Kazuya was sitting up in his bed thanks to a couple of pillows being used to prop him up. He deliberately tried to keep up a cheerful demeanor and made it a point to keep reassuring both his dad and Colonel Kerensky that he felt fine.

"The doctors tell me that you are going to fully recover," his father said. "I was very worried for a while."

"Sorry about that. I guess I may have been just a little reckless."

Colonel Kerensky snorted. "A little? If taking on an S class alone is only a little bit reckless I would like very much to hear what you think would be a lot."

"Sorry," Kazuya apologized. "Still, you must both be really happy with the results right? All the experiments, all the training, it was all worth it."

Aoi Kazuki was not pleased, the words only made him feel ashamed and guilty. "Son I did not ever want to put you in danger. After what happened to your sister it was my hope that you would never have to face the NOVAs. I never wanted this for you."

"Dad what are you talking about? You're the one who taught me that the people who have the potential to be Pandoras or Limiters had a duty to everyone to serve. That we had no right to refuse when so many depended on us. I always agreed with that, so did Kazuha. There's nothing to be sorry about."

"You are my son and I put your life in great danger."

"No dad, the NOVAs did that. It's not like you caused them to attack."

Kazuya was surprised to see his father flinch slightly.

"If I did cause the attack would you forgive me?"

"Huh?"

Colonel Kerensky coughed and sent a Kazuki a glance that obviously held some sort of message.

"Little Kazuya is right of course, in the end everything is the fault of the NOVAs. They are the ones who instigated the war. All that we can do is play our part in defending the people."

"That's the easy solution isn't it? Just blame it all on the NOVAs." Kazuki said.

"It's the truth. They are the ones who began this war. They are the ones who keep attacking us. What can we do but defend ourselves?"

Kazuki glanced at his son. "I wonder sometimes if the price is too high."

"Even if I die it's worth it as long as we win in the end." Kazuya said cheerfully.

Kazuki knew that his son meant it. That only saddened him even more. His daughter had died much too young and his son had been consumed by thoughts of war ever since.

Aoi Kazuki knew that it was his own fault and bore the guilt of a man who was willing to sacrifice his children. He had deliberately altered their DNA to give them both 'perfect' stigmata bodies. With Kazuya he had gone even further designing experiments to grant him even more advanced abilities.

His work had begun immediately after the First Incursion where people everywhere were in a blind panic, even the leaders and the scientists. The NOVAs had displayed such terrifying power and mankind's best weapons, even nuclear ones, had proven worthless. People were desperate to find any way to fight them. Back then Kazuki had seen his actions as noble rather than asking for human test subjects he had decided to use his own children.

As if doing that to his own flesh and blood made him any less monstrous.

It had been necessary.

Sacrifices had to be made for the sake of protecting billions of innocent lives. War was not pretty and it was not cheap. The price had to be paid, and if humanity triumphed in the end everything would be worth it.

On a rational level Kazuki understood that. Listening to his son talk so lightly about dying though…

"I am just glad you are all right son." He placed an affectionate hand on Kazuya's shoulder. "I needed to come see you and make sure you were going to recover. I have to get back to my work now."

"You're leaving?" Kazuya said startled. "Dad can't you stay at least a couple days?"

"I'm sorry son, but I have a lot to do and I really can't. To be honest I didn't really have the time to spare to come here, but I had to."

"I understand dad. I know your work is really important and I am grateful you came here to see me."

"I am very proud of you son," Kazuki said quietly. "Please take good care of yourself. I met your partner Elizabeth and am relieved that you at least have such a fine young lady to watch out for you."

"Y… yes, Elizabeth is the best."

Kazuki failed to notice the slight hesitation but Kerensky spotted it.

"Goodbye son, if I get the chance I'll come visit you again."

Kazuya knew the odds of that were practically zero but didn't resent his father for it. He didn't know the exact project he was working on but was sure it was of high priority. "That would be great, bye dad."

As Kazuki headed towards the door Colonel Kerensky remained standing where he was.

"Coming Colonel?"

"I will catch up with you later. I would like to have a few words with Kazuya in private."

"Very well." Kazuki left.

As soon as his father was gone Kazuya looked nervously at the Colonel. "Am I in trouble?"

Kerensky lifted a single blond eyebrow. "What? Just because you and your woman wanted to commit suicide in the most spectacular way imaginable?" He shook his head. "Nyet, if you had died you would be in trouble. Since you are alive it's fine."

"Ah, well that's good, I suppose."

"You're not in love with your partner are you little Kazuya?"

"Huh? What? I mean, where did that come from?"

"Your father is a brilliant researcher and scientist. A much more intelligent man than an old tank gunner like me. Being a father though he has certain blind spots, or perhaps having such a logical mind he is not perceptive of certain things. So tell me Kazuya, do you have feelings for your partner? I understand she comes from a wealthy family and is certainly beautiful. Given her performance she is also clearly a top Pandora. I would think you would be ecstatic to have her."

"Elizabeth is great and I am lucky to have her. I have nothing but respect for her."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic." Kerensky noted. "Is she frigid?"

"What?"

"It's all right if she is, it happens sometimes. Her manner was a bit distant and formal so it would not be so much of a surprise. So is she?"

Kazuya remembered the way she'd kissed him and the softness of her breasts pressing against him. "No, no not at all!"

"Does she prefer women then?"

"Sensei!"

"Oh don't be upset, it does not say anything about you as a man. As a matter of fact if she likes you it can be a plus. I once knew this girl in Kiev who…"

"She is not a lesbian or frigid or anything like that!"

"Then what is the issue? When we last met you told me you hoped to form a real connection to whichever girl you chose. Why did you choose her exactly?"

"She saved my life sensei. She already had a partner but she chose to save me rather than him. I felt obligated to become her Limiter."

"I see," Kerensky replied slowly. "What are your feelings towards this girl?"

"I respect her and I, well, I don't hate her. She saved my life and she was willing to risk hers just because she believed in me. I am attracted to her and I guess I sort of like her."

"You don't hate her and you sort of like her. Not exactly a ringing endorsement." Kerensky shook his head sadly. "You don't need to like everyone you fight beside, but a Pandora is a bit different. In many ways she is more like a wife than a squad mate. I do not think you are going to have a happy marriage, but you've made your choice. You will just have to deal with it as best you can as I don't think you'll be able to divorce her."

"I don't have an intention of breaking up with Elizabeth. I made her a promise and I will keep it."

"That is very honorable little Kazuya, but you may find that a very hard promise to keep. In any case that was not the main thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"It wasn't?"

"What I wanted to know most was if you were finally done with revenge."

Kazuya looked down at his lap for a moment and carefully thought of how to answer that.

"I think… I think Kazuha wouldn't have wanted revenge. I think now that she just would have wanted me to be happy. So I guess I'm done looking for revenge."

"That is a relief to hear! I am very glad of this."

"But I'm still filled with hate." Kazuya added in a bare whisper. He lifted his face to meet his sensei's and the mask was stripped away. Kazuya's expression was one of bitter resentment and his eyes held nothing but malice. "I don't want to hate but I can't seem to help it any more. Thinking I've been wrong all this time only makes the hate worse. I don't know how to get rid of it or deal with it. It fills me up so much it makes me want to choke sometimes. I don't just hate the NOVAs anymore; I hate everyone and everything including myself. Sometimes… sometimes I just think it would be best if I made it all end."

Kerensky stood there momentarily stunned by Kazuya's blunt confession. He had always known the boy had been filled with rage about his sister's death. He hadn't thought it to be this extreme though.

"Never think that Kazuya!" He said sharply. "Never ever think that is the answer."

"I know, because I am an important military asset."

"No! Because you are a fucking human being whose life has meaning! I have seen too many good people die to listen to anyone talk about this. As long as you are alive there is hope! What you are suggesting is the coward's way! If you really want to be an honorable man Kazuya then learn how to fight your battles, not run away from them."

Kazuya's eyes blazed with resentment. Kerensky would not have been surprised to hear his usually polite student scream 'fuck you' and raged at him about not understanding anything.

Instead the mask was slapped back into place and his demeanor was again passive and accepting. "Yes sensei."

Kerensky gave a frustrated sigh. He did not have any real answer for him. Perhaps I should try and get him a psychologist.

There was a knock at the door and it was then opened immediately before anyone could think to answer. A dark haired girl in a school uniform was standing there holding some flowers.

"Kazuya! I am so happy to see my soul mate again! De arimasu!"

"Hi Rana, it's good to see you again."

"Soul mate?" Kerensky said to himself.

The girl looked on the verge of tears. "Kazuya!" Completely ignoring the presence of Kerensky she ran and leapt onto the bed right on top of Kazuya.

"Ow! Ow! Rana what are you doing?"

"Kazuya - kun! Kazuya – kun! I am just so glad you are alive! Rana has decided to give you her first time!"

"What?" Kazuya was staring aghast from Rana over to Colonel Kerensky who was clearly enjoying the scene.

"Please ravish me Kazuya – kun, de arimasu."

"Well this is one way to deal with an unhappy marriage." Kerensky said with a laugh. "Kazuya you little playboy, I never knew you had it in you. I will give you two some privacy."

"What?"

Rana began removing her clothes. "Please be gentle with me Kazuya."

"Huh?"

XXX

"The week is up. You are free to go now." The security officer said as he opened he cell door.

Other than the Principal and Yumi sensei no one had been allowed to come talk to her. The officers who brought her meals had not been overly friendly or informative. She had been told about the Incursion ending and that the students had suffered relatively few casualties. She'd kept asking about Kazuya and had been told he'd been critically injured. When she'd heard that her impulse had been to summon her volt weapon and bust out of her cell, something she could have done easily. Only the knowledge she would not really be able to do anything for him and that she would be ending her career as a Pandora had barely restrained her.

When she'd later been told that Kazuya had been in stable condition and then recovered she had been incredibly relived. She had begged for more information or to be allowed to send him a message but the security officers had all refused. That was all the information she had been given. She knew nothing else. It had made the week here an absolute torment.

When she was released it was early evening. As she left the Detention Center someone was outside waiting for her.

"Kazuya," Satelizer called.