DISCLAIMER: I do not own Elfen Lied. God help us if I did though.
So how's everyone's summer going? I'm terribly sorry for not updating sooner, but since I last updated this fic, I've seen several promising fanfics pop up in the Elfen Lied section. Kudos to you guys! To those of you who've read mine, read theirs too, they put a TON of work into their stories. Also, just a quick note, some bad language in this chapter, so yeah.
Chapter 3: Übergänge
Arakawa was not a complicated person. When she was off from work on Saturday's, she liked to lay down on her bed in her single room apartment and read romance novels. Being single always came natural to her, not because she couldn't find a boyfriend, but because she couldn't find the time.
Of course that's what she told herself. She fancied herself as a good cook, when she could afford it. Her wardrobe could always use some upgrading, but lacking funds, she hasn't really upgraded her wardrobe since college. Arakawa attributed her amazing ability to hold her weight to her food and relatively active lifestyle, so looking attractive wasn't a problem. Living in college life poverty wasn't appealing though, which is why she accepted her job as Professor Kakazuya's assistant. For once she could buy nice food, and nice clothes, and she had more free time on her hands to woo the opposite sex. Through it all, she kept her non-tactful personality however and above average figure.
That's right, things were never complicated.
That is, until Lucy went on a rampage on the Island, and killed nearly 50 people. That was when her luck started to take a turn for the worse. That was when the Director, Professor Kakazuya's father, decided it was necessary to confine her on the Island to continue working on the vaccine, and to somehow locate the boy who had made contact with Lucy and a Selpilit. He even went so far as to shoot her to make sure that she remained loyal to him.
But just a few weeks after delivering his son's head, Lucy vanishes again. Except this time, she takes all our leads with her, leaving us totally empty handed and short on staff. Then the Director almost does a 180, and assigns me back to the university.
She wasn't entirely sure why, but he said something about not wanting useless people around him.
She thought that she could live in relative security and comfort, without another Lucy incident to stop it. She remembered who the boy was right before she was reassigned, and was about to tell Director Kakazuya, when he took off his whig and revealed his horns to her. That was the last time she met him face to face. She never gave him the information about the boy, because she no longer trusted her superiors. I'm glad that nightmare is over she thought. And here sitting right in front of her, was the boy who seemed to be right at the center of everything.
"I'll ask you again." She said adjusting her glasses. "Do you know where she is?"
"And I'll tell you again. I don't know." He said closing his eyes.
"Ugh this is getting us nowhere." She said annoyed. "Look I know, you know who she is, and I also know that you used to live with her. Can you at least tell me the last time you've seen her?"
"A month ago. That's all I know."
"Look I don't know what you hope to accomplish by protecting her, but-"
"What is she, and why do you want to know where she is so badly?" He said interrupting her. He looked straight into her eyes when he said that, which made Arakawa sigh.
"Look Satoshi-San, Lucy is a Diclonius." She said. No use keeping it from him. "Diclonii are mutated humans born with an enlarged pinal gland and horns. We don't know where they've come from, but they are the enemy to humanity."
"Bullshit."
Her eybrow twitched at his explisitive.
"We don't understand the science surrounding it, but their enlarged pinal gland is what allows them to use their vectors."
Kouta gave Professor Arakawa a confused look. "Vectors?"
"Oh I'm sorry, you don't know that much. That's the name we use when we're referring to the extra arms that they use. They're transparent, almost etheral appendages that can detonate at incredible speeds."
His attention was fixated on Arakawa as she ran through the explenation of Lucy, the diclonius, and Kamakura Island. Kouta, listened attentively on everything that left Arakawa's mouth. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. But after everything that's happened lately, it all makes sense...
"Why are you telling me all this? Isn't this like extremely classified info?" He asked interrupting her explanation.
Arakawa wa paused. She looked down at the floor and waited a few seconds before answering. "I don't know myself. But I'm in a difficult spot right now, and I don't know who I can trust..."
"I don't understand."
"You don't have to. The people that I work for, I don't even think we have the same goals."
"They're trying to prevent a diclonius epidemic aren't they?"
"I thought that too at first...But now I'm not so sure."
Kouta was about to say something, but then decided against it. Can I trust this woman? The thought played across his mind. This was all pretty heavy stuff to digest. If what any of what this woman said was true, then she must be taking a pretty big risk telling him all this.
"I still don't understand why-"
"You care about her a lot don't you." Interrupted Arakawa.
Kouta fidgeted at this. "I...I...I don't know."
A few minutes of silence passed between them. She spoke up after a another minute passed. "Look I'm almost off the clock, could I walk you home? They're some other things I want to speak with you about."
"What else is there?" He asked looking quite annoyed.
"Don't look at me like that!" She said giving him a geniuine smile. "I just wanted to talk to you about a job."
"Nani?"
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Kouta and Professor Arakawa walked down towards the harbor. His mind processing everthing that she rattled off. "So you need an assistant."
"Yes. The truth is I've been completely swamped with work lately. What with the university work, and the vaccine." She said slumping her shoulders.
They turned a corner, the bystanders going about their daily lives as a professor and her student discussed the tiny annoyances that revolved around work and money. "So how about it? I just need some help around the lab and my office. I can pay you a decent wage, will you consider it?"
He had to admit, a source of income in the Inn would be a boon. It was quite easy for him to make a decision. However there was still one more question.
"I'll do it, but I have only one question: the diclonius girls on that island, how were they treated?"
She stopped in her tracks, this boy knows how to ask hardball questions.
She turned to him and looked him straight in the eyes. Her expression changed from the tired look from before, into a look of seriousness. "The girls on the island were mercilessly experimented on day after day. Most of them were confined to enormous cells alone to keep them from attacking the other scientists. Many of them were diagnosed to be criminally insane murderers, but it was all mostly due to abandonment and abuse. I can't help but believe that many of them would not be there if they're parents had just given them the love they deserved." Her face grew an expression of sadness as she spoke those last words.
Kouta's thoughts immediately drifted to Nana. Always smiling and playing with Wanta and Mayu. She was like Nyuu, a diclonius, which probably explained where she came from, and why she attacked Nyuu when she first arrived. Had she been treated like that? Had she been abandoned by her parents? Had she killed someone?
"This is all very sad." He said after a minute of contemplation.
"Yeah."
They resumed they're walk down the street. "Could we stop inside this store for a minute? I need to pick up a few things for my apartment."
"Sure take your time."
Since the Inn was well stocked in provisions, he saw no need to follow in after her. He walked over to one of the pillars outside of the store, and layed his bag down on the ground. Damn, I wish I had gotten more sleep last night. He thought leaning against it. Kouta looked across the street at the people going about they're business. A young couple was out on a stroll with their little girl. He looked at the girl as she stopped in front of a small candy shop. She peered through the glass and started pointing and demanding. The young couple looked at each other and then answered.
"Sorry dear, but if we buy you candy now, it'll spoil your dinner."
"But I WANT IT!"
"Listen to you mother Ta-chan."
This must have been the last straw for the little girl, because she started bawling. Kouta turned away, and tried to ignore it. He didn't like to see people cry, it always reminded him of Kanae-chan.
What's taking her so long? Maybe I should check.
Kouta stretched and gathered his bag. He turned and walked in the direction of the store, but because his mind was on other things, he failed to notice the tall dark blond male wearing sunglasses. He bumped into him so hard, a confrontation was inevitable.
"Watch where you're going asshole!" He yelled. He then grabbed Kouta by the shirt collar and forced him to stand up. "Now apologize to me before I get really pissed-"
At that moment, time stood still. The gears inside Kouta's mind spun like mad at realization at who he had just bumped into. Every muscle in his body told him to flee. This man was not only dangerous, but he knew exactly who he was.
"-off. Well, I didn't recognize you at first because of the daylight. You're that punk-ass kid that tried to protect Lucy at the beach." He said unholstering an enormous gun. "Look kid, I don't have anything against you, but if you don't tell me what I want to know, I will kill you."
Kouta thanked God, that he sent Yuka home early, because if he was going to die, at least Yuka could live.
The man then pressed the barrel of his gun to Kouta's cheek, Elisiting a bead of sweat to fall from his head. "Now, tell me where Lucy is, and I might consider not killing you."
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Unbeknownst to both of them, Arakawa was watching both of them from inside the store. She had seen and recognized Bandou as one of the people wanted by the government for AWOL. And here, right in front of the store was him, not only brandishing a gun that he no doubt obtained illegally, but threatening one of her students. (And possibly a future ally.)
She had already called the police from her cellphone, and the dispatcher said they could have two squad cars there in less then two minutes. That would have been fast, but Kouta could be killed in that time.
So with her knees quaking, she timidly made her way to the store's entrance. Arakawa was scared shitless, as her mind described it, but this boy was innocent; a simple student who was grabbed kicking and screaming into her world by the hands of Lucy and Kakazuya.
She would not let this boy die.
As she walked across the abyss, her heart skipped a beat as she caught a glimpse of a woman with red hair. But when she blinked, the woman was gone. But with her courage failing her with every step, she finally hid behind the store's counter with the owner and cradled her head; sobbing and muttering apologies for her cowardice.
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Mayu followed Nana home. Nana had told her everything that happened earlier in the day, but was surprised to how she was taking it. Nana seemed to be almost gliding along sidewalk.
"Are you sure that you're feeling well? I mean you did get in trouble on the first day of school."
"Nana had a good day at school mostly, I'm not going to let de-uh...deted- uh..de-"
"Detention." Mayu announced correcting her two-horned friend.
"Right." She said chuckling nervously. "Let Detention ruin her day."
"I see. Well, what did you think of it?"
Nana's mood seemed to lift even higher at that question.
"It was really fun! Nana met sooo many interesting people, and I thought I heard a boy say I was cute, but it was probably my imagination." She continued "Everyone was so friendly to me, and even after I got in trouble, so many people were nice and polite."
"Well you seemed to have had a good day. I was worried when you didn't say anything until school was over."
"I didn't want to get in trouble again, because Nana is a good girl." She stopped walking. "Besides Kouta encouraged me to do my best. So I will!"
"Haha, thats good." Mayu then shifted her bag to her other shoulder to give it relief. But in doing so, it caused her to enter a new chain of thought. What had they talked about last night?
"Ne, Nana-chan, what do you think of Kouta?" Mayu asked.
Nana stopped again. She hadn't really given it much thought, but she didn't know what to think of Kouta. Unlike Yuka, who seemed to be nice all the times, Kouta would be nice sometimes, but when Nana misbehaved he seemed to be very mean. But it was always when Nana misbehaved. She thought.And there were times when he was really nice too, like last night, or the day when he and Yuka bought her new clothes.
"He's not like Papa, but he cares for me like I'm family. He said so, and sometimes he's really mean, but its only when Nana has done something bad." Nana spoke a little softer as she said the next words: "He took me in and fed me food, even after the bad things that I've done. Kouta, Yuka-san, and you Mayu, have given me a place where I can feel I belong, after everyone I met said that there is no such place for me, a diclonius, in this world."
She turned around and grinned at Mayu. "And for that, Kouta is Nana's special person."
Mayu returned Nana's smile with a smile of her own. "I see...Well, we'd better hurry home, I'm sure that they're worried about us."
Haha, Nana, I used to think that you hated Kouta, but now I'm glad that everything turned out for the best. Mayu thought as she followed her horned friend back to Maple Inn, their home.
Nana turned a corner onto the 12th street. This street went straight down to the seawall where the beach was, and if you turned right at the end, it would take you to the bridge that leads to the Island. (The place of the experiments.) There where also a few convenience and general stores on either side. Nana and Mayu often came here if Yuka needed to shop. Everything seemed to be fine, that is, until Nana froze in place.
"What's wrong Nana?" Mayu asked concerned.
Nana was trembling, as if the warm summer air had instantaneously given rise to the dead of winter.
"I feel another diclonius."
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"Tell me what the fuck I want to know! Where the hell is Lucy! Tell me now, or I'll blow you're FUCKING BRAINS OUT!" Bandou said pressing the firearm further into Kouta's cheek.
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"You're lying!"
It was true. Even if Kouta knew where she was, there would be no fooling this person. He had clearly seen him on the beach that rainy night with Nyuu. But even at gunpoint, there was no way that Kouta would tell this madman anything about Nyuu!
"Fuck you!" Kouta yelled.
Bandou responded with a pistol whip, sending blood from Kouta's mouth.
"Wrong answer college boy."
What happened next was music to Kouta's ears. Two police squad cars came screaming from around the corner by the seawall towards them. The officers immediately got out of their cars and pointed their weapons at the man.
"Release your hostage, drop your weapon, and put your hands on the back of your head now!" One of the officers said.
Bandou wouldn't have any of that. "Screw you dogs! If you try anything, this college kid is meeting his maker!" He said shifting his weight, and turning to face the cops. He then put Kouta in a headlock and pointed the gun to his left temple.
"Release the hostage NOW! Or we will fire!"
"To hell with THIS!" Bandou said pulling the trigger.
The tungsten hollow-point bullet entered the first chamber of Bandou's Desert Eagle as it cocked. Its entire existence centered around the inevitable function to kill living beings. In less then an instant, the hammer hit home, resulting in an less then instantaneous explosion propelling the bullet to its destiny. But the .50 calibur bullet never achieved its function; for the gun that was firing it was cut in half right at the very moment the bullet was in it's long barrel.
Which resulted in a small explosion that cut off Bandou's index and middle fingers.
Kouta's ears were ringing, but sensing his chance reared back and kicked Bandou in his manhood behind him with all his might. Which sent the madman careening forward in twisted agony. He released his headlock to cradle his now defective left hand. Kouta dove out of the way as a hailstorm of police officers jumped into action. Bandou had little time to react as his whole body was being restrained by smaller local police officers. Now shamed and broken, he reluctantly took their abuse as he was handcuffed and shoved into a squad car.
Two officers came over and asked if kouta was all right and helped him up. Kouta could only hear out of one ear, so they had to ask the question twice.
"Do you need to go to the hospital? My partner can give you a ride."
"No thanks, my hearing's starting to come back. Thank's a lot guys, I was scared outta my mind." He thought for a moment. " but how did you do that?"
"You mean the gun? We didn't do that, it was probably due to him not cleaning the barrel properly. If you don't do that, all kinds of stuff gets stuck up in it, which caused it to explode. Even the little things can cause something to go off. And if something with that much power gets stuck, the power has nowhere to go but outward." He said motioning his hands with an explosion effect emphasizing the severity of not cleaning firearms. "Don't worry about it though, you're lucky to be alive."
"Have any idea why he had it out for ya?" The other asked.
"No, he was raving about some woman, and I guess he somehow thought I knew, and then he threatened me with a gun." Kouta Lied without hesitation. He knew they would ask this, but he had witnesses, and a raving lunatic threatening him about Lucy. He was not telling the whole truth, but this man caused him and probably many others lots of trouble. There was no doubt in Kouta's mind where this man belonged.
"Well its clear he was the aggressor in this, but if you don't mind I'd like to call you down to the station later and ask you a few questions. But not now um, mister?"
"Satoshi. Kouta Satoshi"
"Right, well just come down to the station any time, and then we'll file you're story."
"Kouta-san are you all right?" Came a voice behind him. He turned around and saw Professor Arakawa with a frantic look and tears in her eyes. "Are you hurt anywhere?" She said as she reached for his face, almost as if she was confirming if he was still there.
"I'll be fine Arakawa-Sensei."
"Thank God." She said wiping her eyes. "I was in the store and I called the police as soon as I saw the man with the gun, I wanted to do something...else...but I was...so...so..scared." She said collapsing to the pavement. "I'm...so...sorry.."
"Is this woman an acquaintance of yours?"
"Yes, she's my chemestry professor at the university." He said helping her to her feet. "She's also my boss."
"Well, you kids can go about you're business, we'll finish up here."
"Yes, thank you so much for everything that you've done."
Kouta led a visibly disgruntled Arakawa-Sensei to where her apartment was. He had offered to carry her bags, but she declined. Kouta was pretty shook up, but not as much as Arakawa. She was ashamed to even walk behind Kouta. He could have been killed!
"Gomen." Arakawa said in a quiet voice.
"What did you say?"
"You could have been hurt or worse. I-"
"There was nothing you could have done Arakawa-Sensei."
"That's not true!" She snapped. "I saw his back! All I had to do, is hit him over the head and he'd have been out cold. I was right there! So close that I could smell his deoderant." She started rambling. The words came out frantically and fast. The product of an extremely distressed mind."He was really gonna do it. I could've stopped him, I really could have." Her knees lost there vigor and she fell again, still muttering apologies and wiping away tears.
He walked over to where she was and stared at her. What am I supposed to do in a situation like this? He thought crouching down. "Hey look its over okay? I'm fine now."
"I know its just..."
"Just what?"
"Nothing...Forget about it. I shouldn't trouble you with my problems." She said as Kouta helped her up. "Come on. Its getting late, and you should probably be getting home."
The images of Kakazuya and his son played across in her mind. The late Professor's body strewn about on his lab room floor, his head lying several feet away. Its tongue sticking out and a vacant expression on his face. And two small stumps on the top of his head. The image of Director Kakazuya with his malicious eyes and his voice and demeanor which seemed to give off an aura of absolute evil.
And finally, an image of Lucy. Arakawa actually had been lucky enough not to have met her face to face, but seeing her picture, and the death and mayham she caused was enough to shake her core. Suddenly for Arakawa, things seemed to have gotten worse exponentially.
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At about 5:00 pm, Kouta and Arakawa reached her apartment. She thanked him profusely for agreeing to become her assisstant, and agreed to seeing him tomorrow to begin working. He bid her a good night and resumed his walk home.
I hope Yuka's not to mad at me for getting home so late.
"Kouta!" Two voices called from behind. "What are you doing out here? We thought you'd be home by now."
"Ah Nana, Mayu." He said turning around. "I had some business to take care of at the University today. How was you're first day of school Nana?"
"It was fun! I met a lot of different people, and the work was hard. But Nana got in trouble, so don't be mad!" She said frowning.
"Eh? You got in trouble?"
"Hasagawa-Sensei accused Nana of cheating on a quiz, and now she has detention on Saturday."
"Mayu-chan!"
"Gomen nassai." Mayu apologized.
"Well, I didn't cheat. I wanted to do my best and test out all the things I learned from everyone! I didn't cheat, so yell at me if you want to!" Nana said raising her voice.
Kouta looked at Nana, she had her eyes closed as if she was mentally preparing herself for the worst. But there was no guilt there, only slight annoyance.
"I won't."
"What?" She asked lowering her tone back down.
"I won't yell at you."
"But you always yell at me when you thought I did something bad."
"I don't see the need to." He announced causing Nana and Mayu to exchange puzzled looks.
"Kouta-San, I don't understand." Mayu said.
"Nana just said that it was a misunderstanding, and I believe her."
"So, you're not mad at me? You don't think Nana is a bad girl?" She said
"Of course not! You said that you were doing you're best! Why would I get mad at you for that?"
Nana let out a loud sigh. "I thought that you'd yell at me again."
"Like I said, I had a rough first day of school too, Yuka did, and Mayu as well I think." He explained, with Mayu nodding in agreement. "I've known you long enough to know that you may not know how everything works, but at least you're heart's in the right place." He said patting her on the head.
"Actually, I expected you to get into alot more trouble then that."
"Eh? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing!" He replied chuckling.
Kouta, Nana, and Mayu walked up the hill into the small neighborhood where Maple Inn was. On the way, Kouta reflected on today's events. From fierce display of barbarism that Yuka displayed when she threw a potted plant at Kouta, to gut wrenching fear that he felt when the madman made an attempt at his life. That part was particularly maddening. The way that gun exploded, there's no way I believe that. He thought. Kouta turned to look at Nana and Mayu, well at least their days turned out all right.
Mayu caught him staring at them, and decided to give him a reassuring smile, which he returned. Soon, the sound of barking filled their ears. Mayu immediately entered the sliding gate that led to the inner porch where Wanta eagerly awaited his teenage master. Nana followed close behind, but at the gate she hesitated.
"Is something on you're mind Nana?" Kouta asked as she turned and faced him.
"Kouta."
"Yes?"
Suddenly Nana found the skirt on her uniform very interesting. She tried to say something several times, but the words never came. Come on Nana! Don't hold me up all day, I got schoolwork to do! He thought watching her.
"Th-th-thank you very much!" She said bowing and running inside.
"Strange." Kouta thought out-loud. "Well at least I'm home."
Kouta entered and closed the sliding gate behind him. The worlds problems and concerns shutoff behind him as well. As soon as he saw Nana and Mayu playing, all of the today's events seemed like a faraway dream.
"Welcome home Kouta-San." Yuka exclaimed.
"Man its good to be home!" Said a weary Kouta. "Sorry I didn't walk home with you. By the way I got some good news!"
"What is it?"
"Not now, I want it to be a surprise for everyone at dinner." He said shutting the patio door behind him.
Mayu watched the exchange between Kouta and Nana. She thought it was her imagination, but it looked like she was fidgeting and blushing. She smiled inwardly at the thought of Nana becoming closer to Kouta.
I just hope that they don't become too close.
Chapter 3: End.
Aight there it is. Another chapter written, edited, and posted by Valkan. So what did you guys think? I know its been long, but if you're still reading my story, thank you so much! Also I'd like to thank the new reviewers of my story, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. But, if you liked my story, then also check out Baron Noir, Zioncross, and Tehfluffrox's stories. They're all definately worth reading. And when you're done with that, start writing! Lets see some major expansion in the Elfen Lied section!
Preview time!
Kouta and the gang decide to celebrate Kouta's new job with a fun night out. A round of Karaoke and fine dining's in the works for Maple Inn's residents. Some new conflicts are brought to light however, as some of its residents start to notice the budding relationship between Nana and Kouta, but it's not anything serious right?
Next time on Elfen Lied Werden und Verlust fertig:
Chapter 4: Aschegrenze
Don't miss it:D