New chapter...enjoy! Blazepanzer does not own Girls und Panzer
She was not having a good day, which wasn't too surprising considering that she was currently squatting on the toilet, growing increasingly frustrated. Come on, why won't you come out you little shit! She growled, not that she'd ever use the word vocally. While she liked to use it mentally when referring to a hard poo so to speak, she knew that it'd result in her mouth being washed out with soap and according to Nova that was awful.
Glaring at the stool, she sighed, and stood up, frowning as a small bit of blood was in the stool. "Nova, get Mom!" she shouted through the door. As he heard her say an okay, she turned back to stare at the blood, panic flooding her dispute the fact that it was a fairly small amount.
Yu came in and frowned. "How long have you been trying to go?" she asked her gently.
"About a half hour. Nova kept asking if I was okay, and..."
"You're not okay," Yu growled, before picking her up.
"Mo...mom!" Hanoashi gasped.
"Relax, I'm going to take you to the ER, father will stay and keep Nova company," Yu urged.
"Could you pull my pants up first?" Hanoashi begged.
"Do it yourself," Yu huffed, setting her down.
Doing so, she let out a groan as her mother picked her up again. "I don't wanna go to the ER," she muttered.
"Tough, you're going," Yu growled, before caring her downstairs.
"Is she going to be alright?" Drake asked worriedly as they passed..
"She'll be fine when she gets it out of her system," Yu muttered darkly. "Well?" she prompted.
"Well what?" Hanoashi snapped.
"Feel free to let out a scream if you want," Yu muttered darkly.
"No, that'd be rude!" Hanoashi hissed.
"Fine, but do so in the car or hospital and you'll get a good grounding when we get back," Yu growled, before carrying her to the car, strapping her into the back seat before practically jumping into the front seat and driving off like a rocket.
"Mom! I'm not dying here!" Hanoashi protested hotly.
"Sorry," Yu apologized, slowing down.
"Thanks,"Hanoashi mused, before glancing down. "What is wrong with me?" she whispered.
"We're about to find out. Don't worry, they'll make it better," Yu promised her.
"Could I be pregnant?" Hanoashi asked jokingly.
"If you are, then I'm a mouse," Yu shook her head, but she let out a small snicker.
"What if I want to be though?" Hanoashi asked.
"Not at your age you don't," Yu growled, before pulling onto the expressway. "Like that's even possible," she muttered under her breath.
"So what is wrong with me," Hanoashi asked, her gaze turning serious.
"Well...you have a really...really bad case of constipation," Yu sighed.
"Constipation?" Hanoashi gasped.
"It's when you can't poop. Normally you could take a laxative for it, but between your age and the fact that you have a bit of blood coming out means that it could be serious," Yu noted. "Tell me what you've eaten in the past three days?"
"Just what you fixed me and the school lunches," Hanoashi shrugged.
"Describe them to me," Yu prompted.
"We usually have curry or soup, two side dishes, usually vegetables or rice and some form of meat or fish, and a slice of cake," Hanoashi noted.
"Hm...that cake might have done it," Yu mused. "But we won't know for sure until the doctors look at it."
"I see...but how could the cake cause this?" Hanoashi asked.
"Well...you'll know if it's that," Yu frowned.
Arriving at the hospital three minutes later, she followed Yu as they went in. "Come this way Miss Katoni, we have the MRI scanner up and purring," one of the doctors met up them them.
"Thanks Medriti," Yu smiled.
"What are cousins for?" Medriti asked.
"Wait...cousins!?" Hanoashi gasped.
"Very...very distant cousin," Yu frowned, following Medriti into the room.
"You don't sound happy to see me," Medriti shook his head.
"You know why, Medriti," Yu growled.
"Come on...we didn't know..." Medriti pouted.
"What's wrong with you two..." Hanoashi sighed in exasperation.
"Well little one," Medriti began.
"Don't even say it," Yu hissed, glaring at him.
"You see..." Medriti's eyes began go glow in mischief.
Hanoashi felt Yu's hand leave hers, and glancing up, she noticed that her mothers hands was over her ears, and her eyes were shut.
"Your mom and I dated for a bit...before we found out that we were cousins," Medriti smirked.
"Maus damn you," Yu hissed.
"What, it wasn't that bad!" Medriti shrugged.
"You stole my first kiss!" Yu hissed.
"No, you kissed me, remember?" Medriti asked.
"Give me a kiss, you kissed the onion picker!" Yu shook her head. "Does that mean nothing to you?" she added.
"Um...what's going on here?" Hanoashi shook her head in confusion here.
"Oh nothing deerie," Yu promised, taking her hand again and walking her to the room, Medriti following.
"It's just how we banter. We broke off our romantic ties once we discovered that we were cousins, but...well...we remain in contact so to speak," Medriti shrugged.
"How come I never met him before?" Hanoashi muttered.
"I've been living on the Pravda Boy's Academy ship for the past...what...seven years now, took a job here just last week," Medriti shrugged. "But I've heard a lot of good things about you little one," he added.
"You have?" Hanoashi gasped.
"According to your mom, you're one of the best, kindest and smartest young ladies she's come across," Medriti grinned.
"Really?" Hanoashi turned to her mother, surprised.
"It's true, for your age you are one of the best. And I'm not saying that because I'm your mother," Yu smiled at her.
"Th...thank you," Hanoashi breathed, slightly taken aback at how her mother had been praising her.
"Though, if you want to keep that ranking you'll need to work hard at it, though I'm sure I don't need to tell you that," Yu warned gently.
"Of course mother," Hanoashi noted with respect. That makes sense, every year...no every month I grow older means that I need to improve just that much more, she added silently.
"We're here...just lay down on this table and we'll begin the MRI scan," Medriti smiled.
"Alright," Hanoashi nodded, glancing at him as she did so. "Now what?" she asked.
"You'll be going inside the tube, and it'll take photos of you...essentially." Medriti explained.
"Photos...why couldn't you do it with a camera?" Hanoashi asked.
"These aren't normal photos deerie," Yu smiled. "I'll...describe them to you later, all you have to do is lie down until we pull you out. You won't even see a flash or anything.
"Alright then," Hanoashi noted. "I'm ready to go into the tube," she breathed.
"Alright then," Medriti noted, flicking a switch which caused the Irish girl to enter the machine as she did so she let out a few rough breaths to calm herself down a bit.
"Are you frightened?" Yu asked softly from the outside.
"A little...but a small part of me likes this kind of...er...it's not exactly fear but..."
"Discomfort?" Medriti mused.
"Yeah," Hanoashi nodded.
"Alright, I'm turning on the machine. Remember to lay perfectly still, alright? It'll only take a few moments."
"Alright then," Hanoashi smiled, as she heard an ever so slight humming. So this is what an MRI scan feels like...she noted to herself. Feels like...nothing? Are they even doing anything...
Relaxing her thoughts, she waited for what seemed like quite a while, though that made sense given that she was doing nothing. It felt as though she was going to grow well into boredom by the time she was pulled out.
"So...when do we know?" Yu asked.
"I've set the timer to an hour for the lab boys. In the meantime, we have a room waiting for you two to sit in.
"Right, we'll head there right away," Yu noted, and before she knew it she had lifted up Hanoashi and began carrying her.
"I can walk Mom," Hanoashi huffed.
"Just shut up and let me have this,"Yu whispered.
"Al...alright Mom," Hanoashi closed her eyes as she was carried into the room and her mother sat her down on the patient bed, before settling herself down in one of the chairs.
"What time of year is it...May right?" Hanoashi recalled.
"May twelfth," Yu nodded.
Hanoashi noticed that her mother looked sad. "Is...everything alright Mom?"
"Just...thinking," Yu sighed.
"About what?" Hanoashi asked.
"I'll...tell you when you get older," Yu promised.
"Why does an hour feel like a long time?" Hanoashi whined.
"Is that whining I hear?" Yu growled sternly.
"Sorry," Hanoashi squeaked, lowering her gaze.
"That's better," Yu nodded, her anger fading.
"How many times have I been brought to the hospital?" Hanoashi asked.
"Hm...you were born in the hospital, so that was the first," Yu shrugged. "And when you were three you and your brother got a very...very mild case of pneumonia."
"Oh yeah...I remember that...just barely though. Brother and I just laid there, watching cartoons while being fed medicine," Hanoashi shook her head. "Didn't taste good, but it worked."
"Thank goodness it did work, Pneumonia is no laughing manner, particularly in kids," Yu sighed.
Just then the doctors came in. "Heavy constipation, we'll need to pull it out," they noted.
"Just as I feared," Yu sighed. "Do it," she added, picking her up and following the ladies to an operation room.
Arriving into the room, Hanoashi found a sort of stock-like machine. "What's this?" she asked not recognizing what it was.
"A bondage device," Yu growled, before shaking her head. "It's the best way to do this procedure, although no one likes it."
"What's bondage?" Hanoashi asked.
"Something that you won't like," Yu noted sternly.
"Yes Mother," Hanoashi shuddered, growing apprehensive.
"Just climb on the table and insert yourself in the device," the doctors ordered.
Doing so, she placed her wrist into the two smaller slots, and her waist into the larger slot. Before she knew what was happening, she felt a needle in her rear, and started screaming.
"Don't touch my butt!" she hissed, glaring behind her.
"Hanoashi...they have to do this," Yu warned in her usual stern tone.
But she ignored it. "Don't you...Ahhhh...wahhh..." Hanoashi screamed and cried.
"Hanoashi Amelia Katoni!" Yu shouted, glaring daggers at her. .
"Mother, no more," Hanoashi cried.
"Now you listen to me right here and now you little brat, if they don't do this then it's only going to get worse and worse until you don't exist in this world anymore," Yu hissed.
"You mean..." Hanoashi shuddered, before gazing down. "I've disappointed you...I won't fuss anymore," she promised.
"Good," Yu nodded, before turning to the doctors. "You may begin, I'm so sorry about the fuss," she apologized.
"Oh don't worry, she's young," the doctor noted as he began taking the necessary equipment and positioning it.
"That's no excuse," Yu muttered.
I'm in for it now huh? Hanoashi froze in fear, but before she could think anything else, she felt something enter her rear, causing her to stiffen, but she didn't resist nor complain. Before long she felt something rubbing up against her rear, and sighed in relief as it stopped after a while. It was very hard to describe so to speak, but with her semi-numb butt it would feel weird.
"Good, it came out fairly easy this time," the doctor sighed, before undoing the stocks.
Hanoashi indignantly pulled her pants up, fighting the urge to glare at the doctor. I never want to do that again! She hissed to herself, but she glanced down. "I'm...sorry I was such a brat back there," she apologized, half meaning every word of it. They were just doing their job...but still...I really...really do not appreciate going through that!
"You're not the worst," the doctor smiled, petting her on the shoulder before turning to Yu. "We'll be prescribing her an antibiotic to be safe, seven days. Also, we'll be investigating the sample, but just from what I could see I suspect I already know the cause."
"I understand," Yu sighed, before grasping her daughter by the hand.
As they walked out of the hospital she finally got the nerve to speak. "I'm being grounded, am I?" she whispered quietly.
"I warned you before, and yet you still acted like a brat," Yu noted sternly.
"What's it like being grounded?" Hanoashi asked.
"Different from family to family. Drake and I decided that it'd be confinement to the guest spare room with nothing but perhaps their school textbooks and any homework, if any apply. Furthermore the boys would wear nothing but boxers and the girls nothing but a one piece bathing suit," Yu noted.
"How long?" Hanoashi asked.
"Just the rest of today and tomorrow," Yu reassured her. "It's your first time, and thus it doesn't need to be too long," she added.
"I understand mother," Hanoashi glanced down. If a day and a half isn't too long, then I'd hate to see how a long grounding feels! Not that this is going to be fun.
As her mother got into the car, Hanoashi had a thought. "Mother?" she began.
"Yes dear," Yu noted.
"What's the worst punishment I could receive?" Hanoashi asked.
"At your age, grounding," Yu noted.
"And when I'm older?" Hanoashi asked.
"While under age, Juvenile. but when you reach the age of sixteen or if the crime is serious enough, prison."
"I think I caught father watching a cops show of a girl getting arrested once. Is...that also a punishment?" Hanoashi asked, shivering a bit at the thought of being placed in handcuffs. They scared her to the core for some reason.
"It is part of going to prison, little one. Usually people who have been arrested go to jail first, and then if it's serious enough to warrant prison time, they...well...go to prison," Yu explained.
"It must not be fun, going to prison," Hanoashi nodded.
"It's a bit like a time out, but lasting for month or years, and it's a lot harsher," Yu explained.
"Have you ever gone?" Hanoashi dared to ask.
"That's normally something you don't ask someone," Yu warned sternly.
"I'm sorry mother," Hanoashi lowered her gaze.
"But to be honest, I've never even been in handcuffs before, let alone prison," Yu shrugged. "But I have seen what it's like and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, expectantly you and Nova," she added.
"Don't worry, I won't go to prison," Hanoashi promised.
"As long as you obey the laws, you don't have to worry about it," Yu smiled at her indulgently.
"Do people go to prison on accident?" Hanoashi dared to ask.
"Sometimes, it's rare in Japan...but unfortunately it might become a bit more common in the future," Yu sighed.
"Why's that?" Hanoashi asked.
"The courts are getting sloppy when it comes to accusations made by ex-police and military. It's hard to say if these accusations are true or false, but if the elders of this nation refuse to demand more strict evidence in such cases, then the court's favoritism for the vets are going to get innocent people in prison," Yu sighed.
"That's terrible!" Hanoashi gasped.
"Not all vets are like that, most of them just served our nation and want to return and live their own lives. Some open businesses, and some start families, just like ours," Yu noted gently, before sighing. "It's a few bad eggs that are the issue," she added.
"Bad eggs?" Hanoashi tipped her head. What's that?
"It's a phrase meaning that only a few people or items are causing an issue for other folks. Comes from the fact that in an egg carton, most if not all but one of the eggs can be perfectly fine in and of themselves but that one bad egg can cause a rather unpleasing stench. If that wasn't enough to make the eggs uneatable, then it might also carry a disease." Yu explained.
"I see," Hanoashi noted.
"To be fair, going back to the vets, if those bad eggs do become a serious problem, it's going to start causing a massive issue for...well...everyone," Yu admitted. "Can you tell me why?" she added inquisitively.
Hanoashi brought her finger to her chin in thought. "Hm...I guess because the citizenry would form a negative attitude with the vets?" she guessed.
"Right, but there's another issue as well," Yu prompted. "What's one thing you and your brother know better than anything else when it comes to addressing Drake and I," she hinted.
"Talking back?" Hanoashi guessed, lowering her head.
"Your on the right track," Yu smiled. "But what would that be called?"
"Challenging your authority?" Hanoashi asked, before gasping. "The citizenry would lose respect for the court's authority!" she exclaimed softly.
"Exactly," Yu smiled.
"This is what they meant by critical thinking, right?" Hanoashi asked.
"Precisely, and it's a skill that will prove very...very useful to you in the future," Yu smiled as they pulled into the driveway.
Walking in, the Irish girl decided to keep her head up and try to avoid looking like she was about to be punished. No need to act all miserable so to speak, she told herself.
"So how'd it go sis?" Nova ran up and hugged her.
"Not good, they had to pu..." Hanoashi began, but Yu interrupted her.
"They had to do an operation on her, and it's not a thing a girl should discuss with her brother," Yu interjected.
"I also acted like a brat and got grounded," Hanoashi noted quietly.
"Yu's always been a tough lady to please," Drake walked in,clearly overhearing.
"Really?" Yu challenged, her light green eyes gleaming as if it was a challenge. "By the way, can you get some of those extra paper sheets printed...about a hundred will do," she asked.
"Sure thing? She being grounded for a week or..." Drake tipped his head.
"Just for the rest of today and all of tomorrow," Yu sighed. "But I want her to keep filling them out until she gets them in the meantime. If she's got enough time to act like a brat she's got enough time to increase what she knows."
"Harsh taskmaster, but it's what I'd have done," Drake noted, before heading off to the printer room.
"Only because you met me," Yu shook her head before turning to her daughter. "Hanoashi, while we're getting things ready, you ought to speak with Nova, since you'll be confined to the guest room until the morning after tomorrow and thus won't have much time with him."
"Yes mother," Hanoashi noted, watching her walk off.
"You going to be alright sis?" Nova asked.
"I think so...make no mistake, I deserve this," Hanoashi reassured him.
"At least you are honest about it, some I meet at school can't seem to take responsibility," Nova praised her, but his voice turned sour at the end.
"I can imagine," Hanoashi noted, remembering the few times her classmates refused to take responsibility...or at least at first. Most would admit their wrongdoing after some stern prompting, although some were reluctant about it.
"Then again we are young, and trying to get things down," Nova mused, before giving her a quiet smile. "Don't let this get you down sis, just learn from it and move on, alright?"
"Alright then," Hanoashi mused, before Yu came back with a black one piece swimsuit with a purple ocean pattern moving upwards, shifting to a more light purple-pink at the top.
"Not that I'm complaining, but I thought that sis was being grounded, not going to the beach," Nova tipped his head.
"You're wearing this then," Yu shrugged, gently tossing the swimsuit toward him.
"Mo...mom!?" Nova gasped, quickly handing it to Hanoashi who took it and nodded to Yu in amusement.
"That was cute," Drake muttered, trying to hide his amusement.
"Why'd she do that?" Nova gaped in confusion.
"Son, Yu and I agreed that if you or Hanoashi ever got grounded, we'd force you to wear a boxers or a one-piece swimsuit respectively, while staying in the guest room and working on your studies," Drake patted him on the shoulder.
"Oh...I see...but what if she needs to come out?" Nova asked.
"I'll have her put on a pull-over dress," Yu noted, before taking the papers and pencil set from Drake. "Come along now Hanoashi, it's time for you to begin your time," she noted.
"Yes mother," Hanoashi mused, following her upstairs, as they were now allowing the kids to walk up stairs. Nova could walk down, but she still needed parental guidance when walking down, or so her parents mused.
"How much worse is being arrested compared to this?" Hanoashi asked quietly.
"You'd be under the care of complete strangers, the door to your room would be locked, and you'd only get visits once every few days to once a month," Yu shrugged. "Also, in all likelihood you'd be handcuffed wherever you went outside the cell, though some places don't handcuff their prisoners if it's a low risk prison so to speak."
"I see," Hanoashi noted as they entered the room.
"I'll set these on the table. You can begin them once I send up a small meal and explain things. For now, just swap into your swimsuit and try to adjust to this, alright?" Yu explained.
"Meal? You mean I can't eat at mealtimes with you all?" Hanoashi gasped.
"Not when your grounded," Yu noted sternly. "If it were for a week I might let you join in the evenings meals so you could speak to your brother, but since it's just for a day and a half..."
"I understand," Hanoashi noted as she watched her mother leave, before swapping into her bathing suit. At least it isn't too cold in here for this... she noted, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. Stupid Hanoashi, you were warned that any screaming or temper tantrums would result in a grounding and yet you threw one anyways!
She stood that way, arms crossed when she heard the door open, and watched as her mother walked in, glancing at her. "You've no one to blame but yourself," she noted sternly as she placed the tray on the guest desk.
"I am blaming myself," Hanoashi noted, before sighing. "How could I have been so stupid!
"Don't be too hard on yourself, little one," Yu soothed. "Sure, you messed up and you are being punished for it, but it's just like any other times Drake and I had to discipline you."
"A...alright," Hanoashi relaxed, sitting down.
"Take your pill first, and then eat. You might feel sick from the antibiotics, but it'll help stop infections," Yu explained gently.
"But I don't have an infection," Hanoashi noted in confusion, but swallowed the pill regardless.
"It's just a small dosage, and for a few days. We can't take any risk since you had internal bleeding," Yu explained.
"Oh...okay then. Thanks for the food," she added, eating the sandwich her mother had made, which was a simple grilled cheese sandwich.
"Anytime," Yu smiled, and Hanoashi noticed that she had made herself one as well.
Once she had eaten, Yu placed the sheet in front of her. "Mom...is this...?" she asked, gazing up at her in excitement.
"While you are grounded, I figured it'd be a good time for you to begin learning your multiplication tables one to a hundred," Yu noted as she pinned the answer sheet to the wall so that she could begin copying. "You'll be filling out these worksheets during your time, as many of the hundred of them as you can. Neatness and accuracy counts, but still, you know the drill," Yu noted, before picking up the clothes Hanoashi had taken off and walking over to the door. "Take as many breaks as you need, but try to get it done, alright? "
"Yes mother," Hanoashi watched her go, before glancing at herself in the mirror for a moment. Mom does know how to pick them, Hanoashi noted, before stretching, and moving toward the desk, gazing at the paper.
Repetition memorization. It works, but it can have some flaws...or so mom says, Hanoashi recited her mother's words, before cracking her knuckles, and placing pencil to paper.
This is going to stink...I mean I do love this paperwork...but this much? Hanoashi sighed as she finished filling out the second one, before placing the sextupled-sized paper on the desk.
At that point her mom came back in. "I see you're hard at work," she noted.
"Yes mother," Hanoashi frowned at what she perceived as a lack of progress.
"You're doing well," she encouraged.
"But I've only got two of them done!" Hanoashi grunted.
"You don't have to finish all of them during this time, just keep filling them out at your pace. Once you've got these filled out you'll be joining your brother in testing over this," Yu noted.
"Really?" Hanoashi's eyes lit up.
"Really," Yu smiled at her briefly, before sighing. "Care to join me on the bed?" she added.
Noticing the change in her mother's voice, she hopped out of her hair and sat on the bed, folding her hands in her lap before gazing up at her. "What is it mother?" she asked gently.
"The lab results are back," Yu frowned. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.
"I'm not going to cease existing...am I?" Hanoashi whispered, beginning to shiver in fright.
"Maus no!" Yu snapped, before sighing. "Sorry...but...it's nothing like that, thankfully."
"So...what is the problem?" Hanoashi asked, gazing at her intensely.
"You have SC-type diabetes, type four to be specific," Yu sighed.
"I have to take insulin then?" Hanoashi asked, dread filling her voice at the aspect.
"It's not that kind of diabetes, thankfully," Yu sighed in relief, but her facial expression became firm. "But you must absolutely steer clear from sugar and sugar laden products, understand?"
"Yes mother...but what exactly does having SC-type four diabetes mean?" Hanoashi tipped her head.
"It's technically referred to as sugar-caused or sugar-caustic type diabetes," Yu noted.
"Caustic?" Hanoashi tipped her head.
"Something that eats through things if you will...nasty stuff you either have to be very careful of or avoid like the plague," Yu explained. "And caustic is right in this case," she added.
"So what does it do?" Hanoashi pressed.
"In your case, or type four, sugar passes through your digestive tract easier without being properly digested. Normal amounts are fine, although you'll want to be more cautious with fruits than most, but still...once you go over that threshold, partially digested sugar builds up in your intestine, leading to constipation, and in severe cases you'll need to have it removed like you did today." Yu sighed.
"So...if I forget I'll have to go through that again?" Hanoashi gulped.
"Let me be perfectly clear, if you have to go through that again, you might not make it. It's a blessing that it was so easy this time," Yu warned sternly.
"Yes mother, I won't forget,"Hanoashi promised.
"It's not genetic, so you don't have to worry bout passing it off to your kids when you decide to have them," Yu noted.
"Thank goodness," Hanoashi sighed in relief, before giving her an inquisitive look. "Mother...you said I had type four...what are the other kinds?" she asked.
"Type one is fatal as any amount of sugar causes the body to go into shock. Type two is the same thing, but a child with type two might...just might manage to make it to birth, but not much further if it's not immediately detected."
"And type three?" Hanoashi asked.
"It's the same symptoms as type one and two, but it only occurs when they eat a similar amount to cause your symptoms," Yu explained.
"I see...that's terrible. I feel sorry for those with it."
"Me too honey...me too," Yu sighed, before standing up. "Well, I'm off, just keep working on those worksheets and take breaks when you need too, alright?"
Yes Mother," Hanoashi noted, watching her leave before sitting back at the desk and began work on another worksheet.
She had just finished four more sheets when Yu came back, a plate of food in her arms. "Dinner time," she noted.
"Already?" Hanoashi squeaked.
"I can see that you're making productive time during your grounding," Yu noted, as she sat her supplies to the side.
"It looks good Mom, thanks for the food," she smiled as her mother sat it in front of her.
"No problem, but you'll be washing all of the dishes and sweeping the floor after this," Yu smiled, before walking out of the door.
Sounds fun, Hanoashi noted, before digging in, after realizing how hungry she was. Today's dinner consisted of green beans, a slice of cantaloupe, and a teriyaki shredded beef sandwich. A simple dinner, but then again Yu wasn't one to fix the more rich style dinners despite originating from one of Japan's richest families.
The meal went fast, and Hanoashi finished the last of her water when Yu came in, handing her an overdress. "You ready for chores?" she asked.
"Yes Mom," Hanoashi smiled as she placed the dress on, and carried her try with her to the stairs. She then felt herself being lifted up by her mother, and she held onto the tray while being carried down the stairs.
"If you do well, I'll let you share a brief word with your brother when you're done," Yu promised.
"Really?" Hanoashi smiled.
"Really. What, you think that I'd be cruel enough to keep him from you all the time?" Yu shook her head.
"No, I did not think that," Hanoashi shook her head.
"Good," Yu smiled as she put her down next to the dishes. "Just be careful with the glass ones, alright?"
"Yes mom," Hanoashi noted as she climbed up, and began washing the dishes.
"You'll be doing this tomorrow as well," Yu noted.
"Of course mother, I am being punished after all, and rightfully so," Hanoashi noted respectfully.
"Something tells me you don't mind," Yu mused.
"I don't. These household chores are quite fun," Hanoashi noted.
"That'll serve you well when you get married," Yu noted.
"Would I have to wear a ring though?" Hanoashi asked. "I don't like the sight or feeling of things stuck on my hands or fingers."
"You're in decent company," Yu shrugged. "A fair few guys don't wear a ring, drake included. But you'll want to make sure that your husband to be know before he proposes."
"Why's that?" Hanoashi asked, tipping her head.
"Because a guy can spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on a ring, and considering that it's customary for a guy to propose with a ring..."
"He'd be spending a ton of money on something that I'd be uncomfortable wearing," Hanoashi mused, setting the first glass down.
"I see you're getting the glassware done first," Yu noted.
"It scares me a bit," Hanoashi confessed.
"It's not going to bite you or anything," Yu chuckled. "As long as you don't drop it it won't cut you. And even if you did drop it at this distance it might not enough to damage them," she added.
"I see," Hanoashi mused, growing a tad bit more comfortable, but staying cautious. I can do this, she mused determinedly.
Before long she saw herself sweeping the floor, remembering how much more confident she had become at this particular chore.
"You're working quietly," Yu noted in approval.
"Having a blast, actually," Hanoashi smiled.
"Just remember that after tomorrow you and Nova are going back to sharing the chores," Yu warned.
"Yes Mother," Hanoashi noted as she swept up the last but of dust.
"Great, and now you get to speak to your brother," Yu smiled. "Come along dear"
Following, her excitement grew, before a thought occurred to her. Had I not acted like a brat, Nova and I would be playing right now, not having to earn small snippets of conversations like this, she noted.
"Dark thoughts?" Yu challenged.
"Just thinking bout how he and I'd be playing together had I not acted like a brat," Hanoashi confessed.
"Tough, actions have consequences. Believe you me, it could be worse," Yu noted, before her eyes softened a bit. "But it doesn't make you a bad kid, you'll just have to deal with it and learn not to do it again."
"Yes...I understand mother," Hanoashi noted respectfully. But you've told me this a thousand times by now, she noted to herself.
Arriving in the room, she noted that Nova had just managed to defeat Drake in a game of checkers. If he can defeat father...what chance to I have of beating him!? Hanoashi thought in despair.
"I thought she was grounded," Drake mused.
"I figured she could have a word with her brother, considering she's done so well with her chores," Yu smiled.
"Can she and I play Checkers?" Nova asked pleadingly.
"Nope!" Yu shook her head.
"Only one game?" Nova pleaded, giving her the puppy dog eyes.
"She is here to talk, not play, do not press it further," Yu warned, before gazing at Drake, and then the two children. "You have until we finish one game," she added sternly, before settling down at the table.
"Oh you are on little Missy!" Drake growled playfully.
"You alright sis?" Nova asked softly.
"Yeah, it's not all that bad," Hanoashi reassured him. "I mean it's not as much fun as hanging out with you and father, and I'd rather avoid being grounded in the future, but still, it's not exactly torture."
"Just imagine being grounded for a week or so, now that's torture," Drake laughed.
"Don't tease her dear," Yu chided him affectionately.
"Yeah...no I wouldn't want to do it for a week," Hanoashi shuddered.
"Is it cold?" Nova asked.
"Not really, a tad interesting, what with having to wear nothing but the bathing suit and all, but not cold," Hanoashi shrugged. "Plus she's having me fill out multiplication charts, so I'm not without something to keep me busy," she added.
"Off...I remember those, had to fill out one per day on and off until I had filled out one hundred of them," Nova sighed. "Still get a lot of them wrong," he added with a shake of his head.
"It's not going to be easy, remembering them," Hanoashi sighed. "But it is things that are going to be useful for us to learn," she added.
"So, I'd bet wearing that bathing suit is making you want to go to the beach," Nova mused.
"It kind of is," Hanoashi noted to herself, gazing out of the window briefly. "But we'd be better off waiting just a few more weeks ad least," she added.
"Good point, no use in going if the water is too cold," Nova smiled.
"Ah man, you are too good Yu," Drake smiled. "Another game?"
"When I get back," Yu promised.
"Well, that's my cue," Hanoashi sighed, before smiling at her brother. "Don't worry, I'll be alright," she reassured him.
"Really looking forward to when you get done is all sis," Nova sighed.
"Me too, but it won't be long, even if it might feel like it," Hanoashi noted, before following her mother out of the room.
A gentle knocking on her door woke her up. Sighing, she went over and opened it, surprised to see a familiar lady standing there.
"Aunt Shelia?" Hanoashi gasped, before running over and hugging her.
"It's been a bit little Hanoashi, my have you grown," she smiled, embracing her.
"Do...you know?" Hanoashi asked hesitantly.
"Yes, Yu informed me," Shelia noted. "Harsh, but if I had children I'd do the same," she added.
"Hm..." Hanoashi gazed up at her in scrutiny. Why did you appear pregnant in my birth photos then? You cannot hide behind being fat either considering how fit you are now...She mused, but shrugged the doubtful thoughts away.
"Anyways, I have breakfast ready," Shelia noted, giving her a dress to slip on.
"I'm guessing mom let you fetch me?" Hanoashi noted as she slipped on the dress.
"I'm babysitting you while she, Nova and Drake go bowling," Shelia informed her.
"Oh yeah, that was today," Hanoashi noted.
"Are you disappointed that you were not allowed to go?" Shelia asked.
"Only at myself, it was my foolish actions that got me grounded, so I can't complain about being left behind," Hanoashi noted. But yeah, I am a bit upset by it, though I'd be even more upset if my grounding prevented them from going...she added silently.
"Spoken like a true Katoni," Shelia smiled, petting her on the head. "By the way, want to play checkers after breakfast?" she asked.
"Can I...no...I can't," Hanoashi shook her head. "Mother grounded me, and so I need to work on filling out those charts when I'm not eating or doing dishes," she affirmed.
"You sure," Shelia pressed.
"I'm sure," Hanoashi noted.
"Oh come on, what Yu doesn't know won't kill her," Shelia pestered.
You sound like Ayumi or Mei when they want to skirt the rules. I remember how Ayumi had to write the words 'I will not cheat on my test' when she was caught trying to copy Anna's answers, Hanoashi growled inwardly, shaking her head. "My answer is no," she insisted again.
"But I'll be so bored..." Shelia groaned.
"Read a book or something, you only need to check in on me at mealtimes and halfway in between," Hanoashi huffed impatiently, growing tired of her insistence on getting her to bend the rules.
"Almighty then," Sheila yawned, muttering the words, "as stubborn as her mother."
The meal went alright, which was a rice and egg omelet, with a sausage pancake patty on the side. Shelia tried to insist on doing the dishes, and yet Hanoashi had to remind her again that she was grounded and as such all chores were exclusively hers do do.
This continued throughout the day, growing more and more tiresome through the day, and it took every ounce of her strength not to snap at her.
The rumbling of a car indicated the arrival of her family. Hanoashi found that she could hear the conversation's of her returning family.
Yu entered the house, and Hanoashi could just imagine the hugs they'd give. Shelia was big on hugging after all. "So how's she do?" Yu asked.
"You've trained her too well," Sheila huffed playfully. "But yeah, she passed the test just fine," she added, smiling. "No matter how much I tempted her, she kept pushing forward, insisting that she serve her grounding session without deviation or privilege."
"That is good," Yu smiled.
Hanoashi was just finishing up her test when she heard a knock on her door. "Coming," she noted, surprised to see her father there with a nightgown for her.
"I...still have the night," Hanoashi admitted, yawning.
"Shelia needs the room as she'll be staying a few nights," Drake informed her. "Plus...consider it a reward for not falling to her...pestering," he added.
"I kinda figure that Yu made her do it to test me," Hanoashi yawned as she went into the bathroom and put the clothes, feeling both relief at wearing something more normal and yet a slight disappointment at having to abandon wearing her bathing suit for the moment. Hm...I wonder what it'd be like to live in a society where girls had to wear one of these bathing suits all the time... she mused, before walking out. "May I go to bed now?" she asked, her voice tired.
"Yes dear," Drake smiled as he escorted her into her room, and tucked her in. "Good night, little one," he smiled as he turned on her night light and left the room.
Her eyes closing, she soon found herself drifting into sleep, pleased that she had served her punishment so well and that tomorrow would be perfectly normal.