Chapter Thirty-Five
The missing person flier was stolen from Kenshin's fingers while his attention was distracted, and Kaoru brought the picture closer for intent observation. The room was currently silent as everyone else waited for the conversation to progress. Across the room, Megumi uncrossed and re-crossed her legs, and one of her elbows leaned her weight against the metal tabletop next to her.
"I don't understand." Kenshin's voice was slightly challenging, and Kaoru glanced up at him briefly. "Of course, she couldn't be alive the entire time. And what does this girl from three hundred years ago have to do with Kaoru? They may share a name and appearance, but that means nothing."
To Megumi's credit, she did not sigh, or grin, or look annoyed. Something else had taken over her normal sarcasm, and not a muscle on her face twitched. Red-tinged irises stayed trained on Kenshin, but when she spoke, she directed her question at Tomoe.
"Tomoe-san."
"Yes, Megumi-sensei?"
"How old would you say the girl is?"
"Eighteen? Twenty maybe. Humans age faster than demons, so I'm not entirely certain."
The vixen's head tilted. "According to her body… she's five."
"W-what?!" To say Kenshin was horrified would have been an understatement.
"That's impossible." Enishi's deep voice seemed to be on the same level.
Even Kaoru was shocked by the claim. That was way too young. She certainly didn't feel like a five-year old. She had to be at least… Her blue-gem eyes darted down to stare at the page clutched between her hands. At least… seventeen.
"Relax, boys, your morals are safe. She's not a child, she's merely… taken up new residence."
"You haven't changed, Megumi-san." Genzai chuckled, and then pressed both hands to his knees to stand. "Stop toying with the young men, and let me explain it to them."
An amused chortle was muffled by the back of one hand, but the five-tailed fox leaned back in her chair to allow the tenko to take over. Akira immediately stood to place the tablet he had brought along in the middle of the floor. Once turned on, it projected a 3-D image into the middle of the open space.
"What Megumi-san means, is that the body Kaoru-san is currently occupying is made of tissue and cells that are only five years old. It does not reflect her true age." Genzai's voice was slow and gentle, but what he was saying made no sense in Kaoru's mind. How could her body be younger than her consciousness?
"What do you mean 'currently occupying'? You told me she was human."
Kaoru caught Kenshin's glance through her lashes, and something in her chest twisted. Was this not a human thing? Was this abnormal?
"She is, Himura-san. However, her body is more like a… doll. A perfectly imperfect doll." A diagram was pulled up within the projection of an outline of Kaoru's full body, and it detailed the seals they had found on her limbs, chest, and vocal cords.
The paper settled onto Kaoru's knees, and her full attention now focused upon the nine-tailed fox. She still could not seem to grasp what it was he was saying.
"Her body mimics that of a human almost perfectly. Because of that, we did not immediately recognize that it is not fully natural. She requires sustenance, she can build and lose muscle mass, she needs sleep, she sweats, she heals. Her body does all the natural things a normal human body does, but there are… discrepancies. For instance, the absence of a uterus. You see, it was not removed." His hand pointed at the screen. "It was simply never there to begin with. This was done for two reasons, the first being, the ability to reproduce cannot be artificially created. I will explain the second reason later." The tenko's hands folded behind his back, and his expression turned grim.
"I know who created this body. He goes by the name Gein."
Gein.
The previously unknown name echoed in her thoughts, and tangled images she could not decipher sloshed bile in her stomach. A memory of legs, too many legs, made her skin crawl, and she latched one hand onto Kenshin's forearm in an attempt to anchor herself to the present. His chin jerked towards her immediately, but she couldn't seem to turn her own gaze on him to plead for help. Instead, her wide eyes stayed glued to Genzai, and she quivered in innate fear. Warm, callused fingers covered her hand, and his thumb stroked her knuckles in an attempt to offer her comfort. A cowardly part of her wanted to curl into that warmth and hide.
"I used to work with Gein, a few centuries ago. He fancied himself a doll maker, but in reality, it is corpses he mainly enjoyed mutilating and manipulating. Until, that is, the discovery of stem cell research. Afterwards, he became obsessed with the idea of growing his own 'doll parts', but all of his requests to create an artificial entity were denied. It appears he finally found a way to achieve his dream on his own."
"I'm certainly no expert, but I've never heard of an artificial body with as much… spirit as Kaoru-san has." Sōzō appeared thoughtful from his position in the background.
Artificial? Am I not… real?
"That is a valid point." Genzai's gentle grey eyes lowered. "Gein only ever created his dolls to use as puppets. It sickens me to say, but during the war, his unusual talents were found to be useful. However, his dolls were only ever playthings for him. Without him, they could not move, and they were certainly never capable of freewill. Until, we believe, he met Sōjirō, who I was informed is a shadow demon."
Megumi finally stood, and circled the 3-D projection until she was standing opposite her mentor. "Shadow demons have an old history of using now forbidden techniques. To be honest, Ken-sama, the most likely reason our government wants that little thing gone has less to do with her being human and more to do with the forbidden technique that Sōjirō used on her."
Flicking her fingers caused the image from the tablet to change, and one large image of a new and previously unknown seal filled the projection limits. A seal of such intricacy and size that it appeared to be art rather than the dangerous masterpiece that it was.
"We found this hidden inside of her brain. It, and it alone, is holding her soul to this artificial body."
"Her soul…" Kenshin's violet eyes shifted slowly to look at her again, and this time she was able to drag her gaze away long enough to look back. A small crease formed between her brows as she was unable to guess his thoughts, and she turned away quickly to feign interest of the elaborate seal. Confusion, and something close to fear trembled her bottom lip as comprehension began to set in.
"And just where did he get her soul?" The fire demon's voice had dropped an octave, and his eyes remained trained on her.
"The only place anyone could find a human soul two hundred years after their elimination. He summoned it from the afterlife using a forbidden art known as necromancy."
Crinkling filled the room as Kaoru's hands fisted around the missing person flier.
Genzai sighed, and his voice was displeased when he elaborated. "No one has used this technique in thousands of years, and with good reason. Our ancestors forbid its use and all true texts were thought to have been destroyed. To see it in this day and age is… inconceivable."
"Let's be clear." The stone golem was sitting board straight in his chair. "Are you suggesting… that Kaoru died and was brought back to life inside a doll three hundred years later?"
Kind, grey eyes looked at Enishi, and then swung to Kaoru before answering.
"Yes."
The sheet of paper slipped from her fingers and slid across the concrete floor a second before she stood up. Harsh screeches issued from the chair legs as the motion shoved back her seat, and her unreal blue irises stared, wide-eyed and in shock, at the bearer of such a horrible accusation. Though Kenshin's hand tightened around hers, Kaoru's fingers slipped loose when she pulled.
"Miss Kaoru…"
Flattening her hands deliberately over her sternum, Kaoru covered the burn scar there, and she desperately shook her head to reject what she had been told. But she knew the truth. She could still feel the sword buried deep inside her chest. Intense pressure slammed into her lungs, and her breasts heaved with uncaught breath. Every inch of her was trembling, but Kaoru did not fear pain. Kaoru did not even fear death. After all, death was something she had already experienced. What Kaoru feared was rage and anger… and cold. Unnaturally cold. A wash of swirling blue flashed in the back of her mind, and she covered her face in shame.
Before Kenshin could rise from his chair, the tenko stepped through the digital projection and stood before Kaoru's hunched and shivering form. A golden glow filled the room, and the thousand-year life span required of all foxes to obtain their full power was suddenly felt and obvious. Though awe inspiring, it was not oppressive. Instead, there was a soothing quality in the immense power, and no one moved but to watch. Slowly, Kaoru's fingers curled to ball her hands against her mouth, and she studied him cautiously.
"Be calm, young one. No one here is refusing you your right to life." One grey fox tail touched her gently on the cheek, and then offered a small silk pouch for her to take. She stared at him with wide eyes full of unshed tears, and the sapphire color of her irises shimmered and swam like gas-ignited flames.
"Hold this. The scent will help ease your distress. There is still much to be said, and answers to be given. Nothing can be done about a death that has already passed, but you are surrounded by those who would help you live now."
Both shaky hands accepted the silk pouch, and the air entering her lungs had turned to short sniffling bursts as she fought her own reaction. He had misunderstood her, but Kaoru did not expect or want understanding. Not from this elder fox she did not know. Turning vulnerable eyes on Kenshin, she feared and felt comfort just by receiving his attention. There was nothing she wanted more than to live now, in this time when Kenshin looked at her with warmth and affection. She would do anything to stay.
They way Kaoru instantly sought him first was cute enough to make Kenshin wish they were alone. A smile, small and tender, moved Kenshin's muscles without the need for thought, but he fisted his hands in his pant legs to keep from reaching for her. Compared to finding out she was human, learning that her body was artificial and her soul reclaimed from the dead was far less of an issue for him. Instantly, she smiled back, a smile tinged with leftover sorrow and quick acceptance. It was still strange to him how fast she trusted, and how little she allowed doubt to rule her thoughts.
A soft hiccup stalled her breathing, and she tore her gaze away to look at Enishi, and then over to her other side where Tomoe sat. Though she did not feel the same demand for their eyes to be on her at all times, they were just as important to her. Both conveyed their support in their own way.
"It's alright, sweet girl. You belong with us now. I'd like to see someone try to take you away."
Embarrassed that she had interrupted the conversation, and eager to hide the true reason behind her apprehension, Kaoru settled quickly back into her chair. Tomoe offered her embrace, and Kaoru leaned into her like a child. She was always so soft and smelled nice, and Kaoru buried her face into her chest like she had done many times while sleeping. Over her head, she missed Tomoe's mischievous smile and the unadulterated jealousy Kenshin was attempting to hide behind the curtain of his red hair.
"Alright, stop this ridiculous nonsense. You're much more interesting and complex than some boring human, and I'm not done studying you yet." Megumi scrutinized her pointed nails intently before turning a wicked grin on Kaoru's curious gaze. "Your soul may have lived one life, but this is a completely new one. Don't give up on me now, my little flat-chested girl. I have such high hopes for you."
The vixen's purposeful taunting forced Kaoru to stick out her tongue, and Genzai chuckled as he returned to his original position.
"I am happy for you, Kaoru-san. You should not overlook or take for granted the friends you have made. They tie you to this life."
Kaoru smiled sadly, but continued to lean her weight into Tomoe's chest.
"I have a question." Sōzō bent to retrieve the crumpled missing person flier from the floor. "You said Kaoru-san's body, although artificial, was created using living tissue. Then it was grown in a lab?"
"That is correct."
"How did he make it look like the girl in this flier, which I'm assuming is the original body?"
"It's quite a fascinating conundrum." The daitengu spoke up. "He would have needed her DNA in order to copy her appearance, but also live tissue in order to grow an artificial body. Most people would imagine obtaining both to be impossible, as, we know, humans have been extinct for two hundred years, and Kaoru-san's original body has been gone for three hundred."
"Yes. Which is why I believe he already had a stock pile of frozen embryos hidden away. As for her DNA… that, I believe, Sōjirō supplied. Necromancy requires DNA from the deceased being in order to force their soul to return from the other side. Since Kaoru-san went missing, she was never reported as deceased, and we can therefore assume that she was never properly cremated. It is unclear why he would have chosen her, but it appears her DNA was collected either before or directly after she died."
Enishi half-lifted a hand for attention, and his hard features were creased. "I assume I'm too young to get this, but why is necromancy forbidden?"
The room went deathly quiet, and Kaoru sat up curiously.
"I mean, I get it, on an ethical standpoint. Bringing people back from the dead isn't right. That just doesn't seem like enough of a reason for the government to get antsy about it."
"You're right, of course." Megumi folded her arms carefully below her breasts. "They could care less about people coming back from the dead. It was the other issues that came with using necromancy that caused more dire consequences and forced it to become a forbidden technique."
"Such as?"
"For starters, revived souls tended to focus a little too heavily on the last emotion or desire they felt prior to death. If this was something like rage or revenge, then you can imagine they were destructive. Kaoru seems to be fairly well-rounded, but the verdict's still out on her damage."
Kaoru frowned, but then turned her eyes purposefully onto Kenshin. Dry lips parted, and she swallowed in trepidation. His attention remained on Megumi, and she tried with all her might to resist. However, the jerk of her fingers seemed almost inevitable to demand that he look at her.
"Is everything alright?" The concern in his voice was low so as to not interrupt the conversation. Unease was building once more in her chest, but she wasn't sure how to convey her feelings. Pouting, Kaoru leaned over to bury her face against his shoulder and wrap her arms around his waist. The arm closest to her adjusted accordingly, and he petted the back of her head in a soothing manner.
"I'm sorry, Miss Kaoru. I know none of this is probably easy for you to hear."
Anxiety curled in her stomach, but the conversation continued on.
"The most dangerous side-effect of bringing someone back from the dead is ultimately what they carry with them."
Reaching into the pocket of her lab coat, Megumi withdrew a glass vial and held it up for everyone to see. At the very bottom of the rounded tip was a smoky blue substance.
"When you forcefully pull a soul back through the veil, bad things tend to come with it."
X
Immediately prior to the death of Ōkubo Toshimichi, Sōjirō paced the home office of the official with slow and deliberate interest. Uncomfortable gurgles filled the room as Ōkubo choked on his own blood, and his voice whispered pleas to be left alive. Stopping before a shelf of medals, Sōjirō lifted one into his hand and studied the gold that glinted against his shadow form. Next to Ōkubo, Shishio stood in wait, covered in the official's blood and grinning sadistically.
"Interesting. I didn't know they handed out awards for 'attempting' to negotiate with the humans." Sōjirō turned his fake grin on Ōkubo and held up the golden medal for reference.
"What a lie this was, hmm?" Sitting it back down carefully, Sōjirō finally faced his prey fully, and tried a wider smile.
"Not that I truly care. They really just took up space." A few steps closer placed him opposite of Shishio, and he crossed his hands behind his back.
"Except for our Kaoru-chan, right Master Shishio?" The grin on Shishio's face disappeared, and a much more menacing expression darkened his features. "No one is allowed to hurt our Kaoru-chan." Shishio's eyes glared down upon the official with all the rage and hatred of a berserk beast. Dropping into a sudden squat, Sōjirō grinned.
"What a miscalculation for you, Ōkubo-san. I had not planned to kill you this early, but you gave me no choice."
Ōkubo's eyes had widened, and he tried to lift his violently trembling hand. Purple rot was slowly eating away at his flesh, and the stench grew stronger the further up his arm it traveled.
"H-ow…? He… burned… up…"
"Ah? Do you finally recognize Master Shishio? It took you a long time. I was beginning to fear you would not before you died." Bracing his chin in one hand, Sōjirō propped his elbow on one bent knee. "It's understandable. After all, he looks nothing like he did when he was still alive. I suppose, killing a dragon does have that effect. Even though we reconstructed his body as best we could, reviving his soul instantly degraded the flesh into what you see. But I won't complain. It did allow him to bring back the most wonderful gift when he passed through the veil. Can you guess what it was?"
A terrified gurgle struggled from Ōkubo's throat.
"Oh, come on. Don't be a spoilsport. Guess!"
Again, his hand tried to lift, but the rot had fully set in and his hand sloughed off onto the wooden floor.
"Correct! Don't you think 'rot' is just the perfect ability for Master Shishio? And with his new ash-based demon nature, curtesy of the dragon he killed on your orders, he is a dangerous killing machine." A thoughtful expression dropped Sōjirō's hand from his chin.
"Huh. In a way, I suppose I should thank you, Ōkubo-san." An almost convincing smile closed his eyes. "Then again, I could not deny Master Shishio his vengeance, when I owe everything that I am to him."
Sōjirō finally stood, and lifted his eyes to Shishio.
"Master, I don't think he's going to make it. Do you wish to stay and watch him rot away, or would you prefer to return home and relax in the bath to some music?"
Shishio perked up, and turned without a second of thought to leave the room. The bloodied katana in his hand was whipped to one side, clotted blood in purple glops splattered along the wall, and the master assassin disappeared through the dark doorway without a trace. Standing still for several long seconds, Sōjirō confirmed they were indeed alone before he circled the dying demon on the floor.
"You do not have much time left, Ōkubo-san, but I brought a special present for you. Please try to hang on a little longer so that you may enjoy it. Unfortunately, Master Shishio would not appreciate this gift, and I have no desire to upset him."
A soft thump announced something at the open window, and Ōkubo's wide eyes strained to see the silhouette crouched there. It was dark, with the backlight of the street lamp behind it, but its long hair vanished below the line of the window seal and fluttered in the wind. The harsh sound of wire scraping wire created a chilling ambience.
"Come in. Don't be shy."
Sleek and power, the new presence's movements were quiet as a shadow and dangerous as a tiger. When it finally stopped next to him, Ōkubo gagged and wrestled with his own dying body.
"He's a masterpiece, wouldn't you say? I decided that he too might deserve some vengeance against you, and I thought it might be a perfect way to test out what he brought back from Death."
Within the cramped space of the office, ghost upon human ghost appeared to crowd around the dying official, and if he wasn't already choking on his own blood, he would have screamed in terror as they descended upon him like wrathful wraiths.
Perched now on the window seal, Sōjirō stared up at the rising full moon and grinned. He couldn't wait to see how this new power would compliment the beautiful gift Kaoru had been given.
X
A/N: Dang, this chapter was a pain in the butt. I had so much stuff I wanted to explain, I almost ended up confusing myself, lol. I'm much more satisfied with the how it is now than when I first started trying to write this chapter. Once I decided it needed to be from Kaoru's POV, it got easier. Of course, I didn't even get to the seals yet, so that's something to look forward to in the next chapter. Then I side-tracked myself daydreaming about an upcoming scene involving Kenshin, so that was fun. Ugh, lmao. Also, squeal! I'm really looking forward to it. I'm having an absolute blast writing this story. I'm not sure when I've had this much fun writing. I'm not sure if it's the fantasy aspect, or the fact that I'm purposefully focusing on just love and connection between the characters, or that there are so many of you who have enjoyed reading it. Or all of the above. XD Whatever it is, I'm grateful this story came to me the way that it did. I've really needed this outlet at this time in my life. Love you all! Up next, some more info on our little doll, and Kenshin has a strange dream.