One more chapter remains, and it shall explain the origins of little Koyomiko.
Also, look foward to a special Christmas edition of 'Help Desk'!
Sometimes it's a wonder that mortals don't just give up. Take this moment and think back on the experiences the girls have been through thus far. From viewing a supposed celestial event, to being taken by the ancient creators of humanity. From being forced to reproduce without intercourse, to escaping terrified from capture. From betrayals, love connections and grief, to facing down The Great Beast of the Apocalypse.
It's a wonder they live at all.
What would you do under the same circumstances?
The universe may never know.
"Dagon...tell us what just happened here.", Tomo said with a trembling voice.
Yomi nodded but did not wish to speak because she was now cradling Koyomiko as she napped. It must have been a frightening experience for the girl and she did not want to wake her. She deserved her rest.
"...And you guys too.", Tomo added as an afterthought, indicating Kagura and Osaka.
Osaka glanced awkwardly at Kagura who swallowed a lump in her throat. Normally, Kagura would have jumped Tomo for putting her 'on the spot', but in this instance it was not the right time.
"I shall explain.", Dagon said. "In a moment."
He turned to the assembled soldiers who stood in various degrees of confusion. They had not expected to go through an experience as threatening as the one that had just occurred.
Dagon spoke to them in their native language and, roughly translated, would be,
"Return to the base. Find the two remaining girls, they should be in Room 47-C and do not inform command of anything that had transpired. In fact, do not respond or communicate with command at all. To them, we will play dead, understood?"
The men nodded in assent.
"Now go, and be quick about it!"
The six soldiers turned and ran back into the forest at speeds no human could match. They were soon lost from sight.
Dagon turned back to the girls, folded his legs and sat beside them.
"Now, let me explain what just happened."
Leaving out no details, Dagon expounded first the tale of his race. It was the same one he had told to Sakaki and Chiyo. He told them of how the Dagon had created humanity and now they were dying. He told them the only way for them to survive was through somatic cell reproduction technology and sexual intercourse with the children thus produced.
"You mean what you told us was a lie?", Tomo gasped.
"Of course it was, idiot." Yomi hissed.
"I am sorry that I had to tell an untruth. With all that has occurred I no longer feel correct to continue with the reproduction and experimentation.", Dagon said.
"How the hell can you feel that way after all that you've done!?", Tomo said, a little louder than intended...but it IS Tomo, after all.
"The Dagon are not free of emotion. No, we just see racial obligation as more important and worthwhile than personal feelings. But, I had to make a decision and I believe I made the correct one. It was never my intention to destroy all humanity...but...", Dagon looked a bit shaken by his confessions.
"Go on.", Tomo prodded, arms crossed.
"...I had developed an army of half-Dagon warriors to dominate Earth in the near future. Humanity would have been ruled by the children produced by Dagon and those tetra-heloids like Koyomiko."
"What!?", Kagura and Tomo shouted.
"What kind of comfort is that?", Yomi asked. "They still exist, don't they?"
Dagon shook his head.
"With the destruction of the Beacon all tetra-heloids were destroyed. The Beacon was what kept them whole. Without it their cells dissolve and leave nothing more than a jelly-like pile."
"Why did Koyomiko survive?", squeaked Kaorin.
"Her fourth helix was assembled in just the right order to maintain control. She only took minor damage...", Dagon explained.
"Hey, in fact, what IS Koyomiko anyhow? Why the hell did she freak like that? Is she a god or something?", Tomo regarded her sleeping child with a new sense of awe.
"Thus brings me to my next point.", Dagon said. "Koyomiko had a special structure to her fourth helix. She was, unbeknownst to be, the final product our ancestors had been looking for. I'm sure you've heard of the Apocalypse, correct?"
Yomi nodded. "The end of the world."
Dagon nodded in return.
"Koyomiko was to bring about that end. She was The Great Beast mentioned in the ancient writings about the end of the world."
"How...what...", Yomi gulped as she looked at her child. Even Kaorin and Chihiro covered their gasps with their hands.
"Is she ok now?", Tomo asked.
"She's technically a normal human being now. Granted, she may not be able to produce children.", Dagon said.
"Damn! No grandkids.", Tomo cursed.
There was quiet for a moment before Osaka began to sob. she fell to her knees and let the tears flow freely.
"Osaka?", Tomo questioned.
Dagon felt sorry for the girl. She had done the technical 'right thing' but at the expense of the trust of her friends. The same went for Kagura. If they had been of Dagon descent there would be no question but to choose the entirety over one's friends. But Osaka and Kagura were but humans. And humans were complex creatures.
"I'm soory...so soory.", Osaka wept.
Kagura also cast her eyes to the ground.
"Yeah...me too...", she had never felt so awful in her life.
This reaction put even Tomo at a loss for words. It's not like anyone could say they were wrong...
"It's alright...I understand.", Yomi said after a pause.
"Really?", Osaka sniffled.
This time Tomo nodded.
"I guess I can see how all this stuff could have been really freaky.", she said.
"So...you forgive us?", Kagura asked sheepishly.
Yomi nodded. "Yes, there's more important things to take care of."
"Yeah, like...where are we?", Tomo asked the golden question.
"Mount Shasta, California. In the United States of America.", Dagon said simply.
"What!?", Kaorin burst out.
"How the hell did we get here?", Tomo practically shouted.
Dagon silenced them with a lift of his finger.
"We have methods of transport far superior to anything humans have invented thus far."
"Can you take us home then?", Chihiro asked.
Dagon sighed.
"Soon, I'm sure you'll wish to wait for your other friends to return first."
"Other...", Yomi started.
"...Friends?", Tomo concluded.
"What does he mean?", Kaorin asked Chihiro, who shrugged.
"Sakaki and Chiyo-chan.", Osaka answered.
A resounding "Ohhhhh...", filled those assembled.
"Are they ok?", Kagura asked.
"They should be fine. The men I sent back should contact me when they are released. I'll have them sent here on a craft and from there we can return you all home.", Dagon said.
This struck the girls for the first time. This was all coming to a close. This entire wicked experience was about to end.
"...But...why?", Tomo asked.
"What do you mean?", asked Dagon in return.
"You capture all of us, force us to make kids and then it turns out our Koyomiko is some sort of Apocalyptic beast! Why the sudden change of heart?"
Dagon didn't have a full answer for that, so he said what he could.
"For nearly two hundred years I have been capturing humans for reproduction. My father and grandfather had done it for many years before me. And for what? The plan was to create an unstoppable army to dominate planets, beginning with this one. Let me tell you, we had been warned before. We were aware that one day the Apocalypse would come. Of course, out of ignorance it was not regarded. And here we are, the Dagon and humans under the same sky and facing the same circumstances of abject destruction. Us Dagon may have more technology than humans. Us Dagon may live longer than humans, but I have come to realize that does not make us superior. We are living beings just like you. We do not deserve to dominate. So, at least here on Earth, us Dagon will live out the remainder of our lives in peace."
A sudden wistful feeling came over Yomi. She fought it back, but could not control it. Strangely enough, after all they had been through, Dagon's explanation put a more human side to the former monster. She would miss him.
"Will we ever see you again, Dagon?", she asked. The others did not protest, so she assumed they thought the same as well.
Dagon smiled happily for the very first time he could remember.
"It would be dangerous for me to travel often, but if you would like, I could visit sparingly.", he said.
"That would be cool.", Tomo said.
A loud series of beeps came from a pod on Dagon's belt. He lifted the device to his mouth a pressed a recessed button on the side. From within it came a voice speaking the Dagon's native language.
"We've found the other prisoners.", it said.
"Found?", Dagon asked. "They were not in the room?"
"No, they were wandering the forest."
Dagon contemplated how they may have escaped, although it no longer mattered.
"Bring them to me...And call for a long-range transport craft. Type 34-A.", Dagon said.
"Yes.", the voice responded and bleeped out of existence.
He turned back to the girls.
"Your friends should be here soon."
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Sakaki and Chiyo had buried Taito and Kaede in total silence save for the occasional sob. They had said a generic prayer of thanks for being able to meet them and hope that their souls would find peace in the next life.
"It's so unfair...", Chiyo wept into Sakaki's chest.
Sakaki had no words to comfort the girl. Her own mind was nearly blank with grief. No words would affect the surge of emotion that encompassed her.
"We should...go.", Sakaki said after a moment.
Chiyo nodded weakly as Sakaki held her hand and they walked from the scene of death. They stayed silent as they walked, with only the connection between their hands sharing all the communication they needed.
A sharp voice broke into their brooding like a rock thrown through a rather fragile window.
Sakaki turned to see a collection of six, armed, alien men approaching from a side path. She picked up Chiyo in order to run but the voice rang out towards her again.
"Stop! We will not harm you!"
Sakaki quickly registered all directions but she was soon surrounded for the aliens seemed to move like lightning. They carried rifles but they seemed to be struggling not to raise them.
"What do you want!?", Sakaki screamed in an unbefitting angry tone. For some reason, she felt horribly angered by their presence.
"Please come with us. We were assigned to lead you to your friends.", one of the men said.
"Why should we believe you?", Chiyo squeaked.
"Please, we are telling the truth. Harming you at this point is foolish. We were assigned by one of us you know as Dagon to bring you to your friends so that you may be taken home.", the man responded.
Sakaki gritted her teeth.
"Tell me first...What happened to Taito? And Kaede!? WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!?", Sakaki was now in a rage she had no control of. She could not even understand why.
"Dagon will explain everything. Now, please, time is of the essence."
Sakaki looked down to Chiyo who regarded her with an innocent look and a nod of the head.
"Okay...We will come with you."
-------
"I apologize for the danger I have placed you in. I was unaware at the time.", Dagon apologized.
"I...don't really know if an apology is enough.", Yomi said.
Tomo nodded. "Yeah, you put us through some craaazy shit!"
"At least he's apologizing at all.", Kaorin pointed out.
"Very true.", Yomi realized. "Well, as you said, we were all in this together so...apology accepted."
"I guess there's no reason to be stupid about it so...", Tomo nodded in acceptance, thus followed by the entire congregation.
Just then Osaka, who had been facing Dagon spoke up happily.
"CHIYO-CHAN!! SAKAKI!!", she cheered.
This outburst caused the rest of them, save Koyomiko who was still sleeping like a log, to stand and smile with their own set of glee. Chiyo and Sakaki smiled back as well, tears creeping into their eyes once more but this time it was for positive reasons.
Chiyo couldn't contain herself and ran to Osaka for a lengthy embrace.
"Ah missed ya Chiyo-chan.", she droned happily.
Kaorin would have passed out at the opportunity to hug Sakaki but...she had a girlfriend now...but that little flicker still existed in the rear of her mind.
Everyone managed to greet their returning companions with displays of affection, even Tomo!
------------------
Tomo: Hey! Are you saying I can't be affectionate?
Jay: Like a horse to water...
Tomo: Oh, so now I'm a horse, eh? How would you like a knuckle sandwich?
Jay: Gladly.
Tomo: (confused) Uh...
------------------
"I'm so happy to see all of you!", Chiyo giggled.
"Yes, I'm glad to see everyone is ok.", Sakaki said.
Dagon approached the group and interrupted their reverie.
"Is everyone prepared to leave? The craft should arrive shortly."
There was a rash of nodding heads.
"Dagon...can I ask you something?", Sakaki said.
Dagon granted the girl her request.
"I want to know...what happened to Kaede and Taito-san? Please tell us! No more lying!", she choked through oncoming tears.
"Kaede...Taito...", Dagon was confused for a moment before he realized who she spoke of. He barely remembered that Taito Haapalainen existed, but now he recalled him as one of his first experiments. Taito was a fluke, the only male progeny. He also aged far slower than any normal progeny, which aged in normal human years. He also recalled that these two girls had produced a daughter, who must have been named Kaede.
Chiyo and Sakaki regarded him, desperately looking for his answer.
Dagon would have put the explanation simply, but he knew humans had a fragile heart.
"It was necessary, and I am sorry they had to pass away in such a manner.", he went on to explain what had occurred, how the Apocalypse had narrowly been avoided and the nuances behind why Taito and Kaede, being of tetra-helical descent, had died.
"So...Koyomiko is you and Tomo-san's daughter?", Chiyo asked Yomi who nodded in response.
Chiyo smiled. Inwardly she had a rare cruel thought; she was happy that there was finally going to be someone smaller than herself in their little group!
"It's...so much to take in.", Sakaki noted.
"You said it, sister.", Tomo quipped.
"It'll be nice to get home and relax though.", Osaka said.
"Ah, it appears you wish has been granted.", Dagon said, pointing upwards.
The girls had not even noticed it. A large, triangular craft that shined a glossy silver hovered overhead. It made no noise whatsoever and seemed to neither produce exhaust nor any sort of propulsion. Each watched with their jaw hanging Kimura-style as it descended swiftly to the ground.
"Holy...", Tomo began.
"...shit.", Chiyo finished.
And thus she was rewarded with bizarre stares. But, needless to say, the one most excited was Osaka.
"Finally...Ah finally get to ride on an alien spaceship!"
"Is everyone prepared?", Dagon asked, standing before the loading ramp that had descended from the side of the craft.
Everyone nodded. Chiyo and Sakaki nodded a bit later, realizing that they had made their peace with Taito and Kaede.
The group then boarded the alien craft but were sadly disappointed by the interior. Much of it simply looked like the cabin of a normal, human airliner.
"What the fuck!?", Tomo cursed. "Where's the ray guns? The warp engines? The wicked implements of destruction!?"
Dagon smiled.
"This is a transport craft, not used for warfare."
"This ain't alien at all!", Osaka whined while sitting in the plush chair. Kagura simply patted the poor girl on the shoulder.
Dagon sat in a chair near the pilot's cabinet and relaxed after the ramp was retracted and the door closed.
"You're coming with us, Dagon?", Kaorin asked.
"I will escort you all, but I cannot stay. There is still much work to be done.", he responded.
The cabin was quiet for a time...until Tomo spoke.
"When the hell are we gonna get going here? Geez...", she complained impatiently.
Dagon laughed at the girl.
"The hell you laughing at, bucko?", she said.
" We are in the air.In fact, we should be over the American state of Hawaii at this time.", he responded.
Osaka turned her head expectantly.
"Ohhh...there ain't no windows."
Without a word, Dagon pressed a small button near the pilot's cabin. From seemingly nowhere transparent windows flashed into existence in the walls of each row of seats.
"Wow...how ya do that?", Osaka asked as she watched the beautiful azure sea pass far below.
"Maybe someday humans will develop the same technology.", Dagon said.
"Ah hope so...", Osaka droned.
"Holy crap! I can see my house from here!", Tomo screamed.
"No, you can't! Geez Tomo, we must be like 40,000 kilometres in the air!", Yomi reprimanded, motioning to the land that could be seen amongst the water far below.
"Actually, we are 140,560 kilometres in the air.", Dagon corrected.
Chiyo stared at him with disbelieving eyes.
"How...is that possible?"
"Technology. We have many space-faring craft as well.", Dagon said.
"I would love to learn about them sometime...", Chiyo said.
"I'll teach you someday.", Dagon said.
"Hey, is that Japan?", Kaorin asked, pointing to the land below which resembled the main island of Honshu.
"Indeed it is.", Dagon stated.
"Wow...and we've only been flying for like...fifteen minutes or something.", Chihiro noted.
Dagon nodded.
"I'm going to have to close the windows for the end of the flight.", he said and pushed the same button which caused the windows to disappear.
"Where are we landing? Won't people see us?", Yomi asked.
"Do not worry.", Dagon said with a shake of his head. "This craft is equipped with the pinnacle of Dagon stealth technology. In fact, you will be dropped at your respective houses without even having to leave your seats."
Tomo raised her hand.
"Can I go with Yomi?"
"Of course.", Dagon responded. He need not ask the others so he simply stated, "I will make sure you are dropped in pairs."
The response was a collective smile.
"So,...this is tha end.", Osaka said wistfully.
Dagon coughed and prepared his speech mentally.
"I am very gracious for meeting all of you. Never have a met a group of any race that has affected me in such a manner as you have. Please, I ask of you, tell only those whom you must of the Dagon's existence. Knowingly, not many would believe you regardless but for the meantime I wish the Dagon to live in peace. And one last request I have, please live in respect and love for one another for you are amazing people."
With this he bowed.
"Farewell."
----------
"Holy...freakin'..shit..", Tomo said, her eyes wide as she and Yomi stood before the house of the latter.
"I know what you mean.", Yomi said.
Just then Tomo got that wildcat glint in her eye and grinned widely.
"So...Yomi...what are we going to tell our parents?", she said, indicating the still-sleeping Koyomiko.
"Oh...shit.", Yomi gulped.
---------
Kaorin and Chihiro stood outside of the house of the former.
"So...what do we do now?", Chihiro asked, her mind a blank slate erased by the influx of what had occurred to them over the past few days.
Kaorin turned to her girlfriend.
"I want to apologize for being so suspicious of Koyomiko. I know how it upset you."
Chihiro smiled.
"But...you were right."
"I still feel bad about it though. So, please forgive me."
"You don't need to beg for forgiveness."
Kaorin then smirked as one certain idea came into her head.
"I know how to make it up to you."
"How?", Chihiro asked, anxiously.
"My parents aren't home..."
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"So...what now?", Kagura asked.
Osaka stood silent for a moment. And her belly growled.
"Wanna get sumthin' to eat?", she asked.
Kagura smiled.
"That would be great."
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"Sakaki-san?", Chiyo asked as they walked up the pathway to Chiyo's homestead.
"Hmm?", the tall girl said.
"The past few days...they feel like a dream to me. Are they like that for you, Sakaki-san?"
Sakaki kept walking as she thought. Indeed, it all felt so surreal and indistinct. She was aware that it had happened; she only need look at her cut finger for proof. But...her newfound connection to Chiyo was not muddled, it was complete and she knew it was proper.
"No.", she responded.
"Hmm...wonder why.", Chiyo mused.
Sakaki stopped and turned to her friend.
"We may have gone through a lot, but what we take from it is love.", she then proceeded to hug the smaller girl, who blushed heavily.
"I love you Chiyo-chan."
Chiyo smiled back. Sakaki had always been like a sister to her, but now it felt more intense. No, not romantic love but a sort of love shared between those who would never leave your side.
"I love you too, Sakaki-san."
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Dagon sat in one of the chairs the girls had occupied moments before. He refused to sit in the captain's cabinet and instead sat with his note-slate and stylus. The slate was encoded with all the genetic codes of those captured over the years. The slate also ran a program that allowed for possible matches to be made, this is how pairs are chosen.
He scrolled through the names until he came to the ones for the girls. He played with the combinations; not many fit. Under many circumstances the child would be instantly aborted if the match was not strong enough. One did fit though.
He clicked the names of Kaorin and Kagura with his stylus. He let the program run until it came up with one of the many allelic combinations that pairing would have produced. It read:
'Healthy child, unnaturally physical, commanding, compassionate, possible mutation in gene 17'
He smiled at the result. It was always an experience to think of what had never actually occurred.
"I wonder what they would have named her...", he mused.
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