Chapter 7
Saky let out a laugh that made everyone turn their heads toward her, surely none of them would've had the courage of mustering a laugh when placed in such a position, however, Saky did indeed find this quite amusing.
"Sacchan, don't look so serious, there's nothing to this other than your particular Rose trying to use us as part of one of her little games, you're not going to do anything I don't give my 'ok' on, calm down" Saky was quite serene and mildly mocking at the Rosa's attempt.
"Are you trying to diminish my authority over my own family in front of the council, Saky-san?" Hoshino's face reddened in anger at the words.
"You can take it any way you want to, I honestly couldn't care less. My kohai will not follow anyone's commands other than my own unless previously approved, if you'd like to try to make her, feel free to have your father, -who I believe is at the moment trying to hold half his shares on a certain main company by requesting the Ogasawara's support- talk to Sachiko's Father or my own, surely he'll have time to ask how wisely the head of the family chose a sempai for his daughter in the midst of pleading for help." Saky was most unforgiving with the increasingly angry girl across the table, she had not actually intended to pull such cards out of her sleeve when she initially found them, however, she would not allow anyone to try to toy with her precious Sacchan for the mere desire to hurt her.
"So you're trying to escape punishment for what you did through blackmail?! How very becoming of a Yeskaoda!" Hoshino replied nearly shouting
"I very well could, in case you haven't noticed." Said Saky chuckling a bit before continuing "I do not intend to, though, I will not object to whatever Onee-sama decides, so long as it does not involve Sacchan or Rei, unlike you, I am perfectly aware of what my place is, Hoshino"
"That is clearly not the case, as you address a Rose by her first name, Saky-san" was Aneko's quick response.
"Oh, but I am not addressing her as a Rose, Onee-sama, merely as the scum she has apparently decided to behave as, which of course is my birth given right, particularly when her pleading father is unable to hold his business up on his own and must bend his knee and bow his head to our family" The moment Hoshino tried to hurt her through another one of her beloved ones, Saky had decided to take every chance she got to hurt her back. No one was going to walk after having attempted that not once but twice.
"You claim insulting others to be your 'birth given right'?"
"I'm yet to insult anyone, Onee-sama, that would most likely turn nasty. I have merely stated facts and clarified situations... thus far"
"So you would call me scum for my family having at some point in history asked for the Ogasawara's support?"
"Of course not, Onee-sama, I haven't ever known you to try to undermine or hurt any of the members of our family through any means, much less the underhanded ones Hoshino is trying. As far as I'm aware, your family has been most graceful and appreciative towards us, always known for their impeccable manners and utmost politeness"
"So in your eyes Rosa Chinesis somehow lacks manners?"
"Indeed she does, Onee-sama..." before Saky could add anything else, Mariko's hand had cut the air on her right, clearly aiming to slap her with all her might, however, an even faster hand had stopped her, Rei's fingers tightly wrapped around Mariko's arm had stopped the action in a millisecond, Saky's face slowly turned to look at their hands with a smile.
"Oh Rei, how kind of you to offer Onee-sama a second to consider her actions" she said as she retrieved Rei's hand from Mariko's arm, "I'm sure she wouldn't want to give the image of someone who attacks someone while they're unaware" she said as she walked closer to face the older girl and stay only inches away from her "Now, Onee-sama, if you were in such a hurry to punish me you needed only say so, I'm not about to oppose you..."
"I've had enough of your insolence for one day!" she cut in before her imotou could finish her sentence "move yourself and your..."
"Careful Onee-sama, surely you wouldn't want to have our relationship tarnished by some badly chosen words..." Saky cut in seeing Mariko's intention to call Rei something quite far from "classmate".
"Your... "protégée", over to the room at the end of the hall immediately" she said trying to hold her ire as much as possible.
"And what part would Rei be playing there, if I may ask?"
"You may not, move NOW" Mariko was not about to let her child control her, not for one minute.
"Very well, we shall talk about it there, then" no matter how much respect Saky held for her Onee-sama, she was not going to allow any harm to come to Rei, even if it meant going against Mariko herself. Once inside the room, she decided to have a short talk with Rei while Mariko joined them.
"Rei, you're aware Onee-sama will punish me as soon as she crosses that door, right?"
"Yes"
"You were aware from the moment I told you what I was going to do how they would react to it, weren't you?"
"Yes"
"So why did you stop Onee-sama? It was a childish thing to do, trying to get between her and me at the beginning of our talk"
"She intended to hurt you"
"She isn't going to hurt me; she's my Onee-sama"
"She was about to slap you when I stopped her"
"That would not have hurt me, Rei, she was angry is all"
"She has no right to hurt you because she's angry"
"She does, I have given her that right..."
"Why?"
"Because I trust her."
"But isn't that betraying your trust?"
"Do you trust me Rei?" perhaps a different approach will do Saky thought
"Yes"
"Do you trust Father?"
"Yes"
"Has he punished you?"
"Yes"
"Was that betraying your trust?"
"No, he is my superior commander and I failed my task"
"Yes, well, you could say Onee-sama is my 'superior commander' and I've failed the task of being a good and obedient child to her, only that in this situation, I am both consciously and willingly allowing her to punish me for it. instead of being forced by ranks, you see"
"How could you fail the task if..." Rei paused for a second to listen better before changing the subject entirely "Someone's about to start walking this way"
"Yes, I hear them too, listen carefully Rei, I'd like for you to do me a small favor"
"Yes"
"Please stay on the other side of the door and don't let anyone inside, whatever you hear I don't want you to come in either, if Sachiko approaches the door, please scratch the door once, if Sei does (the blonde one) scratch twice, if its Hoshino, knock once on the door, if anyone else is getting close, two knocks will let me know... will you do this for me?"
"Yes"
"Thank you"
As soon as Mariko walked through the door, Saky nodded for Rei to leave the room.
"Stop!" Mariko said loudly, Rei without so much as noticing her simply opened the door ready to step outside.
"Rei.." said Saky quietly, this was enough to stop Rei from walking out and instead turn around to face her
"So this "kid" only listens to you? Is that it, Saky?"
"Yes, Onee-sama"
"Why haven't you taken the time to teach her manners, then?"
"I believe she is well mannered enough, Onee-sama. She simply does not believe other children to hold any authority over her"
"'Children?"
"Yes" said Rei
"Are you calling me a child, Saky?"
"I'm merely stating Rei's beliefs, Onee-sama. She is 14 years old, and as I understand it you're only 17, that isn't awfully far from 14 really..."
"I'll show you just how far it is" Mariko said angrily as she launched for Rei, landing her hand on the child's shoulder and quickly pulling forward into the couch that sat only a few paces away, making Rei bend over as she came in full contact with it. Not wasting any time, Mariko took the first thing she found on her left which was a switch (a piece of leather about twelve inches long, maybe two inches wide, handle included), swiftly lifting Rei's skirt she landed the first stroke
"This is never going to happen Onee-sama" said Saky, somehow having placed her hand between the switch and Rei's rear, she would not allow her child to be punished unfairly anymore. Without a further word she pulled Rei's clothing to make her get up and stand behind her. "If you want to punish someone, punish me, Onee-sama, Rei has not done anything wrong and I will not allow you or anyone else to lay an unfair hand on her now or ever, if you feel I'm somehow wrong here and she's done something to displease you, just take it out on me"
"NO" Rei's voice came clear and loud to both their ears making their heads turn to her before arguing further "I'm not a child you need to protect, I don't want you to be punished in my place, I'm perfectly capable of taking it all. On my own." She said while kneeling and reaching for the switch Mariko had dropped on the floor "I will not break if you beat me, I will not cry if you hurt me..." as she said this, she placed the switch on Saky's hand "and I wont ask for help if you punish me" she said as she bent over the couch once again, this time of her own will, removing her underwear as she reached the position in which she had been under Mariko's hand and raising her skirt before she set her hands on the couch.
"Rei..." Saky was taken aback by the sudden demonstration of utmost trust from her child.
"It's fine if the girl wants to watch, just do it" her last words broke Saky's heart; she wasn't going to hurt her...
"No Rei, I won't do it... I don't believe you've done anything wrong, I'm not going to hurt you because someone else thinks I should" she said as she kneeled to retrieve Rei's clothing and place it where it belonged.
"Don't!" Rei said pressing her knees against the back of the couch to prevent Saky from getting her clothing any higher "Just do it, I don't care" she didn't want Mariko taking her anger against herself on Saky, she was aware that most of this was her own fault.
Saky once again decided to take a different approach with Rei, if she wouldn't let her redress her, then perhaps she would at least listen to her, walking to the front of the couch, she kneeled again, this time to have her head at the same height as Rei's and be able to whisper to her "Rei, Onee-sama isn't angry at you, she's simply trying to take her anger out on you to spare me"
"Even more reason to do it, I don't care"
"Honey, I'm the one at fault here, not you, I'm not going to hurt you over someone else's beliefs, not even my own..."
"So you think I should be punished as well, just go ahead with it, how can I make it easier for you?" Rei was mildly exasperated already
"I don't think you should be, sweetie, I'm saying that even if I thought you should be I would not do it"
"Why?"
"Because the only reason for which you should be punished is if you thought you should be, if you needed me to, not if I was angry at you or someone else was, I don't believe punishing others to escape your own punishment is right"
"But you would never punish Sachiko..."
"If she truly needed me to, if she truly thought she deserved it, I would..."
Rei couldn't fight the logic, even if she wanted to take the punishment in order to spare Saky, she couldn't very well do it if Saky herself wouldn't let her, so she simply stood up and fixed her own clothing before mouthing "at home" to Saky. She then turned a scowling look to Mariko and left the room, not before whispering "you don't deserve her" so only Mariko could hear her.
Mariko didn't make anything of it and simply went on with what she wanted happening "You think having your "child" out there will somehow make me afraid to punish you as you deserve, Saky?"
"I would hope Onee-sama would think more of me than that..." it hurt to see her Onee-sama seemed to have lost her trust in her for no apparent reason. She had never so much as said "no" to her whenever it had been about something to do with herself, she wasn't going to refuse her now...
"I would've never hoped to see anything I've seen from you today..." she said while removing the cushions from the couch's back and placing them on the exact middle of the two seat cushions of the couch. "Have you been punished before, Saky?" she asked with an almost imperceptible note of worry in her question.
"Yes, Onee-sama" she answered in a dry tone, she wouldn't make Mariko feel bad about this, she had made her mind about it a long time ago.
"By your mother?" usually mother punishments were most forgiving and soft on the child, normally only used on a child younger than 10. Saky had never known one.
"Father"
"Ah..." Mariko couldn't think of any reason for which her father would've ever had to, with such a well behaved child, nonetheless this was a relief "Lay there, same clothing arrangement as your "child" had"
"Yes, Onee-sama" without a second's hesitation Saky removed her underwear and laid where her Onee-sama had pointed, raising her skirt as her pelvis reached the cushions. If this was going to be their first punishment together, she would show her Onee-sama only her most obedient side.
"I expect you not to move or kick during your punishment, Saky"
"Ogasawara children do not squirm. They are quiet, well-behaved, and perfect in everything, Onee-sama" she would not disgrace her family even if this was only between the two of them.
"Is that something they make you say each time...?"
"No, Onee-sama, it is something all Ogasawara children know"
"So I shouldn't ask you to be quiet either?"
"If you would prefer me to be, I will be" Saky had been hoping not to have to, but she would do as told
"'Prefer you to'? I don't care either way, merely asking as you say you're 'quiet, well-behaved and perfect', no one will be able to hear anything what goes on in here unless they're right next to the door, Saky, you could scream your lungs out if you wanted to and it wouldn't matter, that's one of the reasons this room is the one designated for these affairs, even from the outside no one would be able to tell anyone is here"
"If so... would you mind terribly if I was somewhat vocal about it?"
"Not at all, go at it all you want, it won't make me stop"
"Thank you..." Saky was certain her Onee-sama was unaware of how much of a favor that was, she wanted to feel free for once and express exactly what she felt, even if she wouldn't ask her to stop, everything else was now available.
Mariko was uncertain as to how to reply to that, she didn't know whether it had been honest, which it had no reason to be, or it had been mocking, in which case she should be angry about it. She decided to simply ignore it and 'get to business'.
One after another she rained a series of strikes on Saky's rear, first with the switch she had on hand then with a small belt she found in the little cabinet they kept "tools" in, though with the switch Saky only winced, the belt had gotten her to moan softly every other strike, however, the third instrument had done the trick, enough to make her moan much more loudly and nearly gotten her to tears, somehow Mariko had spotted a green bamboo stick they had used as a prop in a contest they had last year, it had seemed perfect for the occasion.
At the same time, Sachiko had worked up the courage to walk to the little room and try to perhaps persuade Mariko to let Saky go, after all she had been sick lately, or so she thought, as soon as she made it into ear shot, Rei scratched the door as instructed, however, at the very same moment, Mariko had made her way to Saky's thighs for the first time which made the girl yelp loudly, she hadn't been expecting that to happen, but the sudden noise made her miss Sachiko's approach, the subsequent strikes to her thighs still brought louder moans than before, while not quite as loud as the initial yelp Sachiko hadn't missed, which made her worry endlessly.
For as far as she could remember she had seen Saky get punished without ever making a sound, she had no idea of what Mariko could be doing to her or what she herself could do. Without being able to stand it for another second, she ran out of the Manor, and then the school, she was crying and couldn't think of what else to do, she called her car to take her home so she could at least think there, perhaps even contact Saky's father, he might know what to do.
Before ten minutes even passed, a second person made their way to the small room, this time it was Sei and Saky did manage to hear the scratching on the door, she didn't mean to stop , in fact she meant to continue a bit louder, she should hear her, she wasn't ashamed and neither should Sei be.
No matter how much she tried to get inside, Rei simply wouldn't allow it, she herself wanted nothing but barge in and stop Mariko, she, just like the girls, had absolutely no idea of what could Mariko be doing to make Saky sound like that, but she certainly wanted to stop it at once.
After struggling with the younger girl for several minutes, Sei decided to take a more impersonal but hopefully more effective way, leaving to talk to her own Onee-sama about it.
Inside, Mariko was relentless, if anything Saky's increased volume made her continue even more, she had learnt well from her parents that children wont learn their lesson until they're too tired to whine.
"Are you ready to apologize yet?" Mariko asked while looking for an specific tool to continue punishing Saky's thighs.
"I'll apologize a thousand times if you want me to, Onee-sama" said Saky as Mariko restarted the punishment.
"Oh, so the bamboo has enlightened you?"
"Of course –ah! - not, Onee-sama." The new tool was much flatter than the bamboo, but also stung much more, Saky wedged it to be about two or three inches wide, but she couldn't tell how long it was.
"If you want me –ah - to apologize –mmh- , you need but to –ah - ask me to, Onee-sama" Mariko wouldn't stop even to allow her to talk.
"So go after we're done here and apologize to Rosa Chinesis" Saky had earned this punishment stroke by stroke, she wasn't going to stop it even if she repented now.
"I won't ever apologize to Hoshino, Onee-sama" at the mention of Hoshino's name Mariko had stroked her particularly hard but that hadn't stopped Saky from finishing her sentence without so much as wincing.
"Oh, so I don't need only ask, even if I command it my child wont listen, is that it?"
"I will apologize to you a thousand times and more for making you have to do this, Onee-sama, but I won't apologize to Hoshino, now or ever. She does not deserve the deference" Saky's decision was unwavering, no matter what happened, she would not back down, if anything it would be Hoshino who would soon be apologizing for ever having rubbed her the wrong way.
"Let me make this clear to you, if you're not ready to ask for Rosa Chinesis' forgiveness by the end of this session, I will be seeing you here again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that until you are more than ready and willing to do the right thing, Saky" Mariko said this trying her best to hide her feelings, she hoped her child would somehow understand apologizing was for the best at the end of this ordeal, she did not want to make her cry more than once, she didn't even want to make her cry once...
Several minutes went by before Saky spoke again, she did not want to have to stand this every day for the rest of her life, more importantly she didn't want to hurt her Onee-sama every day for the rest of her own life... or even for the rest of the two years Mariko had left in school. She didn't even want to hurt her today, but she wouldn't back down, she would find some way to perhaps persuade her Onee-sama, some way in which it would be 'ok', "Then I suppose we will be seeing a lot of this little room, Onee-sama. I sure hope you like the decoration" was all she said in the same dry tone she had used before.
Mariko's heart sank at these words, but before she had time to even think of replying, a voice came from outside the door, it took a second appearance of the voice for Mariko to recognize it. "Onee-sama!" she hurried to the door.
Saky had heard it too, Aneko was outside and had cried out "What are you doing!" possibly at Rei's attempts to keep her outside, quickly she raised from her position and fixed her clothing before Mariko managed to open the door, at once the view of Aneko and Izumi (Rosa Gigantea) was displayed before them, Rei was at the time holding the both of them by the neck, probably keeping them from speaking anymore. "Rei!" Saky commanded and the girl let go of the other two and stood on the side allowing for them to walk freely into the room, which they both did after shooting the kid a glare.
"Onee-sama, Izumi-sama, is there a reason...?" Mariko wasn't quite sure how to word her question
"Sei asked me to step in here, Mariko. Apparently you're being quite the savage..." said Izumi without much concern about what Mariko or Aneko might think about her choice of words.
"Pardon me, Rosa Gigantea?" Mariko had never heard of anyone's punishment ever being stopped in the middle of it before, and she most certainly wasn't being a savage..
"Yes, well, Sei apparently made a very strong point, so we came simply to make sure you were both ok" Aneko hadn't actually heard what Sei had to say, she had simply listened to Izumi's demand to see the child before she called her parents.
"We're perfectly fine, Aneko-sama" said Saky calmly, she didn't look like she had received any sort of punishment, this surprised Mariko but told something quite specific to both Aneko and Izumi who had heard the girl's pain from the other side of the door.
"Is that so, Saky-san?" asked Izumi
"I have no reason to lie, Rosa Gigantea" Saky wouldn't say she was beaming, but what Mariko had done was nothing compared to what she had had to stand a few days ago, if anything Saky would've called it 'soft'.
"Then you wouldn't mind proving it, would you?" Izumi had expected Saky to answer just as she did to give lead for what she intended to do.
Saky was at a loss, she had no idea of what 'proving it' might be, she trusted Izumi merely because she knew Sei did, but that didn't mean she was about to give her the chance to lay a hand on her without cause, possibly even with cause... "That would greatly depend on how you might request proof, Izumi-sama"
"Worry not, child. I'm not attempting to continue Mariko's work on you, I would simply like to inspection it... if I may" Izumi didn't actually meant to intrude her privacy but rather make sure she wasn't being beaten instead of simply disciplined.
"I do not fear your hand, Rosa Gigantea" Saky said determined, she did not want to give Izumi the wrong impression "however..." the idea of letting Izumi into what to Saky was an intimate scene wasn't at all pleasing.
"I'm glad to hear that, now Aneko, Mariko, if you don't mind giving us a few minutes? I'm sure you" she said gesturing to Rei "wouldn't mind keeping that door closed until Saky asks you otherwise, would you dear?" Izumi wasn't going to give Saky time to refuse, Sei had been clear enough about how urgently her presence was required.
"No" was Rei's reply, she understood Izumi was there to help and she would allow her to if it meant chocking the other two until they lost consciousness to keep them out of that room
"Alright..." Saky had acquiesced to the Gigantea's will, after all how bad could it be if she was still Sei's Onee-sama...
Reluctantly the older Yeskaodas left the room having Rei close the door behind them. Izumi lost no time with pleasantries "Those two wont take long in wanting back inside"
"Rei wont let anyone inside until she's told otherwise, you should probably know that already, Rosa Gigantea"
"True enough, regardless I want to talk to you honestly and would appreciate it if you kindly did the same with me"
"As you wish, I don't make a habit of lying to anyone"
"I figured, nonetheless most would be reticent to answer my questions honestly, surely you know what I'm about to ask you"
"Of course I do, and I assure you Onee-sama has not been 'savage' in any way, if anything I would say she was soft on me, partly my fault of course" Saky would keep her word, being honest wasn't hard when she knew the rose was not likely to share her words with anyone other than perhaps Sei.
"Perhaps Sei was exaggerating, but she told me (hopefully you will forgive her for this) that she had previously witnessed one of your punishments with your father and..."
"Ah... Mea culpa..." Saky could understand perfectly where things were going and however much she wished she hadn't said she would be honest during this talk, she would not lie to Rosa Gigantea, possibly calming Sei through it as well.
"Your fault? You intended to make Sei believe something was wrong?"
"No, no, of course not... Would I be correct to assume that she was outside the door earlier and thought Onee-sama was torturing me in some horrible way because I was misbehaving?"
"Misbehaving?"
"Yes, presumably Sei saw father punish me while I behaved the way an Ogasawara child is supposed to, then she came here today and she heard me behaving freely with Onee-sama thus assuming some horrible sort of torture had to be going on inside.. am I anywhere near what happened, Rosa Gigantea?"
"I suppose you are entirely correct if by "the way an Ogasawara child is supposed to behave" you mean entirely emotionless and utterly unmoved by the situation... and by "freely" you mean the way any child should be expected to behave..."
"Ogasawara children do not squirm. They are quiet, well-behaved, and perfect in everything, Rosa Gigantea. I'd invite you to ask Sachiko but she might have unpleasant memories brought back by it..."
"Ogasawara children are autobots... I see"
"I would appreciate it if you did not try to mock our family, Izumi-sama"
"Oh, but I'm not mocking you, I'm sad they ask so much of you"
"We are more than capable to give that and more..."
"I'm sure you are, I just don't see how there's a reason to test it... not that it is any of my business really. I'm here only to make sure you're not hurt, mere discipline should not be barbaric"
"I assure you there has been nothing barbaric about Onee-sama's punishment, Rosa Gigantea"
"As I asked before, would you mind proving that to me?"
"I will again tell you it greatly depends on what kind of proof you require"
"I would simply like to inspect the zone Mariko was focusing on, if I may"
"That's private, Izumi-sama" Saky was not about to let someone she barely knew inspect such an intimate part of her body.
"I thought it might be, Saky but I cannot allow for this to go on if I may not make sure you're not being hurt" Izumi did not want to force the child but she truly would not allow Mariko to go on after how worried she had seen Sei, it might very well be as Saky said it was but the uncertainty was more than enough to put a stop to it.
"By 'not allowing it to go on' you mean you will stop Onee-sama?" Saky wouldn't mind if Izumi wanted to make it so Mariko couldn't punish her at school, she would most likely just have her go to her home after school, it would be the first time Saky would see Mariko's home but if that was the way it had to be, then so be it.
"Yes, I cannot allow her to punish you in what might or might not be an unjust and barbaric way, I will make sure to let Aneko know, if Hoshino still demands retribution its likely Aneko will have to punish Mariko instead, after all she should be expected to have taught you better" Izumi did not truly hold sides on this quarrel, and if she was going to have to pick she would side with Saky on it, but she couldn't very well say Hoshino didn't have a stand to request retribution.
Saky froze at this words, she would not... she could not allow her Onee-sama to pay for her mistakes, Mariko hadn't done anything wrong, before she had regained consciousness of her body she had somehow made it to the couch and bent over it, her body had acted on its own to let Izumi inspect what she wanted, as she noticed that she also realized she was crying, she was unsure why she felt so very sad, so very dirty, but she could not stop the tears from flowing.
As she got closer to the young Yeskaoda she asked softly "Did she unclothe you?" her reply was but a small nod, with as much care as she could muster she raised Saky's skirt and lowered her underwear only enough to leave it on the line between her rear and her thighs, she could already see what a thorough job Mariko had done on them, Saky's rear had perfect horizontal lines all over it, probably from the bamboo stick laying close to the couch. To Izumi's eyes this meant that either Saky had lied about how "soft" it had been or she was much more experienced in these things than anyone she had ever met.
As the inspection went on, Izumi started softly pressing and pinching Saky's flesh, this told her she flesh had been punished incredibly more than what she had signs of, she took a bit of a risk and before ending the inspection she gave Saky's back a pinch having the girl tighten her firsts on the couch without anything else, this told her all she needed to know. Immediately she redressed the girl and hurried her out of the room.
"This is done, done for today, done for tomorrow, done until further notice" was all she said to everyone as she rushed out of the room, Saky in hand.
Rei did not wait a second when she saw a tear roll off Saky's face onto the floor, she took Saky's free hand and before anyone could make sense of what she was doing, she pulled it towards the rail on their left, Saky got the hint and hopped onto it with Rei only to jump off of it towards the door, landing without a scratch they both rushed out of the door without giving anyone time to even blink, both girls made their way through the trees to the car waiting outside for them, Rei rushed only a bit ahead of Saky to open the door and let both of them in before shutting it close faster than anyone had time to realize.
Inside Sei was waiting for them, she had figured that regardless of the outcome of her Onee-sama's inspection, at the end of that day Saky was going to need a friend. She was right. Saky was still crying, before she saw Sei in the car, the older girl had pulled her into a tight hug, Saky didn't want to cry but she could not stop the tears and Sei wasn't going to let her anyway, it had been Saky the one to tell her that a good cry was needed from time to time.
Rei quietly signaled the driver to take them home through the glass, she would not allow him to see or even hear Saky sobbing on Sei's arms, that was something no one other than those in that car would ever see, nothing even they would ever talk about.
By the time they reached their destination the Yeskaoda had fallen asleep on Sei's arms, instead of waking her up they asked the driver to take them to the back of the manor,
Much later, when Saky spoke with Sachiko about her concerns, Saky refused to give a clear explanation to anything, the only thing she made clear to her child was that there was no need to call her father, wherever he was.
Next day, Saky went to the council's first two meetings without much happening, other than her Onee-sama behaving much more serious than usual and the red roses trying their best not to rub on anyone's sensitivities.
Once the classes ended for the day, Saky entered the Manor as usual, expecting to see everyone for the last meeting of the day, instead what she found was a note bidding her to enter the room she had spent such a long time in the day before.
Inside she found both Aneko and Mariko waiting for her, so far, she hadn't quite gotten to know her older Onee-sama that well, but she could understand if Izumi had requested her presence as to make sure Mariko wasn't indeed being a "savage".
"Onee-samas?"
"Saky, kindly take your place" Aneko pointed to a small flat cushion behind them for Saky to kneel on.
Mariko was noticeably nervous, Saky attributed this to the fact that her own Onee-sama, who was known for being quite strict herself. Anyone would be nervous in a situation like that.
"Now that we are all here, I will explain myself." Aneko had preferred not to even tell Mariko about her plans until she had them both together and in place, every bit of her plan mattered, as it always did.
"As you are both well aware, Izumi had good reason to decide Saky's punishment should stop until further notice, after all, we can not be sure the condition in which Saky is"
"I'm perfectly fine, Onee-sama" was Saky's quick response
"Yes, of course you would say that, however, how can we be sure?"
Saky immediately blushed and looked away when reminded of what had happened the day before, she certainly didn't want to give Aneko any ideas...
"Is my word not enough, Aneko-sama?"
"It might be, if only it wasn't about your beloved Onee-sama, I'm sure Mariko would lie for me too, without me even having to ask her to. Wouldn't you, dear?"
"Of course, Onee-sama"
"You want proof then? Name it and you shall have it." Saky knew how far what she said could go but she had a bad feeling about this whole thing.
"How valiant of you, however, as you probably remember, only yesterday Izumi got "evidence" of some sort... which apparently satisfied her enough to demand your punishment be put on hold until further notice."
"Am I mistaken to understand Aneko-sama as everyone's Onee-sama within this school? I do believe you told me something along those lines, as a Yeskaoda."
"So I did, however, I would prefer not to have your parents disturbed by Izumi claiming my imotô is torturing you."
"If its permission you seek, Father will provide it with no more than a phone call" the red haired girl said pulling out her cell phone.
"And yet you insist on breaking rules, Saky-san. Cell phones are not allowed within school grounds"
"Have you left out "during class" on purpose when quoting that rule, Onee-sama?"
"I have not, I am giving you a lesson right now. And I still would rather not bother your father with issues as trivial as this. As your Onee-sama, I too have a right to punish you, do I not?"
"As long as Mariko Onee-sama agrees on the manner of punishment, you do."
"What a perfect answer! You are correct, Mariko, would you please command your child to kneel where I have pointed, apologize for her delay on doing as told, and making sure that she does not by any reason move form the spot, or turn her head away, please?"
"Of course Onee-sama. Saky do as Onee-sama has commanded." Mariko still had little to no idea of where this was all going, but she wouldn't disobey her Onee-sama.
Saky immediately moved to the coushin Aneko had directed her earlier and kneeled on it. It was surprisingly comfortable. "My sincere apologies, Aneko Onee-sama."
"That's a good girl. Now, Mariko, would you or would you not agree that, regardless of what Rosa Gigantea said, your imotô still needs to be disciplined?"
"I agree Onee-sama..."
"Very well then, how far are you willing to go for your child's discipline and well being?"
"As far as it takes, Onee-sama"
After these words, Saky knew exactly where this was going, even if Mariko still ignored it. "Onee-sama, please don't!"
"You will stay quiet until told otherwise, Saky." Mariko was firm and true to what she had just said, as far as she needed to go, she would.
Saky closed her eyes at her Onee-sama's response; she knew Mariko wouldn't back down now, no matter what she said.
"Mariko, I want the clothes that cover from your waist to your knees, on that desk" she said pointing behind herself.
Mariko was taken aback by these words; she started to undo her skirt as her face still reflected her confusion, as she took her clothing to the desk, her Onee-sama spoke. "I see you don't quite understand what is going on, Mariko. Simple matter, your child cannot be made responsible for her acts, however, would you not say that it was your responsibility to have taught her better?"
"Yes Onee-sama, I'm sorry I've failed"
Saky wanted to tell her she had not failed, but talking at this point would only be proving Aneko's point, so instead she closed her fists tighter and continued looking at the pair before her.
"I'm glad you recognize your faults, Mariko. I'm proud of you." She kissed her child's lips and forehead.
"How should I wait for you, Onee-sama?"
"I want you over here, Mariko" pointing to the wall opposite to Saky "Facing the wall, legs spread and holding your ankles, please" the position was most exposing, and she knew it, but it would only help make Saky's time in there all the worse.
Mariko did exactly as instructed, she could tell what her Onee-sama was doing, and even if doing this was particularly hard for her, if it would help Saky, she would do it, as many times as it was required.
"Good girl, stay like that please, while I collect a couple of things from my locker."
"Yes Onee-sama"
After Aneko left the room, and as the minutes dragged on, the pressure began to build for Mariko. She began to speak in the most serious tone she could muster.
"If there's anything that you want or need to say, do it before Onee-sama comes back."
Without blinking or having left the exact position Aneko had meant for her to stay in. Saky spoke in a calm quiet tone.
"There are a thousand things I would like to say, however, I doubt any of them will change the outcome. If anything, they might make you feel better. Such as, yo didn't fail. But none of them need to be said, none of them will stop what's about to happen.
"Do you even know why you're here?"
"Of course I know why I'm here, yet you haven't failed."
"What is that supposed to mean?" After waiting for an answer and receiving none, anger beginning to show on her features, "What is that supposed to mean, Saky."
Saky did not move. She did not seem to have heard, or made any attempt at a reply.
"Did you not hear me?" Her voice raising.
"With all due respect Onee-sama, I am yours as far as I want to be yours. My desire to please and obey you, is what makes me do exactly that. I don't have an obligation to you, I don't have an obligation to anyone. You're not my parent, you're my friend. You are my guide,. You are my Onee-sama. By choice. Not by birth. If I choose to leave this room, you cannot stop me. Yet, I am here. Yet, I listen. Yet...I obey. Out of choice. Out of love. If I choose not to answer a question, you will not get the answer from me."
A shiver ran through Mariko's body. She knew this, yet having her child say it aloud, in such a calm tone, in such an unnerving situation, made her shudder.
"And why do you suppose I am here? An uncanny love for exhibitionism? A masochistic fetish? Everything you heard me say to Onee-sama is true. What you have said about our relationship is true for me as well."
"I believe you are here for reasons of which you are aware, and some of which you are not."
"And I don't suppose you are in the mood to enlighten me... are you?"
After no more than a couple of minutes, Aneko walked through the door, not giving Mariko time to push for an answer. Saky sat there, and watched her Onee-sama be humiliated, hurt, scolded, punished, exposed. She sat there for hours. She sat there until it was over, until she was told otherwise. She sat there the next day. And the next. And the next. She sat there for 5 days. Then, she was required at the base.
They were taught every move, every step, every breath they were to take. Nothing was left to chance. Nothing was to be improvised. They were pilots. They were tools. They were means to an end. Not human. When the attack came, they stepped out. Every step, every breathe, every move was what had been taught. Rei stayed behind, pointing a gun, and shooting seemingly randomly at the enemy. Saky ran towards it, blade in hand, ready to cut. They enemy gathered energy, in what you could call a mouth, if you dared. Saky was ready for it, it would shoot, she would move, then Rei would finish it. That is how it was supposed to be, the enemy was supposed to aim at her. Take her. And she would dodge it. However, the thing was smarter than they had assumed, moved it's aim at the last minute. IT looked at the second unit, it looked at Rei. It aimed. It shot. Before she could think, before she could move, she had stepped in the middle. Ready to take the blow. She stood between the enemy, and the second unit. Somehow the blow did not come, and when she reacted her hand, her arm was outsretched. Aim was taken, and she was firing the shot. The shot that killed the enemy. Finished. Gone.
Cold sweat ran down her back inside the suit. She knew what followed. She knew what would happen. And a part of her was almost glad. Almost. On her way there, she saw Rei dismounting the second unit, she was alright, she was alive, and that was all that mattered. She wasn't sure what had happened, much less how it had happened. But she was sure it had.
She had made it to her commander's office. This time she had not been summoned, she had not been ordered, she simply knew that she would be expected. So, she opened the door. Inside, the same grim face greeted her with a scowl. She didn't hear what he said, she didn't care. Her only response was moving when he directed a hand to the bar on her left. She did as she knew she had been commanded to, and history repeated itself. Only this time when it was over, and she left the office Ryo did not follow. She went to her own quarters and waited, it took less than 5 hours for the sergeant to inform her of her departure time, 20 minutes.
Once at home, she didn't have to wait for it. She walked straight into his office, and he was waiting for her, as she knew he would be. Once in front of his desk, she spoke.
"I am being castigated at school, you might as well do me for both."
"You mean you're being corrected." He stated.
"No, I am being castigated."
After several minutes went by, he spoke at last.
"How?"
"how? What do you mean how? "
"It is a simple question, I'm sure it must have a simple answer. I want you to tell me how you are being castigated."
"I believe that is private."
"Would you prefer I explained it to you?"
"You know..."
"I always know."
"Wonderful."
"I believe it is brilliant, actually, so please take a seat." He said while pointing at a chair near the door, at least ten strides from his desk.
Saky couldn't understand what had just happened, but turned to sit all the same. Before she even made it to the chair, she saw her moving towards the desk and froze. Her thoughts were racing, her head was swirling, her breath was caught. She had to be wrong, she had to be hallucinating. She turned slowly to see her subordinate stop a stride away from his desk, undo her clothing at the waste and bend until her hands touched the firm wood. Her world went black the moment she heard his next words.
"I will be deciding tool and amount then."
"NO." She walked towards him dangerously decided. "You will not."
"I fear you are biased and likely to be soft- "
"You do not get to decide whether I'm biased, whether or not I would be soft. I have had this right for ten years, a right that is not yours to take, only mine to give."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"What about her right? Is it yours to give, or is it mine?"
"She is not your subordinate; she is my child, my responsibility. We're not at the base, and you're not dealing with military faults. I am your daughter, and she is as well my imotô. If I was your subordinate, and you were my commander, you would have my resignation right now, so which is it?"
He stayed where he stood for only a moment, before slowly walking back to his own chair, gesturing from Saky towards Rei and sitting down. Without a moment's hesitation she said, "Leave us, Rei." Yet before the child could move, Ryo spoke.
"If she leaves without a proper punishment, your commander might realize it was she who caused the break in protocol. I'm afraid of what he might do to her then."
"She did nothing."
"And that would be my point." After exactly ten seconds, he added "However, I do not intend for your young friend to withstand this for all seven days you've been assigned. I believe, -and you may suggest otherwise, of course- that in no less than three days you should be in perfect shape to stand your own, for the remaining four days."
Saky didn't need to weight her options, Rei had not attempted to move, she had stayed in the same position that Saky had seen her take. This told her the child believed what he had just said to be true. So after taking a deep breath, she said, "Have you seen the contents of this cabinet before?" She walked towards the polished mahogany cabinet that hung alone from the left wall.
"Yes."
Saky couldn't figure out how she had seen them before, so she asked, "Have you felt any of them?" Her tone was calm and unrevealing.
"Some, as the commander's subordinate."
"Choose then"
"16x1 ruler strap, a quarter thick. 21x1.5 Medium Glasgow tawse. 30x3, half inch thick, leather strap."
Saky didn't want to think, didn't want to know what she was going to do, yet she couldn't help but say, "Numbers"
"Twenty five, twenty, twelve."
Either Rei felt guilty, or she intended for Saky to... or both. How she could get through this, she didn't know, but she would do as Rei had told her to, she would not leave her to her "commander's" mercy.
She wanted to ask her if she was sure, if she was ready, if she knew what she was saying. But she knew she was, and asking would be stupid. She took the three tools from the cabinet, and laid them on the desk next to Rei, ignoring her father. This was not about him; this had become something between Rei and herself. Carefully, methodically, she took the ruler strap, and after bending it, testing it, and weighing it, she started.
Each blow came in three second intervals, every single one painting a perfectly horizontal red stripe across its canvas. After twenty-five of them, she stopped for thirty seconds to pick up the Medium thick Glasgow twase. Then at five second intervals, twenty strikes came turning the previously red canvas into a hot and angry shade of red. After a full two minutes, the first harrowing crack landed on the child. The remaining eleven came in seven second intervals. After the twelfth she waited ten more seconds before throwing the strap she was holding in her hand onto her father's desk, turning around she began walking towards the door, saying the girl's name as she left. The moment she took a second step outside of the office, she felt the door close. Rei was behind her.
That night, they slept in the same bed, their heads on the same pillow. They shared each other's forgiveness, without words. Three days went by like this. On the fourth, the same tools were chosen, and three times the amount was imparted from a male hand. While at school, the strokes steadily raised in number, yet not a hand was laid on her. On the seventh day, an Ogasawara escort took Mariko from the Manor to the Raznie estate. She was unsure as to what it might be about, but didn't resist the men who politely demanded her cooperation.