Ghost in the Shell: SAC Solid State Society/Kokaku Kidoutai: SAC SSS: Encounter
By: Ominae
Rating: K+
NOTE:
All characters of GITS: SAC Solid State Society are under the copyright of Masamune Shirow, Production I.G., Bandai Visual and Animax.
Summary:
After the end of the Solid State Society case, Aramaki ponders on his reunion with Major Kusanagi when he bumps into her on a weekend, meeting again after 2 years. A one shot story.
Park, somewhere in Niihama, Japan
"Seems to be a lovely day today."
Daisuke Aramaki, current head of Public Security Section 9, or commonly known as Section 9 to the police, was taking a stroll in one of Niihama's many parks days after the Solid State Society case had been brought to an end. He was certainly glad that the Major was ready to help out her old teammates in raiding the Seishomin Welfare Center, where several children had been rescued by local and prefectural police, though Section 9 units were responsible for securing the building under the public eye.
Seating himself on a park bench, Aramaki sighed while reflecting on the many achievements that his unit had done ever since his appointment into the unit itself. Constantly working himself as a public servant, his marriage and family broke down and at one point, had miscommunication with relatives and friends on dedicating himself too much on work and none on his personal life.
"Maybe Kubota and the others are right." sighed Aramaki, holding his walking cane near him. "It's like the time when I found out about Yousuke being alive after all these years. Maybe I should be remarried again."
"Problems, old man?"
Aramaki stared up to see a very familiar person walking to him.
It was Major Motoko Kusanagi, wearing civilian clothes and sporting her red shades. Her short purple hair was blowing briefly against a slight breeze in the park.
"It's you Major." greeted Aramaki. "Haven't seen you since the Solid State Society case."
"Indeed." Major nodded. "You seemed to have problems. Mind if I sit here?" She pointed to the empty space next to him.
"Of course." replied Aramaki. "It's a lovely Saturday as always. Nothing to worry about while the others are busy trying to reorganize themselves."
"From the look on your face," began Major, talking to her ex-boss. "It's showing that you're having something on your mind."
"Hmmm..." Aramaki grunted. "I feel like I'm getting old these days. Ever since I reformed the unit and getting you and the others into it, it feels like an achievement that I want to cherish forever. But," Aramaki tapped his walking cane on his left leg once. "it feels that I can't remain here with the unit for long. I need to leave eventually and find someone worthy to take my place."
"I know how you feel." Major answered. "After what happened to Kuze, I left and went around the net to look for an answer regarding myself."
Aramaki stared at his old subordinate. "So that's why you left Section 9 after the Dejima refugee crisis."
"To be honest though," Major began. "It's good to see you again. When I joined forces with you to end the Solid State Society case, it felt that it was good to come back."
"I know that too." Aramaki slightly smiled. "When I saw you come back to help us again, I can't help but wonder if that's a good feeling or not."
Major, for the first time, smiled at Aramaki. "I think it is. Well, I think it really is."
"I need to ask you though," Aramaki began to question the major. "did you find your end after all this time?"
For a few minutes, the Major pondered on Aramaki's questions. She remember what she told Batou after recuperating from the Welfare Center raid.
The net is vast and infinitive.
"Even if I left Section 9," Major replied to Aramaki's question. "I wasn't able to figure out my question though." She then folded her arms around herself. "But I think I know one thing."
"And what's that?" Aramaki asked, curious to know what the Major has to say.
"That the net is vast and infinitive."
"Oh." Aramaki replied. "So what now, Major? Are you heading back to Section 9?"
"I don't know, old man." Major answered. "I'll have to think about that."
"You don't have to hurry about that." Aramaki advised the Major, gently tapping his walking cane on her right leg. "Whatever your answer is in the end, I'll be glad to support you all the way."
"Thank you." The Major whispered, standing up and gently hugging Aramaki with her arms around him, being careful not to squeeze him too hard. "Thank you."
Aramaki and the Major waved goodbye to one another. The Section 9 commander smiled when he said his goodbye, seeing the Major's jacket moving a bit with the breeze.
The two wouldn't know if they would see each other for some time. But one thing's for sure; they were happy to see one another just this once without the hassles of public work.
Yes, it was a good day for the both of them.
THE END
PS - Have done this after my Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas fanfic. After posting this, I should be ready to post up multi-chaptered stories on an AU for 1st and 2nd GIG, probably until Solid State Society as soon as I can since I have two major fanfics I plan to publish. Oh and I have a feeling of posting a Tenchi Muyo GXP soon.
As usual, I hope people would drop reviews for my recently published Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas and GITS SAC Solid State Society fanfics. Thanks and have a nice day, folks! Hope this and my Tom Clancy fic would do since I haven't done a story like this before.
BTW, I'm not sure if it's all right for the Major to call Aramaki "old man" even though she isn't a Section 9 operator. I just put it there due to the fact most Section 9 operatives would call Aramaki like that, probably having the Major ego for her...