Part 8: Saemonza

Mito, Ibaraki

Four months earlier

"So… that's the deal?"

Saemonza sat at a desk in her doctor's office, looking over her latest MRI results.

"I'm afraid so." Doctor Musashi said. "Despite your surgeon's efforts, and your diligence, the infection isn't going away." Saemonza looked down at the image in her hands. The scarring to her left eye could be seen, surrounded by a white cloud gradually trickling backwards. "It has built up a resistance to your current antibiotic dosage, which is also preventing your eye from healing."

"This is why it hurts so much?"

"Yes. It appears to be spreading as well. If we don't act, soon, it will spread into your bloodstream. Or into your brain… and kill you."

Kiyomi poured over the picture again. "But… I need both of my eyes. As a tank gunner. According to the Sensha-do Federation rules, Gunners need both eyes for proper depth perception and sight accuracy."

Musashi sighed. "Well, that's the choice you'll have to make. You're still quite young, Sugiyama-sama. Do you want to stay a Gunner for a few more months? Or keep your life?"

Saemonza's head shot up. "A few months?!"

"Compared to the last image we took, yes. At this rate, I would estimate you have about two months before the infection destroys what's left of your eye and begins to spread. Four at the very most. If we act now, the ocular muscle could be saved, and the prosthetic procedure will go much smoother. That, and we can eliminate your pain, and the possibility of the infection returning."

"Why couldn't we up the dosage?"

"That could buy you time, but it won't stop the progression. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as too much antibiotics. If your dosage goes much higher, it will damage your bone marrow, and disrupt your body's ability to make more blood cells. Removal is your only option at this point."

The Gunner looked back down and sighed, racking her brain for a solution. There had to be a way to get past the red tape.

There simply had to be.

"Is there… any exceptions that could be made?" Dr. Musashi asked after a moment. "From what you've told me, a friend of yours has a similar issue."

Saemonza grinned, an idea popping into her head.

"Could I have a few days to… think this over? Maybe talk to some people?"

The Doctor nodded. "Of course. This is a serious decision to make. How about you mull it over, and call the office on Friday with your conclusion. Whatever it is, we'll honor it. You have the right to refuse further treatment entirely, should you wish. I'll write you a prescription for some higher strength painkillers in the meantime."

Saemonza nodded, closing the envelope and standing up. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll return on Friday with my decision."

The next day

Ooarai City, Ibaraki

"So, Sugiyama-san." Kawashima Momo said after a moment, idly swirling her bottle of soda. "So far, we've walked miles around this town and exhausted every topic under the sun. You've met my family, and told me all about yours, but I have a feeling there's something else you wanted to talk about."

Saemonza picked at her Sanada band patch, pulling the chopsticks out of her mouth and chewing through a sushi roll. She and Kawashima had never really conversed much in the past, though the day had revealed the serious and short-tempered PR Manager's softer family side. Saemonza found out that she had four younger siblings who she helped raise outside of school. The three girls and one boy were in the other room with their mother, watching cartoons on a small television, after harassing their big sister and her friend for the better part of an hour.

Swallowing, she hesitantly nodded.

"Yes there is, Kawashima-san. I hate to impose like this, but I need a serious favor." The Hippo Gunner reached into her backpack and produced a large envelope. "I've been speaking to a doctor. Privately. About my eye? It's not getting any better." She slid the envelope across the table, and Momo curiously opened it. "In fact, things are getting worse."

Kawashima pulled one of the x-ray images out, holding it up to the overhead light and adjusting her monocle.

"My eye has become infected, and it isn't healing. It has to be removed, or it could kill me."

Momo looked down at her guest with a mildly surprised expression. Saemonza slipped her hairband to the side and revealed her damaged eye. It was cloudy, dull, and bloodshot, with noticeable cuts in the iris and pupil. Kawashima nodded sympathetically.

"You know what that means, right?"

"Yes. Which is why I'm here."

"You could and probably will lose your position as Hippo's Gunner."

"It's either that, or I have two months to live." Saemonza said, hiding her eye from the painful light again.

Momo sighed and put the x-ray down, trading it for her bottle and taking a sip.

"So why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I know you have a history of… helping fellow students who are in…" Kiyomi twiddled her fingers. "...precarious situations."

Kawashima hummed. "Is that right?" Privately, she wondered who from Donzoko had spoken of her exploits during her first year on the Council. She suspected Flint, or possibly Rum, as they tended to be rather loose-lipped. "Who else knows about this?"

"Just you. I wanted to tell as few people as possible, and only those who can keep things quiet. For as long as necessary, at least. Not even Erwin knows."

"You want to go through with it?"

"Well… I don't want to die."

"Fair enough. So how will this work? Will you need an eye patch? A permanent one? Or will they give you something else?"

"I'll get an acrylic prosthetic. I've seen the pictures from past patients." Saemonza nodded confidently. "The fake eye looks more real than the real one sometimes."

Kawashima took off her monocle and wiped it against her shirt. "According to Federation rules, medical operations conducted on team members must be reported, and Gunners need to have two working eyes, as you stated." The PR Manager gently set her eyeglass back on. "However…" She gingerly slid the image back into the folder. "Commanders and Vice Commanders tend to report such things, and since only one of us knows…" Saemonza smiled hopefully as Momo pushed the envelope back. "Your secret is safe with me, Sugiyama-san."

Present day…

The garage remained silent after Saemonza's explanation concluded. Every girl's gaze was split between her and Kawashima, who stared at each other for a time.

"Momo-chan?" Koyama asked cautiously.

The PR girl quietly nodded. "Saemonza has been hiding it to protect herself from the Federation. As have I."

"Your eye is… fake?" Erwin asked. Kiyomi glanced at her and nodded, surprised to find the Commander with a skeptical expression. Saemonza sighed and pulled open her eyelids, prying the glass prosthetic out with her fingers.

"Eeee!" Karina squealed, shielding her eyes.

"That's so gross!" Ayumi followed up.

"We believe you, Saemonza-senpai!" Aya cried.

"So that's why you kept going ashore all those times…" Caesar mumbled.

The Gunner ignored the squeamish Rabbits, holding out her glass eye for Erwin and Oryou to see. Her good eye locked onto the latter.

"I've made sacrifices, too." She said, slipping the fake eye back into place and blinking a few times.

"I… I'm sorry, Saemonza." Oryou said after a moment. "I… don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, my friend." The Gunner replied softly. "Just accept the fact that you're surrounded by people who love and support you. Teammates and friends… your family… who want to help you. If you let them, things won't be as grim and bleak as they seem." She reached out and laid her hand on Oryou's shoulder. "I guess I could have shown it in a better way, as in other than screaming at you every time we spoke, but I wanted to help. You aren't the only one suffering. You aren't alone."

The Driver nodded after a moment. "Sounds to me like you should take your own advice." Saemonza cocked her head. Oryou grinned. "I mean… had I known we had another cripple on the team, we could be the biggest wonder twins this school has ever seen, Ze yo!"

Saemonza couldn't suppress her laugh, and the two girls shared it for a moment. Behind Nogami, Taka smiled, too. Her 'kind, smiley goofball' was making a return.

"So… what do you say, Oryou? Think we can be friends again?"

Oryou smiled. "I think so. I mean, with scars like those? You're too pretty for me to not like you."

Kiyomi recoiled and shot a glance at Erwin, who shrugged with a sly grin.

"Hey, don't look at me. I tried to warn you."

When Saemonza looked back at her Driver friend, she had her arms open, an invitation for a hug.

An invitation the Gunner happily accepted.

"Wow." President Kadotani said after a moment, munching through a dressing-covered celery stick. "What a twist."