A/N: Sorry! This chapter is kinda long! I wanted to squeeze quite a bit into this one, and it's mostly like a filler chapter and sort of repetitive, but will still be beneficial to the plot later on. There is also a labor-scene warning. I do not get graphic with it or anything, but I just thought I'd warn those who could get scared. So, you've been warned! Here's chapter 10 for you!
Lusaka was busy that morning, trying as hard as he could to better understand Rinken. Victor just scoffed in his seat, astonished that it was taking him so long to draw a conclusion.
"I'm astounded that one of the top 10 nekos in Yale is taking so long to decipher a little virus," mocked Victor. "Well, you had to be the top 10, because there were only 10!" Victor laughed, slapping his knee. Lusaka grimaced at him.
"Why the ugly look?" he asked.
"I don't need your help or anyone else's," answered the neko, quoting him.
"Real mature," grumbled Victor. "When you're ready to grow up, I'll be waiting."
"I'm older than you..." Lusaka mumbled, pressing his glasses up onto his nose.
"Then act like it," he ordered.
No one could say Victor and Lusaka hated each other, but they couldn't say they were the best of friends either. They bickered often, Victor always being the...victor. Lusaka never won against him in an argument; the intelligent researcher always kept him on his toes. Whenever he tried to counter an attack, the human would attack again with an even more undefeatable argument, leaving him at a loss for words. Though equally stubborn, it was easy to see Victor was more prepared when it came to anything, as opposed to Lusaka.
"Um... Victor?" asked Mia shyly, quietly entering the lab.
"What do you want?" he growled.
"Me and Lusaka--..."
"Lusaka and I," corrected Victor.
"Lusaka and I have been invited to our uh... well..." Mia began.
"What?" he asked in irritation.
"We've been invited to our cousin's neko tribe. His wife's been infected with Rinken. Her baby's due soon, so we wanted to be there in case the infant was also infected, you know?" Mia asked.
"No way! You mean the cousin that no one cares about?" asked Lusaka sarcastically.
"Lusaka, be serious. And Victor, this is a good chance for you! You can, I don't know, get better acquainted with nekos like you wanted to! I promise no one will try to assassinate you or anything... We're going to be extra careful."
"I don't know..."
"Please, please, please? Oh, c'mon! It'll be fun! You can get to know our culture better and... You'll get to expand your knowledge on Rinken!"
"I guess..." Victor groaned.
"Yay! We're going on vacation!" Mia cheered.
"We are? Sweet!" Tyler exclaimed. He had a knack for sneaking in, unnoticed, at all the right times. "Chief, Cybil, Derek, Angie, we're going on vacation!"
"Tyler shut up!" whispered Victor loudly.
Tyler flew up the stairs before Victor could do as much as yell at him.
"Looks like we're going on vacation..." mumbled Victor in defeat.
OooooooO
"Welcome!" greeted Taku, the leader of the neko tribe. This tribe was very similar to Nobutaki's, but it was less hostile and everyone seemed to be relaxed. There weren't as many members and the tribe was also in a very public location. It was actually located in a National park, protected by the Federal government. Because of this, all the nekos lived peacefully, supplied with everything they needed to thrive as well as everything the forest setting provided them.
"Nice to see you again, Taku," said Lusaka.
Unlike Nobutaki, Taku was vibrant, kind-hearted, and full of life. He was always up for a good laugh and he enjoyed company. He was also youthful, being only 24.
Taku had a decent build, which differentiated him from his cousin Lusaka. He also wore no glasses, nor fancy suits. He wore casual clothing and always wore a smile. However, the humans observed something irregular about the neko man right away. His skin was much, much lighter than that of his people, and his ears and hair was white. His eyes were red.
"Are you an albino neko?" asked Sidney, trying not to sound too nosey.
"Oh, why, yes, I am," answered Taku, shaking Sidney's hand. He introduced himself to everyone else and introduced them to his tribe, who warmly welcomed them.
Now, as opposed to Nobutaki's tribe, the camp lay-out was nicer. There was a roaring fire where flames could reach as high as 10 feet, accompanied by logs that served as seats surrounding it; perfect for a scary story on warm summer nights.
The shelters were cheap tents supplied by the government, but they were sturdy enough and kept precipitation out and warmth in on those exceptional nights in June when the weather was still spring-like and chilly.
Fortunately, these nekos were also given the opportunity to keep well-cleaned with their bathing pool. This bathing pool was not a hot spring, but a slow-flowing river. The same rules applied here; a fur curtain was hung to separate the men from the women. Anyone who broke the law of seeing a person of the opposite sex naked before marriage suffered the consequences. With their experience from their previous stay, the Caduceus six knew what was tolerated and what was not. Life in the neko tribe would be very much like the past repeating itself, but this time it would be more controlled and calm with the government constantly monitoring the premises.
The experience that had left them with a bad taste in their mouths months prior was soon to be forgotten. When the pilot had left Sgorr, the last member of Nobutaki's tribe, behind, they'd all taken it hard. Cybil had especially taken this roughly, not wanting to leave the just-operated-on neko behind to die. Who was to find him but Langston Miller of Caduceus Europe?
Director Miller had pinpointed the precise coordinates of the Caduceus six, and after successfully locating them, he and some assistants were flown there to rescue them. (The Caduceus team was originally sent on a bush-plane to be flown to Caduceus Europe for the mandatory conference they were to attend) Instead of finding the six lost humans, they found the barely-alive Sgorr, still clinging to life.
After taking him back to the hospital and treating him, he was sent to live with Taku's tribe, where he lived a peaceful life of refuge.
"Sgorr!" shrieked Cybil, rushing up to him and throwing her arms around her friend.
"Cybil Myers!" he exclaimed excitedly, equally surprised as she was.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" she told him, rubbing his back.
"I'm glad you are all alright..." he replied, waving to the others.
The others waved ecstatically back, happy to see a familiar face. Even Victor was gleeful at seeing the neko, live and healthy.
"You've met?" asked Taku.
"Yeah, we have," Sidney said smiling.
"Well that makes this easy! Alright guys, make yourselves at home. I surely hope you'll enjoy your stay here; thanks for coming. I know this will be educational for you."
OooooooO
"Push!" instructed Cybil.
"I can't take it anymore, just kill me!" screamed Taku's wife, Keri, the unfortunate neko in labor. They'd loaded her up on painkillers and had given her an epidural, but they served no purpose. She was no more relaxed than a woman giving birth without the aid of painkillers.
Victor, Derek, Sidney, and Tyler waited outside the "birth-tent", anxiously awaiting the newborn's cry. They were becoming overwhelmed with the woman's constant shrieks.
Taku paced outside the tent, sweat pouring down his face.
"What if it doesn't like me? What if I'm a bad father? What if it's a girl and it tries to paint my fingernails with who knows what?!" panicked the father-to-be.
"Dude, relax, the kid'll love ya," reassured Tyler. Taku sighed a breath of relief.
"Ma'am, please try to take deep breaths and calm down," Angie said sincerely.
"I can't! Oh..." she moaned in pain.
"I see the head! Almost there, one more push and that should do it!" yelled Cybil. They'd never delivered a baby before, but the tribe's mid-wife was there to help. She sat back, contently watching them. If they needed any help, she'd jump in.
Keri cried in pain once more, followed by the cry of her child.
All the men outside the tent released their held breaths, panting so their lungs could catch up with the rest of their bodies.
Taku stepped in and saw the blood, exited, turned to face the human men, then collapsed. He'd fainted.
Several nekos crowded around the tent and their leader, all anxiously wagging their tails. A few women fanned off Taku as the others went in to help clean up.
"It's a boy!" squealed Angie, wrapping the bundle of joy into a blanket and handing him to his mother.
Keri cried tears of joy, holding her bawling infant in her arms. She cradled him soothingly, kissing his head.
A couple hours later, after Keri had recovered from the shock of the labor, she came out and declared that the new addition had arrived. The nekos all cheered loudly, applauding and screaming.
To everyone's relief, the baby hadn't contracted the Rinken and was off to a good start. He was healthy and strong, and everyone knew his lungs were functioning perfectly!
Sitting beside the fire, Sidney stared into the flames passionately. He was recalling the way Cybil had stepped up so bravely to deliver the baby once Keri's water had broken. Angie had been courageous, as well. He was glad that the baby was alright, but he still had to worry over the neko mother. How far along was the Rinken?
"Hello," Keri greeted him, cutting into his thoughts.
"Oh, hello," replied Sidney.
Keri took a seat next to him, offering the baby to him. "Want to hold him?"
"No, that's okay," he said politely.
"I hope you don't mind, but..." Keri paused, looking down at her son as pride welled up inside her. "I... named him after you."
"Y-you did?" asked Sidney, a little shocked.
"I wanted him to have a strong name, a name that would take him places. You've gotten far, so I wanted him to bare a powerful name as well. He'll be the leader of this tribe one day, after all," Keri answered, smiling at him.
"I... I'm much honored, ma'am," he replied sheepishly, blushing slightly. "Thank you."
Keri smiled at him again, giving him a friendly hug. Nekos were huggable, and they liked to administer hugs to others. It was a common gesture among friends and family members.
"See you at the big dance celebration tonight!" she called to him as she rushed off to make preparations.
Sidney stared off in her direction, dumb-stricken.
"Dance...?"