Journey to Insanity and Romance p 6
Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic! Wish I did though.
Whispered Test and Competitions
After Sousuke and Kaname separate from the kiss, they both blush rosily. They then smile at each other and give each other a peck on the lips before turning to the others. What they see is priceless. Tessa smiling and nodding her defeat to Kaname, Kalinin giving Sousuke a grin and nod. Kurz and Melissa tearing up along with Ayame. Shunya, however, is about to burst.
"How dare you French my daughter? In front of guests, no less. What are you going to do for an encore? Knock her up in front of witnesses?"
To his horror, he sees Kaname bringing out her halisen and holding it over her head. He is suddenly relieved when Kaname puts it away, only to get a storm from her.
"Daddy, I love you, but take it easy. Please, for the love of fish, take it easy. Sousuke and I are taking it slow. After all, we just realized our feelings for crying out loud. Sousuke may not be a conventional young man, but at least he's good to me."
She then calms down and says, "Tessa, I'd like you to check over my sister, please. I just want to know if she'll be a target, like I am."
Tessa nods and says, "I'll need a private room to work in. Sergeant Sagara, you are to stand outside the door. If you're needed, you'll be summoned. Is that clear?"
"Affirmative, Madam Captain."
Tessa then turns to Kaname and says, "I'll need you with me, Kaname, as the test for 'Whispered' siblings usually requires the one that is 'Whispered' to serve as a catalyst. Ayame, I assure you, the process will not be painful or invasive. If you can hear voices inside your head, do not be afraid."
Shuddering, Ayame nods and accompanies them to a quiet bedroom, with Kaname holding her hand and Sousuke right behind her. When they get to the room, Sousuke gives Kaname a quick peck on her cheek and Ayame a quick hug to reassure her that she's in good hands.
He then nods at Tessa and Tessa returns the nod, knowing what it means. That he sincerely hopes that Ayame is not 'Whispered' as well. Once the door's closed, Sousuke stands at 'parade rest', yet ever ready for action.
Shunya sees this and asks, "He really takes things seriously, doesn't he? I mean, he's a teenager sure. But, even he has to let loose and have fun."
Kalinin sighs and says, "I'm afraid Sergeant Sagara has no idea as to how to have a good time. Heaven knows Weber and Mao have tried to get him to relax, even during downtime. Unfortunately, however, the last time we let our guard down, it was almost disastrous. It was the time of the TDD-1's first birthday. Needless to say, our enemy allowed himself to be captured. With the aid of two traitors to Mithril, he was able to take charge of the sub. However, he was ultimately defeated when Sousuke and Kaname worked together to defeat him."
Shunya, his interest peaked, asks, "Was this man's name Gauron by any chance?"
Melissa nods and says, "Give the man a cigar, Kurz. He just hit the mother load."
Kurz checks his pockets and says, "I think I forgot them, sis. Oh, wait. I've got a Bonta-kun doll here instead. Will that work?" He then brings out a small plush figure and adds, "I made a few changes to it in honor of Destructo-boy over there." He hands it to Shunya so he can get a closer look at it.
An x-shaped scar on it's left cheek and a shotgun in it's hands. Incredulous, Shunya asks, "You mean he actually dressed as Bonta-kun one time? What brought that on?"
Melissa chuckles and replies, "During the course of our duties, we sometimes have to wear disguises. He was watching over Kaname with a friend of hers at an amusement park, in secret. When she was in trouble with a bunch of drunken Yakuza, Sousuke's disguise was Bonta-kun. But somehow, Kaname saw right through it. I think the shotgun was a dead giveaway. And he did the same thing during the 'Pony Man' crisis, along with teaching a Yakuza family to regain it's self-respect." For the first time since meeting the people with Mithril, Shunya starts laughing a hearty laugh.
His eyes then bulge out as he asks, "He helped a Yakuza family regain it's self-respect?" He listens intently to Kurz's telling of the tale, based on Sousuke's after-action report.
"A squad of Bonta-kuns rescued Kaname and the daughter of a Yakuza boss? They were trained to work like a S.W.A.T. Unit?" At Melissa's nod, he can't help but think that Sousuke is indeed more than he appears to be.
Inside the room, Tessa is holding Ayame's hand while Kaname is holding the other one.
Nervously, Ayame asks, "Should I ask any kind of questions in my mind, to help you?"
Tessa smiles sweetly and replies, "That's not really necessary, but you can if you want to." Ayame smiles gratefully and closes her eyes, squeezing Kaname's hand as she does so.
Within minutes, Tessa is within Ayame's mind. Shortly, she finds that Ayame's mind is of the regular sort. She nods in approval and resonates, 'She's safe, Kaname. She is not one of the "Whispered".' At that, both girls come out of it, shedding tears of relief.
Ayame comes out of it and sees their tears, realizing the news instantly.
"I'm not 'Whispered'?" She then starts shaking in relief and sadness.
Tessa nods and says, "Kaname, I'll go get Sousuke. You had him comfort me on Merida Island. I can at least return the favor." Kaname nods in gratitude as both girls shake in relief.
Tessa gets up, goes to the door and opens it. She then steps out and says, "Kaname needs you more than I do, Sergeant Sagara. It's good news."
Sousuke bows his head and replies, "Understood, Madam Captain." He then walks into the room and takes a seat with Kaname and Ayame. When they look up at him, they see his face and hear his words.
"I'm so glad, Miss Chidori. I was hoping you would be spared a horrible fate. If only people would lose interest in your sister's secrets."
Ayame sniffles and starts sobbing into Sousuke's chest, with Kaname right behind her. Closing the door, Tessa walks into the living room and gives Kalinin a happy nod. Kalinin returns the nod.
Tessa takes a seat with Shunya and gives him the news. It relieves him. He then asks, "Isn't there some kind of operation that can be done? If only to spare my eldest daughter and all the others who are 'Whispered'. Isn't there? I'll gladly pay any amount, even for all the others. But my daughter comes first to me."
Tessa bows her head and replies, "I'm sorry, Mr. Chidori, but there are no known procedures to handle the cause of the 'Whispered' genes. According to the safest research we did, it's genetic to hereditary for the most part. Only a small fraction of the planet has the genes necessary for one to be 'Whispered'. I should know, as I am one of them. I designed the TDD-1 and it's propulsion system. Needless to say, it's both a gift and a curse. At random, a 'Whispered' will spout out information that no one else has access to, outside of military personnel."
Intrigued, Shunya asks, "What kind of information? For that matter, what exactly is the TDD-1?"
Sighing, Tessa replies, "In Kaname's case, the weaknesses of the Electronic Concealment System, A.S. parts and also secrets to the Lambda Driver technology. It was during Sergeant Sagara's first encounter with 'Arbalest' that Kaname helped him defeat Gauron in the forest around Khanka. TDD-1 is the Tuatha de Danaan."
They then hear the door open and out comes Ayame. She sheepishly smiles and says, "Sousuke and Kaname will be out shortly. She just wants him to hold her for the time being. She's still reeling in relief from it."
Her tears then burst forth and she cries out, "Daddy, I'm so scared! I don't want anything to happen to Kaname." She rushes into Shunya's arms, surprising him. He then wraps her in a gentle embrace.
"Don't worry, Ayame. She'll be safe. At least she found someone who'll love and protect her." He unwraps his arms from around her and adds, "I have some calls to make."
He then gets up, goes to the phone, punches in the number and listens to it ring. His face lights up with a sad smile as he says, "Andy? Shunya here. Any chance we can use your warehouse portion for a competition today? Yeah, that's right. Part of it is explosives disposal, but it is tame from my understanding. Great, thanks Andy. See you in a bit then. Bye."
He hangs up and dials another number. "George, Shunya Chidori here. Any chance we can use the Stadium for a competition? It's a match for Arm Slaves. Yes, today. Great, I owe you one. Thanks, George."
He hangs up and dials one more number. "Yes, John Devlin please. John, it's Shunya Chidori. How'd you like to take part in a competition today? Yes, the stakes are quite high. Just a moment."
He cups the receiver and asks, "How about a slight amendment to the wager? My guy wins, he joins Mithril and is immediately assigned to protecting the other 'Whispered' out there. He's kinda bored with working for the U.N. anyway. In his words, they're too stuffed shirt for his tastes."
Kurz grins and says, "If Sousuke doesn't have a problem with it, I sure don't. How about you, sis?"
"If Sousuke can teach Tessa to pilot an Arm Slave, he can teach him a thing or two. Tessa?"
"I find it acceptable. Mr. Kalinin, your analysis?"
"I agree. It's up to Sergeant Sagara and Miss Chidori."
"We accept."
All turn to the source and see Kaname with Sousuke, with Sousuke having heard it all and nodded at Kaname, getting a nod right back, prompting him to answer.
Shunya nods gratefully, returns to the phone and says, "How'd you like to do real bodyguard work, John? I've got someone that just might be better than you here in my house right now. He's a Specialist. He's sparking a relationship with my eldest daughter, Kaname. Yes, we'll be waiting for you at the range and then we'll go to the Stadium. Bye."
He hangs up and says, "He's in. And he is looking forward to meeting you, Sousuke. He hasn't had a decent challenge in months at all. He recently won the marksmanship tournament last week. He's the best marksman I ever came across. Mr. Kalinin, I'll get my personal rifle for our portion of the competition."
His eyes light up in a manic light as he adds, "For a competition well done, I'll make us all a gourmet dinner. Tell me, Sousuke. Have you ever had gourmet meals before?"
"I can't say I have, Mr. Chidori. On occasion, Kaname cooks a good meal for us when we're studying together. She doesn't think it's a good idea for my diet to be so basic at times."
Curious, Shunya asks, "What does your diet normally entail, Sousuke?"
"Protein bars, field rations, beef jerky and plain rolls. On occasion I enjoy a side of fruit along with milk or regular water."
"I'm sure you came across some gourmet meals when you were growing up, lad. I mean, you're fit and trim."
"Not really, Mr. Chidori. Growing up, I had to determine what was safe for me to eat." He then proceeds to tell Shunya about what he had eaten in the past and the best things to avoid.
When he gets done, the whole room is rendered speechless. Even Kaname is stunned and horrified about his diet in the past.
Shunya then gasps and says, "You poor lad. And I thought that your life was harsh. It wasn't just harsh, it was a major mess."
"That's affirmative."
At that, Sousuke goes to get his equipment bag while Kurz contacts the TDD-1. He then hears the clippedvoice of Commander Richard Mardukas.
"Go ahead, Urzu 6."
"Urzu 7 is involved in a competition, sir. Part of it is Arm Slave combat skills. Requesting Arbalest's presence, sir."
"Is the Captain there? I'd like to verify the information, Urzu 6."
"Affirmative, sir. She's right here. Wait one, sir." He hands it to Tessa and she explains the situation fully.
Mardukas then replies, "Understood, Madam Captain. While this is highly irregular, it's also quite intriguing. We're still within helicopter transport range. Where is the event to be held at?"
"The Arm Slave combat is to be held at Yankee Stadium, Mr. Mardukas."
"Very good, Madam Captain. Give Urzu 7 my regards and wish him luck for me."
"I will. Thank you, Commander."
"My pleasure, Madam Captain." At that, the communication ends.
On the TDD-1, Mardukas sighs and says, under his breath, "The things we do these days. Just better make sure this doesn't happen often." He then makes arrangements for the delivery of Arbalest and an M6 to the Stadium.
Back in the Chidori house, Sousuke feels slightly light-headed. Kaname catches this and asks, "Are you all right, Sousuke? You look like you felt something weird inside you. Like you had bad shellfish or something."
"Negative, Kaname. Just a passing tide on the inside. It's not a problem for me. But I thank you for your concern." Kaname, still unsure, nods her acceptance of his findings and elects to keep a close eye on him.
At that, the Chidoris and the members of Mithril leave the house, not knowing the news from the previous day is focusing on Detroit, Michigan.
When they get out to their respective vehicles, Sousuke and Kaname ride with Shunya and Ayame while Tessa and the others get into the Mithril sedan. They then pull away from the house, not turning on the radios at all. Within twenty minutes, they reach the range and see a dark blue Hummer H2 sitting outside. When the vehicles come to a stop, all of them exit the vehicles and head inside. By a strange twist of luck, the range is totally clear, save for a massive series of scenarios.
They then hear a man's voice. "Hey, Mr. Chidori. How's it going today? I'm looking forward to doing this thing today. Anything else I should know about?"
Shunya chuckles and replies, "We're also having an Arm Slave competition along with explosives disposal. It's sometimes best to do everything at one site if possible. But it looks like we'll be doing the competition here and the Arm Slaves at the Stadium. Wouldn't you agree, John?" At that, John Devlin comes out, smiles and starts discussing the competition with Shunya and Sousuke.
He can only be described as a laid-back kind of professional with close-cropped brown hair and a wiry frame. African-American with a constant smirk in place, yet with a pleasant personality.
Without further ado, the others start setting up the events, with Kaname, Kurz, Melissa and Ayame setting up the shooting dummies. Tessa and Kalinin sets up the explosives scenario. All while Shunya is talking with John and Sousuke. Both of them pick up on the inflections in his voice.
"Now, guys, I want a good clean match. No deaths are to occur. Be it we or either of you. I expect you to do everything as much as you can within the time allowed for each match. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir!" Both young men snap off a sharp salute and Shunya walks away, hoping nothing goes wrong with either competitor. The events take fifty-five minutes to set up. Kalinin nods and begins the competition.
"Contestants, this competition is like nothing I've ever seen before. The best of our organization against the best that money can possibly hire. Sousuke Sagara and John Devlin, I expect a fair competition from the both of you. Any slacking on either of you, and the penalties will be stiff. Is that understood?"
Both men reply, "Yes sir!" They then give another salute and the competition begins.
Kalinin explains, "The first set-up is the shooting gallery. The rules are simple. You can use any kind of weapons as long as you don't resort to hand-to-hand combat or hit any innocent targets. And there are plenty of those about."
Devlin looks over at Sousuke and remarks, "You're a Specialist, huh? I can hardly wait to see how you do your job when you're out of rounds for your gun. There are at least two hundred and fifty-eight targets out there. And only a large handful are innocent civilians. Some of the enemy targets are pretty hard to spot. I even have trouble at times."
"Do not worry about me, Devlin. It will not be a problem for me. Worry about yourself, as it is you participating in this as well."
Devlin nods in agreement as both men get ready for the air horn to blare. When it's blared, both of them start the competition. Sousuke sees the first target and shoots it in the head. A clean kill on a robber.
Devlin sees another target and shoots. A man with a Tommy Gun. Slightly nervous, he looks over at Sousuke and grins. 'Still cool under fire, I guess.' To his surprise, Sousuke spots a group of targets around a figure of ayoung woman.
Charging head on, he starts by shooting the goons' hands, rendering them all useless. He then stops beside the target area and fires one round into each hostile dummies' head, leaving the innocent target unscathed.
Sousuke nods and says, "Have a safe night, ma'am."
At that, he goes on to the next scene. Finding a hostile gang scenario, he sees two innocent targets and determines it'd be safe to use a fragmentation grenade, low-yield. He primes it and throws it into the fray. It detonates, blowing the gang dummies away and leaving the innocents intact.
On the sidelines, a stunned Shunya asks, "Is that standard procedure?"
Kurz grins and replies, "It is with Sousuke. Any time he comes across a large hostile crowd, he understands that he will not have time to shoot every single hostile with a semi-auto weapon. As long as innocents are out of grenade range, he's clear to use a low-yield fragmentation grenade."
Shunya nods and remarks, "Points for style and judgment capability. He did cut it a little close though." Kaname nods in agreement as she watches Sousuke go through the course like a hurricane. She then sees John arrive at the gang scene and proceeding to shoot each of them.
Her stopwatch buzzes and she says, "He's taking too long. Twenty gang members against a semi-auto firearm. He'd be quicker using a fully automatic rifle or a grenade like Sousuke just did."
Shunya nods as he writes down the notes. He looks up at Sousuke in time to see Sousuke throw his dagger at a mugger, embedding it into the target's chest.
"Why was he able to get a kill just now and he throw the dagger into a live target's leg just yesterday? Was his aim deliberate or was he just lucky just now?"
Melissa smiles and replies, "If he sent a dagger into a mugger's leg, then he did intend for it to go there. I should know. I taught him to do that. You should have seen him in action at Khabarovsk. He sent an Anti-Armor dagger from his M9 into a Hind and wrestled it to the ground so it wouldn't harm a 'Whispered' girl."
Kurz adds, "He did the same thing for Kaname. Only he threw her up into the air so he could do so. And, he caught her without any difficulty."
"Astounding. Multi-talented. So it's not just talk. He really is the ultimate warrior. I now pity all terrorists he currently does and will face off against. But, just a little bit. Let's hold our rifle competition now, Mr. Kalinin." Kalinin nods in reply as the two men head for their assigned area.
Smiling, Kaname watches Sousuke as he gets to the last shooting scene. The kind that would really test his mettle. The 'Sleeper' scene. In this scene, the objective is to find the sleeper within the proper time frame. In this case, the time frame is two minutes. Sousuke finds the target and shoots it.
Devlin finishes up with the other scenarios and comes up to the last scene, seeing Sousuke at the sideline, already finished. He checks the target area and sees his target. He then fires, ending the match.
Smiling, he goes over to Sousuke and nods, acknowledging his prowess on the field. Sousuke returns the nod.
Kurz then walks up and says, "Mr. Devlin, I'd like to know why you felt Mr. Walker had to die." The target of Mr. Walker has two bullet holes in it's head. One from each competitor.
"Mr. Walker had a cell phone in his hand, holding it waist level instead of up to his ear. The shape of it was unusual, given it looked like an original hand-held model, even though it was a new make and model. I saw what appeared to be a muzzle at it's top. Even more, I saw no sign of a hands-free headset. That made him the sleeper in my book. I'm sure Sousuke felt the same way."
Kurz smiles and says, "At least you weren't the only one that hit the right target. Sousuke got him too. Looks like we have a slight tie here. The Arm Slaves should be at the Stadium any time, so we can relax for a time. The A.S. and explosive disposal matches will be the tie-breakers. They could go either way, so don't lose your cool. That goes for the both of you." With that, both competitors relax and watch the shooting match.
Kalinin, using a Druganov sniper rifle, nails every target in the head while Shunya uses a Winchester 30.06 rifle and nails every target in the heart area. Both men cease firing and compare their scores. Since both are proficient with their weapons, the match had resulted in a tie.
"Well, Lt. Commander, looks like we have a tie. I've never had such an invigorating competition before. I actually enjoyed it. That's a fine weapon you have there. I assume you have it with you at all times."
"Only if I have an opportunity to engage in a match like this. You have a fine weapon as well, Mr. Chidori. Perhaps you would benefit from Sergeant Sagara's tutelage along with the rest of the U.N."
Shunya smiles as he replies, "I'd really like that. No matter what the results, I'd be proud to have Sousuke as my son-in-law. I saw Kaname smiling as she watched him work on those targets. She's really in love with him. Ever since her Mom died, she had felt so lost. But, now she's happy and in love. I shouldn't have said what I did."
Kalinin nods and says, "I know what you mean, Mr. Chidori. I know what you mean. Perhaps you should tell Sousuke about the amended wager. If you like, I'll go with you to verify your statement."
"That'll help, Andrei Kalinin. Thank you for a spirited match."
"Indeed it will, Shunya Chidori. I thank you as well."
At that, the explosive disposal portion comes up. Sousuke looks over at Kaname and sees her grinning proudly, knowing what he's going to do to ensure reliable disposal. He then looks over at Devlin and sees him putting on a Kevlar suit. Incredulously as possible, he snorts and returns his attention to the objective at hand.
At the sound of the buzzer, both competitors head for the target area. Sousuke reaches his target first and starts his procedure. He examines the locker and sees signs of tampering. Nodding, he brings out a wedge of C-4 and presses it onto the door. On the sidelines, Shunya's face goes pale and his jaw drops to the ground upon watching Sousuke use his procedure.
He turns to Kaname and asks, "He isn't going to do it, is he?" At Kaname's smile, cackle and nod, he starts wishing he had found and brought the bottle of Scotch with him. He then looks over at Devlin and smiles when he brings out an explosives detector, as per standard procedure for the bodyguard network.
Kaname is thinking, 'Come on, Sousuke. This time, there is a bomb. You can do it, my heart.'
Suddenly, they hear Sousuke's voice. "Fire in the hole!"
KABOOM!
The explosion has everyone but the Mithril members, Kaname and Sousuke reeling. Shunya is so in shock, he breaks his pen with only a slam into the table. He looks back at Kaname and sees her smiling, very proudly.
She then clicks her watch and says, "Sousuke's got this round. The quickest means may not always be elegant, but as long as people get the warning, it's not a problem."
This has Ayame, Kurz, Melissa, Tessa and Kalinin chuckling while Shunya bangs his head on the table. He then hears Kaname say the most surprising thing.
"Mr. Devlin, have you ever considered the possibility that the bomb could have some kind of sensing device that would detect your detector there? You were lucky it didn't detonate when your device started sending out signals. Suiting up in Kevlar took too much time. Now, if you had only a wedge of C-4, the detonation cord and a blast shield, you would have won this round. You see, these folks were kind enough to make and bring two bombs the way they're meant to be. Destructive, able to detect electronic signatures from detection devices and have a very high yield in power. Tessa and Kalinin briefed me as to the bombs. I wasn't permitted to tell anyone until after the round was over."
Devlin's jaw drops in horror and he shakes it off, for he knows what is next. The Arm Slave match. He then snickers as he thinks about how he's going to show Sousuke up. At that, the group leaves the range, assuring Andy they'll return to clean the site up. They then leave the range and head for Yankee Stadium.