"Strip."
Those were the words the monologuing monolith of Arknights told me the moment I entered a suspicious looking building. Hmm, suspicious isn't exactly the right word - something like isolated would describe it better. The building was small and high-tech looking, situated a short walk away from the library.
Obeying her command immediately, mostly because I didn't want to get on her bad side, I took my uniform off. Then the rest of my clothing followed suit. Kal'tsit was currently operating a futuristic looking machine, inputting data into it. Her fingers moved at a blistering pace, quickly finishing whatever she was typing.
"Lie down," she instructed.
It was a small medical bed. Lying down, my back pressed against the not very soft nor very comfy cushioning. Breathing deeply, the scent of disinfectant and alcohol invaded my nose. I'm assuming this was some sort of medical exam - maybe to assess my originium levels.
"I'll begin the examination shortly. Please, stay where you are."
I felt a few things attach on to me - electrodes I think is the correct term, though I'm not too sure about the Terra equivalent. Then I was rolled under a complex looking device.
'So this is how they scan patients for oripathy and their originium blood levels.'
At least, that's what I was assuming Kal'tsit was doing. There was a whole bunch of beeping, and honestly, the whole thing was a blur.
"Usually, I have an intern medical student here assisting me," Kal'tsit explained. "Unfortunately, they all have class right now."
She read something - probably the test results produced by the machine. Briefly, for a split nano-second, her eyes widened every so slightly in surprise before returning back to normal in a flash. It could be my imagination playing tricks on me, but I feel like my test results surprised Kal'tsit. And I had an inkling of a reason why.
"The results?" I inquired.
"One second," she responded hurriedly. "I'm physically recording the data right now. I'll show your examination results in a moment."
After my verbal confirmation of agreement, "sure", silence ensued with only the scribbling sound of her pen and the hum of machinery around me breaking it.
"I'm tempted to have you take the examination again," Kal'tsit spoke up after a pause in writing.
"Why?" I asked. That inkling of a reason slowly morphed into a more solid reason that had to do with my other-worldly origins.
"Let's just say you definitely won't be needing the newly developed cure for the infected. Probably ever."
'Yup. No doubt about it. There's no originium back on Earth, after all.'
"So," I began slowly. "Can I take a look?"
"Sure, take a look," she obliged after a brief moment of hesitation.
Imaging tests reveal clear, normal outlines of internal organs, and no abnormal dark spots or shadows. No unusual traces of Originium particles present in the circulatory system, no signs of infection, confirming this student as uninfected.
[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 0%
No Oripathy.
[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] xxxxxxxxxxxx
The moment I finished reading, the file was snatched away from my hand. It was frightening how instantaneous it was - me finishing reading and her taking the paper away. It was almost as if she tracked my eyes as they read the words on the paper, knowing exactly what word I was reading.
"This information does not leave this building, am I clear?"
I was going to say crystal, until a nagging, curious part of my brain forced me otherwise.
"Why's that?" I asked. Once again, I had an inkling of an idea, but I still decided to ask anyway.
The Tsundere cat-girl in question let out a long sigh.
"You have to understand, I was always against his idea of bringing such an unknown student to this school. I'm not even going to touch upon how unprecedented it is that we are even accepting transfer students here in the first place, but after the last few minutes, I've come to a sound understanding. He's crazy. I've always had my suspicions, but this confirms it…"
I was wondering when she'd begin to monologue.
"...His infuriating voice and the way he manages to rope me into every one of his illogical, irrational and nonsensical ideas without a tad bit of thought for the consequences, leaving me to deal with everything. And while capable I may be, infinitely more than him, I have my limits. Set limits have been toeing the line of being broken yet that idiotic principle keeps insisting that nothing bad will happen, to just follow him, just this once of the nth time…"
The infamous monologue - to hear it live and voiced is truly a blessing and a curse.
"...And everytime things turn out okay, due to my extensive struggles, the staff's extensive troubles and perhaps a bit of luck as well, he goes ahead and says there was nothing to worry about in the first place. Arghh, and with that insufferable tone of his as well. He doesn't understand how close everything is to collapsing - one strong gust and the foundation is blown apart…"
It does sound like she's been holding this in and desperately needed this release.
"...But nope, he sits on his chair without a clue as to how close disaster came to strike, lounging away, doing his paperwork whenever the feeling strikes - which is basically never. He even had the audacity to tell me to keep an eye on you. Tch, with your test results, I can only imagine the chaos that would arise. The ripples will be felt far and wide, not just within the borders of campus…"
I had a feeling she was referring to my Blood Originium-Crystal Density. The number was covered up, but intuition told me it was 0.
"...Sure, with the genius Doctor's invention, Oripathy was cured. Granted, it isn't perfect - the effects already caused by the infection are irreversible, but at least the infection is completely halted as long as the patient takes their prescribed medication. But the subject is still taboo in nature, not many people are ready to accept the new era we live in. Fear is hard to erase, as with culture and tradition, especially when it has been ingrained through generations…"
To be honest, I got lost long ago in her long speech.
"...I can understand, to an extent, why there is little information about you. Your lack of medical data and such can be attributed to what you read on that file. On your file. Still, word getting out could spell the end of this prestigious school. Everyone would want to get their hands on you. Researchers looking for a more effective cure would be salivating at turning you into a test pupper. Radical infected, especially those in rural or poor areas, unable to receive the cure, would seek drastic measures against you - perhaps kidnapping - to do what insane people do…"
She does make some very valid points - my medical information getting out there would paint a huge target on my back. But why did she have to say an entire thesis essay to get that point across. And why does it seem like she's not stopping anytime soon.
"...Offer you as a sacrifice to some inane God. Or maybe they'd believe your blood to be holy and tie you up and turn you into some sort of cattle to have your blood milked. I can see different countries vying to control you. War could potentially break out, one of catastrophic magnitude with devastating consequences…"
Very serious. Many bad things could happen. Alright, I know now, so please, Kal'tsit, you can stop talking now.
"...Looking at things from an objective perspective, I can come to the conclusion that our idiot principle thought about playing the hero and sheltering you from the public. How he even found out about you eludes me. Him and the idiotic folk that consist of the school board - they're all morons…"
I wanted to tell her to stop. To tell her she's said enough now, but I could not find any opportune moment to interject.
"...I've already erased the results from the database - the only remaining evidence is this file. Still, in my opinion, the most effective way of dealing with any sort of information leakage would be to eliminate the root cause of the problem. Unfortunately, or fortunately in your case, you are a student here and I am a teacher. Thus, it is my duty to keep you safe and out of harm's way…"
That was concerning. I'm a student now, but what happens after graduation?
"...Know that I will be keeping a very close eye on you and know that I will not tolerate any foolishness. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal," I responded. It's safe to say I regretted asking my question gravely.
Then, the worst possible scenario happened. Something about my response bugged her, because she then asked, "I don't need to repeat myself now, do I?"
"No, no, no, no, no, really, no. I understood everything very clearly. So clear that every clearance sale pales in comparison. There really is no need, no need at all for any repetition of what you said whatsoever. I have never been more clear in my life. The clear skies of a cloudless sunny day could never compete with the level of clearity… clarity I have right now. In fact, you're so clear right now, you might as well be see through. I say-"
"That's enough," Kal'tsit interrupted. "I've heard enough."
I chuckled nervously before I was struck by an existential crisis inducing thought.
'No. No, it can't be. There's no way. I was just rambling, not monologuing. There is a clear - oh god I hate that word now - difference between the two."
Not long after, Kal'tist led me into a spacious room. A large plain white, beat-up looking room with no furniture, scratch that, with nothing at all inside greeted me.
"So, what did you wanna bring me here for, Miss-"
While my base physical abilities increased while being transported here, all that increase did for me was allow me to see what was about to kill me. A monster. Specifically, a Monst3r. Something sharp and black came flying at my neck at breakneck speed. My reaction speed was fast, much faster than before, but I could only watch as a very sharp part of Monst3r got closer and closer.
'Fuck!'
I was gonna die. Kal'tsit lied about her duty to keep me safe. She brought me here to this isolated room to kill me.
'It was a good run I guess. At least I tried to live up to my full potential.'
Time seemed to slow down as Monst3r was mere moments away from impaling my neck.
'Is my life going to flash before my eyes again…? Man, I wish I was at least able to hang out at the library with Dusk and Reed.'
I closed my eyes in anticipation of decapitation. It never came.
Opening my eyes, I was met with a bright white light. "Blanc…?"
She was different. A lot colder - both physically and metaphorically.
"You…! How dare you attack my master!"
Angry. No, enraged. Blanc was absolutely livid. Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen Blanc mad.
She's kinda cute when she's mad. In a hot kind of way.
A mini winter storm formed around her as the temperature of the room dropped by several degrees.
"Oh?" Kal'tsit said indifferently, a curious expression on her face. "How peculiar. I don't sense any arts being used. Hmm… Nevermind that, Monst3r, attack the girl."
The fight was short. Blanc was clearly outmatched in terms of both power, fighting skills and experience. 6 seconds was all it took for her to be sent flying across the room, unconscious. Monst3r, that damn op summon, was completely unaffected by the biting cold.
Seeing Blanc's injured form land across the room from me caused an indescribable feeling to well up inside of me. Anger? Fear? Worry? I wanted to protect Blanc, to help her. I wanted to hurt the person who hurt her. That alien looking abomination stared me down. I hesitated.
Do I really stand a chance?
"God fucking damnit," I cursed. Images of Blanc flashed through my head. Her precious smile. Her delightful expression when eating the finballs. She was the first girl where I developed an intimate relationship with. My first… love.
"Lacking resolve, are we now?" Kal'tsit observed, her voice still indifferent. "Monst3r."
'Oh I'll show you resolve, you fucking asshole,' I mentally seethed. Blanc lay on the ground on the other side of the room, still unconscious. Each time I looked at her, I felt a pang of pain in my chest. 'I'll fucking show you.'
Taking a deep breath, I composed myself.
AN: Kal'tsit's actions are not irrational. You'll see later. Also, if any of you understood her monologue I wrote, you're lying, because I wrote it and even I don't understand it.
Amiral Bisko - I have 7 of the 10 girls planned. The remaining can either be chosen by you guys. Hell, it doesn't even have to be 10. There's always room for more. So Skadi can be one of them.
MiraculousReader - I'm bad at counting. It's the 6 chapters curse cuz my other 2 fics are stuck at chapter 6.
RainTheCourier - Thank you so much for your positivity and review. I really it appreciate it a lot. Reviews like yours, especially consistent, really motivate me to write.
I'll probably be writing shorter chapters, around 2000 words each instead of my usual at least 4000 so updates won't be too infrequent. Also, pulled a Fia, Woo! Also also, anyone wanna help beta, lemme know.