Author's Note: Someone asked in the co ments why the Captains didn't discuss Gareki's powers. Well, now that they have more info...
Summary: A return to the Captain's Table
Karneval: Pyromancy
Chapter 18: Worries and Hypothesis
Tsukitachi sat down his coffee cup and looked up. "I was about to give up on you guys. I've already ordered," he said, "What kept you?"
"Kuronomie called and tried to charge me for fire damage to their battle bots," Hirato grumbled as he sat across from the red headed captain.
"What!? Why?" Tsukitachi asked.
"Apparently, Gareki's Natural Incure Cells are developing his abilities better than expected," Akari sighed.
"According to his instructor, his first day of combat training, not only did he gain his weapons, but he also electrocuted eight of the twenty bots he was fighting," Hirato sighed, "And today, the instructor set him against fifty to compensate for the fact he defeated all twenty last time."
"FIFTY!?" Tsukitachi exclaimed.
"Of which he caught ten on fire as well as a fourth of the training room" Hirato sighed.
"Even with a Captain's pay, how are you expected to be able to pay for all that?" Tsukitachi asked.
"He's not going to," Akari answered, before the red head had the chance to offer assistance.
"Akari-Chan, don't tell me you stepped in and offered to?" Tsukitachi started.d "Me? Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" Akari chuckled, "None of this is on me, so why would I?"
"They're not going to dock Gareki's allowance are they?" Tsukitachi asked.
"No. That had been their threat, though," Hirato stated, "Should I refuse to compensate. But I reminded them, they have a budget strictly for the training bots, and those are the same ones we fought when you and I were there. Gareki was on Yogi's speaker phone at the time and quite adamant that the first batch had exposed wires to begin with. I then reminded them who was behind setting up the course Gareki was in and who had convinced them to take him back this time." Tsukitachi laughed, as he watched the lights dance off Hirato's glasses, and shook his head, "Hirato, shame on you. You sent them to Tokitatsu?"
"I told them that if the boys were that old and damaged, they could use it to replace them, and possibly get Gareki and some of the engineering students to repair any that were still useable. Tokitatsu could more than afford to foot the bill should anything further funds be needed after that," Hirato chuckled.
"Oh, he's just going to LOVE you," Tsukitachi said snidely.
"After everything, today, I'm just enjoying imaging the look on his face when they call him," Hirato admitted.
"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot, the reason you called me here in the first place," Tsukitachi said, adjusting himself into a more upright position, "What did Katashi-Kun have to say?"
Hirato deflated for a moment. "I think I understand why Gareki was so hesitant on finding them, now. Katashi-San was at least behaving somewhat level headed in comparison. Katashi-Kun, threatened to call our superiors should another Circus member ever been seen anywhere near the inn again and insisted he would file harassment charges. He also had the nerve to to insist that should we ever find the Arumerita couple, he demanded compensation for the eight years they kept Gareki."
Tsukitachi's jaw dropped in disbelief, his face turning almost as red as his hair. Akari patted Hirato's shoulder. "He lit into the guy good, though. It was beautiful. Too bad you missed it."
"Where the hell does this guy get off!?" Tsukitachi exclaimed, "He gave up any claims to compensation when he sold the poor kid."
"Thank you!" Hirato said, "That's what I told him. But, he did divulge one bit of information. In hindsight, it may not have been a good idea to tell Gareki he was born with natural Incure Cells, not because his parents both worked for Circus, but because his mother inciminated herself with them."
"She did what?" Tsukitachi asked.
"Allegedly," Akari corrected. "Telling him wasn't the problem," the doctor said, elbowing the dark haired Captain, "Telling him in front of the others, however..."
"May as well get it out in the open, like I said, I'm raising a group of super sleuths or something. Even if I told him in private, Nai or Yogi would have over heard and all of them would have known by the end of the week, anyway."
"So, that means what now? Immunity to Varuga Cells, the ability to summon fire and lightning at will? The ability to negate Yogi's transformations?" Tsukitachi asked, taking a bite of cheesecake. He washed it down with a sip of coffee, before continuing, "I said it before, Yogi could be attracted to Gareki, because of the natural Incure Cells. Do you think the level he's born with might have boosted his pheromone levels, somehow? Lots of people seem to think he's easy on the eyes. Ow?!" The red head flinched as he felt Hirato's foot hit his knee.
"Even the nurses in Karasuna spoke of how handsome they thought he was," the dark haired Captain begrudgingly admitted. "This is definitely the point of the conversation I DON'T want getting back to Yogi or Gareki. Neither of them should be questioning their relationship with one another over this. It's possible that while Gareki can negate the transformation, his very presence could also trigger it."
"But wouldn't that have happened after the Varuga Wolf bit Yogi on their way to Kuronomie, then?" Tsukitachi asked.
"Who died and made the two of you the Scientists?" Akari scoffed, "If you're that curious, get me some more blood samples and I'll test those theories, Yogi's Cradle Cells could be more at play than his Varuga Cells."
Would you know how to tell the difference? " Tsukitachi asked.
"Not happening," Hirato refused.
"Huh?" his companions both asked.
"First off, trying to get Yogi to sit still for you for anything will only result in a headache for everyone involved. Second, if we don't tell him what we're looking for, Gareki will get suspicious," Hirato reminded them. "I'm more concerned about his abilities. Nie-San may have inadvertently created a prodigy with Gareki. He's managed to hack the tower, multiple times from the sound of things, and that Black Sheep he designed for Nai is amazing."
"The bigger point is that the Katashi couple have made it sound as if his fire and lightning abilities have been active in the past," Akari pointed.
Hirato nodded. "But something clearly forced them into dormancy."
"The ship, perhaps?" Akari suggested.
Hirato sighed. "Do you suppose we're doing the right thing, letting him attend Kuronomie?" Hirato asked. "His abilities could be difficult for him to control." "They may have already been difficult to control," Tsukitachi replied, "He set the Karachi couple's stove on fire!"
"Relax, Hirato," Akari said, "The student IDs could help him learn how to control it better."
"Perhaps you're right," Hirato acknowledged.
"Hirato, what's really bothering you?" Tsukitachi asked.
"Remember, where that ship was heading? Who owned that ship?" Hirato asked. He sighed. "The Katashi couple were tasked with keeping Gareki away from Kafka. Right years later, they sold him to those very people! If that ship hadn't sank, he'd probably be in their hands right now. Remember your trip to Vinto, Tsukitachi? It was determined Kafka wanted the Incure Cells so they could create a Varuga with Natural Incure." Tsukitachi and Akari both fell silent, eyes wide and mouths agape. "I don't know how much he got to eat on that ship, but what would have happened if he hadn't been tied down? If he made his way to them? Would his natural Incure still have made him immune? Would they have killed him like they did the rest of the Rimhakkan Royals, or would they have succeeded in creating a Varuga, capable of defeating even Silver Yogi?" Again, silence from Akari and Tsukitachi both. Tsukitachi clicked his tongue as that thought struck home with all of them. "That may have been why they had had Karoku. The person blackmailing the Arumerita couple is, as far as we know, still out there, and may still be looking for both of them. Koroku's safe on the ship, but Gareki's in school, he could draw attention to himself and risk compromising his cover, before he even goes on his first mission."
"Don't worry, Hirato, this is Gareki, we're talking about," Tsukitachi said, "The kid's tough, and he's smart. He takes after his Uncle. He knows how to keep himself out of trouble."
Hirato smiled, "I hope you're right," he acknowledged.