Macross Frontier

The Song of Redemption

Chapter IV

If These Days Could Last Eternal

Friday, the 22nd of January in 2049 was like any other weekday near the New Elmendorf Space Air Force Base, outside of Macross City in Alaska... Sub-Arctic temperatures that seemed to hover just barely above freezing, while a typical winter storm engulfed the region in a dreary overcast with moderate showers of freezing rain and brisk wind gusts. The surface was widely covered with matted snow, while ice and frost clung to the trees and buildings like the hopes and dreams of a visionary. Still, even with the bleak and frigid weather conditions, the gray skies above, and the continuous frozen rainfall, families in the Falcon's Nest Military Family Housing Community maintained rather comfortable living arrangements. The quiet military-only neighbourhood situated off base seemed to hold an almost postcard picture value to it, with snow and ice sickles on the roofs of the houses, light smoke steadily rising from the fireplace chimney flukes, the well-maintained driveways and sidewalks, and the periodic appearance of children's toys in some of the yards.

The Kaso home was like most other properties in the community- a simplistic two-story, single family house, situated on a small yet comfortable lot that seemed to radiate the presence of a young family. Steam and smoke spiralled to the heavens from the chimney fluke of the house, a warm fire burning in the fireplace, aiding in radiating heat throughout the contemporary interior that was decorated with a mixture of family portraits, photos of aircraft, college and military certificates and awards, and holiday decorative arrangements. The home was nothing grand, yet at the same time, it was nothing shy of living within the young family's means in a rather cosy manner. Periodically, a child's play things could be seen throughout the house, yet nothing too disorderly- just enough for the house to maintain an air about it that screamed that a youthful little girl was growing up in this home, and that she was constantly keeping her parents on their toes to keep up with her and her carefree, playful nature.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock... An elegant hand carved wooden grandfather clock in the living room, a wedding gift from Sage's mother, softly accounted for the time until it's bells tolled, signifying the start of a new hour. It was now 7-o'clock in the morning. The pleasant scent of cinnamon filled the house, while the soft clanging of pots and pans, only slightly overpowered by a woman's soft humming could be heard originating from the kitchen. Kurisu finally descended down the stairs from the master bathroom, fresh from a morning shower, clad in his light gray flight suit, the front only zipped up halfway, allowing his dog tags to rattle passively with his movements as he made his way to the kitchen. And as usual, a loud giggle sounded out, followed by the warming and heartfelt words, "Good morning, daddy!" that came from Jade's mouth as she left her mother's side and rushed to hug Kurisu tightly.

Kurisu wasted not a single moment in kneeling down to return the hug of the little girl who was clad in her favourite pink pyjamas that had a caricature of Lynn Minmei on the front, kissing her on the forehead and smiling, "Well good morning to you, too, Princess!" he replied warmly before rising and approaching Sage, who was wearing one of her husband's black Weapon's Instructor Course graduate t-shirts and a pair of pink sweat pants. Arms slowly wrapped around Sage's waist while he leaned his head in to kiss Sage softly on the neck.

"...and good morning to you as well, babe... that smells delicious..." he said with a grin, his hands running along her stomach slowly.

"Well I figured that since you have to fly all day and won't be home till late, that I'd make you a quality breakfast so that you won't have to suffer the entire day without a good meal," Sage grinned.

"Well thank you, babe... I honestly thought that you'd be sleeping in this morning. You know, after last night and all..." Kurisu replied with a mischievous grin on his face as he released his wife and turned away, but not before a soft popping sound cried out as his palm smacked her rear.

"...Kurisu...!" yelled Sage as her porcelain cheeks were soon flushed a pink tone, caught off guard while her eyes glanced to Jade, "...not in front of J-A-D-E..."

"Yeah, mister! You better be a good boy in front of me...!" Jade chimed in, puffing her cheeks up and making a childish face towards her father.

Kurisu couldn't help but shake his head while glancing towards Jade, caught off guard by the child chastising him, all while Sage was unable to hold back her own stifled laughter. In no time at all, breakfast was ready and the young family was seated in the dining room, Kurisu and Sage sitting across from one-another, while Jade sat between them on a booster seat so that she could reach the table- homemade French toast, sausage, eggs, orange juice, and coffee spread out before them. The television was turned on and set for the news, the anchorwoman talking about the growing threats of the Vindirance terrorist group momentarily before it shifted to the daily weather for the region.

"...bore-ring...!" Jade mocked at the news, "...mommy, put on the Dancing Bear cartoon!"

" You can watch your cartoons after you get home from school and show me that you finished all of your homework, but right now, let your father watch the news," replied Sage, which was met with a tongue sticking out at her from her daughter. "What time do you think that you will get off of work tonight?"

"I probably won't be back home until around midnight. I have to fly some pattern work in a few hours to log some pilot pro time, and then I'm flying lead in a TAC formation tonight to get ready for another exercise. You don't have to wait up for me, tonight," responded Kurisu in between eating taking bites of his breakfast.

"...but what if I want to be awake when you get home...?" Sage smiled.

"Don't worry, kitten... I'll wake you up..." Kurisu said with a Cheshire grin on his face, prompting another light blush of embarrassment to Sage's visage.

While Sage had been dedicated to her project at the university, her free time had been grossly limited, and long days of gruelling research led to physical and mental exhaustion. Now that she wad refocusing herself to being a mother and a house wife, she seemed to have all the free time in the world to spend with her family without finding herself being drained, and Kurisu had been taking advantage of this to the maximum extent possible. Whether her husband was secretly trying for another child, or simply enjoying the carnal pleasure, Sage didn't honestly complain.

Casual small talk ensued throughout breakfast, all while Jade's big blue eyes darted back and forth between her mother and father, her curiosity causing her to interrupt constantly with the innocent remarks of a child, naturally stirring the occasional chuckle from her parents. And as had become the norm in the Kaso household, Sage prepared the meals while Kurisu cleaned the mess and washed the dishes, not a word having to be said to prompt the routine after breakfast was finished, all the while Jade immediately scurried upstairs to her room to get ready for school, eager to learn, play, and further forge friendships with her classmates.

Kurisu sipped his coffee after all was said and done as he relished in the last few minutes of freedom before he had to go to work, smiling at Sage, which caused her to quietly remove the coffee cup from his hand and place it on the kitchen counter, her thin arms wrapping around his torso and her right hand trailing up to run her fingertips through the back of his hair,

"...it never ceases to amaze me how wrong my mother was about you, Kurisu. Why are you so good to me?" Sage asked with a soft voice while her left hand slowly ran up along Kurisu's right arm.

"Well of course your mother was wrong... Hell, she bet money with her friends that we'd be bitterly divorced less than a year after we got married..." Kurisu joked quietly, "...but it's because I love you, Sage. I can honestly say that I love you just ad much, if not more, than I loved you the day we got married. You and Jade are my entire world. If I ever lost you, I don't know what I would do."

"Don't worry. Jade and I aren't going anywhere. We will be with you, always," Sage couldn't help but smile as she moved her left hand from Kurisu's arm up to his face as she caressed his cheek gently, leaning in at that very moment to kiss her beloved husband- a kiss that was met with equal tenderness and affection.

Kurisu wrapped his arms around Sage tightly as they kissed for what, in their minds, seemed to be an eternity. The love they shared for one-another was as clear as day- there was Kurisu, Sage, and Jade, and nothing else in the world mattered to them. There was no faux emotion, no hidden agenda, simply pure, uninhibited love for one-another, along with pride for the beautiful and intelligent child that they had brought into the world six years prior. Broken families were so common, whether shortly after the union, or the result of the seven-year itch; however, it was all but written into stone that this young family would be one of those rare cases. Where the couple involved held such strong and positive feelings for one-another, such adoration and admiration with the perfect chemistry and compatibility... Like the heavens aligned to bring these two together, and blessed them with an intelligent, cheerful daughter who took the very best from both of them, and surely would grow up to accomplish great things in her life.

"Good... I don't know how I would ever go through this life without the two of you. You know you two are in my mind at all times," said Kurisu after he finally broke their kiss, his gray-blue eyes looking longingly into her sky-blue eyes.

"Hurry home tonight... I hate laying in the bed without you," Sage whispered softly as she tilted her head forward, resting her head on his right shoulder for a moment while her arms slowly curled beneath his arms, clinging to him.

It was after this long moment of deep emotion and transparent honesty to one another that Sage kissed Kurisu on the neck lightly before turning her head to look over her shoulder, calling out for their daughter, "Jade, Come say goodbye to your father, he has to go to work!" to which Jade scurried down the stairs frantically, her white with blue trim schoolgirl uniform on and her hair braided, clearly trying to make her hair look like her mother's, "Are you going to fly in the sky again...?" inquired Jade as her large blue eyes looked to her father with awe and admiration, all while she forced herself in between both Kurisu and Sage, demanding attention from then both.

Both Kurisu and Sage put their arms around their precious, innocent angel. Kurisu couldn't hold back a smile from her question, while he nodded slowly, "That's right, Princess. I'm going to go fly through the clouds today," he responded, "and you, young lady, are going to go to school, learn, and better behave for your mother today." Naturally, Sage finally managed to pry Jade off of her father, allowing Kurisu to kneel down and kiss Jade on the forehead, followed immediately by rising up once more to give his beloved wife a light goodbye kiss on the lips. And with this warm exchange between father, mother, and daughter, Kurisu walked outside, grabbing his black motorcycle helmet from its wall hanger next to the front door as he passed by. Moments later, the high-pitched whine of his motorcycle could be heard as he fired the bike up and carefully backed himself out of their driveway. Like nearly every morning, Sage and Jade stood by the front door and waved to Kurisu as he then sped off swiftly, egressing out of the military family housing community on his way back to the base to start his work day.

Once Kurisu had departed for work, Sage made her way upstairs to their bedroom, where she changed out of the t-shirt and sweatpants into her casual attire for the day... A pair of light blue jeans worn over a pair of black leather women's boots, and a simple, white dress top. Her favourite hair clips, small gold and emerald fairies, were inserted into her hair, and a warm, faux fur coat was slipped on for warmth. By the time Sage had finished getting dressed and gathering her things together, putting them into her purse, Jade was already waiting by the garage door, wearing her small backpack over her shoulders that was designed to look like the shape of an old VF-1J Valkyrie with the words 'Kyun KYUN! written across it.

Soon, the mother and daughter dynamic duo were seated in the family's '48 Jeep Discovery Sports utility vehicle, the garage door slowly opening behind it as Sage started the vehicle with a barely audible hum. Moments later, Sage backed out of the garage and driveway, only to place the vehicle in drive as she started off away from the house, the garage door closing behind them. And as they made their way through the housing community, Jade's hands were planted to the window, staring out at the occasional half-melted snowmen in some of the yards,

"Mommy, if it snows today, can we go outside and make snow men before daddy gets home?"

"Of course, sweetie. I'm sure your father would be happy to see them in the front yard if we make them," Sage replied, smiling softly as she drove.

"We're gonna have the best snowman ever!" Jade exclaimed, giggling and humming to herself.

The 15-minute commute from their housing community to the Macross City Girl's Academy, the private school that Jade attended, seemed to pass all too quickly. In no time at all, Sage had pulled up to the student pick-up and drop-off area, where she leaned over to give Jade a hug and a kiss on her cheek, "Have a good day at school, sweetie. Mommy will see you in a few hours and we can talk more about that snowman, alright?" Sage said tenderly, prompting a smile and nod from her daughter. And with that, Jade left the passenger seat if the vehicle and waved briefly before turning around and taking off running for the main door of the school, arms outstretched while she ran, as if she were pretending to be an airplane.

Watching as Jade vanished safely into the school building, Sage glanced to the rear-view mirror of her vehicle, giving herself a smile, "...and now to figure out what to do with the day..." Free time like she would have this very day was a luxury that she had not fully adjusted to yet, but certainly was a welcome change of pace from the monotony of gruelling research at the University that had consumed so much of her life over that past few years. Driving once more, she decided to head into the city without any set plans; rather, she decided to simply play it by ear for once, and to see where fate took her throughout the day.

Entering the downtown region of Macross City, the plethora of buildings and architectural wonders were only overshadowed by the SDF-1 Macross, which sat dormant in the centre of Crater Lake, as it had for over 45 years now, in the heart of Macross City. Automobiles crowded the roads and people crowded the sidewalks, while conversations and cultural noises bombarded the ears of all. Even with the poor weather conditions, there was no hint at the hustle and bustle of the capital city losing its momentum. Street vendors could be seen on every corner, selling everything from hotdogs, peanuts, and refreshments to souvenirs, novelties, and literature. Posters could be seen on building walls, most of which advertised various musicians and idol singers, a large portion of which wet promoting the Macross-11 Fleet's English Fire! group.

Finding parking in downtown Macross City was surely no simple task, yet after much searching, Sage finally located an open parking garage, where she parked and started on foot for her daily adventure. It was no coincidence that her parking choice was conveniently situated close to one of the major retail shopping centres of the city, as shopping seemed to be an excellent means of passing the day, or at least it was in her mind. And as she entered the shopping centre, she was greeted by the voice of a vendor robot that rolled around from patron to patron, offering cold juice boxes, albeit with the chilled weather, business could have been better. Sage found herself in a retail wonderland that offered a little something for everyone- Human and Zentraedi alike, with well over one-hundred separate stores, many of the larger stores designed to accommodate the size of its Zentraedi customers, while at the middle of the shopping centre's food court, one advertisement stood out from the rest- the Unity Government was seeking volunteer colonists for the Macross-13 long range colonization, fleet which was less than two years from being completed and launched from Earth, rather than from Eden, as most of the other colonization fleets had departed from.

Store hopping, Sage soon accumulated a small handful of bags, mostly clothes, albeit she did come across a small statuette of a VF-19A Excalibur that she felt Kurisu would enjoy, so she picked it up as well to give to Kurisu as a surprise gift. Bags in hand, Sage made her way out of the shopping centre, where she returned to her vehicle just long enough to store her booty safely, only to head back out of the parking garage towards a small café that she was familiar with nearby that sat on top of one of the many downtown skyscrapers, offering a wide selection of delicatessen sandwiches and gourmet soups, as well as an excellent view of the city. As Sage rounded a corner towards her destination, she stopped in her tracks, witnessing several police officers attempting to detain a micronized Zentran.

"IS THAT ALL YOU PIGS HAVE GOT?" the young Zentran screamed while the police tried to hold him down, his violent thrashing and Zentran strength causing the police to have serious issues with trying to restrain him. Sage couldn't help but freeze in her tracks as she watched in silence as the Zentran finally broke free of the police officers' grasp, his fist slamming into one of the officer's faces, causing blood to fly from the nose and mouth of the police officer, the other officers immediately readying their batons and stun guns, the lead officer yelling, "GET DOWN NOW OR WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO TAKE YOU DOWN BY FORCE!" By now, a crowd was gathering around Sage to watch the spectacle, the Zentran looking around for a moment at the increasing numbers, which caused him to grin, "Yeah? WHY DON'T YOU TRY SINGING TO ME!" With those words, the Zentran rushed at the police officers in a mad rage, screaming at the top of his lungs, "LONG LIVE THE BLACK RAINBOW!" This suicidal rush was viewed by the police as not only non-compliance with their demand, but also as open aggression, and the Zentran was almost immediately forced to the ground by the savage barrage of stun guns and batons while the police assaulted him into submission, blood flying as the attack continued long after the Zentran was forced to the ground, one of the police officers shoving the crowd back, including Sage, demanding that the crowd immediately disperse or be arrested for loitering. Was this a hint at the things to come?

With wide eyes and her agape mouth hidden only by her hand covering it in disbelief, Sage slowly continued on her way, glancing back over her shoulder just in time to see the police officers picking the beaten and bloodied Zentran up, dragging him off towards one of their vehicles. Entering the building that her destination resided within, she tried to shake the image from her mind of the Zentran being beaten well-beyond that which was remotely necessary to pacify him. Taking the elevator up to the top floor of the skyscraper, Sage stepped out into the large café, its domed glass roof and walls offering a perfect view of the city. Sitting down at a table near the wall that faced the SDF-1 Macross, she proceeded to order her meal, the newspaper displayed directly on the touch sensitive table, glancing at the previous day's local happenings as she waited. Glancing up from the news once her food arrived, she could see white lines slowly creeping across the sky from fighters patrolling the airspace, which filled her with a sense of pride and security- her husband was up there, keeping her and their daughter safe.

Taking her time eating and enjoying her lunch, irony struck once again. The café always had soft music playing throughout its dining area, and one of Sage's favourites came on... a classic, old Lynn Minmei song, "My Boyfriend is a Pilot," which seemed to be perfectly timed as her phone rang, a characteur of Kurisu's face appearing on the holographic screen of her phone, prompting her to answer. Sage didn't even give Kurisu the opportunity to speak,

"Kyun, kyun... Kyun, kyun... My husband is a pilot," she sang in a soft tone, yet clearly using her own words instead of the song's traditional lyrics.

"Well hello to you too, babe," Kurisu chuckled over the phone, "How's your day going so far?"

Sage continued to hum the song over the phone to him for a moment, "I'm just relaxing and enjoying lunch at the café we ate at on our first date," she giggled lightly, "I'll be heading to pick Jade up from school in a bit, how's your day been going, dear?"

"I can't complain- just finished debriefing after my first sortie today and heading to grab a quick bite for lunch at the club on base before I get back up in the air," Kurisu replied, raising his voice to speak up over the sound of another formation of aircraft taking off near him. "I figured I'd give you a call to see what you're up to."

"Well, I hope you hurry home tonight after you get finished. I picked you up a present, and I think you'll like it," Sage said warmly, "I miss you."

"I miss you too, kitten," responded Kurisu, the sound of his motorcycle starting up clearly audible over the phone, "I've gotta go, babe. I only have an hour to get across base, get some food, get back and be in the briefing room. I love you, Sage."

"I love you too, Kurisu. I'll see you tonight," concluded Sage as she hung her phone up and returned it to her purse.

She couldn't flush the smile from her face. Everything seemed to finally be going right in her life. She truly felt that leaving the project at the University had, without the shadow of a doubt, been the best decision she could have made- not just due to her growing concerns and moral conflict with the project, but the fact that she was now free to enjoy her life. With those warm and just thoughts, she paid her bill and left the café.

The day was halfway over, and Sage decided to occupy the remainder of her free time in the city with a visit to the Morikawa Memorial Art Gallery- widely considered to be the most prestigious art gallery on Earth, located along the north-eastern edge of Crater Lake and the SDF-1 Macross, its location having been chosen specifically for the purpose of offering visitors the opportunity to watch the sun illuminate the SDF-1 Macross during sunrise, and to set behind the SDF-1 Macross during the sunset through the glass walls of the large gallery which had been partially modelled after the Louvre which had been in the city of Paris until the First Space War. Elaborate sculptures lined the front of the Gallery, its grounds kept with perfectly-trimmed and sculpted shrubs, while on an artificial hill in front of the building, in the middle of the lawn, flowers grew in an arrangement that formed the insignias of the Unity Government and the Zentraedi, which served as a tribute to the cooperation and progress between humanity and Zentraedi.

Stepping into the gallery, Sage decided to peruse the current featured exhibit. She couldn't help but feel a sense of irony flush over her as she entered the exhibit, which was themed around the soul. Paintings, mostly of an abstract nature, depicted auras and spirits in the every-day world, a concept that made for some rather interesting and strangely serene works of art, but were simply a novel idea to most. Browsing the various paintings and sculptures featured in the exhibit, Sage couldn't resist the urge to bite her lower lip gently, "I am so grateful that I left the Project," she whispered to herself, "God, please forgive me for even remotely completing that virus." There was no denying it- as Sage brought her attention from display to the next; there was this almost overwhelming sensation of guilt and regret.

During Sage's work on the Project ARCHANGEL at the Turner University's Genetic Research Department, she had virtually dedicated herself to her research. She had made so much progress, made so many discoveries- both official and personal. And it was during these discoveries in her research that she had a change of heart. Even as a mother, her belief mindset had always been hard-line scientific; if it was not factual and verifiable, then it was rubbish and fallacy. The very notion of something existing beyond the physical plain and outside the realm of contemporary science was absolutely absurd. But that was the old Sage. Through her research, she began having a change of heart. There were just too many indicators to simply write it off as coincidence. She wasn't certain what exactly she believed in anymore, but she was certain inside her mind that there was definitely something behind the theological and metaphysical beliefs that so many religious followers subscribed to. Sage was always a fairly dedicated woman. She worked hard to achieve her goals and to get to where she was in life. She was so positive about the project, so proud and focused. It was to be her mark on history, and when she set out to achieve something, she would never back down until she had succeeded. After reaching her conclusions with Project ARCHANGEL, she did that which she had never done and had once sworn to herself that she would never do... Sage walked away. She had abandoned the project, destroyed all traces of her work, and kept only a single copy of her research notes and data for personal reasons. She received an odd sense of serenity and peace by this action. Perhaps it was her subconscious shedding the regret and reinforcing her actions, or perhaps there truly was something else reaffirming her decision. One thing was for certain, she felt that she had played God, and she had to right this wrong, whether actual or self-imposed.

So here Sage found herself, starring at the creative artistic works of various painters and sculptors, all themed around the controversially intangible... The prospect of life, the spirit, the soul, the afterlife, the belief in a great beyond, a higher power. While many patrons of the gallery often discarded the deeper meaning behind each work of art, Sage found herself analyzing the individual works of the exhibit, associating virtually every display with herself and her newly-established belief. It was calming for her- an awkward sensation of peace seemed to overtake her as she browsed the exhibit, for she knew deep down, in her mind that her decision to leave the project... To withdraw herself and all her research was the right choice. And in the wake of her self-dismissal, it seemed as if she was being rewarded for her decision in the form of being able to finally enjoy herself as a wife and a mother; to be free to savour the blessings of her family. Hours seemed to pass like minutes, and before long it was time for Sage to leave the gallery, and to start on her way to pick Jade up from school. Smiling to herself at just how relaxing and pleasant the day had gone so far, she departed and returned to her vehicle.

Sage seemed to escape the confines of downtown Macross City just in the nick of time as rush hour commenced; fortunate, considering the city was bustling at all hours of the day, and during rush hour it made commuting virtually impossible. Arriving back at the academy, her timing seemed impeccable as Jade rushed outside towards her mother's vehicle, skipping the entire way with he left hand on the shoulder strap of her Valkyrie backpack and her right hand carrying a small plastic cup that contained the genesis of a new life- the sprouting stalk of a simple plant. Reaching the vehicle, Jade opened the door and climbed in, holding the plant up as she faced her mother, her face beaming with joy and amusement,

"Mommy! Mommy! Look what I got you and daddy!" Jade excitedly announced.

"Is that...? It is! You grew a plant, didn't you?" Sage replied with a soft smile, a feeling of pride swelling inside her... Who needed to play God and splice genetic sequences when she could get almost the same level of satisfaction out of watching her daughter bring home a plant she had obviously grown.

"M-hmm!" Jade cooed proudly, her grin spanning from ear to ear, "Our teacher gave us cups with some beans and dirt last week, and we had to put the dirt in the cup, and stick the beans in the dirt, and add some water and some fer-la-sizer and some water, and then we put it in the window of our classroom and now we have a plant!"

Attempting to hold back he own giggle at her daughter's attempt to pronounce fertilizer, she started to drive while nodding, "That's wonderful sweetie! We can show your father tomorrow morning, but remember, that plant is alive, so now you have a big responsibility- you'll have to take care of it, for it to grow into a great big plant," she grinned, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to instil a life lesson on Jade, offering her responsibility.

The drive back to their home was uneventful. Jade told her mother all about her day in class- about the things she had learned, about the conversations she had and the friends she had made. Sage listened like a defense attorney, taking in every word her child said. This was happiness and nothing else in the world seemed to matter. Pulling back into the driveway of their home, Jade barely waited for their vehicle to stop before she jumped out and rushed inside through the garage, causing Sage to blink widely- had her teachers given her candy all day to make Jade this hyper? At least she knew that Jade would likely crash hard within a few hours, which would open up the remainder the evening for Sage to relax; however, that time would not happen just yet. Before Sage could even start unloading her vehicle, Jade was already standing in the garage, yelling to her mother "C'mon, mommy! Let's build our snowman before it starts getting dark! C'mon! C'mon!" Before Sage could even respond, Jade skittered out onto the front lawn, pink mittens and a matching head-warmer that had cat ears pretending from the top of it already on, determination in her eyes.

Sage decided to hold off on organizing the contents if her shopping bags, instead choosing to put them on the dinning room table for the time being, immediately rushing back outside after grabbing her white fleece scarf and a pair of insulated tan leather gloves. By the time she made it to the front yard, scarf wrapped around her neck and gloves donned, Jade was already standing next to a sizable pile of packed snow. Sage immediately joined her daughter in the task of gathering snow from all across the front yard of their home, which didn't take particularly long due to the amount of snow still present as the result from a snow storm only a few days prior. It didn't matte that the skies were gray, the air was cold, and the freezing rain was lightly sprinkling- all Sage could see was her daughter, the snow and herself... All Sage could hear were their giggles and laughing. She felt as if she had been transported back in time, to a period of her life where she too had that childish innocence, living vicariously through her daughter as the snow was carefully packed down.

As time passed, the pile of snow grew in size and began to slowly take a form. Handful by handful, a snowman was being born, albeit at an erratic pace as the occasional chunk of frozen mass was removed from the artistic masterpiece. It was inevitable that the mother and daughter would soon be locked into gruelling battle with one-another after Jade threw a snowball at her mother. The recognizable sound of snow splattering might as well have been replaced with the sound of a rifle firing off, aimed at a royal heir. The Kaso Snowball Civil War began at 5:53PM on the 22nd of January, and the armistice between Queen Sage and Princess Jade was not reached until 6:41PM of the same day. The collateral damage was inconceivable- the splattered snow all over the front face if their house, their mailbox, and even on a few of the neighbour's vehicles that were parked on the street. As part of the ceasefire agreement, the remaining UXSO's (Unexploded Snowball Ordinance) were gathered together and incorporated into the hand-crafted sculpture that commemorated the end of what could have arguably been 2049's most ravaging conflict. By the time the sun had set, the terms of the Treaty of Falcon's Nest, which had been verbally agreed upon, had been met up to the point of the completion of the snowman, and the snowman stood at the edge of the driveway, his right 'arm,' which was a bent branch, almost resembling a salute. All that remained for the treaty would be for Princess Jade to eat all of her dinner, to include her vegetables, per her mother's conditions, and for Queen Sage to present Princess Jade with an offering of fresh cookies and hot cocoa after dinner, as the final condition from her daughter.

Of course as the sun finished setting and darkness overtook the land, the mother-daughter duo retreated to the warmth of their house. It didn't take long for the two to unpack the shopping bags, Jade critiquing every single article of clothing, whether it is destined for her, her mother or her father, all the same- as if she were a fashion consultant. This naturally amused Sage immensely, all while she sorted and folded everything while singing softly to herself, her daughter attempting to sing along side her, albeit she kept repeating the only words to the song that she knew, "Zero-G Love," regardless if it was a chorus or verse. Once everything was separated and folded, the final item was removed and placed onto the dining room table- the statuette of the VF-19A Excalibur that Sage had picked up for her husband as a gift- nothing special, just a simple token reminder to him that she was thinking about him,

"Wha'ssat, mommy? Is that an airplane?" Sage inquired as she ogled the statuette with bright, wide eyes.

"That's right, sweetie," Sage smiled, putting her hand on Jade's left shoulder as she looked down at her little angel, "That's what your father flies."

Jade giggled to herself, "But daddy can't fit into that! It's too small, even for my dolls. And daddy is bigger than my dolls are!" It was obvious; Jade did take the facetious nature from her parents.

"You're silly, sweetie. You know what I mean," said as Sage gave her daughter a gentle pat on her head.

"Noooo! You're silly, Billy!" Jade giggled before returning her attention to the statuette, "Is that what daddy is flying right now? Up in the sky? Does he fly higher than the birds, mommy?"

Another soft smile formed on Sage's visage while she knelt down next to her daughter, "That's right, sweetie... your father flies one of these, but it's a lot bigger," said as she moved her hand from Jade's shoulder and slipped her arm around the child, "Your father flies a lot higher than the birds can. He's flying right now, and he's protecting us."

Like expanding pools of liquid wonder, Jade's eyes widened as she hugged her mother tightly, "I love you and daddy!"

Soon afterwards, Sage found herself preparing dinner. Jade was so eager to help her mother, and while it often seemed as though her aid often caused an even greater mess than if she had simply remained a bystander, she was always welcome to get involved in the big K2C, as they both called it- the Kaso Kitchen Chaos. It only took half an hour this evening to recreate the destructive path of a tornado across the kitchen counters and floor... Near record time! Once all was said and done, three plates were sitting on the counter, each plate arranged with a fillet of lemon herb grilled salmon over a bed of white rice, a helping of steamed mixed vegetables and a freshly baked homemade cheddar roll, all while the scent of cookies baking in the oven permeated throughout the house. The first plate was covered up and placed in the microwave, which would be ready to reheat upon Kurisu's return home from work, while the other two plates were carried from the kitchen to the dining room- another victory for Team Kaso, dinner in the household was officially served!

As per their agreement, Jade proceeded to eat her dinner, to include her vegetables; however, agreement or not, this did not prevent Jade from making the occasional face at her mother when Sage wasn't looking, but it was to be expected- after all, she was a child. In between bites, she attempted to make small talk with her mother,

"Mommy, does daddy mur-dar people?" Jade was blunt and straight to the point, her innocence blinding her to the depth of her question.

Nearly choking on her food, Sage starred at Jade with wide eyes, "Where did you come up with that idea?" She wasn't even angry, but rather caught off guard by the question.

"Today in class we were talking about what our parents do and said that my mommy is a sci-in-tiss, and that my daddy flies airplanes in the mili-tary, and then one of the other students said that his parents said that the mili-tary mur-dar people and bring bad things, but I said no way, not my daddy! And then the teacher made us all talk about something else..." Jade said in a low tone of voice, like that of a scorned child while she poked at her food slowly with her fork.

"Sweetie... No, your father doesn't murder people. Only bad people do that, and your father is a good man. He helps to keep us safe... To protect us. He would never intentionally hurt anyone, so don't listen to what any of you classmates say about it, ok?" replied Sage in a borderline defensive manner. "Now finish your dinner and help mommy with cleaning the kitchen so we can have those cookies," she smiled, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"Hmm... Ok, mommy..." And with those words, the mother and daughter pair went about eating their meal until their plates were virtually barren voids.

With dinner now a memory, Jade assisted her mother in clearing off the table and cleaning up the kitchen. With the two working together, the kitchen was restored to pristine condition in no time, enabling Sage to focus on the chocolate chip cookies which were now ready to serve. Pulling the cookie pan from the oven and placing it on the stove, Sage then proceeded to brew two fresh cups of hot cocoa, the addition of miniature marshmallows an unwritten law that surely had to be obeyed. Jade was once again giddy with excitement, and before she knew it, her mother handed her a cup full of the steaming cocoa delight, as well as a small dish with two fresh-baked and still-chewy chocolate chip cookies. Sage then prepared herself her own cup, and kept two of the cookies for herself, putting the remaining eight cookies into a previously empty glass cookie jar. Cookies and hot cocoas in hand, Sage followed Jade to the living room, where they sat down together and proceeded to watch cartoons.

Take a 6-year old child, and add fresh-baked cookies and hot cocoa, and it did not take a genetic research scientist to predict that both the treat and the beverage would be gone in a matter of minutes. This was certainly no exception to that theory, which Sage found to be rather amusing. Within half an hour, Jade would be found lying on the couch, her head resting on Sage's lap, all while Sage would absently stroke Jade's hair gently.

"Sleepy, sweetie?" Sage asked quietly while looking down at Jade.

"...mhmm..." Jade seemed to mumble, not even opening her eyes in the least bit.

The anticipated crash had finally been brought to fruition, and it was time to put Jade in bed.

Carefully scooping Jade up into her arm and resting her head on her shoulder, Sage carried Jade from the living room upstairs to her bedroom, all while whispering to her daughter, "You're starting to get too big for mommy to carry you like this." Jade didn't respond, already drifting off in her mother's arms. Once up in Jade's bedroom, which was decorated in Miss Macross decor, quite a popular theme for young girls, Sage helped her half-asleep daughter get changed into her favourite pink pyjamas that featured a characteur of Lynn Minmei with the words 'My Boyfriend is a Pilot' written a crossed the front. Helping Jade into her bed and pulling the covers up over her, Sage then tucked her daughter in, took a seat on the edge of her bed, and leaned close to her ear, singing to her in a soft tone that was barely above a whisper... a song that she had come up with when Jade was just an infant, and she had sung for her nearly every night before putting her to bed.

[The song sung is to the tune of Adagio for Strings]

As Sage finished her soft-spoken sonata, she gave her daughter a gentle kiss to the forehead and whispered into her ear, "Goodnight Sweetie... Sweet dreams," and with those words, Sage rose to her feet and slipped out of the bedroom, turning the light off to leave Jade illuminated only by the soft glow of her nightlight and quietly closing the bedroom door in her wake.

At last, Sage was free to lounge around the house at her leisure. Making her way to the master bedroom, she retrieved her night clothes, and then made her way directly to the bathroom. Within moments, she shed her clothing down to the barest form and steam began to rise from the confines of the shower. Stepping into the shower, she sighed as the water began to run down her body, her muscles relaxing from the warmth. Slender hands ran through her hair slowly while she tilted her head back, eyes falling closed to bask in the sensation and relaxation of a hot shower after a long day- something she always enjoyed ending her days with to help her mind clear. Kurisu wouldn't be home for at least another four or five hours, so she felt that she need not rush. Gently scrubbing her body, she let her mind wander...

Why did I get blessed with such a life? Such a beautiful and intelligent daughter? Such a caring and loyal husband? I can never regret my life. No matter what happens, I know I will always have my family. I can't possibly fathom anything that could ever tear us apart. I am sorry that I played God on that project. Please, if there is a higher being... Forgive me and continue to watch over my family and me...

It truly is amazing how easily a person can lose track of time, and before Sage knew it, nearly half an hour had passed. Culminating her shower with some personal grooming, she finally stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel, casually drying off before she slipped into a pair of black sweatpants that had the insignia of Sharon Apple on the left pant leg in pink, and a white tank top that had 'UNSAF Wife' written across the front, also in pink.

Kurisu had his dinner waiting for him in the microwave, ready to be reheated without delay the moment he would get home from work. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies now populated the cookie jar in the kitchen. A brand new statuette of a VF-19A Excalibur sat on the dining room table. The remainder of her purchases from the day had been neatly put away. Sneaking passed Jade's bedroom, Sage made her way downstairs and back into the living room. With the flick of a switch, a low-pitched whistle emanated from the fireplace, followed shortly by a light clicking soft until the fireplace came back to life. Making her way to the kitchen, Sage then proceeded to pour herself a glass of red merlot wine, vintage 2042 and imported from the Corleone Vineyard on Eden. Liquid relaxation in hand, Sage returned to the living room and nested herself on the couch, the television activating and tuning to a program about Pre-Space War I history.

As time went on and wine subsided from view in the glass in Sage's hand, she glanced up at the time on the grandfather clock, which had the hands pointing to 9:30PM. The combination of the warm heat radiating from the fireplace, the warm sensation flushing through her face that was the result of the wine, the words spoken on the television in low volume and the continuous tick-tock of the grandfather clock all came together perfectly, causing her mind to drift off into a state of deep relaxation. She had no intentions of going to the bedroom. No, she insisted on napping on the couch so that she would hear her husband come through the front door, able to greet him properly and then retreat to the bedroom to sleep in the arms of her lover. Still, as Sage's eyes fell heavy and the inevitable grip of sleep began to take hold of her, she thought that she could hear another sound- the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance outside... A storm was approaching.