Inception

Chapter 55: Where We Drink Soda

For the next half hour Soshiro was drilled on details from everything from how well the Russian suit functioned to the battle with Kaiju No. 9. They were particularly interested in the appearance of the second kaiju which Soshiro hadn't gotten a good look at, but had gotten first hand experience of its mental attacks.

To Soshiro's relief, they didn't look too closely at the one spot he had to lie about: that of how he had found Lena and her participation in the battle. He knew that if it ever got out, and it may just be inevitable, he would come under scrutiny that could once more endanger his career and honor...but that's what lying was for. To avoid such sticky consequences.

Soshiro should definitely feel more guilty for doing this. Honor and all that.

In the end, Soshiro was given a strict order to facilitate Lena's swift return along side Captain Ashiro and given what equated to a slap on the hand for rushing procedures. Then he was let go with the distinct feeling of someone who had just survived a car crash without a scratch and left on the side of the road to continue on with their life.

He'd only gone a few feet when Captain Ashiro pulled up to his side. Neither of them so much as looked at each other, probably both fearing even a speck might escape their carefully controlled facades this close to upper command. To think this was what Leno and Shinomiya had gone through to protect Kafka Hibino.

"I've sent a text to Okinogi," she said. "I'll be fetching us lunch."

"Roger," said Soshiro.

He didn't have to ask what Captain Ashiro was expecting him to do with that information. Communication without words or even actions was to be expected between Captain and Vice Captain.

Thus, the moment he stepped out of the administration building, he took a sharp left towards the training ground. Hopefully, the cloudy sky wouldn't interrupt them.

There were several buildings about the training area which microphones couldn't reach, and the 24/7 survelliance cameras only watched the entrances and exits. One building in particular had been singled out by Captain Ashiro as her hiding place for when she needed alone time. So, naturally, Soshiro had done all he could to find out about it and ruin her quiet. This turned out to be the best in the long run as places on base where a conversation could go completely in privacy were difficult to come by, especially with technology as far reaching as it had gotten these days.

Soshiro went to the fifth floor of the worn, and possibly structurally unsound, office building, where Ashiro had somehow snuck in a beat up couch, and threw himself on it for a quick nap.

He didn't get far, as only a half hour later, Captain Ashiro came up the stairs with Okinogi in tow. The later looked particularly haggered and none too happy to see Soshiro.

"Do you have any idea the amount of laws I had to break to cover your sorry ass?!" she hissed in way of greeting.

"If it helps any, I'd do the same for you?" he said.

"Why is that a question?!"

"Because I'm confused as to why you did it in the first place."

Okinogi gave a closed mouth scream.

"Because we need you," said Ashiro flatly before shoving off his feet to make room for herself on the couch. She set a handled cooler at her feet.

"Darn. Here I thought it was because you loved me."

"No one would love an irresponsible, selfish—"

"So what really happened to Lena?" asked Ashiro, snapping open the cooler.

"—dickheaded—"

"Going straight for the kill, very you," said Soshiro. He was still trying to find a way he could stay laying down, what with his feet in the air.

"—I hacked crypted security footage for you!"

Ashiro handed him a root beer, to which he thanked her for.

"Don't go treating him!" shrieked Okinogi. "What we did is liable for capital punishment!"

"I wouldn't go that far," said Soshiro.

"Depends on the consequences," said Ashiro. She took out two cans of root beer and handed him one, to which he thanked her for with a nod.

"Lying to our superior commanders is betraying our country!"

Soshiro sighed and gave up, bringing his feet down to sit up. His wounded side was starting to be a bitch, even with a helpful injection from the medical ward to speed up the healing. "Oki, sit down.'

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

"Then shut up." Ashiro cracked open her can. "That's an order."

Okinogi gaped at her, appaulled. Then she shut her mouth with an audible clack, plopped down on the dusty floor, and proceeded to glare at both of them with her raccoon shadowed eyes.

"Maybe we should give her the couch," said Soshiro. "Once she calms down she's gonna pass out." He cracked into his own soda and pulled out a little pouch of his grandma's painkillers. He popped them in his mouth and chased hem down with his soda. That should do the trick.

Ashiro hummed in agreement around the mouth of her root beer.

"I wouldn't be so spent if you hadn't run off with top secret military tech and a barely trained officer," growled Okinogi.

"So get on with it." Ashiro took out a sandwich. Salami and provolone, by the looks of it. "What happened?"

Soshiro sighed, and rubbed the cool condensation of his root beer on his forehead.

"Kaiju No. 9 turned her into a kaiju. One like Hibino Kafka. Except nerfed."

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One day I'm going to have the thighs of a Greek god instead of a pot belly pig, I swear. If only my children would let me work out in peace, none of this "I'm hungry!" (I'd just fed them), "He's being mean!" (so get away from him?), "What's my mom chore?" (Look around. The house is a wreck. Your options are limitless.) "Mom? Mom? Mom?" (Your mother is dead. I'm a freak who breaks into people's houses to use their treadmills, don't mind me.)

For real.