Non-story note. The Nyu Anime site (formerly Elfen Lied fansite) has either crashed, or is suffering problems. If it does not come back up on line, I will create -or help create another EL site if people wish it. STay tuned for info.
"Woohooo, look at them legs!"
"Hey baby, lift that skirt."
The teenage boys leaning against the store front kept making cat calls as Kaede Nana and Minori approached. Between Kaede and Nana, Minori held their hands a little tighter.
Kaede pointed to the boys and said to Minori, "Watch how I handle this."
"Yeah, come handle me, Babay!" one boy yelled as the others laughed.
Kaede offered them an evil grin. "Do I sweep you off your feet?" she asked, then sent a vector out behind their feet and whipped it out, knocking their feet out from under them.
The boys fell with shocked looks on their faces.
Pointing to the closest one Kaede said, "You can have the honor of licking my feet." She grabbed the boy with her vectors and dragged him to her. The boy screamed and flailed, and ended up face down at Kaede's foot.
"Lick, or else," she commanded. The other boys got up and ran away.
"Hey, I didn't mean it... someone help me!" the boy cried.
Kaede lifted his head with her vectors and planted it on top of her foot. "Lick, or you'll be screaming for real," she warned.
The boy gritted his teeth and said, "I'm sorry!"
"Lick!"
The boy's tongue came out. He licked her shoe. Kaede then threw him to the side. "NEVER bother us again," she said sternly.
Gapping at her from where he lay against the building, the boy threw his hands up and cried, "I won't I swear!"
Minori giggled.
Satisfied her point was made, Kaede continued on with Minori. Nana eyed Kaede and said, "That was mean."
"And he will remember that and tell others," Kaede stated. Looking down at Minori, she added, "When you kill, you only make people want to get rid of you. Scare them, and then they will leave you alone."
"That was funny, Kaede," Minori said with another giggle.
"That was a lesson. You don't have to kill to get people to stop bothering you."
.
Johnathan tracked down Minori's parents much quicker than what he had anticipated. Both were in the hospital, her father was in a coma. He made a few calls and got a detective that knew what happened.
"Mr. Spangler, the Goto's were found three blocks from their house, bleeding internally. Someone crushed them, they both had broken ribs. Mr. Goto barely made it to the hospital alive, he's in a coma now. Mrs. Goto is conscious, but is bed ridden. She has spinal cord damage. She's recently been transferred to a nursing home. We looked for their child, Minori, but she has disappeared," the detective explained.
"I found their daughter today. She is safe. Is Mrs. Goto able to speak? I really need to talk to her."
The detective let out a huff and said, "She is conscious, but what she says is not very believable. She claims her and her husband got those injuries when their daughter hugged them. This is a little kid we're talking about."
"It's possible. Minori is six years old, but she does have ... special abilities. She could have well crushed them by accident," Johnathan explained.
The detective snorted and asked, "What is she, super strong?"
"Something like that. We have her here at the Kamakura medical center for special needs. I've submitted a request to take responsibility for her care. Do you have the phone number for Mrs. Goto?"
Johnathan got the number and called the nursing home. He got a brief version of what had happened, then assured Mrs. Goto her daughter was well, and promised to bring her by so Mrs. Goto could see her. Next he called Mr. Y to inform him of the situation to be sure no police came looking to arrest Minori. Mr. Y assured him his request to take responsibility for Minori would be handled with all speed.
.
"A house in the country?" Kaede asked as she got the dinner plates down.
"I think that would be fun," Mayu said as she helped Yuka get the food together.
"It might, but that would be a long distance to travel every day to get to the center," Kaede mussed. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Kouta said he wants to do that?"
"He was just thinking about it," Yuka admitted. "Nothing planned."
Kaede took the plates to the dinning room, wondering if something like that would work. Having lots of room would be relaxing, and she was sure Mayu and Nana would love it. Still, it would be a long daily train ride back and forth to the center.
After she put the plates down, Kaede went to get Kouta and Minori for dinner. Kouta had his books open, though instead of studying, he was listening to Minori talk about her parents.
"... And Papa works at this big factory!" Minori said, spreading her arms out wide. "He comes home smelling funny, but he says he likes it." Seeing Kaede come in, Minori pointed to her and said, "And Kaede says she's going to find out where Mama and Papa went."
"We will do our best to find them," Kaede assured her. Putting a hand on Kouta's shoulder, she said, "Dinner time. Do you remember where the dinning room is, Minori?"
"Yup! It's three doors down that way," Miori said as she pointed the way.
"Very good. We'll be along, I want to speak to Kouta first."
After Minori left, Kaede asked, "What's this about living in the country?"
Kouta let out a sigh and explained the conversation he and Yuka had.
.
Johnathan knocked on the door frame of Mrs. Goto's room. "Mrs. Goto? I am Johnathan, I called earlier about Minori?"
The woman in bed waved him in. "Yes, please come in. You found Minori?"
Johnathan entered and sat on a chair by the bed. "Yes, Ma'am. She's with my daughter now, she's safe. I understand Minori got a little over anxious in hugging you."
"It wasn't her fault," Mrs. Goto said quickly. "I was aware she could do ... things. I just never imagined the power she had. She didn't mean to hurt us."
"That's what I gathered," Johnathan agreed. "What are the chances of your recovery? Is your paralysis permanent?"
Mrs. Goto offered him a weak smile. "I'm afraid so. The nerves in my back are severed. The vertebra have been repaired as much as possible. It's such a pain, I swear I can feel tingles and pains in my legs, but I can't move them. I won't be much good as a mother any more."
"You'll always be Minori's mother," Johnathan assured her. "And we'll help take care of Minori for you. The real reason I came, is to find out if you still want to be with your daughter."
Casting him a shocked look, Mrs. Goto said, "Of course I do! I felt so bad knowing Minori was home all alone, and to find out she went missing, I was at wits end. I just don't know how we're going to live."
"I'll take care of that. There is room at the center for you and Minori. I'd really like to transfer you there. I'll work out the finances and details, if that's all right with you."
"That would be wonderful," Mrs. Goto said. She then asked warily, "But I wonder why you would go through so much trouble for us."
"My daughter is like Minori. The center we work at studies children like Minori and Kaede, and soon we hope to start special education for them as well as parents so everyone knows the dangers," Johnathan explained.
"There are other children like that too?"
"Yes, and some really sad stories, worse than yours. I hate to say it like this, but you have personal experience with a diclonius child. You could help other parents understand what they are dealing with."
Mrs. Goto thought for a moment, then said, "All right, I'll do what I can to help."
"Thank you, Mrs. Goto. I'll be in touch very soon."
.
Kakuzawa lay in the private hospital bed, plotting his revenge. He had no sight except the irritating pulsing light flashes that would not go away. He could hear, and could get rough out words now, but he was still bedridden from most of his joints being fused together after bullets had ripped them apart. The painkillers took the edge off the constant burning pains, but no amount of drugs could silence his screaming joints completely.
He didn't know that man's name, but he knew his face. He also remembered this 'pissed off father' that attacked him was Lucy's father. He wondered if the man was still alive now. He hoped so. He hoped even more that once all the surgeries were over, the man was locked up in a cell someplace. He would make that man suffer! Although the island was gone, Kakuzawa had other resources to tap, and he would tap them all to make that man suffer.
