A Pool Day For Hatsune (Backpost) [Part 1]

Posted on Fri Dec 6th, 2024 @ 5:40am by Tadao Yoshikawa & Captain Kagami Izumi & Hatsune Izumi

1,737 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Midnight
Location: Starbase Frontier- Water Center, Deck 9
Timeline: 1 Week After "Commemoration," 2 Weeks before "Arrival Of The Sonno"

The new 'water center' on the station had only just opened. The complex had several pools for swimming as well as spa's and even water slides. It had been rather popular since it opened only a couple of weeks ago.

Of course, for any young child with a boundless sense of curiosity, water and its seemingly unnatural properties were an irresistible draw, so something of this scale was likely to be heaven on earth for someone of Hatsune's age. Perhaps recognizing an opportunity to play Hatsune's curiostity to his advantage, Tadao had propositioned to Kagami after Tormek's funeral that they offer to treat Hatsune to a day out at the water center- under the pretense that Hatsune behave herself and stay in class. Perhaps not all that surprisingly, the allure of a full day of playing around in "the biggest bathtub you could possibly imagine" seemed to have the desired effect, as not once in the week leading up to it did she attempt to escape her classroom to visit Tadao; her teachers even called Kagami up just to verify that there weren't any changes in Hatsune's home life that may be effecting her mental health.

Kagami arrived at the reception area, a bag over her shoulder. "Oh hi there Tadao." she said with a smile.

"Hey, there, Kagami," Tadao waved from across the lobby. "Where's Hatsune?"

Kagami sighed and pointed to a corner of the room that was filled with merchandise. Everything from swimming aids to animal floating to eye protection. "She can't decide between the Orca or the Great White Shark blow up float." She smiled. "I prefer the Orca myself..."

"You know, I did find it kind of unusual that they set up what's essentially a gift shop in the reception area... Tadao pondered aloud.

He turned his attention back over towards Kagami. "Well, to be fair, she has been a good girl this past week... perhaps I could spring and get her both?"

"Don't go spoiling her too much." Kagami warned. "The last thing I need is a bratty half Betazoid..." she said with a sigh. Truth to be told, she wasn't looking forward to the 'Teenage Years' which were yet to come.

"Wouldn't want that, now would we?" Tadao chuckled. "Alright, lemme see if I can lend a hand..."

And with that, he proceeded to make his way over to the gift shop.

"You know, I hear that Mr. Orca's a pretty smart fishy, Sweetheart," he remarked as he drew up to Hatsune. "He's a big talker, he loves solving problems, he enjoys playing with his family, he always loves to try new things, and most importantly..."

He kneeled over so he could speak with Hatsune at eye-level. "I hear his favorite food is Great White Shark Omurice with a side of Chocolate Milk," he whispered to her with a sly grin.

"That one then!" Hatsune said pointing to the Orca.

"Well, that was easy..." Tadao chuckled as he glanced back over at Kagami and winked. "Here, sweetheart, lemme go and purchase that for you..."

"Yay! Thankyou!" Hatsune exclaimed jumping up and down on the spot happily.

Kagami wandered over to Tadao. "I've not seen her like this in a long time. It seems she's starting to warm upto you." She said to him. She lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "And so am I..." she muttered under her breath.

[Men's Locker room]

As he carefully folded up his clothes and stuffed them away in his locker, Tadao couldn't help but feel that all-too-familiar sensation creeping up in the pit of his stomach.

For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he was getting all wound up about this- he was 34 now, and far past that uncomfortable period in his life where his hormones had run wild. And it wasn't like he hadn't already seen Kagami in a swimsuit before- the whole mental image of her bickering poolside with that Hiiragi girl was perhaps as clear to him to this day as it was 20 years ago, and it still managed to warrant the occasional chuckle from him whenever he thought about it:
--
"Come on, Kagamin! Don't be afraid to show off a little skin! One of the best things about being a woman is watching men get their little dickies in a knot over you!"

"It's a school swimming pool!" Kagami objected. "It's not supposed to be for 'that'!".

"Nah, that's what the shower stalls are for!"
__

And yes, the Kagami back then was every bit attractive as she was today- still that shining example of perfection who excelled at everything she put her mind to, whether that be commanding a Starbase or raising a kid all by herself. As much as it pained him to admit it, she had always been out of his reach, and he didn't see that changing any time soon. On occassion, when she'd come to pick Hatsune from another one of her misguided excursions to Final Frontiers, she'd share bits and pieces about her (late) husband, and he'd begun to piece together that he was every bit as perfect as she was: kind, confident, chivalrous, a distinguished member of both Starfleet Intelligence and the Diplomatic Corps, a part-time MACO fighter pilot and Judge Advocate General at various stages in his career, a master of Tia'Chi and Mok'Bara- it seemed to him like Kagami set very high standards for her husbands, and there was no way that plain old Tadao Yoshikawa could hope to compete, as much as he had wanted to.

And it pained him- it really pained him to admit it; he adored Hatsune as if she were his own, flesh-and-blood daughter- not simply because she was Kagami's daughter, but her radiant curiosity and innocence was enough to melt even the coldest of hearts. He could envision Hatsune blossoming into a woman just as beautiful as her mother had been, while at the same time inheriting the kindness and confidence that her late father had been renowned for. But that was the thing- Tadao Yoshikawa wasn't her father; her father was a perfect man, and he... definitely wasn't.

He sighed. Why did the one woman he actually loved have to be such an unobtainable example of grace and perfection, and... okay, maybe she was also a little attractive, but that definitely what he wasn't getting himself wound up over-!

It suddenly dawned on him that his swim trunks felt just a little bit tighter than they usually did; he looked down and immediately identified the source of the problem.

"Oh, come on..." he grumbled to himself. luckily, he was alone in this particular corner of the locker room, but the fact remained that he wasn't going out there looking like... this, especially in front of Kagami.

"Go down?" he whispered. "Pretty please?"

[Women's Locker Room]

Hatsune kicked her legs back and forth as she sat on the edge of the changing beach. She had already been dressed by Kagami. "Mummy?" She asked curiously as she watched her mother putting on a black bikini. "Is Tadao going to ve my new daddy?"

Kagami froze instantly it was as if someone had pressed the pause button on her. After a few seconds she turned to face her daughter. Gently she petted her on her head. "Would you like that?" She asked.

Hatsune nodded a cute and sparkly smile stretching from ear to ear. "Yeah! I would. But that makes him mummy's... mummy's..." Kagami smirked fondly at her daughter. The pure innocence was still there and it was difficult to even try to explain an adult relationship to a four year old.

"We're friends." Kagami told her. She finished tieing the back of her bikini. "I've known Tadao a long time. Buy I haven't seen him in a long time too." She explained.

"Why?" Hatsune asked curiously, her head cocking to one side.

"Well. I'm in Starfleet as you know a d we only knew each other in school. It was a long time ago sweetie." Kagami told her.

"A long time... like a year ago! Thats a long time!" Hatsune exclaimed.

Kagami chuckled as she geld out her hand. "Sure." She chuckled again. Hatsune's concept of time and life in general was still young. Sometimes Kagami had to remember that she was only four years old and that she doesn't understand how the world works. She began to lead them towards the changing room exit.

"If Tadao becomes my new daddy will I get a new brother or sister too?" Hatsune asked. Kagami stopped dead in her tracks. A sudden memory flooding back to her from when she commanded the Missouri.

They had just rescued a young girl from a shuttle, with traces of Chronitons. The girl called herself 'Miku' but actually turned out to be Kagami's and Athruns future daughter running away. It had been strange at the time, especially since Miku interacted more with Kagami than Athrun. It was almost like she didn't want to, or didn't recognise him. Kagami had only just found out she was pregnant, so it was all surreal.

But one line precise moment came back to her, as clear as crystal.

"Sweetie, I don't know you yet. But you need to tell us. What made you take a shuttle and run away in the first place?" Kagami asked. She looked over to Athrun who seemed just as concerned.

"I...I..." Miku began to sob. "I didn't want to become a..." she looked over at Kagami then briefly to Athrun. "A big sister..."

Snapping back to reality, Kagami looked down. "I don't know sweetie. Right now we're friends ok." She stated. A million things were running through her mind. She held a hand to her head and sighed. "This is why I'll never understand temporal mechanics..."

"Huh?" Hatsune asked.

"Nothing. Let's go and have some fun shall we?" Kagami replied quickly. 'There's no telling what will happen I the future... things change right? And it might not be Tadao. It might be someone else right? But would I want that? Could that even be a thing? Oh God, this is far too complicated!'

To Be Continued...

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