, I’m sure.” The Nurse sighed. She could see that Kaname Chidori had her hands full. What a pair! “But… back to the subject…”
“I will question Kaname about bloating and cramping,” Sousuke promised. He listened intently. It almost sounded like there was a dog growling somewhere outside the room. “But, since her behavioral changes occur daily, I think it may be something else.”
“I suggest you choose safer topics of conversation,” the Nurse said, shaking her head. “The school only has a limited supply of medication, and I can’t write prescriptions.” She thought a moment. “I think you might see a definite change in Miss Chidori’s behavior, if you think a bit more before you speak and act.”
“Damn straight!” Kaname put her hand over her mouth. That one had come out very loud.
“Oooo-oo-ops…” Tessa quickly slipped out of the room, after bouncing painfully off of the door jam. She kept from tripping, barely.
The partition was suddenly pulled back. The Nurse stood up, hands on her hips. She gave Kaname a very disapproving look.
“I… it… we just wanted to see how Sousuke was doing…” Kaname realized that she was standing alone in her corner of the room. “Tessa…”
“Mister Sagara, now might be a good time for you to go on your way. If the pain gets any worse, or the swelling in that… area… does not go down, you should pay a visit to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital.”
“Ma’am…” Sousuke realized that his pants and underwear were still down. So did Kaname. He quickly got dressed, knocking over a jar of tongue depressors.
“Miss Chidori,” the Nurse said, her voice an exploration in arctic temperatures. “While you may not be ill at the moment, I think we may need to have a little talk.”
“About bloating,” Sousuke added helpfully. “And cramping…”
“OUT!”
The Nurse and Kaname spoke at the same time and pointed to the door.
“May I pull up my zipper first?” Sousuke asked.
“YES!”
That was the two women again. “Honestly,” the Nurse said. “You don’t know the half of it,” Kaname claimed.
“I will be at home, Kaname.” Sousuke said, waiting at the doorway. “Should I prepare for your spending the night?” His eyes went wide, seeing the play of emotions across Kaname’s face. “Uhhh… I mean... since Tessa will be… uhhh… sleeping in my apartment.”
“Geeeez…” The Nurse shook her head again. “Does that boy have a death wish or something?”
“For his sake, I hope so.” Kaname watched as Sousuke disappeared from view.
That just made my day.