Kagaku Ninja-Tai Gatchaman Fan Fiction ❯ Daddy's Little Girl ❯ Daddy's Little Girl ( Chapter 2 )

Daddy's Little Girl

"...have brought dishonor on our family. By your disregard of our wishes, marrying that gaijin whore, and now your own family has paid a heavy price. Your son is a mindless idiot, your daughter is...is ruined...no honorable family could be connected with her, and that woman...how can you be sure that the child she carries now is yours? She willingly gave herself to those..."

"Willingly my a..."

A sharp, whistling word from Ito Karada silenced his wife. His father was not saying anything he had not himself thought already...although he trusted his wife a bit more. Once, a lifetime ago he had loved his wife and family...and by that love, destroyed them. If only...but it was best not to dwell on the mistakes of the past.

"I fully understand, Father." His tone one of respect, without being groveling or insulting. "However, with respect, I suggest..."

With a movement of his hand, he indicated the comfortable room in which his father, wife, and himself were seated.

"...my home..." he ended. His point was made. His father took his leave with formal cold courtesy.

From behind a large potted plant, Nikki had witnessed the entire interview. Her mother was angry...almost in tears...and her father was, well...cold. She wasn't sure who the man was who had talked that way to her Daddy....he'd called him 'father,' but Nikki'd never seen him before. All she could understand was that he'd been very, very mean to her Mama and Daddy.

As soon as her father was alone, Nikki crept from her shelter and walked over to where her father was looking out a window. She didn't notice him start at the sound of her voice.

"That man wasn't very nice, Daddy...he said mean things...but it's okay because I love you, an' Mama loves you, an' I'll try real hard to be better...an' not be 'rooned' anymore...I..."

"Silence!"

Nikki blinked and stopped her rambling attempt at comfort and commiseration. She stared at her father wide-eyed, he'd never raised his voice to her before.

"Your manners are deplorable. Did you have permission to be in this room? No. Were you listening to a conversation not meant for your ears? Yes. Have you been given permission to enter and speak now, and in such a frivolous and familiar tone? No!" he grabbed her by the hand, half dragging, half carrying her towards the door. "I rather doubt there is any hope for you, but go! Go to your mother, tell her I will not look at you again until you have learned to behave properly. You will learn to behave, you will take your proper place and stay in it! Do you..."

"...understand me, Ms Karada?"

Nikki Karada...blinked and looked expressionlessly back into the steel gray eyes that were pinning her sternly to her seat. She had crossed the line. Again. Fairly well, it seemed.

"Of course, Nambu Hakase..." She agreed a little too quickly. For affect she added a hint of a smirk and a drop of insolence to her tone.

It wasn't often she...or anyone, from what she could discover...could push the leader of the ISO far enough for a reprimand...unless they really deserved it. Nikki liked to know her limitations.

She listened in "unaccustomed" silence as he outlined the importance of the mission she and the other 'undercover contacts' were to participate in. She took in her part down to express detail, committing it to memory quickly, then returning to her habitual posture. She let her gaze wander over the faces of the scattering of 'trusted' agents and the five sober and distant Science Ninja, who were observing the preceedures.

At one point, she stretched languidly, arching her young body in the most interesting ways possible. She was gauging reactions. Another cool stare from the man in front brought her back in line, frustrated in her attempt to "feel out" the ninja team.

As soon as the meeting was adjourned, the youngest member of the Gatchaman walked over and tried his best--in two-hundred words or less, in one breath--to defend his friend, their patron, Kozaburo Nambu and at the same time salve any hurt feelings she may have gotten from his not-quite-gentle set-down. Only Jinpei, could attempt and accomplish that task. He also confirmed the answer to the question her heart was really asking--the one that she'd be damned if she admitted.

"...thanks, Nambu-Sama...I never knew you cared..."