Demon City Tokyo

Chapter 12

Megumi felt a degree of pride as she checked the news. Her latest story on the social breakdown in Tokyo had sparked a official investigation, and it looked like the Minister of Education was going to have to resign. Not that it was the poor bastard's fault, really, but a resignation was required to save face. Politics.

"Hey!" Asuka came into the dining hall, smiling. "Heard from Ken, he says you got him into school again?"

Megumi flushed slightly. "I know a teacher there," she explained, "and could pull some strings. Mind you, he's going to have to work to catch up, but..."

"He's got a chance, at least," Asuka agreed.

Megumi nodded. She'd interviewed Ken for her education story, about how badly victims of the demon attacks had fared. No counselling, not much financial support, families deserting you... it had been a disaster. And not just for Ken, lots of kids had suffered.

"Feeling guilty about that?" Asuka nodded to the paper.

"Not really," Megumi smiled wryly, "it's all for show anyway. He'll resign, the government will make various pledges to fix the problems, and in a few years he'll be back as a minister for another department and everything will carry on."

"And I thought I was cynical," Asuka laughed.

"I'm not that cynical, it's just...," Megumi paused, "look, I've been at this business a few years. Politics are cyclical, always. These guys come back, short of being killed."

"True," Asuka conceded before adding a bit defensively, "Well, I haven't really been following politics much."

"Even with the crowds of chanting protesters in front of here every day?" Megumi asked, looking at her in surprise.

Asuka shrugged, "They're just nutjobs."

Megumi looked at Asuka thoughtfully, wondering if she should tell her about the very real political opposition to the hunters. There were a lot of political factions at play, and at least some of them hated Yui Ikari's guts. Not to mention how much the politicians used the controversy to just get attention and drum up votes. Still, it wasn't something Asuka really needed to know.

Instead, Megumi asked, "Is Yui still pissed off at me?"

Asuka snickered, "No, not really. I mean, I think she knew when you came on board that you'd do things like filing a story without telling anyone."

"It IS kind of my job," Megumi said to Asuka drolly. "And you have to admit, it's news."

Asuka nodded, "That's true."

The shocking discovery of Keel Lorenz's disembodied head was still reverberating both through the news and the public awareness. He had been a wealthy, well known industrialist even before he became notorious as a demon summoner. Worse, there was a perplexing mystery around the story. How had he gotten from a fortified home in Germany to Japan, then ended up dead in a Tokyo apartment?

"Have they found the rest of him?" Asuka asked ghoulishly.

"Not yet," Megumi said, making a face.

The other mystery appeared to be what happened to the rest of him. So far, only his head had been found, and where the rest of his corpse was no one knew. The hunters had helped clear the building for the police, who now had forensics teams searching high and low. So far, the only body parts found were in the one room.

"How are you getting along with those cops?" Asuka asked curiously. She frowned, "There was something... odd about them."

"Hmm," Megumi nodded. "Something, yeah. They're a private security firm pitching police services to Tokyo, as I understand it. All very hush hush. I had to push my political sources even to find out THAT."

"As in, replacing us?" Asuka raised her eyebrows.

"That's the subtext, but I'm not hearing anything overt saying so," Megumi answered. She shrugged, "And no one with them will say anything to me, on or off the record." She looked cutely thoughtful, "Gee, do you think they might have something to hide?"

Asuka snorted with laughter. "You're gonna dig into this, aren't you?"

"Damn right," Megumi nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"AAAAAA!" Misato yelped.

"Oh, hold still," Ritsuko growled as she grabbed the other woman.

"Can you at least warm up the instruments?" Misato complained as she sat back down on the examination table.

"Wimp," Ritsuko answered. "If you actually came in to your monthly physicals willingly, I wouldn't have to take steps like this."

"You're a sadist," Misato sighed. As the cold instruments ran along her back she winced, "Argh. I usually expect a woman to at least get me dinner before doing nasty things to me."

"Yeah, yeah," Ritsuko laughed, "stop fishing for compliments."

Misato patiently bore the poking and prodding, tho she occasionally pointed out when Ritsuko got TOO rough. "Okay," she said when Ritsuko jabbed her with a needle the size of a harpoon, "are we done yet?"

"Cry baby," Ritsuko snickered, "yes, we're done. Get dressed."

"Oh thank god," Misato sighed as she pulled on her shirt and pants. "Did you get Yui into your chamber of horrors too?" she asked.

"Yes, this morning," Ritsuko shrugged, "she whines less than you do, though."

"Meanie!" Misato laughed and swiftly escaped.

Ritsuko put the samples in for analysis as she typed a preliminary report on Misato. Then she picked up Yui's report thoughtfully. She COULD just send it via inter office mail, but... the odds were good Yui would ignore it.

Leaving her office Ritsuko headed to the elevators, smiling wryly as the doors opened to reveal Maya Ibuki. The boyish young woman blushed, "Ma'am."

"You can call me Ritsuko, you know," she purred, standing JUST near enough to make the younger woman nervous.

"Yes, uhm..," Maya stammered sweetly. She jabbed the open button and hurried off as she blurted, "Excuse me!"

Ritsuko pouted as she saw her hurry off. She REALLY needed to let the poor girl know she was onto her. Tho that might spoil Misato's fun...

Yui Ikari's secretary was a cool, calm looking young woman that Ritsuko REALLY wondered was a youma. Normal people don't come that calm and composed, damn it. "Doctor Akagi," Yuki Nagato nodded, "you are not on the day's schedule."

Ritsuko smiled faintly, "Can you fit me in?"

Yuki just STARED at her a moment, blankly, then looked at her computer. "I believe so," she finally said, "go right in."

"Thank you," Ritsuko smiled as she went by.

Yui Ikari was looking out the window as Ritsuko entered, but turned to see her. "Ah, Rits. Just the ray of light my day needed," she said dryly.

"Love you too," Ritsuko tossed the report on her desk as she asked, "Do you want the bad news or the bad news?"

"Go ahead," Yui sighed.

"You are BADLY underweight, anaemic and malnourished," Ritsuko said, "if I didn't know better, I'd think you were on a fad diet."

"Don't joke," Yui grumbled.

"I'm perscribing a new batch of multivitamins," Ritsuko handed her a sheet of paper, "and I would suggest more iron in your diet. The cafeteria also offers balanced meals, if you'd actually go in there and eat."

"Yes mother," Yui pouted.

Ritsuko rolled her eyes as she reminded her, "Keep in mind you gave me authority over you, at least in medical matters. If I have to I will order you to take time off."

Yui sighed, "All right, all right. What do you want, a contract signed in blood?"

"Considering how thin your blood is...," Ritsuko noted mildly then headed out.

To be continued...