Chapter 10
"You don't want to be a teacher anymore?" Toru exclaimed, shocked. Akise had decided to ask for his accompaniment to the hospital. Chiaki was at work, and seeing as Toru only worked nights, and was a good source of moral support, Akise hadn't seen why he shouldn't come with him. Now they were taking the bus to the hospital.
Akise nodded slightly. "This appointment is to provide evidence of my...instability." Toru gripped his arm and spun him round to face him. "Instability? What the hell? You've never been unstable, Akise! Ever since you were a kid you've wanted to be a -"
"People change!"
The sudden outburst surprised them both. The few other passengers on the bus glanced their way, annoyed at this interruption. Eventually, Toru released his arm. "Yeah, maybe if you're a bum with no prospects who suddenly wins the lottery. You had it all, Akise - you have it all! I just - buddy, I want to support you, I do, but I don't get it."
"You don't have to get it," Akise said softly. "You just have to give me the benefit of the doubt on this one. Please, Toru. Something has gone wrong and all - all I am trying to do is make it normal again."
Sitting back in his seat, Toru scraped a hand through his hair, giving a defeated sigh. "None of this is normal."
"Please push the button." Ginti addressed his guests in a somewhat distracted manner. He simply could not focus.
His emotions swam inside him like sharks, striking without warning, camouflaging themselves in the depths of his soul. Because he had a soul now, didn't he. He must, if this constant stream of sensation was anything to go by.
His guests, a young woman and an elderly man, both understandably worried, agreed to play the game. They had already been shown the mannequins. This time, Ginti did not need to overtly threaten them.
He was confused.
Their memories had not yet arrived.
The game was air hockey. The guests stationed themselves.
Brow still furrowed, Ginti began to explain the game. "I'm sure you've heard of air hockey before. Knock the puck into your opponent's goal and you get a point. There is a timer. The one with the most points wins." For this game, the pucks did have body parts on them, but there would be no pain.
The girl tilted her head. "What happens to the loser?"
A brief spike of pain shot through Ginti's chest. He was deceiving his guests, as was protocol, but it didn't feel right. Was it not easier to confess that both of them had already died? Was that not the morally correct thing to do?
Would he want to know if he was dead? Or would he rather live a lie and believe he was staking his life upon the outcome of a stupid arcade game?
Now, the elderly man had taken notice of Ginti's pained expression. "Sir, are you alright?"
Why would he bother to ask me that? Ginti questioned. He thinks I might kill one of them! And yet, he asks after my wellbeing?
"I'm fine," He grunted, more bewildered than ever. He didn't like being bewildered; it resulted in a translucent and blurred pattern of thinking. Every thought which entered his head was like a fish that he tried to grab with bare hands. "Just start the game."
Being the Arbiter, he knew that his job was to corroborate the memories of guests with their current performance. But right now, he only had the game to go on.
It's got something to do with that implant.
Each clack of the puck against the guards echoed in Ginti's skull. Were they remembering anything yet? The score was 1-1. Suddenly, the girl recoiled, clutching her head; fragmented memories, even more so than usual, pierced Ginti's brain. With each new image, the memories flickered, like static on a TV.
Girl. Young. Loved school, had few friends, was content with her life. A man. Older. Friend of the family. Knew her from a baby. Helped to raise her; his intentions became more sinister.
Girl. Older. Man. Much older. That did not stop them. Silent screams covered by the gentle words of a corruptor.
Ginti's heart was overwhelmed by shock and bruising lament. He could sense the relief the girl had felt as he saw that the man had been discovered, and removed from her life. He felt secure, safe, stable.
Girl. Older. Recovered, sober, strong, driving on her own for the first time. The memories were easier to see now, as they appeared inside Ginti's head.
Car heading towards her. The driver appeared unconscious. She couldn't -
The ear-splitting collision coincided with the sound of the puck hitting a goal; Ginti slumped against a wall.
"H-hey!" Called the girl, still recovering from receiving her memories. The elderly man made to approach the Arbiter, but then groaned in pain as his also arrived. The memories hit the redheaded Arbiter with the force of a car crash. Man, lived a relatively peaceful life. Did some drugs in college. Went on to become a physicist, published several recognised papers. Driving home one day; he fell unconscious at the wheel, unable to prevent the inevitable accident.
Ginti's burning amber eyes opened, and focused on the electronic timer above the air hockey.
"Time's up," He pushed himself wearily to his feet. The score was 5-3 to the girl. Ginti met her terrified gaze. "You win."
She backed up, sidling closer to the elderly man. "What's going on?"
The man took a deep breath. "Are we…"
"Yeah. You have both passed on. I'm sorry."
Immediately, the girl broke down, cradling her head in her hands, shoulders shaking with repressed sobs. "But I…" She murmured, "...I - I just learned to drive. A-and I'm starting college next week, a -and - and…"
The elderly man laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"And I didn't want to die!" She wailed.
Ginti noticed that the man's jaded eyes were watering. "I'm so sorry," He said sincerely, "I never thought that… I mean, I don't know what happened. I never wanted to cause an accident, and now…"
Amazingly, as Ginti observed, the girl did not erupt into screaming hysterics as he had expected. Despite knowing how she died, she actually managed to smile at the elderly man. She watched as he crumbled, tears falling from his face.
"...I forgive you."
"What?" Ginti and the man exclaimed in unison.
She wrapped her arms around herself. "It was without malice…" She concluded, "I saw that you were unconscious at the wheel. It was a mistake. I can't hate you for that."
"...How are you so understanding?" Ginti had to ask. Were he in her position, he would be furious that someone else's mistake had lead to his death. She only gave a light shrug. "It's done," Was all she gave, "there's no point in hatred now."
The elderly man wiped his eyes, and looked up to Ginti. "Sir, is it at all possible for her to go back?" The girl gasped.
Every beat of Ginti's heart against his ribcage enforced the lump building in his throat.
"Well? Can you send her back?" Urged the man.
Feeling heavy with emotion, for the first time in his existence, Ginti felt a teardrop roll down his tanned cheek. He wiped it swiftly away. "Follow me, please. Both of you."
Like Hell either of them was going to the Void.
Both sets of doors closed; the light shone between the gaps for a brief moment, before everything was silent again. Ginti's broad shoulders sunk. His throat was tight and he had to breathe through his mouth.
He felt his eyes tear up yet again and sniffled. Decim had had to go through this, for twenty-odd years?
Shit, he thought to himself, perhaps I've been too hard on the guy.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Expecting it to be Clavis, Ginti spun. "I'm busy right -" His mouth clamped shut, a jolt of fear paralysing his muscles.
Oculus smiled, bearing maltreated yellowing teeth. "Long time no see, Ginti."
"Mr Nakamori, your mental condition does appear to be rather preoccupied at the moment."
"Sir, I often feel myself too confused. My ability to teach has therefore been compromised. In fact, the very first day upon which I began to feel odd, I fainted. Granted, the weather was incredibly warm, but I somehow doubt that it was the cause...I have been feeling unstable."
"Do you believe you are a danger to these children?"
"N-no! I...But I do not think that I am in a fit state to teach them. I would not have attended this appointment were I not entirely certain that it was the best decision."
"For yourself?"
"...For everyone else."
"That's it, then," Toru said dejectedly. "You're no longer a teacher."
"Not quite," Akise replied as they boarded the bus, "I am on sick leave. It may take longer to sort out my official resignation."
Toru suddenly grabbed his forearm. "Pull yourself together, dammit! You don't need to do this."
Other passengers looked around, some beginning to murmur.
Sitting them down, Akise licked his chapped lips. "Toru, please. I need you to be on my side."
Pale blue eyes pleaded with dark ones. He could see how conflicted and confused his friend was, but Akise could do no more than be completely selfish right now. The realisation burdened him with heartfelt guilt. But until I understand what has happened to me, I cannot be of use to others. Forgive me, dear Toru.
Eventually, the shorter man looked away. "I've always been on your side, man." Akise sighed in relief.
"Just don't go AWOL on me."
"Shit." Ginti dodged the old man's attack, the flower stem whipping past his head. Oculus lifted his jaw, and the stem curled back around, wrapping around Ginti's left leg and dragging him up through the air, throwing him down the corridor; he landed heavily on the long couch in his bar, head snapping back against the frame.
Pain blossomed at the base of Ginti's skull; he cradled it with a tanned hand, grimacing.
When'd the old man get so damn fast!
Still, as he shoved himself to his feet, as he heard Oculus approaching him, a ridiculously powerful sense of apprehension tensed his muscles. He moved over to the bar counter, grabbing two of his Shanti dolls. His breathing shallowed. His eyes focused on the skinny figure who confronted him, and he grinned into those serpent eyes. "I feel sorry for you. Your only weapon is a plant."
Oculus shook his head. "Conspiring with Nona, are we? Planning a coup d'état?"
Ginti brought up the dolls, popping off both of their heads. "We're planning a coup d'fuck you." The liquid was chucked from the vials, forming little orbs which Ginti sent flying towards his opponent. The orbs expanded as they travelled; Oculus retaliated by opening up one side of his shirt and, with a free hand, flung several incredibly thin, small knives in the redhead's direction. Some of the blades took out the orbs, but one smacked into the old man, forcing him against the farthest wall. His yelp was music to Ginti's ears. Oculus staggered, threw a couple more knives. Ginti bent over backwards, feeling the blades glide over his chest, his calves and back screaming with adrenaline, before recoiling back up and charging him like a madman.
Fuck, this felt too good.
He saw fear flash across Oculus's face, brief but satisfying; Ginti threw more of the liquid and several orbs expanded into the old man's body, pummelling him to the ground.
Ginti's fist flew towards Oculus, knuckles turning white, a sadistic smile curving his features - but his knuckles stopped short of the other's face. Oculus had pressed himself closer to the wall, cringing, anxiously awaiting the blow.
Instead, Ginti's hand locked around the man's orchid beard, constricting it. It seemed to cause him pain. "So you guessed our plan," Ginti whispered threateningly, "but what's yours, old man?"
Ginti was still wary of what Oculus may do to him if he gained the upper hand, but he was too overwhelmed with excitement to focus on that intuition right now. Oculus grunted, a thin trail of saliva dribbling down his chin. "Arbiters do not need human emotions to function. I will not allow things to be changed -" Ginti tugged on the beard harshly, earning a fresh whine of pain from the former heir to God. "You ain't got the right to make decisions for all Arbiters. Maybe we want to actually feel something. 'Cause I do, and it's awesome."
Oculus's eyes widened, but not in shock; almost as if Ginti had just confirmed something for him. "Nona…" He sneered. "So many emotions will undoubtedly cloud your judgement, Ginti. You will no longer be fit to work in arbitration."
"Wrong. If Decim could do it right under your nose for 20 years, I sure as Hell can, too. Even if it means taking you out, old man."
Now, Oculus smirked at Ginti from the side. It sent a shiver of nausea through the Arbiter's stomach. "You'll regret calling me 'old man', Ginti. Come on out, boys."
At the opposite end of the bar, where the couch and the hand statue rested, Arbiters tore through the thin paper walls, stepping through into the room.
No, Ginti realised, not Arbiters. Soldiers. Faceless, emotionless slaves controlled by the one guy he swore he'd never pick a fight with - even though, technically, Oculus had started it.
Each soldier, five in total, was covered from head to toe in armour, and they all carried weapons, from pikes to swords to scythes. Upon their chests, the word Supernova was emblazoned. The red-haired Arbiter gulped. Fear began to turn his insides yellow.
"Argh!" He felt a cold, skeletal hand on his jugular; he was forced to the floor, Oculus kneeling upon his chest.
Ginti had never been the sharpest tool in the box, but he knew when to stop fighting. If only because Nona had scolded him so many times before during his sparrs with Decim. He went still.
"Good boy," Praised Oculus, as his soldiers surrounded them. Standing up, he commanded them, "Bring him with us." Ginti was seized by two of the strong soldiers; they lifted him with ease, and his feet did not even touch the ground. They wrestled the Shanti dolls from his hands and went to crush them, to Ginti's dismay, but Oculus interrupted, "No; leave the dolls here. I want this to be the first of many attacks towards Nona."
As instructed, the soldiers let the headless hand-crafted dolls fall to the floor. Their heavy thud rang loudly inside Ginti's pounding skull as he was stolen away. Just before they left the bar, one of the other soldiers spun and backhanded Ginti into unconsciousness, and even though he had predicted such an act seconds before, he was far too drained to fight back.
A/N: Wow, Ginti would really hate me right now. What do you guys think will happen next? I hope you are all enjoying the story so far!