Chapter 3: Heroes and Villains

"Useless old shits!"

NK smashed her fist on a wall, instantly pulverizing a portion of it on impact.

She was currently taking a quick break on one of the cervical lymph nodes found in the neck. After exiting out from the hypothalamus, the other immune cells went out to their separate ways. Helper T and Regulatory cell went back to the Thymus headquarters, while Lady Macrophage returned to the bone marrow. She didn't know where Dendritic cell was going, and frankly, she didn't care about him at all.

Her shoulders rose and fell as she heaved lungfuls of breath to calm herself.

So much of her precious time wasted, and the worse part of it was that they were insulted and even taken for granted. Were these old windbags really benevolent cells or just plain senile?

"Here drink this." A deep masculine voice offered from behind her.

She glanced to her right and saw a cold can of coffee being dangled near her face.

"Thanks."

She took the coffee can from KT's hand and then proceeded to open the lid with her thumb.

"Told you they have giant metal sticks stuck up their behinds," KT grinned.

"What the hell was their problem?" NK groused before placing the lid of the can on her lips to take a quick sip. "I mean, did you get what they were even saying?"

"Not a damn clue," he muttered.

"Yeah, me neither," she concurred. "They always teach us in the academy that the neurons were some wise ancient beings and that we all need to serve them, but they all just turned out to be a bunch of crazy old cells."

She took a longer sip from her coffee.

"I guess getting locked up in the brain and doing nothing but communicate with the Consciousness could end you up all insane."

"Mmm," she grunted an affirmative.

She didn't understand anything about how the cells in the brain work, but from what she'd heard, the old farts all gather up inside the great lobes of the brain to meditate in order to form a link with the Consciousness that rules over their world.

"Whatever the Consciousness is, I hope it could help us with this war," KT sighed as he stared blankly toward the far side of the corridor.

NK's expression perked up. She pursed her lips as a sudden realization dawned on her. "Hey, big guy, you look kind of… down?"

KT give him a quizzical expression as if she just said something idiotic. "Uh, what?"

"Nevermind," she drank another sip from her coffee. "For a moment, I thought you were depressed about this enemy we haven't yet figure out."

"I'm not depressed," KT crossed his arms defensively. "I'm just sort of tired and wary is all…"

NK's lips formed a wide grin. She placed her can on a table as she leaned closer toward him.

"I didn't know brutes like you get tired," she chuckled. "You lot always have an endless source of energy."

"Well I am tired," his muscled companion admitted. "Waiting for an enemy that doesn't even shows its face is tiring. I just want it to just show itself up so I can rip its insides out with my bare hands."

For a moment, NK didn't respond. She just stared at the squad leader's face. He had blond curly hair, a sturdy nose, and a well-off chiseled chin. A barely visible scar ran down his left cheek though she suspected that in time, it would be healed completely.

His deep-set eyes were of the color of darkness which gave him a sort of feral look. She wondered how many antigens have perished with the last sight they have of this world were those pairs of menacing black orbs. Would there also come a time that the last thing she'd ever see would be those same eyes staring down on her? If they were enemies, who would actually win in a fight?

"W-What?" KT took a step back, clearly feeling uncomfortable with NK so close to him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing," she smiled. "I suddenly got an interest to look at your face. Is that a crime?"

KT's cheeks blushed and immediately averted his gaze from her. "Hah? That's just… That's just stupid!"

NK laughed and then proceeded to smack him on his back. "Oh just cheer up you big bloke! Don't forget I'm Natural Killer… I'll lay waste to all our enemies, so you don't have to."

KT opened his mouth to argue, but then she placed a finger over his lips.

Her expression suddenly became serious. The grin on her face had turned into a straight line as she gave him a more sober look.

"I promise you, I will not allow this world to end," she swore as she stared directly into his eyes. "By my oath as a hunter, I will not rest until all my enemies are dead and my boots are stomping over their carcasses."

She then took a step back before picking up her coffee can.

"Alright, thanks for the coffee," She said as she started to walk toward the exit. "I'm off for my patrol."

"Wait… NK."

NK paused and turned to look at her muscled colleague. "Yeah?"

KT hesitated for a bit before balling up his hands into tight fists to steady himself. "You take care of yourself now, you hear? Don't try to be such a damn hero all by yourself."

Her lips widened again into a smirk before continuing to walk toward the exit. "I'm no hero, big boy… I'm a hunter. Huge difference."

-0-0-0-

Dendritic cell had finally returned to his tree headquarters only to find an unexpected visitor.

In front of him, sitting on a chair inside the dining room, sat an elegant maid, wearing a large bonnet, and sipping a cup of his home-made tea.

"Ah, welcome back Dendritic-dono," the elegant maid nodded in greeting. "My apologies, but I took the liberty of helping myself to some of your fine earl grey tea while I waited for your inevitable return. I'm sure you won't mind, yes?"

"Why not at all," Dendritic faked a smile as he bowed in response. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit, Em-sama?"

The sitting macrophage's lips pursed into an enigmatic smile.

"Tis' nothing but a friendly chat," she assured him. "It wouldn't take too much of your time."

"I'm sure it wouldn't," he chuckled. Then he narrowed his eyes as he added. "Even if it is already in the middle of the night."

Though outwardly he showed a reserve and cordial expression, inwardly, alarm bells were already going off in his head. Every molecule in him screamed of impending danger.

Em-sama was the second highest ranking macrophage next only to Lady Macrophage. Like all of her breed, she possessed a radiant beauty without comparison and a ferocity in battle only outdone by her master. A warrior without peer, a maid supreme. She thirsts for glory, and her ambitions know no bounds.

She was the legendary Lady Em…

And she was declared missing four days ago.

Move. An inner voice in his head pleaded with him. This is not normal. Move now and don't look back…

Along with her squad, they were all last sighted to have been patrolling the left foot from invaders when all communications with them were suddenly cut-off. Attempts to find them proved to be futile and deadly. Killer T squads who were dispatched to find them all turned up missing, mauled, or dead.

And yet, here she was, casually drinking his home-made tea, unannounced and unexpected as if nothing had happened to her at all.

Something, something was definitely amiss.

"Though I must confess," he pressed on. "I wasn't expecting such a company at this late hour considering the reports that you and your squad were lost and presumed dead."

The elegant maid in front of him continued to smile and stare at him. "Why don't you have a seat with me and we could discuss this pressing matter with a cup of midnight tea?"

"I would love that milady," he nodded at the offer. "However, it would seem that my presence is needed elsewhere."

He let out a forceful laugh. "A thousand apologies, but I am urgently needed in the Thymus headquarters."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned away from his unexpected guest to exit from his tree house when suddenly two macrophages appeared in front of him to block his path.

He paused, a drop sweat rolled down his face. He started to straighten his tie as he cleared his throat. "Ladies, please. I am in a hurry. I need you to-"

"There is no need to rush," a voice from behind him cooed.

Before he could react, he felt something sharp and metallic bursting out from his innards, spewing out chunks of cytoplasm and crimson cytosol.

Sharp pain streamed into his nucleus and his mouth contorted into a silent scream. His legs buckled before dropping down to his knees as his mind started to fade away.

"It will be over soon Dendritic-dono," Em whispered in his ear. She tugged on the knife she used to stab him before taking it out with one pull. "And then later, you will be reborn."

His vision began to blur as tears streamed down from his eyes.

This was it.

This was how he would die.

The last vision he saw was Em-sama opening her mouth unnaturally wide and out came a hideous dark creature with spindly legs.

Consciousness, help us all… He muttered before everything in the world turned to black.


A/N:

In my outline, NK is supposed to be a big tsundere. However, as I was writing this chapter, it turned out to be the actual opposite. Tsundere KT also kinda works I guess. XD


Revision History:

- Originally published on Sept. 27, 2018