Sacrifice - A Mai HiME Fanfiction

Entropy

Staring at the papers in front of him, Yoshiro was not pleased. Not pleased at all. The data was incomplete and their progress was almost nonexistent. And that girl was fully responsible. His fists gripped the flimsy material tightly, his anger bubbling to the surface. He had so carefully planned all this, delicately and deliberately moved the pieces around him until everything was exactly where he wanted it. But now, some teenager was messing it all up. He released his grip on the paper and watched as it fluttered down to his desk. His eyes skimmed the remainder of the information. Damn her.

He let out a terse breath, bringing his frustration under control once more. He'd need to find out exactly what was happening, these reports didn't ever give him the full picture, only what his subordinates wanted him to see. He raised himself off of his office chair and strode across the room. Opening the door, he found his hand picked guards standing there, backs turned to him. Hearing sound behind them, they both turned and bowed upon seeing him. He nodded and slipped past them, glancing at a woman sat typing behind a small desk. His secretary was also selected by him, not that he particularly needed one anymore but it was a sign of one's status. Symbols such as this made all the difference when dealing with others.

Grey walls flanked him as he quickened his pace, waving a hand dismissively so none of his underlings would scurry after him. The bright fluorescent lamps overhead drowned him in artificial light and shone obnoxiously off of the polished floor. Perhaps he'd have to have the lighting levels dimmed a little to save his eyesight from further damage. He passed by a few reinforced glass windows, ignoring what lay beyond them. He knew these were his laboratories and he knew what they contained so there was no need to peer in at his scientists. All of that held no interest for him, he was just concerned with the results of it.

He turned right at the fork in the corridor and soon came to a sturdy looking metallic door. It had no handle that he could see but he knew it was operated by the fingerprint scanner that was embedded in the wall beside it. He pressed his thumb against the small panel, muttering his name as he did so. A light popped up on the panel's display and he soon heard a satisfactory beep. The door slid upwards with hardly any noise and he stepped through.

The room he found himself in was a small observatory, a row of monitors and keyboards sat on a desk that ran the length of one wall. The wall itself held similar glass as that he'd passed by earlier. Except this one was designed to be looked through only one way. A few men in white coats sat staring at the monitors, not noticing anyone had entered the room. At the far end of the observatory was another door, similar to the one Yoshiro had just come through but it was now open. He briefly wondered who was foolish enough to leave that open but as he looked through the window he found his answer.

Standing over a lone metal table was another man in a white laboratory coat, but his greying hair and weedy nature held him apart from the others he had noticed. He knew the man as Doctor Nakamura and that was good enough for him. First names were not important in this line of work. The room itself was dome shaped, the one-way window curving around it, and there was a staircase leading up to this observatory. Dotted around the room were several machines of varying sizes, their specific uses were not known to Yoshiro but he knew they were involved in 'patient care' as his laboratory team so affectionately called it. He almost chuckled at the thought. Although not knowing the particulars of the items in his building, he trusted in his team's loyalty enough not to do anything stupid or something that he'd dislike. If anyone had ever shown a sign of being rebellious in the past, they'd met with a swift and brutal end.

The aging doctor shuffled to one of the machines and hovered there, seemingly enthralled by whatever it was telling him. This gave Yoshiro a clear view at what was laying on the steel slab. He stepped closer to the window as his gaze fell upon a shock of dark hair and pale skin. His movements were not unnoticed by the staff in the room now and they hastily rose to their feet and offered him a low bow. He ignored their efforts and continued to survey his latest prey. The teenage girl was garbed in what appeared to be a hospital gown, her normal clothes nowhere to be seen. He didn't much care about that though. From her left arm hung a small tube that ran along the side of the table and was attached to a bag hanging on a metal stand. The drip contained a transparent liquid from what he could see from where he was.

Just as he was considering descending the steps to see this girl in person, one of the coat wearing staff members coughed and bowed desperately again. "Yes?" Yoshiro snapped at the younger man, not having time for meaningless chatter.

"A-are you here for a r-report on the patient, sir?" The scientist stuttered out the question and Yoshiro couldn't help but smirk at his reaction.

"Yes." He said curtly, his brow brought low over his eyes causing the young man to shift uncomfortably.

His companion, who appeared to be slightly older, stepped forward at this point in the conversation. "I think Doctor Nakamura would be better qualified to answer your questions, sir." Yoshiro's eyes narrowed at the words. He was annoyed that this man spoke with confidence and also was trying to defer him to someone else. Who did he think he was speaking to?

Staying his anger until later, he swept past his two subordinates and approached the door that led to the staircase. He placed his thumb against the reader beside the door again in an all too familiar routine. The door rose with a muted 'swish' and he passed under it quickly, descending the stairs without looking back. The sudden footsteps on the metallic staircase drew the only other conscious occupant's attention and the Doctor shuffled towards him hastily.

When Yoshiro reached the bottom of the steps, there stood Nakamura fiddling with the rounded spectacles that were balanced on the bridge of his nose. Yoshiro frowned at him, the scientist's obvious agitation adding to his own. He glanced over at the girl. Now he was closer, he could see her chest rise and fall unevenly and the way her muscles would twitch occasionally. He still couldn't make out the displays on the machines around the room but he didn't think he'd be able to even if he was standing next to them. He'd have to rely on 'the good doctor' here.

"Doctor." He said, drawing the other man's flitting gaze to his. "What's going on here?" He asked, his words laced with venom.

The greying man let out a strangled cough and turned, slowly walking towards the metal table. He seemed to remember Yoshiro was still there and faced him once more, one of his gloved hands resting beside the teenage girl's arm. "Did... did you see the report?" He asked tentatively.

"Of course." Came the cool, hard words. "Why else would I be here?"

The doctor visibly swallowed and he glanced up at his superior. "W-well... it would appear t-that she's... resisting." He finally managed to push the words out.

Yoshiro frowned. Resisting? How is that even possible? "And what would cause that, doctor?" He spat the last word out, more as an insult than a title.

The other man's brow furrowed in thought and he stared down at the girl. He cocked his head to one side for a moment before returning his awkward gaze to his benefactor. "I would say... will power." Was all he said.

The suited man scoffed. "Nonsense. Will power can't stop our drugs from working." He took a step closer to Nakamura, hoping he would take the gesture as the warning it was. He did not suffer fools and he certainly would not be made to look like one.

Withered lips pressed tightly together as the doctor attempted to form the words to explain the situation to Yoshiro. "Apparently it is so. No matter w-what dosage we inject i-into her... no matter what c-combination we use... i-it all results in the s-same thing. Failure." He sighed, the weariness in his voice obvious. "But it hasn't been a complete waste. We h-have some good data and I think we can improve the n-next batch of the serum."

"Next batch!?" Yoshiro spat, his hand slamming into the cold hard surface of the table. "I need results now, Nakamura. This will not do! Make her accept the drug... I don't care what you have to do!" His voice rose with each word, his anger forcing blood to his face.

"I... I-I'm really sorry, sir, but i-it's not possible. If the s-serum won't react with h-her chemical make-up th-then we'll need to find another s-subject." His nerves were obviously getting the better of him but he forged onwards in his explanation, almost sighing in relief when he finished his sentence.

Yoshiro walked around the table and glared down at the face of the unconscious girl. His hand shot up and grabbed her around the throat, raising her slightly off the surface. A beeping in the background elevated in pitch and regularity at the action. He smirked, satisfied that he could still affect something at least. "If she doesn't want to cooperate, then beat her into submission. Whatever it takes, doctor." His voice dropped suddenly and his words became menacing.

Then, he released the girl and stormed towards the staircase. "I doubt that will work." Muttered Nakamura but he didn't get a response. Yoshiro glanced over his shoulder seeing the doctor staring almost sadly at his patient. He was weak, compassion made him that way. He'd need to dispose of him once his usefulness had been fulfilled.

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Of all the places in the city, why did she have to meet this so-called contact in a dive like this? Shizuru held back the cough that wanted to dispel the foul air from her lungs and instead skimmed the sleazy bar with a steady crimson gaze. There was still no sign of the man she had spoken with briefly on the phone the previous night. Not that she'd be able to recognise him even if he had been sitting within the dark confines of the room. She'd never seen him before and only had his voice to go on, and she was beginning to wonder if that was real. She wrapped her arms around her waist, the material of her tailored coat doing nothing to keep the warmth in. The chill in this place seemed to permeate everything.

Resisting the urge to shift uncomfortably in a seat that had long lost its padding, Shizuru wondered how Natsuki could repeatedly come to places like this for information. The thought of her friend involuntarily brought a sinking feeling to her chest and she had to concentrate to keep her expression slipping into sadness. Slender finger grasped the smooth fabric of her coat tightly, pushing the pain deep down, far away from where it could hinder her work here. Emotions could wait, insecurities, worries, doubts, fear could all wait until after Natsuki was safe.

She became aware of a shadow being cast over the table and she squinted up at the silhouette of a man. He stood directly in front of one of the dingy hanging lamps, the light from it obscuring her view of his face. She felt a little vulnerable in the small booth but she never let that reach her face, never let a hint of it into her eyes which just stared at the unknown form, waiting for him to either move or attempt to communicate with her. After a few awkward moments, the silhouette shifted and she caught a glimpse of a stubbled chin.

"May I sit?" The voice was deep and gruff but held no sign of malice or alcohol. Both qualities were a bonus to Shizuru at this point. She nodded towards the seat opposite her and he slid onto the faux red leather, his stiff movements causing the furniture to creak under his weight. Now that he was sitting, Shizuru could get a proper look at him. Her practiced eye quickly assimilated the important facts. His dark eyes were slightly sunken and were bloodshot telling Shizuru he'd spent many nights awake in his long life. The greasy hairs at his temples were greying and wrinkles blemished the skin of his face, indicating he was living his middle years. Heavy stubble framed his chin and a tattered jacket clung to his slumped shoulders. He had obviously had a hard life.

"Can I help you..?" She asked him politely, deliberately dragging out the end of the question to infer she required a name of him.

"What you call me doesn't matter, what's important is the work I've done for you." He kept his tone low but casual. He held Shizuru's gaze for a few moments before looking down at the stained table. That surprised her, it told her his will was strong and she had realised she had let his outward appearance sway her view of his mind.

This man must be the person she'd spoken to on the phone yesterday. Suspicion flickered briefly in her mind though, pointing out that it could be anyone masquerading as her contact. But his voice did sound very similar. She doubted that anyone would be monitoring her calls, she was hardly a threat so there'd be no reason for it. Of course, that all depended on who had taken Natsuki. Still, she had no choice but to trust this person now. That vulnerability irked her but she had to put aside her own feelings for her precious one. "Very well. What do you have?" Her voice was level and cold, hiding any trace of doubt that she felt.

Dark eyes flicked back up to hers and the older man reached inside his jacket and pulled something out. He slid it across the desk and Shizuru could clearly see it was a data stick. He left the little storage device sitting in front of her and retracted his hand, his cracked lips parting to explain. "Everything's there. Want me to explain anything now?" He grunted.

Not taking her eyes from it, she nodded. "Yes, I'll have to wait to go over the information on this."

Her contact cleared his throat quietly, glancing into the centre of the room before looking back at Shizuru. "I found him." Shizuru's eyes widened ever so slightly at the news before settling to their previous relaxed position. "The guy in the picture. It wasn't too hard either. Seems he's a merc with quite the history too. You'll want to have a look at the info on there. Got an address and a few other snippets that I think you'll like." He grinned for the first time, obviously pleased with himself.

Last night, she had looked at the paper she'd been given and decided to call one of the phone numbers on it. This led her to speak with this man, it seemed and she had asked for his help to find someone. She was given another number and told to fax over the photograph and then meet in this place today. It appeared that young man from behind Natsuki's building wasn't as inexperienced as he seemed as he had given her a reliable source. "Are you sure?"

Dark eyes narrowed at the insinuation that he didn't know how to do his job properly. "Of course."

"Kanin na, but I do not know you from any other person I might meet in here." Shizuru explained, not having meant to insult him.

He grunted again. "Look at the info. It speaks for itself."

Her gaze travelled back down to the data stick and she picked it up, turning it over between long, slender fingers. Such a small thing to hold all her hope of finding Natsuki again. She couldn't waste any more time, she had to go look at what was on it. She looked back over at her companion who was now peering at her expectantly. Ara, of course. "Your payment." She reached into her own coat and pulled out an envelope, dropping it onto the table.

A flicker of a smile appeared on his feature and it looked out of place. He scooped it up quickly and ripped it open. Flicking through its contents he finally nodded in satisfaction. "It was a pleasure doing business with you." He muttered, no feeling in the words. "If you ever require my services... you know how to get in touch."

She inclined her head once and stood, slipping out of the booth. She gripped the data stick tightly, as if letting go of it would release any chance of seeing that raven-haired beauty again. She let the image of her burn itself into her mind's eye, the power of it forging her onwards, leading her out of that seedy bar and into the crisp night air.

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"Natsuki."

What the..? She looked around frantically for the owner of the voice but it felt as though she was floating in water, her movements were sluggish and when she turned it was as if the momentum continued even after she had stopped. She didn't think that was strange though, it didn't occur to her that she wasn't in her natural environment.

"Natsuki."

She blinked. Who was calling her name? She squinted to try and see her surroundings. Slowly a rock face came into view. She looked down and below her feet was stone, snow covering most of its surface. She didn't feel cold though. Her gaze travelled upwards and to a white sky, flakes falling upon her face. They didn't feel cold either.

She turned, her movements still slow and awkward. The site before her should have made her stomach flip and taken her breath from her. But to her, it seemed normal. The edge of the surface she was standing upon dropped suddenly, exposing a great distance of nothingness. Far down below lay an expanse of rock, jutting up in various degrees of height and mass. Coverings of white capped the peaks and a swirl of mist continuously travelled around each of them.

It appeared she was on some form of mountain path which wound up the peak she was currently on. Some distance up ahead she could make out a dark opening in the rock. Her feet led her up towards it. The pebbles beneath her feet should have been painful to walk upon but they weren't. It was then she noticed that she wasn't clothed but again, it didn't bother her, it didn't seem anything out of the usual.

"Natsuki."

The sound reached her ears and drifted past her. The voice appeared to be coming from that cave. She couldn't tell who the voice belonged to though, it sounded neither low nor high, young nor old. It held no emotion nor did it seem cold. She continued walking forwards, her steps seemingly not taking her very far as the rock opening didn't appear to get much closer.

Time probably passed by but she had no sense of it so it was irrelevant to her. The muted crunching of snow underfoot filled her ears suddenly stopped as she reached the snowless area just inside the entrance of what appeared to be a cave. The darkness inside was broken by a small campfire that pushed back the shadows and illuminated a lone figure. For some reason, she couldn't make out what exactly was sitting at that fire, her vision blurring whenever she tried to concentrate on it.

She stepped forwards, her movements becoming less laboured now and she could make out more and more sounds. The crackling of the fire, the howl of the wind outside, the heavy breathing of whatever was ahead of her and the continual dripping of water from within the cave.

"Natsuki."

It came as almost a growl and she knew the thing by the fire had said it. She walked deeper into the cave, feeling the heat of the flames ahead of her and chill of the glacial wind from behind her. The rough ground beneath her feet stung the soft skin there but she kept her gait even. Soon, she was standing directly in front of the small fire, the heat almost unbearable against the skin of her bare legs.

Her vision cleared and looking back at her were two alert amber eyes. She took a step back in surprise. Sitting there, head slightly cocked was a wolf, a coat of fine white and silver fur covering its muscled form, a black nose sniffing at her. Darker fur framed its mouth, giving the impression that it was smiling. Its expressive eyes never once left hers and the initial sense of fear left her completely.

"Natsuki."

She glanced around at the sound of her name. There was no one else here that she could see apart from the wolf and herself. Her emerald gaze fell back upon the magnificent beast waiting patiently at the fire. It still sat there, head cocked and peering right at her. Within those golden orbs she swore she could see a hint of amusement. And then, she realised it. It was actually this animal calling to her inside her mind.

"You want to speak with me?" She asked, taking a step forward.

The wolf rose up its rear end and padded around the fire, every lithe movement testifying the power it held within its limbs. It's thick, bushy tail swung bobbed up and down until it came to stop beside her, its head raised to look at her.

"Yes."

Natsuki felt compelled to reach out and stroke the exquisite mane that framed the animal's face but instead she knelt down before it, allowing her eyes to become level with it's. "What do you want from me?" She ventured.

"Is it not obvious?"

The voice in her mind was odd, it was a mixture of growl and elegant speech, holding no malice and almost warming her. She couldn't figure out what it meant though. Her brow furrowed as she tried to find an answer, perspiration forming on her skin from the heat of the fire.

"I wished to see you again."

Natsuki looked at the beast in surprise. See me... again..? She was sure she'd never come across it before, surely she would have remembered such a grand example of the species. Had she ever even seen a real wolf before? She couldn't remember any trips to the zoo when she was a child. She couldn't remember much of anything in fact. But looking at this wolf, it was obvious it wasn't raised in captivity. It was definitely wild and free.

"Do you not remember me, Natsuki?"

Natsuki slowly shook her head in confusion. How could this wolf know her? She tentatively reached out a hand, aware that this animal might strike at any moment but instead it sat down, gazing at her hand curiously. Her finger brushed against the fur at the top of its head and she ran her hand down across the middle of its scalp. The hair was coarse but felt clean. She was surprised when it leant upwards slightly, into her touch. The contact sparked a feeling of familiarity at the back of her mind. The action wasn't familiar but the essence of this beast was. "Duran?" The name fell from her lips before she'd even thought to speak.

"Ah, you do remember."

The wolf's lower jaw dropped slightly, revealing a row of large porcelain teeth. A pink tongue fell out to the side and Natsuki couldn't help but smile. The effect made him look as though he was grinning. "How can you be here?" She asked but then something dawned on her. "Where is here anyway?" A laugh sounded in her mind but it wasn't mocking, it was gentle.

"You still think so literally, Natsuki."

The response didn't answer either of her questions and the creases in her brow deepened. How was she being literal? She looked around once more but nothing had changed. She was still next to a hot fire, in a cave, up some freezing mountain. And why couldn't she remember where she had been previously and what she had been doing? This was all starting to feel like a dream. A dream?

"You're starting to get it."

"You can hear my thoughts?" The words burst from her mouth, surprise registering on her face. So this was a dream? She scratched behind his ear idly, lost in thought.

"Yes. But your dreams didn't create this place, nor did they create me."

Duran's words did nothing to clear the fog of her mind, they only added to her confusion. "Are you trying to say this is a dream but you're not part of it?"

"And neither is this place."

His reiteration still didn't make her understand. "How can it be a dream then?" The wolf nuzzled at her hand when she withdrew it.

"Dreaming only makes this place and I manifest."

She patted him on the muzzle before positioning herself on the ground comfortably, legs crossed. At least as comfortable as a naked girl could be on a solid stone floor. "Why can't you just make sense? Or is it some weird rule that you have to be as vague and mysterious as possible?" She was starting to get annoyed now, partly at Duran's lack of real answers and partly because she couldn't figure them out. A sigh sounded in her mind.

"I only wished to see you again, Natsuki."

She smiled at him, reaching out again and rubbing him under the chin. He stood and shifted closer, licking fondly at her hand. She couldn't help but giggle. "Well, now you have." A thought struck her, and sadness tugged at her heart. "When I wake, will I remember this?" He didn't respond at first, instead he lay across her lap, his head resting on her arm once it wrapped around his neck.

"You can do more than remember me."

"What do you mean?" She asked, genuine confusion in her voice. She could feel the soft beating of his heart against her thigh and the warmth of his body was comforting.

"We can be together again."

"What?" She was stunned. But that wasn't possible. Her powers had been taken from her, and with them, Duran. She couldn't quite remember how that had happened though. The images, sounds, scents and feelings that formed her memories were just out of reach.

"If you relent. If you stop your struggling. I will return to your side."

Amber eyes stared up at her again and she was sure they were pleading with her. Struggling? Struggling with what? "I don't understand."

"In your waking world, your body is undergoing forced changes. Your mind is fighting them."

Forced? She didn't understand. What could be forcing changes on her body? "But... if it's forced... if I'm fighting them... there must be a good reason." She argued, trying to get to grips on what she was being told. Without the information, without the memories she couldn't make a real decision though.

"You are right. I am selfish... It would have been nice though. To fight by your side once more."

The sadness in Duran's voice echoed around in her mind and she could feel him nuzzle closer to her. She could feel the cloudiness return and her senses began to dim. A sense of dread and imminence overtook her and she looked down at the wolf in panic. He lifted his head and licked her face, the softness of his tongue had a touch like velvet. "Duran..." Her voice cracked as she spoke the name.

"Natsuki."

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END OF CHAPTER

Author's Note: I just wanted to apologise for not replying to everyone's reviews individually for the last chapter. I've been terribly busy the last week or so and also took a break from writing to rest my weary mind. And then I wrote a completely new story! However, I don't intend on slacking any more so I'll be trying my best to reply to everyone's comments, signed or not.

Many thanks to my little imouto, M-chan \ Azn-anime for her tireless betaing! And if you haven't checked out her stories yet, go do so!