Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 28
Time flew by as everyone rushed to tend to the fallen healer. Nene was tucked into her bed, sweating profusely. Persephone gently wiped her master's face with care, overcome with worry. Nearby, Opera sat close on the other side of her bed. Even they held a dark expression.
A few feet away, Sullivan, Balam, and Kalego were discussing what to do next. "If Vincente can take me to my lab, I have the broken arrow there. I can do some tests and hopefully find an antidote", offered Balam. Sullivan thought it over. It was a good plan.
They had briefly discussed the possibility that others would soon fall ill, but no one else had any obvious symptoms. Thus, Pandora kept Iruma and Vincente company in another room as they waited for an update.
After a few moments reflecting, Kalego spoke up. "I'll go with you. I want to make sure the school hasn't been compromised", he said. He wouldn't put it past Victoria to try anything at that point. Sullivan nodded in agreement.
"Stay together and watch each other's backs. It's still quite dangerous for you both out there...Kalego-kun, check in with Bars and Bachiko-chan, too. Make sure they've been properly updated", said the principal.
A few minutes later, they were preparing to leave. Vincente waited patiently as Pandora fussed over her friends.
"Promise me you'll both be extra careful. If anything at all happens, come back right away, okay?", she said. Her eyes poured forth concern, making it hard on Shichiro to leave her, but Nene's life was on the line. He couldn't back down.
After a tight hug to both Shichiro and Kalego, she anxiously stood beside Iruma. They saw their friend's off with a smile as Valiant opened a portal. Iruma could see the school gates on the other side. "Sensei", he called, "We'll be waiting." He offered his words as a reminder they weren't alone. Balam nodded and even Kalego managed a small grin in acknowledgement.
Moments later, the trio stepped onto the ground just outside of Babylus. Despite their differences, Kalego had to admit how useful Vincente was when it came to conserving travel time.
A familiar face waved them down. Robin approached with a cheerful smile. "Senpai! Over here!", he called. Bachiko followed at his side. As they met up, she asked how Iruma was. Sullivan had already called her earlier about Nene. He was trusting her and Robin to guard the school in the meantime.
After a brief update, Bachiko stared up at Valiant. "Who's this idiot?", she asked flatly. Vincente grinned politely as he bowed. "Barbatos-san, I've heard of your exploits. I look forward to seeing how you will help mold Iruma-kun's future. Vincente Valiant, at your service." He kissed her hand in greeting, prompting her to blush.
Shaking him loose, she crossed her arms haughtily. "Let's get to work", she grumbled, leading the way. Robin introduced himself as they walked, but Vincente was less interested to meet him. He was only eager to please the ladies, it seemed.
The group talked as they headed into the school. Having multiple tasks, they decided to split up. Kalego would check on Royal One with Robin while Vincente would accompany Balam to his lab. Bachiko stated she was going to Sullivan's office. A nagging feeling told her she should.
With the assignments decided, they split up. Kalego tried to keep his cool as Robin went on and on about his time watching over Babylus in his absence. Nothing of interest had been said and he was getting annoyed with his kouhai's voice. However, recalling his orders, he tried to remain outwardly neutral.
"How is your arm?", he asked, staring ahead as they walked. Robin grinned at the question. "It's healing really well. Nene-sama is a great healer… Is it true she's sick?", he replied. Kalego's expression darkened, a clear sign it was serious. "She'll be okay, won't she?", inquired Robin. He was sincerely concerned, hoping he could thank her in person soon.
As they reached Royal One, their strained conversation screeched to a halt. The classroom's massive doors were ajar. Kalego grit his teeth in irritation. "Can you shoot?", he asked. Robin nodded. His arm was thoroughly braced, but usable. "Stay quiet", instructed Kalego as they pensively entered.
The inside of Royal One was massive. They had a lot of ground to cover, but they didn't have the luxury of splitting up per Sullivan's orders. Going on a hunch, Kalego headed for his private office inside. Sure enough, that door was also open.
Ready for a fight, they stepped inside, but whoever had intruded was already gone. Papers were scattered everywhere and several files appeared to be missing. Robin looked over his senpai's shoulder as he knelt to pick up the mess.
"What do you think they were after?", he asked. Gathering the folders, Kalego glowered grimly. "These kids are prime candidates to return to origin. Undoubtedly Victoria is scouting them", he stated darkly. Concentrating, he made a mental note of which profiles had been taken. He'd have to contend with that later.
Meanwhile, in the biology lab, Balam worked quickly among the tools of his trade. For safety, both he and Valiant had donned protective gear while the chemicals bubbled away in their beakers. Vincente had no idea what most of them were for. He just knew they needed to save Nene.
"It's outside of Ai's wheelhouse to concoct toxins. She must have a new flunky", he said. Balam quietly agreed, but focused on his work. He couldn't afford to get distracted.
Bored, Valiant wandered the lab. He paused at a pile of picture books. He'd found Iruma's study guides. He didn't know a lot about Balam, so he was intrigued by the find. Valiant nearly fell over in surprise as Balam rushed past him, eagerly flipping through a thick tome nearby. He looked shaken. "It can't be", he whispered.
"What is it?", asked Valiant, concerned. Shichiro stared at the pages in his hands. He was visibly trembling. "How did she?…", he trailed. Valiant peeked curiously, but couldn't figure out what was so shocking. It was all a bunch of random sketches and notes to him. The only herbs he had memorized were basic poisons and antidotes in accordance with his work.
Hastily stuffing the book into Valiant's hands, Balam gathered miscellaneous herbs and tinctures. He seemed to have a plan. Vincente smiled awkwardly at the growing pile in his arms. He had no idea what any of it was, but wondered if it was all really necessary.
Snuffing the flames on his equipment, Balam made sure everything was put away safely. The last item he took was a small vial of concentrated, dark purple liquid. It was so dark, it was nearly black. He'd boiled down the sample of Victoria's poison to a thick goo, but it was harmless in its current state; He'd removed the reagent.
In Sullivan's office, Bachiko held her bow at the ready. Several arrows were aimed at an intruder. Kiriwo grinned pleasantly at her intrusion. A large, nine tailed fox stood behind him, aggressively eying her. It had black markings and glowing red eyes, but it wasn't his familiar. It was on loan.
"What do you think you're doing?", asked Bachiko with barely suppressed rage. Kiriwo had dared to defile the sanctity of Babylus at its very core. He held several files tucked into his elbow. Yet this wasn't the fragile student that had been expelled. He was oozing confidence with an amused grin.
"No need for such hostility. I was just leaving", he taunted. Annoyed, Bachiko loosed her arrows. To her amazement, they stopped in what looked like midair. Gritting her teeth, she fired again. A simple barrier shouldn't be able to stop her shots. What kind of power up had Kiriwo gotten?
With an annoyingly smug smile, he mounted the giant fox and they vanished through an open window. "Send my regards to Iruma-kun", he said with a wave.
Without hesitation, she ran forward and fired after him. She smirked as one of her arrows lodged into the fox's leg. Now she had a chance to track it.
When everyone met back up and exchanged stories, Kalego stiffened. "I didn't know Amy-kun had a familiar like that", uttered Robin. "Tch. He doesn't. That was Victoria's", grumbled Kalego.
Balam sent his friend a concerned gaze. The fact that Amy Kiriwo was now involved was surely no accident. Kalego had said before that Ai likely had someone higher up helping her. This was just evidence to support that theory. They knew Kiriwo hadn't escaped prison on his own, either.
"Any luck with the toxin?", asked Bachiko, irritated that her quarry had escaped. Still, she was pleased to at least land one shot. That left hope for tracking, but for now, she worried for Nene, the healer who had saved her prized student.
Balam nodded. He held a large bag over his shoulder, filled with research and medicine. "I need to confer with Persephone, but I think I know what Victoria used to create it. The question is how she got it", he said, cryptically.
Kalego glanced over in question. He didn't like the dark tone in Shichiro's words. "Eh? What is it? Is it rare?", asked Robin. Balam averted his gaze. He was clearly hiding something.
Valiant grinned wryly. "Don't worry, Bars. I was there when he figured it out and he wouldn't tell me either", he sighed. Kalego narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The fact that Shichiro was being so reticent wasn't good. Whatever he discovered was dangerous indeed.
After swapping information, a brief goodbye, and a promise to update each other, Kalego's team returned to Sullivan's mansion via Valiant's portals.
A little while later, Persephone stared darkly at the pages Balam had bookmarked as they spoke in hushed tones. Kalego was waiting near enough to hear what was being said, but maintained an even expression as not to alarm the others.
Sullivan's patience was wearing thin with anxiety. Nene was not doing well at all. "What did you find, Shichiro-kun?", he asked. Balam and Persephone exchanged glances with a nod. She agreed with his findings. She stared briefly at Kalego, clearly shaken. He knew she would need his support later.
Balam looked over the faces around him. The only ones missing were Opera and Valiant, who were caring for Nene in her room. It grew eerily silent as the tension rose. Finally, he answered the big secret. "Angel blood", he stated grimly.
Iruma's eyes widened in shock. It made sense that angels were just as real as the demons he'd come to love, but, if he was about the balance of power among the races, he wondered why the toxin hadn't affected the others. Surely angels and demons didn't mix well biologically.
"How did she get it?", asked Pandora. She looked pale. She'd known about Victoria's exploits in the human world, but to directly contact an angel was unheard of. Persephone offered a desperate look as her hopes were dashed. "I was hoping you could tell us", she said grimly.
Iruma looked to his grandfather. He'd never seen him look so tense. Sullivan held his arms crossed behind his back, standing up straight, yet the aura pouring off of him was ominous. He was livid.
"Grandpa?", ventured Iruma meekly. He'd expected Sullivan to cheerfully reassure him, but that wasn't going to happen. Sullivan glowered into space as he lost himself to his thoughts.
Stepping closer, Kalego broke the silence. "Demons going to the human world is forbidden. To get to an angel, Victoria would have had to get help from their world", he said, thinking aloud.
Balam stared in mild surprise. His friend had always supported his belief and research on humans, but now he was stating it as fact. Did he actually know about Iruma?
At the same time, Pandora looked so lost at that moment. She was filled with dread that more of her friends were potentially going to get violently ill. Putting a warm hand on her arm, Persephone hugged her close.
"Don't worry. Everyone else will be fine. The toxin was engineered specifically to target Mum", she said. "But how?", uttered Pandora, still anxious.
"That's a good question", said Sullivan, finally speaking up. He knew he had a duty to protect them all. Any chance of spread had to be stopped immediately.
The room grew quiet as everyone thought it over. "Nene-chan is a tengu. Perhaps that's the connection?", he ventured.
Iruma shivered as a thought crept into his mind. Unable to stop himself, it spilled from his lips. "Her avian features? But that would mean - …", he trailed.
All eyes settled over Balam in an instant. The worry in the faces around him was endearing. Putting their fears to rest, he assured, "I feel fine."
His eyes settled over Pandora. She was staring intensely at the floor. The thought of losing him was too much. Knowing he would try to reassure everyone even if he was sick, something inside took over. Looking up, her eyes glowed gold. He swallowed hard. He hadn't seen that look in a long time.
Iruma looked around nervously. The rest of the room had gotten even tenser in anticipation. He didn't know she could change her eyes, but he'd heard about her bloodline magic. Now he was going to see it firsthand.
Pandora was shaking. "No more secrets... from any of you!...I can't take it... Tell me the truth. Are you okay?", she said. Approaching Balam and holding his hands tightly, she stared into his eyes with determination.
"The golden truth", he uttered, explaining for Iruma's sake. Pandora could project emotions and certain qualities through color. Yellow was apparently honesty. Calmly meeting her gaze, he grinned faintly at her concern.
"Pan-chan, I feel fine. I took every precaution at the lab and we were all exposed at the same time. If I had any symptoms, they'd be showing by now...You know I would tell you if I had any...I'm not sick. I promise."
He'd stared straight into her eyes as he spoke. Relieved, she tearfully hugged him tightly. "Thank goodness", she uttered. Shichiro warmly returned her embrace. After a moment, they stepped apart and she looked upon the others.
"Lord Sullivan?", she asked. He grinned politely. "Fit as a fiddle", he assured. With a nod, she looked to Iruma. As a human, he would likely be unaffected by angel blood, but she had to be sure. Meeting her gaze, he nodded in affirmation. "I'm fine."
A collective breath of relief went through the room. Kalego held his chin in thought. That covered half of them, at least. "Perhaps it's the dark magic stored in her wings?", he ventured. "Then - ?", uttered Balam, looking at Persephone in worry.
She was the only other demon in the group who could absorb such mana and she'd been doing it in small increments to help relieve her master. Kalego's eyes quivered at the prospect as he stared at her, the color draining from his face. He wasn't ready to lose her again and her familiar was still drained from the time spell days before.
Pandora quickly took her cousin's hand. With tears in her eyes, she waited for the truth. Even if her bloodline magic failed, Shichiro would know if Persephone lied, and she knew he would share the truth if that happened.
Persephone stared into Pandora's face, trying to grin warmly. "I'm tired, but that's all", she stated. Pandora hugged her as well in relief.
"Then what's the connection?", asked Iruma, still worried. Persephone stared sadly at Kalego. "The only other possibility would be Victoria's curses. Shichiro only has one, so it may not affect him, but Mum absorbed five from Pan-chan and two from Robin, making her the most affected by far", she said. "Still…", she trailed, peering at her old lover in question.
All eyes turned to Kalego. Pandora started toward him, but Shichiro's hand softly gripped her own to stop her. Instead, Persephone stepped close to him. Their bodies nearly touching, she stared hard into Kalego's eyes as if searching his soul.
"Well? How do you feel?", she asked, feeling his face for any trace of a fever. He glanced at Pandora and Shichiro briefly. They would certainly out him if he lied. Meeting Persephone's intense stare, he smirked faintly.
At first, she took it to mean they had all worried for nothing, but her relieved grin faded quickly as he begrudgingly rolled up his sleeve. Dark lines traced the veins from his forearm into his wrist. The room was so quiet, he could hear her stop breathing for a moment in shock. Nearby, Pandora covered her mouth in devastation. Balam pulled her close in support. He, too, was worried.
Carefully taking his arm, Persephone measured Kalego's pulse. "How do you feel?", she asked again. "Fine. Just exhausted", he replied quietly. Framing his shoulders with her hands, she looked deeply into his eyes. "When did this start?", she asked carefully. Unable to avoid her, he sighed, "Last night."
"Kalego-kun", uttered Balam, near speechless. Pandora's eyes returned to their natural pink hue. She'd gotten her answers. "Why didn't you tell us?", she inquired meekly, a mix of sadness and pain.
Replacing his sleeve, Kalego stepped free from Persephone's grasp. "I wasn't sure what it was yet...It could have easily been a new manifestation of one of my curses", he explained.
Persephone was probably the one who understood what he meant. Every once in a while, something in his body would change in reaction to them. It usually involved stress or proximity to Victoria and he had ample amounts of both recently.
Sullivan seemed to be staring as he thought aloud. "Kalego-kun was farther away than Nene-chan during exposure. It's possible Robin-kun was also affected", he said. "Unlikely. He was already rid of his curses at the time", stated Persephone, trying not to worry about Kalego.
Unable to bear it any longer, Iruma spoke up. "Let me help", he said loudly. Everyone looked over in surprise. He was tense. Balam hadn't seen that look in his eyes since Walter Park.
"Shichiro and I know medicine. We'll figure this out", said Persephone, dismissing his fervor. Irritated, his sense of self preservation slipped away.
"But I might be able to cure them!", argued Iruma. "I -...my blood can heal demons", he said, dropping his gaze and volume. "What are you babbling about?", asked Kalego carefully. He'd never seen any of his students possess such an ability.
Seeing where Iruma was going, Sullivan stepped in. His grandson had told him about the incident with the king of the valley at the beginning of the school year. Iruma was dangerously close to spilling his secret.
Placing his hands supportively upon the boy's shoulders, Sullivan explained, "It's true that my bloodline does not possess such an ability, but Iruma-kun is adopted. He discovered the trait earlier this year."
Kalego narrowed his gaze, not completely convinced. "And why did you specify demons?", he asked skeptically. Persephone had her suspicions, too, so she stood beside him in silent support.
Panicking, Iruma waved his hands innocently. "I mean - ! You know, we say it all of the time, right?" He sounded incredibly nervous, but he wasn't wrong. The term 'demon' was frequently used in place of 'person'.
Finally averting his piercing gaze, Kalego sighed. He was far too tired to argue. His head hurt and his thoughts were getting fuzzy. Persephone softly patted his back. "Go get some rest. Shichiro and I will explore this option", she said. Giving in, he agreed.
A little later, Sullivan was alone with his grandson in Iruma's room. He seemed pensive.
"Iruma-kun, it was brave of you to offer yourself like that, but that too close. The others can't learn your secret. Promise me you'll be more careful", he said, concerned.
Iruma lowered his face in apology. "I know... I'm sorry, but I just can't stand by and watch them die... What if I really can heal them?", he uttered.
Sullivan's stern stare softened. His grandson truly was a great kid. Patting his head gently, he smiled affectionately. "Grandpa?"
"Hmm? What is it, Iruma-kun?", he replied. Iruma seemed to fidget, avoiding his gaze. "I think Kalego-sensei was the only one there who doesn't know", he admitted. Sullivan tensed, waiting for an explanation.
Over the next hour, Iruma told his grandfather everything - how he'd accidentally told Balam, but not to blame him for Pandora likely knowing since she'd been around other humans and had probably figured it out on her own. He trusted them both with his secret.
With a sigh, Sullivan came clean, too. He told Iruma about Bachiko and Nene. Iruma was a little shocked to find out about his master, but Nene made perfect sense. After all, she was a doctor. She would have easily been able to tell he was no demon.
"Do you think Lamya-san knows?", asked Iruma anxiously. He knew he was safe, but worried about Kalego's potential reaction. Sullivan smiled kindly. "Being so close to Nene-chan and having treated you herself, it is possible, but I doubt she would tell Kalego-kun...Even if she did, we can erase that memory if you wish", he replied.
Iruma stared breathlessly. "I had no idea you could do that...wait, you're not going to wipe Balam-sensei's memory are you?!", he panicked. Sullivan chuckled lightly.
"Not if you don't want me to. I think you made a good choice in trusting Shichiro-kun. He knows exactly how precious all life is. I don't see any reason why he would endanger you", he assured.
Iruma sighed in relief. He treasured his relationship with Balam. He didn't want to lose that.
"As for Pandora-chan, I'll leave that decision up to you. If you feel comfortable talking to her about it, I will trust her to keep you safe...but Kalego-kun...He's such a stickler for the rules. He might just turn me over to Henri-kun", he said, only half joking.
Iruma remembered his conversation with chief Azazel. It was completely possible he could be taken away and left no memory of the demon world. That prospect was deafening to his heart. He treasured all of the bonds he'd made.
"But don't worry", said Sullivan cheerfully. "Even if Kalego-kun does figure it out, we can count on Persephone to keep him in check." Iruma stared in confusion. He had no idea how.
Scruffing his hair, Sullivan grinned as he let his grandson in on a little secret. "Lamya-chan's bloodline ability allows her to rewrite memories. The ability works best with memories she is personally involved in, but she could easily make him think the idea came from a dream. She knows his mind well enough for that."
Iruma grinned faintly, relieved. Still, he didn't feel right about that plan. He'd come a long way with his sensei over the past year and, through this ordeal, they seemed to be at least a little closer despite the whole familiar incident.
In another room, Pandora fussed over Kalego, making sure he got to bed. If it weren't for Nene being so sick, Persephone would have done so herself.
"You've been chiding me to rest for weeks. Now it's my turn. No arguments!", said Pandora, pointing to his bed. Behind her, Shichiro grinned at her fervor. She would be a great mom someday.
Fighting off an eye twitch, Kalego sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll try to get some rest", he muttered. Pandora grinned in victory, but kept a sternness to her eyes. She was going to make sure her beloved friend was going to be alright.
After Kalego had changed and gotten comfortable, he dealt with the embarrassment of letting her tuck him in. She smiled from the doorway, pleased with herself.
"Call if you need us", said Shichiro. As the door closed behind his friends, Kalego grinned lightly. It was good to know how much they cared.
To be continued...