Director Kakuzawa, head of the Diclonius Research Institute, settled back in his chair as he waited for Kurama to come to his office, having just summoned him. Details about the battle in the cemetery had already come to him, both from Kurama's statement, and from his various contacts in the police force. It paid to have good connections, and Kakuzawa's reach was considerate. From what Kakuzawa could guess, (and he prided himself on being a very good guesser,) His second-in-command was currently down by No. 7's cell. A black smile grew as Kakuzawa contemplated this. It was always helpful to know who cared for who. Having Kurama down by the cell ensured him a good minute of thought, which he chose to spend contemplating this new phantom, Alma Wade.
Kakuzawa's views toward this new apparition was mixed. He had read the file on Armacham, and while he was intrigued by the research on psionics, he felt such research would be meaningless compared to his grand plan. Diclonius would be the inheritors of this world, not psionics. However, there was no denying the sheer magnitude of Alma's power, as well as her affections for Lucy. Perhaps he'd be able to win her over, after all, he had great plans for Lucy, and Alma might be willing to join in.
It was always helpful to know who cared for who.
Speaking of which, the door opened and Kurama stepped in. The time had come.
"Ah, Assistant Director. Come in. Have a seat."
Kurama sat down, and Kakuzawa studied his Second. There was a heaviness about Kurama, like a despairing fog. There was no denying how much he'd lost. First his family, then his secretary, and now No. 7...Kakuzawa terminated this particular train of thought. There was no room for pity in the workplace. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Kurama, I must confess things are becoming difficult as of late. First we lose our queen, then our squad, and now no. 7 has been critically injured. Add to that the fact that Alma is still out there, and we have a serious pressing matter. Tell me, how many more soldiers do we still have left?"
Kakuzawa already knew the answer to this question; he usually asked questions that he already knew the answer to. Life was more convenient that way.
"Around several dozen, sir," replied Kurama, "We may need to contact more private military companies if we wish to beef up our ranks." Kakuzawa gave a contemplative nod.
"Well, we'll just have to manage with what numbers we've got until then, said Kakuzawa calmly, "Until then, we'll continue our search. I have eyes all over this town, and it's not like Diclonius leave soft tracks. We have eyes and ears all over this town, and Lucy won't be able to suppress her nature forever. I'm sure you remember how things were last time she got out on her own."
Kurama nodded grimly.
"Still though, until my plans-er, our plans reach fruition. We'll have to tend to present matters. For starters, I suppose we'll have to call the families of those soldiers slain, as well as cover up this incident at the graveyard. With enough bribed eyewitnesses and fabrications, we'll have the public convinced of some natural disaster or act of terror. But first, though, we need to discuss no. 7's fate."
Kurama winced, and Kakuzawa barely managed to suppress his smirk.
"It is impressive that she came back alive. Even if most of her was ripped apart. Better than a corpse, I suppose."
Kurama gave another grim nod. "I'm sorry, sir."
"It saddens me," continued Kakuzawa, "She was intended to be the Eve to a new human race, and yet... Please exterminate Number Seven."
Kurama gasped, and this time Kakuzawa couldn't hide his smile.
"This won't be a problem, I trust?" he asked, "Useless Diclonius are nothing more than a dangerous and expensive liability. You've dispatched scores of carriers, Kurama? I don't expect you to show mercy to this one."
Standing up, Kurama silently bowed and turned to leave. Kakuzawa watched him leaving, and it wasn't until the door had fully closed that Kakuzawa allowed himself the satisfaction of a smirk, only for it to be abruptly cut off by his ringing phone. Checking the caller ID, he saw that it was his son and scowled.
"I'm guessing that he needs more money," he said before reaching for the phone.
On the other end, Kakuzawa's son was on the phone with his father, calmly staring off into space.
"I'm hoping for a small increase. You know, for my research budget?" He paused to hear his Dad's response, then nodded, having expected this answer.
"I know, I know, but this time I really am close, I mean, closer than ever. We're not far away from being able to run a full-fledged clinical trial."
Nearby, his assistant Arakawa was busily typing away on her laptop. She paused briefly to see her boss talking with his father, who was also his boss.
"Oh, by the way, whatever happened to the escaped Diclonius? I see. Sounds like I'm not the only one who can't make a deadline. Alright then, I'm looking forward to your assistance." He hung up the phone, and Arakawa decided to take the risk and ask.
"Did we gather any more funds for our research, sir?"
"A little," said Prof. Kakuzawa, who seemed to be in a good mood despite the minimal increase, "It'll have to do for now. How goes our research into the vaccine?"
Arakawa turned to study the data on her laptop for a moment before answering.
"We're close to synthesising, even if the budget hasn't been doubled. Hopefully, we'll be able to immunize the human race against the Diclonius virus soon." Prof. Kakuzawa considered this for a moment before he shrugged.
"It doesn't really matter," he said as he turned toward a file on his desk, "I'm not that eager to make things easier for my father. Besides, with this new girl running around, it's quite obvious that my runaway test subject isn't the only thing we have to fear." Despite the grim news, his smile showed no sign of fading. It seemed to Arakawa that there was something else in her boss's head that was keeping him in high spirits. Something that would allow him to twist circumstances into his favor. This was a typical practice of his. She closed her laptop and stood up.
"I think I'm finished for the night." she said as she headed out the door, "Good night, sir."
Kakuzawa didn't look up. He might not have even heard his assistant leave. His attention was entirely devoted to a picture that he'd just pulled out of the file: a data sheet of Lucy, complete with a photo, weight, and measurements. He was staring at it the way a starving man might stare at a juicy porterhouse. He took out a paper cutter from his drawer and drew a vertical cut down the center.
"Where are you, Lucy? You're mine. No one can keep you from me. Not even your special new friend."
Kouta stepped out of his room, yawning after having received some rest. He'd been feeling more and more tired ever since he and Yuka had taken in Nyu. Despite this, he still felt restless as the dreams continued to plague him. Dark dreams with yellow eyes and gnashing teeth. Shaking his head of such black thoughts, he paused in front of an old grandfather clock in the hallway. He checked the time, only to realize that the hands were broken.
A little girl's giggle came from upstairs, and Kouta slowly turned his head to look upstairs. The sound should've unnerved him, but he had been feeling unusually drained since getting out of bed this morning. Sleep didn't seem to be making any difference these days. The phone rang, and Kouta went to answer it.
"Hello?"
It was a call from the hospital. Apparently there was a girl there that Yuka had found in addition to Nyu, the homeless girl Mayu. They wanted Kouta to head over to bring them home.
"I'll be over right away," said Kouta, and hung up without saying goodbye. A bit impolite, but he couldn't help it. He was tired. He stepped outside, trying to find some comfort in the fresh warm sun, and began walking the relatively short distance to the hospital, any thoughts of mysterious giggling having been buried in the back of his mind.
It had been a bit of a hassle, but Yuka finally had Nyu calm enough to wait while Mayu was examined by a doctor. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with Nyu, (except for the obvious, but that was a different headache for another time,) and for that, Yuka had been grateful. If Nyu needed to be examined, then it would mean having to explain the strange horns on the enigmatic pinkette. Mayu had a few scrapes and cuts sustained from her fall, and a mild concussion to complement things, but otherwise was still cleared to leave. Yuka, having sent out a call to Kouta, was keeping Mayu's dog Wanta company. She was happy when her cousin walked through the automatic doors of the hospital and stepped into the lobby.
"Kouta," she cried out happily as she ran up to her cousin, "I'm glad you showed up, and guess who I found as well!" she turned towards Nyu, who was sitting in one of the chairs, calmly looking at one of the magazines. (It seemed irrelevant to the pinkette that said magazine was upside down.) Nyu looked up, and Kouta felt a bit better seeing the joyful smile on his strange friend's face.
"Nyuuuu!" declared Nyu as she ran up and embraced Kouta in an eager hug, "Nyu! Nyu!"
"Glad to see you too, Nyu," replied Kouta, and he was secretly amazed to see that he did, in fact, feel a little bit better. His mind momentarily thought of therapy animals before another girl stepped up to him.
"Um, Kouta, is it?"
Said teen turned toward Mayu. He took in the bandages wrapped around her arms and head and felt a spike of pity for the small girl. "Hello, Mayu. Thanks for helping us find our friend."
"Oh, I didn't do too much. In fact, I don't really remember what happened," she frowned, "I remember seeing this pink haired girl, only, her hair might have been different from Nyu's, and...I think there was this other girl as well, but I'm not sure. Then I remember feeling weightless, and that was it."
Kouta wasn't sure how to respond, so Yuka did. "Well, at any rate, we're glad that you're alright. How would you like to have dinner? Our treat."
Mayu perked at the mention of a fresh hot meal. Kouta honestly didn't have it in him to try and protest. Some new company might actually do him good. They left the hospital without any fuss and headed down toward Maple House. Kouta noticed that Mayu was walking shyly, clutching her tiny dog close. He felt another moment of pity for the girl, as well as some understanding. He knew what it was like being paranoid, not able to trust even your own understanding. When the four of them made it to the opulent house, Mayu finally felt comfortable enough to set Wanta down on the ground. Wanta, under the impression that he was welcome anywhere, promptly scampered into the house, with Nyu trailing behind him in a similar manner. Yuka turned toward Mayu, and put a reassuring hand on the younger girl's shoulder. Mayu winced at the touch, but felt a little warmer at the affection.
"It's alright, Mayu. You and your dog are among friends."
Mayu stares at Yuka's face, sees the kindness and warmth and sincerity in her face. She has hardly ever seen expressions like this from people, even before she ran away from her abusive family. She feels tears prick the corners of her eyes, and can only nod her head.
It was probably the best meal Mayu had ever had in her life. Having dinner with a guest often encourages the host to go all out to some degree, and Yuka had done just that. There was miso soup, cooked fish, and an assortment of side dishes. Even Wanta was given some gourmet cuisine, which he promptly devoured with great gusto. Nyu herself was already on her third dish. Mayu eagerly dug in as well, though she was still mindful of her manners.
"Ah, it's so good!" she exclaimed. Mayu smiled at the compliment.
"Really? Thanks." She turned toward Kouta, who had been eating his meal in a somewhat sullen silence. She frowned. It seemed being back at Maple House had caused his mood to wilt somewhat. "Are you enjoying the meal, Kouta?
Kouta looked up at his cousin, swallowed his mouthful of rice, and nodded. "Yeah, it's good. I think I had a better soup once when I was-"
Yuka's good mood evaporated in an instant. She shot to her feet and pointed an angry finger at her cousin. "Fine Kouta, if you don't like it, then don't eat it!"
Kouta opened his mouth to protest, then thought again. Yuka was upset, and saying anything might upset her even more, even if it was in favor of her meal. They ate in silence for a while, and when they were done, Yuka turned toward her latest guess. "Mayu, I almost forgot, the bath is ready" Feel free to use it if you want."
Kouta, who had been slurping down the last remains of his soup, looked up in surprise. Yuka hadn't mentioned this. "What? Uh-"
Yuka turned toward her cousin with a smile of such genial ferocity that it made Kouta briefly lose his voice. "You don't mind if our guest cleans herself up, do you?
"S-sure, Yuka. It's fine."
For that one moment, Kouta felt more frightened of something other than the...phenomena that had been messing with his head since they'd found Nyu. He didn't think it was the pinkette. At least, he was fairly certain it wasn't. But there was something near her. Almost as if she was haunted. He remembered the giggling he'd heard earlier, as well as all the other oddities, and...Yuka.
She's been looking more tired than ever, he thought, And she's started rubbing her arm, too. Ever since yesterday, and it's like she's not even aware. Is that normal? And does it connect with Mayu's encounter on the beach? Just who is Nyu anyway, and why does it feel like I know her.
He rose from his mirth of thoughts to notice that Mayu and Nyu had left. He heard sounds of movement upstairs and deduced that they were starting Mayu's bath...and Yuka had left all the dishes out for him to clean up. Wonderful. He gathered the dishes, continuing to think about phantoms and feelings, wanting nothing more than to rest.
Mayu settled into the tub, smiling as the warm water soothed her injuries. She was relaxing in a traditional japanese bathing room, complete with a bamboo water spout. The tub she was in sunk into the ground, and was big enough to fit half a dozen people. The young girl was undressed, but felt comfortable enough, as she was the only person in the room. Even Wanta wasn't there; the little dog was still sleeping off his latest meal. The feeling of the comforting pool nearly bordered onto one of ecstasy for the young girl. She couldn't remember having ever felt this calm, this relaxed. The gentle waters made Mayu's body settle, and her eyelids heavy. She closed her eyes, and almost instantly fell into a deep doze. For a few minutes nothing happened. The warm steam of the tub fogged up the window doors that led out into the hallway. Then, on the side of the pool opposite of Mayu, a single bubble of air rose to the surface. Then a second. Then, the top half of Alma Wade's head slowly rose to the surface. It was a manner reminiscent of when she'd spied on Kouta and Mayu that day on the beach. The day they had taken her friend. She stared hard at the sleeping girl, then she began drifting toward her. Mayu stirred in her sleep, as if she were having a dream, while a malevolent being of indescribable rage drifted closer and closer-
"NYUUU!" Nyu burst into the room, shoving open the door with a loud slam. Either it was the shout, or the slam, or maybe both, but it caused Mayu to awaken with a start. Alma's head quickly vanished below the surface of the water. Amidst the dense steam of the hot tub, neither Mayu nor Nyu noticed.
"Nyu, you startled me!" said Mayu, more in surprise than indignation, "And you're...you're…"
Nyu was indeed naked, and she immediately jumped into the pool. Hot water splashed all over the room. Mayu winced against the tidal wave, but grinned at the sudden joyful company. At that moment, there was no one else in the hot tub but the two girls. Alma had vanished as mysteriously as she appeared, and neither of the girls were any the wiser.
After spending some more time in the bath, the two girls got out to scrub each other clean. In accordance with japanese tradition, after a soothing bath, one showers off before soaking in hot water, but Yuka had been eager for Mayu to relax in hot water before rinsing.
"Your muscles are too tense!" she'd exclaimed as she felt Mayu's arm. "When was the last time you've relaxed?"
Mayu, unsure of how to respond, simply shrugged. She'd then undressed, bathed, and after a prompt disruption from an overeager Diclonius, Mayu now found her back being scrubbed by said pinkette moments later. Though initially surprised, she'd rapidly grown accustomed to Nyu, as well as her horns. They looked a lot like cat ears, and while she was definitely more of a dog person, Mayu had nothing against cats. The pinkette was certainly...eccentric, but honestly, that seemed to make her all the more likable to Mayu. She had a feistiness that reminded her of Wanta...and a puppy dog look to go along with it. So Mayu settled back, letting Nyu scrub her clean, both girls being blissfully unable to feel the cruel envy of the terror that was watching them bond.
Out in the dining room, Mayu sat down next to Kouta. The boy was currently drinking a hot cup of tea, and by drinking, that meant simply sitting and staring at it. Mayu looked at the fading eddies of steam and guessed that her cousin had been staring at the tea for five minutes. He looked up as she took a seat beside him.
"Nyu looked like she needed a bath," explained Mayu, "So I sent her in with Mayu."
"Won't that bother Mayu?"
Yuka waved a dismissive hand. "They'll be fine. Besides, There's something about the new girl that I want to discuss. Did you notice that bag of bread crusts that she had with her?"
"What about it?"
"Well she gets them from the bakery each day. She says they're for her dog, but I have a suspicion that the bread crusts are for both of them.
Kouta frowned. Whatever troubles had prevented him from drinking his tea had been replaced by new ones. "I had a feeling that something was off. Has she ever talked about her family and friends with you, because I'm starting to think she might in fact be a runaway."
"Well, if that's the case, then shouldn't we call the police or something?"
It was, of course, the sensible decision. If you spotted a runaway, you had them turned in. It was one of the unspoken rules of being an upstanding citizen. But things had been rather unsensible these past few days, and something about going to the police made Kouta uneasy. "We should find out Mayu's side of the story before doing that. It's not like we can trust the police with Nyu around."
Yuka honestly had no idea what to say. Now it was her turn to stare at the tea.
"Hey, Yuka?"
"Hm?"
"Is there something wrong with your arm?"
"...What do you mean?"
"You keep rubbing that spot on your forearm. You're doing it now."
Mayu looked down at her hand with a start. She was indeed rubbing it, rubbing it right over her self-inflicted cut, and hadn't been aware. She instantly jerked her hand off the wound as if it had suddenly caught fire. She fought to keep her rising panic down. How long have I been doing that?
"Are you alright, Yuka?"
She winced against her cousin's words, as if they'd struck her. "I-I'm fine Kouta. I'm just nervous. Tired too, I guess."
Kouta nodded his head in understanding. "Yeah, me too. Who knew taking care of strangers could be so tiring?"
"Yeah," it took a bit of effort, but Yuka managed to give Kouta her trademark cheery smile. "Being a hostess can be exhausting, but it's worth it to see Nyu and Mayu smile."
Kouta smiled as well, but somewhere, deep in his heart, a small part of himself was beginning to understand that there was more going on. Somehow, there was a secret third guest of Maple House, one who was living behind the walls and under the floors. Watching, always watching, with yellow eyes and hollow amusement. Yuka was starting to realize this, too. It was the expression behind her expression that told all.
"This should help her sleep."
Kurama glanced toward Shirakawa, then looked down at the syringe filled with yellow liquid that she was holding. The two of them were standing in an observation room, looking out at a sterile white lab, where Nana, what remained of her that is, was laying on a table. Her body was entirely covered in bandages, leaving only her head exposed. It seemed that it was important that she not bleed out before she could be put down.
"I'll do it," said Kurama. He took the syringe from Shirakawa's hand. She started to say something to her boss, but the words died in her throat. Kurama had already left, anyway, having walked into the lab. Now he stood before the operating table, looking down at the Diclonius that he'd somehow come to care for. She looked small and delicate without her limbs, but Kurama kept his face stoic. He could practically feel Kazikawa watching him from the security camera in the back left corner.
I hope you enjoy the show, you jerk!
"P-Papa?" says Nana, looking up at her father figure. Kurama puts his hand against the young girl's head, which she began to nuzzle.
"We've got a few more tests to run," said Kurama, and was glad to hear that his voice sounded calm and composed, "This may hurt a little. Be brave." At this point, he wasn't sure if he was speaking to Nana or himself. He takes out his syringe, and quickly injects Nana. At first, the girl shows no signs of change. Then her eyelids start to grow heavy.
"I'm getting so sleepy...Papa?" As she lays there, looking up at Kurama from a table, Nana is reminded of the vision that thin girl showed her, of her father operating on her. But no! No, he wouldn't… Tears start to pour from Nana's eyes as she finally closes them. That was enough for Shirakawa. She presses a hand over her mouth as she begins to silently weep. But Kurama doesn't cry. He simply stood there, looking at the still girl.
I'm sorry Nana.
Why lie? 2020 sucked. On top of everything else, I had my own stressful trials to go through. I tried moving out of my parent's house, but that fell flat in less than a few short months, and that wasn't even the worst of it. I'm still struggling with some things, but this is a new year, and what better way to deal with your problems than by busying yourself. So here's the deal: Each month, there will be a new chapter of I Know You. No short chapters either, just ones as long as the previous chapters. This is January's chapter, so there will be new one within the coming month. I'm still bent on writing a sequel for Hyuga Cestus, guys, but I want to finish what I've started. Be sure to leave a review, as those always encourage me, and I'll see you all next month! That's a promise.