A Dæmon's Heart
Chapter Four
A Third of the Way
The estranged encampment was tousled about as Aki deftly wove swiftly through the crowd. She dragged behind her a find that heralded a jubilant hope… almost. It probably only mattered to her, but that wasn't her concern. Gray was never the dishonest type, which gave her hope.
…Never intentionally the dishonest type… Chisic cautiously corrected, to which Aki refused to allow a displacement of her optimism.
Her mind was too far into her hope; her dæmon was still stuck in despair; both of them agreed they had to talk to Sid.
---
The elderly scientist was slowly developing a new habit of looking over his shoulder from time to time. Kvasir had taken a perch to match his suspicious mood. With number of desperate people, and with so the few sane individuals who had decided to stay and help rather than meander off on their own…. This was not to mention the fact that he had probably been under a criminal standing before the theft of the craft, and, well, now it was probably worse… but it was enough to be anxious about without digging up any more.
The craft was a good refuge for thinking in solitude –it even had a number of benches for sitting. The few volunteers that he'd gathered from the crowd were effective, a few soldiers probably, that he wasn't disturbed. The original visit to New York was to scavenge bioetherium, and he hadn't forgotten that…. But… how to inform a growing crowd of nearly a hundred refugees of their impending abandonment? There was no doubt that it was only a matter of time until they were found.
The soldier squirmed, though Sid barely noticed. The dæmon curled at the old man's feet roused, going to sit at the top of the ramp leading outside. There was something very odd going on…
With a rapid sense of familiarity catching him all at once, the lynx snarled.
How could he? the animus demanded, but the inner voice that was to answer him was no longer able to do so. At the same time, he felt very lonely on many fronts. No… how could she?
With that thought, the dæmon dashed back inside the hold, intent on finding a hiding place before he was seen. Unbeknown it him, it was too late for any such tactic.
Sid watched the creature go, and turned to watch Aki as she climbed the ramp in what may as well have been a record time. She smiled brightly, for in her hand she held another leading to a familiar young man, who, in the crook of his other arm, cradled a familiar dæmon. The rabbit peered at one scientist, then the other before settling down to happily relax, as though being the center of all attention was the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh my…" if Sid hadn't been sitting down, he might have fallen over in shock.
---
Neil, for his part in this miraculous discovery… that is, as the miraculous discovery, was not enjoying his condition. Besides being questioned relentlessly by the scientists, he didn't feel quite himself. In fact, all he really felt like doing was nesting.
Nesting?
No… that was his dæmon. The man snuck a glance at the rabbit cradled in his lap; she wanted his attention as much as either of the doctors did, and had an advantage that she could think at him. He wished she would stop; is mind was already rather jumbled without the added influence of wanting to look for soft grass and tear fur from his belly….
Mia, would you stop; please?
The thoughts stopped almost immediately, but then the dæmon planted her claws in his leg to remind him of her existence. Now it wasn't so confusing… although it was getting painful, but he could deal with that. He tried to turn his attention back to the conversation, but it wasn't like that was going anywhere either.
"I don't know?" he instantly regretted it, because Aki glared at him. The way she was acting, it seemed like being ignorant was a crime worthy of supreme torture. A sidelong glance at Sid stayed a while longer than it was supposed to, as the old man seemed to have noticed something strange, and was staring back thoughtfully.
Sid shifted his careful study his protégé. There was something wrong; as he tried to pin it down, it eluded him.
Aki crossed her arms and pouted; Neil could only cringe and try to look small, and it was a useless attempt to stay out of the unpleasant scrutiny.
The man with the goose dæmon was another mystery; one that Neil was rather disturbed about, for reasons he couldn't quite place. Although, some of the reasons he came up with without asking were quite disturbed unto themselves, so he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He tried to ignore the strange sight, even as the stranger stared at him longingly in a plea for freedom.
Seemingly oblivious to oddness of the situation, Sid scratched the ridge of his nose. The elderly scientist used an overlooked tactic on a whim.
"Why don't you tell us what happened?"
Really, it should have been the first.
"What d'you mean by, 'what happened'?" Neil shifted uncomfortably, as though he were to divulge a fatal secret. Aki was still staring at him, and it wasn't helping.
"Whatever you want to tell us," Sid smiled, but the calming effect he'd hoped for had no effect.
"I woke up on the pier. There were lots'a people. I was told to run, so I ran. And I've been sort'a wanderin' the city ever since."
The old man admired the calm, collected summary, although he would have preferred a little more detail. But Aki beat him to it before he could inquire.
"Who told you to run?" she asked, the questioned clipped and interrogative.
"Jane. She told me to run." To Sid's surprise, Neil's manner remained just as concise, although the technician had developed a solid grip on the dæmon on his lap.
"Why?" the elderly scientist poised a question before Aki could continue, much to her annoyance.
"Not sure, but she picked a fight with one of the officers," Neil cradled his dæmon against his chest; he mildly relaxed and she didn't seem to mind, "So that might've been it… 'Cause they wanted a blood test."
"She's alive?" Aki asked, a demand cut down to a growl. Neil shrugged, keeping his eyes to the floor.
"They're around," he corrected. Alive was a matter of opinion. Aki didn't hear him.
"Could you find… them?" Sid glanced at the woman; his worry was becoming vast, "We could probably use some strong, young help."
"I guess…" Neil smiled nervously, "I mean, not that I think it'd be hard…" a flutter of feathers announced Aki's flight, and all eyes watched her leave.
"Try your best, would you?" had only he more selves, Sid might have felt a little more worth in handling the numerous situations. To him, Aki mattered most – more than bare survival.
---
The hope that had burned a hole through her heart was a spreading fever, but with it came heavy guilt. Gray was alive… and yet again, she'd left him behind.
