Chapter Three: The Soldier's Protection
When Jason awoke a second time, he was alone in the small room, and looked around to find his gear assembled in a corner, along with the contents of his supply pod. Sitting up, Jason clips the trademark helmet to his shoulder and takes his SMG with 10 30 round clips. In his thigh holster rested his M6S and he had 5 10 round magazines. Stepping out, he immediatly saw Keiichi standing there with Belldandy.
"Oh, hello Jason. Hey, I know you just arrived...but could I make a request?"
This was Keiichi, and Jason casually grabbed a Ration Bar from his bag and began to eat, un-appealing and tasteless but with every nutrient he'd need for the day. Keiichi seemed nervous as he awaited Jason's answer. With a nod, Jason signalled for him to continue as he ate. Before Keiichi could, however, Belldandy spoke up.
"I believe Keiichi will face danger today, and I would like it very much if you can protect him."
Jason pondered this, before deciding that was the least he could do for Belldandy and Keiichi, so he nodded.
"Alright, well, what will I be up against?"
Keiichi was the one who spoke up.
"We believe it will be an armed man, he will probably have a rifle, because it's much easier to get a rifle than a handgun around here, which is why we asked you."
"Yeah, alright, no problem. Do you want me to set up sniper coverage or go close in?"
"Close in, please, I don't want there to be a risk of missing"
"Well, I'm an expert sniper, but I can respect that worry, alright."
With that, Jason pulled on his helmet as he finished the last bite of the ration bar. Belldandy gave a warm smile and Keiichi said
"Thanks, I'll give you a ride over to the college. Belldandy is going too, but she can't use her powers in public."
With that, Jason nodded and followed them. Keiichi lead them to a fairly old BMW motorcycle with an attached side-car. Jason sat in the side-car while Keiichi sat on the main body of the bike, with Bell sitting behind Keiichi and wrapping her arms around him. The change in Keiichi's expression and the slight blush didn't go un-noticed by Jason, but he didn't comment. After 15 minutes of driving, being slowed by Jason's weight and traffic, they arrived at Nekomi Tech. Jason followed behind Keiichi and noticed all the students looking at him strangely, but Jason couldn't easily tell what they were saying.
It was then, however, that he remembered the translation software of his armor, which he activated. Soon, their Japanese was translated to accented English. He heard them all commenting on the armor, and heard someone saying they would call Campus Security upon noticing Jason's guns. Jason sighed as the college student made good on that, and by the time they reached Keiichi's lecture hall, a security officer was approaching, demanding Jason surrender his weapons and come with him. With crossed-fingers, Jason had his armor speak his English in Japanese, although it came out with a bit of a delay.
"I am here on behalf of the United Nations, Special Forces, this student is a valuable witness to an event the UN has interest in and is under my protection."
This wasn't technically a lie. The UNSC WAS part of the UN, and the ODSTs ARE Special Forces for the UNSC, and Keiichi was most certainly under his protection as well as a witness to an event the UN would be interested in, if it knew. The security guard seemed to watch him for a long moment then demanded
"Prove it."
"Where else have you seen weapons and armor like this?"
The security guard paused to consider this. After surveying Jason's kit, he reluctantly nodded and spoke into his radio
"The reported individual is UN Special Forces on witness protection, leave him be."
With that the Campus Security man walked away, and Jason walked into the lecture hall with Belldandy and Keiichi, who both quickly found seats while Jason stood vigil from the area next to the door. Soon, a woman wearing expensive looking clothes approahced, demanding
"What are you doing here? Did my father send you as a security guard?"
Jason sighed, thinking
"Oh goodie, a rich chick."
With that, he replied
"No, I'm here to guard Mr. Morisato."
The woman seemed to think for a moment, clearly trying to place the name, then her eyes widened as Keiichi approached, saying
"Oh, hi Sayoko."
He then turned to Jason and said "I just wanted to know if you had another of those bars, Bell is starting to get hungry."
Jason nodded and handed Keiichi a ration bar, saying
"It doesn't taste good but it's filling."
Keiichi nodded his thanks then said, before he left
"Oh, Sayoko, this is Corporal Deyario, he's from the UN."
The woman, Sayoko apparently, seemed shocked and demanded
"What on EARTH could make the UN send someone here for him?"
"Classified."
"Nice try, but my father is one of the richest men in Japan, I gurantee you that if you don't tell me why, I can find out."
"I can gurantee you can't, now if you don't mind kindly stop bothering me before I have you ejected for hampering my ability to perform my duties."
She seemed flabbergasted and un-speakably angry, sputtering
"Yo-you can't do THAT! I've got enough money to buy AND sell you."
"I've got enough guns, and enough UN and military given authority, to not care how much money you have. Move along."
She stomped her foot and stormed away angrily, finding a seat near Keiichi and Bell. After a short minutes, the professor entered and the lecture began. A few hours of boredom later, it was over and Jason approached Keiichi and Belldandy, saying in a professional method.
"Mr. Keiichi, Ms. Belldandy, I'm ready to move when you are."
When they left the room, they found a man in old-style, or rather Modern for this time period, tactical gear and holding what seemed to be a military-style rifle. He approached and said
"I need to bring Mr. Morisato with me, I'm acting on the government's authority."
"If you were government, you'd have a squad of soldiers with you, I don't buy it."
The gunman sneered and said slowly
"Suit yourself, but he's coming with me."
With that, the gunman grabbed Keiichi and began to walk away, just for Jason to grab the man and yank him back. The man brought his rifle to bear, and there were several screams as he fired 3 rounds into Jason's chest. His armor easily resisted the rounds, and the students scattered, as Jason put all his force behind a powerful punch. The man dropped, with a tooth flying out of his mouth and a loud cracking noise being heard. He pulled the trigger one last time as his rifle fell, and Jason took a round to the thigh. Releasing a grunt of pain, Jason fired two shots into the man's thigh then kicked the rifle away. He then contacted his squad sergeant, and made arrangements for her to utilize the access into Japan's computer networks for an identity as a government agent, with authorization to do essentially anything, be created for Jason. With that, he pulled out the bullet and Belldandy whispered to him, somewhat guilitly
"I apologize that you were hurt, I will heal you when we return home."
Jason gave a nod and replied
"Not your fault, don't worry, I'll be fine."
With that, Belldandy smiled and nodded, before stepping back as local police arrived. Jason provided his name to be looked up, and the police officer had it run through their database. His eyes widened when they told him about Jason's "Job" and he quickly informed him that he had been cleared of any blame and was free to go. With that, Jason and the pair went back to the temple on Keiichi's bike, as he'd been excused from classes for the next few days to "Recover from the shock of the attack". When they arrived, Belldandy soon had Jason laying down while she went about the healing proscess, calling on Holy Bell to provide aid. Needless to say, this shocked Jason as he whipped out his sidearm, aiming at Holy Bell and demanding
"Who is she?"
Bell seemed surprised but her warm smile didn't break, and Belldandy replies
"Oh, I apologize Jason, I didn't realize you hadn't been made aware of her. This is Holy Bell, she is my guardian angel and the deepest reflection of my true self."
"Oh...umm...okay."
With that awkward statement, Jason re-holstered his pistol and looked away, as they'd made him take his helmet off. He heard the pair begin to sing, and he could practically feel his wounds heal, bringing a smile to his face. With that, Jason commented
"Thanks for the help."
"Oh, you need not thank me. I caused this after all."
"No you didn't. You just wanted to protect the man who you care about, and I happened to be the best way to do that. Don't even worry a little bit."
"Welll..."
"Belldandy..."
"Alright, thank you Jason."
With that, Jason nodded as he was satisfied. All day, however, something had been bothering him. He felt un-speakably different, like something was off within him. He felt almost like...there were something else in him now. Moving about, completely independent of him. When he voiced his concerns to Belldandy, she had him look at his dog-tag chain. Surprised, he noticed what seemed to be a hatched egg on the chain, which faded away once he noticed it. She smiled and said softly
"Ask her to come out."
"Ummmm...what?"
"Please, just ask her to emerge. Just think and ask the presence to emerge."
"Well...uhhhhh...okay."
With that, Jason awkwardly closed his eyes and focused, thinking.
"Well...ummm..whoever you are, could you...come out please?"
In that instant, Jason's eyes shot wide open as he FELT something emerge from his back, but it felt like a ghost of a touch against his back and nothing more. When he turned, he found a woman standing there, who was very familiar looking. Finally, his mind remembered where he'd seen her, she was the female ODST from his dream last night. Her hair was just as long and brown as before, and he now noticed her eyes were a deep brown unlike his deep blue eyes. He slowly asked, almost scared
"Who...who are you?"
She gave a massive smile, warm and loving, and surged forward. Wrapping her arms around Jason in a massive hug, loving and protective, he was taken aback slightly. After a minute she released him and backed off slightly, saying
"My name is Ardent Faith."
Belldandy had a face splitting smile, and she stated
"She is your angel, just as Holy Bell is mine Jason. She has been within you for so long, that even I am surprised, but she shall protect you as long as you live. She is fed by your compassion, and is a reflection of who you truly are. She is your true-self Jason, and proof that you are not just a man."
Shocked, Jason looked between Faith and Belldandy. He couldn't believe what he was being told, and decided to take some time to think. So, he donned his helmet and sat against the wall, and spent a long time in reflection about this event, which had permanently altered his life.