Act 6
Playthings
Kogetsu reached the steel automatic doors that belonged to the Dr Ni Jienyi's lab. They were guards posted on either side of the doors. They saluted him promptly on sight.
"Permission to enter sir!"
A red light went on above the door and moments later the door buzzed to life and parted.
He had never had the clearance to even enter the wing that led to this lab. It always had made him uneasy at first but being the mission oriented person that he was, he was never the one to ask why. He simply targets to complete a task and not have to deal with menial ponderings of afterthoughts. But whatever the reason he was being summoned here now, he was about to find out.
He stepped inside. It seemed almost similar in interior as his own bunker, stone walls, steel tables and chairs, scattered by filing cabinets and odd vials and books and ledgers. The only stark difference is that on the table were piles of papers and a computer that had funny writings constantly streaming on its screen. Ahead of him another door opened, Lord Kougaji stepped out.
"Your, lordship," Kogetsu bowed slightly.
" General," he acknowledged it rather indifferently as he turned towards the door he came from."Dr Ni had requested your presence." he spoke as he walked back through the metal doors, red hair billowing slightly behind him and the fringes on his earrings jingled very slightly with each step he took. Kogetsu followed suit.
They followed a narrow empty white corridor that led towards another similar door at the end but there was another normal wooden door just off to the left. Which was the door that they had took.
The room was dark, lit only by the light that, as Kogetsu noticed, a huge glass giant window that spread from one end of the wall to the other, revealing onto another room.
What was this? Is it a viewing room? it must be. Looks like in front of the glass pane were more computers and intricate looking machinery that he wasn't familiar with or seen before.
The Prince stopped idly before the glass pane gazing inwards. He noticed a weird look on his face and as he followed his gaze, it was was becoming clearer that a figure, a female figure covered only at her more delicate parts with white bandages, was being strapped down onto what looked like a steel operating table and to his shock, there were things coming out of her arms and hooked onto something larger. It looked like some tubular machine. The light wasn't very bright so he cannot distinguish who or what it really was.
The door to their right creaked open and in stepped Dr Ni "Ah, excellent, you are both here."
"Wasn't it you who summoned me here?" Kogetsu said matter of factly. He didn't sense his presence, by the look on the Prince's face, it was the same for him.
Though he seldom came into contact with the scientist that was recruited by Gyokumen herself, he had always had a bristling uncomfortableness whenever he is around this man. Despite the fact that he being human, but there was something very unspeakably eerie about this man that he cant quite put his finger on.
"Getting right to it, i see," he smirked, his cigarette hanging in the corner of his mouth. "Boo, nobody has time for polite chit chat anymore." he spoke. An almost musical taunt in his voice which made Kogetsu further dislike this person before him
"As i've said before, i don't have time to play with your stupid nonsense! I have more important things to attend to," Lord Kougaiji said almost angrily. The look on his face was as if it was made of steel. Kogetsu was getting the feeling that Our Lord didn't get on with the Dr. as well.
"Like trying to get the sutra you mean? If you haven't been able to get it now i don't see the need to rush now. " Dr Ni spoke almost sweetly and flashed a wicked condescending grin towards the Prince.
The manner in which Dr. Ni spoke seemed like they were more acquainted with each other but it still took Kogetsu a little offhanded to see their Prince being spoken to in that manner.
"Hurry it along, Ni Jien, or ill take my leave regardless."
"I called both of you here to show you the ultimate success of science," he spread his arms out for them to behold the scene before them. He moved to flick on a switch on the mechanical board on the table and then suddenly from beyond the glass came a metal whirring noise that was growing ever more louder and higher in pitch. Even though they were behind the glass it was notably loud, it must be deafening in that room.
Blue light flashed on and off, Kogetsu realized suddenly that those things protruding out of the womans' body were like wires that sent electrical currents zinging from the machine and to her body and back. It was an almost repulsive sight to see. The body was jerking and twitching.
"Isn't she a sight to behold,"Dr Ni said as he looked on the grotesque scene before them his face glowing in the flashes of light like a ghost in the dark. "Wouldn't you agree, Kogetsu-sama?" he had a smile curled on his lips as he turned to look at Kogetsu way. It made his skin crawl. He did not like it.
"What is the meaning of this Ni Jien!" Kougaiji exclaimed, somewhat enraged. "Is this what you have been doing here? Experimenting on demons?"
"But can't you see? She is clearly human."
Human? Kogetsu suddenly recognized the dark amber hair that pooled around her and the small frame of the body, it was Ayane. Is this what they have been doing doing to you?
Watching her helplessly strapped onto he table and the lights flashing rapidly dredged up something in the back of his mind. A feeling as if all this seems sickeningly...familiar.
A sharp pain exploded in his head. "Ah!" he let out a little grunt but quickly re-postured himself. it didn't seem like either of them noticed anything.
What was that reaction? he wondered.
"Human? But there is definitely a rising of great youkai energy here."
The Prince was right, the blasts of energy that came and went like waves were extraordinarily high and strong. It was very similar to...
His mind flashed the image of that night down in the tunnels when Ayane had injured him so effortlessly. It was the same energy.
His eyes widened in realization. That's why she was so strong. He never expected this at all. Though he has no pity for that human girl but even he knows that this nature is wrong. So terribly wrong. No living creature should have to go through something like this.
"That's because, soon she will no longer be human," Dr Ni intoned in that sing song manner, "Soon she will be a full fledged demon under my command."
The Prince slammed his fist onto the table, "This is an abomination! Even for you Ni Jien! Is it not enough that what you have done to me. We are not your playthings!"
"You say that, but yet... you are just so much fun to play with," he smirked. "I just figured that since you are taking your time with the sutra maybe she can be our answer, certainly the queen herself has already approved on this."
"You are a sick bastard! i refuse to be apart of any of this." He hissed through gritted teeth. "This is an abomination."
"Abomination you say?" he peered at the Kougaiji from under his glasses. "I'm sure the General over there might disagree with you."
He caught the Prince's eye and then Kogetsu intoned, "What is the meaning of this?"
"Look at him, isn't he a fine specimen?"
Specimen? the word repulsed him. What did he mean by that?
"You bastard!" Lord Kougaiji almost lunged at the scientist but stopped just inches before him, glaring, fists clenched.
"I don't seem to get any complaints in regards to him." He puffed on his cigarette and lazily turned back to glass room.
"You wont get away with this."
"It seems that i already have."
Lord Kougaiji glared hatefully at the man in the lab coat and stormed out of the room.
"My Lord," Kogetsu called after him.
"Don't worry about the spoiled prince, he will come around. They always do," that maddening smirk.
"What is all this, Dr Ni?" Kogetsu demanded, feeling his anger rising.
"Why? Don't you remember?" The man turned slowly to him with a sick contemptuous smile on his face. "Of course you don't," he continued at the look on Kogetsu's face.
"That's because even parts of the brain can be altered. It wasn't just coincidence that you were sped up to the title you hold today."
What was this man implying. Rage was starting to boil inside of him. Something wretched was going on.
"You were one of the many that i have tested on and the only specimen that took to the experiment, but even so... it never quite was finished. All these things that you call 'self awareness'. Such tedious little things. It seems to be resisting the treatments." he gave out a melodramatic sigh and took t he chair whilst pressing some buttons on the keyboard.
Flashbacks was coming back to Kogetsu, that machine and those wires. The memory of Dr Ni's face floating above from him. Sudden painful pangs was shot around in his head, he stumbled a bit and balanced himself on the table, sweat was starting to form on his forehead. No, this cant be, he thought horrified.
"Yes...you never did took to the brainwashing well. Your sense of 'self' was quite formidable."
His eyes were wide in disbelief as he clutched his other hand to his forehead.. these memories that were rushing back into his mind like a movie reel. He saw his younger self, he saw his village terrorized by humans, then he saw the time he met Ayane and even though how hard he fought against this tide of images he couldn't shut it out.
He saw the time he brought her back to this fort, then he saw laughter being shared between them, He saw her smiling face and he saw an image of him gathering wildflowers for her, he saw her in the sun, laughing and smiling. He remembered being offered a promotion, with a price of bloodshed on his hands. He remembered refusing. Then he remembered being taken to that dreadful lab. He was experimented on, like a rat.
Aargh! he could barely stand. he slammed his fist into the table and forced himself to stand up.
"Feeling dizzy?" that sing sing voice. A malicious chuckle.
"You son of bitch!" He faced him, "You did that to her and to me. You pitted us against each other. You altered my memories!"
"Wasn't it much more fun when you had a bit of a challenge. I mean look at you now, look at all the accomplishment you have done and achieved. Wasn't it all easier without a conscience?"
"It wasn't your decision to make!" Kogetsu growled, his hand on his katana ready.
"But look, here, before you, a full transformation. I have created a new species. In some way, I can be rivaled to a god. But then again, who wants to be a god." he looked at Kogetsu's way and stood up. "I wouldn't do that if i were you." he darted his eyes to where Kogetsu's hand was.
"It'd be such a shame to kill you," Dr Ni's eyes narrowed into slits much that like the snake that he is.
"Stop it. Stop what you're doing to her or I will," Kogetsu glared at the scientist, readying himself for an attack. "The Prince is right. You cannot experiment on us as if we are nothing but pawns in your sick game."
A chuckle, he dropped his cigarette to the ground and snuffed it with his shoe. "It doesn't matter. Her transformation will soon be complete and there is no reversing the effect. Oh," he adjusted his glasses slightly as he peered at him. "Did i tell you, that it is thanks to you, that her transformation has taken place."
"I'm sick of your blabbering! i never liked you the moment i laid eyes on you," he snarled.
"You should be proud, it was your DNA that has made her what she is now." that sinister smile widened.
That's it!
Kogetsu pulled his gun out and fired. But to his surprise, the man dodged it.
"Wow, look at that... that almost hit me. It's a good thing i moved," came a voice from right behind him. What?! How? He never even sensed his movements. He quickly spun around and fired again. But the man just stood there and to the disbelief of his eyes, his bullets vanished before hitting him.
"Hmmph, so persistent, chasing after the light. Just like bugs," Dr Ni voiced.
Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed a stuffed rabbit in pieces, as if torn.
"What are you..." he pointed his gun at him.
"I told you, it was pointless."
Kogetsu switched his aim towards the board of machinery next to him instead.
"Oh, I'm afraid i cant let you do that."
With a flick, literally a flick of his fingers, his gun went flying across the room. He glared at him and reached for his sword and lunged towards him.
Again, another flick and he was sent sailing into the air and crashing into the file cabinets, his head hit the edge of something sharp and his vision started to blur. The force that he was hit with was out of this world.
He heard an alarm going off but it was getting difficult to remain conscious now. He saw red lights flashing trough his eyelids, but he wasn't sure whether that was from the blood or if it was an actual red light.
"As much as i'd like to stay and play with you, i have something that needs my attention."
"You prick," he muttered, blood choking his throat he tried but failed to get up and then he couldn't fight it anymore. His body gave out and so did his mind.
