Author's Note: Okumura Tsuki, thank you for your comment, as usual. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any Halloween-themed Karneval stories out in time for Halloween, this year. I have a friend who started one as a side story for FITCR last year, but it's still not done, lol. Maybe we can get something out next year. ElianaSmith and VeronicaChase, thank you both for your replies. I hope you're both still enjoying the story. Everyone else, thank you as always for the faves, follows, bookmarks, and Kudos. ^_^ Thank you all for your patience waiting for this new chapter as well. I won't be going into much detail on the project they're working on here, because it was slated to be a side story co-written with a friend, THIS is just an introductory so everyone knows where the side story fits in. I'm gonna let her do as much as she can on writing it and go in and edit and work 'cleanup' but, I will and in my two cents every once in a while. ^_^
Pyromancy Chapter 29: Dungeons and Varuga Level 0
Gareki woke up, feeling unusually refreshed. No nightmares, no sense of dread of self-worthlessness, last night had been the best sleep he'd gotten in years. He stretched and sighed. His good mood was instantly soured, however, as his neck began itching him. "Bloody hell," he groaned, rolling over as he remembered the rope burn from the night before. Sliding out of bed, he looked himself in the mirror.
His neck was still red. Right, I promised him I'd see the nurse first thing in the morning, " Gareki sighed. Getting dressed, applying some more slow to the affected area, Gareki made his way to the nurse's office.
"There doesn't seem to be any sign of infection," the nurse informed him, "You've taken good care of it and it's healing quite nicely. No blisters or anything. I think it's only itching you because it's healing." She pulled something out of a drawer. "Here, wear this for a few days, it'll help you keep from clawing at it until it gets better." She snapped a bandage-style collar around Gareki's neck it was cool and soothing. "It usually takes three to six days to heal, judging by yours, if you keep from scratching at it, it should be fully healed by Monday."
"I have to keep this thing on all weekend?" Gareki sighed, "What an annoyance. What's with this cooling sensation?"
"It's infused with medication. You can remove the collar if you start to bleed or sweat, or anytime between now and Monday that the area gets wet. You can also take it off during a shower, but it's built with Research Tower technology, it recognizes when it needs to administrator the medications," the nurse explained, "Speaking of Research Tower, that reminds me, the headmaster was looking for you earlier."
"What did I do now?" Gareki groaned.
"I think it had something to do with the PT bots," the nurse shrugged, "I overheard him asking your professors to send you to see him if any of them saw you first," she explained.
"I thought Hirato and Tokitatsu were taking care of that!?" Gareki huffed, "Whatever, I'll go find him. Thanks."
The nurse nodded and watched him leave. Gareki made his way straight to the Dean's office. "Ah, Gareki! There you are," the headmaster greeted him, "Come on in, my boy, and shut the door."
"He seems like he's in a better mood than last time," Gareki thought, as he slipped inside the office and shut the door as instructed, "Nurse Kira said you were looking for me, Sir?"
"Indeed, I was," the headmaster replied. "I need to discuss the reparations for the training bots you, so unfortunately, put out of commission." He pulled out a Dockett, laid it on the desk, and motioned for Gareki to sit across from him.
"I thought my uncles were in charge of that?" Gareki asked, curiously.
"Captain Hirato declined responsibility as your legal guardian. Tokitatsu-San agreed to Hirato-San's terms as your current sponsor. But, he has put forth a few... provisions... toward the agreement."
"Provisions?" Gareki asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"Tokitatsu -San pointed out that you had assured him that you were didn't need any hand-holding, you would let your actions speak for you," the headmaster exposited.
Gareki flinched. "Yeah, I suppose I did say that," he admitted as the headmaster passed him the folder.
"He agreed to pay out of pocket for whatever the budget and the mechanics students couldn't fix, BUT he refused to let you and Captain Hirato slide so easily. He understands neither of you can afford even one of the bots on your own, much less the entire troop, nor the damages to the gymnasium. So, the other night when he came with Akari-Sensei to watch your play, he signed this. His conditions to pay out the difference is for you to cooperate with Research Tower on new R&D. Your compensation will be in the form of extra credit."
"When is this effective?" Gareki inquired.
"Today," the headmaster answered. "I've already notified your teachers that you will be gone for the next two ago and asked that they pass the word along to your roommate as well, so he doesn't worry what happened to you. Think of it as an internship. Or, a field trip."
"Don't field trips require sighed permission slips from the student's guardian?" Gareki asked, "And, what happened to 'No Student Is Allowed To Leave'? I mean, isn't this rather irregular?"
The headmaster chuckled. "That's what Captain Hirato said, too. Most students have unfortunately lost their legal guardians to Varuga, so permission slips aren't very common, but then, neither are field trips. Internships are common, however. At first, the Captain was hesitant, too. But..." The headmaster flipped to a piece of paper with Hirato's signature. "He agreed you claimed you didn't want your relationship with him to influence your grades." Gareki closed his eyes and sighed, he'd done this to himself. "But, he didn't want Tokitatsu-San's conditions to interfere with your grades. He also said letting you leave seemed rather irregular." The headmaster smirked and leaned back in his chair, "I reminded him your being here was already pretty irregular. It was his suggestion that you be compensated with extra credit. We contacted Tokitatsu-San and negotiated with him. They both agreed you would warn the extra credit, would work off a portion of what is owed, AND receive a full ¥10 to your monthly recompense for each day. We're allotting you two weeks. Should you finish your task before then, you'll be allowed to spend your remaining days with your friends on the Second Ship. BUT your allotted time will only be extended if you're unable to complete the task within those two weeks."
Gareki glared at the paper. "Hirato sighed this last night?" he asked.
"Just before your final performance last night," the headmaster nodded.
"I suppose I have no right to refuse?" Gareki asked. Not that he wanted to. He actually thought the terms were fair and having been given a time limit was a challenge, and time back on the ship was indeed a welcoming reward.
"It appears your uncle hasn't really given you the option," the headmaster answered, solemnly.
Gareki looked over the paperwork. "So, if I complete the task before the deadline, I have to be back, no questions asked, by Saturday, two weeks from now?"
"That's correct, you should either be here in my office, or in your dorm BEFORE lights out on the twentieth. Should you fail to complete the task within that time, you will be granted extra time, but must report back to me no later than noon the next day, once it's done. Failure to do so will result in instant, permanent expulsion."
Gareki smirked and handed the folder back to the headmaster. "What exactly IS this task?" he asked.
"You'll be briefed on that once you arrive at Research Tower. That information is classified and above my pay grade, I'm afraid," the headmaster answered.
Gareki raised an eyebrow. "Interesting, that at least sounds like they're not trying to push me into a janitorial position, or stick me as Akari-Sensei's paper pusher. Challenge accepted, when do I leave? "
"Immediately," the headmaster stated.
"Very will, I'll go pack my..." Gareki started as he rose from his seat.
"Don't bother," the headmaster interrupted.
"Huh?" Gareki froze and blinked at him.
"There's no need," the headmaster explained, "Akari-Sensei had assured me Research Tower will provide everything you need during your stay. No need for personal effects." The headmaster blinked as he noticed a forlorn look sweep through Gareki's eyes. If nothing else, during these last seven years, Gareki had grown accustomed to having to share a room, with the exception of his time spent alone between Tsubame's family and meeting Nai, he wasn't certain he was ready to start sleeping in a room of his own again. He tucked his hands in his pocket and clicked his tongue. He didn't even have his phone with him to play music or videos to create the illusion of someone else being there. The headmaster smiled. "Don't look so glum," he said, "You'll have access to all of the Research Tower's books during your free time, and something tells me you'll like your test partners. You can contact the crew from the second ship once you get there. Your transportation's already waiting for you at the gate. Hurry along, now."
Gareki sighed and nodded. "Yes sir," he said, leaving the room. He stopped in the door frame and glanced back at the headmaster, "So, in the unlikely event I DO fail to report back on time, do I at least get my stuff back?"
"Of course," the headmaster assured him. "I wouldn't withhold your possessions."
Gareki sighed as he climbed out of the travel pod and looked up at the tower looming over him. Sometimes the headmaster had said suddenly resounded in his head, "Something tells me you'll like your test partners."
"Great, NEW people," he groaned. "Better get this over with." He entered the building and approached the desk. He handed the receptionist a piece of paper he'd received from his transport driver.
The receptionist read the paper, checked his computer, confirmed his arrival and arrangements. "Right this way," he invited, leading Gareki to the R & D wing.
"So what exactly am I here to do?" Gareki asked.
The receptionist shrugged, "You're here to help test some new training hologram or something of the sort. I don't know the details. The professor can fill you in with all the details."
"The Dean mentioned 'test partners'? Is it other students? " Gareki asked.
The receptionist opened the door. "Oh, they didn't tell you?" he asked as he opened the door.
"Gareki!" two familiar voices rang out. Gareki was almost bowled over as the weight of two bodies crashed against his.
The receptionist looked down at the dogpile on the ground. He was new to Research Tower, it could be forgiven that he was unaware of the connections. "It appears you've already met," he chuckled.
Gareki had closed his eyes when he felt their weight upon him. His next sensation was the feeling of someone's hand blocking his head from hitting the concrete floor. He blinked his eyes open as his sense of smell locked back in and he recognized a very familiar scent of someone's shampoo. "Wait!?" he thought. "Nai! Yogi?" He asked in surprise.
"Yogi, there's no need to act as though you haven't seen him in months," Hirato sighed, "We were all just with him only last night."
"What are you guys doing here? " Gareki asked.
"We're here to help test the new holomawhatzit," Nai answered.
"Holowhatzit?" Gareki asked, knowing Nai probably didn't understand either what this thing was called, or how it worked, or both. Gareki looked at Yogi. "You can let me up now," he said, pulling the blonde's hand off the back of his head. "And don't come crying to me if you injured your hand, knocking me over."
Hirato, Tsukitachi, Tokitatsu, and Akari all choked back a laugh. "Takes after his uncle to a T," Tsukitachi observed.
"Denying the obvious, right in front of everyone," Tokitatsu laughed, nudging his younger brother in the ribs with his elbow.
"Speaking of uncles..." Gareki turned his attention to Hirato and Tokitatsu. "You guys think you're really clever, don't you?" He wiggled his way loose from Nai and Yogi and pushed himself, boldly, in the two brother's faces, "Making decisions without letting me know!"
"You object to the terms?" Hirato asked.
"We invited you here to help pay for your mess," Tokitatsu interjected, "I thought you didn't like to think yourself as a charity case?"
"That's not the point!" Gareki huffed, his fists curled at his side. "You both saw me earlier this week..." He jabbed an accusing finger in Hirato's face. "You were just at Kuronomie last night!" He closed his eyes and forced back his emotions with a sigh. "I'm NOT saying I won't do it. I'm not even saying I don't want to. I wouldn't even be here if that were the case. But couldn't at least one of you said something!? I don't even know what I'm here to do!"
"Awe, you didn't like my surprise? " Hirato teased fondly.
"Stop doing that!" Gareki huffed. "Why is it so hard for you people to understand I'm not a kid and I don't like being treated like one?"
Again, all the grown-ups, Jiki and Iva included, choked back a laugh at the irate teen's expense. "I can't help it," Hirato admitted, "You're adorable when you're flustered."
"Hirato!" Gareki growled.
"To be honest, I fully intended to tell you last night. But... " the dark-haired captain flicked his eyes toward Yogi., "A certain hyperactive blonde monopolized a lot of your time. I assumed he would have told you."
"Hey, don't pin this on me!" Yogi exclaimed, holding his hands up in the air, open-palmed, "I didn't have time to tell Gareki-Kun anything. He sort of dozed off on me."
"Nevermind," Gareki sighed, "Why are we here?"
"We're here to test a new Holographic Program that is being created as both a training program and an entertainment program," Tokitatsu answered.
"When Tokitatsu-San told me about it, I thought you might be interested in being one of the first to try it out," Hirato explained, "So we bargained with the headmaster to let you join us, now that your play is over." The dark-haired captain smiled at the raven-haired teenager, "I thought it would be a nice change of pace for you."
"If it's successful, they intend to install it, not only in the gym at Kuronomie, as part of the renovations, but on the ships, too," Tsukitachi added with a wink.
"That is IF it's successful," the professor said, as she entered the room. She sighed, flicked her hand through her curly pink hair, sweeping it off her shoulders, and clicked her emerald green eyes around the room. Noticing Iva she smiled and gave a nod of familiarity. She turned her attention back to the men and frowned. "Had I known you gentlemen were waiting for a kid, I never would have agreed to postponing this long," she scolded them, "I'm honestly not even certain I feel comfortable allowing all these children participating, it could be dangerous, " she objected.
"It's holograms," Koroku pointed.
"Yeah, what's so dangerous about holograms? " Kiichi asked.
"Not to mention, almost every one of these kids had been in battle with real Varuga before," Akari added.
"And Gareki-Kun isn't just some random child, he's a student at Kuronomie. If this project is going into their school, shouldn't they have the right to have one of their students test it?" Iva added.
"Professor Shinjitsu, I have every faith that our children can handle anything this program throws at them, " Hirato said confidently.
Professor Shinjitsu sighed. "Very well, if you're absolutely certain they can handle this... Is this everyone?"
"Almost," Tokitatsu replied, "I thought. Koibito-Sensei was over this project, is she not joining us today?" Tokitatsu inquired.
"No, not today, I'm afraid," the professor stated, "As her assistant, however, I am fully capable of overseeing things in her stead. Now, if everyone will take their seats, I'll brief you all on the assignment and the situation."
Ten Days Later
"Mission successful!" Professor Shinjitsu announced, "Congratulations, everyone!"
"Thank you all for your hard work and diligence," Koibito-Sensei said with a bow, "I owe you all my graditude."
"I was worried at first, about allowing so many young ones to participate during this procedure, but, as you stated, Captain Hirato -San, these children are, indeed, quite capable of handling anything the program throws at them, " Professor Shinjitsu praised. "Thank you all again."
"While this was definitely a successful run, and no one was severely injured, it has become evident the program needs some work to ensure we don't have another incident of this magnitude. We can't have Kuronomie students getting trapped inside their simulations," Koibito-Sensei nervously giggled. "We will endeavor to correct this issue, at least now we have an idea on where to start. You are all welcome to utilize Research Tower's cafeteria and living quarters for the next few days as you recover. I know this operation was physically and mentally exhausting for you. "
"I know I could certainly stand some solid substance after all that," Tokitatsu said, "Would any of you care to join me in the Commissary? My treat, " he offered.
"Free food?" Koroku questioned.
"So long as there's no oatmeal involved, count me in!" Gareki accepted.
The others vocalize their agreement and they all filed out of the room. After they'd all eaten, Dr. Akari retired back to his own quarters, while Hirato, Tsukitachi, and Tokitatsu were led to a room they were to share for the night. Iva, Kiichi, and Tsukumo were escorted to their own room, while Yogi, Jiki, Koroku, Gareki, and Nai were all escorted to a separate room, adjacent to the girl's.
Yogi was being his naturally clingy self, while Gareki remained aloof. Much as he cared for Yogi, he wasn't ready to let the others see too much change in his behavior, yet. Still, once he returned to Kuronomie, there was no telling how long it would be before he could see any of them again, so he quietly allowed Nai and Yogi to cling to him as normally as possible, and feigned irritation.
"What's with that goofy smile?" Gareki asked, looking at Yogi.
"I'm just happy," Yogi beamed, laying across Gareki's bed. "You really saved me back there, Gareki-Kun, more than once," he said.
"He says that like it's something new," Jiki snarked.
"What!?" Yogi and Gareki both exclaimed, both blushing slightly; Yogi in surprised that this concept wasn't 'new', Gareki was surprised that Jiki of all people was aware of it.
The other boys laughed. "Gareki always runs to protect Yogi when he's unconscious," Nai giggled, hanging off Gareki's neck, looking Yogi in the eyes.
Gareki pushed Nai off. "Tattletail," he said with a thinly veiled laugh.
"Wait! Wha... Really?" Yogi asked.
"Karasuna, Rinoll, Merumerai..." Nai began listing the times.
"Knock it off, Nai!" Gareki scolded.
Jiki tried not to laugh. Even though he wouldn't admit it, he always thought it was cute when the three of them argued. "The wolf on the way to Kuronomie too," Yogi added, "But really, Karasuna and Rinoll, too? Gareki-Kun, I thought you hated me back then?"
"Yeah, Yogi, I hated you," Gareki snarked, "That's why I won you this," he said, grabbing hold of Yogi's bracelet. He smiled watching the blonde's face turn red. "If I hadn't rushed in back in Karasuna, Miega and Yotaka... They would have eaten you. In Rinoll..." Gareki closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't know what would have happened if he hadn't headbutted Yogi, and he really didn't want to know. "I reacted on instinct. You're always rushing in to protect me, only fair I return the favor. Besides, deep down, I knew Yotika needed to be stopped, for his sake, as well as our own. I was shaken already to see both of you fighting," he admitted. Then under his breath, he added, "I would have been even more devastated if we'd lost both of you."
"Alright, guys, this is all very touching and everything," Koroku interrupted, "But I'm tired and you," he pointed at Gareki, "Probably have to be back at school tomorrow."
"Gareki, you don't have to go back so soon, so you?" Nai asked.
"What day is it?" Gareki asked.
"The sixteenth," Jiki answered.
Gareki smiled, "I don't have to be back for another four days," he said confidently. He tussled Nai's hair. "Which means I have time to come back to the ship and fix Naira tomorrow."
"Really!?" Nai exclaimed, excitedly.
"Sure thing," Gareki chuckled, "Koroku, I'll even show you how to fix her in case something happens again, if you care to join me," he offered.
Koroku smiled and nodded. "Alright, that sounds great. But first, we all desperately need sleep." He turned off the light and crawled into one of the beds. "Good night, everyone."
"Good night," the others replied.