Stare into the Abyss
Disclaimer: Characters and premise are the property of Kazue Kato. I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit horror.
Chapter Nine: Daily Grind
Yukio stared at the grade on top of the final of his make-up class utter shock; a B minus. He'd never gotten a worse test grade in his life. He groaned; his homework for his winter-break course hadn't been the best either, he'd be lucky to get a solid B for the class. He couldn't imagine how this had happened. Then he glanced at his watch and realized he needed to run to get to the Facility, Saul would be expecting him.
He'd asked to start his shift in the infirmary earlier so he'd have more time for his research. It also gave him more time to snoop around for Shura, setting his schedule so he worked cross-shifts meant he could spy on both the day and swing shifts. On his late nights he occasionally managed to be around for the beginning of the night shift too.
Yukio shoved the disappointing test in his bag then hurried across campus to the Facility's lower entrance. In the infirmary he found Saul in the middle of an operation while a second test subject, a twelve year old boy with pointed ears and tail like Rin's, was strapped down to the next table waiting to have a burn debrided. "Think you can handle it?" Saul asked nodding to the second patient while his hands were still in the first.
Yukio leaned over to study the second patient's wounds: The burns emanated out from welts and he pictured some sort of lash impregnated with anti-demon pharmaceuticals to cause such an injury. The young subject's demonic regenerative powers were struggling to heal the wound but the contaminant was interfering. The lash marks curled around the boy's left arm, then ripped across the whole of his back. Yukio grimaced, "They got out of hand again," he said. "So how much am I to clean up and how much do I have to leave for their research?"
"Leave the left arm untreated," Saul instructed. "That shouldn't be life-threatening and we can collect data on how his regenerative abilities cope with the spotted alder tincture, that should satisfy them."
"I just need to remove the damaged tissue, the rest should take care of itself?" Yukio checked.
Saul nodded. "You learn quickly."
Yukio pulled on a smock and arranged the instruments he needed while boy watched in terror. Summoning up the focus that he was having increasing difficulty finding in class Yukio smiled calmly at the boy. "You'll feel better shortly," he promised. Then he set to work making quick clean cuts to excise the contaminated tissue and allow the boy's own healing to work without hindrance.
Once he was done and the boy was bandaged and recovering, Yukio stared longingly at his office for a few moments then he sighed. He grabbed a tome on creating Witch Bottles and headed down to the breakroom. Yukio fixed himself a coffee, picked a discreet corner and settled in to superstitiously listen in on the gossip going around the Facility.
As Yukio sat there listening and trying to research at the same time Rene wandered in and plopped down beside him. An automatic smiled lit Yukio's face as he watched Rene sprawl bonelessly over the chair. "Going down to visit the kiddies today?" Rene asked.
"Of course," Yukio said but he looked regretful. "I won't have much time though. I was just going to check their seals and see that they're eating properly for the next several weeks while I focus on stabilizing the seals."
"Awww! At least read to us," Rene whined. "I think it was a really good idea; the twins are starting to talk finally."
"They don't talk to me," Yukio replied but he couldn't help but look pleased. 'When I succeed it will be much easier to place them for adoption if they're not feral,' he thought
"So go get the books, project literacy is having an impact," Rene pled.
"Yes, alright," Yukio surrendered, unable to disappoint Rene's hopeful expression.
As he walked into the infirmary Yukio glanced around for Saul, he spotted the older doctor inspecting the patient he'd worked on earlier. Yukio went to his office and covertly opened the bottom draw of his desk. He pulled the draw all the way out, hidden behind the files was his stash of childrens books. Yukio glanced over at Saul again and seeing the man was busily making notes and poking at the boy's untreated left arm, he quickly put a few of the books into his bag. "I'm going down t o the cages to check on my bunch's seals. I'll be back up in a couple of hours and I'll be staying late. I'm not getting as far in my research as I'd like. I can take notes on my patient's arm while I'm here, no need for both of us to stay late," Yukio said.
"Thanks," Saul replied. "My wife will certainly be glad to see me home on time for once. And good work on the debridement today if I'm gone before you get back up."
Yukio waved and let himself back out into the hallway where Rene was waiting. "You got them?" he asked. Yukio nodded to his bag.
Down on level five the guard waved the two of them in with a bored look.
As soon as the children in the cell spotted them through the bars they crowded around the door.
Felix reached through the bars and tugged on Rene's pant leg. When the older boy crouched down Yukio heard a whispered demand, "Re-re play!" Yukio smiled softly and hurried to get the door unlocked. Both Felix and his twin, Leo, retained their cat-eyes but looked otherwise human at the moment.
As soon as Rene stepped into the cell the twins immediately swarmed gleefully over him. Leo made it up to Rene's shoulders first. When the four-year-old stopped to stick his tongue out at his slower sibling Yukio plucked Leo off Rene and did a quick check of the seal inked on his stomach before releasing him to return to his game of King of Mount Rene. Then he performed the same check on Felix.
With the twins done Yukio offered a picture book to Meda in exchange for her cooperation. She grasped his hand and stared into his eyes for a time then, with serious sympathy, she told him. "There was a man of double deed, sowed his garden full of seed. When the seed began to grow, 'twas like a garden full of snow; when the snow began to melt, 'twas like a ship without a belt; when the ship began to sail, 'twas like a bird without a tail; when the bird began to fly, 'twas like an eagle in the sky; when the sky began to roar, 'twas like a lion at the door; When the door began to crack, 'twas like a stick across my back; when my back began to smart, 'twas like a penknife in my heart; when my heart began to bleed, 'twas death and death and death indeed."
Yukio only understood that Meda was predicting doom, he assumed it was her approaching birthday that worried her and patted her on the hand. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you," he promised.
Meda frowned and squeezed his hand, repeating ''When my heart began to bleed, 'twas DEATH and DEATH and DEATH indeed."
Meda's skin was scalier that it had been the day before and Yukio was unsurprised to find her seal had begun to unravel once again. "Yes, I suppose your demon-heart is starting to bleed through again," Yukio replied. "But I know how to stanch it. You have to trust me."
He made eye contact with Rene for a moment, the older boy nodded and went to lean against the bars where he could watch for the guard. Yukio led Meda back to the bunk at the back of the cell and dug a small supply of sealing ink out of his bag. Since Indigo's death they'd been maintaining the fiction that the seals were working by refreshing them secretly in the cell. Yukio hoped that no one would remove Meda from his study group while her seal was apparently holding.
Once he was done with Meda's seal Yukio handed a bottle of formula to Kermit. Despite the seal painted on his stomach the little three year old's skin retained a deep emerald color. The seals that had been making the other four notably more human had no effect at all on Kermit. Yukio wondered if the boy came from a different blood-line and if so what did that mean for the project's applicability to Rin. Would he have to start all over again with Rin? And how could he manage that when Mephisto's sanction had prevented him from receiving any word of his twin since December. The only gap Mephisto had missed had given Yukio nothing more than an elicit peek at Rin's grades.
Kit sulked visibly while Yukio checked Kermit over. But as soon as the green skinned boy was released the youngest of the children leapt at Yukio, wrapping his little arms tightly around the older boy's neck and burrowing against him. Yukio rubbed between Kit's fox-like ears for a moment then disentangled him enough to check his seal.
With all the check-ups done Yukio pulled another of the books out of his bag. He gave Kit a bottle and settled him in the crook of his arm then opened the book. Rene plopped down on the floor in front of him, Felix and Leo squirmed for space in Rene's lap. Meda laid aside the book she'd been looking at and cautiously crept closer to the circle. Kermit, much to Kit's annoyance leaned up against Yukio's side. "Big A, Little a, what begins with A?" Yukio read.
When Yukio left the Facility late that night Egin's driver was waiting for him.
"You pulled a long day today," Egin remarked as Yukio sat down to dinner across from him in Egin's elegant dining room.
"I apologize if I've inconvenienced your staff," Yukio replied.
Egin smiled and waved off the apology. "No need. I'm just a bit envious of your youthful enthusiasm and energy. It has been a long time since I have had the endurance to survive your schedule."
Yukio bowed his head slightly, as if covering embarrassment.
"I am a bit concerned about your GPA," Egin added a beat later. "I know high school classes must seem trivial next to what you've accomplished as an Exorcist but you will want to be able to get into a top ranked medical program in a few years."
Yukio frowned. "Studying medicine was just something to tell Rin back when he didn't know. As an Exorcist I'm already a doctor."
Egin folded his hands benevolently. "Naturally your skills, when it comes to the treatment of temptaints and other spiritual wounds, are immeasurably superior to a civilian doctor's," he said. "However when it comes to treating physical wounds you are more comparable to a front-line medic than a doctor in terms of your training."
"I don't know of any Exorcist doctors who also hold an actual MD," Yukio argued. "Not even Dad."
"Saul does," Egin corrected. "And he's far from the only one of your current colleagues who has attained an advanced degree. In addition to medical doctors, the Facility's exorcists also hold PhD's in physics, biology, chemistry, multiple branches of Engineering. This is a research facility Yukio, not a one of the Order's combat branch like Tokyo or Kyoto. Here, if you don't get a doctorate of some kind your potential for advancement will be limited."
"But the work I've done-" Yuko protested.
"Is phenomenal," Egin interrupted. "The advances you've made in understanding the opening of gates between Assiah and Gehenna alone… To be honest I've been looking for the right moment to talk to you about transferring you to the Messiah Project. Instead of wasting your time trying to eliminate demons one by one you could be working toward the eradication of all demons, of all Gehenna, in one fell stroke."
"But don't neglect your regular studies," Egin continued, switching tracks. "You should consider putting your career as an Exorcist on hold altogether while you attend college . Demons have plagued mankind since the days of Genesis, deliverance can wait six or seven years while you get a degree."
"But Rin and Rene can't," Yukio disagreed. "Even switching to the Messiah Project would be a setback in saving them. I am literally days from a breakthrough."
Egin nodded indulgently. "Well, in that case I suppose the salvation of Assiah can wait a bit, but do keep the new term in mind."
The rest of dinner was spent making small talk. Then while the plates were being cleared away, Egin began, "I know you said it was none of my business, but about that Kirigakure woman…"
"Yo! Lover-boy!" Shura shouted standing outside of Yukio's dorm Saturday evening. "Get your ass out here!"
A number of students poked their heads out the windows to stare at Shura with a mixture of disbelief and admiration.
Yukio rolled his eyes at Shura's latest annoying nickname. "I'll be down in a minute. Stop disturbing my neighbors."
Shura put her hands behind her head and arched her back, putting her 'assets' on display. "Who's disturbed?" she asked.
"So crass," Yukio sighed loudly. He added a few texts to his bookbag then locked his room and walked downstairs.
"Batting cages?" Shura offered.
Yukio nodded. It was a waste of time he didn't have but during the practice sessions with Shura he felt more normal than he'd felt in well over a year. Even if it was a waste of time, Yukio couldn't ignore that he thought better afterwards. He sometimes wondered if things would have gone better in Japan if he'd had the ability to stop and clear his mind every now and then.
As soon as the balls started flying he and Shura fell into an easy rhythm banter while they took down target after target. If there'd been any listeners the noise of the batting machine would have covered their conversation but Shura didn't ask for a report and Yukio didn't have any real progress to mention so he let the subject lie and just pretended he was still eight and Shiro would be there to console him if, when, Shura won again.
The sun set before a clear winner had been established, "I'm a mess," Shura declared. "Let's go back to my place for a shower then I'll make you dinner."
"Fine," Yukio agreed.
As they walked through the deepening gloom Yukio caught sight of several La Llorona stalking them but they weren't accosted. "They're waiting to see what we do," Shura said softly as she looped her arm through Yukio's. For the rest of the way to her apartment she leaned up against him as they walked.
"Okay, I get the first shower," Shura announced when her door had been closed behind them.
"You're not going to suggest showering together?" Yukio asked, eyeing her as if he suspected an imposture.
Shura glanced at him in surprise then shrugged. "Didn't want you to spew again. It's best if we look like lovers in public but I wasn't going to tease too hard in private."
"You've succeed," Yukio remarked. "Egin gave me another grandfatherly talk about you."
"Oh?" Shura asked. "And what did he have to say?"
"He 'understands' having sex with you but he'd rather I didn't talk to you," Yukio replied wryly. "He thinks you might have been sent to spy on him."
Shura widened her eyes ingenuously , "Who would imagine?"
"Innocence doesn't suit you," Yukio remarked.
"We'll have a drink to making the old fart unhappy," Shura replied.
"I'd rather not," Yukio said. "Alcohol was the largest factor in my vomiting before. As for the rest, it was a shock to be confronted so bluntly with the depths of the Facility's depravity, but I've recovered my equanimity now. You don't have to treat me like china."
"You wouldn't lie to me would you?" Shura asked sceptically. After all it had taken better than two months for Yukio to decide to comment on her giving him his space once they were in her apartment.
Yukio dropped his bookbag on the kitchen table. "Normality has a certain appeal right now," he admitted. "And for some reason, when it comes to you, I associate crass, inappropriate behavior with normal."
"Awww," Shura laughed. "Just for that I think I'm going to use up all the hot water."
While Shura showered Yukio went back to his research. He was sure he on the verge of discovering how Rin's demon-heart had been separated from his brother and placed in the Koma Sword. That was the final key. As long as he kept sealing his kids' demon-hearts within their own bodies the hearts ate at seals and caused them to fail within a matter of weeks. But, judging from Rin, seals applied to a separate and inanimate object like the sword were much more stable.
True to her word, Shura left Yukio with only a few moments of lukewarm water before his shower turned outright icy, so she hadn't gotten on preparing dinner before Yukio was done, "Back already?" Shura asked as she handed him a bowl of potatoes to peel. Yukio handed them back to her and went back to his books. "I'll get the dishes," he offered.
"Suit yourself," Shura said.
After they finished dinner Shura sat at the kitchen table nursing a beer while she watched Yukio scrub. "So, learn anything new at work?" she asked.
"Exorcists at the Facility, by and large, consider themselves vastly superior to those serving in other branches of the Order," Yukio reported. "Hardly damning. The Facility tends to be extremely conservative about putting new weapons into the field; which means they have weapons two or three generations more advanced than anyone else in the Order, but if confronted about it they could easily claim that they didn't wish to risk lives by putting inadequately tested weapons into service." He slapped the counter with an open hand. "I know you're right about the coup, but I can't find incontrovertible proof. The only atrocities they put on display are ones the Grigori would approve of."
"The Grigori doesn't like Egin," Shura reminded Yukio. "Enough circumstantial evidence and they'll jump on it."
"In a month?" Yukio asked.
"Maybe, probably not that soon without hard evidence," Shura admitted. "Why the deadline?"
Yukio ignored her question. "And even if the Grigori did come in, it still wouldn't save them," he continued. "700 feral kids under the age of six, mostly quarter demons, another hundred odd quarter and half demons between the ages of six and twenty who've known nothing but cruelty. A hundred and fifty half-demon girls, almost all of them pregnant, who have been in a drug induced coma since... I don't even know how old they let them get before they put them in the tubes, but they were children the last time they were conscious. Even if the Order shuts this place down, what is the Vatican going to do with them?"
Shura knocked back her drink then opened another can and chugged it. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe the younger ones can be re-educated so they don't loath humanity. Maybe we toss 'em in Gehenna and hope the demons will see them as their own when we can't. Maybe the La Llorona's 'She' has a plan. I don't know. At least it'll end."
Yukio put the last of the dishes up then went back to his books. Shura went in the living room to write her report to the Grigori. "Stay the night," she told Yukio even though he'd already slept, or at least studied, in her spare room the last two nights. "Gotta keep up appearances."
Amaimon and Shima with Sheimi on his back waded out of fissure in a sheer cliff face. They found themselves staring out over a desolate valley, the air was thin and cold from the altitude. "Where are we?" Shima asked. Where ever it was it didn't feel like August to him.
"Nevado Mismi, Mr. Shima, the birthplace of the Amazon river." The trio turned and saw a dark haired man with a patch over his left eye and a blonde woman waiting for them.
"Michelle! Neuhaus-Sensei!" Shiemi exclaimed.
Michelle smiled gently and gathered both Shiemi and Shima into a hug. "Gaia told me you'd be coming," she said. "I'm glad we managed to get here in time to meet you."
"Come on," Neuhaus said gruffly. "We've got a hike just to get back to our base camp, then another day of walking before we get back to our truck." He turned to Shima, "You and I will take turns carrying the girl. The way I understand it, Michelle and the Hell King here are too much Gaia's creatures to break her connection with the earth. If they tried to carry her, Gaia's power would flow right through them and into the Earth." Then he turned to Amaimon. "Tomorrow we'll get some use out of that monster strength of yours anyway. You get to carry the gear."
Amaimon shrugged, disinterested.
"Once we get back to the truck we'll drive toward Lake Titacaca, then we'll skirt around the lake and into Bolivia," Michelle took over. "All told we're assuming a little better than a week of driving to reach Rio de Janeiro. That's where Gaia's agents found Echidna."
"It'd be faster to fly," Neuhaus remarked as he turned to Shiemi. "But I doubt we could get you through airport security without your feet ever touching the ground."
"I'm sorry to be so much trouble to everyone," Shiemi said.
Michelle laughed. "Igor is just being difficult. I can't go through airports either. It's a bit hard to get your passport renewed when you're technically dead." She smiled, "Besides, this way we'll be passing nearby Pantanal. Once we get there you'll be able to stretch your legs. The Earth Kingdom is already so strong the tropical wilds that the overflow of Gaia's power coming from you won't make a difference."
Notes: Yukio is reading "Dr. Suess' ABC's Book". Meda's poem is anonymous but comes from Mother Goose.