Chapter
3
Apparently two teenage girls
showing up in the hospital (one with a damaged face) looked suspicious, so the
police came to headquarters to investigate. Shinta refused to let me out of my
chair, so his minions shoved me into a closet and pushed a wardrobe in front of
the door. I was trapped, and everyone else had to pretend that the damage had
been a gas explosion next to a box of fireworks.
“Yeah, we
were just all studying,” said Kiyori to the police. The officers had a hard
time believing Akito's story and decided to interview everyone. “And then it
was just like. Bang.”
“Yeah, bang,”
added Taisei.
“And
KABOOM!” Cried Souta dramatically.
It was my
only chance to escape before Shinta changed his mind. My mouth was taped shut,
so I jumped in my chair to move it closer to the door. I planned to kick the
door to get the officer’s attention, but the chair tipped over and I fell on my
face.
“What was
that noise?” I heard the officer ask.
“Its,” said
Souta like he was attempting to save me, but he quickly became quiet and didn’t
do anything. It was exactly what he did when we fought monsters.
“Cockroaches,”
said Nina’s brother. “Giant ones...in the walls...and maybe the floors. We’ve
been trying to kill them for months but they just keep coming back stronger
than ever.”
“Yeah,
they’ve evolved into like these super strong mutant roaches,” added Taisei.
"They’re like teenage mutant ninja roaches, but smaller, and not actually
ninjas."
I thought
there was no way that anyone could believe his terrible excuse. I was certain
that the officer would come dashing to my rescue, but to my disappointment he
just cleared his throat and said he was done. I spent another thirty minutes
with my face against the floor until Shinta came back for me.
Hugo and
Nina’s brother carried my chair back to the kitchen. I thought they would at
least give me a snack, but instead they placed a lamp on the table and directed
the light into my eyes. I felt like I was trapped in a police movie as Shinta
and his lackeys began writing observations.
“Hair,
messy,” muttered Nina’s brother. “Clothes? Probably haven’t been washed for a
few days.”
“Personality,
optimistic,” wrote Hugo. “Like he hasn’t had all his hopes and dreams crushed
by life.”
“Hey!” I
protested.
“Don’t you
think this is a little excessive?” Asked Akito as he moved the lamp away from
my face. “I’ve taught him for months. He’s clearly not capable of harming
anyone in his current state.”
“Stand down
Akito,” said Shinta. “I’ll take it from here. You and your students can wait
outside.”
Akito
screwed up his face and looked like he was about to protest before he quietly
left the room. As horrible as my situation was, I had to admit that it was
funny to see Akito being told what to do for once. He would finally know how
the rest of us felt. I even started laughing until Shinta pulled out a pin and
jabbed my right hand.
“Hey, that
hurts!” I protested and tried to struggle against the ropes, but Hugo held my
hand down. Shinta pulled out a piece of yellow paper and held it against my
hand. I watched as my blood began to seep into the paper.
“No doubt
about it. This is definitely monster blood,” said Shinta as he held the paper
up to his face to get a better look.
“What! How
can you even tell?” I asked. I couldn’t see anything strange about it at all.
“It
glimmers in the light,” he said.
“It glimmers in the light,” I mocked in a
melodramatic voice. I thought I would get a few laughs from Shinta’s minions,
but the two of them just sat there staring at me blankly. I thought that was
the worst they could do, but that’s when the endless questioning began.
“Do you
have the urge to consume human flesh?” Shinta asked.
“No,” I
said.
“What
animal can you transform into?”
“I can’t
transform into anything!”
“When was
the last time you ate someone?”
“I’ve never
eaten anyone in my life!”
“Repressed
memories,” muttered Nina’s brother as he took notes. “Inflated self-confidence,
inability to comprehend the truth. Clearly in denial.”
“Hey!” I
protested.
“Also need
to pick up milk on the way back to headquarters,” he added.
“Don’t you
know that I can hear everything you’re saying!” I said.
Hugo was
supposed to be writing observations too, but halfway through he started writing
a list of reasons why his ex-girlfriend may have left him. I could see things
such as refusal to wash socks staring
up at me from his notepaper.
“There's no
way that we can allow this thing to roam around unchecked,” said Shinta after
questioning me for an hour. “We need to take him back to the main branch for
further testing. Hugo write a message.”
“I suppose
if I have to,” said Hugo, and he pulled out a new sheet of paper.
“Tell them
that we’ll need restraints,” said Shinta. “And tranquilizers, and make sure
they prepare enough charms. Make sure you call up that man who works in the
morgue, and make sure we have adequate cleaning supplies. They never managed to
get the blood stains out of the concrete last time.”
I was about
to wet myself before my sister suddenly burst through the door with Akito
behind her.
“Dai-chan
you’re okay!” Cried my sister. She pounced on me and wrapped her arms around my
neck so tightly that I found it difficult to breathe. “I was so worried.”
“Who is the
woman?” Asked Shinta.
“Daisuke
Matsumoto’s younger sister,” said Nina’s brother.
“The
violent tomboy?” Questioned Shinta.
“Dai-chan,
why are you tied up?” Asked Sis as she noticed the ropes around my chair. “Have
you been causing trouble again?”
“Sis you
have to save me!” I cried. “They want to take me away and put me in a cage!” I
often complain about how Sis can be angry and strict, but it’s actually her
best quality when it’s re-directed at someone other than me.
“Whaaat!
Why on earth would they want to do that?” Said Sis.
“The boy is
a monster,” said Shinta.
“Look,”
said Sis. “I know that sometimes he can be a little difficult to deal with, and
there are times when even I want to tie him u-“
“No Kanako,
he’s actually an Obake," said Nina's brother. "A real live man eating
monster like the one who murdered your brother."
“Dai-chan
almost died tonight, I really don’t think that this is the appropriate time for
telling jokes,” said Sis.
“Look at
this charm and how it glows when we place it near him,” said Nina’s brother as
he dangled a locator charm near my ear. “You of all people should know that’s
not normal!”
“Well
there’s obviously been some sort of mistake,” said Sis and she ripped the charm
out of his hand. “Dai-chan’s just a normal boy!”
“Yeah!” I
added. I decided I would emotionally support Sis by yelling yeah at random
intervals.
“Akito!”
Said my sister. “Tell them to stop it!”
“Yeah!” I
said.
“Kanako,”
said Akito while looking grim. “It’s hard for me to say this, but a lot of
things have come to light recently, and it’s possible that your brother may not
be who you thought he was.”
“That’s
because I’m a super exorcist!” I yelled back. “Grandpa put some weird charms in
my back when I was a kid. Then Akito unleashed them, and now I have super
awesome exorcist powers!”
“Really,
are you sure?” Asked my sister. “That’s amazing!”
“Not you
too,” moaned Nina’s brother. “I can’t believe that anyone would fool for
something so stupid.”
"I
wish I was a super exorcist," said Hugo. "Girls like that sort of
stuff."
“I’ve lived
with Daisuke since he was five and I can assure you that he’s no monster,” said
Sis. “If you lay one hand on my younger brother you’re going to regret it!”
“I won't
get talked down to by a girl,” said Shinta.
“Well this
girl might just blast you out of the building,” said Sis.
“Can
everyone just please calm down!” Protested Akito as he rushed in and created a
human barricade between Shinta and my sister.
“Akito
move!” Said Shinta.
“Yeah Akito
move!” Yelled my sister. “I’ve been wanting to get a shot at this guy ever
since he rejected my application in seventh grade!”
“If you
don’t mind sir I would gladly take her down for you,” said Nina’s brother.
“You
ungrateful little turd!” Yelled my sister. “After all my brother did for you!”
“Even
though it pains me so, I would gladly go against my mentor’s sister for the
sake of the great Shinta Watanabe.”
“Traitor!”
Sis yelled back.
Hugo also
pulled out a charm and pretended to aim it at my sister, but I could tell that
his heart wasn’t in it and he was just pretending to be part of the fight.
“We need to
take this monster with us,” said Shinta. “He’s clearly a threat to humanity!”
“But
there’s no reason why we can’t conduct the necessary tests here,” said Akito.
“There’s no reason to burden the main branch when everyone’s already stretched
to capacity.”
“We’ll
manage,” said Nina’s brother. “There isn’t anything that we wouldn’t do for the
sake of the organization.”
“Why you
little!” Sis’ charm paper began to burn. It looked like she was going to
unleash a fire charm on them all, until Akito grabbed her hand and held her
back.
“Why not do
the tests here?” Said Akito as he held onto my sister who was desperately
struggling to escape. It looked like the two of them were dancing. “This place
was once used to contain dangerous Obake, so you can find anything that you
need here. Please think of the risks associated with taking him back. If he
lost control once more, just think of all the innocent lives that could be
placed in danger.
“Sir, maybe
he’s right?” Said Hugo. “We don’t want the innocent lives to be in danger
again.”
“Danger
doesn’t bother me!” Yelled Nina’s brother. “I’d gladly sacrifice my life for
the organization!”
“Remember
the time you forgot to lock the cage and all those caterpillar Obake got out,”
whispered Hugo. “Those cyclists are now scarred for life.”
“I told you
never to mention that again!” Hissed Nina’s brother.
“Don’t the
organization rules even state that it’s best to move an Obake around as little
as possible,” added Akito. “You could almost say that it would be against the
rules to take him back to the main branch when we’re already adequately
equipped here.”
Shinta
gritted his teeth in rage and began turning red. I thought he was going to
explode.
“Fine!
Fine! Have it your way Akito, and girl,” said Shinta while glaring at my
sister. “The monster stays here for testing, and I expect reports. Every week
from every single person here! My subordinates will continue to stay here and conduct
research, and they will be given access to anything they need. And that thing
is prohibited from leaving! It is not to step one foot outside this building
under any circumstance. No exception! No exception whatsoever!”
* * *
Sis came and picked me up the next
day after Shinta returned to the main branch. Hugo and Nina’s brother put up a
decent fight, but they were obviously no match for my sister.
“Stop it!”
You can’t take him back!” Said Nina’s brother as he blocked the doorway in an
attempt to prevent my sister from getting in. “The boy is a monster and we’re
under strict orders not to let him leave!"
“Move!”
Yelled my sister.
“Never!”
Said Nina’s brother. “There’s nothing you can say or do which would ever make
us go against an order from the organization.”
“Then I
guess there really isn’t any other option,” said my sister. “I never wanted to
use this, but you’ve left me with no choice,” she paused and I stood there
wondering what sort of awesome secret weapon my sister was going to use.
“I know
about that!” She said.
“What?”
Said Nina’s brother and his face began turning pale. “No, you don’t! You’re
bluffing! There’s no way that you could possibly know about that!”
“Oh, I know
everything,” said my sister with a smirk. “I’m the adorable little sister of
your mentor and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t tell me.”
“What’s that?” Asked Hugo.
“It’s
nothing!” Nina’s brother snapped.
“Is it
worse than the time you forgot to turn off the heater and accidently set the
ancient scripture room on fire?” Asked Hugo.
“Shut up,”
Nina’s brother hissed.
“They still
haven’t figured out it was you, so I think you’re still in the clear,” said
Hugo.
“I thought
we agreed never to talk about that again,” Nina’s brother hissed under his
breath. He looked back at my sister to find her smiling like a maniac.
“I’m sure
your bosses would love to know who was responsible for the loss of their
beloved documents, and that,” she
said.
Nina’s
brother stared at my sister with his eyes wide in fear. He gulped and began to
move away from the door.
“You can’t
do that!” Protested Hugo. “It’s against the rules, we can’t go against the
commander. We swore an oath as his assistants to do whatever we’re told without
hesitation until the day we die!”
“I’ll get
you a date,” hissed Nina’s brother.
“Done,”
said Hugo.
I couldn’t
believe how easily I had escaped the evil clutches of the organization. I was
certain I was going to be trapped in headquarters for the rest of my life while
the two of them subjected me to tests like mad scientists. My respect for my
sister increased tenfold.
“Wow, that
was amazing Sis,” I said as we descended the stairs in front of headquarters.
“What's that?”
“There is
no that," said my sister.
"I made it all up."
"Really?
How did you know that would work?"
"That
guy trained under my brother. He used to suck-up to Shiki Moriyama and do
almost anything that guy dared him to, so I'm sure there’s something that the
two of them must be hiding together."
“Great one
Sis, I knew I could count on you!”
“It should
be enough to keep him off our backs, for now,” she said while nervously
glancing behind her. “That guy might be a pushover, but he’s still pretty
resourceful. We can’t afford to let our guard down.”
“Whatever
you say Sis,” I said while merrily skipping down the stairs.
“Don’t
worry Dai-chan, together we’ll get to the bottom of this. Akito may be smart,
but he’s still only running on theories from my father’s research. Even he
doesn’t know for sure what my father did to you."
“Yeah, I’m
sure that Grandpa had tons of information and notes on turning people into
super exorcists. Maybe it all just accidentally fell down the back of the
bookcase like Shuro’s CD that you don’t like.”
“Perhaps.
Father went through a pretty dark phase after my brother died, and even I don’t
know what he was thinking. I’m sure that he may have other secrets.”
“Yeah!
Akito’s stupid theory about me being an Obake is ridiculous. I don’t feel any
different at all!”
“That
reminds me,” said my sister. “I have something I want to ask you.”
“Okay,
what?”
“Don’t
mention any of this to Shuro or Hikaru. Shuro didn’t grow up in our world so he
would only panic, and Hikaru’s too young to understand anything. I don't want
to tell them anything until we know more.”
“Okay,” I
said. It was the first time that my sister had ever asked me to keep something
a secret from Shuro, but I was sure that a few secrets in their marriage
wouldn’t hurt anyone.
I took one
last look at headquarters to see Itsuki staring down at us from the top of the
stairs. His face was cold and expressionless, and it reminded me of the day
that he called out to Mana and told her to stop speaking to me. Sis didn’t
notice his presence, and I didn’t want to worry her. I took one final look at
his menacing glare and tried to suppress my growing concerns that we would
never be friends again.
I was
certain that everything would return to normal.
It's only
now that I finally realise how naïve I was back then.
Posts
