His Dark, Kind Soul
Author's Note: The fanfics I enjoy the most are those that fit nicely with the original storyline. It could be a prelude, a continuation or a story embedded right in the middle of the plot. It's like pushing the boundaries then coming back home.
Chapter 16: The Black Cat
Present Day, Restricted Building, Natsume Hyuuga at age thirteen
Davies felt an odd sense of nostalgia as he stood in front of his old office window. His hands were clasped behind his back as he stared curiously at something in the distance. He was only half-listening as Narumi recounted the past years in the Academy. Davies was watching the scene outside but in his mind's eye, he was replaying the ominous events five years ago, dimly wondering what had become of the boy he had left behind— the boy his own student had prized so much.
Neither of them had left instructions as to what should be done about that child. After all, neither of them had been in the position to do so. His student's life in the Academy had ended abruptly and when Davies' own time ran out, the child had already been distanced from him. Until now, he believed this to be his greatest failure: that he had under him the two most gifted Alices in the Dangerous Ability class but in the end he had lost them both.
What happened to the White Wolf became a mystery. On paper, he was deceased and it was Davies who asserted that history be written that way. However, following that announcement were countless contradictions from people who could hardly believe it and those who absolutely refused to. Such was his legend. Despite the evidence or rather because of the lack of it, most chose to believe that the Wolf cheated the Academy and perhaps death itself. Many conjectures were made but each one was always more incredible than the last.
Some say he took a glider and leapt into the ravine to use a pre-arranged escape tunnel. Others claimed they saw him fly over the perimeter wall while evading dozens of bullets using an impenetrable shield of ice. One outrageous tale said he became one with the blizzard he conjured then he simply congealed again outside the grounds. They could all be right or they could all be mistaken. There was no way of knowing. Fact was, the Wolf was gone that night but no one could say how.
Although there were many people present, there was only one material witness to the event. It was the eight-year-old boy who crashed out the window with the Wolf. It was said that the boy had been fighting with him in the burning building and if anyone could confirm what happened that night, it would be him. Unfortunately, the Wolf's escape occurred after they hit the ground and it was at that crucial moment when Natsume Hyuuga blacked out. It was a moment of disconnect, the point where their stories were cut off from each other. It was widely believed that the elder had never looked back to check on the boy and the younger was never able to say what had become of his teacher.
Thus, the night the White Wolf fell was also the night the Black Cat's story began.
Davies briefly stopped these dire musings to watch more closely the incident outside. His eyebrows knit together at the incredibly foolish thing the students were trying to do. When there was a break in Narumi's long narrative, he broke in with a dry and rather amused question.
"Narumi, there are two students trying to push the minute hand of the clock tower. One false step and they'll fall to their deaths. Should we be concerned?"
Narumi stood up to join Davies at the window. He spied Koko and Kitsuneme who were hanging on for dear life to achieve a feat that could only be labeled as unsafe.
"Don't worry about it. One of them could fly."
"So why isn't he?"
Narumi smiled wryly. "So… you were asking about Natsume Hyuuga?"
Five years ago, Boy's Dormitory, Natsume Hyuuga at age eight
Natsume was plagued with dreams. He shifted restlessly on his bed, half-welcoming, half-rejecting the memory. This was his lowest, saddest moment but his subconscious stubbornly returned to happier times, to recollections that would have brought him comfort if he hadn't become so jaded.
He was back in the training room. He was undergoing a practical exam with his team. Mahiro was giggling softly behind him. Kurt and Kunimitsu were quiet but both wore an amused smile while the Captain's voice came over the radio.
"White Wolf to Little Nimbus, over."
Static. A significant pause.
"Come in Little Nimbus, over…"
Someone had coughed. Mahiro had giggled.
"Little Nimbus, are you there? Over."
More static, a longer pause.
Natsume knew what came next. He could play out the scene as though it was yesterday: from his idiotic codename to the christening of his stupid attack moves, from the explosion of the orange substance to the emergence of a slime-covered Kira who looked at him with more amusement than anger as he cast the Frozen Mantle in the air.
He knew the scene well, so much that he could say Kira's response, in the same frustrated voice the Captain did, "Ironsmith, please verify the whereabouts of the egotistical dwarf…"
"Nimbus, damn it, wake up. I don't have much time. Over."
Those words brought things back to focus and Natsume's eyes shot open. He sat up and a jarring pain rocketed through his brain as everything came rushing back to him: The fight at the Restricted Building. An upper floor overturned. Persona firing the Mark of Death. He and Kira hurtling to the earth. Mahiro falling to save them.
Then nothing.
"Nimbus, answer your walkie-talkie. Over." Natsume searched his person, realizing the voice was coming from him. He found a small radio tucked in his coat pocket and pulled it out just as the Wolf started spouting inventive curses only to end with, "Goddamn it Nimbus, what the hell is wrong with you? Over."
He pushed the talk button, "Captain!"
"Finally!" Kira exclaimed, his relief coming through. There were sounds in the background that he couldn't identify. "It took you long enough. Are you all right? Over."
Natsume got up and started to pace his room. "Where are you?"
"Answer me first. Are you okay? Does your head hurt? How's your arm? Over."
"It's not broken," he said impatiently. He walked over to his window, searching the grounds endlessly for a sign of his teacher. "Tell me where you are Kira!"
"Wolf. We're on a frequency. Call me Wolf. Over."
He gritted his teeth. "Why won't you say where you are?"
"I'm outside the Academy," he explained at last. "I'm on the run. When the line goes dead, you'll know I've gone too far. You can't—"
"Who's with you? Who's after you?" Natsume cut in. There was crackling as their radios momentarily crossed.
When it settled, Kira came back using an exasperated tone, "Dude, it's a walkie-talkie. No interrupting. And while we're at it, could you start saying 'over'?"
"Would you be serious?" Natsume growled into his com then grudgingly added, "Over."
"There you go." Kira gave a weary laugh. "And you should know I am being serious." He paused and the surrounding noise momentarily settled. It was as though he had just stopped running and so Natsume ceased to pace as well.
A walkie-talkie. Kira was outside the Alice Academy. Natsume was inside the dormitory, right in the middle of the school grounds. With only a two-way radio connecting them, they might as well have been on different continents. The Academy was a jurisdiction in itself and Kira Samushiro had broken a hundred laws just to break out. Natsume realized the Captain was now a fugitive and running from the school was near impossible. There would be other ramifications inside the Academy and the Dangerous Ability class would feel the brunt of it.
Kira's thoughts must have run the same course because when he spoke again, all mirth had gone. "Things are going to be chaotic for a while. I'm afraid I've made things even more difficult for you. For that, I'm sorry. Over."
"You're sorry?" Natsume repeated. "That's it? You have to come back. You have to come back and clear your name. Over."
"I attacked a Director," he said gravely. "There's no going back after that. Over."
"So what happens now? You can't go to the Research Center. What about everything we talked about? The cure. Getting me out of here."
"You didn't say 'over'," Kira chastised mildly after Natsume had paused. "Listen, here on out I'll be relying on Davies. If I know him as well as I think I do, he will step up after this. Things will eventually settle down. I just need you to persevere until then. Over."
"Stop worrying about me!" Natsume cried into the radio. "I'm going to be fine. You're the one being hunted. What if they send me after you?"
The radio crackled fiercely as though responding to Natsume's ire. Kira grew silent then he seemed to drop all pretenses and broke his own rule. "Natsume, you don't have to worry about that. They will never find me unless I want to be found. You and I won't face each other on the field. I won't give them the satisfaction of seeing us turn on each other. Over."
Kira was trying to make it all sound so simple but Natsume had seen, learned, experienced and lost enough to know that wasn't true. He drew up his window then inhaled deeply, trying to get past the lump in his throat. The Captain had pushed all of them into this situation without consulting them. He did what he believed was best but he didn't bother to ask if this was what Natsume wanted. Anger, irrational and overpowering, swept through him.
"Nimbus, say something. Over."
"You risked everything even after Ironsmith told you not to be careless with your life," Natsume spoke coldly. "You really are stupid… over."
This time Kira's silence stretched. Natsume suddenly found his room too suffocating. He stepped onto his ledge then gradually pulled himself up to the roof. Still crouched he gazed upon the school, slumbering in false peace and resentment began to take root inside him.
The radio came to life. Kira sounded solemn, speaking with care. "You know, when I started with the Dangerous Ability class, I had nothing to lose. I came to the Academy with no family to speak of— nothing in the world I give a damn about. All I had was my Alice and it was who I am."
The night air was cool but Natsume's Alice kept him warm as he walked down the expanse of the dormitory. He made no response.
"I told you, I have no idea how things turned out the way they did." Kira laughed a little. "Why am I so lucky now? Why am I surrounded by things I'm petrified to lose?"
There was static as he started running again. In contrast, Natsume sat on the roof, staying right where he was in the shadows.
"I place very little value on my life but that doesn't mean I'm trying to get myself killed," the Wolf said softly. "It's just that… my own life isn't so important when I think of everything and everyone I want to protect. That's not being stupid… over."
Natsume swallowed, letting his words sink in. There was no point playing it back and forth. When it came down to it, he would've done the same. "Where will you go? Over."
"I'll know when I get there," Kira said. "Just trust me. One day I'll come back and set things right. Somehow I'll keep my side of the deal. I've fought so many battles for others. I think I can fight my own. I just need you… I need you to be all right. Over."
"I won't die," he returned resolutely. "Not in this school and not by my Alice. I'll take care of surviving the Academy. You take care of what comes after that, Captain. Over."
"I'm no longer your Captain. When I return, we'll be equals so there's no need for you to address me that way. Find something else to call me. Over."
A sad smile came to his lips. "Head Chump? Over."
"Not quite," Kira laughed. He exhaled, sounding out of breath and incredibly tired. There was an unsettling quiet on his end of the line. Natsume shifted on his seat. "Kid, do you believe in happy endings? Over."
He paused. "I don't believe in endings. Over."
"Me either."
Then the line went dead.
Natsume clicked the radio on and off but even the static had gone. The frequency had been cut or the Captain had finally crossed outside its area. He knew then that Kira Samushiro was gone from the school, but because he didn't say 'over', Natsume knew that it wasn't.
I forgot to ask how he escaped, he thought, mirthlessly laughing to himself. He came to his feet with the radio clutched in a tight fist. For a moment his gaze went to the distance, to the perimeter fence, and his hand lifted in an odd salute to the Wolf running outside the walls.
Goodbye Captain.
So that's how he was when the illustrious White Wolf finally left the Alice Academy. He departed body weak, soul distraught; his heart broken after he was forced to leave Marie behind. He carried memories of Kunimitsu, his most trusted ally and his conscience tormented him with thoughts of Kurt, Mahiro and Natsume, the ones who were left behind. Ten years of loyal service. Barely fifteen years left to live. But he went away with the conviction that he would get his life back. He would survive this chapter and fight for a future. He would obtain the happiness denied to him.
And live.
"You won't find him there."
Davies turned away from the Alice Academy Ravine to face Natsume. The boy had a determined glint in his eye. Davies didn't need to use his Alice to know that the child had come there with an express purpose. He wasn't about to leave just because he was ordered to. Without replying, Davies looked back at the chasm, imagining the fall his student had taken. Doubt gnawed at him because he couldn't believe that Kira would leap without first thinking it through. It wasn't like him. He did not teach him to be so stupid.
Mahiro stood next to their handler, waiting for Davies to give an order. She knew he wanted to go down there, to check and see with his own eyes if their Captain had died. He could scan the whole campus with that remarkable brain of his but when hope was this thin she understood why he felt the need to come to the cliff himself.
"You could go down but you won't find him," Natsume spoke again. He scratched his chin. "But then, you already knew that."
She glanced at Natsume, wondering when the boy had gathered so much gall to talk to Davies as belligerently as Kira would have. Davies didn't seem to take offense though and he remained quiet, like a man suffering heavily in uncertainty.
"Go back to the school Natsume," he said at last.
"You're needed there too," Natsume countered and this time their teacher picked up the urgency in his voice. "It's underway. You should be there. Not here."
Because this isn't what he expects of you.
The thought jumped at Davies as forcefully as though Natsume had said them out loud. He realized then what the kid was really saying. Yes, he did not teach Kira to be so stupid. Of course, he had thought it through. Yes, he was still alive.
Mahiro waited for Davies to speak. She was ready to take both of them to the bottom of the gorge and begin searching for the Wolf, but something inside Davies had settled and so a different command came.
"Mahiro, take me to the hearing."
Marie was sitting inside the courtroom, her hand in a tight fist over her heart. Inside she was clutching the note Natsume had craftily handed to her. Kurt, newly pardoned and set free, sat next to her with his hands on his knees. There were other students from the Dangerous Ability class in the room but they sat separately. They were all curious but it wouldn't be safe for their presence to be seen as a class action.
This was the hearing on the murder of Tadahiko Kawahara. The Directors had already gathered in front. The one the White Wolf attacked sat at the leftmost seat. Their comrade was about to be tried in absentia and none of those present could stop the proceedings. They would accuse and convict him. He would be a criminal and a fugitive after this. It was an irreversible fate.
The Secretary stood up and began reading from the casebook. Afterwards, he introduced the prosecution panel then turned to the empty table across it…
The doors were thrown open and a tall, ominous man confidently strode in. His loud voice boomed throughout the room, "Counsel for the accused, Dr. Shinichi Nakajima, Distinguished Professor, Fellow of the Physics Society of the Alice Academy and Director of the Office of Student Affairs. PhD, MD, CFA…" He continued listing his titles, a long string of initials that spoke of unmatched academic achievement. He headed past the wooden gate separating the audience from the court then took his place at the defendant's table. Several people smiled at his audacity.
The Director at the leftmost seat sputtered, "You?!"
"Shall we begin?"
"Do you even have a law background Shinichi?" the Chairman, a fair and highly principled man, asked inquisitively.
He flashed a vindictive smile, "Juris Doctor, licensed but non-practicing until very recently."
There was scattered laughter and the Chairman smiled too, not the least bit rankled by his brazen display. Marie released her breath and Kurt's posture relaxed as the trial began. From the moment Davies, the most powerful psychic to ever walk the halls strode in, the scale had been tipped. Here on out, as far as the Wolf's future was concerned, all bets were off.
Persona was a frightening man even to those who knew him, and there was no one who really knew him. Kira had taught Natsume to humanize his foe, to know their stories so that he wouldn't see them as monsters; but it was very difficult to do that with Rei Serio.
In the Dangerous Ability class, if a student had been under Davies, he or she had every right to be afraid but only if he or she were slow to learn or liable to make mistakes. With Persona it was different. Just being under his authority gave the student something to fear. It was his reputation. He punished without hesitation. He harmed students and seemed to enjoy it. He was skilled. His Alice was terrifying. He was unpredictable and damn it, nobody really knew what went on inside his head. Of course, he had a story but he would never speak of it and nobody dared to ask. Persona was a puzzle nobody wanted to solve because they were afraid the consequences to that would be grave.
Two days after the Wolf had left them, when the legal proceedings were well under way, the Dangerous Ability class was called together in one classroom. Davies had been removed from his position and so only one handler remained. There were no factions left. They were all under one teacher and they all feared him.
They fell in four equal lines in the middle of the classroom. The columns were evenly spaced and they stood unmoving like subservient soldiers of a well-trained army. Persona was pacing the room, walking in between the lines and causing the students to shiver whenever he passed. He was reading mechanically from a report about the White Wolf. When he finished, he flipped to the front page then slapped the statement on the table. A couple of them flinched.
"We know who was involved that night," he said coldly. "And we are not happy with the lot of you. You dared to defy the Academy? You dared to assist a stupid boy who had sealed his own death sentence? The punishment for this will be severe and shall be dealt out immediately."
"We did what we thought was right," came an angry voice. Natsume didn't turn but he knew it was Sonic. "The Academy was after him. He was outnumbered."
"And you thought he didn't deserve it?" Persona said derisively. "What went on that night was none of your concern—"
"He was one of our own," Jade argued. "The Academy was going too far. If something happened to him, we'd be dealing with it like Ironsmith's death all over again."
"That would have been an easier circumstance than what we're trying to mitigate now," Persona fired back. "The Wolf committed a crime. You should've known better than to step out of line yourselves!"
"He would've died!"
"He's dead anyway—"
"No he isn't," Sheridan broke in. "He found a way to survive and he's going to find a way to keep running from you. Just face it. The Academy lost. He won."
It all happened in succession, as expected in a room full of students trained and experienced in combat. Persona fired his Alice at Sheridan. Sonic responded at once to shield her and the Alice rebounded. Their teacher spun around to hit Sonic but it was the Grey Soldier who stepped in the way. His insects fell to the floor at once and a black mark hit him on the chest, causing him to rear back. Natsume stepped forward in anger but Griffin gripped his shoulder and shook his head.
Persona stepped towards the Grey Soldier, Kouji his own student, who was on one knee heaving. "You disappointed me most of all, such a weakling."
"I'm a student," the Soldier coughed out. "I'm only a teenager. I'm human. Regardless of what you've made me do, what you've put me through, I'm still a student of the Alice Academy and you have no right to use me like this."
He was slammed against the floor though no one had touched him. Persona knelt down and gripped his hair to force him to meet his gaze. His look was cold and seemed to penetrate the Grey Soldier's very core.
"It hurts, doesn't it? The Mark of Death," he said menacingly. "Don't forget the pain Soldier. Don't forget that in here, you are nothing but an Alice."
It was the first time Natsume was truly disgusted with the word.
Persona walked to the door then right before he stepped out he raised his hand. All around Natsume people started falling to the floor, writhing in pain. Kurt too fell to his knees as their teacher's Alice gripped their chests. Persona looked over his shoulder and watched with ill-concealed glee as the students involved were tortured. Then he met Natsume's gaze with equal scorn.
"I spare you boy," Persona mocked. "There are other plans for you."
And then he left. Minutes later, a step away from eternal sleep, the seizures stopped. By then most of them had already dispersed, leaving their peers behind for what they believed was none of their concern. That was the Dangerous Ability class Natsume would have to live with from then on. A class that should've been united by grief but instead was divided by fear.
The proceedings on the Kawahara murder stretched for a long time. Both sides presented strong arguments that often led to heated discussions causing strife throughout the school. Soon, the case came to closed-door hearings. Davies hardly revealed any details about what went on in the Alice Academy courtroom and so their team could only wait and wonder if the Wolf would be acquitted.
In that time, Natsume Hyuuga was retrained under Persona. He, Sheridan and Griffin bore the hard instruction and went to missions as competently as they did when they worked with the Wolf and Ironsmith. However, Persona never seemed to be satisfied with their performance. If they did their work excellently, their only reward was even harder tasks the next time.
Months passed and the hearings finally reached its climax. It was said that the contentions went beyond the case and soon different crimes of the Alice Academy officials were laid before the court for censure. The debates had become so controversial that should they be made public, it was whispered that the school could be shut down. The final statements of both sides were said to be explosive but these were never brought outside and after the final hearing, Davies had simply walked out of the courtroom as though he carried the weight of the world.
It was a sleepless night for all of them. Natsume stayed on the rooftop long after Ruka had left him. By the light of the moon, he read Kira's essay repeatedly, unconsciously seeking comfort in his Captain's written word. In the morning he tucked the essay in his coat pocket then went to the courthouse with the rest of his team to await the verdict that would ring in infamy for years to come.
Both sides had presented indisputable arguments. Murder in any facet was unforgivable. However, to castigate one who was innocent beyond any shadow of doubt would be a crime in itself. In the end, the Chairman came out with an unorthodox ruling. He charged the White Wolf with Kawahara's murder but Kira Samushiro was pardoned of all crimes. For a while this judgment caused uproar. It was neither the harsh sentence some people wanted nor the fair verdict Davies' camp had sought. But eventually, people came to accept it because it gave all of them what they wanted. Thus, the White Wolf was convicted but Kira Samushiro walked free.
This contentious verdict was never recorded in detail in the Alice Academy archives. If it were, the Chairman had kept the documents locked away and very few people could access it, if any are able to at all. The knowledge was never made public either and most of the people who knew were instructed to keep silent. The case also became a precedent. Soon, the Dangerous Ability Class was charged to keep quiet about their codenames so that should a similar situation come about the same resolution could be reached.
Persona, who never hid his contempt for what Kira had done or his anger for Davies' defense of him, despised the Chairman's verdict. The same night that the decision came out, he ran drills for all of them and used his most sadistic training methods. It was only until Narumi arrived that they were given respite but by then most of them were already reeling from pain and exhaustion.
"This is not how we do things!" Narumi yelled as he looked upon the students with pity. "You're tasked to train them, not run them to the ground!"
"Don't tell me how to run my class you soft-hearted bastard," Persona sneered. "These Alices are under my authority and you cannot question the methods I use to teach them."
"Teach them?" Narumi repeated. "There will be nothing left of them if you continue this way!"
Persona laughed a hollow, sinister laugh. "Then I'm effectively weeding them out."
"Damn it, Persona—"
"Remember your place Narumi," he returned quietly. "We each have our roles to play. Let's not overstep each other and we'll get along just fine. Otherwise, there will be consequences again and I'm sure you know how dire that could be."
Narumi's jaw clicked and he said no more. Their training for that night didn't continue but that was also the last time he ever interfered. That night, Natsume labeled him a coward and because he never again tried to defend them, his anger towards Narumi grew over time.
Of Davies, another card was played. After more than a decade of loyal service to the school, he was reassigned to Geneva, ironically the same place where he had sought a post when he thought he would be able to leave with his student. He had asked to stay soon after Kira's disappearance so that he could continue to watch over Natsume and the others. But they were easing him out, perhaps to silence him and to position him in an office where his knowledge could do less harm. It was a questionable decision, considering the Alice war that was gaining momentum in Japan, but apparently the Academy would rather silence him then bring him to the forefront of battle.
Natsume saw that his friends were falling away one by one and it was hard to watch. The Academy was hurting so many people and they were getting away with it since so many others remained blissfully unaware of what was going on beneath the surface. One night, when it all became unbearable to him, he set out to do something foolish.
He took Kira's essay, replicated it then left a copy on each door of every establishment at Central Town; each entrance of every building and office of the campus; each tree that lined the cobbled path where the Wolf had carried his best friend while the school bell rung like a death knell. He spent the night running through the compound, taking every shortcut taught to him, using every exercise he was trained to do.
And he was trained well.
But in the morning, none remained. Whether by someone's Alice or through the collective effort of the school officials, all the papers vanished and the regular students woke up to a normal day. Nobody knew about the events tied to Kira's last days in the Academy; there was no cause for an upheaval and so the revolt never came.
Natsume was still punished for his actions. The penalty inflicted upon him brought wounds identical to those sported by Kira the night they were at the dam and he had revealed the whereabouts of Aoi Hyuuga. He was taken to a room with no windows while people watched his penalty be carried out.
"Running through the campus like a filthy brat," a voice jeered. "Samushiro taught you well."
"As agile as a stray cat," someone added with amusement. "You wield the same skill but your teacher isn't here anymore so you can be trained to be even better."
"Far better," a third person interjected with loathsome pride, "For your heart will not be soft. It will be black, far darker than the Wolf's had been."
"You will be the masterpiece."
"The most dangerous of them all…"
At the end of his punishment he was given a mask to wear. It sent electricity shooting through his face and it burned him in a way no other controlling device ever did. He knew that this was the same pain his Captain had suffered and so he learned to sit in silent patience. Davies heard what had happened to him and he tried to speak with Natsume but the Academy barred him. They were determined to keep him away from the boy until he was sent away.
Isolated, broken down and dispirited, Natsume continued to persevere. He promised the Captain he would and so he told himself that he could survive anything the Academy would throw at him. He was only eight years old but such was the heavy burden he set out to carry.
Unfortunately, Rei Serio was nothing like Kira. If the Wolf had trained him with every intention of making him stronger, Persona taught him to test his limits. He was trying to see how far he could go before he finally shattered the boy. Natsume tried to give him a challenge but it grew more difficult each day. It became more painful. Soon he was retching from exhaustion. He recoiled from every touch. His chest smarted from every word. And yet he did not weep.
A few days before Davies left, he was finally able to make contact with the boy. He came to the training room after Persona had finished another one of his merciless sessions. Natsume was on the floor, lying on his side. He was badly injured and his hair was matted against his forehead. When he heard Davies approach, he moved his head an inch. The teacher was taken aback by the violent look in his eyes. As he came nearer, the ferocity receded but Davies would never forget that loathing gaze. It was a precursor of what was to become of him.
Davies knelt down and took his arm. "Get up." Natsume stirred but remained where he was. He pulled more forcefully. "Natsume, get up."
"No more…" he croaked.
"Come with me," he said grimly. "I can get you out of here. We'll leave the Academy together."
"I can't," Natsume said listlessly. His mind roared with all the warnings and threats Persona had told him. "They have my sister. Ruka is still here. I won't turn my back on them. I can't leave."
"You can't stay here," Davies said almost angrily. "The Academy will not be kind to you. Leave with me Natsume. For goodness' sake, I am trying to be merciful to you."
Natsume shook his head. He braced a hand against the floor and pushed himself up, to show Davies that he had fight left in him. The teacher was moved by his determination. Here was a boy, eight years old but already a man.
"If you really want to show me mercy, just leave," Natsume spoke softly. "Leave when I'm not looking so that I won't have to say goodbye."
Davies turned away and that was the last time Natsume saw him. Later, alone in the magnificent room reserved for special students, a room that would be his prison for years to come, he lay his head on a magnificent bed and grieved without tears.
Of the Wolf's essay, whenever Natsume felt less than worthy, he would recall the conclusion, where his Captain's words rung heavy and true:
We are the Dangerous Ability students. Alices that could hurt, kill and destroy. We know the meaning of sacrifice and have had our share of loss. We've gone further than most of our peers; grew up faster than those before us. But never forget, we are still human.
By God, we are still human.
Present Day, Football Field, Natsume Hyuuga at age thirteen
"He's going to fall!"
"No, he won't. He can fly!"
"That's not Kitsuneme, you idiot! It's Koko."
"Damn… they do look alike…"
All the talk momentarily hushed and the girls gave a strangled cry as Koko took a jump and latched on to the minute hand of the tower. He teetered comically then his partner grabbed his lower body and heaved him to the right direction.
"Nicely done," Ruka commented.
"Hn," was all Natsume had to say.
They were standing not far from the clock tower but at the altitude of their classmates it was difficult to see clearly. Most of them were squinting against the afternoon light while others have taken posts on high trees and structures. Only Hotaru Imai seemed unperturbed. She was standing next to Natsume and Ruka, wearing some kind of contraption that sharpened her vision and no doubt recorded everything that was happening.
Mikan was tottering around her, trying to get her best friend to lend her the visor. "Hotaru! Let me see! Let me see! Please…"
"Stop being a bother Mikan."
"But I want to see!"
Hotaru continued to ignore her. Natsume lowered his hand against the late sunlight and wordlessly held it out to Hotaru. Immediately she brought out an extra visor and handed it to Natsume who automatically wore it. Ruka bit back a laugh.
"Hotaru!" Mikan shrieked in indignation. She increased her efforts at wheedling and began tugging at her best friend's arm.
Hotaru hissed at Natsume, "Share Hyuuga."
"You share Imai," he returned mildly.
"I'm not the one in love with her."
Natsume snorted, "Touché."
Then to Hotaru and Ruka's surprise, he took off the visor and gave it to Mikan. She grabbed it gleefully and peered through, completely missing their quick exchange.
"You're in a good mood today."
"You object?"
"I don't actually care," Hotaru returned easily. This time, Ruka did laugh. Unruffled, Natsume glanced at his pocket watch in time to see it strike four. On cue, the clock tower tolled four times. Class B cheered, realizing that the feat had been achieved.
"Well, how about that," Natsume smirked, watching Mikan disregard the visor to clap with the others. He turned to Imai again. "Why don't you go collect them?"
"It's going to cost you."
"Fifty rabbits."
"Two hundred."
He quirked an eyebrow, "One hundred."
"One fifty."
"One twenty-five!" Mikan piped in.
"Done," Natsume said quickly then turned to his best friend. "Ruka, pay up."
He balked, "Why me?"
Natsume didn't give him a straight answer. "Come on. It's like what? A little over a month of your allowance?"
"It's not even half of yours," he retorted.
Natsume pretended to muse. "Imai's services don't come cheap."
"You're right," Hotaru snickered. "Well? You heard him. Pay up Nogi."
"You better pay me back," Ruka muttered darkly as he pulled out his wallet and began counting out bills.
"I thought we weren't counting," he chuckled as Hotaru received her payment with a self-satisfied smirk. "Later."
Natsume tucked his hands in his pockets then departed first, leaving the rest of the crowd still talking excitedly about Koko and Kitsuneme's achievement. Mikan saw Natsume leave and immediately grabbed the gift bag she had been carrying around all day. As she hurried after him, Hotaru stepped onto her invention and went out to the clock tower.
Another adventure of Class B was beautifully concluded.
Five years ago, Alice Academy, Natsume Hyuuga at age eight
A black cat was supposed to be bad luck. It was a bad omen, a dark witch's best friend. It brought years of ill-fortune. It fought demons in the night. It was agile and predatory. It was hidden in the darkness and was startlingly visible in the light.
Natsume Hyuuga was the Black Cat.
As the Alice War set in, covert but existent, many things changed in the Academy. For instance, top students were only allowed to go home for a week instead of two. Letters were screened more stringently and news coming in and out of the Academy were closely monitored. Communications outside were kept at an absolute minimum. Nobody complained. Stricter rules meant higher standards which led to a better Academy. It was a simple equation that Natsume didn't entirely believe because he knew the true reason driving the changes.
As for the Dangerous Ability class, the agonizing training and missions continued. The roster was constantly shuffled and changed to keep the enemy guessing. Soon, it was every man for himself and surviving became everyone's personal goal. Persona seemed to take a particular interest in Natsume and kept a closer eye on him. He was also stricter on the boy when he made mistakes and worked him more fiercely than anyone else.
One day, Persona was exceptionally hard on him and his teammate could take no more. Before Natsume could stop him, Kurt had come onto the floor with a snarl. Everyone watched in shock as Griffin lunged at Persona. Their fight barely lasted a minute and soon the masked man had felled the giant. Their training ended abruptly and Stone Griffin was sent to the infirmary.
The following day an order came for Kurt Segur to be transferred to the Alice Academy in Europe, the school from where he first came. Kurt took the letter and crumpled it into a ball.
"They're getting rid of me," he said gruffly. "Typical."
"What will you do?" Marie asked.
"I have to go, don't I?" he said. He glanced at Mahiro who also looked irate. "All things considered, this was a lenient charge."
"I know," Mahiro agreed. She sat on the bench and looked somber. "But you know what this means." They both looked at Natsume.
"What?"
"You need to be more careful Natsume," Marie said quietly, understanding what the two were saying. "They're sending Kurt away from you."
Kurt punched Natsume lightly on the arm when he saw the dark look on his face. "Hang in there kid. We'll be back for you."
He rubbed his sore arm. "We?"
Kurt gave one of his rare smiles. "I'll regroup with Kira out there."
Not long after Kurt left, Marie Akagi graduated from the Academy. With Kira and Kunimitsu gone, she easily became the valedictorian, a distinction she received with a heavy heart. After the ceremony, she came looking for Natsume who had watched the commencement exercises in the shadow of a Sakura tree.
"Hey there," she greeted when she approached. She clutched her hard-earned diploma in one hand.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"Where will you go from here?" Natsume asked, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. It was hard for him to see Marie without thinking of what his Captain had lost.
"I'm going to Paris," she told him with a smile. "I got accepted at the Conservatory and so I'll be studying music for a while."
He was startled. "You're not going to be a doctor?"
She shook her head. "Does it surprise you?"
"No… but your Alice—"
"My Alice doesn't dictate who I am or who I will be," Marie said solemnly. "I can heal people any time and I choose to do so through my music. Anyway, I think this is for the best."
"Why?"
"You'll see me in concert in a year or so."
It suddenly clicked. "You're making it easier for Kira."
She smiled enigmatically. "If he's smart, he'll find me with no problem, and you know Kira can be very clever."
Natsume nodded then impulsively gave her a hug. She returned it with her eyes misting over. "Good luck Marie. I hope he finds you soon."
"Take care Natsume. We'll see each other again."
Thus, in the following year, it was Mahiro and Natsume who stayed in the Academy. He was thankful for her presence because she was one of the few people who kept him sane. They were parted most of the time. Persona saw their friendship as a cause for weakness and so they hardly worked together. However, Mahiro still came to visit him as often as she could. Her Alice helped in that task.
"Look at this," Mahiro said as soon as she appeared on the rooftop, startling Natsume and Ruka. She plopped down next to them and showed then an article evidently printed out from one of the Alice Academy forums.
Natsume read out loud, "The White Wolf Runs Free?"
"Whoever printed this sure didn't hear about the directive," Mahiro remarked. "It's cool, isn't it? Conspiracists— or maybe even just Kira's friends— are making him out to be a hero."
Ruka frowned. "It says Kira Samushiro shed his true identity to become a masked superhero in down town Tokyo. Are they serious?"
"I always thought he'd be some kind of legend one day," she laughed. "I just didn't think it would happen so soon."
"Hn," Natsume rolled up the papers. "These fanatics are ridiculous."
"I know," Mahiro said gleefully. "Kira would've loved it."
With that she vanished again to head for the briefing room and begin her mission for the night. Light moments like that came few and far in between.
Eventually, the year went by and soon it was Mahiro's turn to graduate. She was loath to leave Natsume behind and so despite the slim chance that she would be accepted, she tried for a post within the school. Natsume was grateful to her for trying because he already knew how much pain the place brought her after losing Kunimitsu. Still, as expected, her application was denied.
"They said I didn't have the disposition to be a teaching assistant, let alone a teacher," she laughed. "I can't really blame them. I knew it too. The only class I'd be capable of handling is kindergarten."
"What will you do now?"
"I got another offer," Mahiro confessed. "Davies petitioned for me. He wants me to come in and join his research team."
"So you're also leaving for Europe?"
Mahiro picked up the bitterness in his tone. She leaned back against the wall of the clock tower; the tower Kurt had finished right before he was forced to depart. "You know, there was some truth in what Davies was saying before he left us. If I stay in Japan, I would never be left alone. The enemy will try to recruit me and I refuse to take a post like Persona's."
"I get it. It's all right—"
"It's not all right," she interrupted. "I shouldn't have to leave Japan. None of us should need to go overseas to be safe." She sighed. "I'm sorry Natsume. I didn't want to leave you alone."
"I won't be," he said, forcing a smile. "I'll be with Ruka. We'll be fine…"
The look on Mahiro's face caused him to trail off. He understood that she didn't need the pleasantries because she already knew better. She tipped her head upwards, staring blindly at the large brass bell overhead.
"I brought you something."
"What is it?"
Mahiro reached into her pocket and brought out an ornate metal flower. He recognized it at once and it caused a pang in his chest. "Kira told me it was the last piece he was working on. I know he was working on it with you. I think you should have it."
"I can't take that from you," he protested.
Mahiro shook her head. "I have enough memories to go on. He's given me more gifts than you know. I won't withhold any strength I can leave behind for you."
He swallowed then reached for it. "Thanks."
Natsume rested his arms on the window, enjoying the height they were upon. From the clock tower, the expanse of the main campus was laid out beneath them. Hundreds of students were down there and yet Natsume had to battle loneliness every night.
"You know, being an Alice makes you believe in a lot of things— time travel, teleportation, parallel worlds— it makes you think the world is amazing." Mahiro smiled as she watched him examine the flower. "But you know what, even without the Alice, it is that… amazing."
"You don't have to say goodbye to me Mahiro."
She laughed then joined him at the casement, breathing in the air. "Silly boy. I was just saying the world is amazing even without all this brouhaha. But you're right."
"About what?"
She ruffled his hair. "We don't have to say goodbye."
Thus, of that five-man team, only Natsume remained in the Alice Academy and that's how it would be for years. He got used to fighting alone. Eventually, he even forgot what it was like to work with a reliable team. He was sent out on his own so often that he came to believe that the person he could depend on most was himself. After all, the Dangerous Ability class that had a semblance of friendship graduated and when they left the roster was replenished.
The batch he came to work with was as skilled as those who came before. However, these students seemed more cynical and hostile. There was even a girl who fired ice like Kira but she didn't have his prowess or his charm. She was also remarkably close to Persona and so Natsume was guarded against her. The members of the new roster had different backgrounds but Natsume never cared to know their stories because he was too busy minding his own. He knew one thing for sure. They were all alike in some way because they were all broken.
As for the rest of the student body, the White Wolf's myth rose with incredible speed among them. Natsume wasn't interested in any of it and he wasn't really allowed to have an opinion. The fact that he became more cold and unapproachable also helped stem whispers that he had any knowledge on the matter. Nobody ever came close enough to him to confirm anything. Hence, the conspiracy theories continued to grow and the Academy let it, believing that all the hearsay would further conceal the truth and their part in it.
After some time, all the discussions gave rise to the legend of two persons. The White Wolf was revered to be an illustrious warrior, feared and respected at the same time. Kira Samushiro was remembered as an exemplary student, boasting of unparalleled accomplishments. It appeared as though the Chairman's cover up had worked perfectly because history was being rewritten with half-truths and embellishments. Few remained who knew better and these people guarded the secret as though their lives depended on it.
Days wore on and stretched to seasons. Natsume was sent to mission after mission with Persona breathing threats down his neck. With the constant dangers and the intermittent pain borne from his fourth form Alice, Natsume's heart grew darker and almost unbreakable. He began to put up the front that was expected of him, unfeeling and pitiless. Sometimes he even thought that what the Academy wanted was for him to be lifeless and so there were days when he allowed himself to be. His patience grew thin and his anger was always on the surface. The temper he could barely keep in check flared up too often. Natsume started putting up walls. He grew to believe that this made it safer for everybody and so he began pushing people away.
One of the barriers he put up blocked out the short time he had spent with the Wolf. Remembering his Captain's kindness made him frail and he couldn't allow himself any weaknesses. He locked away everything his seniors had ever given him— the pocket watch, the chessboard, the ornate metal flower— anything that could make him depend on an uncertain future. Over time, he stopped feeling like the boy his seniors had been proud of. Little Nimbus was gone and the Black Cat was there in his place, far more terrifying and untouchable.
One day Narumi walked up to him inside his classroom. By then there was enmity between them. The teacher didn't say a word, knowing the boy would reject any kind words he offered. Instead he laid a small cluster of ice blue hydrangeas on the desk and left. Tucked among the blossoms was a small gift card that stated:
I had my European debut in Prague with Maestro Declan. It was a success and I received lilies after the concert. They were very beautiful.
It was from Marie. The note was cryptic but the message was clear. Kira Samushiro was moving among them again. Even though Natsume had convinced himself by then that he didn't care about what had become of the others, the note wrenched an emotion that twisted his heart; the heart that he thought had died thirty-two missions ago.
For a while news like that came sporadically through means he never found out. He was never able to reply and so it became a one-way communication that his respondents sustained. The messages were usually unsigned and he had to guess if it came from one of his teammates or the Captain himself. Then eventually the messages waned. Though he had nothing to confirm it, he came to believe that his old team had somehow found each other outside.
"Do you miss them?" Ruka asked one night on the rooftop while Natsume rested from another long day. He exhaled.
"Not exactly."
"Then, what exactly?"
"I think about them," he said after a pause.
"That's good enough."
"I guess."
Life in the Academy for Natsume and Ruka became routine, though it was by no means an easy routine. They would attend lessons together if they could. They cut class when they felt like it. Natsume was hailed a genius and he was top star. Ruka wasn't too far behind as a triple star. Natsume continued going on missions and Ruka worried when he was gone. Because of all that they went through and all that they knew about the school, they grew distant and closed-off but somehow they still managed to gather a steady stream of admirers.
This popularity was something they took in stride though often they would also use it for their ends. Natsume became sort of a bully and Ruka went along with him. None of the teachers could fault Natsume because they all knew what the child was going through. In fact, they thought it was admirable that he managed to remain exemplary in class. Consequently, he and Ruka got away with a lot of things that most students would be penalized for.
When they were ten years old, a new girl joined their class and she made waves in the Academy. She fit in easily with Class B and everyone liked her enough. She became friends with Yuu and all the teachers came to know her. To say that her arrival changed Natsume's life wouldn't be accurate. It was safer to say that her arrival spurned a chain of events that would have a significant impact on him, though he didn't know it at the time. The new girl was Hotaru Imai.
Everything that happened after that is another story.
Present day, Alice Academy Museum, Natsume Hyuuga at age thirteen
Natsume sat upon the wooden bench set in front of the large winter landscape that hung at the West Wing of the museum. It had been years since he last looked upon this masterpiece but it was just as he remembered. Of course, none of its subjects had thawed. The mountain wolf was still howling to the cold wind and the young boy was still looking intently upon his flaming hands. But the picture no longer broke his heart. In fact, gazing upon it now brought him an odd sense of comfort because it stood in remembrance of all the people he was grateful to.
He braced one leg over the other then with a sharp eye he read the prominent plate beneath the painting bearing its name.
"His Dark, Kind Soul."
Natsume turned to see Mikan approaching. He wasn't ready for the sudden leap in his chest. She shifted the gift bag she carried to her other hand then continued to gawk at the artwork behind him.
"You know it?"
"It was in one of the yearbooks Anna and I looked through when we were doing the report," she explained. "It's really beautiful."
"And sad," he said dryly.
"Or just beautiful," she retorted.
He snorted. "What are you doing here?"
Mikan sighed. Then she pulled out his uniform jacket from the gift bag. "I came to return this. It's so hard to return things to you, do you know that? Oh, and I also brought you apples like you said. But you can't eat in here. It's not allowed and I don't want to get detention. The last time I got detention was when we—"
"Shh," Natsume hissed then he reached for an apple and took a bite.
"Natsume!"
"Relax no-star," he spoke between bites. "Nobody cares."
She rolled her eyes then turned to the painting. He didn't ask her to leave, which was a good sign because she knew she must have intruded on his alone time by coming here. Mikan thought he probably didn't know but a while ago he was wearing a very forbidding aura, made tangible by his Alice. It had taken her a minute to muster courage to come near him. She was glad that the sinister air had disappeared almost as soon they started talking.
Actually, Natsume did know. He knew he was on edge and was indulging dark thoughts until she made her presence known. He contemplated the reason for that when she suddenly spoke.
"I do."
"What?"
She gave him a winsome smile. "I care."
Natsume snickered. "That was a really long response time."
"Whatever," Mikan said, undaunted. She turned around and stopped in front of him. He grew still at the look she gave him. "I care."
And all at once, Natsume knew why he had been happy to see her just now. The reason why his heart had jumped at the sight of her was because he had something to say to Mikan.
"Are you okay?"
"Shh," he said again but lightly this time.
It was startling to realize that he wanted her to know him. He had shared the story almost grudgingly with their two other classmates, but Mikan was different. She was Marie. She was Mahiro. She was the person who made it easier for him to be in the Academy.
Mikan tipped her head when Natsume didn't speak. Her eyes searched his, looking deeply into that gaze she knew he didn't mean to be frightening. She always loved his color— a deep red— the color of blood and love. A while ago there was tumult in them, but the storm in his irises had settled and his gaze had grown warm and gentle. His Alice too had receded, responding to hers or just to her presence.
She held out her hand. "Let's return to the dorms, Natsume."
Natsume stared up at her then slowly he reached up and took her hand. But he didn't stand up. A warm flush crept over Mikan's cheeks as he continued to stare.
"Sit with me."
Mikan blinked then lowered herself to the bench next to him. She let him rest their clasped hands on his propped up leg. He remained silent, staring up at the painting with the same pensive look he wore when she found him. He didn't look completely at ease but Mikan knew instinctively that what he was contemplating wasn't something that displeased him.
"There's a story behind this painting," he said at last.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Natsume mumbled. His thumb moved absently over the back of her hand. "It's about the artist, Kira Samushiro, and his student, me."
He said it straightforwardly, without guile or hesitation, just as he always wanted to be when Mikan was concerned. Natsume reached into his breast pocket. Instead of pulling out that enigmatic pocket watch as she expected him to do, he pulled out an ornate metal flower. It wasn't polished but when he held it up to her she found it very beautiful. She took it with her free hand and the sincere delight in her eyes brought down his guard further.
"Do you have time to listen?" he asked needlessly.
Mikan smiled. "Always."
"So what are you doing back here?" Narumi asked Davies as he took a sip of water.
He finally finished narrating everything that happened since Davies left to the current day. Although the psychic listened attentively and asked questions every now and then, Narumi had the feeling he didn't really need the summary. It was more likely that the man was fully versed on the events but had wanted to hear Narumi's side. He also had the feeling that while they sat there talking, the older man was really scanning the grounds, searching endlessly for allies, enemies and useful information.
Davies leaned back on his chair. "My brother kept a strict journal on his travels."
"Oh?"
The psychic smiled at his nonplussed expression. "He kept them on his person as he moved. He wanted to be certain that should he change things drastically because of his visits, someone should at least be aware of how history was written before his interference."
"That sounds very smart."
"Yes," Davies agreed. "Something struck me though, a recurring theme in all of his writings. Something he seemed to accept with some regret."
"What is it?"
"That nothing is set in stone," he answered solemnly. "That everything we hold constant may not be after all and so we must learn to value the present, the here and now."
"I suppose that's something he realized because of his Alice."
Davies laughed. "Kira learned it just staying where he was. He prized everyday because his time was so short. He loved this place and from your stories I suppose young Natsume does too."
He was talking in the past tense and that made Narumi worry. He was afraid the older man brought dire news but Davies wasn't one to be prodded. He cleared his throat and tried anyway. "Are you here for a specific reason?"
"Many years ago, a promise was made between a young student and his teacher." Davies sighed and turned his chair towards the window watching the students scattered about the campus. "I'm here to make sure that promise is kept."
Narumi started nodding, "Natsume and Kira."
His companion shook his head and smiled, "Kunimitsu and Taro."
"I give up," Narumi said, throwing his hands in the air. "Enough suspense. Just tell me already. Were you able to find Kira Samushiro out there?"
Davies, the ever Socratic man that he was, returned the question with annoying calm. "Do you think I returned alone?"
Natsume walked back to the main building, with his chest feeling lighter than it had been in weeks. He didn't want to admit it, but this report had taken a toll on him.
He hadn't gotten decent sleep since the night he worked in the library while Mikan kept him company. Right after, he had been whisked away to a difficult mission and upon his return he was confronted by Koko and Kitsuneme who had somehow learned about his past. After that, everything happened quickly: delivering their oral reports, applauding his friends, sending them to the clock tower for punishment. His visit to Kira Samushiro's masterpiece was actually his first moment of repose but drama had followed him even there.
His mind wandered back to the museum and to Mikan's surprising reaction to his story. She had sat in silence as he recounted for the second time in two days what happened to him when he was younger. As the story wore on, she pulled her hand away then stood up to approach the painting. She let Natsume finish without interruption. She didn't ask questions. She didn't clarify a thing. When she kept her back to him for a long time, Natsume was almost certain she was crying.
When he was done, Mikan turned and he was surprised to find her eyes shining with unshed tears. Her lips trembled but the tears didn't spill over. It was so unlike her. Mikan walked up to him and he stumbled to his feet, almost clumsily. It was unusual for them to switch places like that. He was uncertain. She was the strong one.
"He would be so proud to see you now," she told him. "I get it, why he saw so much hope in you. He was right about you. You picked up where he left off. You didn't let him down."
Natsume grunted. "The Wolf loved the whole goddamn student body. I don't have that much heart in me."
"You do," Mikan had said softly. "You don't realize it, but you do."
Before they parted she had hugged him. All his walls came crashing down. That moment was more intimate than any physical contact that came before. Yet, it hadn't been about them. It was all about Natsume and he loved her for not recoiling from him.
Creak!
Natsume stiffened at the sound and the happy memory was quickly snatched away. He didn't slow or quicken his pace but he grew alert and heightened his hearing. Someone was following him, and may have been for a long time now. To test his theory, Natsume turned a corner and sure enough the footfalls remained. The person had quickened his stride, closing the distance between them. At that hour, there were very few students milling the grounds. Most of them had already headed to the dining hall for supper. If he made a scene now, there would hardly be any witnesses.
The Black Cat turned another corner then suddenly broke into a run. The person tracking him did the same and Natsume distinctly heard a muttered curse. He ducked under a rail then jumped a flowerpot. It registered that his pursuer had accomplished the same with equal ease. When Natsume reached a clearing he slid smoothly on the ground. He was exhausted. He was ready to crash. But his body and his instincts remained sharp.
Natsume spun around and threw a fireball. It sailed to the person shadowing him, clearing a distance of three meters with remarkable precision. Before it could hit, however, his target answered with his own element. Ice met fire and there was a harmless explosion that raised dust and cold smoke in the space separating them. With it a hundred memories rushed into Natsume, having seen that counterattack a number of times in the past.
"Nice. That could've cost both of us two minutes."
Natsume nearly lost his footing.
It was a very rare occasion for him to be floored but it was impossible not to be when you saw a ghost. Natsume stepped forward, astonished by the apparition that stood before him in the unshakable, confident stance of a man who once reigned over the Academy. His smile was the same. His tone, friendly and sardonic, had not changed. He was alive. He was well.
"Hey Little Nimbus… or rather, I should say, Black Cat."
Words were lost to him. Natsume had been more than ready to once again close the door on this chapter of his life, but it looked like all he had experienced this week was really leading up to this moment. Countless questions leapt to his lips but immediately died on his tongue as a more powerful sentiment gripped his chest.
We'll be back for you.
We'll see each other again.
We don't have to say goodbye.
His Captain had finally returned.
Find something else to call me.
"Aniki."
Additional Note: The first scene I wrote for 'His Dark, Kind Soul' was the essay at the very beginning of the story that would later become Koko and Kitsuneme's long-awaited oral report. The second scene is the last scene written here.
I had no idea it would take this long to connect the two and I'm glad I finally got here. However, because I think 17 is a better chapter count, one last update will be done in a week's time. Ü