Chapter 4 What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
Japanese language notes:
Kunai- a Japanese tool, possibly used as a trowel, but frequently appears in ninja stories as a multipurpose weapon. I saw Mumei use one in her encounter with Enoku so they're part of the kabaneri universe as well
-Sama- an honorific attached the name of high-ranking people, a term of respect
-Chan- a form of "san" attached to the end of a child or female family member's name, denoting a close and affectionate relationship. Can be used platonically or amorously.
The snarling creature that tore its way up from the ground caused Ikoma to stumble backwards in shock. It was at least twice the size of a normal human, bulging with superhuman muscles and canine teeth so large that they protruded visibly from its lips. Even more alarming were the veins of metallic substance that spread from wherever it placed its hands or feet.
Another one! Just like at Unato! Ikoma's thoughts flashed in warning but he had no time to pause and consider the similarities any further. The creature was charging at him, tearing up the ground as it surged forward.
Ikoma flipped backward, out of reach and the creature snapped its jaws in irritation. Thrusting its hands into the ground, the beast poured its rage out through its limbs and liquid kabane metal threaded from its fingertips. Forcing the metal into spear-like projectiles, the kabane hurled a vicious assault at the green-haired young man.
One spear grazed his arm, causing blood to drip down his sleeve. Ikoma eyed the tear in his suit, surprised. Normal metal couldn't cut through the armor he had developed and this metal spear had barely touched him. Those metal projections are razor sharp, he realized, sharp enough to make quick work of a kabaneri.
Mumei! he thought desperately, remembering her reckless anger moments before. Please gods, don't let her do anything stupid.
His thoughts were scattered as the creature hurled itself forward in another attack. It crawled along on all fours, like a malevolent spider and moved with uncanny speed. Ikoma was having trouble dodging its attacks, his thoughts torn between evading and searching for Mumei to make sure she was safe.
He stumbled, at the worst possible time. The creature leered over him, drawing back its arm to deliver a death blow straight through his heart. Ikoma sucked in a desperate breath.
There was a flash of red and a rustle of leather. Ikoma blinked. A stream of blood curled through the air and puff of dust rose a short distance away as a large meaty arm hit the ground with a thump. Mumei stood in front of him. Somehow, she had torn one of the metal projections from the ground and used it to sever the beast's arm.
Her own fingers, clutching the jagged metal were bleeding through her gloves but it seemed beyond her notice. She was glaring at the creature with a menace Ikoma had never seen before. She practically glowed with rage.
From his vantage point on the hill, Daito watched the battle unfold, fingers drumming along his arm. The female was definitely a B-class fighter, but the male…Perhaps I overestimated his abilities yesterday.
Tapping out more of the rhythm of Mozart's Symphony Number Forty, Daito tried to analyze his opponent. Mozart always helped him to focus. He missed being able to listen to the classical composers his mother had loved so much when he was a child. After the outbreak of the virus, civilization crumbled, leaving few relics behind. Still, Daito was determined not to forget these songs. Hence his frequent tapping. Another quirk that set him at odds with the other godwalkers at the Cove.
The green haired man dodged effectively, but then wasted precious seconds looking around rather than striking back. He's so distracted, Daito murmured, if he could just focus, he'd probably be able to take it out.
When the young man stumbled, Daito sighed. He didn't like seeing any life go to waste, and this man had potential. Still, Minokichi's rule was absolute, and it wouldn't do to cross him. An average C level after all.
The metal spinner was just about to deliver the killing blow when the young woman stepped in. Even from a distance, her fury was palpable.
Daito stopped his drumming. So, he means that much to you? He asked her silently. Then looking more closely at the male, he amended, you mean that much to each other.
But killing one metal spinner isn't enough to buy you both a ticket into the Cove. He eyed the pair thoughtfully.
"M-Mumei", Ikoma stammered. Relief flooded through him to see her standing, unharmed, before him.
The beast in front of her bellowed, clutching its bloody stump of an arm in disbelief.
"Tch" Mumei looked at it with disdain. Hopping into the air, she planted both feet on its chest, forcing it backwards. Using the momentum from her kick, she flipped around, landing gracefully beside her friend. Holding out her hand, her gaze met his. "Are you-" Eyes widening in horror, she suddenly screamed, "LOOK OUT!" and shoved Ikoma away from her as hard as she could.
A metal spear snaked up from the ground, just where he had been moments before. Where Mumei was now after pushing him out of the way.
Time seemed to slow for Ikoma. He was still being thrown backwards but his eyes were fixed on Mumei, on the expression of alarm fading from her face as he sailed away from her. Ikoma reached for her and she smiled just before a jagged metal shard impaled her through the stomach.
Coughing up blood, Mumei's fingers scrabbled weakly at blade skewering her body. The sand around her rippled and churned as a second creature pulled itself up out of its hiding place. It held her up, laughing in a deep voice as she struggled to break free.
Its tongue snaked out to lick the side of her face, and Mumei suppressed a shudder. With nimble fingers, she grabbed one of the kunai belted at her waist and severed the tongue from the beast's smirking face.
It screamed in pain, blood dripping from its mouth to stain the sand below. It looked at her, malice brightening its eyes. Veins bulged from its arms as it channeled all its rage into forcing liquid metal through the spear into her torso.
Mumei let out a bloodcurdling scream, her body contorting in pain. Frantically she clawed at her stomach until the beast send another wave of razor metal searing through her veins and everything stopped.
It shook her lifeless body like a ragdoll for a moment. Upon getting no reaction, it chuckled and tossed her to the ground, wiping its still bleeding mouth with the back of its hand.
"MUMEI!"
Ikoma's world went black. His raspy screams howled through the air, but he wasn't even aware of them. All he could feel was the kabane virus crawling under his skin, all rage and fury and darkness. His mind replayed the image of Mumei's body crumpling to the ground. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing.
The virus whispered to him, and he pulled it closer, like a serpent coiling around his heart. Darkness filled him, turning his eyes black, obscuring him within a tangled mass of slithering tentacles.
"An A-class? Impossible!" Daito griped the rock ledge in shock. But there was no denying the green-haired man's transformation. Tendrils of darkness swarmed over his body, forming a protective shell that Daito knew could lash out with deadly accuracy.
He had only seen Minokichi's transformation once, appearing as that of a giant black serpent. But this young man's was different.
Does each A-class fighter take on a different form? he wondered. The godwalker before him was rapidly taking shape, molding the darkness surrounding him into long razor-sharp limbs. Almost like a praying mantis.
Bellowing furiously, the A-class godwalker arched his back. His limbs shot out and impaled the metal spinner before him. The two-ton creature was raised effortlessly into the air and eviscerated into pulpy wet chunks of flesh.
Daito swallowed. He's not happy.
The other metal spinner screamed in rage and charged at the godwalker. Daito watched as a giant gaping mouth formed, filled with layers of glittering black teeth. It met the metal spinner's rush head on, chomping down to the creature's waist. Rearing back, the godwalker bellowed again and all that was left of Daito's metal spinner was a pair legs, still twitching in the sand.
The godwalker tore through the remainder of his kabane troops as if they were made of paper. Some he ran through with his murderous limbs and others he swallowed whole.
Even my entire army won't be enough to satisfy him at this rate. Daito's brow creased. Once he's finished with my kabane… He looked towards the walls of Tsurugashima Station.
"Ayame-sama, what's happening down there?" Kajika asked desperately.
Ayame lowered her binoculars, face filled with terror. "It's Ikoma. He's become some kind of-" She covered her mouth with a trembling hand. "Some kind of monster. And Mumei-chan is…. Mumei-chan is…" She couldn't get the words to leave her throat. The way Ikoma had killed those kabane, it made her blood run cold.
"Ikoma is out of control." It was Kurusu, beside her who finally spoke. "I've got to go down there."
"No!" Ayame grabbed his arm reflexively. A blush stained her cheeks as she spoke. "It's too dangerous. I've never seen Ikoma like this before." As the bushi met her eyes, she looked away and said in a small voice, "I'm frightened."
Kurusu placed a warm hand over her own and she looked up at him in surprise. "It's alright, Ayame-sama. It's my duty to protect you and the passengers of the Koutetsujyo. I will return to you, I promise." He squeezed her fingers gently and she let go, biting her lip.
"May the gods protect you," she whispered. Kurusu bowed and backed away a few steps before turning to hurry away, hand on his sword hilt.
He made his way down the stone steps to the pedestrian gate of the outer wall. Once outside, he fought to contain a sudden burst of nausea, something he hadn't struggled with since he was a young boy. The world outside looked like a warzone. Mutilated corpses were strewn about, bodies stiffening in their final poses of agony. Ikoma did all this? Kurusu clenched his sword like a lifeline and continued to move forward.
The monster-Ikoma - Kurusu corrected himself, stood before him, wreathed in noxious black smoke, limbs dripping in blood. It cocked its head at the bushi's approach, almost as if surprised anything would dare approach it.
"Ikoma!" Kurusu shouted, hand on his sword, "what are you?"
Somewhere within his subconscious, Ikoma knew the sounds of the words, knew they had meaning. But he didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore. All he knew was anger. All he wanted was to kill. He snarled at the human before him that dared to get in his way.
Kurusu unsheathed his sword and held it before him. "So be it."
Ikoma crouched, legs bent up under himself at an impossible angle, ready to spring.
"-koma," a dry voice whispered. And with that voice, Ikoma's heart that had shriveled up into a black, lifeless thing, started to beat again.
"Mumei!" He turned desperately toward the sound.
"Ikoma, are you there?" Her words were broken by a ragged cough.
His rage broke and the darkness sloughed off of him like a snake sheds its skin. "Mumei!" He raced towards her, sending up a shower of pebbles as his skidded to a stop before her prone form. Cradling her in his arms, he whispered into her hair, "I thought I lost you."
"Not- yet" she breathed out slowly. "You- ok?"
"Yes, yes. I'm good." He held her hand up to his face. "Mumei, gods Mumei, I'm so sorry."
"S'alright," she muttered weakly before fading out of consciousness.
Tears blurred his vision and Ikoma swiped at them with the back of his hand. He steeled himself to check her wound, knowing it was going to be bad.
A chunk of the metal spear was still wedged through her stomach. Probably the reason she's still alive, he realized grimly. It stopped her from bleeding out. But his greater concern was the metal that had been poured into her. There were raised ridges extending out from her stomach up her chest and arms and down her legs where liquid metal had been forced through her veins and then hardened.
He heard Kurusu approaching cautiously from behind and knew his friend still had his sword out. "It's alright Kurusu," Ikoma called out. "I'm kabaneri."
"Thank God!" Ikoma heard Kurusu mumble.
The kabaneri turned towards his ally, Mumei clasped gently in his arms. "She's hurt. Bad."
Kurusu inhaled hard at the look of gravity in his friend's eyes. "Let's get her inside and have the doctors take a look."
Mumei's cries tore through the hospital ward and Ikoma wanted to rip out his hair in grief. When she was awake, the agony of her condition was nearly unbearable, for her and for him to watch.
The doctors, already skittish at having a kabaneri in their hospital, didn't know how to treat her. None of their surgical instruments would work, any tool they tried to use broke when it came in contact with the kabane metal from the creature.
All they could ascertain was that the substance seemed to be poisoning her and preventing her body from healing simultaneously. There was nothing they could do.
Given more time, Ikoma knew he could come up with something, anything to save her. But time was something they didn't have. At this point, every breath Mumei took could be her last. He couldn't leave her to go research a cure or coat the doctor's surgical instruments in the molten remains of a kabane heart cage.
When she was awake, she cried out for him in between screams and when she lost consciousness, she still gripped his hand tightly.
"Mumei, please don't leave me," Ikoma whispered, brushing her bangs back from her feverish forehead. "You promised we'd never be separated."
His mind flashed back to that day at Unato.
A battle was fiercely raging between the humans and invading kabane. The humans didn't trust the kabaneri and had locked Ikoma up. Not that I didn't deserve it, he knew. I attacked Mumei.
She had left him to search out the tunnels alone and had inadvertently found a strange beastly kabane that could weave metallic strands from its hands and feet.
It nearly killed her before Ikoma arrived.
Afterwards, exhausted and staggering from blood loss, he let himself fall into her embrace. It was the first time he had actually allowed himself to express his feelings for her out loud.
"Stay by my side forever, don't leave me," he said softly into her ear. Ikoma breathed in her scent, a little spicy like cinnamon, and felt his body relax.
"Say it again," she whispered, and he could hear the tears in her voice.
"Don't leave," he tugged her closer, "don't leave me ever."
Her quiet affirmation burned like a fire in his veins and for a moment, Ikoma lost control. Pressing his body snugly against hers, he moved his mouth closer.
Mumei, innocent Mumei, thought he was reaching for her out of hunger. In a way he was, but not the kind of hunger she imagined. She offered her arm to him, dripping blood and somehow, he managed to pull himself together enough to divert his mouth away from her lips. Just barely.
The smell of her blood made him realize just how thirsty he was and he couldn't stop himself from having a taste of what she freely offered. Gods, she was delicious. So bright and pure, like nothing he had ever experienced before.
Ikoma knew that he loved Mumei, unequivocally. There would never be anyone else who could steal his heart so completely. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. No place he wouldn't go. And in that moment, he resolved to wait, as long as it took, to be worthy of her. I won't take advantage of her like Biba did, he vowed to himself.
"Then you'll need to wait until she's old enough. At least 18, if not 21," his conscience suggested helpfully, just before they were both bathed in a healing green light.
Easier said than done, Ikoma thought, remembering his rash promises to himself. Still, I tried. God knows I tried to keep my hands off her, to protect her and keep her safe.
"16 rounds up to 20," a mischievous little voice frequently resounded in his head. He studiously ignored it.
Mumei flinched in the hospital bed, still unconscious but breathing heavily. Ikoma leaned over her, searching her face. Her eyes were partially open but they didn't appear to be able to see him.
"Mumei, I'm here." He squeezed her hand. "Can you hear me? I'm right here." Her fingers twitched, slightly in his grip, but otherwise she gave no sign of hearing him.
Lowering his head, Ikoma fought back the urge to break down completely. She might still be able to hear me; I can't risk her thinking I've given up.
Frantically, he searched his mind for anything he could say or do to prevent himself from giving into the fear gnawing away at his gut. Then it came to him.
"Deigo flowers blossom, calling to the wind and the storm," he sang softly, voice breaking. "Deigo flowers in full bloom, call to the wind and bring the storm. Sadness comes and goes like the waves upon the sea."
Mumei sighed, and her breathing seemed to relax somewhat.
Ikoma used to have nightmares. He would dream of his sister being eaten alive before his eyes over and over again. Even on the Koutetsujyo, sometimes he would be jarred awake, screaming her name.
One particular night, he woke up in a cold sweat, shivering.
"Ikoma," Mumei mumbled, rubbing her eyes with sleep, "you, o-kay?" Her question was split in half by a yawn.
Running his fingers through his hair, he tried to paste on a smile. "Sure, Mumei. I'm fine. Just a bad dream."
She crawled closer to him on the folding metal bunk bed they shared with the other Hayajiro residents. "You sure?" Mumei poked at his face sleepily.
"Yes, yes." Ikoma waved her hand away. He was exhausted but it didn't seem like his mind was going to let him rest tonight.
A bright grin split his companion's face in the moonlight. "W-what?" he asked her warily.
"Hehe, I know just what to do!" She grabbed his shoulders and threw him down onto her lap.
"What are you-" he whispered fiercely, trying to rise.
"Shhh!" She interrupted imperiously and pushed him back down with an iron grip. "I know what to do. My mother taught me."
At her words, Ikoma stilled. Mumei hardly ever talked about her mother. Then he sucked in a breath as she began lightly running her fingers through his hair. Heart thumping, Ikoma closed his eyes and tried to mold his face into an expressionless mask. But he couldn't quite keep a rumble of pleasure from sneaking out.
At her giggle, he cleared his throat. "It feels nice," he murmured.
"Deigo flowers blossom, calling to the wind and the storm," she sang in a quiet voice. "Deigo flowers in full bloom, call to the wind and bring the storm. Sadness comes and goes like the waves upon the sea." Stroking his hair, Mumei continued her lullaby, and Ikoma found himself unconsciously relaxing. The tension faded from his muscles and he drifted into a deep sleep.
Waking up the next morning, he felt so comfortable he didn't want to open his eyes. Instead, he chose to snuggle deeper into the bed, burrowing in to that intoxicating cinnamon scent.
Reminds me of something… His thoughts were fuzzy, but he knew that he wanted to get closer to whatever it was that smelled so good. Ikoma nuzzled it with his nose, eyes still closed, and was rewarded with a soft sigh. Intrigued, he opened his mouth and gave it a lick. I want to see if it tastes as good as it smells. It did.
The giggle that answered him caused his eyes to snap open in surprise. He was met by a warm reddish-brown gaze.
"Good morning sleepy head," Mumei grinned down at him. "You're a pretty heavy sleeper, you know that?"
"Mumei?" Ikoma suddenly became acutely aware how snugly their bodies were fitted together, limbs tangled. His head had been resting on her collar bone, nose nuzzling her neck.
"I'm sorr- Owww" he sat up so quickly he banged his head on the bunk bed above him.
Mumei blinked at him as he rubbed the bump. "Are you alright?" she asked curiously.
Ikoma groaned. "I'm fine."
"It's the song. My mother used to sing it to me when I was afraid. It always helped me sleep."
"Come to think of it, I do feel pretty well rested," Ikoma agreed.
Mumei's answering smile could have outshone the sun. "Good."
Since then, snuggling with Mumei at night was one of the few indulgences he continually allowed himself, under the guise of getting a good night's sleep of course. Although he made an effort to sleep stoically sitting up with just his arm draped over her, more often than not he woke up molded against Mumei's side, with her head tucked neatly under his chin.
None of the other Koutetsujyo residents ever made a comment, not even Sukari, whose candidness was legendary. Ikoma strongly suspected that Mumei had somehow squelched any and all rumors, not an easy feat on such a gossipy train. Some things were better left unknown.
He hasn't had a nightmare since.
Ikoma was broken from his reverie by a soft knock on the door. It was Ayame.
"Ikoma, there's a strange man at the gate. He told the guard that this city has two 'godwalkers', one of them seriously injured, and he's offered to help. Do you think he could be referring to you and Mumei-chan?"
"What?" Ikoma sprang from his chair.
Ayame twined her fingers together. "He said, 'She'll die if I don't treat her.' Something about metal poisoning."
Ikoma raced to her side and clutched her hands desperately. "Take me to him. I need to speak with him right away!" At her nod, he rushed back over to Mumei's bed. Leaning over, he whispered into her ear. "Hold on Mumei! I'm going to get help!"
He turned and sprinted out of the room, practically dancing with impatience. At his nervous expression, Ayame touched his arm. "Why don't you go on ahead, Ikoma? You'll be much faster than me and you know where the gate is. Kurusu and the other bushi are waiting there. I'll stay here and keep Mumei-chan company for you."
"Thank you Ayame-sama!" Tears shone in his eyes as he squeezed her hands gratefully and dashed down the hall.
Ikoma had never run so fast in his life. To the pedestrians walking along Tsurugashima's streets, he was just a blur of motion, trailing a stream of wind behind him. When a cluster of wagons threatened to slow his progress, Ikoma leaped effortlessly onto a roof and continued onward, running lightly over the tiles.
As he approached the gate, Ikoma jumped down effortlessly, startling a group of bushi standing guard. They started to mutter indignantly, but fell silent as Kurusu strode forward and beckoned the Kabaneri closer.
"Kurusu, is it true?"
"Yes," Kurusu nodded, "he's out there and he claims he can help." As Ikoma strove to move forward, Kurusu's arm shot out and grabbed him. "There's more. I think this man is also Kabaneri." At Ikoma's startled expression, the bushi relaxed his grip slightly. "We must be cautious."
"I'll go alone," Ikoma put his hand on Kurusu's shoulder. "Shut the gate behind me. If he's hostile like Kageyuki, I'll take him out." The look in his eyes, made Kurusu drop his arm with a nod.
"Open the gate," the bushi ordered.
Ikoma stepped through into the darkness outside the city. His Kabaneri sight adjusted nearly instantaneously to the change in lighting. He had near perfect night vision.
Standing a few feet to his left and leaning against the city wall was a young man, roughly his own age. The stranger was dressed in dark, loose fitting clothes, with a tasseled scarf wrapped around his head. The garment obscured his face so that all Ikoma could see were a pair of eerie orange-yellow eyes.
Upon Ikoma's entrance, the young man pushed himself off the wall to face him. "Your companion is gravely injured," he stated in a calm voice.
"Who are you?" Ikoma demanded, "And how do you know about Mumei?"
The young man met his gaze, coolly. "I am Daito and I will happily answer your questions but time is of the essence. You must inject this near the site of the contamination to save her life." Daito held up a syringe filled with a dark red liquid. "It will help her body begin to break down the threads, to begin to heal."
At Ikoma's hesitation, Daito lifted his other hand in a placating gesture. "What reason would I have to lie to you? If I wanted her dead, all I would have to do is wait a little longer." He held out the syringe.
The green-haired Kabaneri took it, and held it up close to examine it. "What is this exactly? It won't hurt her?"
"A dilute nonoxidizing acidic compound. And yes, it is safe. Though owning to the extent of her injuries, her body will probably maintain a comatose healing state for the next few days or weeks before she recovers."
"Weeks," Ikoma whispered, stunned.
Daito looked at him blandly. "Surely, you must have realized that even as godwalkers we can be killed?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Godwalkers?" Ikoma was having trouble suppressing his tenacious curiosity. But if there's even a chance this could help, I've got to get it back to Mumei, now. "How do I know I can trust you?" he asked.
Now Daito's look became amused. "You don't. However, your mate's life will be determined by whether you choose to do so." As Ikoma spluttered, the godwalker continued, "I will remain here. We can resume this conversation after you have administered the medication to your satisfaction." With that, he leaned back against the wall, orange eyes pinned on Ikoma.
"If this is a trap, I will hunt you down and kill you."
Daito nodded, "Understood."
Ikoma kept his eyes on the stranger as he rapped on the door with his knuckles. "Kurusu, it's me. Open up." He slipped inside and nodded to the bushi. "You're right, he's definitely Kabaneri. I don't know if we can trust him, but this may be Mumei's only chance. He said he'll remain outside."
"We'll watch him," Kurusu conceded.
With a word of thanks, Ikoma ran once more back towards the hospital. Moving so fast, his leaps and bounds almost made him feel like he was flying. Any other day, he would revel in his growing strength, but today nothing could distract him from one thought. Mumei…
She had grown paler in the time he had been gone, and a sheen of sweat shone on her face. Ikoma sniffed at the syringe, and inspected it closely. He even went as far as injecting a miniscule amount under his own skin to check if it was safe. Normally he would have run extensive tests on the substance but there was no time.
Mumei's normal spicy scent of cinnamon was getting swallowed up in a more sickly-sweet stench, like rotting vegetation. She was dying.
With a silent prayer, Ikoma thrust the needle into the skin above her abdomen. It pierced straight through the kabane metal. He breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't even think about the needle breaking. Thank God it didn't. I don't know what I would have done. An image of darkness and rage flashed through his mind and he suppressed a shudder.
Daito, from what I could sense seemed genuine. Please let Mumei be ok, he sent out a silent plea and injected the contents of the syringe into her stomach.
Ayame and Ikoma watched with baited breath. One minute. Two.
Mumei let out a sigh and the tightness of pain seemed to lessen on her face.
"Ikoma, look!" The Yomogaza heir shook his arm. "Her temperature is going down! Look!" She tugged him toward the monitor.
"You're right!" He breathed a sigh of relief. "She looks and smells much better." That met with a puzzled look but Ikoma just shrugged, nearly giddy with relief. That cloying stench of death was fading. Mumei was going to be ok.
Author's Notes:
1. I read an article a little while back that said the Japanese voice actors who play Ikoma and Mumei (Tasuku Hatanaka and Sayaka Senbongi, respectively) recently got married! Yay! Congratulations Tasuku and Sayaka! Just further proof that Ikoma and Mumei are meant to be. ^_^
2. I forgot to mention the song inspiration behind the very first chapter when it was originally a one shot. It was inspired by "Dirty Pretty" by In This Moment.
3. Ikoma and Mumei's lullaby is a loose translation of "Shima Uta". It was originally performed by the BOOM, although I like the Rimi Natsukawa version better myself.
