Journey to Insanity and Romance p 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic or Robocop. Wish I did though.

Interviews and a Reunion

Upon arrival at the Station, Sheila opens her eyes, smiles and says, "It was just a dream. A girl did not blow a mugger's head off with a fragmentation-type grenade the size of an earring. It's just not possible. And her boyfriend's name is that of a dead child."

She then hears a young man's voice behind her. "Actually, within a person's mouth, a fragmentation-type grenade is quite capable of blowing a person's head off. Even one the size of an earring. And, I am quite alive, Officer." Sheila turns around and sees a face that she recognizes.

"You mean, it wasn't a dream?"

"That's affirmative." Behind him, a man and a woman wave hello while Kaname smiles proudly at her beau. Another girl gives Kaname a bright smile and then smiles at Sheila.

"Oy. Just when I think I have the world figured out, it throws a new curve at me. What next?" She then shakes her head and says, "You've had an interesting start of your trip here. What's your purpose here anyway?"

"I'm here to reunite with my cousin, Luke. But first, we have to give your Commanding Officer a full briefing."

Before Sheila can ask, the Hummer comes to a stop and the others get out of the vehicle. At that, the whole group goes inside and heads for a group of interview rooms. Robocop decides against separating them, as he can spot a liar within a group.

He then offers them seats and they take them, graciously. "All right, first order of business. My last questions had you flustered, Mr. Sagara. Would you care to explain?" Switching on his stress analyzer, he waits for Sousuke's response.

"Sergeant Sousuke Sagara, sir. My colleagues are Sergeant Kurz Weber and Sergeant Major Melissa Mao, sir."

"Miss Chidori and her sister?"

"Kaname is my girlfriend and protection assignment, sir. Ayame is only along so she can meet my cousin, sir."

Curious, Robocop checks the analyzer. 'Completely truthful'. He then asks, "Why is Miss Chidori your protection assignment?"

"I am sorry, sir. I'm not cleared to release that information. Only my C.O. or the Captain have that authority, sir."

"You mean you're with a Military-type organization?"

"Affirmative, sir. I am Sousuke Sagara, Sergeant of Mithril. My call sign is Urzu 7, my I.D. number is B-3128. I'm a Specialist, sir."

Robocop turns to the others and asks, "Can you verify his statements up to this point?"

Kurz stands up and says, "Sergeant Kurz Weber. Urzu 6, B-3127. Sniper. Mithril"

"Sergeant Major Melissa Mao. Urzu 2. B-2798. Field Commander. Mithril."

"Kaname Chidori. Angel. Girlfriend to and protection assignment for Sergeant Sagara."

"Ayame Chidori. Just hanging out with my sister, her boyfriend and their friends."

Robocop lets out a long, rumbling sigh and says, "I shall return." At that, he steps out of the Interview room and goes to Sheila's side. "They're either adept at beating stress analyzers or they're being completely truthful."

He then turns his head and says, "Call Davis and have her bring Luke here. He's the only way we'll be able to determine Mr. Sagara's identity."

"Right away, sir." Shelia goes to her desk and proceeds to call Davis. "Davis, bring Luke down here please. We need him to confirm an identity. No, not over the line. It's a personal matter for the subject. Right."

She then hangs up the phone, returns to Robocop's side and says, "Let me take both of the Chidori girls to the room next door. Do a little 'girl talk'." At Robocop's nod, she does so.

Once inside, she says, "Sisters Chidori, I'd like to buy you some soda and talk with you in detail."

Kaname looks over at Sousuke, worried, and asks, "Would it be all right if Sousuke came along?"

Sheila smiles her snarky smile and replies, "I don't think he'd relish engaging in 'girl talk'."

"Uh."

Sousuke's usual utterance gives Kaname her answer, along with Ayame's desire to engage in 'girl talk'. Kaname then giggles and kisses him on his cheek, following Ayame and Sheila out of the room. Once outside, the door closes, leaving the members of Mithril inside the room.

Kaname follows them to the Break Room and sees the door to the Squad Room. She then chuckles as she sees the pattern of a human on the door.

Still chuckling, she asks, "Who did the door, Officer Murphy? It's quite unique."

"Actually, a Chinese Diplomat ran out of there, going through and damaging the door. We have yet to replace it. What, do I have something on my nose?" She had seen Kaname's look toward her and figured something was strange.

Kaname shakes her head no and replies, "I'm just trying to see if I have this straight. You're telling me that a Chinese Diplomat ran right through that door, leaving that in his wake?" Ayame's eyes are wide as she processes the information.

"That's about the sum of it, Kaname." Sheila then leans forward, looks into Kaname's eyes and asks, "Was Sousuke telling the truth?"

"Affirmative. He and his friends are actually mercenaries and I started out as his protection assignment. We just started seeing each other romantically. Of course, Sousuke's got quite a few rough edges. Along with artillery pieces. Officer, you all right?" She had seen Sheila's expression change drastically, having her look a little green around the gills.

Sheila weakly nods and replies, "I'll be fine and right back." She then gets up, walks staggeringly through the doorway and returns to Robocop's side.

"She's telling the truth, Alex. They all were. Which means that Mithril is real."

At that, Sheila faints, falling backwards toward the floor. Robocop is able to catch her and take her back to her desk. When he has her seated, he turns to Kaname and Ayame, both still standing in the doorway with concerned looks on their faces.

Kaname asks, "Is she all right, Robocop? I'd hate to think I caused her some kind of discomfort."

"She's all right. It's just so much for her to take in at one time. I'm curious. How did a teenager become a mercenary?"

Kaname sighs and tells Robocop all about Sousuke's past, including what he had told her about himself. She then brings out her notebook, sighs and opens it.

"This is my personal list of fallen heroes for Mithril. As far as I know, there have only been seven killed since I came to be under Mithril's protection. There were even a pair of traitors. They're not worth mentioning in my list. As far as I'm concerned, they can rot in hell. Apparently, someone higher up had given Gauron access to classified information. Information that no one else is allowed to even have."

Ayame's eyes shed tears as she reads the names on the list.

'Lieutenant Gail McAllen: Died on Tuatha de Danaan. Murdered by traitors.'

'Leading Seaman Lian Shaopin: Died on Tuatha de Danaan. Murdered by traitors.'

'Bill: Died in Helmajistan. Killed in action by Gauron.'

'Andy: Died in Helmajistan. Killed in action by Gauron.'

'Gray: Died in Helmajistan. Killed in action by Gauron.'

'Batist: Died in Helmajistan. Self-destructed and killed by Gauron.'

'Jackson: Died in Helmajistan. Killed in action by Gauron.'

Ayame then says, "I hope Sousuke'll be able to keep himself off of the list." Kaname and Robocop nod in agreement.

At that point, the door opens and Kaname sees a very familiar face with a woman with brunette hair and a fair complexion. She smiles at the uncanny resemblance between her beloved and his cousin, even while finding it incredibly odd for the most part. Robocop picks up on her smile, turns and sees Luke Sagara along with Davis. Both were clearly dressed for a fine lunch.

Robocop walks over to Luke and says, "Luke, there has been an interesting development. I'd like to get your opinion of it when you find out about it. First off, this is Kaname Chidori, from Tokyo, Japan. Kaname, this is Luke Sagara."

"Hello, Kaname."

"Hello, Luke. It's nice to meet you. This is my sister, Ayame. She lives in New York with my Father."

"Likewise. Hello Ayame. Tokyo, huh? A long way from home, aren't you?"

"I was just visiting family with my boyfriend when I saw the news. He simply had to meet you. Ayame wanted to meet you as well."

Kaname sighs and goes on. "You see, Luke, my boyfriend is your cousin. He spent a very long time in various war zones, fighting to stay alive. Ever since his parents died in front of him. Now, you can doubt me if you want to, but trust me on this. Please, trust me. When you see him, you will notice a scar on his left cheek. Other than that, the resemblance is uncanny. Even I'm baffled by it. I mean, twin cousins? Or at least cousins that look alike? That's a very rare thing."

Incredulous, Luke looks over at Robocop and asks, "Where is the impostor at? If he is impersonating my cousin, by having had surgery, I will clobber him."

He then looks back at Kaname and adds, "Even state-of-the-art surgical procedures for facial reconstruction cannot avoid leaving scars in their wake. My fingertips are highly sensitive, so I'll be able to pick up traces of scarring along his face."

He's surprised when Kaname nods her head with a smile on her face and replies, "Have at. Just be ready to shed some tears, Luke. Undoubtedly, Sousuke would shed one or two when you establish a rapport. He's not much for showing emotions. At least he wasn't when I first met him."

Unsure, yet hopeful for an answer, Luke follows Robocop into the Interview Room. Once inside, he sees three people. A man with long blond hair, a woman with short black hair and a young man that looks very much like him. He's then relieved when Robocop signals the first two to leave the room to allow the two men to get acquainted. He sees the woman give the young man a warm hug from behind and a ruffle on his hair. The woman gives Luke a nod and a smile. The man, however, does something totally unexpected.

"Sousuke's my best friend, like a brother of sorts. Break his heart by denying him and his existence, I will curse your remotest descendants. Is that clear?" At Luke's startled nod, the man grins and says, "Don't worry. He's the real deal." At that, the man leaves the room, only to get a sock in his gut by the woman.

The young man then says, "You'll have to forgive Kurz, I'm afraid. He's been very protective of me ever since we met at a training camp. But, there are times I wish he would just reign it in."

"Yeah, my cousin was like that at times too. I'm partly convinced, but I need more to go on. Would it be all right if I checked your face with my fingers?"

"Affirmative. It's not a problem." Allowing himself a wry smile, Luke steps closer to the young man and puts his fingers to the look-alike's face. Finding no scars at all, he steps back and whistles admirably.

"Make no bones about it. Whoever did your surgery was good. A couple of questions. How did you get your cheek's scar?"

"An Afghani rebel leader dragged his knife on my cheek twice, in a crossing pattern. The wound never healed. However, I have grown quite attached to the scar, as it is now part of who I am."

Luke sighs and asks his other question. "What kind of toy did we fight over most of all? Only my cousin would know, as it is not within Public Records."

"It's been a long time, but I recall a figure named 'Shogun Samuki'."

"That's one of them. Any more?"

"'Samurai Tomiko'."

"That's the one we fought over the most." Tears welling up, he steps closer, smiles and says, "If you are really Sousuke, I'm sure you know our pledge."

"Blood brother, I pledge to thee, I will always remember thee."

"It is you! Sousuke!" Both cousins wrap each other in a hug and Luke starts sobbing while Sousuke is only able to shed one or two tears, like Kaname said he probably would. Then Luke releases Sousuke and belts him in the stomach.

"Where the devil have you been, man? You never called or wrote to let us know you were still alive. Mother and Father were heartbroken at the news of Uncle, Aunt, and your reported passings. They died six years ago, not knowing that you were still alive."

To his surprise, Sousuke chuckles and replies, "It would be best if I introduced my friends, girlfriend and her sister first. Then I'll be able to fully brief you as much as I can. It will not be a problem." At that, he gives Kaname a subtle hand signal, having seen her standing outside the Room.

Kaname sees Sousuke's signal, smiles and says, "Identity confirmed, Robocop. Sousuke would like us to go inside now."

"How could you tell? All he did was brush his hand back over his head."

"That's one of the signals in his book that he had written and given to me. If he decides to get it published, it'd be a big hit."

At that, Robocop chuckles and opens the door to the Interview Room, allowing Kurz, Melissa, Ayame and Kaname entry into the Room.

Once they're inside and the door had closed, Sousuke begins telling Luke all about his life since his parents had died. Of course, he has to edit a few things out. Including Mithril and Kaname being 'Whispered'. But, other than that, he tells Luke all about his life.

He then asks, "What have you done since we last saw each other, Luke? We have a lot to catch up on."

"Well, while my life wasn't as horrendous as yours was, it certainly had it's moments. Mom and Dad died before I graduated from High School, so I had two choices. Either go into the Welfare Division of OCP or join the Military's special program for young teens that hadn't turned eighteen yet. Needless to say, I chose the latter. After completing the program, I turned eighteen and went into the Marine Corps, hoping to make you proud. I saw a couple of hot spots, but handled it well. Left the Marines and went to work as a delivery guy. One day, I was assigned to deliver a massive box filled with armored suits. Right here to this Police Station. That's when I met her, Elizabeth Davis. She's an Officer here. Needless to say, I'm sure you heard about the war in Cadillac Heights."

At their nod, he goes on. "'Team Hawk' came in and kicked the Sho-Da-Kah's asses along with the Splatter-Punks. We were completely out of ammo and would have bought the farm were it not for them and the spare ammo they brought with them. They were truly a godsend. Almost as if they knew we would have ammo trouble."

Turning to Kaname, he smirks and asks, "How'd you meet and fall for my cousin, Kaname?"

Kaname smiles warmly and replies, "It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and the cherry blossoms were blowing around. A friend of mine came up and we exchanged some words. Next thing I know, a certain military maniac arrived at the school with a gun in his bag. Little did I know just how topsy-turvy my life would become. We danced around our feelings so much, it was hard to keep things straight. One night, I was picking petals off a flower, trying to answer my question. Sure enough, I was. Sousuke, however, used a round of 'Russian Roulette'. Don't worry, he had a target on his wall. He shot it instead and got his answer. He was as well. Then we came to the States, saw my Dad and sister, held a competition and found out about you the next day."

Luke shakes his head and asks, "When you said military maniac, you mean like a major league military otaku nut, right?"

Kaname looks at the Mithril members, a question in her eyes.

Sousuke picks up on it, sighs and replies, "It's somewhat complicated, Luke. What I'm about to tell you is not to leave this room. You have never heard of the items I'm about to mention. Seeing as you are family and a fellow combatant, I'm willing to take a chance."

At that, Sousuke proceeds to tell Luke all about Mithril, the Tuatha de Danaan, the ARX-7, the Lambda Driver and the 'Whispered'. Luke takes it pretty well.

"Your life has certainly been memorable, Sousuke. Now, you are a Sergeant with a very lovely girlfriend. Me? I'm just a delivery guy that has Military experience. But you had done so much more for this world and Kaname. She must be really special to you."

Sousuke blushes and replies, "Affirmative. She is that. She also has the ability to surprise me, constantly. Just like when she dressed in her Mother's kimono. I didn't even recognize her. Then came the worst time of Jindai High."

"Terrorist attack? Nuclear bomb on the grounds?"

"Negative. Have you ever heard of a clothes-eating bacteria?" At Luke's shake of no, Sousuke proceeds to tell him all about it.

By the time he's done, Luke's jaw had completely dropped, Kaname's blushing deeply and Sousuke's sweating. Ayame, Kurz and Melissa, however, are laughing up a storm.

Melissa then calms herself down enough to say, "It's a good thing Tessa wasn't there. She probably would have enjoyed having her clothing being eaten in front of you."

Kurz adds, "You're lucky nobody had even killed you, Sousuke. How did you get them to stay the execution?"

"Actually, I have no idea as to how that happened. I told Kaname that I don't expect to live for much longer after I found out what the weapon actually was. Evidently, the objective of the designer was to make a chemical weapon so vicious, it would totally embarrass the enemies' ranks into total surrender. The 'Full Monty Bacteria' was that weapon."

Luke recovers his wits to ask, "Any other incidents at the school, Sousuke?" Kaname nods and tells Luke about all the times Sousuke blew up shoe lockers, his training the school's wimpy Rugby team into hard-core, blood-thirsty savages and, finally, dressing as Bonta-kun in order to protect Kaname from a group of drunken Yakuza at an amusement park.

Amazed and amused at the same time, Luke ponders another item. In shock from the memory, he says, "Please don't tell me you were responsible for the new equipment that the Miami P.D. used."

"Actually, I was. I still can't understand how or why it didn't sell well."

Luke starts laughing and replies, "I have one word for you. Fumoffu. Does that answer it?"

Kaname turns to Sousuke, starts giggling and asks, "You mean you made the equipment in the form of Bonta-kun?"

"That's affirmative."

At that, Kaname turns the giggle into a full-blown laugh, with Luke, Ayame, Kurz and Melissa right behind her. Next thing they know, Sousuke's shaking and starting to chuckle.

"I guess it wasn't one of my better ideas. But, I thought, at the time, who would suspect such a comical creature of being able to carry out raids?"

Kaname calms her laughter down enough to reply, "I guess it would make some kind of sense. But, Bonta-kun?"

Tears streaming down from her eyes, she wraps Sousuke in a hug from the side, giggles and kisses his cheek, saying, "Don't ever change, Sousuke. Not anymore, anyway. You're absolutely worth keeping around."

"Affirmative, my darling Kaname." At that, Kaname blushes as Sousuke kisses her, resulting in another loud and raucous laugh from the other four in the room.