Chapter 4: Arrival (4)
"Thank you again for aiding me, I'm...not very handy in a fight?"
Asia's hesitant words were met with a shrug by Cayman as he replied, "You may not be able to throw a punch but letting other people keep on punching is just as important, if not more so. Don't let it bother you."
"I-I see."
"While that is quite the admirable sentiment, your clumsy and rather embarrassing display against the Stray and its accompanying Orc allies undercuts its heroism somewhat."
Caren tilted her head from where she calmly kneeled on a small pillow that had been placed in her and Asia's apartment, the sole male merely shrugging at her comment as the Exorcist further inquired, "And do you find it proper to overstay your welcome at a devout woman's home? How crude and depraved."
Taking the words in stride as Asia looked horrified by Caren's blunt statements the man responded, "I've finished up with my last job, this current bit of Sanctuary work has me interested, to say the least."
A gasp left the blonde nun's lips, emerald eyes wide as she muttered in outright awe, "Are...are you one of the Surveyors?"
"Oh wonderful. More terms I understand nothing about. Guess I'm going to be faking assurance in the matter once again."
Settling for a confident grin in response to Asia's inquiry the girl let loose a quiet breath of amazement while Caren settled for a narrowing of her striking eyes, obviously not set at ease by the news. A sharp contrast to her fellow woman of the cloth who looked like an excited puppy.
"Hmph. You must have received such a title due to nepotism then, if your showing against the foes from earlier is any indication."
Letting the comment slide off of him - knowing full well that was just Caren being Caren - he was surprised by Asia going to bat for him, timidly commenting, "Umm, miss Hortensia? He did save me when we were outnumbered, so maybe go a little easy on him?"
Releasing a quiet breath as if doing so pained her greatly the pale-haired girl said, "Oh I suppose there was some good performed."
+5 REP with Caren Hortensia [10/100]!
Cayman yet again had to hide a blink of surprise, figuring that Sybaritic Initiate was working overtime if he was building REP with Caren of all people so quickly.
"And on that note…"
Caren Hortensia, LVL 33
HP: 500
MP:1000
STA: 600
STR: 40
DEF: 50
AGI: 30
MAG: 500
MAG DEF: 50
"Geez, what's up with those HP and STA values? I guess constantly having her body be damaged by its close proximity to Daemons means you build a resistance pretty quickly...and I still need to figure out what STA does."
Adding that to the already extensive list of shit he had to figure out at some point the male mentally returned to the conversation at hand, noticing Caren mention, "If you are so brutish as to bludgeon us with the authority of a Surveyor then you may as well await for the muscle of this operation to arrive in a manner of minutes, we shall continue the topic of our meeting then."
Sensing an opportunity Cayman remarked, "Well in that case to hopefully convince you that I'm not some evil armchair general how about I make you all some dinner? We did just go through some pretty intense adventures with the locals, right?"
"You know how to cook, mister Cayman?"
"Yup. And you can drop the mister part, just Cayman is fine. Unless Caren thinks I'm going to poison it?"
The yellow-eyed exorcist innocently tilted her head, commenting, "Poison? No, I sincerely doubt you would attempt murder that way. If you were to put anything aside from perfectly normal ingredients into our food I would expect it to be rohypnol in a bid to ravish our insensate bodies."
"S-s-sister Caren?!"
Chuckling at Asia's scandalized cry Cayman left the apartment to grab ingredients, stating over his shoulder, "She's joking, Asia. Caren just has dark and twisted fantasies that she wishes to see played out but can't admit too out loud, that's all."
"Oh my, are you perhaps reading too much into a situation you know little about-"
Click!
Smirking to himself as the door sealed shut over Caren's retort he went about grabbing the necessary bits and pieces for a meal of curry, with a little extra spice just for his newly found acquaintance's pleasure.
When out shopping he'd found a few products that were definitely exclusive to this reality, a number of them being Demon-related foodstuffs and assorted treats that he'd bought as many of as possible, provided they were on sale. One was a bottle of hot sauce that smelt like death and if Caren was anything like her father she would have a serious appreciation for spicy flavorings.
Returning to Asia and Caren's room - the blonde blushing profusely while Caren merely seemed put out that he'd cut their conversation short - he began his preparations, Yukikaze and Jinglei arriving a scant few minutes later as they immediately stared at him with renewed suspicion.
"And just why are you here, if you don't mind me asking?"
While the dark-skinned Taimanin's comment clearly stated that he should start talking in order to avoid serious bodily harm and injury he merely smiled and offered up a jaunty wave, Asia perking as she announced, "Oh, you know Cayman? He's a Surveyor so his assistance should prove to be quite helpful, right?"
"Wait, he's a Surveyor?!"
Su Jinglei's affronted tone matched Yukikaze's grumble of, "So that explains why you were sponsored by the Kaleidoscope himself…"
"Wait, I was what? Shit, I didn't know about being involved with the Second Magic, even if that does provide some sense of explanation as to how I got here…"
Of course being confused about his own origins would be something of an awkward and incredibly suspicious affair so he settled for simply smirking in the face of the Taimanin's wariness, both of them seeming to decide letting him be a smug cunt off in the corner was an easier time of it.
"So you're the support on this mission, huh? Name's Yukikaze Mizuki and this is Su Jinglei."
"H-hello, my name is Asia Argento!"
Both Taimanin seemed a bit off put by the nun's stammered and somewhat shy words but were diverted as Caren spoke up with, "Greetings, ninja sluts. Oh, I meant Taimanin."
Cayman had to smother a snort lest he give offense to the hyper lethal warrior ninjas, both of them staring at a completely unapologetic Caren who stared right back, the tension tangible enough to cut with a knife...he was hoping no knives would get involved.
"Although I guess that really does give credence to the idea that those among Sanctuary's ranks don't really get along. And judging by their reaction Surveyors aren't really all that well liked either, despite Asia's description of it."
"Hmph. We'll remember that little comment, just in case any Demons or the like get hungry."
Calmly lowering her head in an apologetic gesture that couldn't have come off as more disingenuous if it tried Caren responded, "I meant no offense, I shall take greater care with my words."
Neither Yukikaze or Jinglei seemed ready to let things go at that, Cayman deciding to step in before Asia had a panic attack at all the hostility going around as he stated, "Easy does it, everyone. I've got dinner on the stove and meals don't taste good if it's marinated with the blood of those who should be our allies."
He raised an eyebrow as four sets of eyes met his own with varying levels of emotion.
"Or is that a little too grandiose of a statement to lead with?"
Grumbles from the two Taimanin came across loud and clear but they sat at the table Caren and Asia were seated at without further complaint, Yukikaze taking point as she announced, "Let's begin going over what we know of our target, alright?"
No one disagreed and Caymen listened intently, hoping that he would finally gain enough context about matters that he could stop bluffing his way through every conversation.
"Dr. Hoestia was last seen entering Tokyo two weeks ago, headed towards Kabuki and a team consisting of an Executor and Taimanin were sent to either capture or kill him, eventually tracking the doctor down and relaying a message that they were going to begin their assignment."
The young woman's features took on a grim tinge.
"That was the last we heard of them since five days ago and we are to pick up where they left off, both assumed dead or corrupted."
Caren idly nodded, commenting, "He was rumored to be studying ways to create hybrids consisting of many different species and power, such as a Daemon combined with an Exorcist or a Demon with a Yokai, for example. If the previous pair never reported back it's quite likely he succeeded, at least to the point of having worthwhile guards and protectors."
"Agreed. Hence we were ordered to work with you and ensure that Hoestia is brought in no matter what...even if you made a pretty lousy first impression."
Caren merely smiled, Cayman's mind running a mile a minute as he whipped up their meal.
This was the first real sign of a true crossover between the universes and something he'd fully expected to run into, a mad scientist seeing the various species, techniques and gene pools all around and desiring to create the ultimate frankenstein monstrosity while a kill team from all the various factions was sent to clean up the mess...certainly a bit more of an involved event than merely seeing a few bounty reward posters placed around the city.
"U-umm, if you don't mind me asking...why do you all seem so wary about Cayman? You've been staring suspiciously at him this whole time."
Asia's hesitant and unexpected comment caused the room to look at her, the nun blushing and ducking her head but Yukikaze fielded it nonetheless, cooly stating, "He's a Surveyor. Just because they're meant to be overseers and ensure everything goes smoothly when so many factions are involved doesn't mean that's how it happens. Look at the subtext of their job description and tell me what you think it really means."
Asia blinked, shifting uneasily as she was put on the spot.
"It means his presence here is a direct implication that those of Sanctuary who assigned us this mission don't have faith in our ability to properly and competently handle it, that we're not going to succeed or at least not to their satisfaction."
Jinglei finished her statement with a glare towards Cayman, who was idly continuing his work on their meal.
"His being here is a direct insult to our skills and credibility."
Asia seemed a bit more unsure of the whole scenario now that it had been put so bluntly, Caren lazily commenting, "Oh my, are you perhaps so insecure in your abilities and standing that a little supervision makes you irritable and confrontational?"
"We're not some newly graduated Taimanin that need babysitting, we've gone on missions before and are good at what we do!"
"Now now, no need to get all heated about everything, in fact why don't I put a few worries to rest here and now?"
Four sets of eyes turned his way as he remarked, "Now I doubt you'll believe me when I say that my being here is purely coincidental and not a result of orders from a higher power, so why don't I convince you through good old facts and logic that have nothing to do with me?"
This time the gazes were more curious, if not a little bit wary as he began with, "Your assumption is that this is a test or trial of some kind, that your loyalty or competence is being called into question, right?"
Both Taimanin stoically nodded, even though they seemed a bit uncertain as to where he was going with this.
"Okay, meta-knowledge...don't fail me now."
"Well that assumption couldn't be any further from the truth. I knew of all four of you and I wasn't even a part of this mission to begin with...but that's not the assumption we're working with so let's move on from that. Each and every one of you was picked to ensure this mission has the highest possible chance of success."
He pointed to Caren, pleased to see that he'd apparently grabbed their attention.
"Take Exorcist Hortensia over here. Any of you know what her unique talent is? Masochistic Spiritualist Constitution, or in less wordy terms her body is incredibly sensitive to the presence of Daemons and can replicate the effects of a possession given a close enough proximity. Sound useful, given our current quarry?"
He gestured towards Asia, the nun shrinking slightly at his attention.
"Asia Argento, wielder of the Sacred Gear Twilight Healing capable of rejuvenating injuries of all kinds of severity within seconds, which will be crucial for ensuring Caren's health as well as your own, given the nature of Hoestia's experiments and the resistance that will no doubt be encountered."
He next turned his gaze towards the Taimanin duo, commenting, "And now for the pair of you. Taimanin who have gone through significant real world missions and have experience under their belts. Hell, Su Jinglei here is a vet from both the Chinese Union's PLA Intelligence Agency and Gosha Academy, she's got quite the breadth of knowledge to work with."
He went back to stirring the pot of sauce, idly stating, "And while I did indeed stumble into this without knowing what it was about my own goal is pretty clear. Offer support and findings as I make them and ensure that the actually loyal operatives aren't betrayed."
Going full bullshit he remarked, "There's no telling if the pair that came before us weren't sold out or anything like that, my task is going to be snooping around and making sure someone isn't playing a con game."
He turned back to Caren and Asia, stating, "Asia was ambushed just as she was making her way to the safehouse, they knew she was on her way. Coincidence, a careful watch set up or insider info?"
"Wait, you were attacked?!"
Yukikaze's disbelieving words were met with a dismissive shrug from Cayman, responding, "Yeah, couple of mercenary Orcs and a Stray Devil. We managed to drive em' off but I'm pretty sure they were in the employ of the doctor."
Jinglei and Yukikaze sent each other grim and knowing looks, Cayman regaining their attention as he commented, "That aside you four weren't brought together as a slapdash addition to a failed assignment or some double-edged loyalty test. You were a specifically chosen A-team that was believed to have the best chance of success and if you can't see that unfortunately I don't have a self-confidence specialist on speed dial."
The room was quiet after his little proclamation, no one uttering so much as a single noise...and Asia timidly stated, "O-oh...I never quite thought of it that way?"
"Course you didn't. But that's why I'm here."
Both Taimanin rolled their eyes but didn't protest or argue further.
In fact, he got quite a few interesting pop ups.
+15 REP with Asia Argento [45/100], +15 REP with Yukikaze Mizuki [20/100], +15 REP with Su Jinglei [20/100], +5 REP with Caren Hortensia [15/100]!
The nun and Taimanin he understood getting the big rep increase - everyone likes being told they're good at what they do - but he figured Sybaritic Initiate was working overtime if a little bit of praise got Caren increased REP.
"And quite frankly I'm surprised the room doesn't smell of poo because that was a LOT of bullshit I just pulled out of my ass there."
Thankfully the curry and rice was finished a few seconds later, the gamer quickly loading it up onto plates and passing it out to the gathered crowd while announcing, "Alright, hope you're hungry because I made a lot."
"Oh, thank you!"
"Well, your previous cooking wasn't all that bad so I guess this one should be fine as well…"
Asia's enthusiastic acceptance of his gift was a stark contrast to Yukikaze's more cautious one, Jinglei and Caren merely eyeing the steaming meal with something approximating distant curiosity as Asia announced, "Now let us give thanks to god for this meal, yes?"
She wilted somewhat as the two Taimanin gave her funny looks, Caren predictably not making so much as a sound as she peaceably clasped her hands together.
"Umm...you don't have to if you don't want to?"
Inwardly smirking at the hesitation and awkwardness of the Christian women of faith trying to get a pair of superpowered assassin ninjas to say grace he broke the proverbial ice by sitting at the table with a boneless flop, clasping his hands together and sending a raised eyebrow the Taimanin's way, both young women rolling their eyes but nonetheless consenting to offer up a brief mutter of thanks while Asia and Caren quietly intoned their prayers.
With that out of the way everyone made to dig in-
-and Cayman interrupted by handing Caren the bottle of hot sauce, remarking, "You seem the type to appreciate a little bit of extra kick to their food, give this a try. Just bought it at the market not more than a day ago."
Raising an eyebrow at what was no doubt an odd bit of knowledge about her preferred brand of flavoring Hortensia nonetheless accepted the slim bottle without a word of complaint, popping open the cap...and causing both Taimanin as well as Asia to wince and cough, the smell acrid enough to be mistaken for burnt hellfire as Jinglei complained, "You aren't actually going to eat that shit, are you?"
Caren actually seemed quite delighted, stating, "I think I shall. If you are so weak as to be unable to handle a little spiciness you are more than welcome to take up a seat on the opposite side of the room."
To their horror - even Cayman a little uneasy despite knowing that this was just par for the course with the mildly insane Exorcist - she proceeded to dump generous globs of the dark red material onto her curry, Cayman fairly certain that it wasn't just steam that began to waft upwards from where the caustic substance made contact with lesser biomatter.
Caren chowed down on a heaping mouthful of the stuff without a moment's hesitation, not more than a few seconds passing before her skin began to sweat, nose run, flesh redden and mouth drool.
"Ahh...what a thoughtful if somewhat invasive understanding of my palate, Cayman. For a nonbeliever you are quite the merciful individual."
+15 REP with Caren Hortensia [30/100]!
"Holy shit, is this actually a weak point? I only gave her that stuff partly as a joke."
Everyone else spent a good few seconds being horrified at the Exorcist's consumption of super acid masquerading as flavoring before getting to their own food, eyes widening and noises of surprise echoing through the room as they began to eat with gusto.
+5 REP with Asia Argento [50/100], +5 REP with Yukikaze Mizuki [25/100], +5 REP with Su Jinglei [25/100]!
"Okay, is there some kind of cooking buff or something active that I'm not aware of? Because while my cooking is good I doubt it's that good."
Deciding to let the matter drop for the moment and simply enjoy the quiet Cayman instead began going over various schemes in his mind, ranging from finding the Doctor to how to further progress on his quests...busy times ahead, that was for sure.
"N-no...NO, NO MORE-NNNNNNGGGGGHHHHHHH~?!"
A perverse scream that was half unimaginable terror and half divine pleasure echoed through the blank and empty halls of the labyrinthine structures located beneath Tokyo, a twisted roadmap of hidden enclaves that were perfect for escaping the notice or retribution of the world above...provided one was ready to fight for their territory.
As more blood curdling screams echoed through the area Dr. Hoestia clinically eyed the results of his latest experiments, hybrid creatures born of a Taimanin's womb and Exorcist's seed landing in the center of an ornately carved pentagram, umbilical cords still attached to the wet and twitching bodies as their mother seized and shook, eyes rolled back in their sockets as the circle began to glow with an ethereal and unnatural light.
Features hidden beneath a voluminous and drab cloak Hoestia watched with bated breath as otherworldly mists and shapes descended on the mewling babes, coating their skin and cloaking their clumsy bodies from sight...and with a final cackle of supernatural delight the corrupted Daemon essence settled into the newborns without rejection, Hoestia breathing out a sigh of relief as the first and arguably most difficult step of his ambition was completed.
Now all he needed was time.
Voice raspy yet strong the Doctor idly ordered, "Impregnate her once more, she should survive long enough to incubate another brood."
Without a sound the distended and altered body of the Exorcist moved towards the restrained and insane Taimanin woman, cock erect and already seeking out the stretched and abused hole that had just given birth, any semblance of the past personalities that had inhabited both individuals long since lost to the Doctor's machinations.
Ignoring the animalistic screeches and howls of the broken woman as she was inseminated one final time - his medicines and drugs potent enough that incubation would take no more than three or four days at the cost of her bodily integrity - the crazed researcher retreated further into his lab, passing by countless abandoned test tubes and other such equipment in favor of stopping directly before a large tank filled to the brim with cloudy nutrient fluid, hiding the feminine figure that floated within from outside observation.
"Soon...my magnum opus will be complete and you will be the proof that all along - even after I am dead - I was right and just with my pursuits."
While his face couldn't be seen the victorious tenor of his voice spoke more than any expression could.
"The union of Daemon, Taimanin, Moonlit and Supernatural shall pave the way for a glorious new future. And woe to those that try to stop it."
Drawing inspiration from Kirei gorging himself on boiling lava sauce. Honestly, it feels like every Fate production has at least two competing visions going on at the same time. The people who made Carnival Phantasm on side and the rest who sometimes take themselves a little too seriously on the other.