Original Chapter Title: Strategic Transfer of Equipment to Alternate Locations
The original plan by the town's officials had been for Asa to stay at a local orphanage. A straightforward idea: just dump her somewhere until she was old enough to either apply for high school, or find a minimum wage job. Yet, with so many lives lost and people displaced by the Typhoon Devil's rampage, plus the bureaucratic chaos of rescue, salvage, and trying to pen down who could go where, trying to find an open space for even Asa proved difficult. So, it was decided that some of the children would be sent to other orphanages across Japan.
That was how Asa found herself at the steps of an orphanage in Tokyo, of all places.
Immediately, it was lonely at the orphanage for Asa during her first day here. Sure, the other kids were enthusiastic about her presence, wanting to know all about her and asking if she wanted to play. But, the truth of the matter was that she had not even settled in, her mind still reeling from the loss of her mother and her old life. Inwardly, she berated herself, as she gave all sorts of lame excuses or outright declined their invitations.
As she sat against the wall reading a novel, a sound from over her shoulder rang out into her ear.
"Meow~!"
It had nearly startled Asa, as she glanced over. Laying across her shoulders was Crambon, whose big, curious eyes gazed back at her. Even though his rear leg had healed nicely, she had spent so much time carrying the poor thing in her arms, and now there was barely a moment where he was separate from her. With her hands occupied with holding her book, she allowed the cat to rest on her shoulders and forgot about it.
"Hello to you, too, Crambon," she muttered, as one of her hands left the book to scratch Crambon's chin, eliciting a purr. "I hope you like this place as much as I do."
It was a half-lie, she thought to herself. A roof over their heads was better than nothing, after the carnage left by that Typhoon Devil… The one that took her mother's life. Asa's lips pursed bitterly as she tried to turn her attention back to her reading, but found herself unable to focus past a few words at a time.
As if conspiring with her distracted thoughts, the heavy steps of the orphanage's caretaker plodded closer, as a shadow came over both Asa and Crambon.
"Asa, let's talk."
Her attention was pulled away by the blunt tone, as she met the neutral expression of the caretaker, and her piercing gaze.
"Y-you want to talk?"
"I just said that, yes," she returned, as she knelt down. For someone whose responsibility was to take care of children, there was a coldness that Asa hadn't expected, even with the formal greetings from earlier in the morning when she arrived at the orphanage's steps. "I'll get right to it: it's about the cat."
"Cr-Crambon?"
She watched as the caretaker tried to subtly let out a sigh, as her nostrils flexed slightly with her exhale. "Yes, Crambon… One of the other kids has a severe pet allergy. You realize this may be an issue, correct?"
Asa felt herself frown reflexively. "Y-yes, ma'am…" Her answer seemed to have a different effect, as the adult's brows furrowed.
"No 'ma'am' business, okay?" she said with a firm voice. "I didn't want to have to do this, but do you think you could… Give up the cat?"
"U-um…" She tried to keep her eyes from glancing over at Crambon as her hands dropped to her legs. "I don't… I don't want to."
She watched as the caretaker's expression subtly change, as though she were considering her words. "Okay." Asa's breath hitched as that word came out with more finality. "Here's what we'll do. Listen to me."
"Y-yes, ma—" Asa's mouth clamped shut, remembering the caretaker's word. "Yes." Her fingers moved to pick at the fabric of her sweater's sleeve.
"I'll let the cat stay with you, but it cannot be around the other kids," she spoke, her words slow as to lay them out clearly for Asa. "So, you won't be staying here at the orphanage, but instead in my home."
Asa's chin tilted up—the caretaker smiled slightly, as though pleased by this reaction. "W-wait—your home…?"
"My apartment, I mean," she clarified, her head tilting slightly, that coldness beginning to dissipate. "I think you're too old to be around the other kids anyways." She moved to Asa's side, sitting against the wall—and, when Crambon leaned in to try to sniff, she flicked her fingers at it, as if trying to keep it from invading her space. "I read the report, by the way… You lost your mother to the Typhoon Devil, correct?"
Asa's head tilted down to look at her knees. "I… did…" She felt her mood sour upon being reminded of it. How dare she—
"I lost someone too," the older woman interjected, "Not to a devil attack—Well, not quite. But I know what it's like." To Asa's ear, the voice was ever so slightly louder—had she tilted her head just to better project her voice? "My sons, I mean…"
Whatever anger, or sorrow, or other upset that Asa felt bubble up in her slowly fizzled out, as she looked at the caretaker. "You lost your sons?"
"A long time ago," she answered, as she looked forward, staring at the opposite wall. "And a part of me, too." It was the small gestures Asa began to notice. How the caretaker's knees pulled together tighter, how her fingers fidgeted together. "I don't want to take that cat away from you, not after everything you've lost."
Asa's eyes glanced over at Crambon, then back to the caretaker. "So, you want me to stay with you?" she asked, finding the proposition more enticing after hearing her words.
"I won't be home most of the day," she stipulated, continuing to look away from Asa. "But, I assure you'll be taken care of." She paused for a moment. "And Crambon too."
It wasn't much, Asa knew, but it was something. A consideration. For the first time in a long while, she felt herself smile. "Okay. I'll stay with you, Miss—"
The caretaker's head snapped towards the teen. "No 'miss' business, either," she retorted, causing Asa's head and shoulders to whip away suddenly, as Crambon's claws dug into her sweater to maintain his place. Though, just as quickly, the adult's expression returned to neutrality, and maybe a touch of apprehension. "Sorry…"
Asa visibly gulped, as she tried to form a smile. "I-it's okay, um…?"
The caretaker's eyes moved to look into Asa's, piercing deep into her soul. The room's light caught her skin, as pale, silvery scars became visible. "You can just call me 'Yoru'."
"This is your room, the bathroom's over there—" Yoru had been quick to get Asa over to the apartment after dinner. With the older kids at the orphanage tasked with getting the younger ones to bed just for tonight, the caretaker had Asa's bags loaded in the van, making a stop at a store on the way. "—and we'll put the litter box here to… Are you listening?" With Crambon in her arms, Asa's mouth opened to try to answer, but could only let a stutter. "I apologize if I'm speaking too fast, but I want to say everything before tomorrow. I might already be gone when you wake up in the morning."
Asa's head lowered, hiding her mouth behind the cat's head. "S-sorry, Yoru…"
Another sigh passed out from Yoru's nostrils. "It's… Fine. I know we won't be settled in just tonight," she said, as she crouched down to prepare Crambon's litter box under the sink. "The cat will be your responsibility starting tomorrow: cleaning after it, feeding it, making sure it doesn't break anything—" Asa watched as his head shook and ear's flicked, "—and, if you think he needs to go to a vet, tell me."
"Y-yes, I will," Asa answered, as she watched Yoru scoot over the bath rug into the doorframe as a makeshift doorstop. "Th-thank you for this…"
Yoru gave a small 'hmph' as she stood back up, dusting her hands off over the sink. "Feel free to make food for yourself from what's in the fridge. I'll try to make sure you have breakfast and dinner starting tomorrow. Now…" She stepped out of the bathroom, heading towards the door. "I'll be heading back to the orphanage right now, make sure everyone's really gone to bed. I suggest you get some sleep, too."
Before she can reply, Asa watched as Yoru stepped outside, followed by the rattles and clicks of the locks
Continuing to hold the cat in her arms, she glanced around the quaint apartment. Apart from basic amenities, like a dining table and chairs, a large cutting board on the counter with knives nearby, it was devoid of personal effects—though, considering Yoru would have to spend most of her day at the orphanage, Asa would have to assume the adult hadn't the time to set aside to decorate.
Briefly peeking into her bedroom, she saw how plain it was currently, with single-color sheets, empty shelves, and a cleared desk with only a tabletop lamp. She stepped close to the bed, setting Crambon down, who gave her a lengthy meow.
"I won't be long, buddy," Asa said, giving him a gentle pat to the head. She stepped out into the hallway, and, curious, walked towards the other bedroom—Yoru's.
Cracking the door open, Asa found it similar to her own room. The sheets were messier, a sign of repeated use, for sure, while the shelves had a few books, though massively underused, as entire parts of it remained empty. She glanced over at the desk, finding the most curious of items—old newspapers and little handmade knickknacks. Headlines of large-scale devil attacks, a few clipped-out comic strips, and, tucked by the lamp, were said knickknacks. Bent metal, maybe tin, folded into the shape of a gun—or was it an "L"? She assumed a gun, as the next one was a tank, made from pieces of cans with a pen body as the barrel. Then, a black marble with string pushed into a tiny hole.
There were a fair number of these assembled together, including a few that she couldn't understand what they were supposed to be. Whoever Yoru was, she led a very interesting life, in Asa's opinion.
She stepped back out into the hallway, then returned to her room, as Crambon gave her another meow as a greeting. She gave him a small smile as she moved her bags to the dresser, laying hastily-folded clothes in it. As if pestering her for more attention, the cat padded close and gave her another meow.
"I know buddy, just let me do this," she returned, her voice taking an amused tilt. As she closed up her empty bags, she felt her exhaustion. She'd take a shower tomorrow.
"Alright, time for bed," Asa, muttered, as she laid in the bed without bothering to change out of her sweater and sweatpants. Crambon, for his part, moved to nestle himself between her arm and her side. "Goodnight, Crambon."
Letting her hand drag down the cat's back, his purring reverberated against Asa's body, a comforting touch as, for the first time in a while, a comfortable sleep took her.
Author's Notes: I don't think I've been compelled to write as much as I have these past few days. I think I'm finally working off that creative block.
Just for posterity: Thank you for taking the time to read my work, regardless of whether you liked it or didn't. Having eyes on it is more than I could ever expect.
(Cross-posted to AO3)
