XI – Curtain Call

Saya was quick to notice his bandaged forearm when she turned up at the café later that morning. "Are you hurt?" she asked, leaning onto the counter to get a closer look. "I thought I was ready, but I guess you can't lower your guard," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. He wondered if she would find his ambiguous statement odd. But instead, she said something stupid. "Did you break a cup or something? I'll help you clean it up." Her naïve and completely dumb guess reassured him, however. It meant that the fortified meals he'd given her worked in blurring out her resurfacing memory. "I'm fine, it's all over," he answered. Saya looked at him with wide, wondering eyes, and uttered his name with a sincerely worried tone.

Suddenly, the café door opened and Kanako walked in. Saya was quick to greet her classroom teacher. Fumito tensed, but kept his expression pleasant. Kanako seemed to be in deep thought, and took a moment to reciprocate her student's greeting. "What'll you have?" Fumito asked as the woman took her seat next to Saya. The blonde woman smiled and told him, "Something good."

You're in a café, you'll have to be more specific! Fumito thought as he placed his hands on his hips. "That's a difficult request," he said courteously. "You want something too, right Saya? You need more than guimauve."

"Yeah," the girl said, smiling shyly at him, "some coffee too."

"Got it." Fumito said, and turned to prepare the women's meals. The cast members never wandered into his café on their own, save for the one time that they all came in together with Saya after school. Something told him that something was up. They were definitely beginning with their sabotage. Oh, I forgot to ask her what she wants to drink, Fumito stopped in his steps and called out to Kanako, "What will you have to drink?"

"I'll pass on the coffee. I'd like some tea. Plain."

I'll let you play out your little game, but I'm not going to let you get away with whatever you're planning to do. With his back turned, Fumito missed the scrutinizing look that Kanako was giving Saya.

"By the way, I heard your shrine houses many valuable scrolls and books," the phony teacher started.

Saya's voice was quiet when she repeated, "Valuable?"

"Old texts."

Fumito listened to the women as he poured their drinks.

"Do you mean what we keep in the storehouse?"

"Do you think I could see them?"

"I'd have to ask my father."

"Is your father home?"

"He isn't, at the moment."

"If possible, I'd like to see them today."

Ah, someone's really itching to get research material, Fumito reflected, as he watched the tea steep into a golden brown shade.

"Today?" Saya reiterated.

"Yes, today. Please. I won't take anything, and I'll be very careful with them." Kanako pleaded. "I'd just like to see them, okay? I've always been interested in old legends and myths, but I have few chances to see the original texts. I came to this town because I wanted to see the real thing."

Her method of persuasion was laughable. She sounded as though she were trying to win over a little kid. Fumito restrained himself from smirking and delivered the cups to the ladies. Kanako's intent gaze was clearly making Saya uncomfortable.

"Please?" Kanako continued.

Saya looked into her cup, unsure. Her persona was clearly debating on whether she should allow her teacher access to the archives, or follow the temple's rules. Ancient texts were not meant to be handled by just anyone. Her father never allowed anyone else inside the storage. But refusing her teacher's request would be very disrespectful. She sighed. "Well, I can let you in, sensei, but only for a really short time."

"Really? Thank you, Saya-chan!" Kanako beamed, but her face remained stiff. Silence followed as Fumito served their meals. Kanako kept her eyes down; not wanting to meet Fumito's eyes. After their meal, the ladies took off together. Fumito wished them a good day, then took off his apron. "Pity, I've grown to like this place," he commented as he made his way out of the chalet/café. A white Range Rover rolled in, and he got in.

Fumito walked into the headquarter's command station and saw the myriad surveillance screens displaying every perimeter of the made-up town. "Focus on the temple, never mind the others," he ordered, "the star is in the storeroom."

"The only thing that can defeat them is…" Saya mumbled as vignettes of her conversations with her father came flying at her, "the sacred blade?"

"Kisaragi?" her teacher asked, shutting the book sharply, calling her back into attention. "Are you alright?"

"Yes! I'm sorry, I spaced out," Saya apologized, bowing her head slightly.

"It's fine, but… how long will you play this stupid game?" Kanako held up the book. "Can't you tell by looking at this book?" She handed the book to her dazed student. "Tell what?" Saya asked, holding the book close to her chest. With a sterner expression, Kanako took a step closer to Saya and whispered, "Look more closely. Go on. Look."

Saya gazed at the book she held in her hand, and examined it. "The paper… it's new," she said before moving to look at all the other copies in the shelf. "It's supposed to be an old book, recounting an even older legend." Kanako pointed out as she watched Saya kneel and pull out another book to examine. Its pages were empty and new, ready to be marked with. "Everything in here… it's all…" Saya said slowly.

"It's all fake!" chorused the twins, who'd been standing outside the storage, watching the whole scene. They were both wearing their school uniforms. Saya stood, shocked to see her friends alive.

"Nono-san? Nene-san?" she muttered breathlessly as she walked towards them.

The twins confirmed their presence to Saya with their sugary-sweet, sing-song voices. Saya merely stood and stared at them with disbelief. "You can tell that it's really us, right Saya?" Nono asked. Kanako placed a hand on Saya's shoulder and said, "Let's end it already… this farce."

In the surveillance footage, he could see Saya, mortified, shocked, paralyzed with incomprehension, and the treacherous vermin smirking triumphantly.

"No matter how hard we try to jog your memory, you revert to your usual self." Nono said.

Nene supplemented with, "That's right. Whenever we're like, 'Is she back? Did she remember?' you only forget again."

"What are you talking about?" Saya asked weakly.

Kanako was smiling at Saya. "I told you it's time to stop. Time to stop doing this over and over." The bitch had raised her hand and was touching the very cheek he had caressed earlier. "I've put up with this nonsense for an entire summer, isn't that long enough?"

"The entire summer…?"

"She still doesn't get it?" Nono whined. "We've only been playing this game since summer started."

"We'll prove it." Nene added.

"Sanbara High School doesn't have a winter uniform!" the flamingos proudly exclaimed.

Fumito sighed, of all the evidences they could use! Ah, but of course, what could he expect of airheaded 14-year old brats? On the screen, Shinichirou had appeared, looking down sternly at Saya.

"I wanna finish this up and get the money I'm owed," he stated coldly.

"Cold-blooded," the twins praised.

"Alert the troops. We're executing the contingency plan," Fumito said calmly as he watched Shinichirou produce a vial of Elder Bairn blood. Everything in his meticulously planned orchestration was now unworkable. The blood inside the vial in the vile boy's hand would be enough to stir Saya's real memories. The concoction he serves Saya was Bairn blood diluted with a counteractant for her memories. It wouldn't be able to work against the large and concentrated dosage Shinichirou had in the vial. "Pack up. We are out of here. Secure all important files about Saya, remove any traces of our company, all blood samples from Saya and the Bairns must be taken with us." He stalked out of the room and headed to his private quarters, where Kutou waited.

"Sir."

"The show's ending soon. Have the helicopter on standby." Fumito instructed as he entered the quarters. Akane was asleep on his bed, completely unaware of the organized pandemonium erupting around her. "Akane-chan," he whispered in a sing-song voice, "Akane-chan, it's time to wake up." The child would not budge. Not wanting to waste time, Fumito simply scooped the child into his arms and handed her over to Kutou. "Head to the car. I'll just take some things." His head henchman bowed and disappeared with the precious cargo.

He knelt down, pushed aside the bedside table to reveal the safe in which he kept all the amulets and talismans in. The temple was rigged with Elder Bairns waiting to be released, guaranteeing that this abrupt end to the farce would be a grotesque frenzy.

Itsuki and Yuuka were standing outside, wearing identically indifferent expressions. "What's happening, Sir?" Itsuki asked. "Why is everyone packing up?" Fumito raised a corner of his mouth and said, "The dead actors have decided to revive and reveal themselves to the Star." Their eyes widened. "We're going to have a little discussion about the direction of their lives."

They stood at the foot of the stairs that led up to the temple. It was a fine, sunny day, like every other day. But the atmosphere was tense. People were peering nervously at the parked vehicles and the militia that suddenly appeared in the street. Akane remained unperturbed, oblivious. Fumito stepped out of the Rover and produced a talisman from his pocket. "Itsuki, Yuuka, please go ahead. I will be with you after a few moments," he instructed the two. "Yes sir," the two answered, bounding up the stairs. It is time. Emerge, Cerberus! You may devour them when I say so, he thought as he smashed the talisman to the ground. An explosion tore the idyll silence, followed by the flamingos' unmistakable screams. "Everyone, please wait for our return, I'm counting on you all," he commanded pleasantly and made his way up to the temple. How much had he spent for this project? Seven figures? And it was coming to an abrupt end because some nitwits had decided they couldn't wait. He could hear their raised voices, trying to justify their mistakes, as he came closer.

"If we keep this up, Saya's memories will never come back. What kind of experiment is this? It will never end if he overwrites her memory every time it's returning! And I'll never be able to reveal it to the world!" Kanako screamed.

"The hell?" the murderous twins chorused.

"What about my money?" the greedy bastard yelled. "I don't care about your plans. I'm risking my life!"

"That was really bad!" Nene shouted.

"If he finds out, he won't fix our problems!" Nono supported.

"Shut up! I'm out of time… at this rate, I'll be banned from publishing! And I have living proof right here before me. If Saya regains her memory, I can take him and…"

Fumito watched Kanako's face distort with anguish, frustration, and sheer madness, then asked calmly, "Do what?" Everyone turned around, mortified. The terror in their faces were comical, but he had no interest in taking their actions lightly. He smiled at them, nevertheless. "What can you do to me?" he asked again. It seemed as though nobody dared even to breathe until Itsuki turned to face him and say, "Are you sure it's alright, showing up like this?"

"Sure… given everything that's happened, right Saya?" he said softly, his gaze fixed upon his beloved. She raised her head and regarded him with blank, dead eyes. With a voice that only the wind could hear, she uttered his name, "Fumito-san…" It struck a gentle chord in him and made him smile. "You're back to your old self, aren't you?" he asked earnestly. "Even if you drank the coffee, it wouldn't help now."

The flamingos saw it as their chance to beg for mercy. "This isn't what it looks like!" they pleaded, moving to his side. "We made a mistake," Nono said. "A tiny mistake," Nene repeated, "really, you know? You know? The kids screw up sometimes! And you've got to let kids be kids! Right?" He stared at them. "That's right," he said softly. You've committed a dozen murders and robberies. You liked torturing your victims, all of who had been girls from well-off families. You mutilated them, assaulted them with sick tactics, and robbed their families before dumping a bloody box on their doorsteps. Some kids you are. "That's one way to look at it."

"Isn't it?" the desperate teenagers asked.

Fumito turned to look at Shinichirou, who made no effort to mask his disgust and fear. "I'm done with this. Pay me what you owe and I'm out of here!" he proclaimed.

"Your actions are a clear violation of your contract," Yuka admonished.

"Shut up!" Shinichirou bellowed.

You owe the mafia a large sum, and you haven't learned a thing while you were here. "I suppose this is kids being kids, too?" Fumito asked rhetorically before laying his eyes on Kanako. She cast her eyes down, and tried to explain. "I'm running out of time. Not being able to publish…" she was shaking like a leaf as she spoke. "Because of those rock-headed old idiots…and then new researchers keep showing up… calling me a lunatic! And then, and then!" Her distress kept her from eloquence.

Haven't you stopped to think that maybe you're just not a very good researcher? "First of all," Fumito said, "take your hands off Saya."

The woman let out a terrified yelp before dropping Saya, who simply fell, face-first, on the ground. Ah, Saya, you really are in shock, aren't you? Saya slowly raised her head to look at him with a dumbfounded and uncomprehending expression on her beautiful face.

"So this is the stage and the actors you gathered for your test?" Saya said, sitting up.

"That's right," he admitted, "for you. You said you wouldn't change. And I wanted you to. So I said if we were going to do it, we would decide a winner and a loser."

She lowered her head and frowned, as though she were trying to remember something. "And a prize for the winner and a penalty for the loser…"

The more he heard her talk in her true voice, the happier he got. Fumito nodded.

Nene turned to him and wondered in a faux innocent tone, "Isn't this already over? Is this like a grand finale?" Her twin brightened up too, and babbled, "Her memories are back, so it's over, right?" In unison, they asked him, "We can leave, right?"

So rude, interrupting my conversation with Saya. Fumito smiled. "That's right. If our actors won't act, they can leave the stage." Cerberus, you may now feast.

With one powerful pounce, the six-legged Bairn easily caught the unsuspecting Shinichirou. He tried to struggle, beating the Bairn's paw with his fists with all his might, but he screamed girlishly as Cerberus's raised paw hammered him down. The cocky bastard was nothing against Cerberus, which was quick to devour the boy's remains. The twins and Kanako watched the scene with pure terror. "Hey wait! The talismans! We're wearing the talismans!" Nene screamed shakily.

Fumito smiled and corrected them. "Yes, but the ones I gave you after your first deaths were fake. They won't work." Nono turned to give a beautifully mortified look at him, before they attempted to break into a run. The Cerberus, happily crunching down on bone and muscle, seeing that its next meals were trying to run away, extended its appendages to give chase. Running side by side, the sisters weren't making much of a distance. Realizing this, Nene punched Nono, who falls down. Nono shrieks, but is almost immediately silenced, as the Cerberus pounds her to a pulp on the pavement. He devours the first flamingo whole. Fumito disregards the gory scene but instead watches Saya.

Beautiful, just beautiful, he thought.

"Let me go! I said let me go! It hurts! It hurts!" Nene wailed. "Please stop!" He heard something pop, then heard the Cerberus crunching on bones. Saya simply stared, but closed her eyes at the sight of the mutilated girl. Fumito turned to Kanako, whose knees had long given up on supporting her. She was staring blankly, with tears streaming down her face. "I expected your betrayal. So your talisman's been fake the entire time." Fumito informed her. "Thank you for your performance."

Kanako finally remembered how to move her limbs when the Cerberus reared its head towards her. With breathless shrieks, she began to run towards the temple, desperate, just as the twins had been, to escape, to evade, the powerful Bairn. The Cerberus merely extended its ear/arm appendage and tipped her down before dragging her back, kicking and screaming, to its mouth. Kanako tried to kick its tongue, but the Cerberus merely wrapped her with it. Kanako's screams gave her beauty justice. Fumito couldn't help but watch the wench's final moments. He nearly missed the moment when Saya decided to get up on unsteady feet and pick up a metal rod from the temple debris. Ah, here she finally is, my girl, he thought proudly. Her movements were nimble, precise, lethal. Saya's thrusts and hits caused the Cerberus to lose its hold on Kanako several times before it finally made up its mind to stuff the woman in his mouth the first chance he got. Saya leapt with easy grace into the Cerberus's mouth after her. Why are you wasting your energy for her Saya? Fumito couldn't help but wonder if the force driving Saya to save the wicked wench was her drugged-self. Or was it truly possible… that the real Saya held compassion towards the weak mortals as well? Saya wedged a metal rod on its mouth before crawling further inside the Bairn, which squirmed and writhed with complete discomfort.

"Her weapon doesn't matter at all, does it?" Yuuka asked him quietly.

"Nope, that nonsense about the shrine maiden and the sacred blade was just part of the story. If it can draw enough blood, anything will work." Fumito clarified as the Cerberus crashed onto the temple before Saya struck the deathblow. Kanako slid out of the Cerberus's mouth and screamed with renewed terror at the sight of Saya emerging from inside the dead monster. She sprinted away as fast as her wobbly legs could, towards the temple. Saya seemed unbothered by anything. Not the blood, not the fact that she had just crawled inside a live monster, nothing. Nothing seemed to matter.

"I wonder," Fumito thought aloud as he watched Saya follow Kanako inside the temple, "would it be safe to introduce them now?"

A/N: Hey there! I hoped you enjoyed this update. Please let me know what you thought about it. Do you think it's about time Saya gets to know about Fumito's sicker project? Constructive criticism is highly appreciated. Thank you for reading!