Replying to KingOfPowers: Thank you for your insight and the lenghty review. I understand some of your issues with Ren and I have them too, but she's sort of a strange character at times so it's weird to write her down. About Roku, he was never intended to be a random normie, not even from the beginning of the story! Don't expect an overpowered character, but he's no rookie either. Again thanks for the constructive review!
A/N: I've decided to represent the Mika people the same way Tieflings look. Baldur Gates 3 has an impressive amount of 3D models you can check out to have an idea of how they look, and I think it's a good treat to know how they look because they are an important part of the story and Roku's eventual power (which isn't going to actually show itself up for some time to come)
It hurt. Badly. Every step, every intake of breath, it burnt like fire, but at the same time, the pleasure rushed through his nerves like melted wax through a masochist's skin.
Roku walked around the hallways early in the morning, making his way to the Commander's office, with a tired look on his face and a right hand rubbing his left forearm as anxiety kept dwelling inside him.
He'd never tell anyone, not unless it was dire and actually impossible to live with, but Roku hurt a lot. After the shock diminished and a night went through, the feeling of warmth he had described his commander before, increased. The burnt scar on his chest hadn't really ever healed or attempted to, but it wasn't that place that hurt. More like all over. He felt hot, too hot. As if walking under a summer sun. Directly under it. His feet hurt, his hand hurt, his skin hurt. Not enough to scream, not worse than...other things, but it was a constant feeling. As if he was constantly very close to a campfire. Not about to burn or melt, but his skin ached on that same concept. Not too close to scream, but not too far for it to be comfortable.
Showering did not help. Drinking cold water still felt like drinking cold water; it was refreshing and it made his throat felt cold. But at the same time, he was always burning. He wasn't sweating, wasn't hyperventilating and he definitely wasn't getting any heatstroke. It was more...internal. Mental.
He blamed the eyes inside of him...those monsters, or whatever they were. They were the cause, he was sure. Them and that sword-, or rather, the sword itself. He just knew, he could feel it inside him. Tugging at his nerves, invading his brain. He didn't want to do nothing with them, but it was clear he'd need to reach out and figure it out. Were they enemies or allies? Friend or foe? Helpful or...not helpful at all.
"You okay, kid?" A voice he had heard before kicked him out of his train of thought and he turned around to find Dian, the head chef, staring at his direction as she rested her body on the kitchen's door frame. He uniform was squeaky clean and shiny and her face was filled with energy. Clearly a morning person, unlike Roku Denki.
"Oh...I'm alright, Miss Dian" The janitor lord through his teeth and the woman merely clicked her tongue twice in disapproval.
"Your steps are all uneven, and you've been scratching your arm so much it's hurting yourself...and my ears" The dark haired guy frowned, but sure enough, he lifted his long sleeve to find his arm slightly red and bloody from scratches alone. Had he lost himself that much?, "Get over here, I know what ya' missing" The blind woman waved him inside and Roku complied. He had some time to reunite with Ren. He just hoped the commander didn't catch him utterly damaging his arm just like the chef did.
Roku entered the kitchen to find it as busy as ever, most of the staff waking with heavy stuff in their hands and/or preparing different ingredients and mixes.
"Sorry to bother..." He muttered lowly, but to his surprise most girls either smiled his way or waved. Roku didn't notice, but he had managed to gain a reputation with the kitchen and health staff after helping out and the outstanding job he did at cleaning.
Her little daughter was nowhere to be found.
"Here" Dian opened up an oven and a smell of steak invaded Roku's nostrils like a burglar crashing into an unknown house. Steak, beans, rice. Paprika, salts and spices could be found into the aroma and it made the janitor gravitate towards the plate.
"Woah, that's like, way beyond my pay grade, Miss Dian" He let out the off-comment and some women behind him snickered. Dian herself let out a chuckle and denied with her head.
"Perks of getting along with the kitchen, kid" Dian handed him the plate and Roku dove in with gusto, combining all flavors and experiencing joy for the first time that day, "Hey there...that's real hot, be careful" She mentioned but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to like it more that way.
The more it felt like burning, the better it tasted.
"This is delicious, ma'am" He complimented without stopping and the staff had to double check to realize the thing was still burning hot, with smoke coming out of it. It was strange to say the least but they all attributed it to upbringing. Maybe Roku was used to that heat.
At the end, that had to be the only explanation.
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At the Commander's office, Ren Yamashiro could be seen walking in distress from side to side with a pensive look on her face and a few notes in hand. God's problems pushed to the back of her head, the fact that no one she contacted had an answer to her questions was as strange as it was infuriating.
Why had her request been denied? She's the owner of the place, she could build an entire room for Roku Denki in the blink of an eye without help, and she only sent the request as per procedure and decorum. It made no sense, she didn't even know that rejection cards existed. Less so that someone could actually deny her such a thing.
Until it clicked her that most of the government officials held in the administration were old, disturbingly salty grey women, and suddenly things turned out clear. They were against the idea that a man could get a room for themselves in the strongest corporation in the world. It all fit together. The horrible room assigned to him, the overall tasks given...it made sense. They were trashing on Roku Denki.
She growled low and half planned to fly over to the nearest portal and take matters into her own hands against the administration offices, but then a knock on the door stopped her from taking sudden actions.
"Commander?" It was Roku Denki. "I mean, Ren, are you here?" He questioned from the other side of the door and Ren had to give herself a moment, fix her hair and attire, before coughing and allowing the doors to slide open.
Stepping inside was a cheerful Janitor, his eyes filled with newfound energy and the tail tale of something good happened lingering within his dark eyes.
"Ren" He may now call her that way, but his tone still had that edge that dictated whether he was talking business or friendly matters, "Good to see you" Even then, he offered a small smile and she couldn't help but reciprocate it.
"Likewise. I can see you're in a good mood today" The janitor blinked in surprise, perplexed. Was it that obvious?
"Well, the kitchen chief handed me some breakfast today and it just made my day. It was that good a dish" He let the commander know and she merely nodded in understanding.
"Our kitchen is one of the best around. Dian is a well-known chef in the whole world as well" Roku couldn't help but agree with that statement.
"It's good to see you know the name of your people" The dark haired girl hummed pridefully, filling up her chest and lifting it while doing so.
"I'll have you know that I'm well aware of every single one of my subordinates. I know all the names, ages and health situation. And each one of them has had to go through me to be part of this amazing team" She was boasting, but it was in good light so Roku didn't mind at all.
"That's commendable" He praised the commander and took hold of a chair nearby, carrying it so he could sit in front of the commander.
She followed suit and took a seat on her throne-like arm chair.
"So, regarding the issue about Kota and our health quarters-,"
"Which we'll follow up as soon as possible" She interrupted and Roku nodded gratefully.
"Yeah...you mentioned something about my pay" Ren nodded twice and Roku only chuckled drily at her, "Well, I don't get paid to being with" he was met with utter silence.
"Whatever do you mean by that?" After a minute, that was all Ren managed to ask. After all her boasting, she had no clue Roku wasn't being paid a dime for his services.
"My contract...or rather the reason why I'm here to begin with, is quite special" He started, "I'm not here for money, although it's not like we don't need it. But the government called us through medical request...and well-," Ren's eyes turned into an scowl and she pursed her lips together in a flash of quick rage.
"They offered Kota's treatment as your payment" She interrupted him, finishing his sentence and sighing once Roku nodded in agreement. The commander clicked her tongue in frustration, not finding it fair or unfair but rather sketchy.
"Correct. I really couldn't refuse, but now that you're countering that with this..." Ren's gut suddenly sank real low.
Roku wanted out, didn't he? He came here to ask for his release. It would make sense. No one liked being slaved out to a corporation that treat him as bad as they did (including herself at first) and less so being...a janitor. He seemed to be so much more than that. So...capable.
If he asked her, she'd let it be. Ren would let him go, no questions asked. Roku had earned that right, she knew about his situation, she knew he had people waiting for him back home.
But even then, her heart weighted on her like a whale. Almost too heavy. One of the first individuals in the world she aimed to keep as a friend, gone from her daily life. She'd never voice it, but it was truly a bit heartbreaking. But alas, Ren could still visit...keep in touch. Do stuff friends do, she guessed.
It wouldn't be that horrible.
"I just thought you could actually pay me instead now" Roku continued and the dark haired commander felt such a level of relief that she actually thought of herself a bit ridiculous.
Perplexed, it took her a while to regain composure.
"Oh, truth be told I thought you'd like to drop this job...after all that's happened to you" She confessed with conflicted feelings. Roku for once threw her a knowing smile, and finally slouched a little into his chair, relaxing.
"Would you miss me if I were to leave, commander?" Ren's eyes shot up and her heartbeat stopped for a second. Not at the statement, but at the actual fact that Roku was...teasing her. She didn't think he was capable of it, not with how serious he was all the time. Sarcastic, sure. But a tease...?
It felt right. It felt like what a friendly banter would be like, and it made her happy.
"Oh please" She scoffed with humor and pushed her hair to the back with added emphasis, "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Roku Denki" She chuckled and Roku couldn't help but laugh a bit as well.
They stared at each other for a second before Roku attacked once again.
"Would you though?" Again, a funny tone added to it and Ren merely shrugged in response, not giving in, even if in her mind the answer was obvious, "On a serious note, not really. I'm not leaving, and you can see it as both a token of gratitude and also selfishness. I can't really leave until I figure out my current condition, and I can't leave after knowing so much about you all, the situation and the dangers we're all facing" Roku scratched the back of his head awkwardly and chuckled softly, "I'm aware I wouldn't be much help, but if you'll have me..."
"Of course I'll have you!" Ren stated as a factual matter and after a second of pondering, her face exploded into a red tomatoe, "I-I mean, of course we'll have you! You've proven yourself quite useful, far beyond just a janitor. You may not have much prowess, but you make a difference. The fact that you popped in my mind when I searched for assistants around this damned infection says as much" She declared and the dark haired man nodded in return.
"Thank you, commander" He smiled wholeheartedly, but Ren huffed cutely, crossing her arms and denying with her head.
"It's not 'commander' for you" She complained, eliciting a chuckle out of Roku.
"Right. I forgot, Ren" The janitor fixed his mistake and stood up to stretch his back, "You've changed, y'know?" Ren was taken aback by the comment, "My first time on HQ, I thought you'd be the hardest to deal around here, no offense" She frowned. She did take offense...
But he was right.
"And you are, but it's not a bad time at all when you're around. In fact, I enjoy myself" Oh he was looking for it. Still, she shook her head and took a pensive stand.
"I don't know if I've changed or not. It's not...usual for me to behave like this, or to be friendly with anybody; it doesn't necessarily have to be the fact that you are a man, but I'm stoic with everyone around me" Ren had no intentions of treating Roku the way she did, but it sure didn't change how she was with other people, "I don't let anyone interrupt me, I don't allow mistakes or let people do anything half-heartedly. I'm still very much the commander of this entire place; you're just being saved from the worst of it...maybe because I want to cherish something I thought I'd never need, or maybe I'm just being an idiot" She sighed. Barely two weeks have gone through and she was behaving this way...so out of character. And the worst part, it was only with the janitor.
Just a few moments ago, she almost bit off someone's head thanks to their incompetences, over something meager. Nothing had changed in that regard, everyone seemed below her. And she was still the same with everyone.
Everyone except Roku Denki.
"I think I just needed someone to talk to" She concluded, but to the dark haired man it seemed strange for her to think that way.
"I just think you're human, y'know? People always like to say they don't need either friendships or anything of the sort...but as long as you're human, I think it's fair to say you'd need some people to rely on..." He hummed deep in thought, "I still feel like it's weird to call you by your name, but, you've shown me you're quite human, Ren" The commander merely blinked in confusion and surprise.
Anyone else calling her that way would've made it feel like she was being made fun of. But with the way Roku said it...it just fit.
She guessed it was right. After all, she was indeed the apex of humanity.
"I'll...take that as a compliment" The commander could only accept it and move past the comment. Roku merely nodded and stood up.
"It was. But I have to leave, I've got some stuff to clean and I bet the Chief is looking for me, she said she'd be done with work past midday" Ren grimaced visually at the thought of that wind woman following Roku's shadow wherever he went, but if he didn't complain then neither would she.
"Roku" She still called out, lifting her hand to magically stop him from opening the door and leaving but ultimately not doing anything of the sort. Roku had requested she wouldn't, and she'd comply.
"Yes?"
"Instead of being a janitor...why don't you become my assistant?"
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"And then she said it wasn't her fault the stupid boiler exploded! She used napalm to turn it back on! Isn't that stupid, Roku-chin?"
Yakumo found herself floating on top of an occupied, dark haired janitor, spouting and raining complains and gossip of her everyday life to the poor soul as he spared no second to a break. The girl's bathhouse (not occupied at the moment) needed cleaning and the faster he scrubbed, the sooner he'd be done with menial tasks.
It was Wednesday, and he wouldn't be able to visit the human world until the weekend, but he needed to check up on it through texts alone if nothing else. Akima would keep him posted.
"I think the stupid part is you appointing a literal gun-ammo maker as a weekly cleaner" Roku retorted back without taking his eyes off his tasks. Scrub and scrub, dark mud go away.
"Well! If only the commander approved my request to make you our personal quarter janitor, I wouldn't need to choose people from my own unit anymore!" Undignified, Yakumo retorted with a fantasy of her own, tongue out in mocking fashion.
Having Roku as part of her unit, if only destiny would allow it...
"That's not on me, Chief. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the only janitor in the headquarters and I don't think Ren will let you take me all for yourself" He mocked back as he scrubbed some other parts of the bath without a care of the world.
Yakumo felt something strange burn inside her chest.
"Ren!?" The wind user questioned, way louder than what she had expected, "Y-You call the commander by her name!?" Roku, none the wiser, just shrugged in return.
"Yup. She asked me to call her that way, something about 'commander doesn't feel right when you say it 'she said, so..."
It took less than a second for Yakumo to response.
"You can't call me Chief anymore" It was so fast a response that it caught both of them off guard, but moreso the wind user. Usually her mind ran as fast as her mouth, but this time she had spoken without even realizing it.
The feeling was true, however.
Still, she covered her mouth in embarrassment,
"I mean...I just-, it's not...fair" The purple haired girl could barely place her thoughts in order, ultimately knowing it was a bout of jealousy but finding it weird within her.
"It's not fair?" Roku inquired, turning around and dropping his sponge to the ground, stopping his actions. For once, he wasn't really attacking her with his eyes, but he was rather confused.
The wind user frowned and pouted. No, it wasn't fair. Him calling the commander like that...when they have spent the most time together and slept in the same bedroom...it wasn't fair. She got along far better with Roku than that scary woman ever did.
"No more 'chief' from now on" She crossed her arms below her chest and dropped down to Roku's level, which meant sitting on the bath floor like he was.
"Oh?" Rather than against it, Roku seemed intrigued by the sudden change, "And what's the meaning behind this request?" His face told the world he was teasing her, and Yakumo reacted by running a blush she had never intended to wear in front of the janitor.
"Well, we get along quite nicely! And I don't think of you as my subordinate or anything of the sort...it's not fair if you only call Ren by her given name, I want you to call me by name too!" No clear explanation was given, yet the sentiment was laid out clearly.
Roku addressed it as an issue of friendship values. If he was on name basis with someone like Ren, then why wouldn't he be with someone that would be considered closer to him, like Yakumo?
On a superficial side, it made sense.
"So no more Chief, is that okay?" She still asked even if the tone was a commanding one, and Roku couldn't help but chuckle.
"Sure...then what should I call you? Is Yakumo fine? Or Ezo?" She made a sound with her mouth and laughed.
"Obviously Yakumo!" She gave him a thumbs up and a wink.
"Hmm, Yakumo" Roku tested the sound and the wind user immediately beamed at his words, the air around her lifting them both up in the air without noticing as she did so, "Woah!"
"It sounds great!" She didn't even seem to register floating in the air, probably because she was used to it already. The janitor decided not to mention it, "Do you want me to call you something different?" It was either his lack of sleep, or the constant burning around his being, but Yakumo seemed to be a bit different than before. More cautious, less pushy.
Did something change while he was asleep? Or was it the day when he left to check on his family?
"You can call me whatever you want" The janitor decided, holding his body from lifting up higher by grabbing to a nearby edge, "Also, we're about to take off to the moon, Yakumo..." His sarcasm made her laugh with gusto and they both slowly made their way back to the bathroom floor.
"My bad, sometimes it acts up without thinking"
"Really? Peach blessings act based on emotions?" For once, his interest seemed directed at the blessings in question. Before, Roku wouldn't even give a damn about how things worked.
"Mm, mine does. I think some do, like Kyoka's or Himari Azuma's...others I don't think they do. Mira only makes clones, so there's not so much change around when it comes to it. I've seen some blessings evolve, but it doesn't have to do with emotions at times. It can be something else entirely" Roku hummed in response, deep in thought. "Why? What's up?"
"No, it's just...something's been on my mind lately ever since the...incident happened" The janitor seemed hesitant to talk about it.
"You can tell me! I may not be the smartest individual, but you can count on me, Roku-chin" The guy chuckled lightly and sighed.
"For what's worth, I do count on you, Chief" She internally pouted but guessed that the habit would take a bit to remove itself, "I've been...burning ever since that sword went inside me" He confessed, taking hold of a cleaning sponge and rubbing it on the remaining filth, "It's not...something I can explain, but I can feel this sensation on every fiber of my being. When I walk, the bottom of my feet burn. When I talk, my throat itches...drinking anything cold feels cold but it doesn't help. I'm not sweating, and I'm not melting, it's just...a mental thing I guess" Roku scratched the back of his head in a clear show of anxiety, and wondered if it'd be okay to leave now and lit up for a little.
"Have you talked to the commander about it?" She questioned, surprisingly serious. For once, she was listening without jest, "I don't think it's just a mental thing, but I'm not too sure how to help you" Yakumo leaned closer to Roku and placed her hands on his arms.
His temperature was normal, that was for sure.
"I have, sort of. I just didn't tell her it hurt...but it kinda does, it's just not unbearable" He let out a long sigh and stood up, offering Yakumo a hand once he did so, "I'm done here. Join me outside?"
The wind-user looked up and blushed a bit before nodding contentedly. She noticed how calloused his hand was once she took hold of it, and silently cherished the feeling.
"Angsty?" She asked even if she knew the answer, giggling once he shrugged in return.
"You know the drill" Roku opened the nearest window found after existing the bathhouse and jumped out, with the 5th unit's chief following suit.
He just didn't expect to find the second's chief sparring against herself right outside the facility.
"Ou! It's Roku and the pervert!" She noticed them immediately, thanks to her sharpened reflexes. Ignoring the wind-user's insults and complains, Roku merely waved back to the captain as he readied up a cigarette with his other hand.
"It's the captain" He greeted the blonde chief once she closed the distance with them and nonchalantly lit up, enjoying wave of relaxation he felt from the single intake of smoke he just had.
"Done cleaning?" The Yankee asked, still ignoring Yakumo's stares and badmouthing. Roku's smoking deterred her a second, but she had heard about it before, and it wasn't anything out of this world, so she'd not question it, it wasn't her place.
"Bathhouse done, toilet sections done, medical quarter done...I think I'm done for the day, yeah" He answered as he smoked, and Mira offered him a thumbs up. Roku still dreaded having to clean up dry blood every again; it was an extremely difficult challenge. More so when it was your own blood...
"Yup! We're done for the day!" The wind user cheered and Roku merely sweat dropped. His pan-like face told Mira all she needed to know; he'd probably been working the entire midday while Yakumo only annoyed the hell out of him as he did so.
That was their bane for such a long time, and now Roku had obtained the curse himself.
"Why? Something on your mind?" The janitor managed while Yakumo jumped and cheered for nothing in particular, her inner child taking hold of her body like it usually did.
"Just wondering if you were up for a session?" Mira questioned again and the 5th unit's chief immediately started barking.
"Hell no! Doctor said one week of resting! No punches 'till then!" She exclaimed with a frown on her face and a tongue out to mock Mira out of her plans.
"Oh shut up, you only say that because you wanna keep hogging this man here all for yourself" Like always, things backfired and her embarrassment was so hard that she floated up a few meters onto the air. Whether or not Roku noticed this reaction, his face told no tales.
"I wouldn't mind" He replied back and rolled up his sleeves, showcasing the intriguing scars he had around his arms, "Let me finish up my cig, though"
"Sure, no problem" The Yankee started stretching on the spot, placing her hat down on the grass as she did so, "You been ok with that injury of yours?"
"Not really? It's not my wound that bothers me but-"
"Roku-chin's been burning up!" Yakumo finished his sentence for him, forcing his eyebrows to tick in annoyance. He hadn't planned to lay out the cards for Mira that fast, but Yakumo had done so in a jiffy.
"Been burning up?" She questioned Roku and he sighed in response.
"Yakumo, things I tell you stay between you and I, is that okay?" Not really hearing Mira's question, Roku's tone turned to something neither captain's had heard before. Less than a suggestion, more like an order. Clearly he was used to giving out such orders as well, as he didn't hesitate to state it.
Mira just smirked, quite happy someone was willing to teach the hyper woman how to behave for once.
Yakumo instead just felt her gut drop low, almost immediately falling down from her floated status onto the ground.
Did Roku get mad at her?
"And yeah...about that, I've been burning ever since my incident. Like I mentioned before, I don't really know how to explain it but...I'm just burning all over, and I think it has to do with that sword" At the end, the janitor ended up explaining the issue anyway.
No one managed to hear the extremely low sorry Yakumo muttered out.
"So it's like that, huh?" The blonde yankee lifted her hand up to her chin and pondered for a bit, "Maybe we should put the fighting on hold..." She lifted her hands in suspense when Roku tried to object, "Chill! I have an idea that might help you out" She grinned proudly and started marching towards the opened window that Yakumo and Roku exited through.
"That leads to the bathhouse, idiot" The wind user threw out a verbal attack, and Mira merely responded with a middle finger herself.
She took off her hat and smirked.
"That's exactly where we're going"
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"Why are we out here, grandma?"
"I need to cleanse you a bit, Homare-chan~"
On the northern side of the Mato realm laid down on the grass a well-rested Homare Azuma, with a bandaged arm stuck to her chest and bruises all over her body (already healing).
On the other side, standing up proudly (albeit a midget) was the former head of the Azuma Clan, Tovera Azuma.
Both in the family's green garden.
"I heard what happened, you made good work of that new boy" Tovera snickered, ever the devil incarnate, even when the poor ninja daughter frowned in response.
"I barely remember most of it, but I remember enough to know I should probably apologize" She sighed, and the older lady smacked her forehead in return, "H-Hey!"
"No can do, no apologizing for this incident" The shorter lady placed both her hands on her granddaughter's chest , "Let's hope this hurts" She chuckled devilishly again and Homare could only gulp drily in return.
Her hands turned into that shiny golden colour of restoration but instead of relief, Homare tensed, feeling something bizarre moving within her.
"G-gran..." She managed between clenching teeth. This was like...
"We're removing a parasite" The light in her hands intensified and immediately a certain part within her midsection started vibrating chaotically, attempting to pierce move locations as if to hide from the light, "This is corruptive matter, and as the name suggests, it likes corrupting...add a bit of healing energy, and it'll try to run away" She dragged her hands close to the ninja's stomach and the bizarre feeling itself started moving on its opposite direction, running away from the light.
Homare didn't need to be a genius to understand what was going to happen next.
Tovera instead could only showcase a devilish smile that grew wider by the second.
"Now, which exit do you want this thing to take?" Her grandma chuckled loudly, knowing this would be nowhere fatal but still very bizarre and scary, "Above or below?"
Dreadful eyes and painful silence. After a few merciful minutes of leeway, the small yet monstruous woman decided to take the step for her granddaughter (who understandably would never voice out an answer to such question).
"Below it is!"
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"You're not expecting me to take a bath right in front of you all, are you?"
Inside the bathhouse water could be heard running down and filling the pool surrounding it, with the trio all standing at the edge and waiting for it to burn up.
"I wouldn't mind!" Yakumo pitched in, imagining a naked Roku enjoying a warm bath after hard work.
"Hell no, there's towels and ropes at the back, I'm just here to guide you through the process" Mira instead went straight to business, signaling the dressing room on the side.
Roku sighed and marched towards the place, stretching as he did so.
"Funny" The blonde Yankee commented once the janitor was out of sight, "Your boyfriend stretches the way military kids do" Yakumo's face exploded into a fuming tomato and she almost fell from the edge of the pool.
"D-Don't say those things!" The wind user barely managed to say something through the embarrassment and Mira's joyful laughter, "Seriously!" She pouted and frowned. If Roku ever heard those words she'd be found out and everything would probably go to hell.
That was the last of her wishes.
"Calm down, he won't catch it" The second unit's captain could hardly hold it together, seeing one of the most powerful (and annoying) captains inside the corporation behaving like this over a guy was too endearing and funny not to laugh at it.
"But if he does, he'll stop talking to me! He's like, way too careful with this things..." Yakumo stared at the water in front of her, slightly moody.
"Pffft! Impossible" The purple haired woman's ears rose up in intrigue at the blonde's statement, "Look, if he hasn't run away by now after co-existing with you on a daily basis for two weeks, nothing's doing it. Or well, nothing modest, so don't go over board with your bullshit" She sweat dropped. If anyone could scare away anything precious from her life, it'd be Yakumo, "Rather, I'd say you take your chances, because as soon as the quarantine is over you'll go back to your captain duties and won't see the guy often anymore" She finished and Yakumo could only sulk farther into the ground, looking like a sad blob.
"Y-You're right..." She sulked again, or attempted to, but immediately forced herself to perk up at the sight of Roku finally coming out from the dressing room.
Only wearing a robe and with a towel hanging on his shoulder.
"So your idea of training will be meditating, captain?" The janitor questioned once he was close enough for them to hear.
"You mentioned being warm, and truth be told, it happens to the best of us" The blonde Yankee started explaining, "I think a good cold shower will help you out"
"I've taken cold showers already...they don't help. I feel cold outside but warm inside, it's like...the flu. But I'm not sick and don't feel under the weather" Even he had trouble explaining the issue, "I don't think cold is the answer here" He finalized and Mira hummed in response, pensive.
"Then how about hot showers? Maybe take a shower so hot that your current state feels cold in comparison" None other than Yakumo laid down such a brilliant idea out of the top of her head.
Roku blinked twice, perplexed and surprised. Immediately the wind-user pouted in response.
"Why is it so surprising that I give out an idea!? I always share ideas" She exclaimed with a frown.
"Yes, but not coherent ones" The wind user threw a middle finger towards Mira and the 2nd's chief merely shrugged in return, "But this one makes sense, to be fair"
"I didn't think about that" Roku commented as well, "It's worth a try" The janitor walked up to a few levers on a wall and pulled the red one, immediately turning the water into a hot pool.
A whiff of the vapor coming from it was all he needed.
This was different.
"I think this is going to work" Although for better or for worse, I'm not sure he thought, gulping drily as he approached the water.
"H-Hey, Roku-chin. Don't you wanna wait for it to cool down a bit? It's almost boiling hot" Nervous, Yakumo attempted to taste the waters with her fingers only to retrieve them right before she did. The stuff was hotter than thermal lands.
"No, this...this is what I need" Roku for his part seemed at a lost of words. His heart was racing and his mouth watering as if being offered a plate of food after ten days of famish, "It's what they need" He didn't have to dig into his mind, because words were pouring in it.
Finally!
Jump in!
Delicious warmth...
Just like last time, different voices and different tones, all inside his head. This was the eyes's doing, no two ways about it, although he was already aware of that.
Still, he hesitated. The water was absolutely dangerously hot, so much that some bubbles were aiming to start popping up.
Just how hot were these things allowed to get? This was a bathhouse, for god's sake.
"We'll be ready to retrieve you if anything happens" Mira mentioned, already summoning clones to be on alert. Whatever Roku mentioned about they, she wouldn't question it until later.
Yakumo just remained silent, and on the watch.
Go do it! We promise, it won't hurt!
One child-like voice tried once again and this time convinced Roku Denki to finally get inside the hot pool in front of him.
First, a single toe.
Then, immediately, the rest of his body. Almost as if it was possessed. It just jumped in without care and with enthusiasm filling his chest to the brim.
At first, the thing stung the way it supposed to, so much that he feared his skin would start burning and then peel off his skin.
But then...
"Oh man" He exhaled, with his anxiety leaving him the way a cigarette smoke would do but ten times over.
"What? Are you...are you okay!?" Yakumo couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't even approach the water because of the heat, but Roku instead seemed like a kid in a summer pool break, floating around with a relaxed face.
"This is...unusual" Mira stated, equally dumbfounded. She hadn't seen developments like this in quite a while, and maybe it was time for Roku to explain some things he may be hiding. But for now, she'd let him be.
"I'm fine, but I need a second" In truth, he couldn't even talk. The voices started going crazy as soon as he jumped into the pool, emitting strange noises of satisfaction and joy. They were cheerful, to say the least, "I'll think I'll...try meditating this. Don't worry if you don't see me talking or reacting" he said, and closed his eyes.
He hadn't attempted to reach out before, mainly because these were the entities that tried to kill him before. But now, he'd need to take his chances and communicate.
-Inside Roku's mind-
It took no effort to drift into the back of his head, specially into the pocket that the small entities had decided to make themselves at home. Ever since the incident, he had been able to feel the begrudging feeling on a certain spot of his mind that did not belong to him. Now, it was only a nudge away from reacting and pulling him into the stuff.
But unlike before, the place wasn't pitch black anymore. It was a place of life, filled with green grass and beautiful Sakura trees all around, all connected by common Japanese festive decorations and lights. It seemed like the eyes had started making themselves at home for once.
"We're not 'eyes', stupid!" The same child-like voice from before appeared right from behind him, and Roku didn't waste a second to turn around, expecting nothing but the same floating eyes.
Instead, a surprise. A small child,-, a girl, to be precise. But not of any human colour, rather, red. Bright red, like a devil. With a small horn on the side of her head and a pony tail tying up her dark hair. Her eyes...
It was those same bright red eyes, but far less menacing.
"We may not be eyes, but with the show we gave you last time, it's not wrong for you to think that" Another voice, another turn around. This time, an old woman, with the same skin and the same horns on her forehead, just larger and well-defined. Instead of the children's fiery eyes, these one's showed a gentle fire. Perhaps, old age knowledge. Who knew?
"Are you-?" He tried, but arms around him interrupted the janitor. Immediately, he attempted to free himself from the tight embrace but it was to no avail. The strength was massively different.
"You've finally decided to meet us!" Another female voice, this time of his own age, "Took you some time!" Her arms were like scales and human flesh combined, both harsh but at places, soft. They all smelled of smoke though.
"Let go of him" More voices, and more people. All resembling those you'd find on small villages, all of different apparent ages. And all women. Old, young or child, they were red, horned and scaly.
All surrounded Roku Denki, totaling around thirteen people.
"What do we owe the visit? We thank you for the warmth, also" The oldest of them stated, as she made a motion and suddenly the arms keeping hold of him let go.
Turning around, the youngster turned out to be a long haired beauty, with shinier scales than most and bright red eyes that resembled a ruby. Straight brown hair and fine face features.
She was also taller than him, by a lot.
"I...I just had this issue-," Roku couldn't help but feel strange around all these people. It was as if they were there and at the same time they weren't, making hard to understand what was real and what wasn't, "Too..."
"Warm?" The tall girl finished his sentence, and chuckled when he nodded.
"Everything's warm...hot? It's burning me, but it isn't. It hurts but it doesn't really" He suddenly frowned, remembering these were still the entities that had planned to kill him, "And I'm sure it has to do with you people...I have a lot of questions, and not a single answer"
"A lot of questions? You barely have questions, kid" The oldest of the kind laughed and walked closer to him, "You have three questions, so far. 'Why did we attack you?, Why are you going through this changes? And who are we, exactly?'
Embarrassed, Roku huffed and crossed his fingers.
"Still, it's enough to feel confused" The small child instead commented by his side, standing beside him, she was as tall as his knee but with a fiery and brave look on her eyes.
"Yes, but is it time for answers?" Another woman looking around thirty years old countered.
"I think it's time for some"
"It's too soon"
"He's too young"
"We were young too"
"He isn't supposed to know"
"Well, we aren't supposed to be here either"
At the end, half the people separated between siding with Roku or leaving him in the dark for the time being, with the eldest simply staying in between, smiling as the people interacted politely. It was...strange that they were all women, or at least, that they all had the appearance of women. But they weren't as aggressive as he initially thought, and for some reason (maybe because they existed within him) he felt familiar with them. Like he belonged.
"I suppose we can answer some questions" The elder decided, taking her stand in the middle of the two sides, "But we may not give you all the answers right now, young one. You're simply not prepared" She stated, and Roku only nodded in response.
"Who are you?" He questioned right away, and the old lady smiled in return. They had no qualms answering that question.
"We're the Mika people!" Everyone answered together, some cheering, others with a prideful tone on it. By the looks of it, they wouldn't elaborate any further
"Okay. Then..." Most of the red-horned people gathered in front of him, except for the children who were occupied playing, and some other people clearly not as interested, "Am I gonna end up looking like you?" He questioned, signaling their scales and horns, and those red eyes and skin.
In response, they laughed.
"Good question! In truth, we're not sure" Roku raised an eyebrow at the young woman who answered, which stood out thanks to her bright blonde hair that was different from all others. Other people mainly had dark or purple hair, "But you'd look good in red, I promise" She winked. Roku paid it no mind.
"Is this what you meant by saying that you're not supposed to be here?"
"Hmm...yes and no. By the very nature of things, we're not supposed to be with you; by the law of reality, it's not allowed...which is why we tried, y'know, to eliminate you" Roku frowned as the woman answered, "But if we're here, then there must be a reason indeed"
"So you are a peach?" He questioned and no one answered for a second.
"We are but we also are not. Some circumstances made us end up as a peach, but our origin comes from somewhere else" The eldest took up on the question and left it ambiguous, indicating he wouldn't talk any further about it.
Roku sighed and looked around. Most of the people seemed normal if not counting the strange scales and colours, or the horns. They acted normally and portrayed themselves as such, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel like there was an underlying secret no one wanted to speak about.
"Right, changing subjects. I'm burning all the time, but my temperature has not raised in the slightest, is this your doing?"
"It's part of the process!" A kid answered behind him, as he played with an inflated balloon that had appeared apparently out of nowhere.
"A process?"
"Yes, it's part of a process. When we entered your heart, there were two possibilities: one, you'd die on the spot" Roku made an awkward face, remembering the pain in his chest, "Or the second option, you'd absorb some our blood and start a process" The ancient lady told with a wise tone.
"Just for your information, surviving the attack had less than one percent chances of happening. You should've been incinerated before the blade even reached your skin...but alas, things...happen, I guess" Another youngster with short hair and big glasses informed Roku as if it was simply a matter of fact.
"So now I've got...your blood?" Roku continued inquiring, confused. He ran his hands around his body for no particular reason.
"Not our blood. Never our blood" Immediately, all of the women answered back in unison, "It's all his blood" They chanted, with the children laughing as they did so, even if the tone was dead serious. To them, it was tradition. To Roku, it was very unsettling.
"Our time is running low here, but let me tell you a few things" The eldest of them, again, approach Roku as everyone else remained still, "We are not what you think we are, but you won't see the real picture until much further down the line" She reached a hand and touched his cheek. It started burning almost immediately, catching fire as if he was made of wood.
Surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all. In fact, it was quite pleasing.
"Fire is not your foe any longer, it shall be your ally" The woman dragged her finger down to his neck and then chest, leaving a trail of fire as she did so, "Seek heat to find peace, look for flame to ignite strength, and don't be afraid...always remember" She chanted, and Roku's body ignited whole, forcing a scream out of him.
"The king of hell is always watching" They all chanted.
White noise filled his ears and a flash of light went out before his eyes, effectively blinding him.
The next thing he knew, he was laying down on the bottom of an empty pool, with both captain Mira and Yakumo looking over him with worry, sweat falling down from their faces as if they were facing the summer sun directly.
"Roku-chin!" The wind-user exclaimed with worry, but did not attempt to reach him at all.
"Hey, bud. You back?" Mira seemed to be more composed but just as sweaty.
"I'm...back, sort of" Roku managed, sitting up to look around him, "Did you drain the pool?" It would make sense. He had probably lost the weight of time in his meditation, and over staying inside hot water was never a good idea.
But then Yakumo started shaking her head in denial, and the janitor could only gulp in reply, knowing where this was heading.
"No, buddy" Mira replied back, and chuckled nervously.
Both the captain's eyes showed the actual weight of the situation...
"You just turned bright red, and dried out the pool"
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The commander of the magical elite corporation laid down on her king sized, pink royal bed inside her own, private and special bedroom. Wearing her usual black and yellow robe/pajamas and hugging a huge plushy dog, she kept making weird faces as thoughts kept running through her head.
Roku Denki declining her assistant proposition.
Quarantine.
The god's infections.
And now, the Azuma had found the cause of the dark mob they encountered a couple weeks ago.
In a picture on her mobile's phone, appeared a small black line of dark matter that kept twisting in weird directions the way a parasite would.
And on the end of its tail, the cause of all her worry.
It was without a doubt, according to Tovera and the Azuma's investigators, the worst of all their enemies to date.
Right next to the parasite, a small piece of dark-golden fruit.
A small piece of Homare Azuma's peach blessing.