CHAPTER 7 - A BUNCH OF CRAZY BITCHES
Make way for me, little boy. You will not know how to deal with all three at the same time.
We have a shared consciousness, which means that all five see and hear the same things. What differentiates us is, basically, the relevance we give to each information and, consequently, the way of reacting to each situation.
We are not finished products yet, since the oldest of us is just over six years old, so sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes when subjected to strong emotions, Kyoko's mind becomes a tight and suffocating space, which causes us anxiety to leave and makes us fight over who will take the lead.
In these moments, Kyoko emerges. An inexcusable fault on our part. We should not waste time debating who will be the most appropriate guardian to take over the situation, if that means leaving her vulnerable. Any of us taking charge, however unsuitable we may be to the specific case, is less risky than allowing her to take over and become susceptible to a direct hit.
I did not stand idly by while watching Kuon embarrass himself. The boy is useful, I will not deny it, but in the last days, he only managed to put Kyoko at risk with the stupid idea of rescuing Maria. Okay, we like the girl. We cannot help it since Kyoko is crazy about her, but to invade Lory's domains without a concrete plan was typical attitude of an impulsive adolescent and it is not strange that we have lost our freedom by this error.
None of us has taken over since then because Kuon promised to get us out of his mess. It was cute how he wanted to solve the problem that he himself created for us, but after witnessing how his idea of solution was to attack anything that moved, which only gave Kyoko fatigue and bruises, we decided that one of us would need to replace him.
No one better than me to face the present problem.
As I said, I was not idle while Kuon played a ridiculous role. I made observations and mental notes. I analyzed facts and outlined hypotheses.
Fact number one: with minimal information, Lory reaches unlikely deductions. With him, you have to keep your mind sharp and your mouth shut. Even so, when he does not get the answers he wants by asking questions, he uses seemingly harmless baits to gather the information, then, even unintentionally, the person ends up revealing what he wants to know.
The most important thing for me is: what is the weak point of someone as skillful as he?
Hypothesis number one: he does not know how to lie.
Hypothesis number two: he knows how to lie, but he does not have to. After all, with the skill he has, it is not necessary for him to corrupt the truth; it is enough that he chooses the words. Therefore, everything he says is true, though I need to be careful to listen strictly to what he is communicating.
Fact number two: Ren tried to stop Ruto from attacking us. I mean, to attack Kyoko, since he does not know we exist.
Hypothesis number one: he was only protecting the physical integrity of a "womb carrier", as the good Clan Master he is.
Hypothesis number two: he feared that Ruto could kill Kyoko because she may have some use for him, while dead she would be useless.
Hypothesis number three: she has some emotional relevance to him that we do not know.
Fact number three: Ren took care of Kyoko.
Hypothesis number one: all others - Lory, Ruto and Yashiro, present at the moment Lory revealed the identity of the "invader", and then Ten and Lina, which according to Ren were around if Kyoko needed something - were too busy to take care of her.
Hypothesis number two: he had the need to ensure that she would survive, so he took on the task.
Fact number four: Ren could have tied Kyoko to the cot, but he did not.
Hypothesis number one: he did not think about her trying to escape.
Hypothesis number two: he chose not to tie her. Because he underestimate us? Or because he cherishes her?
Fact number five: Ren could easily have knocked her out, but only immobilized her.
Hypothesis number one: he needed her awake.
Hypothesis number two: he did not want to hurt her.
Fact number six: he held Kyoko longer than necessary. She was already exhausted, yet he remained on the floor with her.
Hypothesis number one: he was making sure she was not pretending exhaustion.
Hypothesis number two: he did not want to end physical contact.
Fact number seven: he dismissed Yashiro's presence and reported to Kyoko what happened while she was unconscious and delirious.
Hypothesis number one: he wanted to reassure her to lower her guard.
Hypothesis number two: he wanted to win her trust.
Fact number eight: he authorized Ten to dress and feed Kyoko. Same assumptions of fact number seven.
Hm, intriguing! As much as I review my mental notes, I cannot help thinking about the possibility of Ren feeling something for Kyoko, and such a thought is dangerous because Kyoko is a fragile creature thirsting for affection.
Maybe it's just physical attraction. No, it should not be summed up as physical attraction, since he seems to have been trying to protect her since Lory said her name and it is not possible that he was attracted to her, seeing her only in that horrible overalls and boyish mannerisms. Unless he likes boys.
But then, he would not treat her as intimately as he did when they were both on the floor and she was half-naked.
If I go too far on the hypothesis of Ren's affection for Kyoko, she will become more and more attached to the idea that she is important to someone in this world, an idea that in the past has always left her vulnerable. No matter how tempting it may be to consider the possibility of manipulating a Clan Master easily, we cannot lose sight of Kyoko's tendency to seek affection everywhere and the risks involved in such inclination.
After all, we allowed her to cling to Maria, and see the confusion we get into.
Hum, tricky! There is some missing piece, something we do not know and that probably goes back to the past, and the only circumstance they share is the fact that he was the judge who investigated the attack she suffered six years ago.
Too bad I do not have enough time to find out properly. Considering the murderous intent emanating from Yashiro, he is about to attack me. It seems that Ren's Counselor has realized how I am at the epicenter of the bloody battle about to take place between Ren and Ruto.
All because I wanted to check if he would be jealous to confirm if Ren really feels something for Kyoko! How unprepared, Ren! A Clan Master, getting carried away by his feelings towards a woman! Someone known as Monster, on top of that!
Natsu, that's enough. Stop being entertained by this hypothesis, you're making Kyoko uneasy. Your work is done, now let me take over.
###
No wonder Yashiro wants to eliminate Kyoko. Enough to be flattering! From "naive maiden" to "threat to the Tsuruga Clan" over a period of six years, who would have thought?
Something like this only happens with a death and several rebirths in the middle.
We smiled, ecstatic. Yes, behold the monster you all created, with your conniving and socially segregationist laws! They hid the corpse of Kyoko under their beds, well, then guess who came to disturb your sweet sleep?
Natsu and Setsuka share my delight. Momiji is looking forward to the bloodshed. Kuon just says we are a bunch of crazy bitches.
Ruto seems impassive, but by the physical contact that Natsu purposefully maintained with him, we were able to feel the exact moment in which he perceived the killer intentions, first of Ren, after Yashiro, and prepared physically and mentally for the imminent confrontation.
I know Ruto will protect us.
I commend both the hunch we had and the fact that Kuon heard our advice and asked Ten to bring us sand. From the tone of his skin, we assumed that Ruto was originally a nomad from the desert, and if he was no longer inclined to protect Kyoko as redemption by having attacked her, to hear her speak with familiarity about a habit of his people, so closed and cautious with strangers, was certainly instrumental in securing his protection for Kyoko.
My satisfaction is such that I could kiss him!
###
"Why, what do we have here? Why did not anyone invite me to the party?"
For a second I could foresee a disaster. How did the situation reach such a level of tension? It is impossible not to feel it in the air and yet Kyoko is smiling in ecstasy!
What. A. Scary. Woman.
My message to Ren must have come at the same time that Lory's message to me and I left immediately for Takarada territory, leaving Kouki taking care of Tsuruga territory.
Not that I'm not happy to get away from Ruriko and Kimiko, but the scene I'm witnessing is even worse than what Lory anticipated.
My stupid little brother is drawing unwanted attention to himself and to the woman he's trying to protect. As if the confusion on the night of his ascension to Master was not enough, he remains outside his own territory, leaving me in charge, and now the burden fell on Kouki, who is not even related to Ren.
Does not he realize that such an attitude, as early as his first week as a Master, is bad for his image before the Council? Does he have forgotten how the vote was close and that if not for the prestige of Lory and Kuu he would never be consecrated Master?
A real shithead. If he continues like this, he will lose the position and he cannot blame anyone but himself.
###
Because of the resemblance to Ren, I bet the newest member of the party, as he said, is Rick. It would be good to find out how their parents managed to produce such beautiful specimens.
I missed a great and rare opportunity to get rid of some opponents, but that's okay. There is a new and unusual plan in preparation that seems good enough. Extremely risky, it's true, but in this world we get nothing without taking risks.
Rick practically drags Ren to another room. Yashiro still watches me for a few seconds before following them, and only then do I move away from Ruto.
It is not convenient for us that Yashiro sees Kyoko as a threat. It is flattering, but not convenient. Over the years, we have realized how much better it is for our plans for people to see just a Digger when they look at us. Anonymity is useful for our purposes, but now they know our identity. And they know we have exceptional ability.
We have suffered great losses in recent days. We need to reverse the situation in some way, even if it is miraculous.
###
"Have you lost your fucking mind?"
"Exactly my doubt"
"What the fuck were you thinking of doing in there?"
"A great shit, it seems"
Rick led me to Lory's office, who had been too busy dealing with the events of the night of my commemoration. I almost feel sorry for him, for the tired expression he fails to disguise, but as I told Kyoko yesterday, pity is something I am not able to feel. Especially since it was his choice to deal with the situation alone.
"Oh? Would you be so kind as to update me on the latest events? Has our dear Ren done anything wrong?"
I isolate the eager and recriminatory words of Rick and Yashiro, reporting to Lory everything they consider "Ren's impulsive and deplorable behavior", and allow myself to analyze all the facts so far: from Kyoko's disappearance to the information I collected six years ago; from the scene of her with Maria to the moment when she looked at me with the sad and desperate eyes; from her posture with Ruto - her two postures with Ruto, in fact: one sensual and the other haughty – to the delightful expression of seconds ago.
"There's something bigger going on"
My comment seems to interrupt the litany of the two, which I no longer heard from being absorbed in thoughts.
"No doubt. Inside your pants!"
Trust my brother for sarcastic remarks.
Rick and Yashiro exhibit varying degrees of irritation, frustration and weariness, but I do not have time to care. Everything, absolutely everything I've seen of Kyoko in the last days is a huge contradiction. Not even the obvious hatred she feels for all the Masters and that she carries ahead of herself as if it were a shield resists the contradiction, since there were moments when I caught her completely fragile and lost.
For all that is still sacred in this world, I need more time with her to understand what is happening, to find out what she is up to, because I have no doubt that she has something planned.
Something bombastic and virtually suicidal.
I repeat to them that there is something bigger going on in the hope that they will remember that even though I am out of my league, I am still the youngest guy in history to inaugurate a Clan, surpassing Kuu's mark when he founded the Hizuri Clan. The silent message that I want to pass on to them is "give me some credit, dammit!"
It seems they remembered, by the way they look at each other.
"Okay, Ren. You have our attention "
I inhale deeply. It's now or never.
"Do you remember the child trafficking case?"
"Of course, but what does this have to do with-"
"The whole case began with an eventuality, an anonymous denunciation of a group of hijackers in the desert. Do you remember?"
"Yes, yes, but how-"
"Patience, I'll get there. No one at that time bothered to gather cases of missing children because the number of warnings was not unusual for each territory, but the complaint was detailed in informing how the disappearances in various territories were interrelated. They were not the eventualities of children who wandered around and were torn apart by beasts without their parents ever knowing or infanticide because the parents did not find a nobleman to whom they gave them and decided to get rid of the responsibility by themselves but systematic kidnappings in different territories, in order not to attract the attention of the authorities. Damn, the denunciation was accurate even in telling the exact day and place to ambush!"
"Yes, how could I forget? It was the worst night of my life!"
"Night? I had nightmares for months with the scenes we saw!"
"Ren, what is your purpose in recalling this case?"
"... After our incursion was a success and we rescued the children, the Council decided to offer a generous prize to the whistleblower"
"Yes, a trap. There was no prize, they just wanted to get their hands on the person who had inside information"
"Initially, the Council suspected that the kidnappers were the Rebels, since the children were hidden in an inhospitable and uninhabited region near what they believe to be the refuge of the Rebels, so the reward was a bait"
"The Council also considered that the denunciation had been made by a Rebel then it would be advantageous if the nobles succeeded in capturing the complainant and extracting information from him "
"Finally, when no one came to claim the prize, they suspected that the whistleblower was one of the kidnappers"
"But Lory always suspected it was an Exceptional not cataloged"
At my observation, Yashiro and Rick paralyze. It seems the two have finally understood where I want to go, while Lory keeps smoothing the goatee and watching me with his unnerving analytical eyes.
"Ren, you're thinking ..."
"She?"
"Kyoko?"
"Well, that makes sense. After all, Maria was one of the kidnapped children, and it was thanks to this mission that Lory met her and decided to include her in the Takarada clan as Kouki and Lina's daughter. What has always caught my attention was the fact that Lory chose Maria from among all the children. Perhaps..."
Lory and I just stare at each other for a few seconds, until he gives me a signal.
I interpret the serene smile as permission for me to proceed with my daring reasoning. A necessary permission, given that I am in his territory and Yashiro is right to say that I have taken too much advantage of my host's hospitality. I do not want to add the rudeness of revealing a plot to the long list of transgressions that I accumulated with Lory.
"Perhaps the fact that she was the last child kidnapped was a determining factor. Maybe Lory wanted to unite the useful to the pleasant, adopt the girl to the Clan and at the same time force the Exceptional that he suspected to be involved in the case to appear. After all, the denunciation only occurred after Maria disappeared, from which it can be concluded that Maria was the trigger for the investigation that resulted in the anonymous denunciation. And someone willing to involve the authorities to rescue her, but not willing to do so directly, hence the anonymous denunciation, sooner or later would come after her"
"Holy. Shit!"
I almost commemorate seeing the dumb expressions of Rick and Yashiro. Yeah, maybe now they'll understand why I'm always tense around Lory.
"Now I understand what you mean by something bigger going on!"
"And now I understand why Ruto spent the whole party with Maria, if the target of the night was supposed to be you!"
Lory and I just watch each other as Rick and Yashiro seem to amuse themselves with various conspiracy theories, involving or not the group of rebels that the Council swears exist and leaves the nobles pissing themselves in fear. I hope his ability does not capture that my biggest goal is to convince them that Kyoko is essential alive and that I don't give a flying fuck if she is or is not associated with the Rebels: right now, all I want is to have arguments to convince Lory to let me return to Tsuruga territory.
Bringing Kyoko with me.
There's something bigger going on, I can feel it.
After intense scrutiny, Lory finally decides to pronounce himself.
"Well, Ren, it looks like you have something planned for 'Case K'. Do you mind sharing with us?"
###
We are waiting for them to return for hours! The boredom reached such a level, that Mio withdrew, Natsu refused to take over, Kuon remained in quarantine and Momiji did not even appear.
She never shows up in moments of calm.
Therefore, I am in charge of the odious task of awaiting their return.
I swear I'm about to throw something at Ruto if he does not stop staring at me!
Oh, he finally moved, seconds before the door opened and Lory appeared, followed closely by Ren.
The two approach me, but Rick and Yashiro remain blocking the door, which triggers alarms in my head. In our head. Now you show up? Momiji, you useless!
"My dear, how good to see you! I mean, finally see you! "
There are Masters of all sorts, and Lory is a noisy one.
"That old and tasteless overalls do not suit you, I assure you!"
Noisy and flirtatious. I can barely contain Kuon, who is cursing Lory and repeating the old litany "my father died to give me that overalls and blah, blah, blah."
"Why, but you're wearing man's clothes! And Ruto is wearing women's clothes! What a wonderful idea! Why did not you tell me before? We could all have dressed up! "
Noisy, flirtatious and eccentric.
"Now I understand why Ren is so anxious to have you! Ren, you naughty boy! "
Noisy, flirtatious, eccentric, and a pimp.
Wait a sec, what?
Lory smirks at me. I do not take more than a second to process what he just told me and I feel the blood chilling in my veins.
"Rejoice, young lady, for today is a great day! You have just been designated as a procreator to Master Tsuruga!"
A/N - I needed to include Lory's bizarre habit in dressing up somewhere ...
Anyway, thank you very much for reading, commenting, favoring, etc.
Julez, I feel the pressure when you say "so well written" XD Actually, it is a text translator that is doing 95% of the work = P
The doubts will be clarified soon and others will arise, do not fear XD
Again, thank you very much for the feedback! Kisses!
