Mati Sding is a character in Flower, Sun, and Rain. She is a maid working at the Hotel Flower, Sun, and Rain, the mother of Step Sding, and the foster mother of Sue Sding. She also runs the nearby diner.

Appearance and Personality

Mati is a middle-aged woman, always seen wearing her hotel maid uniform. She is a caring person, and took in Sue after her parents had died. She can also be stern when she tries to keep others out of trouble, or makes sure that they do good. She loves her son Step, and is distraught when she believes that he died. She has first-hand knowledge of the secret history surrounding the island and what happened to the inhabitants, and keeps this a secret from outsiders.

History

Backstory

Mati was one of the inhabitants of Lospass Island during the genocide perpetrated by Uminosuke Hachisuka. She adopted Sue Sding, who had lost her memory due to the traumatic event. Her own son Step Sding became one of the Eleven Children held underneath Eleki Island. He was eventually released, and Mati began to work as a maid at the Hotel Flower, Sun, and Rain. At the same time she also ran the local diner, where Ken Sakurabi helped out.

Flower, Sun, and Rain

Mati first appears in Request 02: Air in G, tripping over Stephan Charbonie's bag and blocking the stairway with a falling laundry cart. Sumio Mondo approached her to ask if she was OK, and she refused his help since he was a guest. She offered to return Stephan's bag to him and told Mondo that Edo Macalister was on the roof.

Some time later, Mati passed by Christina with her cart. She ran into Toriko Kusabi, and advised her not to run in the hallways. Toriko said that she was chasing after her pet, and Mati told her that trotting in the hallways was fine.

She appeared again in Request 04: 'S Wonderful, greeting Mondo on the fourth floor. Mondo approached her later to ask about the "Fat Boy Slim" pedometer that was installed on Sue's mop.

In Request 09: Rhapsody in Blue, Mati was late to open up the diner, which worried Ken. He asked Mondo to go check on her. A problem with the power supply from Eleki Island caused the hotel's sign to spin of out control and fall down onto the front path, blocking the way. Mati told Mondo to go to Eleki Island to fix the problem.

In Request 10: I Love You, Porgy, Mati witnesses a car accident on her way to the diner to prepare for the lunch crowd. She invites Mondo to have a meal, and goes on ahead of him. At the diner, she met Daizaburo Kai, who was depressed after losing "a gift from a father to a son". When Mondo arrived, she demanded that he help Kai or he won't get to eat. She later told Mondo to check near the scene of the accident for a clue.

Mati spoke with Remy Fawzil outside of the hotel in Request 13: La fille aux cheveux de lin, distraught at Step's apparent death. Remy assured her that it wasn't the real Step, and asked where her son was really born. Mati told Remy to head to Eleki Island to learn the truth, and revealed that she recognized Remy from her past.

Mati's final appearance is in Request 18: An American in Paris, when she directed Mondo towards Giggs so he could head to the airport.

Official profiles

Sue's foster mother.
Also works in the diner.
Occupation: Hotel Staff
Place of Birth: Lospass Island

Gallery

Flower, Sun, and Rain characters
Main Characters Sumio Mondo · Catherine · Toriko Kusabi · Christina · Remy Fawzil · Yoshimitsu Koshimizu · Sundance Shot
Hotel Staff Edo Macalister · Sue Sding · Mati Sding · Stuart Rock
Hotel Guests Sister Phantom · Yayoi Hanayama · El Crasher · Mr. Pirate · Maria Nicharesuk · Stephan Charbonie · Sonny Balboa · Tubbs Balboa · Seiji Fujieda · Yuuri Otowaya · Shoutaro Kai · Daizaburo Kai · Gunji Takaoka · Natsuko Akai · Tokio Morishima
Others Ken Sakurabi · Step Sding · Sundance Ritz · Hana Kaburagi · Tetsugoro Kusabi · Sundance MIC · Forest Navigators · Fantasistas
Mentioned Dragon · Lumberjack Flowerstar · Alberto Ferrente · David Chapman · Igor Ishizakaski · Sayaka Baian · Kamui Uehara · Red · Sumio Kodai