Suzuki could remember the last video game he had ever played.

It had been on an unusually warm March day in the year 1991. He had been eighteen years old. It had been Space Invaders. He had been playing nonstop for five hours that day. From the minute the arcade opened. He had needed it, the game, because it relaxed him. He had just graduated high school the day before. He hadn't felt any sort of accomplishment because he hadn't seen it as one. Everyone graduated high school. That was one of the things that one had to check off their list in order to become a respectable member of society. He had been all alone at his graduation ceremony. Well alone aside from Fukuda but he had been more annoying than anything. Also his parents had invited him to come along with them for some lunch thing.

He had declined.

He had declined in favor of sitting alone in the woods with his thoughts. There had been a sort of aloneness to him, to his emotions, that he just could not place. Mother and father had been dead for some months and Suzuki…he had no reason to mourn them…or to feel alone. In fact he had doubted his own feelings, even, because if he had truly felt so alone then he would have taken Fukuda's mother and father up on their offer. They had been going out for Chinese food. He loved Chinese omelets. He could have gone for the meal, saved himself some money from his inheritance too since they would have paid, but he just…he had wanted to be alone.

He had wanted to be with people and he had wanted to be alone.

His home had been gone. He had found a new one easily, mother and father had left him quite a sum of money, and he had an actual apartment to go to…but he had chosen to spend his time in that fort in the woods just…thinking. He hadn't bothered with the radio or the television, even though setting both of those up had been a pain and a half, he had just…sat there. All day. All night. He had just sat there staring and thinking, thinking and staring, until it became dark and then light again. Once those first rays of sunlight had hit him right in the eyes, very unpleasant and he would have blocked out the sun if he'd been able to, he had decided that he would do something productive with his time.

So he had gone off to play Space Invaders.

It had been his favorite game since games had been invented. He'd had it on home console but that console had been destroyed along with much of the living room. The only things which had survived had been things that had been stored in the back of the house. Good linens. Wedding china. Old photo albums. Relics of his childhood. Those things had been all that survived. His consoles, his old Famicom and Atari and the ancient home pong system had been destroyed along with the television, the rest of the living room, and mother and father who had been in the living room. So, really, he had no choice but to go back to the arcade and play Space Invaders for five hours.

It had been an enjoyable time.

He had been able to think while he played. He must have logged more lifetime hours into that game than he had in all of his years of education. He had spent probably days of his life standing at that very machines. There were indents in the rug from his shoes and the joystick had been molded to his fingers. He had loved that game. He had loved the idea of it, defending the Earth, defending HIS Earth. Because it was his Earth. The Earth was his to rule over. With the Earth being his to rule over then he had no reason at all to stay up all night sitting in the woods staring at nothing thinking about two dead people. They had done their part for him already. They had raised him to manhood. They had kept him fed and clothed and housed long enough for him to do his part in getting a proper education, getting accepted into University, and ultimately living long enough to not only pass on the genes that they had left him but also to ultimately pass on his own genes as well. Then he could be free to die, after conquering the world first of course, and then his Son would take over after him and then his Son and so on and so forth.

So, really, they had done their part and everything was set.

It had been easy to think of the future, not the past, of what he would do with his future as he played at defending his Earth against forces from a distant star. He planned his future as he destroyed wave after wave of enemy. He planned the twelve divisions of Claw, the structure of his organization, his role as President. Fukuda Tadashi would be his second in command, of course, because since the day that they had met he had proved himself to be invaluable. Fukuda would be his second and together they would rule the world. Then of course they would marry and have children and also probably marry their houses together, too, because they both had some very good genes and also to cement a multi generation alliance between their houses. His Son would be called Sho and his Daughter would be called Shoko…or maybe something else because that seemed uncreative….and Fukuda hadn't had any idea what he would name his children. He had cited the fact that children were a moot point since neither of them even had girlfriends let alone wives they were ready to reproduce with.

Which was fair enough.

He so wanted one, back then, a wife. A girlfriend. A female someone. Not just for sexual reasons, though he had been terrible about that back then, but just for their presence. Their nurturing presence. The way that they cared for you and kept you grounded and also gave you a reason to go on. You had to provide for them and the children your union with her made. So therefore he had even more incentive to conquer the Earth in real life and also to save the Earth in game. So that was what he did. He played Space Invaders for five hours and planned a better world and he was happy, in a way.

But then Fukuda went and spoiled it all by bringing up the fact that he had not had anything to eat or drink in twenty four hours and also that he was in desperate need of a bath.

Well Fukuda wasn't here to spoil this.

"We need more turrets, don't you agree?" asked Suzuki

"But we don't have enough obsidian." Said Daughter

"So go and find some more." Said Suzuki

"But we ran out." Said Daughter

"There must be more somewhere. Start digging." Said Suzuki

"But I-yes, dad. I'll start digging for obsidian." Said Daughter. Nobody in the word would spoil this for him. This was ok. What he was doing was ok. This was…this was good for….skills. All sorts of skills like…design…and hand to eye coordination. All of the skills that children could learn from a videogame. Also this was good time for them to spend together. They were strengthening their parent to child bond playing that game together. So it was ok for the two of them to be sitting so near to each other at the kitchen table as they had been for the past week or so. It was ok for him to enjoy being near her. It was ok for him to occasionally pat her on the back or the head and tell her that she was doing a good job.

This was not weakness. This was good parenting.

He really was a good father. Daughter needed him. Son would be fine on his own, he was Son, but Daughter needed him. She was his Daughter. Without a good father to Daughter bond, the internet said, she would be more likely so have trouble forming relationships with good men, would be at a greater risk for drug and alcohol dependencies which he absolutely could not have, could go through precious puberty which he did not want considering that he wasn't even ready for regular puberty, and also without a good father daughter bond she would have trouble bonding with her own children. So this was not him being weak and selfish. No, this was just him being a good father.

And there was nobody and nothing that could spoil this for him.

"Dad, can I stop mining now? My diamond pickaxe broke again." said Daughter. Her aura seemed….sad. yes, she was sad. Well of course she was sad. It had taken her a while to mine the materials to craft her diamond pickaxe. This would definitely set them back a bit…and they were behind schedule already because of the lava incident. They would have to work all through the night to make up for lost productivity. No matter, no matter, this was enjoyable for both of them. She was learning valuable design and time management skills, too, so really this was ok.

It was ok.

"We'll have to make another one." said Suzuki

"There's no more diamond left." Said Daughter

"We had a massive cache of it." Said Suzuki

"But then we dug too deep and the lava flooded sublevels four and three." Said Daughter. Suzuki nodded. Yes, now he remembered. That had been his mistake. His thinking had been to hide all of their valuable material deep underground so the raiders couldn't get to it if, by some chance, they managed to breach Fort Suzuki's defenses. Well that had been his miscalculation, not Daughter's, and he did not hold her at fault.

Though he would use her idea of keeping their valuable in the sky tower behind the secret door.

She was the expert after all. She was the one who had showed him this game. To think that technology had come so far. It was nice to see that games, the ones the children liked, had gone beyond that Italian plumber. He had been around since Suzuki had been a boy. Hell, Suzuki remembered back when he had been a carpenter and he had been seeing that first princess that he could not recall the name of but could, in great detail, recall the truly filthy pictures that Fukuda had drawn of her….which may have explained why he had never married or even seen a woman in a romantic capacity since before they had gone to university together.

Thank God that the characters in this game left no room for….artistic expression.

"We'll have to mine for more diamond in that case. As I recall it can be found in the twelfth layer. We have plenty of iron pickaxes so we should be able to mine at least enough diamond to get us through tonight….yes, Daughter, we're going to have to mine at least three diamonds as I recall. Don't worry about the sticks. We have more than enough sticks." Said Suzuki. He patted Daughter on the back again. That way she would know that she was doing a good job. Soon they'd be back in business and then that new turret would be theirs.

Maybe they needed more than one new turret.

Two layers of redundancy. They needed to defend their fortress from other players and from hoards. They had worked too hard to see their fortress fall now. He would not allow it. Daughter would be devastated. Even now her eyes were watering at the thought of losing all that they had created. He would allow her this display of emotion. This fort represented at least a hundred man hours.

It had been a very good time.

"But dad….it's three thirteen in the morning." Said Daughter

"Is it? I hadn't noticed." Said Suzuki. He checked the computer clock. Oh. Yes. That would explain the yawning and also why his eyes hurt. When had it gotten this late? The last time he had glanced at the clock was when they had stared at nine ten after Daughter put Son to bed. Huh. Well he should have gone to bed…but he had to be up at six anyway. No sense in sleeping for three hours. Besides, Daughter didn't want to stop. She was having a great time.

She loved video games.

She loved video games and she loved spending time with him. She was so like Masami in that way. Not that the two of them had ever played videogames together, they had met in their thirties when they had been far too old for such things, but they had stayed up all night on many occasions watching DVDs of Masami's favorite dramas…as well as taking breaks to have various kinds of sex….but he was not going to think about that with his Daughter right next to him. She was like her mother but up to that point because this was his ten year old Daughter and if he started to think about his ten year old Daughter then he would have had to kill himself.

And he didn't feel like killing himself.

So he stopped thinking of Masami and how warm she had been in his arms and how she had laughed when he pointed out the historical inaccuracies in her programs and how she had fallen asleep with her head on his chest just as the sun rose…he doesn't think about that. It was easy to stop thinking about Masami when Daughter was near. She was like her mother but different. In some ways better…no. Not better. No woman would ever eclipse his Masami. She was just…..

Different. But in a good way.

"Aren't you sleepy?" asked Daughter

"Yes." said Suzuki

"Are we going to bed, then?" asked Daughter

"No." said Suzuki

"But you just said that you were tired." Said Daughter

"I did but that does not mean that I will be going to bed. There is no sense in it at all since we're just going to have to get up again in less than three hours. There is no sense in sleeping so little. We'll just have to keep playing all night. Doesn't that sound enjoyable? I know how you enjoy staying up late." Said Suzuki

"Dad….I'm sleepy. I can't play anymore. My eyes are tired and my fingers are tired. Everything about me is tired." Said Daughter

"You're ready for bed?" asked Suzuki

"Yes." said Daughter. The thought of her curled up beside him is a nice one….but it would make no sense to sleep now. Not when they had things to do. Also they would both just be extra groggy in the morning because they had only managed to sleep for not even three hours. No, they wouldn't be going to sleep no matter how tired they were. Besides, they didn't have to be tired.

He had gotten her a gift, well he had sent someone to get her a gift, and he had been waiting for tomorrow to show her but….well…..it technically was tomorrow.

"I'll make us some coffee in that case." Said Suzuki. He got up from his chair…too quickly. His back and knees cried out in protest. He had been sitting in one position for far too long. He so envied her. She could sit there cross legged on a kitchen chair all night and suffer no ill effected whatsoever. Youth really was wasted on the young. He used his powers to pop his spine back into alignment.

There. All better.

"But dad….we only have tea. Since we only have tea, green tea has no caffeine in it the box says so, then we should go to bed and get at least a little sleep." Said Daughter. Suzuki paid her no attention. She was thinking of their wellbeing just like Masami would have. She had come to his office countless times in the past begging him to come to bed and get some sleep. Telling him that the all-nighters he was pulling were unhealthy. Thinking of him…she had always been thinking of him…

Shigeko so took after her mother in all the best ways.

He had thought of her as well. He had gotten her a present and hidden it in the highest cabinet. The one that housed his foods, the ones that the children knew not to touch. Plain rice crackers, dried squid, pickled fish, all of the things they hated with a passion. Really this was the perfect hiding spot.

She would be so surprised.

"Daughter, close your eyes. I have a present for you." Said Suzuki

"Ok….but if it's another doll I'll play with it in the morning." Said Daughter

"It's not another doll. Now keep your eyes closed until I am sitting beside you again." said Suzuki. He took her present down from the high cabinet and put it on the kitchen table beside her. On the way there he stepped in something cold and slimy…on of Son's noodles. Disgusting. Now the boy would only eat plain noodles…he had thought that picky eating was supposed to get better as the child got older….well no matter. Daughter didn't see it as cause for concern and he, of course, would trust Daughter's judgement on the subject of raisin Son. She knew what she was doing. Masami had taught her everything that she knew.

He really did have a wonderful Daughter. The most wonderful Daughter in the world. He had the most wonderful Daughter in the world and she was his and his alone.

"Alright. You may open your eyes." Said Suzuki. He waited a moment. Daughter did not open her eyes. She sat slumped against the back of her chair and…and she does not open her eyes. For a moment he has a crazy thought. Was she defying him?! But no, that could never be. This was his Daughter. What was far more likely was that she had spontaneously died and-

WHAT?!

He shakes her with his powers. Her eyes fly opened and, if not for his proximity to her, the kitchen would have been destroyed. He absorbs some of that excess energy. He doesn't much like doing that. It makes his own powers unstable, for one thing, and also the more he used it the more people would be likely to catch on. No, this was his biggest secret. Bigger than the pictures of Masami he kept in a hidden folder on his laptop. Bigger than the time he and Fukuda figured out that neither of them was homosexual or even bi sexual together, bigger than where he had buried his Ultraman toys when he had been six years old. No, the fact that he had been bestowed with the ultimate ability, the ability to give and take powers as he saw fit, would remain a secret until the day came.

"Dad! I feel asleep! I'm sorry." said Daughter

"Oh. I thought that you had died." Said Suzuki

"But I didn't die. I was just sleeping." Said Daughter

"People die in their sleep all the time." Said Suzuki dismissively. Well when she said it like that she made him sound like an idiot. His ten year old Daughter spontaneously dying was a thing that could happen and…and there were odds of that happening. Not good odds but odds were still odds.

"…..they do?" asked Daughter

"Yes. Millions of them every single day. Now look at your present." Said Suzuki. Daughter was staring at him now when a thoughtfully procured gift was sitting right in front of her. That made no sense. She loved gifts. Every Christmas morning she and her brother woke up at some ungodly hour to open their Christmas gifts and they made such a racket….so this was just…odd.

"But….am I going to die in my sleep?" asked Daughter

"Yes. Most likely unless you suffer mortal injuries or some sort of deathly illness. Now tell me what you think of your present." Said Suzuki

"Dad…I don't want to die in my sleep…." Said Daughter

"You most likely won't at your age. Now look at your present." Said Suzuki

"But dad….you said that you thought that I was dead…that I had died in my sleep….and I didn't even know that I could die in my sleep. I didn't even know that was a thing that happened….and now….how do I not die in my sleep?" asked Daughter

"Daughter. You're being tiresome. Obviously I was incorrect about the probability of you dying in your sleep. Unless you're an infant or an old person it isn't likely. Now look over there and tell me what you think of the gift I got you." Said Suzuki. He didn't understand her. Why did she fear dead? When it came, it came. Maybe because she had so much unfinished business. Yes. Daughter was only ten after all.

She would not be dying any time soon. Not while he was around.

She, finally, turned her head and looked over at her gift. She seemed….confused. But there was nothing confusing about her gift…right? Maybe he should have just gone and gotten her a gift on his own like he had when the children had been very small. Yes….he had enjoyed that…hadn't he? He made a mental note to purchase more gifts for the children outside of birthdays and major holidays.

"You got me…coffee and three water bottles?" asked Daughter

"Yes. Starbucks branded coffee and three travel mugs of the characters from that ice queen movie you love. I didn't know which one you preferred so I had them get you one of the ice queen, one of her sister, and one of the entire cast including that truly annoying snowman." Said Suzuki

"….but I like Olaf…he likes warm hugs." Said Daughter

"He was the worst part of that film and his song makes me want to deafen myself." Said Suzuki

"Oh….ok. Um…thank you? I really like my gift. I like….I like Frozen…and I like coffee….and now that we have coffee we can stay up all night…together." Said Daughter. She seemed odd when she said that. Probably still tired. Well that was what they had caffeine for. Yes, soon they would get right back to normal. They would collect the three diamonds so they could mine more obsidian and then their construction project would be back on schedule and everything would be right with castle Suzuki. Yes, it would be a very good time. Then they would go to work together and be together all day and then they would come home and be together and then they could play some more, but pay more attention to the clock, and it would be a good time.

He so enjoyed spending time with Daughter.

"Yes. That is correct. Also now you won't have to go to Starbucks that often because you can carry their coffee with you wherever you go." Said Suzuki. She was so happy she was speechless. He patted her on the back again. She was so wonderful, his Daughter, he might even tell her that he loved her again…if that wasn't too much.

"But….I like to go to Starbucks with Minegishi…and not just for the coffee. I like to hang out with them. They're my friend." Said Daughter. Right. Minegishi was Daughter's closest companion, their Fukuda, so their bonding activities were important to Daughter…but he did not like her out of his presence while they were in Tokyo for too long. There were a lot of trains in and out of Tokyo. She could have got on one…not of her own free will of course…and she would have been gone from his life forever.

And he could not have that.

"They can visit you while you work or…or you can sit in the cafeteria. You don't have to go so far from me…from HQ. Alright? Now you keep on mining and I'll make us some coffee." Said Suzuki as he got up once again…and there went his back. Right on cue. He wondered if there was any way to permanently fix this. He could have woken up Fukuda….and the idea did look promising….but he knew how Fukuda was. He would try and tell Suzuki that he was acting irresponsibly and that he needed to get a normal amount of sleep. Well he was Suzuki Touichirou and he could do whatever he wanted to.

"Um…sure. That sounds…like a good idea. I'll just do that then." Said Daughter. Suzuki patted her on the head this time….and she looked up at him….and kept on looking. He looked back down at her. Did she want something?

Oh. Right. Verbal affirmations of love and affection.

"I love you, Daughter." Said Suzuki

"I love you too, dad." Said Daughter. There. Now that was done with. He could make coffee and then they could get back to their game.

He so enjoyed spending time with Daughter.