Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow, chapter 4--Family Matters

[PookaKitten]

Disclaimer: Full Metal Panic! belongs to Shoji Gatoh, not me.

---

Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow

Chapter 4 -- Family Matters

By Samantha

Chidori Kaname surveyed the tableau in front of her. Sitting right across from her was her father, Shunya. Her younger sister, Ayame, was within earshot of the coming storm, cooking in the kitchen. Seeing Ayame, who looked like their mother, brought a wave of pain and loss through Kaname’s heart at the loss of her mother. She stiffened her resolve, however. Her mother died in little pain, while Sousuke’s was butchered like an animal. No, an animal received better treatment from its killers. Standing at attention by her shoulder was the young mercenary, who seemed the worse for wear after drinking as much of the scotch as he had earlier.

Her father was barely controlling his anger, and most likely his confusion at Sousuke’s protective yet aloof behavior toward her. Why, even she was often confused by Sousuke’s behavior, and he was one of her closest friends through shared terrors. She sighed, knowing she needed to say something, and something less inane than “It is not what you think it is.” Maybe address the letter from Kyouko? Speaking of Kyouko, she did one worse than the blind dates with this little bombshell. And the thought of bombshells made her worry about what Sousuke could blow up in this volatile situation.

Now, about the letter, she could say she did not tell him so as not to worry and distract him from his work with the UN. No, that would not work -- Kyouko and Sousuke’s sidekick, Shinji, believed it was the UN that rescued them. And saying, “a top secret paramilitary organization rescued us,” probably would not do. She had incidentally promised Melissa she would say nothing of Mithril, anyway. Kyouko probably also said in the letter she had disappeared for several days. “Ah,” she thought to herself, “I have it. Now to mix the right amount of untruths to make him believe me without exposing Sousuke.”

“Father,” Kaname began, “you wanted to know about the class trip. For some reason our plane had been hijacked, not that you can ever know what reason it is when dealing with those lunatics.” She signed to Sousuke under the table, ‘Safe. No talk.’ For a split second shock rushed across his face at her use of the hand signals. She quickly added, ‘Explain later.’ Now she understood why Melissa taught her the Mithril sign code when the high school student was exhausted from her lessons with the two enlisted mercenaries.

Her father nodded and answered, “Often that’s the case. But go on, Kaname, before my patience wears any thinner.”

She nodded. “The lead hijacker seemed to think I would make a good face to get his demands met. He was this ugly guy with the most disreputable five o’clock shadow you’ve ever seen. But anyway, he took me away, and I was injected with something. I began to feel woozy, until Sousuke here…”

She was not given a chance to even finish her sentence before her father roared. “This is the infamous Sousuke? The one that causes the school no end of trouble, according to Kyouko?”

Kaname let him rage, until it played itself out. She had argued with him enough times over the years, especially in the year before she returned to Tokyo. When he finished, or ran out of breath, she was unsure which, she continued, “Sousuke rescued me, at great risk to life and limb. I seem to remember him getting shot in the side, a little. By then, the drug had me near senseless. I really don’t remember anything past that, other than waking up time to time and seeing him nearby, standing guard over me.” Kaname signed to Sousuke. ‘Agree.’

Chidori Shunya transferred his brown eyes to Sousuke. “Is this true, Mr. Sagara?” If her father had the rapid mood swings of his Kaname, then she definitely took after her father in more than looks, Sousuke thought.

The soldier considered Kaname an ally, while Shunya’s allegiances were suspect, so the decision to support Kaname was effortless, even if she hadn’t told him to do so. He answered the older man as if he was addressing Lieutenant Commander Kalinin, with a clipped, “Yes, sir!”

Sitting in front of Sousuke, Kaname thought to herself that he could not project the image of soldier much more, between his posture and way of addressing her father. Now it was only a question of when her father would figure out Sousuke’s true identity. Her father nodded, as if he believed Sousuke’s answer. Kaname hoped he did. It would save both her and Sousuke a quite a bit of trouble.

Looking past her father, she noticed Ayame staring in fascination at Sousuke, her cooking momentarily forgotten. Kaname almost understood the pang of jealousy she suddenly felt. She made a sudden decision to preclude any competition, once her father finished grilling them, if she and Sousuke made it out alive.

Startling her out of her thoughts, Shunya asked her, “And what of the time Kyouko called you ‘moody’ when he disappeared from school.” He pointed to Sousuke. “Is there something going on between you two I don’t know about?”

Before he even finished the question, Kaname lost her cool. She shook her head violently and told him, “Of course not, father. With sergeant clueless here?” She mentally backpedaled. “That’s a nickname we have for him at school, right Sousuke?” He nodded gravely. She quickly continued, “Not that he’s a real sergeant, or anything like that.”

Kaname’s father looked over his shoulder at Ayame. “Ayame, please go to the store to get some carrots for your sister’s hamster. Or a treat for her fish if you pass a pet store.” Ayame petulantly nodded with a sigh and let herself out of the apartment, wondering why her father dismissed her with such a flimsy excuse.

Shunya shifted his attention to Sousuke, obviously calmer. “At ease, soldier.” At Sousuke’s look of amazement, the older man continued, “I guessed you are a member of Mithril.” Sousuke did not react to the older man’s change in personality. He was more concerned that his cover had been blown.

Now it was Kaname’s turn to look poleaxed. “You know about Mithril? How?

He turned to look at Sousuke. “I am Mithril’s eyes and ears within the UN. I prevented a number of incidents from becoming front-page news by appraising Mithril of them. I never realized my daughter was important enough to need a guard. Though I am quite perplexed that they assigned her a guard as young as you, Mr. Sagara.”

Sousuke simply responded, “I am but part of the team protecting your daughter. Both sergeant major Mao, my commanding officer, and my fellow sergeant Weber are part of this mission. My major role is to protect your daughter while at school, masquerading as a fellow student. To do otherwise would leave a large gap in our ability to protect her.”

Kaname stood and faced down her father, finally losing control after the harrowing events of the past half year. “You work for Mithril? Is that why you didn’t come here until now? Father, since meeting Sousuke, I have been nearly killed by Gauron twice, and some loonies who decided to do their best to rampage Tokyo! You weren’t there to protect me, like a father should!” She took a step towards the door. “Instead, he is my protector, and a better one than you could ever hope to be!” Sousuke could feel the anger rolling off of her in waves and took a step back instinctively. She stormed out of the apartment, earning a fearful look from her sister in the hallway. Kaname’s leaving left the two men alone, at a loss what to say to each other, before Sousuke bolted out the door after her.

[Scrumhalf]

Fantastic!
But c'mon...too short.

[darkbane]

To: Sam
Re: Scrumhalf's comment
Text: I TOLD YOU

we want longer stories especially if you're dropping so many plot bombs ;-)

keep up the good work

[HELLFIRE]

I'm taking this chap's a setup to some more revealing secrets next
time -- at least that's what I HOPE'LL happen, Samantha And
I hope you're going to expand more on this 'little sister has eyes
for Sousuke.' I always kinda wondered what it'd bring out of Kaname
to know her own SISTER was after the same guy *hehehe*





Regards

[darkbane]

think she'll stoop as low as halisening her own sister?

[HELLFIRE]

Idunno... Samantha? Care to shed any light on this possibility?




Regards

[PookaKitten]

Yes, I'm working on chapter 5, tenatively titled "Memories and Decisions." It looks to be a long one, so it may be a while, especially now that I'm getting into the busiest part of the semester.

For those interested in Kaname and Ayame both interested in Sousuke, I have two words for you--pre-emptive strike.

Chapter 6 may be a mission chapter, so I may need to consult with the gun bunnies for ideas and help.

Samantha

[HELLFIRE]

...and I thought dd's rendition of Kaname v. Tessa catfight was bloody

This (proudly) GunBunny's help is always free and always available, Samantha





Regards

[dd]

@HELLFIRE

That was just a little sparring match between two high-spirited young ladies.

Now, sibling rivalry can get REAL messy....

[HELLFIRE]

Now, sibling rivalry can get REAL messy....

Hey, I spent the next THREE days cleaning the blood off the wall after
that fight. That DIDN'T include sanding, repriming and repainting the
walls after that!!

...if yours is any indication, their ain't enough room on this PLANET
for Kaname and her sister to duke it out over Sousuke





Regards

[dd]

@HELLFIRE

That blood wasn't from Kaname and Tessa.

It was from the group of Kaname fanatics and Tessa worshippers who snuck in AFTER the gals had left.

Now, if Kaname's sister gets any kind of following, THEN there might be some trouble!

[darkbane]

wouldn't that technically qualify as pedophilia? the legal age over here for 'that kind of stuff' is 14, and i doubt kaname's sister is older than that?

[Scrumhalf]

Oh c'mon here..

Sousuke is 16
Ayame is.. 14?

Should Pookakitten's fanfic ambitions about getting them together prevails, I see nothing wrong with that. It's certainly no paedophillia.
Besides, age doesnt matter

[darkbane]

"she told me she was 18, officer"