A/N: Lots of research on how Japan certifies and records death and how it handles funerals. For this chapter, it appears that there's not a whole lot of autopsies when it comes to the dead, and as late as 2011 (according to the Library of Congress and National Library of Medicine) only 11% of corpses were given an autopsy (reportedly, one of the lowest rates in the world). Consequently, most were only given a cursory external inspection. This tracks with Japan's history, which tended to exclude examination and handling of bodies and had a specific caste of 'Untouchables' during the Edo period for doing so (owing to Shinto and Buddhist religious beliefs regarding the touching of decaying matter as polluting). As this story's timeline would fit roughly into the period of 2004-2007, I have attempted to remain true to this practice.
Also, many thanks to Smartalec121 and Ruki44 for helping me. This chapter was something of a beast for me to work out and took quite a bit of time for me to find my footing with it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own When the World's Not Ending, by Smartalec121 or any of their associated works.
Off the Beaten Path
Chapter: 25/ A Handful of Dust: Part 1
"All outgoing communications stabilized," Riley reported from her station, unable to hide the relief in her voice. "Emergency services are in Chou Park now. I'm getting reports that the Tamers have all been found and are being prepped for transportation to the hospital."
"Just the Tamers?" Himiko asked. Her fists squeezed anxiously.
"Reports are still coming in," Tally said from her position behind Riley. "Yamaki was found alongside Suzie. Condition is…" Her voice stumbled and her hands froze over her control panel. "No. T-That can't be right. Oh, God… Riley…"
"What?"Hearing her frightened tone, Riley looked over her shoulder at Tally. "What's happened?!"
"Ootori, log out," Himiko ordered before Tally could respond, not liking the panicked sound to the Chief Operator's voice. A suspicion gnawed at the back of her mind regarding Yamaki, but she put it on the backburner for now.
"Hata…!" Riley began to protest, but Himiko overrode her.
"Log out!" she repeated, this time with a bit more force. "Onodera, continue monitoring communications and send me an official report on what's going on. Ootori, come with me."
"Yes, ma'am," Riley replied uncertainly. Lowering her station back to ground level, she logged out and removed her visor. Getting out of her seat, she went over to Himiko, who beckoned her outside of the control room.
Private time.
"Take a few minutes to compose yourself and then get back to work on repairing the network," she said once they were out of Tally's range. "That is your main focus now. Whatever happened to Yamaki, I'll look into it, but right now we need the network back up and running before who knows what else shows up to cause a mess. We need our eyes and ears functioning, is that clear?"
She saw the conflict in Riley's eyes; her concern for Yamaki warring with her duty. Riley and Yamaki's rather unprofessional relationship was no great secret, but as they were always able to operate without it affecting their work, it had gone largely ignored. Would that change now?
Himiko watched Riley close her eyes and take a deep breath. All at once, the professionalism she exuded throughout the crisis returned and Himiko understood what it was Yamaki liked about the woman beyond her supermodel appearance.
"Understood," she said throatily. It was clear that this was tearing her up inside, but she would do what she had to do in order to safeguard the city.
"Good. When you're ready, get to it." With nothing more to be said, Himiko quickly turned and started down the hallway. Taking out her cellphone, she flipped it open.
"Hata here. Get me a vehicle."
###
Riley watched Himiko as she strode away, her walk a crisp exclamation point cutting through the fog of emotion that whirled about in her heart. The memory of Tally's shocked words rose up like a tempest, and her nails bit into her palms in protest.
He's not dead, she thought, and she found herself in awe at how numb and false that sounded to her. Yamaki had stood at ground zero when Titamon went off like a bomb. He had no partner with him to protect him like the Tamers did. In her heart of hearts, Riley found that she knew the truth of the matter.
Yamaki was dead.
Her shoulders shook as hot tears erupted from her eyes. Clasping her hands over her face, she tried to hide the pain that tore through her, preferring not to let Himiko hear her while she was still so close. The last thing she wanted right now was for her to have a reason to get rid of her. The Tamers still needed her. They needed all the help they could get.
"Get it together," she forced herself to say with a great gulp of air. Her cheeks were flushed and damp. "Get it together. You still have a job to do. You…still have…have a job…to…do."
Riley remained rooted in place however, her body trembling violently. The only sound in the hallway was her quiet sobbing, and she would remain like that for several minutes until, with considerable effort, she forced her emotions into the background to simmer until her work was done.
Like it or not, she still had a job to do. She had people to protect.
Mourn for the dead later. Protect the living while you can now.
###
Since childhood, Himiko hated hospitals.
The only real memory she had of one involved her mother. She had so much sterile plastic hooked up to her and inserted into her ravaged body that she somehow came away looking more fragile than when she first went into the ambulance, and that the removal of any single component – especially the blood bags – would cause her to fall into a jumble of disembodied limbs like a broken doll. For months after her mother's death, she had nightmares of doctors, appearing as ghostly vampires in their white coats, bleeding her mother like livestock, laughing over her helplessness.
It felt silly to still be affected by the old trauma. She had been five at the time and seen worse since then, but the soft sterility of hospitals – where the smells of antiseptic, old age, and disease warred with one another for dominance – always left her with a quiet feeling of anxiousness; waiting for that one, single, frayed thread to be cut and end it all.
And always in the background of her memory, the sound of an oxygen machine, pumping and hissing, was present, regardless of whether or not one was near. The sound of bodies being kept going past their due date. Meat being kept fresh.
Her eyes read room numbers as her shoes clacked loudly on the tiles. Upon turning a corner, she stopped reading. A tall, bipedal, golden-furred fox with arms folded across her chest standing guard over Rika became her lighthouse for where she needed to be. Her heartbeat sped up, leaving her acutely aware that this would be her first time actually interacting with a digimon. At her approach, both fox and human eyes turned up at her. In Rika's, she saw faint recognition flicker behind her violet orbs. Himiko nodded to her, noting the blue-trimmed digivice she held tightly in her hands. The girl looked clean, or at least 'cleaner.' Her school uniform was a mess by all appearances – scuffed, wrinkled and coated with ash – but her skin looked pristine and devoid of blemishes, save for where she had been bandaged about her forehead. Himiko felt a bit jealous for that.
Rumiko always had the best of everything, a bitter part of her thought so quietly she missed it completely.
"You've grown," she greeted. It sounded lame and awkward, but she didn't really know what else to say. Himiko didn't have much love for her cousin, Rumiko, and so, rarely had reason to pay a visit except for when official family functions required it. She wasn't looking forward to meeting her today and dealing with this fallout.
She had to have been eight when I last saw her. Eight or nine. She looked Rika up and down, seeing how much she had changed in the intervening years. Her face had lost much of the round, baby-shape she had then; becoming more angular. Her nose had become a mix of her mother and grandmother, with a roundish tip that led up to a long, familiar bridge leading up to her eyes. Himiko could see the ghost of her mother in those violet orbs. Not just the color, but the way she looked back at her while puzzling her out.
She is definitely Rumiko's daughter.
"What are you doing here?" Rika frowned. The recognition in her eyes strengthened and Himiko saw memory stir in them. She felt sympathy for her. After all, the extended Hata clan didn't have much to do with her smaller branch of the family. Himiko saw Rika tighten her grip about her digivice, as if unconsciously connecting the reasons for her visit to its existence.
To be honest, Himiko didn't blame her one bit for thinking that. Family was family, after all.
"I work for Hypnos." Her eyes flickered over to the fox digimon, lingering on her blue irises before returning to Rika. "It seems you and I will be seeing each other a great deal now."
"Terrific," Rika glowered unhappily. Again, Himiko left no blame on her for feeling that way. Her feud with the girl's mother wasn't a secret within the family. Himiko returned her attention to the vixen.
"And you?" she asked, deciding to skip past family history. "Which one were you? I understand digimon change forms, but we lost track of the signals thanks to Titamon."
"I was Kuzuhamon," the vulpine digimon replied, bowing her head slightly. "Now, I am Renamon."
"Don't even think of doing anything to her!" Rika said fiercely, her hand clenching her digivice so tight her knuckles went white. Himiko tilted her head to one side at her cousin's daughter. Did she understand what she was connected to now? She read Yamaki's reports on the girl's involvement with the latest dustup with the digital world, but to think she would become this involved…
Best to humor her for now so she doesn't make a scene.
"We will require some answers to certain questions," Himiko said, looking back at Renamon. "I hope you won't mind, considering the circumstances."
"I understand." Again, the slight bow of her head. "Rika, I will need to do this. I am – was – a servant of the Sovereign after all."
Rika fumed, clearly unhappy. She fixed Himiko with a fierce glare.
"Don't you dare hurt her!"
"There's no need for anyone to be hurt as long as everyone plays by the rules." She was surprised at how calm she sounded. The pounding of her heart in her ears told a completely different story.
"You have my word," Renamon said, and with that, she knelt onto her knees. "I swear upon the memory of Gaiomon."
"Very well," Himiko agreed and silent relief flooded through her. She couldn't be certain if this particular oath would hold her, but at the very least it would tell her if they were worthwhile or not in the future. She glanced back at Rika. "When do your parents get here?"
"They're on their way. They should be here soon." Rika shifted uncomfortably. Himiko's eyes fell on Rika's digivice, guessing without much effort that it was the source of her familial discomfort.
Rumiko will not be happy.
A part of her rejoiced in that and another felt guilty for doing so. For as long as she could remember, Rumiko had been the wild child who did as she wanted and willed while she herself became buried beneath duty and obligation for the family. Rumiko's marriage, her daughter's birth, and her entire modeling career were built around her whims and desires. Now, here stood something she couldn't just change through force of will and drive. And if Rika inherited any of her mother's stubbornness – and she suspected she did – she would become quite the splash of cold water in Rumiko's face.
It was so very, very hard to not find the irony amusing.
"How is Takato?" Himiko asked with an awkward cough. She gestured to the door Rika stood next to. The girl's eyes dropped.
"He has a fever. Something to do with him holding his Mode Change for too long." Her hand anxiously adjusted her grip about her digivice. "It was different this time too. His colors changed. The way he acted…"
"Yes, Titamon's infection. We saw."
"MarineAngemon fixed him though!" Rika added hurriedly. "He should be fine now."
I sense a 'but' in there, Himiko thought, but decided not to press the issue. Talk to the Tamer and his partner and speak to his doctor. Not necessarily in that order.
"In that case, if he's 'fine' as you say…" Approaching the door, Himiko pushed it open and braced herself. For an instant, she heard the sound of an oxygen machine and saw a flash of wires and tubes. None of those things were there though. Takato lay in his hospital bed with a flushed face, but otherwise looked fine and was sleeping. Guilmon sat by his side, big golden eyes gazing at him with warm concern. A trio of adults were at the foot of his bed. One was a doctor wearing his long, white coat and the others wore more casual clothing.
They must be his parents, she thought as their eyes turned toward her. The taller of the two, the father she assumed, had wide cheekbones, a long, angular face, and short, brown hair. His was the sort of look that was only good from certain angles, but his eyes were serious and determined.
The shorter one, the mother, was a bit on the portly side. Her face came out rounder and a quick glance at Takato indicated that he took after her more than his father in this regard. She appeared more visibly worried.
"I'm sorry," the doctor began. "Family only at this time."
"I'm Himiko Hata, acting administrator for Hypnos." Himiko produced her identification from her suit's pocket. "I'm here to determine the condition of the Tamers."
"Acting administrator?" Guilmon's head rose up and his ears stood suddenly at attention. "What happened to Yamaki?"
Himiko gazed at the dinosaur, uncertain what to make of the creature before opting to reply as though he were a human.
"We're also looking into that too." It didn't settle any concerns in her mind, but at the very least it simplified things in the moment. Himiko pressed her lips together before glancing at the doctor. It seemed he hadn't said anything yet regarding the man's fate. "Doctor…" she quickly glanced down at the man's nametag. "…Jo Kido. Takato's condition?"
Kido looked at the Matsuki's who nodded their consent.
"I've given Takato something to bring his fever down, but as per usual we're keeping him overnight for observation." Jo folded his arms together. He had a disapproving, tired expression. Himiko found herself wondering about all the times he had to make things right for the Tamers after a serious fight. Takato, who had the lion's share of injuries the last few years, undoubtedly weighed on this man's thoughts.
Children. Child soldiers. That's what we're using them for. It didn't feel right to Himiko.
"As for the other two," Jo resumed, "Suzie looks like she might have a slight concussion, and given that she was found in proximity to your superior's body, she might be in shock as well. We're having her examined now. Might have to refer her to psychiatric support." Leaning back, he rocked on his heels. "Kenta was the luckiest. He got away with no worse than a hole in his britches."
Though the words regarding Kenta's condition were humorous sounding on the surface, there was nothing in Jo's voice or demeanor to suggest he meant it as such. All Himiko felt was a simple contrast amongst the three and that Kenta could have easily ended up like Yamaki had his partner been a little bit slower or incapacitated.
"I would like referrals for psychiatric support for all the Tamers," Himiko said. "I…"
"Rika!"
Rumiko's voice rang throughout the hospital, causing a chill to run the length of Himiko's spine. Turning, she cast a glance out of the doorway to spot the woman in question racing down the hall toward her daughter, her husband and mother not far behind. Opting for privacy – and to keep from looking at her cousin for longer than necessary – she closed the door.
"Apologies." Himiko adjusted her tie. "As I was saying, I would like referrals for psychiatric support for all of the Tamers."
She cast her eyes askance over at Takato to see if either he or his partner would protest. Takato still appeared to be sleeping and Guilmon… It was hard to tell what he was thinking. What did digimon even think about? Were they anything like humans?
"Do you have any objections?" she asked his parents.
As if in answer, Rumiko gave a particularly vocal one from the other side of the door.
"You are not going anywhere near that boy again if I have anything to say about it! I'll hit him with a restraining order if I have to!"
"Rumiko…"
"One moment," Kido said. Marching past Himiko, he threw the door open and stuck his head out into the middle of an argument between Rumiko and Rika.
"You're not going to stop me!" Rika half-shouted. Her mother gave a start at that, taken aback by her daughter's unexpected rebellion. "I'm helping the Tamers whether you want me to or not!"
"You most certainly are not!" she exclaimed, hastily recovering.
"Yes, I am!" Rika's eyes blazed. "I saved Takato when he was infected by Titamon's virus! They need help!"
"Excuse me!" Jo's shout cut across the argument like a clap of thunder, silencing them. Seeing that he had their attention, he cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. "If you're going to talk or argue, do it somewhere else or we'll be forced to have security escort you off the premises. We have patients here."
Rumiko's mouth twisted, but she looked embarrassed and apologetic.
"I'm sorry," she said. "You're right, of course. We should be going home now."
Rika's expression burned brilliantly. Instead of answering, she turned and rushed into Takato's room, where she looked apologetically at a bewildered Guilmon, and Takato's family.
"Ah, what's wrong?" asked Guilmon. "Why is she upset?"
"Oh, Guilmon…" Rika's face scrunched up, plainly upset. "I-I've got to go. I'll catch you guys later." She bowed deeply to Takato's parents and then stormed out without further word. The look she shot her mother was pure fury.
Himiko glanced over at Renamon, who had thus far stood impassively by, content with observing. Rumiko's husband and Seiko both looked at the kitsune with varying degrees of concern and curiosity. Rika's father was the first to break off and go after his wayward daughter. Rumiko, for her part, didn't appear to know what to do with the fox and so avoided looking at her and instead focused on the Matsuki's.
"You're the parents of this…the boy my daughter is 'friends' with?"
"He has a name," Takato's mother said, bristling. "It's Takato."
"Why don't we all start by introducing ourselves?" Seiko said, quickly intervening with a smile. Takato's father beamed at the suggestion.
"Good idea. After everything, we probably should have a talk so we don't get off on the wrong foot." He gave a tense chuckle. "I'm Takehiro and this is my wife, Mie."
"You run a nice bakery, as I recall," Seiko said. "I visited it once, though you probably don't remember my being there. It was quite a while ago."
Takehiro rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "That credit goes to Mie, actually," he said, hoping to draw her into the conversation and cease glaring daggers at Rumiko. "I'm rather hopeless on the business side of things."
"At least you're being honest," Mie said, casting uncertain looks between Rika's mother and grandmother. Finally, settling on Rumiko once more, she pressed her lips together. "Can we start over?" she offered. "You've raised a very brave, very kind daughter. I know how hard it is having to deal with that…"
"No! Don't!" Rumiko stabbed an accusing finger in Mie's direction. "You may let your son endanger himself, but don't you dare try to pull Rika into this! If you do, I'll take you to court!"
Seiko frowned at that and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could get a word in edgewise however, Himiko broke in.
"I would not advise that you pursue any legal action against Takato or any of the Tamers over your daughter obtaining a digimon partner. Believe me, Rumiko. Hypnos has better lawyers than either you or Alamanda can afford."
Rumiko whirled about on Himiko, noticing her presence for the first time.
"What…? Why are you here?"
"I am the acting administrator of Hypnos, Rumiko," Himiko said with a curt nod. "A government program in charge of the Tamers. As such, their welfare is my responsibility. Should your daughter become a part of our program, that would include her as well."
"That is my daughter, Himiko!" Rumiko's voice rose angrily. "For goodness sake, do you have to be like this here too?!"
"Ladies, please!" interrupted Kido. "I've already been patient enough, but if you are going to continue this, Hypnos or not, lawsuit or not, I will have security escort you off the premises!"
Rumiko's mouth twisted, but the warning was taken to heart.
"Let's go, Mother."
Seiko pressed her lips together tightly. Turning to Mie and Takehiro, she bowed politely.
"Please forgive her. She's only worried about Rika."
Mie glanced over in the direction of Rumiko's retreating back. Her expression a mixture of anger and concern. Himiko could only guess at what was going on in her mind.
"I'm sorry that Rika got caught up in all this." She wrung her hands. "It's not something any parent wants for their child."
"But they were the only ones who could do it, weren't they?" Seiko said, a statement of understanding rather than a question.
"Mother!" Rumiko called over her shoulder loudly.
"In a minute dear," Seiko returned, giving her daughter a strained smile. She then bowed to the Matsuki's. "Thankyou,for raising such a brave son. I hope that, one day, we can be friends."
With that, she turned to join her. Mie and Takehiro watched them go for a moment.
"You know," Takehiro began gently, "she is right to be upset. We didn't want this for Takato either."
Mie nodded and folded her hands together in front of her. Her fingers traced along one another, shaking. Himiko approached them.
"I want you to know that you don't need to be concerned about any legal action from her or her family," she said. "Hypnos will support you and your family."
"You seem to know her," Takehiro noted as Guilmon padded on out to investigate the situation.
"Unfortunately, we're family." Himiko turned to Doctor Kido. "Sorry about all of that. I'd like to see Yamaki now."
Kido looked nonplussed, but he didn't object. He gestured over his shoulder.
"The morgue is this way."
###
Renamon trailed after Rika's mother and grandmother, quietly listening to their conversation.
"She always has to be in control," she heard Rumiko grate under her breath. "She always has to tell me that I'm wrong or that I can't do something."
"Rumiko, please calm down," said Seiko.
"Mom, she threatened me!"
"After you had threatened Takato's family." Seiko gave her daughter a withering look, clearly indicating she would not tolerate any backtalk from her on this point. "They are not responsible for what happened to Rika."
"They didn't discourage her! They let her talk to their son, letting him fill her silly head up with who knows what kind of insane ideas!"
"Rumiko, she has been thinking about this before they even met, and you know that. That other world she visited gave her a good idea about what things might have been like if things were different. She knows she could have even saved lives. Some of those lives could have been friends of hers. How do you think she's been feeling about that? How would you feel in that situation?"
Renamon noted Rumiko's fingers along her bag strap flexing. Clearly, she didn't like what she was hearing, but she was unable to mount a proper response. It was a hard argument to counter. She had ample time herself to consider her own feelings on the subject, and even now she couldn't be certain. Time would tell, perhaps, but certainly not now.
Rumiko covered her mouth and let out a choked sob.
"Oh, Mom. What am I going to do? If Rika gets hurt…"
"I will protect her," Renamon said.
Remembering the kitsune, both women stopped in place and looked over their shoulders at Renamon. Rumiko wore a frightened expression, clearly not wanting to believe the vixen or have anything to do with her. Seiko, on the other hand, appeared to be considering her words.
"You will, won't you," Seiko said, not doubting her words at all.
"Why?" Rumiko asked, her tone sharpening. "Why would you? You don't know her! You don't know anything about her!"
"We're…partners," Renamon replied, as if that were all the response she needed. Inwardly, Rumiko's words hit her like a punch to the gut. She was right. She didn't know anything about Rika. At least, not in any real sense. She had observed her and, as Kuzuhamon, read some of her memories, but it wasn't the same thing.
"Partners…" Rumiko pressed her lips together tightly. "I don't even know what that means. You'll protect her? You'll never let her get hurt? Why? What do you get out of it? Some…" Her eyes raked over Renamon's body disapprovingly. "Some digivolution thing or whatever you call it? My daughter is not some living battery for you!"
Seiko placed a comforting hand on her daughter's arm. Rumiko's face pinched, but she didn't retract her words. Instead, she whirled about and resumed her trek. Her heels clicked even louder against the tiled floors than before. Seiko gave Renamon an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry. We don't seem to be doing our best to welcome you into our family."
"I understand," Renamon replied. "Perhaps it was a mistake for us to become partners in this reality."
"Maybe," Seiko nodded. "But there's no reason why we can't make the best of it. If it helps, I don't think you have any bad motives for Rika. If the two of you are partners in other worlds, than that must mean something is right about the two of you being together. Something good." Reaching out, she placed a comforting hand on Renamon's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go home."
Renamon still looked doubtful. "I am sorry for all the trouble I've caused."
Seiko beamed. "Oh, no trouble at all. You'll add some excitement in my life."
###
Rumiko stomped through the halls, wishing she didn't feel like a petulant child angry that she didn't get her way.
Why doesn't everyone see? My baby girl is going to get caught up with those monsters!
She had caught sight of the boy in the hospital bed. The image frightened her, and it was all too easy to imagine Rika in the same situation. Why was Rika so set on helping them – on being a Tamer – knowing the dangers involved? She had always been a sensible girl. Did her jaunt to that other world really affect her that much?
Unreality washed over her thinking about the incident. When Rika first explained what happened to her, she almost didn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it. The whole business with the D-Reaper and the Devas frightened her badly back then, and when the reports of the deaths amongst the Tamers came in, all she could think about was how glad she was that her child hadn't been among them.
"She knows she could have even saved lives," came the memory of her mother. "Some of those lives could have been friends of hers. How do you think she's been feeling about that? How would you feel in that situation?"
She gripped her bag tightly. If I knew I could have saved people…saved friends…
Her voice trailed off when she heard the voices of her daughter and husband from around the upcoming corner. She slowed, ears straining to hear their discussion. No doubt, they were discussing her.
"She always has to have things done her way," Rika said. Her voice was heated and angry. "She never thinks about how others feel or whether or not they even want to go along with whatever scheme she has cooked up."
"You know she only wants what's best for you," replied her father. He was cool and patient in his tone. Always unflappable now. Rumiko felt a twinge of irritability at that. Did the man ever feel anything?
Rika was silent for a moment before continuing.
"I know." She sounded like the admission was being dragged out of her. "But that doesn't change the fact that she makes everything about what she thinks. No one else can be right. Takato, Kenta, and Suzie could die and she wouldn't care as long as I'm safe."
"That is not true."
Rumiko felt her back stiffen at the sudden change in her husband's tone. A touch of anger made itself present. Not a whole lot, but a tiny amount to put Rika on alert.
"Rika, it's because of what happened to their friends that she doesn't want you to be a Tamer. We watched the news reports together. She was very upset when she saw the pictures of the other children. Every time she saw them, she saw you. There's no parent that wants that for their children."
"They wouldn't be dead if I were a Tamer. And Takato… If I didn't help today, he…he would have…"
She heard her daughter's voice crack. It was easy to imagine her husband embracing her, as he often did when Rika became this upset, which wasn't often. Rumiko felt a touch of guilt pluck at her heartstrings, and with it a bit of jealousy over how he could connect with her in ways she struggled in to this day.
"Just why is it so wrong for me to want to help them?!"
"It's not," replied her husband. "It's just… We're worried too. As your parents, we should be. You'll understand."
"I want to help them," Rika said throatily. "I don't care what anyone says."
"Even if it means losing everything else?"
"Huh?" Rika sounded alarmed. "What do you mean?"
"Just something for you to think about. I'm not leaving, if that's what you're thinking. Decisions just have consequences, that's all. I remember saying things like that when your mother and I were courting each other. She said things like that too when we were about to get married. Don't just say something because you're angry. Think about what it might mean." He paused before adding, "If it makes any difference, I don't think you're wrong in helping them and being their friend. I'd still like to talk to them too. Probably won't be able to invite them out for that motorcross outing like we discussed though…"
Rumiko gave a start. They had discussed something like that? Behind her back?
"They let her talk to their son, letting him fill her silly head up with who knows what kind of insane ideas!"
She found herself wondering what sort of ideas her husband had been giving Rika.
When Renamon arrived behind her alongside Seiko, the vulpine digimon found the air around Rumiko chillier than before.
###
Himiko stood over Yamaki's pale, battered body as it lay on the metal table. He had been stripped of his clothing and cleaned. The branch sticking out of his chest had been sawed down to a more manageable length for cold storage. The brutal wound aside, he looked oddly peaceful. Himiko found herself wondering if this was the first genuine rest he had during his entire life. It struck her as oddly appropriate.
"Do you intend to order an autopsy?" Doctor Kido asked. Himiko shook her head.
"I'll leave that decision to the family," she replied. "Although, the cause of death appears rather obvious."
"There are a number of possible causes," Kido said. "The branch on its own might not have caused his death. He was flung with considerable distance and force. Punctured lung. Extreme trauma to the internal thoracic artery. Subaxial cervical spine fracture. Just that alone would compromise respiratory and cardiovascular functions, but you could take your pick from any of them. The artery damage would most certainly be fatal."
"There's not much for Hypnos's needs with regards to the records on the matter." Himiko folded her arms together. She glanced at Kido. "Unless you feel that the cause of death is important?"
"I don't believe so, if there's no foul play involved."
"He was killed by a digimon who entered into our world under false pretenses. There's the foul play." She unfolded her arms and started away. "His death has been confirmed. Sign it and file it."
Himiko left the morgue with Doctor Kido's eyes on her back and her heart in her throat. She shivered upon entering the warmer hallway and again thought of her hatred of hospitals. Taking a deep breath, she wandered over to the women's bathroom and there, splashed water onto her face. In spite of her best efforts, Yamaki's peaceful face haunted her vision.
Paperwork. A person's entire life and death boiled down to a folder in a drawer, she thought with bitter sarcasm. This person died from a tree branch spearing him through the chest. Sign here.
Her phone rang. Drawing it out, she flipped it open.
"Hata," she said.
"Why didn't you tell me Suzie was at the hospital?" came Janyu's angry voice on the other end. Himiko closed her eyes, envisioning a black and red murderous aura around the man.
Damn it… I don't need this now.
Adjusting her suit, Himiko straightened and looked at her reflection. She appeared, presentable. Mentally, she felt disorganized and tired. Her reasons for not informing Janyu about the situation with her daughter were the same as keeping Riley on track with her work and not get emotionally overwhelmed. It sounded generic to her mind. Like a cue card she was told to read from.
"The network needed repairing as quickly as possible in case we have another attempted breach from the digital world," she said, reading from the cue card in her mind. "I believed you were to be informed once the situation had been stabilized enough."
"This is my daughter!" Janyu's voice cracked. He was on the verge of shouting. Himiko forced herself to remain cold.
"She has the best doctors in the city helping her," she said, continuing to read from her mental cue cards. "There is nothing you can do in that regard. When you are finished with your duties, I will have transportation arranged for you to visit her."
"Hata…!"
She hung up. She stared at her phone for some minutes afterward, feeling she had gone wrong somewhere in that discussion. Leaning forward, she pressed her head against the mirror. Her stomach made uncomfortable, gurgling movements.
"I hate hospitals," she murmured under her breath.
###
Himiko stopped at Suzie's room. She found the girl in bed, her partner cuddled next to her and allowing herself to be squeezed like a stuffed toy. Next to her was a short-haired woman with glasses, speaking in a hushed voice over her cellphone. Her eyes were red from past crying, and it was clear she was trying to hold herself back for the girl's sake.
Must be her mother, Mayumi. She pursed her lips together. She didn't want to deal with her any more than she did with Janyu, but it was plain that she was going to have to weather her. Clearing her mind, she took a breath. Her heartbeat settled. She stepped into the room.
In contrast to Takato, Suzie didn't look much better, except that she was at least awake. Lopmon didn't appear comfortable, but she didn't object.
Digimon partners are something else…
"Hello," she greeted, stepping into the room. Mayumi turned toward her, a frown writ upon her face.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I'm Himiko Hata. Acting administrator for Hypnos. You are Mayumi Wo…"
Himiko was abruptly cut off as Mayumi rapidly crossed the distance between them and swung at her. Her slap came so fast that Himiko only realized it what was going on when her face jerked to the side, bright red, innumerable, needle-pain stabbing into her skin. She looked back at Mayumi, eyes wide with bewilderment.
"Mom!" Suzie shouted from her bed.
"How dare you?!" Mayumi screamed in Himiko's face. "How dare you?!"
The sounds of feet running reached Himiko's ears. With an effort, she summoned all her self-control and pushed her surprise and pain behind her. There would undoubtedly be a bruise later, but that was for then to deal with.
Hospital orderlies arrived at the door.
"What's going on in here?" demanded one of them.
"It's all right," Himiko said, adjusting her collar. She met Mayumi's eyes levelly. "I am sorry. But Hypnos needed to be brought back up and running and I am ill-suited for the task. Your husband is one of the best people to do it. Your daughter was already in good hands. I am sorry if I stepped over any bounds. If you need to hit me again, feel free to do it."
"There'll be no hitting," spoke up one of the orderlies. "Especially not in front of a child! What is wrong with you people?"
I should think the answer is obvious, Himiko thought. While waiting for the confused Mayumi to act, she turned to Suzie. "How are you feeling? I understand you had a concussion."
Suzie's eyes swung up at her, and Himiko saw the haunted look in them that almost made her regret coming here.
"Is Daddy going to be able to come?"
"Yes," Himiko nodded, and she felt a pang of guilt for telling the man to finish his work first. She found a part of her wanting him to disobey her orders. "He will. I'm just checking up on you for him." Her eyes softening, she glanced back at Mayumi. Much of her initial rage had run out of her now, though the temptation to lash out again was plainly there.
"May I?" Himiko asked, gesturing. Mayumi opened her mouth, but Suzie spoke up.
"It's all right, Mom. I'm going to have to talk to her eventually. Better get it out of the way now."
With the girl's blessing, Himiko approached the foot of the bed. "How are you feeling?"
She wanted to berate herself for sounding as awkward as she did. She was no good with children – one of the reasons why she opted to skip motherhood and remain single. She noted the cruel irony of finding herself in the position of having to deal with them now as quasi-military assets.
"Awful," Suzie replied. "Yamaki…" Releasing her partner from her death grip, she looked at her hands as though she were seeing something on them. Blood perhaps? Himiko felt she would have to look into the reports later.
"I know," she nodded. "I'm sorry."
Suzie pressed her fists against her eyes, as if trying to squeeze out the memory of Yamaki's dead body from her vision. Himiko thought about what parents were supposed to do in this kind of situation and came up emptyhanded. The most she could conjure was the visage of her mother before her death, cool and proper, standing imperiously like a pillar in the storm.
"You are the child of a great house. Do not dishonor it with your crying."
She clenched her fists tightly.
"I want you to know, that Hypnos will do everything in its power to help you with your recovery. If there is anything, you need, just tell us."
"My brother."
"Excuse me?" Himiko raised an eyebrow.
"My brother. Henry!" Lowering her fists, Suzie sent Himiko a fearsome glare. "Tell me what you did to my brother!"
"I-I don't understand…" Himiko stammered out. She first looked over at Lopmon and then at Mayumi for clarification. Was the shock that bad? I was under the impression that her brother, Henry, is dead.
"Sleipnir," Lopmon said, breathing more easily now. "It saved us from Titamon's remnants. When it did, it…it spoke with Henry's voice and said 'momentai.' That is a word Terriermon used to say."
Himiko blinked and she remembered something Shibumi had told her. Something about video files that were responsible for Sleipnir glitching during its initial test run.
Sleipnir bio-emerged on its own, circumventing the emergency shutdown protocols.
Something clicked and she held up a finger to the duo. Taking out her cellphone, she quickly dialed Shibumi's number.
"Mizuno? It's Hata. Those video files you mentioned? Dig into them. Dig into its entire code! I want to know precisely what went into making that thing and why it's speaking with a dead person's voice!"
13
