A/N: So here we have Kallen's first POV chapter, ended up writing a lot more for it than I had planned at first. Hence being in two parts, since there was much to convey and plenty of buildup for later on. These early Kallen and Suzaku chapters will be at earlier points in the Colorless Memories timeline, that will cover parts of their early life and also parts of the seven year time period between R1 prologue and episode one of R1.

Part of the Prequel Arc that seeks to flesh theirs and other characters background out more and especially in this chapter Genbu Kururugi's Japan. With Kaguya's POV happening during where Colorless Memories begins, because of where NSBleach00 has Kallen and Suzaku at during that period. That and because of the role she plays in regards to many plotlines and characters. Edited by Eliya Shirwood. 21/06/17: Part one is being released tonight, Part Two tomorrow so not to overlord you.

"Haafu. A Japanese word that sums up how as a whole how my sister and I are viewed by many. Like the onigiri in a fruit basket… A Haafu often finds it hard to find a room to call home. Even more so when the onigiri texture and flavor is so different than what most are used to... that is what the brother of the twins told me once."

-Kouzuki Mizuki

[Date: 10 August 2009 ATB, Time: 15:15, Location: Mikata]

"Haaa… I wish this day would end already! There's only so many times I can listen to sensei go on about how to say 'I'm going to town' in English," Kallen impatiently chided as her special red pen tapped against the desk. Her chin rested on her angled arm and her lazed eyes glanced outside, perfectly illustrating how 'BOOORRREED' the young student was.

Kallen tried to relax as best she could in her stiff generic school uniform, a rather tiresome feat for the apparel: a stiff blazer in a dark shade of purple with embroidery punctual in the pronunciation of the school (Mitaka Shiritsu Daiyon Elementary), a short skirt complementing in a similar depth of purple that rode down to her shins, a crimson scarf that coiled around her neck and draped downward to her steel stool, and tall crimson socks that bled with purple pride. In her angst she glanced up at the clock, eagerly following its dull movements.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Time. To. Go. Home.

'Grrr come one already, 3:30! We're waiting here forever for you to count down! Just chime already!' Her mind roared with expectation as she tapped the metallic end of the pen against the desk again and again.

The only regret Kallen had was the fact she would have to leave this dull room and go outside to the murky outdoors. That day had been as boring as the current lecture: no sun nor rain, no wind nor breeze. She wondered how much energy she would have left to endure that horrid atmosphere outside once this lingering lecture was over. Maybe if she snuck out early…

Any actions would be beneficiary to the girl as time rolled slowly by; otherwise Kallen would die from boredom. Her eyes fought against the urge to close shut and drift into slumber, even at the cost of chaffing her head against the rough wooden desk (as though resting atop sandpaper). She rocked in her chair to ease the numbing sensation of her bottom caused by the equally uncomfortable assigned seat.

The current English lesson was all too familiar to the Kouzuki child- her father brought along several English books from his trip that Kallen read to herself. The vast range of genres she became exposed to were those of adventure like Pleasure Island (the wonderful freedom of pirates and the rather dullard Jimmy gave a contrast) and the mystical slice-of-life of Matilda (the creative use of magic to glue the father's hat to his head and spin the evil principal Trunchbull atop a globe really appealed to the girl).

'I'd certainly give this teacher a good spin if I could do that. What a wicked evil creature she can get,' Kallen convinced herself as she stared at the teacher writing sentences on the dusty old chalkboard. After noticing how little chalk remained in those hands Kallen was sure class would end soon.

Alas, Kallen was forced to relearn the easy and mundane details in such an 'ingbore' way (a new word she created for just the occasion and to chuckle at). She had a talent for forging rather unique words on the spot, especially when thinking about describing powerful bikes and vehicles, or even 'doing a jez' as her mother liked to coin when Kallen messed up. Her habit of chuckling at her creations did not go unnoticed as her fellow peers glanced at her and caught the teacher's attention.

"Kouzuki-chan, do you find something amusing about the phrase: 'I go to park?'" The female teacher growled in annoyance towards the student, her menace known from the gritting of her teeth and the dismissive way her hands arched to her hips.

Miss 'Whatshername' (the most Kallen could remember) was truly a witch to the girl's eyes. Kallen was convinced that this curse of a person was responsible for spiriting away her favorite teacher. The true teacher in her mind was the assistant foreign tutor Mr. Bellington, who genuinely knew, wrote, and taught proper English (hailing from England after all).

Rather from the southern part of Wales, he explained in detail. He always encouraged the students to thoroughly engage in the language as much as possible due to its predominance in the world. Kallen managed to grasp the concepts to a high degree: able to chat well with her friends, discuss different topics with other teachers, and not confuse the "L" and "R" letters in the way her classmates tended to (and of course not sound goofy with an acute accent).

In fact, in recognition of her achievements Mr. Bellington identified her as a natural at the English language and went out of his way to praise her every day.

'Heh, just shows how much better a student I am compared to these fools.'

However after some controversial circumstances arose, the school was apparently forced to fire him to save face. In his absence remained the primary teacher who probably would not last long herself.

To say she was sickly would be an understatement: rather chubby chapped lips, thin and stray hair that came across like a poor wig which trailed wildly down her back, a regular sized sweater that looked gargantuan around her figure, wrinkly and eerie skin that seemed decomposed and ready to rot, and a white stained bandana. She became more prone to show up for class after Mr. Bellington's dismissal while still attending her 'treatments' as necessary (something about an exchange program… thingy).

The teacher exhumed maliciousness at each glance. Kallen could feel those tiny beady grey pupils staring at her when the teacher walked by the desk. The same sensation always arose even when Kallen had to approach her desk to retrieve her marks. She assumed that glare was shared between all her peers, but something about the sincere glower conveyed some hint of resentment towards the red head.

By the time Kallen returned back from her thoughts, she realized that the entire classroom was staring at her, though thankfully the tinkering sympathy emitted by her neighbor Haruna-chan eased the awkwardness. To resolve the problem Kallen merely shook her head in refusal to admit what she really wanted to say: the correct phrase was 'I want to go to the park.'

"I thought so Kouzuki-chan, just because yo- *COUGH COUGH COUGH* *WHEEZE*"

The teacher suddenly burst into a coughing fit, causing her to reach for the accessible handkerchief attached at her hip. The nasty bout carried on for several minutes, leaving the teacher with watery eyes. Even from a distance the students could see the hints of splattered red on the fabric. The sight raised concerns from the Class President who stood up hesitantly, but was waived off once the teacher regained her composure.

'Just what does she have against me?' Kallen questioned to herself, waving off the scene without concern. 'I always get the top marks in this class and I'm never late. I even deal with these losers without making a scene. Not to mention I do my cleaning duties on time and don't make excuses. Just… why?'

Kallen even endured the snide remarks made once in a while commenting how 'she speaks Japanese well… for a foreigner.' That her hair looks too flamboyant for the east and that she's accustomed well to chopsticks instead of silverware.

"What do I have to do to prove myself around here? I feel like the ugly duckling in the tales Ka-chan taught me when I was younger," Kallen whimpered in her melancholy.

"Anyways Kouzuki-chan, take your seat so we may resume our lesson,' the teacher remarked then turned her back to the class. Without rebuttal or apology, Kallen silently sat back down.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Kallen eagerly counted down the remaining seconds until-

*DING DING DING DING*

'YES, finally I'm free!' Kallen declared in rambunctious mental victory as she rushed out of her seat. In her vibrant effort, she accidentally caused her pencil case to spill over and scatter its content across the floor. The act caused her classmates to chuckle in response. Kallen quickly bent down to gather the items in her fluster; of course no one else offered to help while they catered to their own items and left the classroom. Her hand reached for a bundle of pencils-

*SNAP* *CRACK* *POP*

Kallen stared in horror as her several of her favorite pencils smashed into bits below a pair of uwabaki slippers that belonged to one of her classmates. She quickly reeled in her 30cm ruler before that also became a victim.

"Oooooh, sorry about that Kouzuki-chan~. I didn't me~an to mess up your pencils," the classmate teased through his nasally tone. Kallen forced herself to look up at the sluggish lad scratching his nose and licking his lips.

She remembered the snot kid well from the first week of the school year, when he spilt her milk at the cafeteria. Then he had the actual nerve to run his hand through her hair then ruffle it up. She reacted of course in the best manner she knew: by grabbing his shirt and launching a haymaker to the abdomen, a fine blow worth being sent to the headmaster's office. She remembered how distinct the kid was by his lengthy droopy ears and the hairy mole stuck under his chin while he sat there crying during her lecture. Kallen's father ended up having to write some manner of letter to the kid's parents that showed some high figures, but she didn't understand that well. Afterward she learned that the boy had a sort of stomach condition and went into shock from the blow. 'Served him right,' she admitted back then after she apologized and bowed her head in front of the class afterwards. Surely the boy still held a grudge from then.

"You did this on purpose," Kallen sneered underneath her breath, not wanting to raise her voice and cause another incident. Instead she kept her eyes locked to the feet as they happily grounded into her crayons. He enjoyed the attention she gave him based on the fact he carried on the torture, even hopping in place claiming he was trying to move away.

The rest of the classmates inside the room dared not to intervene, instead averting their gaze or covering their mouths to whisper. The tension loomed in its heavy weight as the silence grew, as though the mere mention of the situation could raise a graveyard. Aggravated by it all, Kallen hastened to pile up her destroyed utensils and leave the room. She refused to speak and kept her head down as she rushed passed the bystanders. She hoped her short hair drifted low enough to spare her from having others notice she was on the brink of crying. She was prepared to close her ears after hearing the lingering trails of whispers and gossip spewing from the huddled cliques outside. How they tormented her with their snide expressions and concealed laughter.

No one comforted her, not even the likable Haruna-chan tried to lend a hand as she looked on without remorse. The portrait of her retreating figure betrayed her memory of the nice, curly chestnut haired girl who let Kallen comb her on occasion, and was the first to approach Kallen on their first day (exclaiming happily to her "Look at you! What a cutie with that delightful hair!" as she bounced around in glee). The same friend who sat with her at lunchtime, shared her nice delicious bento every day, and made Kallen's day with the always-present Miss Sunshine demeanor.

Alone, Kallen shifted anxiously under the weight of the pressure, desperate for that same person to come to her rescue. "Please," she whimpered out as her hands clamped the front of her skirt and legs rubbed together. She so wanted to run to her and take her hands to feel wanted.

"Please!" Kallen cried out as she fingers pulled at the hems and waited for that one person.

No one came.

After catching her elated breath and the tension started to dissipate, she killed off her emotions and decided to leave school for the day. Betraying the mood she felt, the clouds above began to part and the sun shined on at the scene. Kallen quickly took out her shoes and replaced them with the assigned sandals.

Not eager to give anyone else the satisfaction of seeing her wounded, Kallen walked out of the entrance and turned to the class's window. A sudden gust of wind caught against her skirt but she dismissed the breeze and carried on with her walk. The image of Haruna-chan's smile came and gone from her mind at that moment.

"Coward."

"Urrrrrgh, this humidity is unbearable! Why did the gods make today so hot?!" Kallen screamed out. The sun was out in full bloom meaning that the scorching heat of summer arrived. The vibrant sensation drove away the gloom and murky nature of the morning's climate and awoke Kallen's thirst. To satisfy this, she purchased an ever-so-sweet lemon ice tea from a vendor to cool off. The item was just the remedy needed to offset the sweat she built up. The brand in her hand was her favorite of all the beverages offered in the city: Hallo Kitty (or as Onii-chan liked to call it: Shitty Kitty).

'I remember how Ka-chan clipped him by the ear for that remark,' Kallen jested in thought and earned a quick grin for the first time that day.

On the side, she wondered just why vending machines often carried such… weird items, to say the least. The worst offense she found one time as a vending machine offering underpants, just before Ka-chan covered her eyes and forbade her from venturing close to them in the future. The curiosity was short-lived as she finished her drink and quenched her thirst. She used her sleeve to wipe the hard-earned seat from her brow as she stared up at the sun.

Kallen loved the rejuvenating sensation that connected her body to the sun, as though the light transferred energy over time. The feeling made her feel she could take on the entire world. With the refreshment obtained, she paced herself onward towards Inokashira Park, a nice shortcut along the way (so she may hurry to show off her good work at earning 95% on her recent English test).

"Yay, all that self-studying and badgering Onii-chan had finally paid off! Oh and of course thank you to the almighty Kamen Riders! Sheeeen!" Kallen ready struck a pose with her arms as she jogged.

"Keeeee~ I just love how the riders vrrrrooom! Around on their bikes! So glistening and heroic! Fight against bad guys in the name of justice! Bam bam bam!" Kallen struck a punch outward towards an unseen enemy and laughed in joy. "One day I'll have my own bike when I grow up!"

She could already imagine its majestic view: naturally red (ironically her favorite color), armed to the max with auxiliary rockets that could reach the moon, full throttle capabilities with a huge 2294cc triple's 163 lb/ft torque power, and completely layered in neon lighting to illustrate her 'mighty-nous'. That powerhouse of an authentic Suzuki model vehicle was exactly what she wanted, shown on one of the monthly magazine's she subscribed to. In other words: "sooo cooolllll!"

"Vrooom Vrooom! I got you now, Battie fangire! Now I shall break my chains of destiny! Bwa ha ha ha!" Kallen moved into action to fight the evil Battie, confusing her ongoing audience around her as she threw fists and kicks at no one particular.

Overhead she noticed the local museum she was about to pass. She recalled the one time that Ka-chan and Onii-chan brought her there years ago when they first moved from Shinjuku to Mikata. The move having something to do with how Ka-chan disliked the amount of funny-looking guys with tattoos around and later acquired the land where they had lived. She mentioned something about raised local taxes as well, or some other political matter that impacted their situation, so they never returned. Somewhere around that time was also when people began to give her the strange and disgusted looks and distanced themselves from her family.

The sullen memory caused Kallen to slow her pace and frown at the site.

'I don't understand why I keep getting those strange looks… I even get it at school every once in a while. On the subway, I see those glances from the people in suits and the women cover their mouths and gossip,' Kallen groaned at her internal turmoil, dropping her head to look at her feet. Her fingers tightened around her backpack's straps, causing her knuckles and fingers to bleach white. Realizing she drifted into such a bad mood again, she focused on that one happy moment while at the museum.

'Oh oh! I remember going weeeee down the cat mobile and slammed right into Papa's face!' Kallen recovered with a chuckle and she waived to the fancy giant robot atop the museum (a certain icon from a popular series) and she resumed her walk. Even to that day she could not believe how tall that status was nor how profound its characteristics were: such interesting cyclic eyes that appeared to be rusting from age and an interesting sigil branded on its chest. Kallen never learned to understand what it meant, nor did it seem to relate to any symbols she remembered. It was shaped as an oval circle with lines that stretched overhead and below it thrice. The way the emblem glistened made Kallen believe it could have been alive at that moment. After giving into the awe of the view, she gave the statue a quick wave then started to skip along the stone pathway through the park.

Kallen loved how tranquil and serine this park had remained despite foretold events. How event the elderly could come out, play tennis, and walk slowly hand-in-hand with their grandchildren as though nothing could happen. Eventually Kallen exited the park after a jogging distance and crossed the busy road (obeying traffic signs of course), though she hesitated along with way after spotting several military styled trucks transporting long tubes (similar to rockets). At their sides jogged armed soldiers who kept vigilant of their surroundings.

One particular soldier stood out to the young girl because of the great balding spot and a similar goatee fashioned on his chin like her father (though his was black). He must have been the overseer due to the fact that he attended to several maps and pointed to soldiers with verbal directions. Despite the distance between them the soldier noticed and recognized Kallen and offered a salute and wave. Kallen blushed slightly at the recognition and gave a slight courtesy. Not eager to cause a scene though, she went along her way.

The scene reminded Kallen of the recent news reports that came in that morning, indicating increased tensions between Japan and the Chinese Federation. The news indicated that patrols would increase along the Japanese coastlines and spread out to the neighboring islands where skirmishes occur time and again.

Before Kallen could return home, she needed to visit the health center where her mother worked. Every time she stopped by, she was reminded how the place became a shell of its former self: sever leakage from its gutters, very visible and prominent cracks along its walls, random visitors and rather delinquent looking at that, and the rough dried graffiti splattered across its banners that read in Kanji 'Japan for the Japanese.' Kallen frowned at those very words since they were the sole embodiment of the ridicule she suffered that day. Her nerves flared up inside her as the fear and anxiety boiled in her skin.

'I'm just as Japanese as anyone else here… I am… I know I am.'

After steeling her nerves once more, she moved into the building. She recalled snippets of details that her mother described to her on a curious day: the building remained as a relic to the design architect project carried out in the 1950's during the Kururugi Administration at the time, in order to rebuild Japan after the Great War.

The man charged with overseeing the project was Kururugi Tendo, the uncle to the current Prime Minister Kururugi Genbu. His main focus was to build cheap, affordable housing for the public facilities that spanned across the urban areas; their purpose was to help the poor Japanese who struggled to recover and rebuild after the war, and to fund such accommodations.

Such development and production occurred during the fall of Emperor Yoshimoto's reign, a tragic era that ended in him and his cabinet committing Seppuku to avoid capture and face tribunal in Britannian courts. With the Emperor's demise, the standard caste system in place since the Tokugawa era became obsolete and abolished. In its place birthed the Republic of Japan and an introduction to democracy, led by the Diet government who took the forefront of-

'BOOOOORRRING!'

Kallen allowed that word to ring through her mind the same way she'd say it to Manaka-san during his lectures. Instead of cramming such irrelevant information into her mind, she chose to instead learn making shirts, skirts, and all the sort of girlish stuff expected of her. Such a decision turned out very profitable since Onii-chan required the knowledge to pass his high school exams. She still didn't see the reason to know such history despite how he emphasized that detail will allow her to excel later in life.

"Psssh, suuure it will! As if any of these tidbitsy of information are going to interest any but the old men or that spotty-looking bid with bad teeth at school. Tch, nasty nose picker," Kallen muttered in observance after thinking of the kid.

The moment she entered the building, her senses were assaulted by the moldy smell in the air: a mixture of sterilization and the potency of fresh and old vomit littered in the trash cans. Baby cries echoed through the halls along with the adamant creaking of rocking chairs by their mothers. The scene was a sorrowful site, as the women had to endure back pain in those decrepit wooden chairs that lacked supporting stool bits. An analog TV played in the background though only snippets of audio and static came out. Beyond those constant noises were the random shouts of orders and conversations from darting nurses who tended to their patients or prepared medicine on doctor's instructions.

Kallen felt the rumble from her stomach caused by the overbearing offense of the smells, and she fought against the urge to spew her lunch. With summoned strength, she managed over to the reception desk and stood on tiptoe to ring the small metallic bell.

*DING*

…No response.

*DING DING DING DING DING*-

"Kouzuki, how many times do I have to tell you that bell isn't a toy?!" A sudden firm hand slammed atop the girl's hand to cease the incessant ringing. The hand's owner, a residential nurse, sighed with a serious frown at Kallen as though the lesson would never be learned.

In recognition of her error, Kallen pulled her hand back and tilted her head aside to present an earnest sheepish smile. She used her right leg to rub against her left as though to present a sincere apology.

"Sorry~, I forgot~."

Needless to say, the nurse was not amused. Instead she shook her head in exasperation and carried on with her duty. "Your mother is busy dealing with some matters at the moment. Why don't you go sit down and wait patiently for her. AND do NOT disturb the other patients," the nurse brusquely demanded before she darted off towards a nearby patient room.

Unwilling to cause more of a fuss at this point, Kallen obeyed and drifted over to a spare seat opposite of the room. She shifted through the reading material scattered on a broken table to occupy her time: a music-oriented magazine featuring young Enomoto Saki playing a violin; the national Japan Times newspaper featuring an article about the ex-Prime Minister Yoshino Hironori (whom had been itching for a comeback after his service from 2002-2006 to deal with negotiation talks with Britannia); a martial arts magazine.

Kallen easily collected the last magazine and skimmed through the main article. The article depicted the discipline of Shitou-ryuu style martial arts described by Shinozaki Gennosuke, focusing specifically on the five rules of defense known as the tenants of that discipline. Kallen's eyes grew wide as the surname sunk into her brain.

'Oh, that academy! I remember how Onii-chan's face lit up when we passed by it back in Odawara to Fuji 2 years ago…. Wow, it's been a long time since we did something as a family,' Kallen felt her melancholy return at the thought accompanied by her quivering lip. Only the 3 of them were able to visit that place because her father had business matters (how Ka-chan had to embrace a sad smile when she told her daughter the news).

Once more trying to remove those negative thoughts, Kallen allowed her sights to drift elsewhere to land on the pregnant woman who sat a row down. Kallen was caught by surprise- the woman did not appear Japanese at all. Her skin appeared much more brown and tanned despite how her eyes were slanted quite similar. Her clothes suggested she came from a foreign land due to the heavier darker hues and softer fabric. The dead giveaway derived from the silver cross that hung from her neck. Kallen recalled reading somewhere that Christians were very particular in carrying such a sentimental item for their religion.

The foreigner noticed that the young girl was examining her, thus turned and gave a soft smile. Kallen felt sorry for the pregnant lady, considering she must be in agony sitting in that uncomfortable chair and holding her stomach up. Just then, she realized that there was a scarred brand marked on her upper left bicep.

Kallen did not know the significance of this mark at the time, thinking it may have been just a recent fad in foreign society. The image appeared still fresh and the ink quite vibrant for a tattoo. The prominent piece of the mark was a trinity of intersected crosses that formed an incomplete crosshair. On the sides hovered the letters "B E C" spaced between the crosses along with several intricate swerves and serifs.

Kallen was unfamiliar with its decoration thus wondered why she would have such a permanent fixture. The woman covered the image as soon as she realized it was being scrutinized, obviously worried about others seeing the mark by the time she scanned the room around them. Thankfully no one else seemed to care (mostly old women too busy caring about their walking sticks).

'It's not like she's gonna be treated like an alien,' Kallen pointed out to herself because they were resting at a public hospital. Unintentionally, she picked up on the ramblings of 2 older women in the corner.

"Tch, the neighborhood is really going to the grinder these days. Can you believe the prices they charge now for my back pain medication? When I was young they gave it out free, and you didn't have to have insurance for it," the first lady complained in a rather gravelly hoarse tone as though she's consumed thousands of cigarettes in her lifespan.

"You're tellin' me, every day I keep seein' more and more stories on the news 'bout people coming over across the pond. Speech after speech from that Kururugi-sama on our military and that convoluted drama with the Chinks over the fake islands. Not to mention dem continued rollin' blackouts at night. I cannot 'member the last time I was able to go out for a nice walk after dark. It just never ends I tell ya," the second woman wheezed out just after she breathed her words in a seemingly single sentence, and then took an inhale through her oxygen mask.

"By the way, did you hear about that killing at the local high school? The boy who was sleeping around and cheating on his girlfriend?"

Kallen's eyes burst open at the mention of the incident that became such hot news on the local media stations. She was curious to know what else had been heard.

"How could ya not hear it? It was all over da news last week; I heard the boy been pressuring the girlfriend to go to the hospital to check if she were pregnant. Not wantin' to do that, she went over to his apartment, waited for him to boil the teapot then-"

Kallen leaned in to listen for more detail, but the older women cupped their hands and whispered into each other's ear. Then the first one burst into a gasp.

"My goodness! Youth these days in our country. Is this what our ancestors fought for? To see them resort to such promiscuous, cruel brutality? Jeez, just like with that Burakumin lad many years ago who stabbed the Hiroshima woman to death… You know what they say: the violent spark always starts at the bottom rung of society."

"Oh, it gets better too. Afterward-"

Again, the two curled into one another and whispered secret knowledge between the two.

"Good Lord! What sort of person does that?! I hope they lobotomize the silly girl!"

"Oh don't worry; her rather wealthy family might just place her in a sanitarium from what I heard from my niece workin' in that sector. There's talk of havin' the boat destroyed too. What a shame, it's rather nice boat from the pictures over the news," the second one claimed before reaching for her oxygen mask.

"Well, that shows just how gruesome love can be to the poor unfortunate souls. Don't you think so, sweetie?" The first woman directed her offhanded comment to the young girl, noticing how they were being eavesdropped. Kallen was frozen to respond to the question, the very sight of these nasty looking witches causing her mouth to refuse a word. Their long grey hair hid the critical eyes that watched over her, but the sensation was known through the wide smirk that crumbled across their wrinkled faces.

"Best be careful whom ya fall in love with, child. Ya never know what they might do to ya, HEHEHEHEH~," the latter woman cackled before going into a coughing fit.

Instead of indulging in the topic, Kallen turned her head towards the TV, using her focus and breathing to ease out of the tension and relax once more (already on the verge of crying again that day). If only there was a bed she could crawl into and isolate herself from the world at that moment…

'Why do they have to say such nasty things about love…? What do they know about love?'

"Oh lookie, here's Prime Minister Kururugi goin' off about 'nother speech again," the elder woman gnarled out from behind her mask.

Kallen once more focused on the TV just as a live broadcast came on. At the podium stood the Last Samurai of the era in all his military glory (paraded in a formal, sharp uniform): Kururugi Genbu. He appeared before the Diet Government building located near the capital, flanked by a group of persons that appeared just as valiant as the man himself. To his left stood a skinny fellow with long black hair, a pointy chin, and large glasses that gave off a nerdy appeal. To his right flanked a white-haired militant who stood at attention without moving a single muscle. Behind Genbu lurked a rather older fellow who was bent over a cane dressed loosely in an elegant kimono. These operators were surrounded in a circle by even more intimidating mass of armed military guards and beyond that were the very scary mass of media coverages and agents prepared for the speech.

Kallen was completely engulfed in the image of Genbu, a man who exhumed confidence and honor like no other. His face remained so calm and refused to offer fear or regret. She found herself learning over her chair to listen to the dialogue thoroughly.

{"People of Japan. Today, in accordance with the Federation of China's Empress Tianzi and the Europa United Council of Forty, we announce our decision in response to the Britannian violation of the Tibet convention, annexing of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula, and continued aggression against the African continent. Today, we shall henceforth begin a blockade against the ports of Britannia with our mighty fleet, and we shall continue to do so until they meet us at the negotiation table to determine proper and adequate sakuradite trade as well as cease on all war campaigns,"} Prime Minister Kururugi bellowed out in a demanding tone emphasized by his swaying hands. The passion behind his movements conveyed at each point.

{"This aggression shall not stand! We, the military of Japan, will resort to force to rebel against this terror. Not only to protect ourselves, but the people of Asia as need be! We are the protectors and the leaders of the Asian race. We are the defenders from and deifiers of the corrupt bourgeois and aristocracy of the Pax Britannia. The Land of the Rising Sun does not beget to such facets. We must rise in firm action instead of taking the time to think and consider beliefs, especially in the face of a major threat against our homes and the Japanese spirit!"}

Genbu took a moment to pause at the right time, allowing his words to sink in to his intended audience. His eyes motioned over to an unseen person off screen, but quickly returned focus on the camera. Kallen had to press her hands against her chest to still her pacing heart; she was utterly in awe by his words and motivations. She knew she was not the only one captivated by those words, noted by how the other nurses and doctors stopped in their place to listen.

{"I promise you that the world will view Japan as a united entity that does not tolerate threats against our glory, our economic strive, our culture- our way of life! From the bottom of my heart I plead to you, Japan, to stand with me against this threat to our land. I shall not rest my sword until this duty is carried out and our enemy is no more! I will fight to the last man to guard our glorious nation from those who seek its death! NIPPON BANZAI!"} In summation, Genbu raised his katana up to the sky to show Japanese tenacity and strength.

At those last words, Kallen quickly began clapping and smiling at the marvel of that declaration. She found herself bouncing on her seat in great excitement- at the pride and strength of the will of their leader. Japan might as well exist on cloud nine to the little girl so swelled in patriotism…

However, once she looked around at the rest of the audience, her joy was immediately dissipated. The old women merely waived their dismissing hands at it all, and the faculty staff either did not react, gave a shrug, or carried on as though the event did not happen.

"Psh, I heard better than that from a toddler. That's the same old spew he's been saying for years now! Not like it takes more than a few measly words to rile up the youth nowadays. That's the same bewitching attitude that took my son into the last war we fought. I mean damn it, I couldn't even bury his bones at my family's shrine! Not a bit was left from the explosion that took his life in Shanghai! Curse the gods and all the Sumeragi and Kururugi who made us go to war in the first place!" The first woman wailed out then spit towards the TV. Kallen was too shocked and appalled at those words that she didn't know how to react.

'No… No, she's wrong! Genbu-sama will lead us to glory! I know he will! I know it!'

In the middle of her concentration Kallen failed to notice when the pregnant tanned woman burst into a sob and ran off to the bathroom.

"My my, wonder if that Filipino woman had any family in her homeland? There's 'nough bad rumors goin' around about there. I wonder it will hold when dem disgusting Chinks send that massive navy against it? Should have never became a Britannian area decade ago. My late husband certainly 'membered fightin' them at the capital under General Tojo during the great war," the second woman added on while watching the retreating figure.

Kallen did not get a moment to think about the situation before a loud random shout roared from a nearby room down the hall. The only coherent words that could be distinguished were "baka" and "kusho." After a few more seconds of spurt curses, a door slammed shut followed by a swarm of people that exited that room. Kallen knew several of the people who were a part of that group. Specifically she made out the voluptuous frame of Tamaki Kiyoshi (whom she knew through her sons Shin'ichirou and Masa who enjoyed a whacking from her special rolling pin many times in life), Ohgi Katsume, and her son Katsume whom she was nagging to along their exit.

Katsume was merited only a second to share a soft smile before he was pulled by the ear in their haste. Kallen returned the favor since she liked him a lot; he acted like a second brother to her, considering he always was around Onii-chan and gave tips on how to complete math problems (he did want to be a primary school teacher after all, inspired by the savory feeling of helping kids learn).

Who she did not expect was her brother at the end of the procession, his hand tending to his temple while his other hand was tightly clenched at his side. She heard a loud sigh blow through his lips as he passed, and he did not even bother to acknowledge her presence.

'Onii-chan? I haven't seen him that angry since his birthday last year. When Papa didn't show up, he ended up throwing the cake we made against the wall.'

After those people left the building, Kallen spurt towards the room to determine what occurred. She was surprised to see that Ka-chan was sprawled against the back wall of the room in her white nurse uniform. Her long hair was tied in a bun to fit beneath her nurse cap. Her hands held her head up as she shook, as though unable to cope with whatever occurred just earlier.

Kallen rushed up to her mother and eased down beside her. Her hands gripped her backpack tightly in fear of the worst. "Ka-Chan, what's going on? Why were Onii-chan and everyone else coming out of this room? Was there a fight?"

Her mother realized that she was no longer alone in the room and tried to feint recovery. She looked at her daughter then quickly pulled herself up and closed the door behind them for privacy. Her hands refused to let go of the doorknob as though someone would break down the door. She rushed to collect her thoughts while she stared at the ground. Taking a deep breath, she brought her hands to her hair and straightened out loose ends (trying to hide the fact she just wiped away water from her eyes). Unfortunately the act caused her mascara to smear a bit in its wake.

"Oh th-that was nothing dear- just a minor dispute between us. You know how grownups need to talk things out every once in a while. Of course that's just like your Kiyoshi-obaasan and Katsura-obaasan to act like that during business hours. Just got to make a fuss out of nothing, right?" Mizuki forced a smile while her fingers twirled into a few long bangs broke free from their bun. Kallen felt her concern grow at the act, especially how her eyes blinked far more often than usual. Kallen was not convinced.

'Ka-chan…. You always blink your eyes or twirl your hair when you have to lie… Why won't you tell me what's going on?' Kallen wanted to give her usual expression that wanted to know the truth, something she wanted to show all day, but refrained from doing so.

Mizuki caught on the act before Kallen could consider it, and walked over to Kallen to pat her on the head. Afterward, she took a moment to lean against the bed corner in that tight room. She used her knees to drop down to her daughter's height, and then pulled out a handkerchief to dab against Kallen's cheeks. After softening those cheeks she rubbed her free hand through the girl's hair with soft affection (easy not to rile it as her daughter was picky about people touching her hair).

"How about this Kallen, when we get home… I'll tell you everything? About what's happening since this matter concerns our family's future… Alright? I'll also tell you about Papa," Mizuki promised through her similar strained smile. Despite her concerns and knowing that her mother will never reveal the truth of everything, Kallen simply nodded.

Mizuki placed a small kiss on her daughter's forehead in reward for cheering her up. The nurse stood up once more then straightened her uniform that scrunched up from earlier. She walked over to the sink to clean up the smudges that built around her eyes.

"I'm just about done with my shift now anyways. Oh I know, how about we go buy your favorite natto beans for Korean BBQ? I'm planning on making those tonight along with your favorite crepes mixed with strawberries, chocolate, and whipped cream on top. How does that sound?" This time around, the smile Mizuki gave was genuine.

In response Kallen closed her eyes and grinned like a mad man at the prospect of eating her favorite dessert. She was only permitted to have them during festivals or by scoring highly on her exams (using the valid excuse she only buys them during earnest moments, not to spoil nor fatten her child).

"Good. First though, I need to visit a patient of mine before we can leave; Yamazaki-san needs to get their medication otherwise there will be trouble later on," Mizuki remarked just as she opened a nearby medicine cabinet in search for the required pills.

Out of curiosity of the items inside, Kallen snuck up on tiptoes to inspect the capsules. They were a collection of strange shapes and colors. She noted one mentioned antipsychotics, another abbreviated as 'BPD' (not known to Kallen), and many more of peculiar letters.

"Hey Ka-chan, why do you need to take so many pills with you?" Her question was innocent and easy enough, however Mizuki refrained from neither giving an answer nor looking to her. Kallen remembered one time that Ka-chan advised that getting the assortment or amount wrong could cause severe repercussions in the body due to possible overdose or anti-immunize-something.

"Sigh," was the only thing spoken in that room after the question, and Mizuki ran her fingers through her hair as though concocting some answer. Finally, she spoke.

"Because this patience of mine is very… complicated… in the issues affecting him and his associates. Just please remain quiet for a moment while Mommy does her work," Mizuki reprimanded in curt before she resumed her task. Moments past between her placing the pills in assigned tubes and completing forms and prescription pads to quantify the items. Once done, she gathered the belongings scattered through the room into her handbag, then took her favorite scarf made by her sister and wrapped it around her neck. After settling the scarf in place, she pulled on her nice coat that her husband bought, then followed up with a necklace presented on her birthday (as penance for his absence).

Just as Mizuki took her daughter by the hand and guided her out of the room and down the hall, the two elderly women from earlier began to comment aloud.

"Well look at that nurse there with all her fancy decoration. She must be SO lucky to have a Britannian to spoil her," snarled the first elderly who was fanning at herself in a sarcastic manner. The second woman merely scuffed and covered her mouth with her hand to suppress a laugh. However, Mizuki would not allow that to simply pass by without reprimand. Her eyes shot cold glares towards the two as though to dare them to say that once more. Only silence followed.

Kallen gave a wonderful smile and a chuckle at the scene, glad to finally win a situation for the day. Mizuki eased out of the sneer and gave a smile, though this one was catered towards the Filipino woman who had returned to her position. In turn, she gave her own genuine smile.

After ensuring her message came across strict and clear, Mizuki took her daughter by the hand and led her out of the health center so they may go shopping at the local Lawson's Store. Of course, as promised, Mizuki would afterwards take Kallen to the local Crepe store to purchase her favorite dessert.

A/N: Quite a few shout outs in this chapter to real life places and also some VN's. With one being a shoutout to my mate Eurobeatjester, the writer of the Katawa Shoujo fic Learning to Fly.