Parallel Worlds

by Ilrinia

Summary:

Renju was everything to Pewter. His lover, best friend, soulmate. And losing his other half left him completely devastated. But what happens if he wakes up one cold November morning with all the knowledge of what was to come? Would things be different?

Notes:

I just finished playing AI: The Somnium Files and I absolutely fell in love with this game. The story, the characters, all of it. But when I finally got to the end, I felt a little disappointed that so little was mentioned about Pewter. And I really wish we had gotten to see even a glimpse of Renju and Pewter as a couple. There were plenty of flashbacks that included Renju, but none with the man that gave him the watch that was more important than his life.

And even though it wasn't possible, I really wanted Pewter and Renju to have a happy ending. So since I couldn't get that in the game, I decided to write it myself. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio…

Notes:

So, after several years I've decided to go back and edit this monster of a fic. Looking back some of the beginning chapters has made me realize that my writing has improved quite a bit. At first I thought of just doing some light editing here and there, but ultimately felt like after all the years I put into this fic it really deserved a rewrite.

The story is still very much the same, but there will be changes to dialogue and pacing throughout to make for a much smoother read and just overall better experience. Plus this is really helping me with getting back into the mindset to write the sequel fic.

In the end notes, I've included the list of updates.

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio…”
-Hamlet

 

The room was cold.

Not so much physically, though the ABIS interrogation room did have a draft that was impossible to get rid of. No this was more clinical and sharp, like all the warmth had been drained out.

Dull gray walls along with a dull gray floor and a well worn metal table all reflected back in a dingy mirror. It was a wonder anyone on the other side could see clearly.

And while there had been many times that Pewter had been present in this room, it was the first he was ever a suspect at the table.

Though was suspect even the proper term? He was guilty, no room for doubt. Not that it mattered.

Renju was gone. The man he thought was Renju? All a lie. Nothing but a cheap masquerade. His Renju was already long dead, and Pewter was too blindly in love to see it.

He was going to confess to it all.

Why wouldn’t he?

What meaning was there in freedom if he had to spend the rest of his life without the man he loved? He could do his atoning in a prison cell, where he belonged.

The door creaked open and shut with a click. Pewter didn’t need to see her reflection in the mirror to know who entered. It was only a matter of time before she came to question him.

Pewter made to stand but stopped short, awkwardly hunched as the handcuffs kept him tethered to the table. A frustrated huff escaped his lips as he sat back down.

Why was he even bothering to stand? Because his superior entered the room? Was she even his superior anymore? Surely the paperwork to process his termination had already been signed and hand-delivered straight to the Commissioner.

He was a criminal now after all.

“Why?” Boss asked as she took a seat opposite him.

She looked tired, more so than usual. Her mascara was smudged around her eyes and Pewter could see a hint of black on her palm where it met her wrist, almost as if she had dragged the hand across her eyes.

Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, ponytail long since taken out in a rush of frustration. A few flyaways refused to be tamed and stuck off at odd angles.

Despite her reputation for spending all hours of the night at host clubs, Boss never made it a habit to come in looking dragged down. Pewter couldn’t recall a single time that she wasn’t looking her best, always prepared in case she stumbled upon “Mr. Right”.

It made the guilt naw at him fiercely, knowing the reason his friend was in such a state was due in part to his actions. He’d drugged her, betrayed her trust, of course she looked a wreck. And that wasn’t even counting everything else she’d been through in the last few days.

“Tell me why. Help me understand.”

Her voice was rough, like she had been yelling or screaming or…crying.

Pewter felt his chest constrict. He shook his head, willing the feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability to leave him be.

“Please. You knew what was at stake and still…”

A hitched exhale. Not quite a sob, not yet.

“Please tell me. I need to hear it from you… Futa.”

Hearing his real name was all it took. Whatever force had barely been holding him back finally cracked and the tears came, hot and without end down his cheeks.

He hung his head lower and tried in vain to hide his anguish, feeling oddly exposed without his visor.

“Everything I did… I did for love.”

Boss stayed still, not daring to move.

“I though it was Renju. W-why wouldn’t I?” His voice trembled as he spoke. “I had no reason to doubt him. Especially when he so desperately needed my help. He was in pain and I was the first person he reached out to. Of course I was going to help him. I would have done anything he asked. Lie, steal, kill. I’d have died to protect him if that’s what it took.”

Pewter’s hands shook, the clinking sound of metal on metal echoing faintly in the room. “But it wasn’t him. He was already gone and I was too caught up to realize.”

A long silence passed. Pewter cried quietly, a small hiccup here and there the only sound while Boss simply watched on.

A few more moments and then, softly “I know you loved him. It’s because of how much you loved him that Saito was able to manipulate you.”

Pewter ground his teeth together at the name. “And where is Saito now?”

“Dead. self destructed, killed him instantly.”

“It’s a better death than he deserved.”

Boss nodded. “You’re not wrong. But better that he’s gone and no longer a threat to anyone.”

“But Aiba…”

“You had backups, right?”

Pewter glanced up, tear-stained face making him look so much younger. “I do, but it won’t have everything. Her local data would have been lost. And that’s all my fault.”

“Then that’s how you can start atoning.”

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”

“I’m not sure there’s anything for me to forgive. I’m pissed. Pissed at you, at Saito, at this whole damn situation. But I can’t place the blame solely on you either.”

“But I betrayed you all.” The words were barely above a whisper and if there were anyone watching behind the mirror, it was doubtful they would have heard it.

“You did. But if it wasn’t the man you loved being threatened, would you have ever gone along with something like this?”

Pewter didn’t answer, instead hanging his once again.

“Exactly. You wouldn’t have. I know you Pewter, I’ve known you a long time and there’s no way you would ever do something like this without a damn good reason.”

“It doesn’t matter my reasons. I still committed a crime. I aided a murderer, helped him because I was in love. That makes it worse, It means I’d do anything no matter how vile if it helped the man I love.”

“I’m not saying it won’t take some work, but given all the evidence I’m pretty sure I can get you out in—”

“No!” Pewter slammed his hands on the table. “I don’t want that.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to be released. I just want to go and serve whatever sentence I’m given. I’m done.”

“Pewter…”

“I’m done, please. I’m just done, I want it all to be over.”

Boss leaned back in her chair, shaking her head. “No. Unacceptable.”

“What?”

“You’re done? I don’t think so. You don’t get to just give up.”

“Why? Because you said so?”

“Yeah, exactly. Because I said so. You don’t get to go to prison and rot, slowly wasting away until you die. I’m not letting that happen.”

“You don’t really get a say in that.”

“You know what, go to prison. Live the rest of your life in misery, make everything you’ve ever done completely pointless, is that what you want?!”

Pewter flinched, unable to meet her eyes. Is that what he wanted? No, of course it wasn’t. He didn’t want any of this, but he deserved it nonetheless. His choices and actions all led to this point and ultimately he had no one to blame but himself.

And while it would be easier to just mindlessly go about the rest of his life in prison, it wasn’t truly how he wanted this all to end.

“But if you want to make this right, then own it. Live with the mistakes you made. I know the guilt and grief will be suffocating, but you have to fight. Fight like hell and just live.”

“How do you live after something like this?”

Boss’ features softened and she leaned against the table. “I don’t know. I wish I could tell you it’s going to alright but I know it won’t be. I don’t think this pain will ever go away, it just won’t always be this raw.”

Pewter didn’t speak, he couldn’t. Whatever words he wanted to say were trapped in his throat and only a weak sob broke through.

“I’m going to get you out.”

He didn’t acknowledge as Boss stood up and left, the door closing behind her with a final click. He simply sat and cried, waiting. Waiting for whatever would come next.

 

∴

 

Pewter woke with a start, clutching at his chest and biting his lip to keep from crying out. Every day since losing Ren had been like this. His heart ached with the loss of his best friend, his lover, the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Now all he had were memories and regrets. Painful what-if’s. And plenty of time to dwell on them in his cell.

Except…

“What?” he whispered, blinking hard as he tried to focus on his surroundings.

He was home. In his bed. The Egyptian cotton sheets Renju insisted on buying soft against his skin. The clock read 6:36 AM; its red numbers glowing bright in the still dark room. The sun was barely starting to rise, casting faint shadows along the walls.

This couldn’t be right. He was in prison; sentenced to ten years. Though Boss was actively trying to get him released, thinking that maybe she could get it reduced by half if they were lucky.

But still, he had only been there a few months. Not that it truly made a difference to him. He had nothing to come back to.

And yet…here he was. Home, like nothing had changed.

The room looked exactly like he remembered. His side was completely neat and orderly while Ren’s…

Pewter let out a small, broken cry.

Ren’s clothes were strewn across the floor. For all his polish and poise, the man never bothered to pick up after himself. That had always fallen to Pewter. But not this time, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. To move the last things that his Ren had touched.

Of course in hindsight he realized the man he had been helping was not Renju. It was Saito Sejima wearing the face of his lover. If only Pewter hadn’t been so blind, he should have known it wasn’t Ren. But he had never been able to say no to Renju, not when the man so rarely asked for help.

Fully awake and now more confused than ever, Pewter swung his legs over the side of the bed, feet sinking into the plush carpet. He glanced at the nightstand and carefully slid open the drawer.

Pushed all the way towards the back was a small velvet box.

Pewter grabbed it, holding it tight and rubbing his fingers over the soft material once before flipping it open. The dim light of the room made it hard to see, but Pewter knew what it was.

The ring.

Picked up only a few days before Ren died after months of waiting for it to be completed. He designed it himself, going to a jeweler to actually bring his sketch to life. The band was made of pewter, because what other metal could he have possibly gone with? The gems, alternating green amethysts and diamonds, were his and Renju’s birthstones. A perfect ring for a perfect proposal.

Everything was set. He’d take Renju out for a nice dinner, maybe a little dancing, and then they’d finish the evening on one of the observation decks on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. The city would be a kaleidoscope of lights with no better view anywhere. Ideal for a romantic and heartfelt proposal.

But those plans came to a screeching halt when Shoko called. He’d been upset, but what could he do? It was about Mizuki and Pewter would never put Renju in a position where he felt like he had to choose between his daughter and his boyfriend.

If only he had known.

If only once in his life he had been a little selfish. Thrown a tantrum instead of smiling and nodding, reassuring Renju that he could change their reservations to Saturday.

He’d looked so relieved, promising Pewter that he’d be his all day, no interruptions.

“Ren…why?” Pewter whispered, his voice cracking. “Why did you leave me?”

He bent his head, tears flowing freely now. It was all too much. Being back here. Seeing everything that reminded him of Renju. Not knowing how or why he ended up home.

Boss had pulled stunts like this before, sure. She’d once drugged him and he woke up missing a shoe at the Meiji Jingu Shrine. That had been an awkward series of conversations.

But this was different. It wasn’t some joke that only she found funny. She’d gotten him out of prison and back in an apartment he was certain would have sold on the market by now.

He knew she was working feverishly behind the scenes to get his sentence lessened and freedom granted. She’d filed several motions and even spoken with the parole board, telling them exactly how much she needed him. Or more accurately, his mind.

The Psync machine wasn’t public knowledge but given his position at ABIS, more in the judiciary system had become aware of the technology and exactly what it meant. She made it quite clear that as the creator of the tech, there was no way ABIS could function long term without him.

Her words must have finally gotten through to someone, otherwise why would he be here? But that still didn’t answer how. He had absolutely no memory of returning

With a final glance at the ring, Pewter snapped the box shut and tucked it back into the drawer. No point in continuing to torture himself with what could have been. He had more important things to do, like figuring out exactly what was going on. And there was one person that would have those answers.

Boss.

He reached for his phone, tapping the display and making the screen come to life. His chest constricted painfully as looked at the lock screen. The happy and carefree selfie Renju had taken, the two of them together, the moment forever frozen.

An impromptu vacation to Atami over the summer. No work, no projects. Just them. Ren had stood on his toes, barely able to reach Pewter’s cheek. He kissed him while snapping the playful photo, setting it immediately as the background.

Pewter ran his finger across Renju’s cheek on the screen. They had been happy. Truly happy and in love. It wasn’t fair.

He stared at the time. Ten minutes had passed since he’d woken up. It felt like only a moment but time continued to move forward despite his grief.

Then his eyes landed on the date.

November 1, 2019

“Oh my God! What?”

“Futa? Are you ok? I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Pewter dropped the phone and bolted upright. An unbearable chill ran down his spine like he had just been doused with ice water. This wasn’t possible. He had to be hearing things. There was no way this was happening.

The bathroom door opened and a cloud of steam escaped. He could barely hear the quiet whir of the fan over the pounding of his own heart.

The blood drained from his face as he watched the figure, towel wrapped around his slight waist, step forward.

Renju.

Living. Breathing. Beautiful. And alive.

“This can’t be real, it has to be a dream,” he barely whispered. There was no way this was actually happening.

“Futa?” Renju moved closer, concern etched into his brow. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“No, please…” Pewter sobbed, voice thick with emotion. “I can’t have you here and wake up to lose you again.”

“Futa, I’m here,” Renju said softly, wrapping his arms around his chest. His skin was still damp from the shower and clung to Pewter’s shirt but he didn’t care. Not when this felt so real, right down to the scent of his shampoo.

“I’m here,” he repeated. I’m not going anywhere. I love you.”

Pewter broke, burying his face in Renju’s shoulder as he cried desperately. Loud, gasping sobs racked his body and Renju held him tighter still, murmuring I love you over and over as he rubbed slow, soothing circles into his back.

“How are you here?” Pewter finally choked out.

“What are you talking about? I came home after work.”

“You can’t be here. None of this is real, it has to be a dream.”

Renju pulled back gently and cupped his face. “Are you feeling ok? You were tossing and turning all night. And now this? What’s wrong Futa?”

“Are you…are you really here?”

Renju smiled, brushing away the tears with his thumbs. “Of course I am. I’m not going anywhere.”

Pewter sat back down, his legs no longer able to support his weight. His head was swimming. This was impossible. Yesterday he went to bed in his cell on what would have been Renju’s 38th birthday. And now…? Somehow he woke up five months in the past.

Ping.

Pewter’s head jerked, the near silence of the room making the text alert seem that much louder.

Renju grabbed his phone and glanced at the message. “Huh. That’s odd. Shoko needs to see me after work. I’m sorry, but it seems really important. We’ll have to do dinner tomorrow night.”

“No! You can’t go!” Pewter all but screamed the words.

Renju flinched at the sudden change. “What?”

“You can’t go! You’ll die!”

“Futa…”

“No, you don’t understand. I’m not crazy,” Pewter pleaded, knowing exactly how out of it he sounded but no longer caring. “You’ll die if you go.”

“Come on Futa, you’re not making any sense.”

“I know that, but you have to believe me. If you go with Shoko you’ll die. That’s not her, it’s Saito Sejima in her body.”

The reaction was instant. Renju’s eyes widened in shock and air left his lungs choked gasp like he had been punched in the stomach.

“What did you say?”

“I know how this sounds, but I swear I’m not lying to you. I know what’s going to happen. I don’t know how I know but I do.”

“What…”

“I don’t know…maybe it was a dream or an alternate reality or some sort of parallel world. It doesn’t matter, the important thing I know what happens if you go with Shoko. You will die. Saito will kill you and then take your body and pretend to be you.”

“Futa…you don’t believe in stuff like that. You made fun of me for going with Date to get a tarot reading.”

“I know, I know! Trust me I know. But I’m not crazy Ren, I’m not. Saito has been a parasite in her body for a year. He’s been pretending to be her all this time and if you go to the chemical plant, he is going to kill you and swap bodies.”

“That’s not even— That’s impossible.”

“Text her.”

“What?”

“Text Shoko. Ask her something only she would know. Something from more than a year ago. It can be anything, as long as only the two of you would know.”

“Futa…”

“Please Ren, I’m begging you.”

Renju sighed and grabbed his phone from the edge of the bed. NILE was still open along with the earlier message from Shoko.

Shoko Meet me after work tonight

I need to talk to you about Mizuki 06:52 AM

I might be late tonight. Mizuki wants to go to the pet store after school. 06:55 AM

Shoko So?

Take her tomorrow 06:56 AM

I can’t. I already promised her last night.

She wants a sea lion figure for her fish tank.

You know she loves the story of dad being raised by sea lions. 06:56 AM

Shoko You're an idiot

I don't know why you ever made up that stupid story to begin with 06:56 AM

Just take her tomorrow 06:57 AM

Renju turned the phone towards Pewter. “You were right. Shoko knows the story, she’d never forget something like that.”

“Really? This is what you went with?”

“She knows my dad was raised by dolphins. It was the easiest way to trip her up.”

“I don’t even know what to say.”

“How about you start from the beginning. The body swapping and how Shoko is actually Saito.”

“Ok, but you have to let me talk. It’s a lot.”

“I will Futa. Please, just tell me,” Renju said quietly.

Pewter nodded and stood up, full of nervous energy.

“When I invented the Psync machine, I did it to help catch criminals. To get the answers that they weren’t willing to give. We may not be able to use the details in court, but it’s still helped solve numerous cases. It worked better than I ever thought it could.

“It’s simple really, our psyncers go into the psyche of whoever we’re questioning and try to get what information they can. And all that data gets transmitted back to the control room and recorded. That way we can review it and catch anything we might have missed. But there was one function I didn’t account for.”

Pewter paused in his story, studying Renju for a brief moment before turning towards the closet. He opened the door and grabbed one of his jumpsuits, the fabric soft against his hands.

“The Psyncer has six minutes to go into Somnium, the dream world, and get the answers we’re looking for. If you stay longer than six minutes, your consciousness gets absorbed by the person you are psyching in to. And their consciousness flows over to the Psyncer.”

“You’re really serious. About this whole body swapping thing.”

“Yes.”

“But if that’s true, how did Saito get into Shoko’s body? She never went to ABIS. She’s never been hooked up to your machine.”

“You’re right, she hasn’t been to ABIS, but she didn’t have to. Six years ago, I invented the Psync machine. The original machine. It was a prototype and not quite as advanced as what we have now, but it still functioned basically the same. Before it was completely finished and I could work all the bugs out though, it was stolen.”

Renju swallowed hard. “By Saito?”

“Yes. He stole the machine, performed a body swap and ultimately ended up in the body of Rohan Kumakura. He stayed in that body for five years before he finally regained all of his memories. And once he did, he lured Shoko to him and swapped bodies with her.”

“But Rohan committed suicide a year ago! That means…”

Pewter silently nodded his head, not speaking as he let Renju absorb the information.

“Oh my God. Shoko’s dead. She’s been dead a year and I didn’t even notice?”

“It’s not your fault,” Pewter began, knowing all too well how it easy it was to be tricked like that. “When a swap occurs, a small part of the original owner remains behind. Enough to imitate speech patterns, mannerisms, things you would associate with that person. It’s how Saito was able to keep this up for so long.”

“But I was married to her Futa. She’s the mother of my child. I should have known something was wrong. But instead I was too focused on myself to even notice.”

“Ren, you’ve barely spoken to her at all over the last few years. The only time the two of you talk is when it concerns Mizuki. And even then, it’s not much. Saito is a master manipulator. He had everyone fooled.”

“Not you though.”

“No, he got me too. In my… dream…Saito reached out to me. He used your phone and called me, asked me to meet him. And when I saw you like that…looking like I could lose you at any minute, the thought never crossed my mind that it wasn’t you. I was desperate to help you.”

Renju rubbed his hands over his face. “How can this all be real?”

“It is Ren. This all really happened. Or will happen if we don’t change things. And I’m not losing you again. I don’t care what it takes, I won’t let you die. I will protect you.”

A long pause and then, “So, what happens now?”

“We’re going to ABIS. I need Date to psync with me.”

Notes:

08/17/25 updates

Added new opening scene.

Updated narrative flow.

Tweaked dialogue to sound more natural.

Changed texts between Renju and Shoko to feel more in line with the characters texting.

Tried my hand at work skins to make actual text boxes. It's not perfect, but it's not too bad for my first try.

From here on out, all updated chapter will actually be titled. That way it will be easier to see what I have updated and what is still the original.

Chapter 2: I am not what I am

Notes:

Soooooo, this was originally going to be a one-shot with a vague, open ending. I figured Pewter warned Renju so obviously he wouldn't meet up with Shoko and therefor wouldn't die. But then I just kept thinking of other little ideas and before I knew it, I started writing a whole new chapter. And now here we are. Please enjoy!

“I am not what I am.”

-Othello

 

 

“Wait, wait, wait— hold up. You want me to do what?” Date asked from his chair in Boss’ office, his brow furrowed in disbelief. 

It was supposed to be an easy and simple day.  File a few reports, review some pending cases with Boss that were going to trial soon, and then head home.  He might even see if Mizuki wanted to go grab dinner at that ramen place she liked so much.  But now?

“I need you to psync with me.  Immediately.”

“Why? That doesn’t make any sense.”  Date’s eyes flickered over to the man standing idly by Pewter.  “And why is Renju here?”

Pewter glanced at Renju.  A subtle exchange passed between them, so brief Date nearly missed it.  There was only the slightest hesitation before Renju nodded.

“The reason I want you to Psync with me involves him,” Pewter said.  “And also… we’re together.”

“Together?” Date echoed.

“Oh my God!  Are you two fucking?” Boss practically leapt off her desk.  “Did all those BL mangas and doujins I gave you finally pay off?” 

“I assure you that I knew what I was doing long before you started placing them everywhere in my lab,” Pewter replied dryly.

Renju blushed, but couldn’t help the small smile that spread across his lips.

“Oh come on,” Date grimaced, leaning back in his chair and staring at the streamers criss-crossing the ceiling.  “I don’t want to think about you and my best friend bang—” 

“I do,” Boss interrupted cheerfully.

Pewter exhaled sharply through his nose.  “Duly noted Boss.”

“Wait a minute.”  Boss narrowed her eyes.  “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“We’ve met a few times, but never for very long.” Renju answered.

“We have?”  Boss was clearly wracking her brain so hard that Date could swear he saw smoke coming from her ears.  Just when he thought she would give up, she slammed a hand against her desk.

“You’re the hot blonde from the club!  The one with the ‘fuck me’ eyes and tight ass!”

“Boss!” Pewter choked.  “I told you to stop referring to him like that!”

Renju grinned, enjoying his boyfriend’s torment a little too much.  “You talk about me with your co-workers like that?”

“No!  Just Boss.  Wait no!  That sounds wrong.  She remembers you from the club where we first met.  She would ask about you from time to time but I never told her anything.”

“You didn’t have to.  I told you my super power was knowing when people have sex.  I didn’t know who it was, but now I do,” she grinned.

Date nearly groaned.  If he didn’t get things under control soon, he’d lose Boss completely.  “Hey, let’s get back on track.  You can salivate over them later.  I want to know why there’s this sudden emergency to do a Psync.”

“It’s kind of hard to explain,” Pewter said.  “But I’ll start from the beginning.”

He drew a steadying breath, letting the air out slowly.

“As you know, I created the Psync machine nearly seven years ago.  It was a huge leap forward, so much so that ABIS was finally taken seriously as a department.  We had a significant advantage in solving cases, but due to legal and ethical concerns, it had to stay a state secret.  Very few people outside our unit even knew it existed.  At least that’s what we thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“Six years ago, there was a break-in.  Sophisticated.  Coordinated.  In and out within ten minutes.  They took the prototype and we had no idea where it was.  Not until now.”

“You know where the machine is?!” Boss exclaimed.  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I didn’t know until this morning.  Or possibly last night.  It’s complicated.”

“Well make it uncomplicated Pewter, we need to know where it is.  Do you understand what could happen if someone like Sai-” Boss froze immediately, cutting herself off mid-sentence.

“What were you about to say?” Date asked, eyes narrowed.

“Nothing.  Don’t worry about it.”

“Saito Sejima,” Pewter said flatly.

“What the hell Pewter?” Boss hissed.

Date’s stomach twisted, his vision swimming for a moment.  That name…why did it make his heart race?  Why did it sound so… familiar?

“He needs to know.  It’s all part of what I was going to tell you anyway.”

“But it’s not possible,” Boss said, shaking her head.  “Saito’s dead. He died a year ago.”

“We thought he did.  We were wrong.”

“Okay, I’m lost.  Who is this guy?  Some relative of that congressman?” Date asked, looking between Boss and Pewter.

“He’s So Sejima’s son,” Pewter answered briefly.

“The son of a congressman stole classified police equipment?  Why?  What would he even want with it?”

“I’ll tell you what I know.  It probably still won’t answer your question, but that’s only because I don’t think he had a reason any of us could truly understand.”

“You can’t tell him. You know we can’t,” Boss warned.  “And you know why.”

“I don’t care!” Pewter snapped, startling everyone in the room.  “I don’t care if I go to jail or whatever else could happen.  I’m not going to watch Renju die again!”

“What?”  Date leaned forward, alarmed by Pewter’s sudden outburst . “What do you mean watch him die again?  Did something happen?  Ren, are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Not in the traditional sense,” Renju spoke up.  “But just hear him out.  It’s going to sound out there, but… I believe him.”

“Have you ever heard of prophetic dreams, Date?”

“You mean like visions of the future?”

“Yes, exactly.  I had one last night, at least that’s what I believe it was.  But it didn’t truly feel like a dream.  It was like I lived that life.  Like a parallel world that I somehow got a glimpse of.  That’s why I want you to Psync with me.  I think the answers are locked in my subconscious.”

“But what am I even looking for?  We’re not solving a crime.”

“But don’t you see?  We are.  It just hasn’t happened yet.  It would have started tonight if Ren went to see Shoko, but by staying away the first murder won’t happen.  We need to be one step ahead at all times.  And the only way to do that is to find out what else could be inside my mind.”

“What does Shoko have to do with any of this?”

“Shoko’s dead, Date,” Renju said softly.  “She has been for a year.  We just didn’t know.”

“What are you talking about?  I’ve seen Shoko a couple of times this year.  She isn’t dead.”

“No, it’s true,” Pewter said.  “Shoko did die last year.  Her body is still alive, but her soul, her consciousness, is gone.”

“Okay Pewter, you need to start making sense.  Explain this, slowly.  How can her body be here but her soul is dead?”

“Six years ago, when I made the Psync machine-“

“I know that!  Get to the part about Shoko being dead and Renju dying.”

“I would if you’d stop interrupting,” Pewter said sharply.  “But to explain what happened to Shoko, you need to understand what happened six years ago.”

Date clenched his jaw.  He didn’t have time for one of Pewter’s bullshit scientific tangents.  He needed to find whoever this murderer was before they killed Renju.

“Date, please just listen.  You need to hear this,” Renju said as he took Pewter’s left hand in his right, rubbing slow circles with his thumb.

“Fine,” Date muttered.  “But make it quick.”

“Like I told you, six years ago the prototype Psync machine was stolen by Saito Sejima.  He hired a few guys and they got it out before we even knew what happened.  The prototype isn’t as refined as what we have now, but it didn’t matter.  Saito was only interested in one thing; body swapping.”

“What?  That’s impossible,” Date said.  “I’ve Psynced more times than I can count and never swapped bodies with anyone.  There’s no way he could do that.”

“How long do you stay in Somnium when you Psync?”

“What?”

“How long do you stay in Somnium when you Psync Date?  What’s the limit?”

Date sighed loudly. “Six minutes.  You and Boss never shut up about it.”

“And why do you think that is?” Pewter asked.  “It’s not arbitrary.  The longer you stay in Somnium, the higher the risk.  Six minutes is our safe zone, our buffer.  You could stay in for seven minutes and potentially be fine, but if the swap starts within that time there is no way to stop it.  The subject absorbs your mind and their consciousness flows into your body.  Think of it like an egg…”

Date started to lose focus through Pewter’s explanation; something about this was so familiar but yet it was just out of reach. It was like he had heard those exact words, except he had no idea where or when.

“Aiba, this ringing any bells for you?”

“I’m afraid not.  This is all new information.  I had no idea the Psync machine was capable of this.”

“But Pewter made you.  Don’t you have access to his notes and files?  Is it anywhere in the system at all?”

“There is nothing found in the police database besides the service manual and the user manual.  Pewter may have more information on his personal hardrive, but it is heavily encrypted.  Hacking would take at least six hours and I have no doubt that he has a failsafe set up that would alert him to my attempts.”

“Do you think Boss knew about the body swapping?”

“It is almost completely certain that she did.  Her temperature and heart rate has risen several times throughout this conversation.”

“What about Pewter?  All this stuff about parallel worlds and prophetic dreams.”

“His heart rate has risen, but body temperature has remained consistent.”

“What does that mean?”

“He is not lying.  Not consciously anyway.  Everything he has said is what he believes is the truth. ”

“But why would his heart rate speed up?”

“He seems to be agitated and stressed.  I would link it to that.”

“—and that’s swapping in a nutshell.”

Date tried to refocus, brought out of his internal conversation with Aiba.  As impossible as all of this sounded, he had no reason to doubt Pewter.  There was no reason for the other man to lie, and he was clearly concerned for Renju’s safety.

“So Saito steals the machine and then what?  Just keeps it as a giant paperweight?  You said he wanted it because he could swap bodies with it, right?  Did he use it?”

“Yes, he did.  After you swapped bodies with his old partner and he found out, he became obsessed.  It wasn’t long after that he did his own swap.”

“I’ve never swapped bodies with anyone,” Date insisted.  “I’d definitely know if I did.”

“Would you though?” Pewter asked, tone softened.  “You can’t remember anything from before Boss found you wandering the streets six years ago.  And this happened right before you lost your memories.”

“You said I swapped with his partner… but I must have swapped back, right?  I’m in my own body now.”

“No, you’re not,” Boss said so quietly it was almost hard to hear.  “This body isn’t yours.  It never was.”

“What?”

Boss and Pewter shared a long, solemn look.

“This doesn’t make any sense.  One of you better start talking.  Now.”

“Pewter, are you ok if I handle this part?” Boss asked gently.  “I think he should hear it from me.”

“Oh… of course.  But I thought—”

“I know what I said.  But if you’re going to tell him anyway, he deserves to hear it from me.  He was my best friend once upon a time.”

“I get it Boss.  Go ahead.”

Boss nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.  “Okay Date.  I’m going to tell you a little story.  About Hayato Yagyu— a police officer turned assassin… and my best friend…”

 

 

Notes:

08/18/25 updates

Updated dialogue.

Enhanced narrative flow.

Added a few references to “Parallel Beginnings” to show that Boss had briefly met Renju in the past.

Chapter 3: Conscience doth make cowards of us all…

Notes:

Here's the next chapter! Some discussions are had as everyone prepares to move forward with exploring Pewter's Somnium.

Please drop a review and let me know if you are liking this reimagining of AI The Somnium Files and where it is headed. I just couldn't get this idea out of my head after playing the game and it has now become an actual story instead of just a one-shot.

Thank you to everyone that left kudos as well, I hope you are enjoying it! :)

“Conscience doth make cowards of us all…”

-Hamlet

 

 

 

Renju sat quietly in one of the chairs in Boss’ office, the weight of the conversation sinking into the pit of his stomach like a stone.  His best friend, someone he trusted explicitly, was actually Saito Sejima. 

No, that wasn’t quite right. His body might have been Saito’s but the man inside was still the same Kaname Date he’d always known. 

It was like some sort of cosmic joke.  The man he hated more than anyone, Manaka’s murderer, was sitting less than six feet away and there was nothing he could do about it.  He knew it wasn’t really Saito, but it did little to settle the unease and feeling of absolute wrongness creeping up his spine. 

As if things couldn’t be any worse, he now had to deal with the fact that the real Saito was living as a parasite in his ex-wife’s body.  Shoko was a lot of things, but even she didn’t deserve an end like this.  He couldn’t imagine the fear and confusion at being trapped inside Rohan’s body, a man that had tormented them both so much. 

And this man with the face of Manaka’s killer…

He wasn’t just anyone.  A former cop and Kumakura assassin.  A man just as deeply involved with Rohan as he and Shoko were, maybe more so.  

And to top it all off, he was Hitomi’s ex-boyfriend.  Renju never had a chance to meet the man, but he’d certainly heard all about him from both Hitomi and Iris.  They both loved him dearly, and then one day he disappeared without a trace.

Renju bowed his head, eyes shut tight as nausea clawed at his stomach.  None of it made any sense.  If someone had come to him with this story he would have not doubt that alcohol or narcotics were involved.  But it wasn’t just anyone.  It was Futa, his Futa.  The man he loved so much it made his heart hurt to think of a world without him.

Warm arms slipped around him, holding him tight.  Futa leaned down and placed a tender kiss at the crook of Renju’s neck.  It was gentle and grounding, exactly what Renju needed in the moment.

“I know this is a lot,” Futa murmured softly against his skin.  “Especially with Date being in Saito’s body. Are you okay?”

“I… honestly, I don’t know.”

“You’re thinking about Manaka, aren’t you?”

Renju whipped around quickly, almost head-butting his boyfriend in the process.  “What?”

“I know,” Futa said quietly, keeping his voice low so only Renju would hear.   

“Care to share with the class?” Boss asked, raising a brow in question.

“No.” Futa answered simply.

“Ren, you’re really pale,” Date said, his tone full of concern.

Renju knew how he must look.  He’d never been good at hiding his expressions, especially when he was under an undue amount of stress.  And what could be more stressful than hearing the full story of the Cyclops Serial Killer?

“I’m… ” Renju began. “I don’t know how to process any of this.”

“I think you should sit the Psync out,” Date suggested.  “Settle your nerves, maybe drink something warm.  You never know what you might see in Somnium.  And if Pewter saw you murdered in his dream last night… chances are it’ll show up again.  Or something worse.”

“Absolutely not,” Renju’s voice hardened, full of a resolve he hadn’t felt earlier.  “I’m not staying behind while you dig around in my boyfriend’s head.  I’m going.”

“Renju, I’m serious.  I’ve done enough of these to know how rough they can get. It’s not a good idea—“

“I said I’m going.  This isn’t open for discussion.”

“I have nothing to hide,” Futa said, instinctively reaching up to adjust his visor before realizing he wasn’t wearing it.  In their rush to leave, they simply threw on whatever they came across first and left the apartment in under five minutes.  

“I didn’t say you did,” Date countered.  “But you know as well as I do that Psync subjects can’t control what we see.  And sometimes those dreams get warped.  What if your memory gets twisted and Renju sees something even worse than what you said?  He doesn’t understand how all this works.  Do you really want him to see something like that?”

“I don’t believe my imagination could make seeing his dead body any worse than it already was.  And, I want him there.  I want him to see with his own eyes everything I’ve been trying to tell you.  I need all of you to see this before Saito has the chance to murder anyone else.” 

“Pewter,” Boss began, her voice holding none of the joking tone it had earlier.  “Is there any way this could all be stress?  You’ve been working almost nonstop lately.  We’ve had case after case with barely any breaks.  You’ve practically been living in that lab.  And you’ve been Psyncing yourself when we haven’t had anyone else available.  Have much sleep have you had lately?”

“Are you serious right now?”

“All I’m saying is—“

“All you’re saying,” Futa snapped, “is that you think I’m sleep deprived, over-worked, and borderline unstable. Am I right?”

Date stepped in, trying to play peacemaker.  “Pewter, I don’t think that’s what she mea—“

“Yes.  You’re right.  This sounds too fantastical to be true, even when you take the Psync machine into the equation.”

“Then why tell Date about who he really is? About what happened with Rohan Kumakura and Hitomi?  The body swap with Saito?  If I’m so crazy, why tell him?”

“Because you backed me into a corner Pewter!  What the hell was I supposed to do?  You were going to tell him if I didn’t.”

“Look,” Renju interjected, raising his voice to be heard above Futa and Boss’ arguing.  “Let’s all just take a breath.  Fighting isn’t going to help.  I know we’re all on edge right now, but Futa isn’t lying.”

“I didn’t say he was lying. But stress and exhaustion can take it’s toll on someone’s mental health.  It can even cause hallucinations.”

“Fine then.  You need proof that there’s nothing wrong with me?  Then I’ll give you proof.”

Boss looked relieved.  “Good, we’ll go to the hospital and get you checked out.  They can run a scan—”

“Not necessary,” Futa said dismissively, turning in Date’s direction.  “Aiba?  I need you to come out now.”

Date groaned, clutching his eye.  “No Aiba!  Damn it!  Don’t—”

Too late.  Aiba burst free, leaping into the air with practiced ease and landing delicately on Boss’ desk, her translucent body forming quickly.

“What the hell was that?!” Renju yelped, stumbling back and dragging Futa with him.  It wasn’t one of his prouder moments, the high pitched scream especially, but how else was he supposed to react?  “Your eye… Did… a hamster just come out of your eye?”

“I am not a hamster,” Aiba said proudly, puffing her rounded body out.  “I am an AI Ball.  Aiba for short.”

Renju had seen a lot in his life.  Crooked politicians, Yakuza leaders, dead bodies, drug rings, idol scandals… but this?  This may be the strangest and most bizarre thing he had ever witnessed.  He looked back at the bobbing hamster eye blob that should have been in his best friend’s eye socket—the creature sitting there as if this was a perfectly ordinary turn of events. 

No, this was definitely the strangest and most bizarre thing he had ever seen.

“Let me explain,” Futa said as he grabbed with Renju’s hand without him even needing to ask.  “When Date lost his eye during the switch with Saito, Boss asked me to come up with a solution.  I was already working on a very similar type of nanotech for my visor, so I just changed it up a little and incorporated it into a prosthetic eye.  Aiba isn’t just for looks, she’s an AI of the highest degree.  She’s a complex supercomputer capable of independent thought and reasoning… and my greatest invention.”

“Awww, Pewter, you’re making me blush!”

“You can’t blush.”

“No one asked you Date,” Aiba shot back.

“And since when you do you listen to anyone but me?  I’m your partner,” Date complained as he crossed his arms, pouting.

“Pewter is my creator.  He has Administrator privilege and can therefore override almost any command you issue.”

“Almost?”

“He cannot override a command if it would put you in harms way.  It’s a failsafe he created in case there was an imminent threat and he was being forced to use me against you.”

“Oh.  Well… thanks I guess,” Date muttered, glancing at the engineer.

“You’re welcome,” Futa said, before turning his attention back to Aiba. “You’ve been monitoring me this whole time, haven’t you?”

“I have.”

“At any point have I seemed impaired?  Like I’m not in my right mind?”

“No,” Aiba answered without hesitation.  “My scans show normal brain activity.  There is no swelling or bleeding that could be associated with blunt force trauma to the head.  You’ve not experienced any sudden rise in temperature when speaking about your dreams, indicating that you are not lying.  Your heart rate and breathing have increased, but that is only when Renju’s death has been brought up.  Given the situation, I believe that can be attributed to stress and fear.”

“Thank you Aiba.”  Futa fixed Boss a pointed look.  “Satisfied?”

“It still doesn’t prove anything,” Boss said.  “You made her, so she could just say that to protect you.”

“AI’s don’t lie.”

“They do follow programming though.”

“Why are you so dead-set against me?  Why is this so hard to believe?”

Boss’ expression softened.  “It’s not that I don’t want to believe you.  I do.  But you’ve been burning yourself out for weeks.  I’m afraid that’s all this is.”

“Then how about this?  You and Date used one of the tables in my lab when to pour salmon roe and seaweed salad all over each other.  Another time, the two of you stayed late working on a case and had a few beers.  Date got so drunk that he confused one of the lockers in my lab for a urinal.  Both of these things were brought up in a future that hasn’t happened yet.”

Renju blinked slowly.  “What the hell actually goes on here?” 

“More than I ever wanted to know.”

“You uh… forgot about the part where Date and I had sex on that table,” Boss said, a feeble attempt at humor.

“No you didn’t.  Not there anyway.  And hopefully no where else in my lab.  You two are aware that it should be a sterile environment, right?”

“Urine’s sterile,” Date added.

Futa pinched the bridge of his nose.  “Seriously?”

“I mean… sorry?” Date said, not sounding remotely sorry.

“I think we should all get back on track,” Renju said firmly, taking a step forward.  “We’re not going to get anywhere if we just keep arguing.  We’ve already been down here for over an hour.” 

Date nodded.  “Renju’s right.  If this was any other case, you would have ordered the Psync by now.  Let’s just do it and see what happens.  You can’t lie or hide in your dreams so this is the best way to find out the truth.”

Boss stood there silently and Renju had to wonder if she would continue to dig her heals in further.  If Date and Futa couldn’t convince her, he didn’t know what would.

Another moment and then, “Okay.  We’ll do the Psync.  But I’m stopping it if anything goes wrong.”

Date rose from his chair, holding his hand out for Aiba who quickly hopped on to it.  She made her way up his arm and settled onto his shoulder, content with her perch for the time being.  

“You ready Pewter?”

Futa’s gaze flicked to Renju, forcing a smile onto his lips.  “I’m ready.  Let’s do this.”

 

 

Notes:

08/24/25 Update

Updated dialogue.

Cut repetitive portions to improve narrative flow.

Improved pov so it didn’t jump from Renju to Date in a few instances.

Changed Pewter’s dialogue and action tags to "Futa" since this is from Renju’s pov.

Chapter 4

Notes:

Here it is! The psync with Pewter. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Please let me know in the comments if you liked it!

 

Date sighed loudly as he stood in the Psync chamber.  He could see Renju staring down worriedly at his boyfriend from behind the glass, arms crossed and a frown on his face.  He had been told repeatedly that psyncing was safe and that neither Pewter or Date himself would be in harms way, but it did little to ease his fears.

 

Boss stood off to the blonde man’s right and he could see that she was saying something, but it was impossible to tell what.  The mics hadn’t been turned on yet and Date wasn’t skilled enough to read lips.  It was probably something comforting.  Or sexual.

 

Renju whipped his head around suddenly, the redness in his cheeks easy to see even from where Date was standing.  Sexual it was then.

 

“Hey Pewter, I think Boss is trying to corrupt your boyfriend.”

 

The older man looked up briefly, shook his head and smirked, before turning his attention back to the silver tray next to him.  “I’m not too worried about that.  Ren can take care of himself.  She might embarrass him thoroughly, but it can’t be any worse than when Mama tears into him.”

 

Date laughed at that.  He could just imagine the two of them at Marble, Mama asking as many personal and intimate questions as possible.  If she knew Renju was uncomfortable, it’d be even more of an incentive for her to continue.  After all this craziness was over, he was definitely hitting up Marble with Ren and Pewter.  

 

But before that, he needed to psync with the inventor of the machine.  No pressure there.

 

“So, uh, are you sure about this?  Aiba is going to be running the entire psync and guiding me through, wouldn’t it be better to get another tech in here to do that?”

 

“No.  I don’t trust anyone else to run my machine.  Aiba knows every single nook and cranny of it.  She knows everything I do.  Having her run it is the closest thing to me running it myself.”

 

“You do realize that other people have run the machine before. You’re not the only one that knows how.”

 

“I’m the only one that knows how to do it right the first time.  How many times have you and I been called in because one of the other teams screwed something up?  The department couldn’t even hire actual engineers, just officers with a high aptitude for tech.  That’s why I’m constantly cleaning up everyone else’s mess.”

 

“Tell me how you really feel.”

 

Pewter made a noise somewhere between a snort and a grunt before busying himself with the various instruments laid out on the tray next to his chair.  He grabbed a pair of latex gloves and put the right one on, sitting the left back down.  Next to the discarded glove were several alcohol wipe packets.  He opened one carefully, making sure to only touch the wipe with his gloved hand and then swab it over his left wrist throughly.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Inserting an intravenous line to make it easier to administer the sedative and stimulant,” Pewter said as he wasted no time opening a new needle and quickly inserting into his wrist.

 

“Ugh, warn me next time.”

 

“What’s the matter?  You’ve seen me do this countless times before for other psync subjects.  Did you suddenly develop trypanophobia?”

 

“No, but it’s kind of creepy to just watch someone jab a needle into their own arm.  And why do you need a line anyway?  You’ve never put lines in for anyone else.”

 

“Because I was always the one administering it.  I know how to find the veins and the proper doses to give.  But I’ll be the one that’s under, so I can’t give myself the stimulant to wake up.  This makes it easy for you and Boss when you have to wake me up.  This syringe here,” Pewter pointed to one of two identical ones laying on the tray.  “Is the sedative.  I’ll give it to myself and then Aiba will remotely monitor my vitals until I’m under, at which point she will operate the psync gear and get started.”

 

“So then the other one is the stimulant I take it.”

 

“Yes, it’s measured with the exact amount that I need based on my weight.  All you or Boss need to do is remove the cap and feed it into the line.  Then just push the plunger and you’re done.  If you think you’ll have any issues, get Aiba.  She can do it.”

 

“You really accounted for everything, didn’t you?”

 

“I had to.  I need you to do this.  You and Boss have to see what I saw so you can understand why we need to catch Saito now.  We can’t wait for him to commit any more crimes.  No one will be safe until he’s sitting in a prison cell.”

 

Date nodded.  He knew Pewter was right, someone as dangerous as Saito, who had committed all those murders six years ago under the guise of the Cyclops Killer, had to be stopped. It was honestly a miracle that within the last year masquerading around as Shoko, that he hadn’t killed anyone.

 

“Date?  Are you ready?”

 

“Yeah, how about you?”

 

“As ready as I can be.  I’m going to think about everything I can remember from my dream so that those memories will at the forefront of my mind.  It should make it easier for you to see what I need you to and you won’t waste as much time wandering around.”

 

“Ok Pewter,” Date said gently, giving him a quick pat on the shoulder.  “I promise we’ll catch him.  He’s not going to hurt Ren.”

 

“Thank you,”Pewter said, smiling slightly before grabbing the syringe off of the tray with the sedative.  He removed the protective cap and inserted the needle into the line.  “Be ready Date, the medication should only take about a minute and then I’ll be out.”

 

“I understand,” Date said, walking away from his friend and coworker and heading towards the psyncers chair.  He sat down, making himself as comfortable as possible.  “Ok Aiba, let’s do this!”

 

“Affirmative,” Aiba’s voice rang out through the room.   “And remember Date, you only have six minutes.”

 

There was a brief electric whirring and the visor dropped down, covering the top half of Date’s face.  He could feel the nano cables moving through his empty left eye socket and then the overwhelming sensation of free falling.

 

 

 

Date opened his right eye, blinking slowly and taking in his surroundings.  He was in a bedroom, but not one he recognized.  The gray walls and dark furniture were in no way familiar to him and the minimalistic style did little to tell him who it belonged to. Of course, just because he had never been there, didn’t mean he was completely unaware of the owner of this place.

 

“We’re in Pewter’s apartment, right?” Date asked, still looking around.

 

“That would be correct,” Aiba said as she dramatically threw the door to the closet open and strutted out, Pewter’s visor on her face.  “So this is what the world looks like in green.  It’s so magical.”

 

“Aiba?  Why the hell do you look like that?  You’re supposed to be a gummy bear, not some sort of radioactive jellyfish.”

 

“Rude!  This is one of the new functions Pewter has been working on.  It allows me to take human form in Somnium.  I can also project this image directly into your brain outside of Somnium as well. He uploaded the program to the cloud last night, I just haven’t had a chance to try it yet,” she said as she walked around, examining the room.

 

“Ok, well don’t pop out like that again.  Especially in the real world.  Give me a warning if you plan on projecting yourself.”

 

Aiba waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, only half paying attention as she continued to try to look for clues around the small bedroom.

 

“How many mental locks does he have?  It can’t be too many in here, right?”

 

“I am not detecting any mental locks.  It’s strange, but there does not appear to be any resistance whatsoever.”

 

“I mean, I guess that makes sense.  Pewter was pretty desperate for this psync to happen, so he wouldn’t want to keep us out.  But I also don’t see anything here that-“

 

“Who was that?” Pewter asked, rolling over in the bed to face his boyfriend.

 

Renju frowned, his face illuminated by the harsh light of his cellphone.  “It’s Shoko.  She needs to see me after I get off of work.”

 

“Is it about Mizuki?”

 

“I’m not sure.  She wouldn’t elaborate, just said she had to see me in person.”

 

“You should go.  If she wants to talk to you in person it has to be important.”

 

“But what about our plans tonight?  Didn’t you want to go out to dinner?”

 

Pewter smiled brightly and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss against Renju’s lips.  “This is more important.  It has to be about Mizuki.  You need to go.”

 

Renju reached his hand up, cupping his palm against Pewter’s cheek.  “You’re too good to me.  I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

 

The room shifted, the colors all bleeding together and spinning.

 

“Aiba, what’s happening?”

 

“I’m not sure, we’ve never encountered a Somnium like this before.”

 

Everything started to slow down, the area coming back into focus.  Date felt something wet hit his face and he looked up, realizing he was outside and it was raining.  It was dark, but a few lights lit up the area enough for him to see where he was.  Bloom Park.

 

Before he could say anything else, a phantom figure of Pewter ran past, coming to stop right before Boss and Date himself.  The engineer was out of breath and wheezing, pressing a hand to chest.

 

“Pewter?  What are you doing here?” Date asked, moving forward to give him some cover under his umbrella.

 

“I…I got a…message from Boss…about the murder,” he huffed out, trying to catch his breath as best he could.

 

“And I told you that you didn’t need to come out here.  We’ve got it handled.”

 

“But…her eye…how could I not…after everything…”

 

“Pewter, no more.  Not here.”

 

“Boss?” Date asked.

 

“Don’t worry about it.  It’s not relavent to this case.”

 

Date watched as Pewter stepped away from his Somnium döppleganger, walking slowly towards the carousel.  As he got closer, Date could see a body starting to come into view.  Shoko’s body, tied to one of the horses.  Even though it was dark, multiple stab wounds were evident on her body.  And worst of all…her left eye was missing.

 

Pewter gasped, seeing the body in full view at the same time Date did.  He could feel the anxiety coming off the engineer in waves, even though it was only a dream.  

 

“Why does this feel so…”

 

“Real?” Aiba supplied.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I believe it is because Pewter is trying to actively project his dream memories into his Somnium for you to view.  Because he is aware on some level that this is happening, his anxiety that he experienced in the moment is now bleeding into his Somnium.”

 

The world moved again, colors quickly spinning together and then stopping.  Date found himself back in Pewter’s apartment, only this time he was in the living room.

 

“Date,” Boss’s voice echoed, “You’ve got five minutes.”

 

Pewter came in to view again, pacing back and forth across the length of the living room.  He was clearly agitated, holding his phone to his ear with one hand, and raking the other roughly through his short gray hair.

 

“Come on Ren, pick up.  Please pick up, please…Damnit!…Ren, it’s me again.  I know I’ve left you a ton of voicemails and texts, but you’ve got to pick up the phone.  Please call me back.  I can help you, but you have to trust me, please!”

 

Date didn’t get a chance to even dwell on the scene as the world faded away, shifting once more.  They were back in the Psync room, Pewter sitting in front of one of the computers, though he wasn’t paying attention to it.  He was focused on his cellphone, rapidly typing out message after message.

 

“Aiba, what’s it say?”

 

Aiba moved forward until she was directly behind Pewter, looking down over his should at the NILE message.  “It’s a private message between Renju and Pewter.  Renju is asking Pewter for a favor.  He says that he’s been in a car accident and isn’t able to do it himself.  Pewter is concerned and asking where Renju has been.  He said that he is the number one suspect in Shoko’s death and his disappearance has only made him more suspicious.”

 

“This is where the body swap occurred, isn’t it?” Date asked, moving closer to where Aiba stood.

 

“I believe so.  Sometime after Renju met up with Shoko, Saito must have used the prototype machine to perform the swap.”

 

“So that means Shoko’s body...”

 

“Yes.  Renju was the one that was actually killed.”

 

“And Pewter has no idea.  He thinks that he’s talking to Renju right now.  This is…damn I…I don’t even know what to say.”

 

Pewter slammed his fist down in frustration, startling both Aiba and Date.  He let out a frustrated growl as he held his phone up to his ear.

 

“Ren!  Where are you?  What is going on?…Why can’t you tell me?…Yes, of course I care about you, how can you even say that…Tell me where you are, I’ll come to you as soon as I leave here.  I have to accompany Date on an interrogation and then I can leave…What?…How do you know about #89?”

 

Pewter started fading, the room slowly melting away.  It wasn’t like before, there was no rush or swirling dizziness.  The psync room was blending seamlessly and turning into the interrogation room.  Date could see the table with his own body sitting at one end and the prisoner, #89, at the other.

 

Boss had told him that this man, who was currently serving a life sentence in prison, was actually his former body.  It was now inhabited by Rohan Kumakura, but only Boss, Pewter, and a few select higher ups knew that secret.  

 

Date couldn’t hear anything, still stuck in that weird limbo between the two different rooms.  He could make out Pewter standing behind his Somnium body, silently observing the conversation.  

 

“Date, you have four minutes left,” Boss said, her voice even louder in the total silence of the room.  It was eerie, watching the conversation play out with no sound.  

 

“Aiba, why can’t we hear anything?”

 

“I’m not sure, it may have something to do with the fact that this room is still only half complete.  Part of the control room is still mixed in with this one, it’s like the memory isn’t complete all the way.”

 

Date continued to watch as Pewter looked on, shifting slightly from foot to foot and fiddling with the silver watch on his wrist.  He looked nervous.  Pewter wasn’t one to fidget unnecessarily, so his current behavior was a little more than strange.  “Why is he-“

 

Aiba jumped back on instinct, being slightly closer than Date was as the interrogation table was suddenly flung into the detective’s double.  He went down hard, #89 getting a kick into his head for good measure before stealing his gun and turning it on Pewter.

 

The engineer’s eyes were wide as he raised his hands and walked forward, leading the way out of the room.  The image disappeared as they left, leaving Date and Aiba standing back in the control room.

 

“What happened?  Why couldn’t we hear what they said?  And what is that noise?” Date asked, brows furrowed together as a high-pitched squealing started.

 

“I don’t know.  It sounds like internet dial up almost, but distorted.  Do you think it’s coming from one of the computers?”

 

Date didn’t answer, swiftly moving over to the counter where several computers used to monitor the Psync machine sat.  They were all on, but only displaying static, like an old tv that wasn’t hooked up to anything.  “This is getting really strange.”

 

“I agree,” Aiba said as she walked over to computers, standing at the far end of the counter.  “I think we should try to see if we can get any of the computers working.  There must be a reason we are back here and not following Pewter.”

 

Date grabbed the mouse from the first computer and started clicking the buttons, but nothing happened.  He tapped a few keys on the keyboard, but again, nothing  He could see Aiba doing the same at her computer, yielding similar results.

 

They each moved on to the next computer, but no amount of typing on the keyboard or clicking the mouse made the monitors display anything but static.  Same for the two after that.

 

“This is the last computer Date, if this doesn’t do anything, we may need to leave the Somnium.”

 

“There has to be something else here.  Why would Pewter bring us back to the control room if there wasn’t something we needed to see?”

 

Aiba shrugged her shoulders, clearly not knowing what the answer could be.  She reached her right hand out and moved the mouse, following up with hitting a few keys on the keyboard.  Nothing.  “I don’t know what else to do, this room-“

 

Both Aiba and Date covered their ears quickly, the noise from earlier had quickly faded into the background, but it was back and even louder now.  The pitch was almost deafening, but it was definitely coming from the middle computer.  The sound was growing louder and more intense, finally reaching a crescendo, and then stopping.

 

The screen on the computer went black and then bright white, finally focusing in muted colors as the image became clearer.  It was a restaurant.  Tables and chairs all neatly cleaned and stacked for the night.

 

“That’s Sunfish Pocket.  Renju’s maid cafe.  Why is this on the computer?”

 

The cafe was dark, but time seemed to pass as shadows moved around.  He saw several officers walk through the front door, followed by two EMTs, and then Boss and Pewter.  Boss had her arm wrapped securely around Pewter’s waist, the taller man looking like he could barely stand.

 

“This was a bad idea, we shouldn’t have come here,” Boss said, trying to pull Pewter back through the entrance.  “You shouldn’t see this.”

 

Pewter stepped away from his superior, walking forward on unsteady legs.  His breathing was coming out in shallow gasps, his chest moving rapidly.  His eyes were red and swollen, like he had been crying.

 

With every step, his wheezing became more apparent.  He didn’t stop though, he kept going as if on autopilot until he reached his destination, slowly looking up. 

 

“Oh my God!” Date cried out.  “That’s Renju!”

 

Renju’s body was suspended from the ceiling, a hook going through his mouth and his left eye gone.  Date could feel himself starting to get sick, but before he could even dwell on it any further, the room went black.

 

He felt a sensation almost like free-falling and then he was suddenly outside, water all around him.  He scanned his surroundings quickly, seeing a row of several warehouses, but one in particular stood out.  Okiura Fishery.  

 

Renju stepped out of the building, limping and holding his stomach.  He was moving slowly towards a car that had just pulled up, the headlights bright in the near total darkness.  Pewter bolted out of the driver’s side, running towards Renju as fast as he could.

 

“Ren!  Are you ok?  Come with me, we need to get you back to the hospital!”

 

“I’ll be ok, I can’t go yet.  Not yet.”

 

“Why not?” Pewter asked, clearly agitated.  “I got #89 out of headquarters.  He got a vehicle and went off wherever you told him to go.  I did everything you asked me to, now please, let me take you to the hospital.  You’re not well.”

 

“They’ll arrest me if I go.  I have a doctor, but there’s one more thing I need to do, and then I promise I’ll go.  But I need your help again.”

 

“You’ve got to be kidding!  You’re barely standing now.  I saw the medical report from the hospital.  You could have died!  You almost did actually.  There’s no way you should be running around now!”

 

Renju closed the gap between them, reaching his hand up that wasn’t clenched around his stomach, pulling Pewter down.  He traced his thumb over the younger man’s cheek, bringing his forehead to rest against his.  “Futa, I love you more than anything in this world.  I promise you that I won’t die today.  But please, I’m begging you, help me one last time.”

 

“I…what do you need?”

 

“Bring Iris Sagan here.  She’s in danger, from the same people I am.  #89 can help protect us, but she’s a little weary of me right now.  I need you to help get her here.”

 

“H-how am I supposed to do that?”

 

“I’ve hired a few men for the job.  They’re at your disposal.  Use them however you think would be best, but get Iris here.  As soon as you can.”

 

“Ok, I will.”

 

“I love you Futa.”

 

“Less than two minutes Date, you need to wrap it up.”

 

“Damnit, I need more ti-Whoa!”

 

Date fell back, the warehouse district blinking out of existence only to be immediately replaced with Marble.  Pewter was sitting at the bar, an untouched drink in front of him.  His eyes were closed, but Date noticed the man flinch every few seconds.  The sound took a moment to catch up, but then he heard it.  Gunfire.

 

Another shift and he was back in the control room.  Only this time, a scene was already playing out.  Date’s dream version was lying unconscious on the floor, Pewter standing in front of him and gesturing for a girl with pink hair to move.  He immediately recognized her as Renju’s newest idol.  The one he had been gushing about the last time they went out.  

 

The girl hesitated, looking at Date with fear and worry, before following Pewter’s instructions walking out the door.  The engineer was right behind her.

 

The door slammed shut and suddenly the control room was gone and Date was left standing in what looked like an abandoned factory.  Most of the windows were blown out and half of the roof was gone.  And near one of the walls was a figure lying on the ground, his white suit a stark contrast to the dingy, dirty floor.

 

“That’s Renju.  What the hell is happening?  Why did we see him on that tv, and then he was alive again, and now he’s dead, but somewhere different?”

 

“I don’t know.  This isn’t matching up.  It’s almost like another timeline, but that doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“It makes about as much sense as this prophetic dream that Pewter had.  I mean none of this happened, but it’s as real as any other Somnium we’ve been in.”

 

 

“Oh God!  No!  Ren, no!” Pewter ran through the factory, slamming down on his knees beside Renju.  “No, no, no, no, no!  Ren, wake up!  You have to wake up!”

 

Pewter cradled the smaller man against him, sobs wracking his body. He buried his face in Ren’s neck, stifling the sound slightly.  “Please Ren, please!  You can’t leave me.  I need you.  Just open your eyes!”

 

“He’s dead Pewter,” a voice said.

 

Pewter looked up, seeing #89 standing in front of him.

 

“D-date?” he choked out.

 

“Yeah.  It’s me.”

 

“H-how are you…”

 

“Saito Sejima switched with me.  After he hopped out of Renju’s body and into this one.”

 

“What…what do you mean?”

 

“That’s not Renju.  He died on Friday, in Shoko’s body.  That man right there, up until a few hours ago, was Saito.  He knew that Renju’s body was about to die, so he did a last minute swap with #89.  Then he swapped with me and we got our original bodies back.”

 

“This…isn’t Ren?” he asked, his voice coming out in a broken whisper.

 

“No, it isn’t.  Now stand up Pewter,” Date said harshly.  “You’re under arrest.”

 

“Time’s up Date,” Boss’s voice echoed through the factory.  “We’re pulling you out.”

 

 

 

Date sat up quickly, practically ripping the visor off his face.  He was disoriented, the harsh artificial light way too bright.  

 

“Are you ok?” Boss asked as the door to the Psync chamber opened.  She walked in with Aiba on her shoulder, followed by Renju, who looked almost shellshocked.

 

“Yeah…I’m fine.  It was a little more intense than I thought, but I’m ok.  We need to go back and watch the recordings to make sure we didn’t miss anything.”

 

“We will, just sit tight for a minute.  Get your bearings back.  I need to wake Pewter up anyway.”  She walked over to the other man, lifting the visor from his face and tapping a button on the side of the machine to raise the chair back into a sitting position.

 

“Would you like me to administer the stimulant?” Aiba asked from her perch.

 

“No, it’s ok.  I’ve got it,” Boss said as she grabbed the syringe from the tray and removed the cap, feeding it into the line.

 

“Ren, how are you doing?  That couldn’t have been easy.”

 

Renju stood there silently for a few seconds, his eyes focused on his boyfriend.  It was hard to read his expression, but there was definitely a softness when he looked at Pewter.  “I’m not really sure, honestly.  I saw my own dead body and the love of my life grieving over me, it’s a lot to take in.”

 

“It can be overwhelming if you aren’t used to seeing things like that.  Even I’m a little shaken up.  It’s different when I’m working on a case and I don’t know any of these people, but you’re my best friend Ren.  I don’t w-want,” Date’s voice cracked.  “Shit man, I don’t want to see you die.”

 

“Are you crying Date?”

 

“No, shut the fuck up.”

 

“It’s ok to cry if you’re upset.”

 

“I’m not crying asshole.”

 

“He is in fact crying,” Aiba stated, hopping from Boss’s shoulder over to Renju’s.  “His breathing has increased, pulse rate is up, and his right eye has started to secrete tears.”

 

“Aiba?  Why?  This isn’t necessary.”

 

“No, but it is fun.”

 

“I swear to God I’ll have Pewter reprogram you.”

 

“Do it and I will shock you repeatedly until you piss yourself…in front of Reika.”

 

“Aiba-“ Date cut himself short as he heard Pewter groan behind him.  He was finally coming to.

 

Renju spared a smile for the detective before moving to stand beside his boyfriend.  It was so obvious now how in love the older man was with the eccentric engineer.  Date couldn’t believe he never noticed it before.  True, he had never seen them together, but Renju had been so much happier after he split with Shoko.  He had always assumed it was relief from finally being divorced, but he could see that was only part of it.

 

“Futa, I…I don’t know what to say.  I feel like I should thank you, but that isn’t nearly enough for reliving all of that.  I love you so much.”

 

“Ren…”

 

“I’m here. Don’t worry, I’m here.”

 

“Ren I-I have to go back.”

 

“What?”

 

“I need to do this again.”

 

“No way,” Boss said, crossing her arms over her chest.  “You just woke up from the psync, putting you back under and having Date dive again is a terrible idea.  Plus, there’s no need.  We have plenty to watch and go over.  We’ll get Saito, trust me.”

 

“No, I need Date to go back in.  I need to know why I saw Renju dead at Sunfish Pocket.  I don’t remember that in my dream, but somehow it happened.”

 

“First, the answer is no, we’re not doing this now.  And second, how do you even remember that?  You were unconscious, the only one that should remember is the Psyncer.”

 

“I didn’t use a full dose of the sedative.  I basically put myself under twilight so I was aware of what happened, but out enough to not resist.”

 

“Pewter, it is not advisable for a psync subject to be put under twilight.  Too many complications can arise from that,” Aiba stated, mimicking Boss and crossing her tiny arms as best she could.

 

“I’m sorry, but I had to do it.  I needed to make sure I could try to guide the psync as best I could and I wanted to remember everything that happened.  Now please, we need to do this again. While everything is still fresh.”

 

“No, we’ve never pysnced back to back before, we don’t know what could happen to you or Date.  What if you switch bodies?”

 

“Then we’ll psync again and switch back.  But that won’t happen.  He’ll only go in for another six minutes.  As long as neither the subject or the psyncer are in ill health or needlessly stressed, multiple psyncs can be performed with no lasting side effects.”

 

“Pewter…”

 

“Please Shizue, I need these answers.  Please.”

 

Boss let out a huff and turned her head towards Date.  “You up for this?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

 

“Ok, one more psync.  That’s it.  If you don’t get the answers you’re looking for out this, too bad.  I’m not authorizing any more today.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.  Make it up to me by letting me watch the two of you make out shirtless.”

 

 

 

Chapter 5

Notes:

Here we go! Part 2 of Pewter’s Somnium! This one goes down everyone’s favorite dark path, so it’s not going to be fun for anyone.

At the very end of this chapter, there are mentions of suicide. Nothing descriptive, but I wanted to put it out there for anyone that this could possibly trigger. It is at the very end of the chapter and I have marked where the scene starts with an * if anyone wants to skip it.

 

“I’d like to go on record saying that this is not a good idea,” Aiba said, materializing beside Date.  They were back at ABIS, more specifically Boss’ office this time.

 

“It’ll be fine.  Aren’t you monitoring our vitals?  Everything looks good, right?”

 

“We just started ten seconds ago, so of course things are fine now.  I just worry about the strain two back to back Pysncs will have on you both.”

 

“Any mental locks this go round?”

 

“No, my scan didn’t pick up any.”

 

“Then we should be fine.  If Pewter started throwing out twenty different locks, then I’d worry.  But he was fine after the last Psync, so we shouldn’t have any problems this time either.”

 

“But Pewter put himself under twilight again-“

 

“And he knows what he’s doing Aiba.  Pewter isn’t stupid and he’s always thinking three moves ahead.  We need to trust him.  Now, let’s try to find the answers he wants us to see.”

 

Aiba crossed her arms and huffed, but ceded her argument.  She had been partnered with Date long enough to know that once he made up his mind, there was little anyone could do to change it.    He was stubborn to a fault, but then again so were Boss and Pewter.  It was a wonder the three of them ever got anything done.

 

“Pewter,” Boss said, getting up from her desk and walking towards the gray haired man.  “You need to go home.  We’ll get someone else in here to run the Psync.  Get some rest.”

 

“Do you really think I can just go home?  Everything there reminds me of him.  His clothes are still on the floor.  His toothbrush is in the bathroom.  I’m sure he left his coffee mug in the sink like he always does.  His pillow is going to smell like his s-shampoo.  I c-can’t…” he trailed off, his voice breaking.

 

“You can’t do this Pewter.  You’re in no condition to try to work right now-“

 

“I’m not leaving!  I have to catch who did this!  Don’t you understand?”

 

“Of course I do!  But you’re too close to this!  And what are you going to do if you break down in front of Date?  Huh?  He doesn’t know about you and Renju, hell, he probably doesn’t even think you know him at all.  How will you explain that?  And Mizuki lives with him.  Do you really think he would keep that a secret from her?  Is that how you want her to find out?”

 

“Of course I don’t!  Ren and I were going to tell her.  On Christmas Eve.  But now…”

 

“That’s what I’m saying Pewter,” Boss said, her voice gentle.  “We’re going to catch the killer, but you don’t need to torture yourself with this.  You don’t need to risk Date finding out about you and Renju and going to Mizuki.”

 

“He won’t find out,” Pewter said, standing up suddenly and towering over Boss.  “It may not seem like it now, but I am rather adept at closing myself off and controlling my emotions.”

 

“Pewter…”

 

“I’ll be fine.  There’ll be time to grieve once we catch this son of a bitch.”

 

Boss sighed heavily before saying, “Lead the way.”

 

The two exited the office, disappearing down the hall as the room faded away with them.  Everything was white, slowly coming into focus as voices blended together.  It was indistinguishable, Date couldn’t even tell who was speaking.

 

“Why can’t we see or hear anything clearly?  It shouldn’t take this long,” Date said, watching the area move in slow motion, barely making a difference.

 

“It must be because these memories aren’t as strong as the others.  Pewter clearly remembered the ones we saw in the first Psync; they were as real to him as actual memories.  But this was just a small glimpse that even he didn’t know about.  Something that is buried deep in his subconscious that he is trying to get a grasp on.”

 

“So, why would he even have a memory like this?  I thought what we saw before was what he dreamed, or lived through, or whatever it was.  So what is this?”

 

“Do you recall what Pewter told us in Boss’ office?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“He mentioned parallel worlds,” Aiba said, moving forward as the room started to develop a little more color.  They could now see that they were back in the Psync room.  Pewter, though faint, was seated in front of one of the computers, Boss right behind him.  She was staring over his shoulder at the monitor, watching the images from the Psync as they played across the screen.

 

“Yeah, but wouldn’t that mean that there was more than one path he could have taken.  That one, small action could change the course of how everything went.”

 

“I think that’s exactly what happened.  It would explain the two conflicting memories that we already saw.  Renju was dead at Sunfish Pocket and hung up like a prize marlin.  But he’s alive right after in another memory and then dead again, except in some sort of abandoned warehouse or factory.  The two images didn’t fit together, so they had to be from different timelines.”

 

Date didn’t say anything, trying to let the information sink in.  It didn’t make any sense, but at the same time he believed what his partner was saying.  He believed Pewter too.  The engineer had always been honest and open, his personal life notwithstanding, and he had no reason to think that he would start lying now.

 

No, Pewter was desperately trying to save Renju.  That much was obvious.  He was letting Date explore his deepest memories with no restrictions and broadcasting them back for Boss and Renju to see.  Even if he wanted to hide something, he couldn’t at this point.

 

“Date, look!  You’re Psyncing with Iris.  You can see the screen now.”

 

He walked quickly across the floor, watching over Pewter’s shoulder along with the Somnium Boss.

 

“What is this?  It looks like something out of one those horrible American slasher films,” Boss said, her nose wrinkled in disgust.  The Somnium was unsettling, more so than any others she had seen before.

 

“I’m not sure. It’s certainly not what I expected the Somnium of a teenage idol to look like.”

 

The two watched as Aiba walked up to a TV, turning the dial several times, the screen coming in to focus.  Three people appeared, just vaguely human shapes in blue and red, nothing to distinguish them from each other.  But then, the angle changed and a picture of a woman was on the face of one of the figures.  She was lying on the ground and being choked to death by one of the others.

 

“T-that’s one of the original Cyclops victims!” Pewter exclaimed, all the blood draining from his face.

 

“What is this?…”

 

The two continued to watch, Aiba and Date making their way through the Somnium and seeing two more victims on different TVs.  The next was bludgeoned to death by what looked like a large rock and the third was shot point blank in the head.

 

“These are Iris’ memories?” Date asked, looking at Aiba.  “How?”

 

“I don’t think this is Iris.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“We already know that Saito Sejima was in Renju’s body.  He swapped with Renju, who technically was the first victim, just in Shoko’s body.  If we assume that is also what happened in this reality, that would mean that Renju died first and that when his body was discovered at the maid cafe, Saito had already swapped with someone else.”

 

“With Iris,” Date breathed out.

 

“Yes.  She died in Renju’s body and Saito has to be in hers here.”

 

“This is Saito’s Somnium then.  And we’re seeing him murder all those women from six years ago.”

 

Aiba nodded, turning her attention back to the screen.  The phantom figure was rapidly stabbing a woman to death, this time though, they could make out the victim.  She wasn’t just a photograph placed over an otherwise faceless body.  

 

“Boss, how is this possible?  It’s all four of them.”

 

“I don’t know.  This doesn’t make any sense.  If we didn’t know that Saito was dead, I would say this is him.  But…”

 

“Right, he died when Rohan committed suicide last year.”

 

Pewter watched the screen go black, the Psync over with and the visor automatically rising from both Date and Iris.  He sat for a few more seconds, just staring blankly at the monitor before rising slowly.

 

The room faded in and out rapidly, Boss disappearing but leaving Pewter behind.  Time had passed and the engineer was sitting in front of a different computer, his lab coat thrown haphazardly across one of the other chairs.  His visor was perched on top of his head as he played, rewound, and scrubbed through the Somnium for Iris.  He stopped every so often and wrote something in a notebook, completely focused on his work.

 

“What am I missing?  This doesn’t make sense,” Pewter ground out, throwing his pen across the room.  He stood up quickly, raking his fingers through his short hair as he paced the small, sunken area of the control room.

 

Buzz-buzz.  Buzz-buzz.

 

Pewter stopped, looking down at his phone sitting on the counter.  The screen lit up with an incoming call.

 

“Ayame?  What’s wrong?  It’s almost three in the morning, are you ok?” Pewter’s voice sounded choked, the anxiety coming off of him in waves.

 

“Who’s Ayame?” Date asked, turning to Aiba.

 

“She is Pewter’s younger sister.”

 

“Pewter has a sister?”

 

“Yes, she is twenty-two and works at Sunfish Pocket.”

 

“Really?” Date grinned at that.  “I think we should go there for lunch today.”

 

“That is not advisable.  Pewter is already on edge today, if you try to hit on his sister I believe he may hit you.”

 

“Ok, ok, calm down!  I’m sitting right in front of a computer now.  What’s the address of the stream?”

 

Pewter’s fingers quickly flew across the keyboard, typing in the web address and hitting enter.  It took a few seconds for the stream to load and then he saw it.  Iris strapped to a steel table, a giant saw looming ominously above her.  “Oh my God!  Ayame, I have to go!”

 

He didn’t even wait for his sister to say anything else, ending the call and then immediately dialing a new number.  “Pick up, Date, come on!  Ugh, Aiba why aren’t you getting this?…Shit!  Date, Aiba, it’s me.  Call me back, it’s an emergency!”

 

He hung up again and dialed another number, his pacing resumed as he kept an eye on the computer screen.  “Boss!  Thank God!  I need you to try to get in touch with Date.  Iris has been kidnapped by the killer…Because it’s being broadcast live on stream!…Yes, I’m watching it now.  I tried calling him but it just went to voicemail.  Aiba didn’t answer either…Yes, even if he was sleeping, she would receive the call…Yes…Ok, I’m going to try to track the feed.”

 

“Pewter would have mentioned if…I mean, he would have said something about…if she was killed,” Date said, his nerves starting to get to him.

 

“I don’t think he knew.  He didn’t know why he saw Renju dead at Sunfish Pocket, so I think all of this is locked deep in his subconscious.”

 

The room started fading in and out rapidly, Pewter’s image flickering, the movements becoming disjointed.  He then disappeared altogether.

 

“No, what happened?  Where did they go?”

 

“I don’t know Date, but Pewter’s heart rate has increased.  We may need to stop.”

 

“What?  Is he ok?”

 

“He is fine for now, but because he is under twilight he is experiencing this just like we are.  The only difference is he cannot interfere.  He can only watch it unfold.”

 

“How much time do we have left?”

 

“We just hit the four minute mark.”

 

“We can’t stop, no way.  If we pull out now he’s just going to insist we go back.  Keep monitoring his vitals and let me know if it get’s worse.”

 

“Oh God!  No!  Date, where are you?!  No, no, no, Iris!  No!”  Pewter screamed.  He watched the feed, powerless to do anything as the saw descended on the pink haired girl.  “No, please God, no!”

 

Date flinched away as he heard Pewter’s bloodcurdling scream, the camera going red in an instant.  The noise of the saw was still audible in the background, but the image was gone.

 

The control room dissolved away, revealing a hallway Date was very familiar with.  They were standing outside the interrogation room.

 

Pewter was leaning against the wall, arms wrapped around himself as if he were cold.  His eyes had dark circles under them and his cheeks seemed almost sunken in.  He looked as if one small touch would knock him over, but stood up quickly as Date approached.

 

“Pewter?  What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m going to accompany you.  #89 is in that room and you need someone to go in with you.”

 

“Yeah, but Boss is usually the one to come with me.  Where is she?”

 

“I’m not sure,” he said, eyes focused on the door.  “She said she had a tip she had to look into earlier and that she would be back; that was a few hours ago though.  But, we can’t wait any longer.  The prison isn’t going to let us keep him here forever.  If we waste our time waiting for Boss, they won’t care.  They’ll take him back to Fuchu even if you don’t interview him.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.  Just…when we’re in there, stand back against the wall closest to the door.  I won’t be able to concentrate if I’m worried about you.”

 

“I can take care of myself you know.  I’m not a child or helpless.”

 

“I didn’t say you were.  But this guy is also a serial killer serving a life sentence.  What does he have to lose if he tries to escape?  I don’t want you to get hurt and this guy wouldn’t hesitate.  So, just give me peace of mind and stay by the door, ‘kay?  Boss would kill me if something happened to you.”

 

Pewter let a small smile cross his lips.  It didn’t reach his eyes, but it was more than he had been able to do over the last few days.  “Ok, I’ll stay close to the door.  You need to be careful too though.  Boss’ll be just as upset if something happened to you.  You’re her favorite to sexually harass.”

 

Date snorted at that as he opened the door to the interrogation room.  “Don’t I know it.”

 

The room started spinning, making Date close his eyes and clutch his head to help fight off the impending vertigo.  “Damn, I really wish this Somnium would stop doing that.  I think I’m going to get sick.”

 

“Impossible.  You cannot vomit in Somnium.  Your real body might, but you are incapable of performing that action here.”

 

“Aiba, the prospect of throwing up all over myself in the Psync chair isn’t comforting.”

 

“It wasn’t meant to be.”

 

“Great pep talk.  Thanks,” Date said dismissively, seeing that he was once again back in the Psync room.  “We definitely have a theme in this Somnium.”

 

“It makes sense.  Pewter does spend significant amounts of time here.  And it appears that most of the important events have occurred in the control room.”

 

“Date!  Something happened while you were in Somnium!”

 

“What?  It was only six minutes.  What could have happened?”

 

“I got a call from Kagami-“

 

“Who?”

 

“Now is not the time Date,” Pewter said through gritted teeth.  “This is an emergency.  So Sejima’s body was discovered.  His housekeeper found him…cut into pieces and shoved in a vase.”

 

“Where’s Boss?  Does she know?”

 

“I tried contacting her, but her phone is just going straight to voicemail.”

 

“Damnit!  Why would she choose now of all times to disappear?  I’ve got to find her.”

 

“Date wait!” Pewter yelled, stopping the younger man in his tracks.  “There’s one more thing.”

 

“What?”

 

Pewter swallowed.  “His left eye was missing.”

 

“The New Cyclops Killer did this?!”

 

“Yes.  It seems like their methods are getting worse and worse.   Iris and Ota were terrible, but…you need to find them and put a stop to this.”

 

“I will Pewter, I promise.  I’m going to try to find Boss.  If she calls you or comes down here for some reason, let me know immediately.”

 

“I will.”

 

The vision faded out, leaving only the real Date and Aiba standing in the control room.  

 

“Now So Sejima is dead too?  This isn’t good.  If this reality happens, Shoko, Renju, Iris, that Ota guy, and Congressman Sejima die.  What could have happened to change it this drastically?”

 

“It’s like the Butterfly Effect.  One small, insignificant action could have a ripple effect.  That’s why in one series of events, Saito kept Renju’s body, tricked Pewter into working with him, and then managed to swap back into his original body.  But here, in this timeline, Saito rapidly jumped from Shoko to Renju to Iris to So.”

 

“But who did he jump into after So?  It had to be someone, right?”

 

“I don’t know.  My next guess would have been you, but Pewter’s Somnium vision of you still seems to be fine.  It also did not appear like he was in #89.”

 

Date looked around, trying to think of who else it could possibly be.  It wasn’t him.  And Pewter was still ok.  Saito seemed to be picking off people one by one that were close to the blonde detective, but at this point, there weren’t many left.  

 

“Date, we only have two min-“ Aiba started, but cut herself off as they heard a loud gasp by the computers.

 

Pewter came into view, clutching a hand to his chest as his breath turned into sharp wheezing.  “This…no i-it can’t…be happening…a-again.”

 

The engineer grabbed the laptop sitting on the counter and raced from the room, bolting down the hallway as fast as he could.  His coat flapped behind him, echoing through the hall along with the pounding of his boots.  Everything else was quiet.

 

“Date!” He screamed, slamming the door open to the interrogation room.

 

Date was seated across from Boss, her face split into a grotesque grin that was a caricature of her usual smile.  She laughed slightly to herself, eyes lit up with amusement.

 

“It seems like the entertainment is here,” she said, her voice unusually husky.

 

“Pewter, what’s wrong?  Is everything ok”

 

Unable to catch his breath, Pewter just shook his head no.  He practically threw the laptop on the table, the screen showing a bound and gagged Hitomi sitting in a dark room, a bomb strapped to her chest.

 

“Hitomi?” Date’s voice was barely audible.

 

Boss leaned back and started cackling.  “The look on your faces right now!  I haven’t enjoyed myself this much in years.  It really is so much better with an audience.  Getting that live feedback.”

 

“You fucking son of a bitch!  Where’s Hitomi?!” Date screamed, slamming his hands down on the table.

 

The show of aggression did nothing to deter Boss, she simply shook her head back and forth.  “Ah ah ah, you don’t get that information so easily.  Give me my body back and I’ll tell you where she is.  Then we both get what we want.”

 

“How do I know you aren’t lying?”

 

“You don’t.  But if you don’t do what I say, then she will die.  Now, what’s it going to be?”

 

Date let out a growl, kicking his chair across the room.  “Goddamnit Saito!  Fine!  You want this body back you fucking psychopath?  You can have it.”

 

“Date…what are you…saying?” Pewter huffed out.

 

“Get the Psync machine ready.  We don’t have a choice.”

 

The room exploded in white light, the floor dropping out from beneath Date and Aiba for a split second, causing them both to fall to their knees.  It took Date a moment to get his bearings and figure out where he was now.  The Psync chamber.

 

The room was bright after the darkness of the interrogation room, too bright.  The colors were off, like someone had adjusted the saturation too high on a tv.  The room seemed almost liquid, like the image wasn’t quite there.  Lying face down on the floor, Date could see his own body.  He was still breathing, but was obviously unconscious. 

 

Almost at the opposite end of the room, back firmly pressed against the wall, sat Boss.  Her eyes were blank and she just stared unseeingly at the laptop.  The monitor displaying a small fire with tendrils of smoke rising.  

 

“I couldn’t save her…” she muttered.

 

Aiba was standing next to Boss, yelling Date’s name repeatedly, but it didn’t matter.  She, or rather he, was unaware of anything going on around him.

 

The door to the chamber opened with a hiss and Pewter stepped in.  His eyes held the same dead, vacant look that Date’s did.  He glanced at Boss, then Aiba, and finally his stare turned to Saito.  He said nothing, just walked over to the man that had caused so much pain, and crouched down beside him.

 

Pewter watched him for a moment; the steady rise and fall of his back showing that he was still alive and breathing, before reaching into his coat.  He moved his hand around and then quickly pulled back, the Evolver held tightly in his grip.

 

He rose to feet, slightly unsteady as his body shook with small tremors.  The silver haired engineer raised the gun, pointing it directly at the body of the man that used to be his friend.

 

“Pewter!  Stop!  You can’t do this!  We need to switch Date back into that body.  Please!  You have to put them back on the machine.”

 

Pewter didn’t say a word, hesitating a few seconds before pocketing the gun into his lab coat.  He dragged Saito to the machine first, hoisting him into the chair none to gently.

 

After ensuring that Saito securely in the chair, he went over to Date, assisting him in standing and walking to the machine.  Once they were both strapped in and the visors down, he clicked a button on his watch, the Psync starting remotely.

***

“Keep watch over them.  After about eight minutes, stop the Psync.”

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Pewter said nothing, heading towards the door.

 

“Where are you going?  You can’t just leave them.”

 

“I’m…done.”

 

“No, Pewter, Date needs you!  You can’t walk away from ABIS!  Especially with Boss-“

 

“They’re all dead Aiba!  We couldn’t save anyone!  If we had just…if I had never…let him go!”

 

“Pewter?” Aiba questioned, trying to move towards her creator as fast as her stubby legs would carry her.

 

“Aiba, get in touch with my sister.  Tell her, I’m sorry.”

 

“No Pewter-“

 

“Tell her I wish I could have been stronger for her.  When a few days have passed, give her the password to my computer.  It’s AyaRen.  Everything she needs is there.  Bank account numbers, life insurance policies, passwords.”

 

“Don’t do this-“

 

“Tell her I loved her…that until the end I always loved her and none of this was her fault.  She c-couldn’t have done anything to change my m-mind.”

 

“Pewter! Please you can’t do this!  Stop!”

 

“I’m sorry to you too Aiba,” he said, sparing the smallest of smiles for the AI.  “You truly are my greatest invention.  I’m so proud of how you’ve grown, you continue to impress and surprise me all the time.  Everything you will ever need is in my files.”

 

“No!  Pewter!” Aiba screamed, her voice anguished.  The door slammed shut right as she reached it, her tiny fists barely making a noise as she banged them against the door.

 

“Date, force shut down!  Pewter’s heart rate and breathing have plummeted.  He is going into shock!”

 

Bang.

 

Notes:

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I changed the green route a little only because I thought it would be boring to just recap the events I was putting in the Somnium like a summary of the game. So dialogue is different, but still the same general idea.

As always, please leave a comment if you are enjoying the story and where it is headed. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 6

Notes:

Here we are, another chapter done! It wasn't originally going to be quite this long, but then Renju started having feelings and I had to let the boy get them out. So here we are. As always, please leave a comment if you are liking the story!

“Date, force shut down!  Pewter’s heart rate and breathing have plummeted.  He is going into shock!” Aiba yelled into the microphone as she input the code to stop the Psync.

 

The visors rose quickly and Date sat up, disoriented.  Leaving a Psync via shut down was always tough on the Psyncer; they didn’t have the chance to adjust to leaving Somnium and instead were brought back to reality instantaneously.

 

Renju watched in silence as Date slipped from the chair and landed on his hands and knees.  Inside his mind was racing, but his body just stood there.  He wanted to move, to call out to Pewter, but he couldn’t.  He turned his eyes to his boyfriend, watching as his chest rose and fell quickly with shallow gasps.  He was breathing through his mouth, the tendons on his neck protruding sharply.  This wasn’t shock, it was-

 

“Boss!  Which one is Futa’s locker?!”

 

Boss stopped in her tracks, right in front of the door to the Psync chamber.  “What?”

 

“Which locker is his?  Hurry!”

 

“That one right there,” she pointed.  “The second from the left.”

 

Renju rushed over to the locker, opening it roughly and causing the door to bang against the one next to it.  He scanned the contents quickly.  Lab coat.  Jumpsuit.  Spare visor.  Various wires, cables, and a box full of connectors.  There was a toolset, well worn and obviously used often.  “Damn it, where is it?  It has to be here!”

 

He was panicked now, grabbing things and tossing them to the floor.  He wasn’t quite tall enough to see the top shelf, but he reached his hand up and felt around.  A few pieces of paper fluttered to the ground; rough sketches and measurements of what looked like Aiba, but slightly different.

 

“Renju, what are you looking for?” Aiba asked from her perch on the computer.

 

Boss had already left and was down in the Psync room.  She was standing over Pewter, her face alarmed as she had her phone pressed to her ear.  She was speaking to someone, more than likely emergency services.

 

“It has to be here!” Renju growled out, completely ignoring the tiny AI.  He ripped Pewter’s coat off the hanger and rammed his hand down into the pocket.  His fingers grasped the cylindrical object within and pulled it out.  It was no bigger than a marker with a bright orange cap at the bottom.

 

Renju wasted no time and immediately turned around, running full speed to the door.  Aiba hopped quickly from the computer she was at to the railing, and then on to the blonde man’s shoulder.  He didn’t notice, his mind focused on one thing only.  Making it to Pewter.

 

He was by the engineer’s side in a matter of seconds, roughly pushing Boss out of the way.  

 

“What the hell are you doing?  I’ve got the EMTs on the way, they’ll be here any minute, but you have to calm down.”

 

“Shut up!  He isn’t in shock!” Renju yelled, not elaborating any further.  He still had the marker-like object in his hand and kneeled down next to his boyfriend.  He grasped firmly onto Pewter’s left leg, hooking his arm under and bringing the knee to rest tightly against his left side.  His right hand forcefully stabbed the plastic cased object into the silver haired man’s leg, a small click echoing through the room.

 

Pewter jerked slightly, but Renju didn’t let up the pressure.  He was shaking from nerves, but didn’t dare let go.

 

“Renju,” Aiba said softly, still sitting on the man’s shoulder.  “It’s ok.  You can stop now.  It’s been ten seconds, the medicine has been administered.”

 

Letting out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding, Renju pushed himself away, pulling the plastic cylinder with him.

 

“What just happened?” Date asked, leaning heavily against the side of the Psync machine.  His balance was still off, but he made the effort to keep standing.

 

Renju wasn’t sure he could answer in the moment, the adrenaline rush subsiding.  He felt weak and suddenly glad that he was sitting on the floor, knowing that he wouldn’t have been standing for long otherwise.

 

“I believe what I mistook for the symptoms of shock was actually Pewter having an asthma attack.  When his heart rate decreased and his breathing became shallow, the Psync machine registered it as shock.  But, when an individual with asthma has an attack, it has similar symptoms.”

 

“So Pewter has asthma?” Boss asked.

 

“Yes,” Renju answered simply, his voice wavering.

 

“Why would he have an asthma attack though?  Don’t most people get them from really strenuous activity?”

 

“That can be one cause,” Aiba answered.  “Sometimes strong scents can bring it on too.  Like flowers or perfume.  Even cleaning products.  But, stress and anxiety can also trigger an asthma attack.  Especially in someone with uncontrolled asthma.  Which I’m guessing Pewter has, given that he carries an EpiPen.  Am I right?”

 

Renju nodded.  “Yeah.  It’s…this isn’t the first time I’ve had to give him one.”

 

“Do you think we should wake him up?  His breathing looks better now, but he’s still out from the sedative. We can’t really ask how he’s feeling like this,” Date said as he moved closer.  He wasn’t completely steady, but felt like he could at least stand without holding on to something.

 

“Yes, it should be fine to wake him now.  I have run a scan and his heart rate and breathing are back within normal ranges.  But, it is advisable to go seek emergency care after discharging an EpiPen,” Aiba stated.

 

“Well, the ambulance is on it’s way.  They can take Pewter to the hospital and get him checked out,” Boss said as she grabbed the syringe containing the stimulant from the tray.  She injected the medicine directly into the line, replacing the cap and setting the now empty needle aside.

 

“We’ll need to get him out of here and try to meet them somewhere upstairs.  I know they were originally going to have to come down here, but now that it’s not an emergency, it’s probably best that we don’t have strangers seeing the Psync machine,” Date said as he watched Pewter slowly open his eyes.

 

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Renju asked softly, sitting on his knees and resting a hand on the younger man’s leg.

 

“…too bright…my head…” Pewter moaned, trying to adjust to the flood of light after being in Somnium. 

 

“On it,” Aiba said, jumping from Renju’s shoulder to land softly on Pewter’s left arm.  She tapped his watch a few times and the lights dimmed significantly.

 

“Come on Futa, let’s get you upstairs, the ambulance is on the way,” Renju said, standing and moving closer to his lover, placing a hand on his lower back.

 

“No.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m not going, I have too much to do,” Pewter said, rising to his feet.  He only took two steps before his head started spinning, almost tumbling forward if not for Date reaching out to steady him.

 

“Pewter, I let you Psync twice against my better judgement, but there is no way in hell you are doing anything else today.  I could knock you over right now, you need a doctor,” Boss said, her tone brokering no argument.

 

“I’m fine.  I don’t need to go to the hospital.  And as I’m fully conscious, you can’t force me to go.  If you have them come here, I’ll just deny treatment.”

 

“You don’t have to be conscious,” Date muttered.

 

“Please don’t threaten to knock out my boyfriend, even if he is being an idiot,” Renju stated, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh.  “And you, you know you need to see a doctor.  What if you have another attack when the medicine wears off?”

 

“I have my rescue inhaler here. I’ll take a dose of that now and I’ll use the nebulizer when we get home.  But right now, I need to watch through these videos and see if we can figure out what Saito’s next move will be.  We need to catch him.”

 

“Ummmm, wouldn’t that be pretty easy?  Where does he want to meet Ren?” Date asked.

 

“So…that’s going to be a problem,” Renju said quietly.

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Because when Shoko texted me this morning, we tripped her up with a lie instead of me just agreeing to meet her.”

 

“How did you do that?”

 

“I said something about Dad being raised by sea lions and she didn’t call me out on it.”

 

“The dolphin thing again?  Really?  There is no way dolphins raised your dad.”

 

“If that’s not true, how do you explain how good I am at fishing?  Or how strong Mizuki has always been?”

 

“You said your dad took you fishing almost every weekend as a kid, so you should be good at it by now.  And Mizuki?  Have you seen your ex-wife?  She destroys men for sport.”

 

Renju rolled his eyes at that while Pewter silently chuckled.  The two men might find the story amusing, but it didn’t change the fact that the real Shoko wouldn’t have let that little slip of the tongue go.  Had it really been her, she would have been suspicious instead of the other way around.

 

“Anyone care to explain why Flipper here can’t get Saito now?” Boss asked, looking like she had had enough.

 

“That’s because before we came here Saito texted me back, a little more aggressively this time.  He was basically demanding that I meet him and to stop giving excuses.  So Futa here thought it would be a good idea to tell him to jump in front of the 5 o’clock train and fuck off.”

 

Pewter didn’t even have the grace to look sorry, simply shrugging his shoulders.  “Yes I did.”

 

“Why would you do that?  We could have had him.”  Boss shook her head with a large sigh.

 

“Because at the time I was upset and just reacted.  I wasn’t thinking of anything else other than preventing Ren from meeting up with Saito.  Obviously I shouldn’t have done that.”

 

“Boss, it’ll be fine.  We’ll still find him.  I mean, it’s not like Pewter is trained to go out in the field.  He didn’t react any differently than most people would,” Date said, looking between his superior and his Psync partner.

 

“And I’m going to start now,” Pewter said, walking away from the group and heading towards the door.  “I need to watch over this footage.”

 

“I guess I’ll cancel the ambulance then.”  Boss picked up her phone and dialed, following after the engineer.

 

Date held his hand out to Aiba, letting his partner hop up until she settled on his shoulder, not quite ready to resume her usual spot in his eye socket.  The detective gestured for Renju to go ahead, bringing up the rear and leaving the Psync room behind.

 

 

 

No one said anything as Pewter poured over the footage, completely focused.  The screen was reflected back in his visor, the green giving the images a sickly feel.  Renju had retrieved the spare eyewear for his boyfriend, trying to limit him from moving around until he felt like he wouldn’t have a second attack.  

 

Date sat in a chair on the upper level, watching the two men each working independently.  Renju was logged in to a laptop and working on a few things remotely, but he made sure to stick close to the tall engineer, his knee subtly resting against the other man’s.  

 

Boss had left the room about a half hour ago, presumably to file a report as to why they had used the Psync machine on short notice, called for emergency services, and then canceled the call.  ABIS got a lot of leeway, but even Boss couldn’t just do whatever she wanted without explanation.  Especially since Pewter’s back to back Psyncs had pushed one of the other teams out.

 

It hadn’t been for a case, it was training for a new Psyncer that had just been hired.  Some kid named Ryuki. He was young, fresh out of college and recruited straight to ABIS.  He had scored remarkably high on his aptitude tests and proved more compatible than most with the Psync machine.  Even Pewter had been impressed.

 

Date didn’t have the chance to meet the guy, as he was still in Somnium during the first Psync.  But Renju had said he was polite and soft spoken, happy to have even seen the machine in person.  His trainer however, had gotten an attitude with Boss and wasn’t thrilled that they were being pushed off.  As the Commander of ABIS though, she had the final say and was able to get them out.

 

“You find anything useful?” Date asked, leaning back in his chair.

 

“Not as of yet.  I have an idea of who he might go after next, but I can’t necessarily prove it.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Iris Sagan.  After Shoko and Ren, she was the next victim. He wasn’t able to get Ren, so he might try to get her next.”

 

“But why Iris?  I don’t even know her.  Not yet at least.  In that other…reality?…I knew her after we started investigating Shoko’s murder, but I don’t know her now.  Saito would have no reason to go after her to get to me.  If he’s still in the same frame of mind that he was before and his end goal is to get this body back, it doesn’t make sense for him to go after a person that I don’t know.”

 

Pewter didn’t speak, instead turning his gaze towards his boyfriend.  Renju met his eyes briefly before looking away, a painful expression on his face.

 

“What is it?  What aren’t you two telling me?”

 

Renju sighed deeply, closing his laptop and swiveling around in his chair to face Date.  “I’m afraid that Saito is going to target her no matter what.  She’s…his half sister.”

 

“What?  Congressman Sejima has another child?”

 

“Yes, though I don’t believe he knows she is actually alive.”

 

That particular statement, and the way Renju said it, left Date confused.  “What do you mean?”

 

“Iris’ mother was one of my best friends.  We went to school together, elementary all through high school.  Not too long after we graduated, she became pregnant with Iris.”

 

“Hitomi, right?  The woman I was dating before…” Date trailed off.  It was still hard for him to think of the beautiful woman he saw briefly in Pewter’s Somnium as his ex-girlfriend.  He believed what Boss told him of course, it was just hard to relate since he couldn’t remember her at all.

 

“No.  Hitomi is not Iris’ mother.  Not her biological mother anyway.”

 

“I don’t follow.”

 

“There were three of us.  We were inseparable.  We grew up together, went to the same schools, and stayed friends while we went off to different universities.  It was always me, Hitomi, and Manaka.  If you saw one of us, the other two couldn’t be far behind.”  Renju had a small smile on his face as he recalled his later teenage years.

 

“It wasn’t too long after we all started at our various universities that Manaka got us together for dinner one night.  We had barely sat down to start eating when she dropped a bombshell on us.  She had met So Sejima at one of the conferences she was attending for school.  She was enrolled in a political program and had managed to secure a spot to watch his speech.  They apparently started talking once it was over, he asked her out for drinks, one thing led to another, and then she was in a secret relationship with him.”

 

“Was So still married at the time?” Date asked.

 

“No, his wife had died over ten years before that.  In childbirth with Saito and he had never remarried.  Manaka wasn’t doing anything wrong, but you can imagine how bad it would look for a middle-aged politician to be dating a teenage girl that just graduated high school.  So, he kept her a secret.  And Manaka was absolutely in love with him, so she let it go.  But not too long after they began their relationship, she got pregnant.  Manaka told us that So offered to take care of the situation, but she refused.  She wanted to keep her baby, even if it meant she could no longer be with So.

 

“The two of them went their separate ways, and it was up to me and Hitomi to help Manaka through her pregnancy.  We were actually both in the hospital when she gave birth to Iris.  I had to pose as her boyfriend and Hitomi as her sister to even be let in, but we weren’t about to let her go through that alone.

 

“It was three days after Iris’ birth that Manaka got a message from So.  He wanted to see her.  Asked her to come meet him.  Manaka was ecstatic.  She thought he was finally coming around and that maybe they could be a family.  She came by Hitomi’s house and called me over.  Told us everything So said and asked us to watch after Iris for an hour or two.  She wanted to be able to completely concentrate on what he said and she knew she wouldn’t be able to do that with Iris with her.  Hitomi and I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen.  Just kept telling us that it was a good thing he was calling and that she would be fine.

 

“Something about it left me unsettled though.  I worried that the worst could happen, so I gave her a small tracking chip and asked her to keep it on her.”

 

“Where did you get something like that?” Date asked, his curiosity clear.

 

“You know I was in with the Kumakura family then.  Well, technically I still am now, but it’s completely different with Moma in charge.  Back then though, Rohan ran the family. Moma was high up still, being the brother of the family head.  He always looked out for me and gave me a few of those chips just in case.  That’s what I gave to Manaka.

 

“Hitomi and I tracked her on my phone and watched her meet up with So near my Dad’s fishery. So probably chose the location because there was little traffic there, which meant less of a chance of anyone seeing him. Especially because he didn’t know Manaka had given birth yet, and being seen with a very obvious pregnant woman was the last thing he wanted.

 

“Her dot stayed there for a while, longer than we thought, but we figured maybe they really were having a conversation about their future.  And then she started moving again.  Except she was going the wrong way.  She wasn’t coming back to Hitomi’s house and was getting further and further away from the city.

 

“We ended up taking the baby over to a friend of Hitomi’s parents that she trusted and then we took off after Iris.  We drove for hours and ended up in the mountains.  We parked a ways away and walked as quietly as we could until her dot finally stopped moving.  And that’s when we saw him.  Rohan Kumakura.  He had two lower ranking members with him.  Th-they were digging a hole.  Manaka was next to him on the ground…she was dead.”

 

Renju stopped.  He focused on his hands in his lap, trying to find the will to carry on with his story.  He had never told anyone this, including Pewter.  But given the fact that his boyfriend knew some of the details from his dream, he must have found out after his…death.

 

“Did So kill her?  And then ask Rohan to take care of her body?”

 

“That’s what we thought at first.  But a few days later, I overheard a few of the Kumakura members talking about it.  They said Saito was the one to kill Manaka.  He was only twelve, but he went after her and stabbed her to death.  So had apparently been trying to get Manaka to leave the country, but Saito was so jealous that someone else was getting attention from his father, that he wanted to take her out of the equation.  

 

“He killed her.  Right in front of his father.  So had no choice but to call Rohan and have him take care of it.  He couldn’t be connected to a murder; he knew it would destroy his career.  And of course Rohan was willing to make this all go away.  So had money and power, two things Rohan craved.”

 

“What happened to Manaka’s body?  Is she still in the woods?  Do you remember where it was?  And how did Hitomi end up taking in Iris and raising her?  Didn’t Manaka have any family?”

 

Renju held up a hand, forcing Date to stop his line of questioning.  He needed a minute to get himself together after all of that.  Recalling all of these memories and trying to put them into words wasn’t easy.  It was especially hard trying to tell all of this to his best friend who happened to be a cop.  He was opening himself up to an entire list of crimes, the least of which was not reporting a dead body.

 

“I think maybe we should stop for now,” Pewter spoke up.  “This day has been hard on everyone, but especially Ren.  I don’t want to make him relive that trauma on top of everything else.”

 

“Yeah, but-“

 

“Please Date.  Just give him some time.  You know he’ll tell you everything, he always does.”

 

“Everything?  I don’t know about that.  I’ve found out quite a few secrets in the last few hours.”

 

Pewter rolled his eyes, about to retort but Renju placed a hand on his leg.

 

“It’s ok Futa.  I can finish.  I need to tell him.  And you too.  I know you’re aware of some of this, but I’m guessing that there are parts you didn’t know as well,” the blonde said as he turned his attention back to Date.  “To answer your first set of questions, no, Manaka isn’t buried in the woods any longer.  Hitomi and I sat there for hours until we were absolutely sure Rohan and his men had left.  We didn’t have anything with us, so we grabbed some sticks and dug her grave up.  I carried her all the way back to my car and we drove to Hitomi’s house in silence.  

 

“We…cleaned her body in the bathroom.  It was horrible, honestly.  Hitomi tried to help, but she couldn’t stop crying.  And I couldn’t leave Manaka like that.  Covered in dirt and blood and discarded like she didn’t matter.  I washed her and made sure she was clean and then took her back to the car.  Hitomi came with me and we drove to the fishery.

 

“It’s always kept well below freezing in there.  It was the perfect place to keep Manaka until we could figure out what to do.  We thought that we’d only have to keep her there for a few weeks at the most until we came up with a plan, but the more we went over different scenarios, we realized that we would basically be signing our death sentences to come forward.  Iris’ too.  We couldn’t risk it.  So, we kept Manaka there.  Frozen and perfectly preserved.

 

“I know it sounds terrible, but what else could we do?  We didn’t want to put her back in the ground in an unmarked grave like she never existed.  And we couldn’t bury her in a cemetery, so we just kept her frozen.  Even now, after eighteen years, I don’t know what to do.  Rohan is gone and I know Moma would never do anything to hurt me, or by extension Hitomi, but what can I do?”

 

Renju looked absolutely miserable.  His guilt over his childhood best friend was plain to see.

 

“We’ll figure this out Ren.  Once we deal with Saito and make sure you’re safe, I promise we’ll come up with a way to give Manaka the burial she deserves and let her spirit rest.  I want you and Hitomi to have some place that you can visit her, somewhere peaceful and green.”

 

“Thank you…I…I would really like that.  I want to be able to take Iris there too.  She deserves to know about her real mother.  Hitomi has always felt so guilty about keeping this from her, but I made her keep quiet all these years.”

 

“How did you and Hitomi manage to pull this off anyway?  There wouldn’t have been any hospital records to show she gave birth to Iris.  And I’m sure there had to be a birth certificate somewhere registered to Manaka,” Date said, trying to put the last few pieces together.

 

“That was something that I went to Moma about.  He didn’t ask any questions, but I told him I needed a birth certificate for a baby girl showing Hitomi as the mother and not listing any father.  There’s a member of the Kumakura’s that’s been there since the beginning.  He’s a doctor and was able to get the birth certificate together.  Put it down as a home birth, so that explained why she didn’t have any hospital records.  It wasn’t cheap, but there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Manaka’s baby to make sure she stayed safe.

 

“I felt really bad about making Hitomi a single mother at nineteen, especially since we left the father as unknown and she wasn’t married, but this was the safest way all around.  We couldn’t list me as the father, not with as close as I was to the Kumakura’s.  I couldn’t risk Rohan ever finding out that Iris was alive.

 

“After that, I helped where I could, but I was trying to build my own company and then Dad died suddenly and I had to figure out all of his finances and businesses on the fly.  I couldn’t be there like Iris needed, but Hitomi was patient and so perfect as a parent, they honestly never needed me.  It’s for the best anyway,  I would have just screwed up with Iris like I did with Mizuki.  I’m a horrible father.”

 

“I mean, you’re not great.”

 

“Date!  Why would you say that?” Pewter exclaimed.

 

“Because it’s the truth.  Look Ren,” Date said, completely focused on his best friend.  “You and I both know you haven’t always been there.  A lot of this was Shoko’s fault.  No scratch that, most of this was Shoko’s fault.  She never should have been a mother.  She was a shitty person and I know I should feel bad that she’s dead, but I don’t.  She treated Mizuki like garbage and constantly cheated on you with anyone that looked at her.  But even with all of that, it doesn’t excuse you taking a backseat to parenting.  The best thing you ever did was let Mizuki live with me.”

 

“You’re right.  I don’t have any excuses,” Renju said as he hung his head.

 

“Hey, just because you haven’t been a great parent, doesn’t mean you can’t change.  You’re a good person.  I know you love Mizuki.  And every time you pick her up from school and take her to dinner or shopping or to go see a movie, that’s all she talks about for days.  You should see the way her face lights up when she’s speaking about you.  You haven’t lost her.  And in all seriousness, I think you and Pewter would be great parents to her if you just start somewhere.”

 

Pewter reached over and took Renju’s hand in his, rubbing small circles with the pad of his thumb.  “I think Date’s right, even though I wouldn’t have worded it quite like he did.  Now is the time to bridge the gap with Mizuki, especially since you’re going to have to tell her that her mother is dead.”

 

Renju closed his eyes and let out a small huff at that.  It wasn’t going to be an easy conversation, that was for sure.  No matter how badly Shoko had treated Mizuki, the girl still loved her mother.  The news would crush her.

 

“I’ll be there with you Ren,” Date said, stretching his arms over his head as he stood up, his back giving a satisfying crack.  “I won’t make you do this alone.”

 

“Same here,” Pewter said softly.  “As long as you want me there.”

 

Renju spared a small smile for his boyfriend.  “I’ll always want you by my side.”

 

“Aaaaand that’s enough of that.  I don’t need to be here for all of this sap.”

 

Renju chuckled at that.  “Come on, it’s not that bad, we could make it a lot worse.”

 

Date didn’t have a chance to retort as the door to the Psync room opened, Boss standing before the three men with her arms crossed.  “So, does anyone want to explain why I’ve got Moma Kumakura and his Yakuza doctor waiting upstairs and asking for Renju?”

 

“Oh…uh…I forgot about that.  I kind of texted them and ask if they could come here to examine Futa.”

 

“You called the leader of a Yakuza crime family to police headquarters?  Why did you think that’s a good idea?” Boss asked.

 

“They’re kind of reformed now,” Renju said sheepishly.  “And I knew Futa would never go to the hospital, so I thought I could have Moma’s doctor look him over.”

 

“I can’t bring Yakuza members in here.  Have you lost your mind!?”

 

“We could say we were questioning them in connection to a crime.  It wouldn’t be that hard for you to file the paperwork,” Date said, speaking up.

 

Boss turned to glare daggers at him and the detective withered under her icy gaze.  “Ok, it wouldn’t be that hard for me to file the paperwork.”

 

She looked around the room one more time before letting her arms fall to her side, a frustrated sigh falling past her lips.  “Fine.  I’ll get them escorted down here.  But you all owe me.  And I think I’ll cash in by filming you two idiots when you make out shirtless.”

 

“She’s not serious, right?” Renju asked, glancing at his boyfriend as Boss walked back out the door.

 

“Oh no, she’s completely serious.  Probably better to just get it over with.  Let her ogle you, make a few sexually inappropriate jokes, and then she’ll be done.  She’s harmless, for the most part.”

 

“How is this woman in charge of the entire department?”

 

“I ask myself that almost everyday.”

Chapter 7

Boss really couldn’t believe that she had Moma Kumakura and his mob doctor, Dokuta Yogano, in her office.  She’d met with a lot of people in this room throughout the years, but a Yakuza boss had to be the strangest.  She figured if she ever came face to face with the Kumakura head, it would be on the opposite end of an interrogation table, not here.

 

Date seemed perfectly at ease though; making small talk with Moma and Renju.  According to Renju, he’d known the family head for over twenty years, but Date showed no awkwardness in speaking with him either.  Although in his previous life, he had been in with Kumakura’s as well.  It wouldn’t be surprising if he had dealings with Moma, though from what Boss knew, most of his contact had been strictly through Rohan.

 

With what she could see now and the information she heard through the years, Moma did seem serious about cleaning up the Kumakura family reputation.  Once Rohan was arrested and hospitalized, crime from their group had significantly decreased.  Boss wasn’t under the misconception that all of their illegal dealings had stopped, but even she couldn’t deny that Moma being in charge was better for everyone.  If he didn’t make any trouble, she certainly wasn’t going to pursue him for his brother’s crimes.  They might not be so lucky with the next family head.

 

It might not be a bad idea to be on friendly terms with the group.  Who knew when an association like that could come in handy.  Boss had to admit that it certainly was at the moment.  She doubted anyone but Renju could have convinced her stubborn engineer to stop working long enough to get a medical evaluation.  And honestly, the only reason he probably agreed was because they were already there.  That, and the fact that Pewter wasn’t dumb enough to rock the boat with his boyfriend’s Yakuza relationship.

 

That being said, Pewter looked miserable.  He answered all the doctor’s questions and went through the motions, but he was less than pleased.  Admittedly, Dokuta didn’t look much happier.  But Boss figured that was because he knew how idiotic Pewter had been with his health.  Throughout the bits and pieces of conversation between the two that Boss had caught, Pewter admitted to feeling the effects of an asthma attack coming on.  In his mind however, it was more important to get answers and psync again right away than to actually worry for his health.

 

Once this was all over with, Boss was definitely giving him a piece of her mind.  She didn’t care that Renju was going to let him have it and that Date already did, Pewter was going to get an earful from everyone.  She didn’t have any preconceived notions that any of this would sink in to the younger man’s thick skull, but it would make her feel better if nothing else.

 

“Well,” Dokuta began, stepping away from his reluctant patient.  “Futa is fine.  His lungs sound good, no residual wheezing.  Heart rate is normal.  Blood pressure is a little elevated, but that’s not unusual.  It’s a pretty typical side effect from the epinephrine.”

 

“So, he should be ok then?  He won’t have another asthma attack?” Renju asked.

 

“I wouldn’t recommend running a marathon or doing anything that could cause unneeded stress over the next few days, but other than that, he’s healthy.  He shouldn’t have another attack once the medication fully wears off, but I would still keep an Epi-Pen and rescue inhaler on hand.”  Dokuta turned his attention back to Pewter, the gray haired man sitting in his chair with his arms crossed.  “And you need to use your nebulizer when you get home.  With the albuterol. No excuses.  I want you using it each night before bed and first thing in the morning for the next week.  And then you’re coming to my clinic for a follow-up.”

 

Pewter nodded his head, not arguing the point.  Boss snickered, knowing that Renju had her subordinate right where he wanted him.

 

“Thank you Dokuta.  I really appreciate you and Moma coming out here on such short notice.”

 

“No sweat kid,” Moma said, clapping Renju on the back.  “Ya know I’ll always look out for you.  That extends to your boy too.  You’re family.”

 

“Thank you,” Renju smiled sincerely.  “You’re always there for me.”

 

“Awww, heh heh, it’s nothin’,” Moma said sheepishly.  “I’ve known ya since you were what, fifteen?  ‘Course I’m gonna watch out for ya.”

 

“I know I’ve asked a lot today, but I’ve got another favor.  This is kind of a big one.”

 

“Lay it on me, ya know I’ll do what I can.”

 

“Would you be able to spare one or two of your guys for protection?  The police are currently tracking a serial killer and one of my best friends and her daughter might be in danger.  I’d just like someone that could sit outside their house and make sure they are ok.”

 

“Renju!  You can’t just talk about cases that haven’t been released to the public,” Boss exclaimed.

 

“Don’t you worry none.  We Kumakura’s know how to keep a secret.  This won’t leave the room.  And I’ll make sure my guys keep quiet.  They don’t need to know the details of the security duty, just that they’re there to keep a family safe.”  Moma turned back to Renju.  “Just give me their names and address and I’ll have two of my guys head over now.”

 

“Thank you Moma.  I owe you for this.  It’s one of my best friends, Hitomi, and her daughter.  Hitomi’s at work now though; she’s an elementary school teacher, so she’d be in class.  Her daughter, Iris, is probably at Lemniscate.  Or over at Sunfish Pocket.  She goes there a lot too.”

 

“Lemniscate?  She one of your idols or somethin’?”

 

“Yeah, she goes by A-Set.  Or Tesa.  She’s been promoting her single, but we’ve been working really hard on the last few songs on her album.  She wants to release it in time for Christmas, but I’m not sure we’ll be ready by then.”

 

“Tesa?!  Of course we’ll help!  How could anyone threaten her?”

 

Renju was taken aback by Moma’s reaction.  “You know Iris?”

 

“Know her?  She’s great!  I mean, I’ve kept an eye on all the talent you have, the whole family has.  We’re real proud of everything you’ve accomplished, but Tesa is somethin’ special.  You get me her mom’s info and I’ll send someone to the school to escort her home.  I’ll get a guy over to Lemniscate and Sunfish Pocket too, ya don’t have to worry about a thing.  Tesa will be safe.”

 

“Really Moma, thank you.  I…you have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

 

“It’s fine kid.  My brother put you through a bunch of shit, you didn’t deserve all that.  Consider this my way of tryin’ ta make up for it.”

 

“Kid?” Date snorted.  “I don’t think Renju’s been that for twenty-five years.”

 

“Seriously?  You’re older than I am…apparently,” Renju muttered.

 

“He’s always gonna be a kid to me.  All of you are kids, just wait till you’re my age and see if talkin’ ta a bunch of thirty year olds doesn’t feel like talkin’ ta kids.”

 

“I have to agree, the three of you are certainly children,” Boss added.

 

“Why am I being included in this?  I didn’t do anything,” Pewter spoke up from his spot in the corner.

 

Five sets of eyes turned to glare at him, causing the engineer to slink further into his seat.  “Ok, ok.  I didn’t do anything in the last five minutes though.”

 

“Well, as much as I would love to stick around and continue enjoying the show, I’ve got to finalize the team I’m taking to the chemical plant.  We need to get the prototype back.  And now is the time, while he doesn’t know that we know yet,” Boss said, keeping her answers vague.

 

“You want me to go Boss?” Date asked.

 

“No, I’d rather you stay here and help Pewter with whatever he needs.  I know nothing I say will convince him to go home, so you’re more useful to me by helping him.”

 

“Yeah, but-“

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be safe.  We’ll scope the building out first, I’m not going to rush in to a dangerous situation.”

 

“If I could interrupt for a minute,” Moma cut in.  “If you’re in need of a few extra hands, I could always help ya out.”

 

Boss crossed her arms, a frown tugging at the corner of her lips.  “What’s in this for you?”

 

“What?  I’m hurt!  Can’t a man offer to help a beautiful lady in need?” Moma asked, putting a hand over his heart in mock surprise.

 

“No.  Not when that man is the head of a Yakuza family and the lady is a police commander.  So tell me, what’s in it for you?”

 

“I mean, maybe in the future we could be mutually beneficial to each other or somethin’, ya know?”

 

“Mmhmm, there it is.”

 

“So you’re tellin’ me that thought hasn’t gone through your head at least once since I’ve been here?”

 

Boss was quiet.

 

“See, there it is,” Moma said, throwing her own words back at her.

 

“Fine, I’ll admit that it crossed my mind. Briefly. But I can’t just get into bed with the Yakuza.”

 

“I mean, if you’re offerin’…”

 

“I’m not. At least not without some Dom P first.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind. I do like a lady with good taste. But, back to my point. I can help you out. And then maybe if I need a favor in the future, you could help me.”

 

“I’m a police officer. I don’t do favors for crime syndicates.”

 

“It wouldn’t be anything illegal. Hell, most of my business nowadays is cleaning up messes from other families. Or like Renju’s case here, protection services. All’s I’m saying is, there might come a time in the future where I need more legal protection for someone. It’d be nice to know I had a resource is all.”

 

Boss cradled her chin in her hand, thinking over the proposal. It actually wasn’t bad. And nothing Moma said was illegal. It was almost refreshing in a way that he seemed so earnest about going legit and leaving his brother’s bloody reputation behind. “Just so we’re clear, I will never do anything to compromise myself, my department, or any cases I’m working on. You get in trouble doing anything illegal, that’s for you to figure out. You won’t get a free pass from me.”

 

“Never thought I would.”

 

Boss sighed heavily before uttering, “Fine. Come with me then. I’ll go over the plan and if you think you have the resources to assist, I won’t say no. Lord knows the department doesn’t give me nearly enough help.”

 

“Lead the way.”

 

“So,” Date started, watching as Boss left followed by the two Yakuza members.  “What’s next?”

 

“I still need to go over the videos some more.  You’re welcome to help, but don’t feel obligated,” Pewter said, standing from the chair.

 

“Boss would have my head if I left you alone.”

 

“You’re not doing this anymore today Futa.”  Renju’s voice was firm, a slight frown on his face.

 

“Ren, this is my job-“

 

“No it’s not.  Not today anyway.  I would never keep you from your work, but this is an obsession.  I’m ok .  Saito isn’t going to get me and I doubt you’ll let me out of your sight until he is caught anyway.  But you heard what Dokuta said, no more unnecessary stress.”

 

“What about Iris and Hito-“

 

“Enough.  You were here.  It’s taken care of.  Please,” Renju said, taking Pewter’s hands in his.  “This has been a lot on everyone today.  You need to rest.”

 

“Ren’s right Pewter.  I think we’ve honestly done all we can today.  Let’s just wait to hear Boss’ report after she gets back from the chemical plant.  We should have a few hours, we can all go home and try to rest a little-“

 

Bing-bing.  Bing-bing.  Bing-bing.

 

Renju looked down at his jacket, pulling the ringing phone from his pocket.  “It’s Iris,” he stated, before answering the phone, putting it on speaker.  “Iris?  Is everything ok?”

 

“Uncle Renjuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!,” her voice sing-sang through the tiny speaker. “Finally!I’ve been texting you all morning!”

 

“I…ummm, I’m sorry.  Something came up and I haven’t really paid attention to my phone.”  He minimized the call and pulled up his Nile app, and sure enough, there were several texts from Iris.

 

“I was worried!  Ritsuko said you texted to say you were working remotely and wouldn’t be reachable for most of the morning.  But that was it!  No one knew where you were and I waited at Lemniscate for hours.”

 

“I’m really sorry Iris, I wasn’t trying to worry you.  But an emergency came up.  It’s fine now, but I had to take care of it.”

 

“As long as you’re ok.  You never call out sick or miss work, so I was afraid something could have happened!”

 

“I promise, I’m fine.  But, why were you looking for me?  Are you ok?”

 

“Oh right!  No, I’m great!  I wanted to tell you I finished the last song for the album.  Well, not totally finished it, but the lyrics are done and some of the music is.  I need your help with the rest, plus I just really want you to hear it.  But this is so much better now!”

 

“What do you mean?” Renju asked, smiling despite himself.  Iris’ hyperactive happiness was contagious and he had to admit he was already in a better mood from the idol’s bright voice.

 

“Weeeeeeeeell, I had a really hard time trying to figure out the song.  I knew what I wanted to say and I wrote it down, but I kept scrapping it because it just didn’t flow.  Ota actually helped me rewrite some of the lyrics, not everything, but his ideas really improved it!  And even better, Ayame and Mizuki helped with the music.  It’s still rough, but you can get a feel for what I want.  It was a group project and we’re all here at Sunfish Pocket.  Come meet us here so we can play it for you!  Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase!”

 

“Mizuki helped?”

 

“Yes!!  Ayame played her electric violin to get the beat of the song, but Mizuki has a synthesizer that has sounds like a piano.  She played a few keys over and over to match some of Ayame’s violin and it sounds great!  Mizuki has been trying to learn piano so she can play like you one day!”

 

Renju didn’t know what to say.  Mizuki had been learning the piano because he played it?  She had never said anything.  He simultaneously was touched, while also feeling like an even worse father than he did before.  “I…”

 

“Come on Uncle Renju! You have to come!  And wait till you hear Ayame play the violin.  Oh!  I know!  We’ll sing it live for you when you get here!  Ota has his computer and can pull up the background track and Ayame can play her violin while you’re here.  Please please!!!”

 

 

“Ok, I’ll be there soon.  I can’t wait to hear it.”

 

“Yay!!  We’ll be waiting!”

 

The line went dead as Iris ended the call.

 

“I guess we’re headed to Sunfish Pocket,” Pewter stated.

 

“I never knew Ayame could play the violin,” Renju said as he pocketed his phone again.

 

“We both can.  Our parents were pretty strict.  They were determined that we were going to have talent, even if it meant forcing it.”

 

“Now I need to hear you play.”

 

“I haven’t played in years.  I probably forgot how.  Listen to Ayame, she’s better anyway.”

 

“I will, but this isn’t the end of this.  You’re going to play for me, even if I have to go buy a violin to hear you do it,” Renju said, briefly standing on his tiptoes to give his boyfriend a quick kiss.

 

Pewter’s cheeks reddened, embarrassed by all of the attention.

 

“Come on, no more of this.  Let’s get to Sunfish Pocket!  I want to meet your sister!” Date said, practically bouncing in place.

 

“Why are you so excited about this?” Pewter asked, eyes narrowed behind the green visor.

 

“What?  We’ve been working together for six years.  Why wouldn’t I want to meet your sister?”

 

“Please don’t make a pass at her.  I will hurt you.”  Even though his voice was calm, his expression was dark.

 

“I wasn’t going to hit on her…”

 

“Oh please, you forget we all know you,” Renju added.  “I don’t think you’re capable of not hitting on a beautiful woman.”

 

“I mean I am, I just don’t want to-ow!  Aiba what the hell?  You shocked me!”

 

“No, that was me,” Pewter quipped, holding up his hand with the watch.  “That’s a warning.  It will be much worse if you hit on my sister.”

 

“Ok, I get it!  You don’t have to electrocute me.  Let’s just go.  We can eat lunch while Ren listens to this song.  I’m starving and you should probably eat too.  Come on, I’ll drive.”

Notes:

So, in the Japanese version, there is one line of text from Boss’ office where Pewter makes a comment about having a younger sister, but he doesn’t have a sister complex. They never mention it in the English dub, but I thought it was so interesting that he had a sister and I wanted to know more about her. Maybe we’ll hear some more in Nirvana, but for now, I decided to go ahead and create her myself. I just love the idea of Pewter being a protective big brother.

Plus, his English voice actor plays a character in another series of games that absolutely has a sister complex and his protectiveness is hilarious at times. I thought it was way too fun to pass up having our favorite boy do that too.

Iris is finally coming next chapter and her and Renju actually get to interact! From how she talks about him in the game and everything we know about how he was best friends with her mom, I would imagine they have a close relationship. I really wanted to play on that.

That’s also why she calls him Uncle Renju when speaking directly to him. In the game when referring to him and speaking to others, she says Mr. Okiura, but when she is actually having a conversation with him directly, I felt like she would be more familiar with him. Plus, he’s been there since she was a baby and she knows he’s her mom’s best friend, I imagine she has called him that since she was young.

I hope I got Iris’ character right. I wanted to capture her bubbly personality without having it be too annoying.

Anyway, please leave a comment if you’re enjoying this so far! They give me the fuel to write more! 😊

Chapter 8

Notes:

Next chapter is here! The boys head over to Sunfish Pocket to meet up with Iris and Co. And Ayame gets her official introduction. Enjoy and let me know in the comments if you liked the chapter!

The ride to Sunfish Pocket was relatively quiet.  Though Pewter wouldn’t admit it, the brief reprieve to do nothing but relax and hold his boyfriend against him in the back seat was nice.  He knew he had taken things too far, unnecessarily risking his health with the second Psync.  But he had to get the answers locked away in his brain, there was no other choice.

 

He turned his gaze towards Ren, tucked close to his side.  The blonde man was watching the scenery pass through the window, his hand resting against Pewter’s knee, the fingers gently rubbing back and forth.  He truly could not imagine his life without this man, the man he wanted to marry.  There was no way he would let the images in his Somnium come to pass.  He refused.

 

“I love you,” Pewter whispered, grasping Ren’s chin in his hand and turning his face towards him.  He kissed him firmly on the mouth, running his hands through his hair.  They stayed that way for a few seconds before Pewter pulled away, his eyes shining with warmth.

 

“What was that for?”

 

“Just making sure you’re real and that this isn’t a dream.”

 

“I’m real,” Renju smiled, resting his forward against his boyfriend’s.  “Don’t worry, I’m here.”

 

“Can you stop being gross in my car?” Date asked, stomping the breaks harder than necessary and causing the two men in the back seat to break apart.  “Anyway, we’re here.”

 

Renju cleared his throat, the tips of his ears turning red with embarrassment.  “I suppose we shouldn’t…ummmm…do that inside.  Not that I don’t want to, it’s just that…”

 

“I get it,” Pewter said, opening the back door and stepping outside.  “Mizuki doesn’t know.  I’m still in agreement with you.  We should tell her on Christmas Eve like we said.”

 

“Maybe a little sooner than that.  I don’t want to wait.  There’s no reason to.  But I want to do it when we can sit with her in private, not in front of all of her friends.  And I think we should have Date there too.  He’s been more of a father to her than I have, he deserves to be there.”

 

“I agree.”

 

Renju smiled brightly, stealing one quick kiss before heading after Date.  Pewter followed behind, walking into the building with the other two men and entering the elevator.  The ride to the second floor was brief and the three made their way to the entrance of the restaurant.

 

A blur of yellow and blue launched at Renju, yelling “Dad!” and causing the older man to grunt as the air left his lungs in a huff.

 

“Mizuki!  It’s good to see you too!  But why are you here in the middle of the afternoon?  Iris told me you all were hanging out, but shouldn’t you be in school?” he asked as he turned to stare at Date.

 

“Don’t look at me.  I dropped her off this morning.”

 

“It was a half day today.  I didn’t want to go home by myself, so I asked Ota and Iris to come get me and bring me here.  It’s way more fun to hang out here anyway.  Everyone’s so nice.”  Mizuki let go of her father, taking a step back and noticing Date and Pewter for the first time.  “Date?  What are you doing here?  And who’s that?”

 

Date didn’t get a chance to answer as another blur raced over, this one black.  “Onii-chan!”

 

Years of practice had taught Pewter to brace for impact when his younger sister saw him, and this day was no different.  He caught her gracefully, hugging her tight and laughing.  “Ayame, not so tight, you’ll crack my ribs.”

 

“Oh, sorry!” the black haired girl said, backing away.

 

She was much shorter than her brother; her long, black hair tied back in a ponytail and held in place with an orange ribbon.  Her black uniform was adorned with an orange flower on the front, but that was the only splash of color she had.  Every other mermaid in the restaurant wore bright pastel colors, but Pewter’s sister looked like she stepped right out of a Halloween store.

 

“You know, seeing the two of you standing together, you look like a pair of Milky Moon villains,” Date quipped. 

 

“I’m not even wearing my lab coat,” Pewter grumbled.

 

“You don’t think the gray turtleneck, gray pants, and neon green visor scream anime villain?”

 

“No.”

 

“I like it,” Mizuki said.  “He’s cool, like Ayame.”

 

“I’m cool,” Date pouted.

 

“No you’re not.”

 

Pewter couldn’t help but laugh at that.  Never in his life had anyone ever referred to him as cool.  Date was definitely the type that most people would use that word to describe, not someone like him.  It gave him hope that once he and Renju let the young girl know about their relationship, she would be happy and accepting.

 

“Uncle Renju!  Hey!” Iris yelled, standing up from her table in the back and waving.

 

The group headed over and sat down at the table.  Ayame grabbed a few menus from the next table over, handing them to her brother and Date, knowing Renju would already have the items memorized.  “You guys want anything to eat?  The chef added bacon and scallop filled takoyaki today.  It’s pretty good.”

 

Pewter looked over the menu, his eyes immediately landing on a very specific item.  “What is this eel thing?  You don’t…actually do this, do you?”

 

“Oh, I’ll take that!” Date exclaimed.

 

“No you won’t.”  Pewter kicked Date under the table, eliciting a startled yelp from the detective.

 

“Ayame definitely doesn’t do that,” Ota spoke up.  “Her customers are sort of unique…”

 

“She’s a ball crusher.”

 

“Mizuki!  You can’t say that!” Renju gasped.

 

“What?  That’s what some of the customers say.”

 

“Ok, but you shouldn’t repeat it.”

 

“What exactly does my sister do here Ren?  When I asked you to help her out with a job, I thought she would be waitressing.”

 

“She does.  But this is a maid cafe, what did you think it would be like?”

 

“I didn’t think it would be like this!” Pewter exclaimed, pointing at the eel dish on the menu.

 

“It’s fine.  Ayame’s here for the men that come in that like being mistreated and talked down to by women.  Her customers wouldn’t order any of this.”

 

“It’s pretty fun actually.  I get paid to crush the patriarchy.  Not a bad gig.”

 

“Well, feel free to start with this one then,” Pewter said, gesturing to Date.

 

“Hey!  Don’t forget who helped you out this morning.”

 

“We can eat later!” Iris bounced in her seat.  “I really want you to hear our song.  Like I said, it was a group effort.  Ota helped me with lyrics and he did the mixing on his computer.  Mizuki played the keyboard and Ayame wrote the music for the violin and played it.”

 

“I really didn’t do all that much,” Ota said softly, but his face broke out into a truly happy smile.

 

“Yeah, me either.  I just hit the same keys over and over again.  Dad’s a lot better than I am.”

 

“I’m sure it sounded great Mizuki, but… I never knew you were interested in learning the piano.  I…I’d love to teach you.”

 

“Really?!  That would be so fun.  But do you have time with work?  I don’t want to bother you.”  Mizuki sounded hopeful, her excitement obvious, but there was a tinge of sadness in her voice.

 

“I’ve been pretty focused on work, too focused.  I’m sorry, but I promise I’ll make the time to teach you the piano or anything else you’d like to learn.”

 

Mizuki’s face lit up, her smile wide and eyes sparkling.  “Ok!  I want to learn then!  But I still think you’ll have a better idea of what will sound good for this song.  It needs more than what I could play.”

 

“I’d really like to have some drums; kinda like a dubstep sound!”

 

“Ok, ok.  You’ve all got me really intrigued, let’s hear this song.  Invincible Rainbow Arrow was a hit online and it’s been getting more and more play on the radio, so I’m sure this one will be just as good.”

 

“That’s only because you wrote the music Uncle Renju!  That’s the first thing anyone talks about.  How easy it is to dance to and how catchy it is.  But once you help with this, I’m sure it will be even better!  Ayame, go grab your violin!”

 

Ayame nodded and quickly headed to the back, going through the doors to the kitchen.

 

“She brought her violin here?” Pewter asked.

 

“The amp and violin were in Ota’s van, but we brought it upstairs once we knew Uncle was coming.  She was over at Lemniscate with us earlier; we were trying to catch him when he came in so we could play it in the studio.  But we just came here when we knew he wasn’t going in to work.”

 

“I’ll get the piano track queued up,” Ota said, opening a program on his computer.  “It might not sound the best through these speakers, especially with live singing and violin, but you’ll get an idea of the sound Tesa was going for.”

 

Ayame walked back in, a small amp in one hand and her violin case in the other.  She sat the amp down and plugged it in to the wall.  The case was next, a bright green violin coming out, though it was easy to tell it was electric.  The instrument looked almost futuristic.  She attached a small chip to the bottom and took an identical piece and plugged it into the amp.

 

“Hmmmm, interesting.” Pewter muttered.

 

“What is?” Renju asked.

 

“That small device makes it wireless.  It’s a good idea.  She’ll have the mobility of playing an acoustic with the sound of an electric.”

 

“All set A-Set!” Ayame winked, cushioning her violin in the crook of her neck.

 

“Ok!  Hey Ota, can you record this for my channel?  I’d like to upload this later.”

 

“O-of course Tesa!  No problem!”  Ota pulled his phone out and opened the camera, quickly recording.

 

“Hi everyone!  Tesa here!  I hope you’re ready for a sneak peek of my new song, Free!  This is so personal to me and I couldn’t have done it without some great friends.  They helped me out with writing this and even though it’s not finished, I wanted to share it with you all today!”

 

Iris stepped back, standing next to Ayame.  She put one hand on her hip, one in the air, and tilted her head towards the ground, always ready to put on a show.  Ota subtly hit play on his computer, the basic, but beautiful piano melody starting softly.

 

Ayame waited for her queue and then started playing the violin, quickly dragging the bow back and forth, the sound sharp.  Iris moved in time to the beat, dancing along to the fast violin.  She was in her element.

 

“I always listened to what they said

Played my part to perfection 

Never stepped one toe out of line

Watching my will disappear in the night 

 

 

I’ve finally been freed

The shackles holding me tight

Breaking like ice in the dark

No one controlling me now

My will is finally my own

I’m ready to live but that’s not in the plans

Checking out too soon

But I don’t want to leave the dance 

 

 

Just let me live!

I want to stay free!”

 

Iris continued dancing, moving around Ayame whose entire focus was on playing the violin.  The two were completely in sync.

 

Mizuki sat next to her dad, head bobbing along to the music while silently mouthing the words along with Iris.  Renju has to admit, the song was good.  The lyrics were strong and Iris was putting more in to her vocals than she had on any of the other songs they recorded.  It was clear this meant a lot to her.

 

 

“My mind is scared to change

Not used to making my own decisions 

What do I do now that I can choose?

Is this life truly mine?

Or just a dream that I’ll wake from soon?

 

 

I’ve finally been freed

The shackles holding me tight

Breaking like ice in the dark

No one controlling me now

My will is finally my own

I’m ready to live but that’s not in the plans

Checking out too soon

But I don’t want to leave the dance

 

 

Just let me live!

I want to stay free!”

 

“Didn’t we tell you it’s great!” Mizuki whispered excitedly.

 

“You’re right, this is her best song yet.  You all did a great job helping.”

 

Mizuki’s face lit up at her father’s praise, happy to be spending time with him.  It warmed Renju’s heart to see his daughter so elated, he had screwed up a lot in the past, but he was determined to start making up for it now.

 

 

“If I forget what I know, will it make any difference?

The nightmare would stop if the memories were gone

But then would I still be the same?

Would all I worked for in the end, just be in vain?

My mind would be clear, but my heart would still long

Beating it’s way from my chest

Tears streaming and I wouldn’t know why

No, I want to remember even through the pain

At least then I’ll know that it was all real”

 

Iris sped up her dancing, keeping up with the rising swell in the music.  Between the lyrics, the sad yet powerful violin, and Iris’ almost ethereal singing; the song was bringing up emotions in Renju that he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in so long.  

 

He felt like he had been transported back in time, hanging out with Hitomi and Manaka in his parent’s garage. They spent so many days there; studying, goofing off, or just listening to Renju play around on his keyboard.  Manaka was always dancing then.  

 

And now, seeing Iris doing the same thing was just like watching Manaka.  She looked so much like her mother in that moment, it almost took his breath away.

 

He hadn’t been able to save Manaka, and that guilt ate at him everyday.  Sure, he and Hitomi had given Iris a great life, but how different would it have been if she had been raised by her biological mother?  Manaka had died so young, she never even had the chance to live.

 

She would have been so proud of her daughter and everything she accomplished.  Renju knew this for a fact.  She was so happy when she found out she was pregnant.  And the moment she first held Iris in her arms would be forever ingrained in Renju’s memory.  He had never seen such love on her face, not even when she talked about So.

 

 

“I’ve finally been freed

The shackles holding me tight

Breaking like ice in the dark

No one controlling me now

My will is finally my own

I’m ready to live but that’s not in the plans

Checking out too soon

But I don’t want to leave the dance

 

 

Just let me live!

I want to be free!

 

 

Please don’t let this be the end

I finally feel alive

I’m not ready to lay down and die

Just let me live!

I want to be free!

I want to be fr-“

 

Iris gasped, cutting off the end of the song as she clutched her head.  She stood still for a moment, locking eyes with Renju before hers slowly rolled in the back of her head.  She collapsed in a heap on the floor, Mizuki’s terrified scream of “Iris!” ringing out. 

Notes:

I took a lot of liberties with Pewter's sister since she only exists in the Japanese version and we only know that she is younger than him. Her name never gets mentioned. I thought it would be fun if she worked at Sunfish Pocket and if she was one of the mermaids pictured on the wall. And of course, she would be the one dressed in all black that looks different than all of the other ones pictured.

And now on to Iris' song. I wanted her to have something different and meaningful to her. I also wanted it to be something that would bond her and her friends together, and give something for Renju to bond with Mizuki over. He's such a proud Papa that she helped with the music. As far as a sound for it, I always have loved electric violins, so you could imagine the sound something like Bond or Lindsey Sterling. Different from Invincible Rainbow Arrow, but still a song with a strong beat that Iris could easily dance to.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 9

Notes:

New chapter, let's go! And it's a long one. I hope everyone enjoys it!

“Iris!”

 

Renju wasn’t sure who screamed.  If it was one person or multiple, or even himself.  He lept up from his seat and around the table, sliding next to Iris in an instant.  The music had stopped and Ayame was standing still, her eyes wide.

 

Pewter quickly dropped down next to Iris, opposite Renju, and checked her vitals.  “Ayame, I need you to call an ambulance, now!  Aiba, run a full body scan.  Report anything unusual to Date.”

 

“Futa?”

 

“I don’t know,” he said.  “Her breathing looks normal, but her pulse feels slightly elevated.  And her skin is very cold to the touch.  Does she have any health problems that you know about?”

 

“No, she should be healthy.  Hitomi’s never said anything.”

 

“A girl her age shouldn’t just pass out for no reason.  What about her eating habits?  Does she…have…?” He let the sentence hang in the air, but Renju knew where his boyfriend was going with it.

 

“No, she doesn’t have an eating disorder.  I’d know.”

 

“Drugs?”

 

“Absolutely not,” Renju answered firmly.

 

“Pewter?  Ren?” 

 

Both men turned to look at Date.

 

“Aiba says her brain scan looks unusual.  She can’t get as good of a picture as an MRI, but from what she can see…it could be a tumor.”

 

“What?” Renju barely whispered, the word coming out in a rushed gasp.

 

“She also said that her core body temperature is dropping rapidly.  Here!” Date unbuttoned his coat quickly, shrugging out of the garment and handing it to Renju.

 

The blonde gently maneuvered Iris until she was resting against his lap, wrapping the coat around her arms.  She stirred, moaning quietly as her eyes fluttered.

 

“Uncle…Renju?”

 

“Iris, are you ok?”

 

“I’m really…cold,” she muttered, trying to snuggle closer to Renju for heat.

 

“What happened?  Do you know why you passed out?  Has this happened before?”

 

“Once or twice…”

 

“When?”

 

“At school…the nurse called…mom.  She was…really scared, but the doctor…can help…with his…nano…machine.”  Iris sounded so tired, a complete change from when she had been dancing around only minutes before.  

 

“Iris…” Renju hesitated.  “Do you have a brain tumor?”

 

“…Yeah…”

 

Renju grimaced as if in pain, squeezing his eyes shut.  This wasn’t happening.  How could Iris; sweet, bubbly, happy Iris, have a tumor?  And on top of that, both she and Hitomi knew and never said anything.  Why wouldn’t they tell him?  Hitomi was supposed to be his best friend.  The two of them never kept secrets from each other.  

 

And yet, here she was.  Hiding something life changing from him.  Was she worried the information would be a burden?  That he wouldn’t help?  Renju knew that he was often preoccupied with work, but nothing would be more important than the health of either of his girls.  All Hitomi had to do was come to him.

 

Did she think she could handle it on her own?  If so, then maybe that meant the prognosis wasn’t bad.  A brain tumor wasn’t good by any means, but if Iris knew about the treatment plan, then that was promising.  It would be much worse if she had been told it was inoperable.

 

“Ren,” Pewter said gently.  “The medics are here.”

 

Renju looked up and saw two EMTs coming through the restaurant, one leading the way and the other pushing a stretcher.  They made quick work of making sure Iris was stable enough to move, and then gently lifted her on to the stretcher.

 

“I’d like to ride with her,” Renju stated, rising to his feet and standing next to the first EMT.

 

“And you are?” the man asked, not unkindly.

 

“Her uncle.”

 

“That’s fine.  You’ll be in back with me.  Let’s go.”

 

“Ota,” Renju said, turning around quickly.  “Please take Mizuki with you back to your place.  I know she’ll be in good hands with you and your mom.  Here, take my credit card.  Get whatever you’d like to eat for dinner tonight.  And Ayame, would you please go with them too?”

 

“Oh…ummmm, sure.”

 

“Mizuki loves being with you and Ota.  Please look after her for me.”

 

“I want to go with you!” Mizuki exclaimed.

 

“I know.  But right now you can’t.  I promise once I get everything worked out with Hitomi, either I’ll come get you or Date will.  All of you.  But right now, I need to go with Iris and I need you to be brave for me and go with Ota and Ayame.  Please.”

 

Mizuki looked like she wanted to protest more; her eyes glassy with unshed tears and her lip trembling.  She didn’t say anything, but nodded her head quickly.

 

Renju didn’t say anything else, rushing from the restaurant to head after the EMTs.  Date and Pewter followed close behind.

 

 

 

 

Pewter stood next to Date in the small hospital room, awkwardly watching as Renju and Hitomi argued with each other.  They whispered fiercely and Pewter couldn’t make out everything they said, but he got the gist of it.

 

Hitomi had known Iris had a tumor for about nine months now.  Iris had passed out at school one day, just as she had said back at Sunfish Pocket, and the school had called Hitomi. She had rushed to pick her daughter up and take her to the doctor.  A series of tests were ordered and that’s when the tumor was discovered.  Along with the devastating news that unless she received an expensive, experimental surgery; Iris would die.

 

When Hitomi had first heard the news, Iris had been given a year to live.  At the most.  And now?  The brunette wasn’t sure she’d survive much past the new year.

 

Renju was understandably upset by this.  He wanted to know why Hitomi had kept this from him in the first place.  Why she wouldn’t ask for help.  He would do anything for the two of them, but yet both women had kept this information secret.

 

“Ren,” Hitomi started, her voice strained.  “There’s no way I could have asked you for help.  And if I told you, you just would have made yourself sick with worry.  You stress over everything and work yourself to death as it is, I couldn’t add to your burdens.”

 

“You and Iris are not burdens!” Renju exclaimed.  “Why would you even say that?  I will always help you.  I could have gotten Iris help before it got this bad.”

 

“No you couldn’t. The surgery…it’s expensive Ren.  More money than either of us has ever seen.  And it’s not just the surgery, it’s the nano machine too.  The hospital doesn’t have one.  They’d either have to buy one, or Iris would have to be flown to the Mayo Clinic in America.  That’s why I was trying to figure this out.”

 

“I might not have the money right away, but I could take out a loan against the business.  Maybe sell one or two of the properties Dad left me.  It would take some time, but I’m sure I could come up with-“

 

“The doctor told me it would cost eighty million yen.  Eighty million.  Now do you understand why I couldn’t ask you?”

 

“And what was your plan then?  Did you think you were suddenly going to come in to that kind of money?  I’m not saying it would be easy for me either, but I would get the money somehow.”

 

“By doing what?  More jobs for the Kumakura’s?  Or something even more dangerous?  No way!  Absolutely not!  I wouldn’t let you risk yourself like that for us.  Not when you have Mizuki.  What would happen to her if you were gone?  Shoko’s a nightmare.”

 

“She has me,” Date spoke up.

 

“I’m sorry, who are you again?” Hitomi asked, focusing on Date and Pewter for the first time.  It wasn’t that she didn’t know they were there, but she hadn’t really paid them any mind, until now.

 

“You know.  Funny you should ask as it’s a really interesting story.  I’m actually-“

 

“Not the time Date!” Pewter hissed as he jabbed an elbow into the blonde’s side.

 

Date grunted, bringing a hand up to rest against his side.  He shot a glare at Pewter before clearing his throat and starting again.  “I’m actually a friend of Renju’s.  Known him for close to six years now.  After he and Shoko split, I took Mizuki in.  Mostly to get her away from that drunken man-eater.  And Shoko too.”

 

“Seriously Date?” Renju asked, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.

 

“I’m kidding.  Ren’s not a man-eater.  He’s far too delicate to be that ferocious.  He’s definitely a bottom.”

 

“Oh my God!  Why am I still friends with you?  And no more going to see Mama without me, she’s obviously teaching you things that you don’t need to know.  And you,” Renju said as he turned towards his boyfriend.  “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

 

The engineer looked startled for a moment to be called out before calmly stating, “And what should I say?  That he’s right?”

 

“You’re not helping!”

 

Hitomi started laughing, the ridiculousness of the entire situation getting to her.  She held a hand over her mouth to try to stifle the sound, but it didn’t work in the otherwise quiet room.

 

“This isn’t funny.”

 

“You’re right, it’s not.”  Hitomi used her best school teacher voice, trying to be placating and failing miserably.

 

“All of you are seriously the worst.”

 

“Like you don’t dish it out just as good.”  Hitomi still had a small smile on her face, but it was easy to tell it was forced.  The brief comedic repose was gone and she was now trying her hardest to not breakdown.  And after knowing her for close to three decades, Renju could immediately tell how close she was to losing it.

 

“You’re right,” he said softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side.  He placed a light kiss on the top of her head, seeking as much comfort as he was giving.  “Hey, we’ll get this figured out.  Like I said, I’ll put a lean on the Lemniscate and Sunfish Pocket both if I have to, it doesn’t matter to me.  Iris is not going to die.”

 

“You shouldn’t have to do that Ren.  This isn’t your responsibility.  Plus, I’m working on it.”

 

“How?  Not to be rude, but what do you possibly think you’ll be able to do on a teacher’s salary?”

 

“I’m going to make So pay for it.  He’s skirted his responsibility all these years, it’s time for him to pay up.”

 

“You can’t be serious!” Renju hissed, taking a step away from childhood friend.  “No.  You’re not going to him.  He can’t know about Iris.  And, he’d never agree anyway.”

 

“He would if I threatened to leak that he had an illegitimate child with a teenager eighteen years ago.  And that his own son was the one that murdered her.  He’d have to pay then.”

 

“Or he’d just have you killed.  Nothing is more important to So than his image.  He wouldn’t hesitate to have you taken out.”

 

“Then what do you suggest I do Ren?”

 

Renju didn’t know what to say, and was saved trying to come up with something as the doctor entered the room.  The group had briefly met the man when they first arrived.  He had come in and introduced himself as Dr. Nakagawa, staying just long enough to let Hitomi know that he was taking Iris to run a few tests and to get a CAT scan, before leaving.

 

And now he was back, the grim expression on his face wiping out any possible hope of good news.  “May I speak freely?  Or would you prefer to talk in private?”

 

Hitomi looked over at Renju, asking for confirmation on whether or not his friend and boyfriend should stay.  He nodded subtly.  “Yes, please go ahead,” Hitomi answered.

 

“Very well.  You already know that Iris’ prognosis was not good from the start, but the tumor has grown significantly from the last time I saw her.  What started out as something the size of an eraser is now the size of a 500 yen coin.  It’s going to continue to grow and Iris will start to lose her body functions very quickly.  More than likely her sight will go first and some of her fine motor skills.”

 

Hitomi sucked in a shaky breath, trying her hardest not to cry.  She didn’t trust herself to speak, knowing she’d break as soon as she did.  Ren wasn’t much better.  His face was dark, his expression clouded.

 

“I can make her comfortable at this point,” Dr. Nakagawa continued.  “I would suggest keeping her here in the hospital for the time she has left.  We’ll be able to monitor her condition and make sure she doesn’t do anything too strenuous.”

 

“What about surgery?  Is that still an option?” Renju asked.

 

Dr. Nakagawa sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.  “As I have explained before to Miss Sagan, the procedure is experimental and expensive.  Her insurance does not cover the treatment.  And even if we set up a payment plan, the hospital would still have to purchase the machine, which they just aren’t willing to do.  The funds aren’t in the budget.”

 

“There has to be something you can do!  What about chemo?  Or radiation?  Couldn’t you just do traditional surgery?  Why does it have to be nano?”

 

“The type of tumor that Iris has would normally be inoperable.  The only reason it would be an option now is because of how the nano machine works.  And even then, it’s not a guarantee that it would completely get rid of the tumor.  The technology is still new and very few people have studied it in enough detail to be proficient.”

 

“Well, who has a machine?  Hitomi said something about the Mayo Clinic, what if we arrange for Iris to go there?”

 

“To America?  The surgery is even more expensive there.  I’m sorry, but we’ve done all we can do for Iris.  It’s best that you both start preparing yourselves for-“

 

“Excuse me,” Pewter interrupted.  His eyes were focused on his phone, fingers typing away quickly.

 

“Yes?” Dr. Nakagawa questioned after a moment.

 

“Is this it?”  Pewter turned his phone towards the doctor; the website for the Mayo Clinic pulled up and currently on neurology page.  There were two smiling doctors in white coats in a sterile looking operating room with a large machine in the background.  The top of the page read, “The Radical New Hope for Brain Cancer Patients”.

 

“Yes, it is, but as I said before-“

 

“I can make this.”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, not this per se.  This machine is fairly cumbersome and it would be a pain to transport.  Not to mention it seems to use robotic arms which would be incredibly bulky for this kind of surgery.  No, you’ll definitely need it to be smaller.  I can make you something more compact along with a program that will run on any computer.  You’ll be able to do the surgery remotely.”

 

“I’m sorry, but just who are you?” Dr. Nakagawa asked, though he didn’t wait for a reply.  “Look, you might be pretty good at custom PC builds or maybe even basic robotics, but creating a machine this delicate for the work it’s needed for?  There’s only a handful of people in the world that could make something like that.”

 

“Yes, and I’m one of them,” Pewter stated simply.

 

“Young man, I don’t think you understand.  Nanotechnology isn’t something you just pick up as a hobby.  Researchers have dedicated years of their lives, decades, to trying to understand and create it.  You can’t just hope to luck out and make a tool capable of such intricate and complicated surgery.”

 

“And I don’t think you understand.  I can make a machine that can do everything you just said.  I have a prototype I’ve been working on that’s mostly finished.  It would take a few adjustments to change it over to something capable of surgery, but I could have it done in a week’s time if I push myself.  Which considering the situation, I would.”

 

Dr. Nakagawa let out a small huff, his frustration evident.  “I don’t know who you are and why you are so adamant to give this girl’s family hope when there is none, but this discussion is over with.  If you’re truly that interested in this field, I suggest you  read a few journals on the subject.  I’d start with ‘Nanotechnology and Biology: The Blending of Science and Medicine’.  Then maybe you’ll see you’re in over your head.”

 

“I’m actually quite familiar with that work already,” Pewter said, a small, self-satisfied smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.  “I wrote it.  In fact, it was my dissertation for university.  I’m glad to see it was so popular.”

 

“You’re Dr. Futa Amanoma?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“But…I wasn’t expecting someone…”

 

“Who looks like a giant dork in cosplay?  An anime sidekick one character arc away from becoming a super villain?  Someone who should be yelling, ‘I would have gotten away with it too if not for those meddling kids!’” Date supplied, grinning from ear to ear.

 

Pewter crossed his arms and turned to glare at his coworker and friend.

 

“Nuh-uh.  You don’t get to pretend to be offended.  You electrocuted me back at ABIS and then kicked me at Sunfish Pocket.  And you know that everything I just said describes you to a T.”

 

“While my friend here has an interesting way with words, I do understand that I don’t necessarily look the part of someone in my position.  But, to get back to the matter at hand.  I want to help Iris and I can make exactly what you need.”

 

“But how could you possibly turn something like this around in a week?”

 

“As I said, I have a prototype that I’m developing.  It’s meant to be a sister companion to a beautiful unit I’ve already created.  This new one, was originally going to be able link up simultaneously with the original unit, even if they were halfway around the world from each other.  But, as I have not completed the programming yet and have nearly completed the shell, it will be fairly easy to change the functionality.”

 

“You-you’ve already created something like this?  A nanotech machine?”

 

“Date?  I’m asking nicely, but would you mind if I borrowed Aiba?”

 

Date let out an exaggerated sigh, playing it up as much as possible before saying, “Fine.  Just this once.  Go ahead Aiba.”

 

Pewter held out his hand, palm up.  Quicker than Dr. Nakagawa was able to register, the small AI was in Pewter’s open hand, quickly forming her body.  “Dr. Nakagawa, Miss Sagan, I’d like to introduce you both to Aiba.”

 

“Hello,” Aiba greeted politely, giving a small bow.

 

“She is an artificial intelligence capable of advance computations along with the ability to learn and develop in real time on the same level as a human being.  Without the need for program updates.  Her nano cables connect directly into the brain itself, via an artificial nerve, allowing for communication with the host body without speaking.  She can also project images to her user or send encrypted data directly to any computer she chooses.  Aiba, show the doctor your cables.”

 

Aiba complied, pushing several small cables out of the back of her body and wiggling them around.  She looked like a tiny, hamster version of Medusa.

 

“This is incredible,” Dr. Nakagawa breathed out.  “You really created this?”

 

“Yes.  Along with the second unit I mentioned.  She isn’t finished, but I can work with the base I already have and retrofit her to make her capable of nano surgery.  Since the majority of the work is already done, it would be a simple manor to change the functionality.  I haven’t created the AI program for that one yet, so it will simply be a machine for surgical procedures.”

 

“W-would something like this work for Iris, Dr. Nakagawa?” Hitomi asked quietly, not daring to get her hopes up, but unable to hide the longing in her voice.

 

“There’s very few people in the world that know more about nanotechnology than Dr. Amanoma.  If he says he can make it, then…I believe he can.”

 

“Excellent.  Now that we have gotten that out of the way, here’s what I’m willing to propose to the hospital.  Technically, this piece of technology belongs to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.  Lucky for you and this hospital though, I’ll be able to convince them to sell it.  If it were up to me, I would just give it to you.  But it’s not mine.  The best I can do though, is get them to sell it for the cost of the materials that were used to build it.  As it stands, it’s somewhere around seven hundred and fifty thousand yen.  If I had started working on the AI components, it would have been much more.

 

“Finishing it up will probably be around another three hundred thousand yen.  If the hospital is willing to buy it, then I will offer free maintenance on it for as long as it is located here.  Anything you need, I will do, no charge.  But in return, I want the hospital to perform Iris’ surgery with no cost to her family.”

 

“If you can really get us a machine that can do everything you’re saying it can do, I will convince the board to allow me to do her surgery for free.”

 

“Excellent.  I’ll have the machine ready in a week.  Oh, and here’s my card.”

 

Dr. Nakagawa took the card with a small nod, pocketing it.  “I’m going to go check on Iris.  She should be waking from the sedative we administered earlier.  I’ll have her brought back in soon.”  He left the room after that, mumbling something about how incredible Aiba was.

 

Pewter glanced around the room, the occupants all staring at him intently.  Date was smiling warmly, clearly happy that things had gone well.  Despite his numerous flaws and lecherous disposition, he had always been one of his biggest supporters.  And he was willing to try out new functions on the Psync machine or with Aiba whenever he asked, showing his complete faith without ever saying a word.

 

Hitomi looked as though she was going to cry any moment.  Even though her eyes were bright with unshed tears, the small smile on her face was real.  She was clearly grateful for anything and everything he was willing to do to save her daughter.

 

And then there was Renju.  He was standing silently, one eyebrow raised and his hand cupping his chin.  Brown eyes boring intently into his own green ones.

 

“What’s that look for?”

 

“You’re really hot when you take charge.”

 

Pewter blushed deeply at that, scratching his fingers over the back of his head.

 

“Are you two incapable of going more than hour without wanting to rip each other’s clothes off?” Date grumbled.

 

“Oh come now Mr. Date, let them have their fun.  It’s good to see Ren so happy and in love for once,” Hitomi said with a gentle smile.  “And Dr. Amanoma…thank you.”

 

Pewter opened his mouth to speak but Hitomi was in his arms, hugging him tightly.  He awkwardly patted her back and returned the embrace, though he had to bend down to do so.

 

“Please, it’s ok.  You don’t need to thank me.  And you certainly don’t need to call me Doctor.  I prefer Futa.  Or Pewter.  Either is fine with me.”

 

“Pewter?”

 

“Ah, it’s a nickname.  My younger sister gave it to me when she was about three.  I was always working on my computer and she started calling me that.  Or trying to.  She couldn’t pronounce computer, so she would just say Pewter.  And then it sort of stuck.”

 

“Huh?  And here I thought Boss started calling you that because of your gray hair old man,” Date laughed.

 

“I’m not old.  And gray hair doesn’t always happen because of age, it can be brought on by stress.”

 

“What do you have to be stressed about?”

 

Pewter deadpanned.  “Are you kidding me?”

 

“What?”

 

“Hello Stress.”

 

“I am not stressful.”

 

“Date, you are in fact very stressful,” Aiba stated, bobbing up and down on her new spot on Pewter’s shoulder.  “You constantly put yourself in danger, you don’t take care of yourself, and your life is a giant dumpster fire.  You cause everyone stress around you.”

 

“I’m not even that bad.  You’re making me sound way worse.”

 

Pewter cleared his throat quietly, putting a stop to any further grumbling from Date.  Once he and Aiba started going at it, there was very little that could be done to halt it.  The two were great partners and friends, caring deeply for one another, but they fought over just about anything they could think of.  Pewter did have to admit it was amusing when Aiba would argue with the younger man while in his eye socket; every once in a while Date would forget his place and respond out loud.  Usually resulting in more than a few stares.  

 

“I think we should probably head out now.  I want to check in with Boss and see how her investigation went, and I need to get permission to change the functionality of Tama and sell her to the hospital.”

 

“Tama?” Aiba questioned.

 

“Yes, that was going to be the name of your sister unit.  Well, it still will be.  This was just the shell.  The department wants another AI Ball unit that you can wirelessly sync with and exchange information anywhere in the world.  Which, as long as Wadjet is functioning, you should have no problem.”

 

“Hmmm, I think I would like having a sister.”

 

“Sorry, it’s going to take a little longer than expected.  I wanted it to be a surprise for you, but now you can help me with building her AI functions if you’d like.”  Pewter glanced down at his creation sitting calmly on his shoulder, a warm smile on his lips.

 

“You can count on me!  I’ll be happy to help!”  Aiba threw her tiny arms against Pewter’s neck, her best attempt at a hug.

 

“Are you two leaving then?” Renju asked as he stepped over next to his boyfriend.

 

“Yes, but I can come pick you up after Date takes me back to ABIS and I talk to Boss.  I know you want to see Iris.”

 

“I…”

 

“It’s fine Ren.  Stay here with Miss Sagan.”

 

“Hitomi,” she said.  “If I’m going to call you Futa, I would very much like it if you would call me Hitomi.”

 

“Ok then…Hitomi.”

 

“I should go with you though.  I promised Mizuki I’d pick her and Ayame and Ota up and bring them here.  I can’t break another promise to her.”

 

“What if I get them?”

 

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

 

“Why not?  Ayame is my sister.  I need Date to take me back to ABIS to get my car anyway and I  still need to talk to Boss.  There’s no reason you can’t stay here with Hitomi and sit with Iris.  I’ll be back soon and I’ll have the kids.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes.  I’ll be back soon, I promise.”  Pewter leaned forward, moving to give Renju a kiss before stopping and standing up suddenly.

 

“It’s fine Futa.  Hitomi knows.”

 

“Yeah, I’ve known Ren was gay since we were eight.”

 

“Wait what?” Date exclaimed.  “But you were married to Shoko.  You two had Mizuki.”

 

“That’s because only Hitomi realized I was gay.  I didn’t find out until much later,” Renju said, slightly embarrassed.

 

“Same for you then?” Date asked, turning towards Pewter.

 

“Oh God no.  I’m pretty sure I was gay with the first breath I took in this world.”  Pewter leaned down once more, capturing the smaller man’s lips with his and kissing him firmly.  Renju closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of his boyfriend pressed against him before the silver haired man pulled away, his green eyes shining behind his even greener visor.  “We’ll be back soon.”

 

“I’ll be here.”

 

Pewter smiled once more and then turned towards the door.  He whispered something too quietly for the other occupants in the room to hear towards Aiba, but then the small AI jumped from his shoulder to Date’s.  She stayed there for only a few seconds and then resumed her spot in his empty socket, the man blinking a few times as she adjusted.

 

“Well, I guess we’ll see you all later then.  It was ummm….really great meeting you Hitomi.”

 

“Oh, you as well Mr. Date.  Hopefully next time it will be under better circumstances.”

 

Date nodded, feeling something familiar at the back of his mind as the warm, brown eyes gazed into his own.  There was a flash, and he saw her on the ground, blood slowly seeping out from underneath her body.  And then just as suddenly, it was gone.  He clutched his head for a moment and shook it off.  Renju and Hitomi hadn’t seemed to notice, speaking softly to each other once again.

 

He turned on his heel and followed Pewter into the hallway.  As soon as Iris was out of the woods and her surgery complete, he was going to have a long talk with the engineer.  He wanted his memories back.  And he had a feeling that Pewter might know a way to unlock them.

 

Notes:

So, I'm taking Iris' treatment in a different direction since we're now in a full on Renju lives alternate universe anyway. Boss doesn't have the same leverage she did before to get ABIS to pay for her surgery, and we don't know if Hitomi would have been successful in game with convincing So to pay for it, so why shouldn't Pewter take the reigns?

My headcanon for Pewter is that he had to have gotten his doctorate in school. The only time he mentions college is when he says something about having an old college friend high up in the police department. But there's no way that this man that created both the Psync machine and Aiba doesn't have his doctorate in engineering. Hopefully it makes sense that he would in turn be able to make the nano machine that Hitomi mentioned in game.

Plus, I love the idea of Pewter being able to save the day. He's such a good boy and he really does care about those around him. And Iris is important to Renju, therefor she would be important to him too.

I hope I was able to keep Pewter's "I'm smart and I know it and I want you to know it too without being condescending" attitude true to him in game. He has such a great balance of this in the game and is constantly used for exposition, which can be hard to write without having a character come off as if they are just reading from a textbook. Hopefully this came across.

Anyway, thanks for reading! And as always, comments are appreciated!

Chapter 10

“What do you mean it wasn’t there?  It had to be!” Pewter exclaimed.  He and Date had arrived back to headquarters, taking the elevator down to Boss’ office.  She sat on the edge of her desk(did that woman ever sit in her chair?) and watched them both, her expression giving away nothing.

 

Moma Kumakura was also still with her, standing slightly off to the side.  He had gone with Boss, willing to provide backup and manpower to move the prototype Psync machine.  Only there was nothing in the abandoned factory. 

 

“It wasn’t.  Not anymore.”

 

“Anymore?”

 

“It definitely was there.  And, from what it looked like, move out pretty quickly.”

 

“How could you tell?” Date asked.

 

“Saito left some things behind.  More than likely because he was in a rush.  Several vials of muscle relaxers and sedatives.  And a partial Psync manual on one of the shelves.  He probably started moving it out of there this morning.”

 

“But why?”

 

“Because of me,” Pewter muttered quietly.

 

“You?” Date questioned.

 

Boss sighed, uncrossing and recrossing her legs.  She fidgeted quite a bit when she was anxious, and it was easy to tell the state she was in now.  She almost had the prototype back.  After six years of searching all over the whole damn city, and it had been right under their noses.  “Don’t you remember what Pewter said this morning?  How Renju got another text from Shoko and he grabbed the phone texted her to go jump in front of the five o’clock train?  I’m sure that must have made him suspicious enough to change his plans and get the machine out of there.  Renju probably never talked like that before, so it would have put Saito’s guard up.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Pewter said simply.

 

“No one is blaming you Pewter.  You reacted as a human being.  It happens.  And Saito is incredibly smart.  It stands to reason that any small change, no matter how insignificant to us, would raise a red flag to him.  We just have to be more careful.”

 

“We could have had him if it wasn’t for me.  And he knows we’re on to him.”

 

“Not necessarily,” Moma said quietly, causing the other occupants to turn to his way.

 

“You know,” Date began.  “You haven’t seemed shocked by any of this.”

 

Moma shrugged one shoulder, glancing quickly at Boss and then bringing his dark eyes back to focus on the blonde detective.  “The lovely Shizue here gave me a brief rundown of what to expect before we went to the plant.  I gotta say, body swappin’s a new one, even for me.  But even weirder is the fact that it’s Nadami.  She was already an ice queen without having a serial killer stuck in ‘er brain.”

 

“Wait?  You know Shoko?”

 

“Huh?  Yeah, she’s been one of ours for years.  Hell of a business mind on that one.”

 

“One of yours?  You mean she was part of the family?  Like Renju?”

 

“Well, yeah,” Moma started, his tone indicating that he thought the information was obvious.  “How do you think her and the kid met?  They were both my brother’s.  Fuckin’ fantastic team when they were workin’ together.  Rohan even suggested they get hitched to make some of their dealings less suspicious.  So they did.  I gotta admit, for a minute I thought the two of ‘em had actually fallen in love.  Boy was I wrong.”

 

Pewter averted his eyes, awkwardly toeing the ground with his shoe, as if trying sweep away a piece of dirt that only he could see.  Hearing about his boyfriend and his ex-wife when they were married wasn’t necessarily his first choice of topics.

 

“Hey kid, don’t sweat it.  It was just a business marriage.  Those two might have worked great together on whatever schemes my brother had ‘em doing, but once they moved in together, it was a shit show.  They hated each other.  Trust me when I say there was no love in that relationship.”

 

“Thank you for trying to make me feel better, but they obviously cared at some point.  They have a child together.  Not that it matters, I’m fine.”

 

“Come on kid, you ain’t gotta love someone for that to happen.  Haven’t you ever been drunk and horny?”

 

“I have,” Date answered.  He was met by three sets of eyes staring at him with varying degrees of incredulousness.  “Oh you meant Pewter.  Sorry I thought the question was open to the floor.”

 

“Anyway, don’t worry none about Renju’s past.  He’s with you now and obviously crazy for you.  I’m just sorry that some of my brother’s shit has dragged all ya inta this.”

 

“So, how much do you know?” Pewter asked, watching Boss and Moma share another brief look.

 

Moma rolled his head from side to side, stretching his neck muscles.  “I guess I know most of it, unless there’s more you’re keeping from me.”

 

Boss shook her head no.

 

“Ok then.  I know you,” he pointed at Date.  “Used to be my brother’s hired gun.  Went by Falco.  We met a handful of times back in the day, but you never worked directly with me.  You belonged to my brother.  But, six years ago, that little psycho shit Saito did some body swappin’.  My brother ended up in your body, you ended up in Saito’s, and Saito in my brother’s.”

 

“Then you know…” Pewter trailed off.

 

“That my shitbag older brother is still alive?  Yeah.  Gotta say, not how I figured my day would go.  Also, not sure how I feel ‘bout that one either.  I mean, he’s my brother, so I love him obviously.  But, he did a lot of fucked up shit, so there’s that.”

 

“As long as your plan doesn’t involve busting him out of prison, we’re good,” Date stated.

 

“Are you out of your fuckin’ mind?  I’ve been leadin’ this family for six years and I’m still cleanin’ up Rohan’s messes.  Even when he was in that mental hospital, there were constantly threats on his life.  I had to have at least two of my guys stationed there everyday to make sure shit didn’t go down.  I’m sure as hell not gettin’ Rohan out so he can undo everything I worked my ass off ta fix!” 

 

Date watched Moma with a critical eye.  It was strange to see him getting so heated over this when his demeanor before had been almost comical.  Granted, he had only met the man this morning; well he supposed he knew him before, but he couldn’t remember that.  But still, it was hard to imagine a Yakuza boss not wanting to commit crimes.  Yet here he was, actively helping the police department out.

 

“Moma,” Pewter began.  “I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but be careful.  I don’t know how connected you were to Saito, but your brother was his partner in the Cyclops killings.  It wouldn’t be totally out of the realm of possibilities for him to come after you.  Ren would want to know you’re safe.”

 

Moma smiled at that, rubbing the back of his neck and making sure his mask was firmly in place.  “Don’t worry about me kid.  I can protect myself.  And I never fucked with that one.  I knew the name, but I never saw his face until today.”

 

“Still though.  He may try to reach out to you as Shoko.  You did know her and he may have a handful of memories about that.  It’s not unheard of for the host body after a swap to still retain some visage of the original owner.”

 

“I’m not too worried about it.  Shoko and I would see each other maybe once or twice a year.  She was Rohan’s.  The only reason I got to know Renju so well was because after shit got really bad with them, I got custody of him.  The two couldn’t even stand being in the same room together and Shoko was more valuable to Rohan for what he needed than Renju was.  Worked out better that way.  Kid always was too delicate for the shit Rohan wanted.”

 

Pewter smiled ever so slightly at that.  Moma wasn’t wrong.  The first time Ren had told him some of the work he did for the Kumakura family, he couldn’t believe it.  The same man that would get ill at the sight of blood or would tear up during those romantic comedies he liked so much and would force his boyfriend to suffer through.  How he lasted as many years as he did, he would never know.  But all the same, he was grateful for the help Moma had given him along the way.

 

“Well kids, it’s been real, but I gotta get back to the office.  Hard ta believe, but I do have actual business to attend to.”

 

“Moma, don’t forget, everything that was told to you earlier and said in this room was in confidence. If it gets out, I’ll know where the leak came from,” Boss said, standing from her desk.

 

“When Moma Kumakura gives his word, he means it.  Don’t worry about a thing.  I’m not saying a word.  Just call me if you need anything else,” he said over his shoulder, opening the door and walking out into the hallway.

 

“Do you think we should let him go by himself?” Date asked.

 

“He’ll be fine.  The admin upstairs saw him come down with me, so she’s expecting him to leave.”

 

Pewter just stared at her.

 

“What?”

 

“Oh nothing.  The two of you just seem to be quite friendly now all of a sudden.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Both of you kept looking at each other the whole time.  And he called you Shizue.  No one calls you that.”

 

“It’s nothing.  I just flirted with him a little. Same as I do to you two.”

 

“That’s not flirting,” Pewter said as rubbed a hand down his face.  “That’s sexual harassment.”

 

“It’s only harassment if you don’t like it.”

 

“Well, I’m gay, so…”

 

“I can be the top if you want.”

 

“Wouldn’t work Boss.  Ren’s the bottom,” Date said with a grin.

 

“Huh?  Really?  I didn’t see that.  I figured maybe you would switch, but you’re the top all the time?”

 

“We are not discussing this.  My sex life is not the business of either one of you.”

 

“What else are we supposed to talk about then?” Date asked.

 

Pewter shot him his best “Are you an idiot look?” and let out a long sigh.  How he ever got anything done working with these two was a miracle.  “How about what we came here to discuss?  Iris’ surgery.”

 

“Oh yeah.  Sorry, I forgot when I saw Boss making ‘fuck me’ eyes at Moma.”

 

“I was not!”

 

“Enough!” Aiba yelled, popping out of Date’s socket and landing gracefully on the desk.  “All you people do is argue and Date won’t even speak for me.”

 

“That’s because you never shut up.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to concentrate on anything while you’re inside my head constantly talking over people?”

 

“Maybe if you would actually listen to me every once in while, I wouldn’t have to keep talking over everyone,” she said as she put her tiny hands on her hips.  “But, we don’t need to have this argument now.  Boss, we need you to sell my sister to the hospital.”

 

“Your what?” Boss asked, first looking at the AI on her desk and then over to her subordinate.

 

“Tama.  Or what was going to be Tama.  The new unit I was commissioned to make.  I need you to help me convince the department to sell it to the hospital for the cost of materials.  I’m changing the function to make it a nanomachine for brain surgery.”

 

“Hold on, slow down and start from the beginning.  What the hell happened in the span of two hours?”  

 

Pewter took care of explaining, not trusting Date to stay on track.  It wasn’t that he thought the man incapable of letting their superior know what transpired over at Sunfish Pocket, it was more that he knew they’d listen to a fifteen minute side story about how he ranked each of the mermaids based on bangableness.  And if his sister was brought up in that list, there was a very good chance he would commit workplace violence.

 

Boss paid rapt attention as Pewter went through the series of events.  How he had been scrubbing over the footage from both Psyncs when Renju received a phone call from Iris.  She wanted him to come to the restaurant and hear her newest song.  Renju convincing Pewter and Date to come along, everyone needing a break after the events of the morning.

 

The afternoon started off fairly well and then ended with a trip to the hospital. Renju had been devastated to learn of Iris’ brain tumor, and the knowledge that followed.  That it was inoperable save for an extremely expensive surgery that the hospital couldn’t even do without purchasing a specialized machine.  And that was where Pewter came in.  His latest AI that was in development for another Psyncer was nearly complete, besides the actual program.  

 

It would slow them down, but Pewter promised he would work hard to get another made and still keep on the schedule they already had.  It wasn’t like Ryuki was ready to go anyway.  He was still training with the other “engineer”.  Pewter almost sneered when it was brought up, not having much faith in the other man.

 

The two constantly butted heads, Naoki Endo knowing the right buttons to push with his superior.  The man had scored remarkably well on the tests that Pewter had administered, showing a true affinity for the Psync machine.  The problem lied in his attitude.  He was always trying to one up the older man, barging in on Psyncs that he was no part of and offering opinions that were not asked for.  

 

Boss wagered he was looking for a promotion, trying his best to show his competence with the machinery but coming off arrogant instead.  The ABIS commander had had to step in more than once and get the two away from each other.  It had never resulted in physical blows, but she knew that day was coming.  And when it did, she was confident Pewter would annihilate the younger man.  The tall engineer didn’t look it, but he was fairly strong and almost a solid mass of muscle under his lab coat.

 

She supposed all the years of working on the Psync machine by himself, carrying heavy parts and holding himself steady in the cramped terminals while performing maintenance had toned and developed his physique.  Now, maybe he didn’t know how to fight, but even if that were the case, Boss was certain he could take on the arrogant little upstart.  

 

She almost felt bad assigning Ryuki to the other engineer, but their compatibility test showed them as the best pair to work together.  Unless she put him with Pewter.  But, given everything else the silver haired man had hanging over his head, she couldn’t assign him a new Psyncer as well.

 

“Do you have any idea how much paperwork I’m going to have to submit to try to get this approved?” Boss asked, crossing her arms in show of mock agitation. 

 

“I’ll fill out any forms you need me to or write any letters.  But, this needs to be done now.  Based on Iris’ current condition, the growth rate of her tumor, and what her attending physician stated, she doesn’t have much time.”

 

“How much time do we have?”

 

“Her doctor said early next year, but I think he is being overly optimistic.  I don’t know that she will survive to the end of this month.”

 

“What?” Date gasped out, not prepared for Pewter’s revelation.

 

“How do you expect to even have this done in time?  You’re only giving yourself a few weeks.”

 

“The hard part is already done.  I just need to fit the Tama prototype with nano cables capable of surgery versus the ones already in her unit.  Then it’s just a matter of writing the program to go along with it.  I gave the hospital a week for the turnaround, but I could possibly have it ready in four days if I can get permission to start working on it today.”

 

“If anyone else told me this, I’d think they were crazy.  But I’ve literally watched you make the impossible possible.  Ok,” she sighed.  “I’ll get started.  I have a couple of people that owe me favors that I can cash in.  Plus, if the hospital really is willing to pay the cost for the parts, they can’t argue it.”

 

“Thank you Shizue,” Pewter said sincerely, inclining his head forward in a nod.

 

“Don’t call me that.  I swear, you’re entirely too sentimental.”

 

“You let Moma call you that,” Date said, raising a blonde brow.

 

“And?”

 

“And?  Why would you let some guy you don’t even know call you by your first name, but we have to call you Boss?”

 

“Because I am your boss.  And, even though he’s helping us, he’s still a pretty powerful Yakuza boss himself.  As long as I’m on his good side, he can call me whatever he wants.  I’m not looking to piss off the Kumakura family.”

 

 

 

 

Moma stepped through the double doors of the small clinic, taking in the empty waiting room and the receptionist sitting behind the glass partition.  He was surprised there wasn’t more activity on a Friday, but he guessed the sudden rainstorm had kept people home.  It was mostly the elderly that came to Dokuta’s office anyway, Moma asking the man to charge next to nothing to treat those that may not have had the money to otherwise seek out the care of a doctor.

 

It was one of the small ways he tried to make up for his brother’s misdeeds.  Hearing about how he had ordered the deaths of wealthy elderly men and women that had no family; getting them to adopt younger Yakuza members just to stave off the loneliness.  It make him sick to his stomach.

 

Moma wasn’t completely innocent of crime his own self, he was a Yakuza after all.  But he drew the line at women, children, and the elderly.  If a grown man wanted to go toe to toe with him, or it was someone interfering with his business, he would do what was necessary.  He would not however, go after those that could not defend themselves.

 

It was a strange way to be in the business he was in, but that was the creed he had set for himself and he would be damned if he let anyone in his syndicate get away with the things his brother had done.

 

His brother.  Rohan.  That bastard had been sitting in a jail cell for six goddamn years and never once tried to reach out to him.  Rohan had always been one for secrets, but even this one left Moma surprised.

 

“Hi there Mr. Kumakura!” Haruka chimed out brightly from behind the plexiglass.  “How are you today?”

 

“I’m ok,” he said with a smile.  The receptionist had always been friendly.  Truly friendly.  Not in the fake way most people were to him because of his status and the fact that they wanted something.  No, this girl who had worked for Dokuta for the last five years, was just an honest to goodness decent human being.

 

Dokuta had come to him when he was looking to hire someone new for the front desk.  The sixty year old chain smoker that had been his receptionist for the last twenty odd years finally retiring.  Normally the man wouldn’t bother him with such trivial details, perfectly capable of hiring and firing his staff as he needed to.  This time had been different though.

 

The ideal candidate had waltzed in to his office and interviewed with him personally.  She was perfect for the job and he offered her the position on the spot.  As he was walking her out of the clinic, she thanked him for the job, letting him know how much she needed it.  She had just graduated high school and had been on her own the last year.  Her parents had died when she was young, leaving her older sister to raise her.

 

But then she had died suddenly, the last victim of the Cyclops serial killer.  And Dokuta had just offered this girl a job.  He went to Moma warily, knowing that he was going to have to find some excuse to fire her.  How could they have a family member of one of Rohan’s victims working with them?

 

Moma didn’t hesitate though.  He told Dokuta to keep the girl on.  It wouldn’t bring her sister back, and they certainly wouldn’t let her know the connection, but in some small way, Moma could make sure she was taken care of.  He had Dokuta pay her more than what any other medical secretary would make, and also ensured she would receive bonuses throughout the year.

 

She had been loyal from the start, eventually being brought in on the more shady dealing of the clinic.  And the girl hadn’t batted an eye.  Always smiling and doing whatever was needed of her.  Which more often than not was just staying quiet when someone came in with a very obvious bullet or stab wound.

 

“Hey Haruka, I was out earlier an’ stopped by that mochi shop you like.  Enjoy,” he said warmly, sliding a small box through the reception window.

 

“Oh wow!  Thank you Mr. Kumakura!  This is such a nice surprise!” Haruka smiled brightly, taking the box and opening it, smelling the contents with a happy sigh.

 

“You’re welcome kid.  Thanks for always keeping my guys straight.”

 

She smiled again, nodding her head.  “Did you need Dr. Yogano?  He’s in his office, but I can let him know you’re here.”

 

“No, that’s ok.  If you could just buzz me back, I’ve got somethin’ else to do today.”

 

“Sure thing!”

 

Moma stood by the door, waiting just a moment before he heard the lock click.  He opened it and stepped back into the hallway.  “I won’t be too long.  Let Dokuta know I’m here if ya don’t mind, but I’m fine on my own.”

 

“Sure thing Mr. Kumakura!  And thanks again for the mochi!” Haruka’s soft voice drifted after him down the hall.

 

He smiled once more to himself as walked to the end and took a right, heading towards the stairs that would lead him to the basement.  No, a box of mochi here or a bonus there wouldn’t make up for the fact that his brother and that sick freak Saito had killed her sister, but he could at least show her some kindness when the rest of the world had betrayed her.

 

Moma took the stairs down into the dimly lit hallway, already feeling the shift in temperature. This part of the clinic was closed off from the rest of Dokuta’s practice; specifically used for the doctor’s less than legal activities. 

 

Sure Moma was trying to clean up the image of the Kumakura family, but it wouldn’t happen overnight. And there were always going to be instances where someone sustained an injury and couldn’t go to the hospital. It was par the course with being Yakuza. 

 

The black haired man had lost count of how many times Dokuta had patched him up over the years. Stitching up stab wounds, removing bullets, setting broken bones. He honestly thought he got hurt more now trying to go legit than when Rohan had been in charge and he had been watching his brother’s back. 

 

Rohan. He still couldn’t believe that sly son of a bitch had been sitting in prison for the last six years in the body of that cop he had in his pocket. And the man that he had thought was his brother was a serial killer with amnesia. 

 

It explained the sudden and drastic change in his brother’s personality. Yeah, he couldn’t remember anything at first, but even when he had moments of clarity, he still acted out of his mind. His brother had always been cold and ruthless, but unhinged was not a word Moma would have used to describe him. 

 

Rohan Kumakura was calculating. There was never a time that he wasn’t prepared to the fullest, knowing exactly how any given situation would play out. His methods were downright cruel, but he didn’t give in to feelings like anger. No, he was precise, every movement almost choreographed. 

 

So when he would go to visit his brother at the mental hospital and see him practically foaming at the mouth and giving into fits of rage; it had been startling. That man wasn’t the brother he knew. He was a stranger. 

 

Moma just didn’t realize at the time how right that assessment was. How could he have known that six years ago his brother’s mind had been placed in the body of that disgraced cop?  And then somehow his serial killer accomplice had been put in his. 

 

Never mind the fact that all of this was too fantastical. But now, on top of everything else, this serial killer was running around loose. And had been for the last year. 

 

Renju and that science boy of his were worried about the bastard going after an entire list of people. Even he had been told to watch his back since Saito had been his brother’s partner in crime. They just didn’t know what he could possibly do. 

 

Moma stopped at the end of hall, right outside the last door. Like all the others, it was a plain; dark, warn wood.  No window.  Nothing special. 

 

Without bothering to knock, he opened it and stepped inside, softly shutting it behind him. The lights were dim in here as well, more so then the hallway. 

 

The room was quiet save the beeping and whirring of a few medical machines. No outside noises could be heard given the fact that he was in the basement.  Moma took a step forward, standing directly at the edge of a hospital bed. 

 

“So, just how the fuck did you get yourself into this mess….?” he asked himself, staring down at the comatose body of his older brother.  “…Shoko.”

Notes:

So, what started as a Pewter, Date, Boss chapter ended up morphing into Moma has feelings, let's deep dive. I regret nothing. My boy needed more screen time anyway to show his range instead of just being comic relief.

Let's be real, Moma is smart and calculating, how else could he take the Kumakura's legit after everything Rohan did? I love secretive Moma, he is the best.

And even though I know next to nothing about Ryuki, I couldn't resist brining him in to the fold. I don't know how he ended up at ABIS or losing his eye to get Tama, so I'm being vague with him. He probably won't play a huge role unless once Nirvana comes out, I find a way to work him in.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a comment if you liked it! They are my fuel to keep writing more. Thank you!

Chapter 11

Notes:

I am so sorry for the delay! June was absolutely insane for me! I had jury duty all month and my yearly audit for my office at work, so I had a lot going on and little time to write. Hopefully a long chapter makes up for it! Please enjoy and as always, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

This was fine.  He was fine.  Everything was fine.  Why wouldn’t it be?  Pewter certainly wasn’t intimidated by the twelve year old girl sitting in his passenger seat.  It’s not like he had never been around children before.  His sister was twelve once, and he got along with her fine.  Just because this was his boyfriend’s daughter shouldn’t make a difference.

 

He absolutely wasn’t freaking out and over-analyzing every single interaction thus far.  Especially since his sister had managed to ditch him, taking Ota along with her and leaving him in this extremely awkward situation.  Ayame definitely knew what she was doing.

 

Pewter had shown up at the Matsushita Diner to collect Mizuki, Ota, and his sister at a little past seven.  It had been a long afternoon of arguing with the police department, but he, along with Boss, finally managed to get permission to sell the prototype unit.  The engineer collected everything he would need to work on retrofitting Tama, and then headed straight to go pick up the trio.

 

He didn’t want to disappoint any of them, but especially Mizuki.  He knew that Renju’s promise meant just as much to the blonde man as it did his daughter; their relationship already strained.  He was fully prepared for the boisterous group that would be two young adults and a preteen piling into his car, but then at the last minute, Ayame told Mizuki to go out without her and Ota.  She had given some excuse about how she needed to head back to the apartment that she shared with one of the other mermaids, and that Ota was coming with because she needed his help with something.

 

Mizuki had pressed the issue, but Ayame just smiled and said that she and Ota would make sure they went by to see Iris tomorrow.  Ota hadn’t necessarily looked thrilled with the option, but he didn’t argue it either.  As they were leaving, Ayame gave her older brother a wink and smile, letting him in on the fact that this was absolutely a set-up.

 

Ayame had known about Pewter and Renju’s relationship for a little over a year now.  He supposed this was her way of trying to force him to bond with Mizuki, which wouldn’t be as big of a deal under ordinary circumstances.  But with his mind being pulled in a million different directions with Saito, Iris, the Tama model, and the Psyncs earlier in the day, he wasn’t in the best headspace to try to interact with the young girl.

 

“Are you ok?  Your eyebrows are all scrunched up and you kinda look like you want to throw up.”

 

“W-what?” Pewter stuttered out.  “No, I’m fine.  Sorry Mizuki, my mind was somewhere else.”

 

“It’s fine.  You don’t have to take me to the hospital.  I could have just gone back home.  I don’t want to bother you.”

 

“You’re not bothering me Mizuki.  I was going to head back to the hospital anyway, but your Dad really wanted you there too.”

 

“Really?” Mizuki’s face lit with delight for a moment, before her expression turned questioning.  “Just how do you know my Dad anyway?”

 

Pewter almost slammed on the breaks, but luckily kept himself going; just barely.  He wasn’t ready for this.  How could he even answer the question?  He didn’t want to lie to the girl, but it’s not like he could just tell her the truth without Renju being there either.  “Ummm…well…”

 

“Is it because Ayame works for him?”

 

“Well, yes…that would be a part of it.”

 

“Cool,” she said simply, eyes looking around the interior of the vehicle.  She ran her hands over the white seat, making a small humming sound.  “What kind of car is this?  It looks old.  But nice old, not like Date’s car.”

 

Pewter laughed at that, remembering several instances of Date lamenting his frustration at Mizuki’s taste in cars.  Apparently the girl did like classics, just not his.  “It’s a ’64 Ford Galaxie.  I bought it after I completed university.”

 

“I like it.  I’ve never seen a car like this, it’s pretty fun.”

 

“I’m glad you like it.”

 

“So, why is it blue?  Wouldn’t you want green?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

Mizuki gestured to his visor, the bright green sticking out even in the dark of the early evening hours.  “How can you see with those anyway?  It’s night, wouldn’t it make it darker?”

 

“Oh, no not really.  They’re designed to have night vision, along with a few other enhancements.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really,” he said as he removed the visor and handed it to the blue haired girl.  “Go ahead, try them.”

 

“But, don’t you need them to see?”

 

“No, they aren’t prescription.  See for yourself.”

 

Mizuki hesitantly put them on her face, eyes widening once she took in the emerald tinged world around her.  Pewter was right about the night vision, everything outside was clear and crisp, not like typical night vision.  She could actually see the world like normal, just ever so slightly green.  Not nearly as much as she would have thought though, given the hue.  

 

But that wasn’t what had her so amazed.  In the upper right, she could see the time along with the temperature, right down to the dew point and barometric pressure.  There was also a miniature map in the lower left that looked like it was GPS to the hospital.

 

As she turned her head and looked out the window, she heard a tiny voice urging her to take the next right.  “It talks?”

 

“Yes, that’s Theia.  She works sort of like the assistant in your phone, but much more advanced.”

 

“A lot more advanced,” the tiny voice almost grumbled in Mizuki’s ear.  The younger girl giggled at that, smiling brightly at Pewter.

 

“I’m sure she had something to say.”

 

“She said she is a lot more advanced.”

 

“Of course she did.”

 

“Where did you get this?  Akihabara?”

 

“No, actually I made it myself and programmed Theia.  She was the first AI I ever completed.”

 

“Wow!  Ayame wasn’t kidding when she said you were a genius.  This is so cool!  Everyone would want one of these if you market them.”

 

Pewter blushed at the compliment.  “Thank you, but I don’t think that would be practical at the moment.  It’s wouldn’t be very cost effective to mass produce and this particular unit is specialized to me and my needs.  I don’t know that it would work for anyone else just as is.”

 

“Oh,” Mizuki said, disappointment in her voice.

 

Pewter picked up on the cues right away.  After all, he had been dealing with his younger sister for the past twenty-two years.  “Perhaps I could make one though.  Maybe if you gave me a list of your favorite apps, I could design something for you.  Something more your style as well and not as bulky as this.”

 

“Could you really do that?”

 

“Sure.  It wouldn’t take too long.  I have something I’m working on for the hospital at the moment, but once it’s done, I’ll design you a pair of glasses with Theia programmed in to them.  Start thinking about what you would like.”

 

“Ok!  Do you think they could maybe be blue though?”

 

“I think I can handle that,” Pewter replied, a small smile on his lips.  Maybe the trip to the hospital hadn’t been so bad after all.

 

 

 

 

“Iris!”

 

Renju glanced up from his phone, the door to the hospital room opening and Mizuki rushing in, followed by a very tired looking Pewter.

 

“Mizuki!  You came!” Iris exclaimed, sitting up in her bed.  She smiled brightly, still not losing her cheerful demeanor despite the circumstances.

 

“What happened?  We were all really scared when you fell down!  If you weren’t feeling well, you should have said something.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Iris said, her smile slipping ever so slightly.

 

“What’s going on?  Daddy said something about a brain tumor at Sunfish Pocket.”

 

Iris looked away, making eye contact with her mom briefly before staring out the window.  The city was lit up and bustling all around, the world still spinning.

 

Hitomi took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.  “Mizuki, honey, Iris does have a brain tumor.  It’s…it’s not good, but she is getting help.”

 

Mizuki’s lip trembled as she glanced from her best friend to her teacher to her father, tears welling up in her eyes.  “Daddy?  She’s going to be ok though, right?”

 

“Of course I am!” Iris spoke up again.  She clapped her hands together before giving a double thumbs up.  “Mom and Uncle Renju told me all about how Dr. Amanoma is making a special machine just for me to zap away the tumor.  I’ll be able to finish our song in no time!”

 

“I’m not worried about the song!  I’m worried about you!  You have to be ok.  And who is Dr. Amanoma?  Are you sure they can really make something to cure you?”

 

“Huh?  He’s right there,” Iris said, slightly confused as she pointed behind Mizuki.

 

Mizuki turned around to stare at Pewter, her eyebrows knitted together in question.  “You’re a doctor?  I thought you were a cop like Date.”

 

“I can see your confusion,” Pewter started.  “I do work at the police department, and I am in the same division as Date, but I am an engineer for the department.  Not an officer.”

 

“But you’re a doctor too?”

 

“Not in the way you’re thinking.  I’m a Doctor of Engineering.  So, while I will not actually be the surgeon or Iris’ attending physician, I will be completing the nanomachine that will be used in her surgery.”

 

“And it’s going to save her, right?”

 

Pewter was realistic, he knew there was a chance that even with the nanotechnology that it wouldn’t be enough to completely wipe out the cancer.  It would all depend on how deeply it had taken root in her brain once the doctors actually got in there with the machine.  There was only so much that an MRI could show them.

 

Even with all of that though, Pewter truly believed that his machine would save Iris.  He wasn’t one to oversell his abilities, not wanting to give false hope, but in this situation he was confident that Iris would make a full recovery.  “Yes, it will.”

 

“See?  I told you I’d be fine!  I have to be so that we can promote my album.”

 

“You’ll need to take it easy Iris,” Renju stated calmly.  “Even after your surgery, you’re not going to be able to just do everything all at once.  We might have to delay the album, but it won’t be forever.  Your health comes first.”

 

“But, Uncle Renju I want-“

 

“I also need time to write the piano music, right?  And didn’t you say you wanted drums for your song too?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Ok then.  I’m going to ask the drummer from Shinku no Tsuki to help, but they are finishing up their tour.  Once they get back, I’ll talk to Asahi and ask if he would be willing to be a guest musician for you.”

 

“O-M-G!  Really?!” Iris squealed.  

 

“Can you really get Asahi Daddy?” Mizuki asked, just as excited as Iris.

 

“I can ask.  As long as he isn’t busy, I can’t imagine he would say no.  It’s not as if I wouldn’t pay him.  I was the one that signed his band after all, he should be fine.”

 

“Who is this?” Pewter asked, having no idea who the girls were so excited about.

 

“Asahi Miura.  He’s the drummer and founder of Shinku no Tsuki, one of the first bands I signed completely on my own.  They’ve become quite popular over the last two years.”

 

“Popular?  They’re one of the biggest pop bands around!  And they’re all super hot!” Iris crowed.

 

“I guess I’m pretty out of touch with popular music.”

 

“If I didn’t manage them, I wouldn’t know them either, trust me.”

 

Pewter smiled at that, knowing Renju was only saying it for his sake.  The man lived and breathed music.  Almost to the point of obsession.  He could listen to any genre, any language, and fall in love with a song.  

 

But, it was still one of the things that really bonded him and Ren in the beginning of their relationship. Their mutual love for classical music.  Ren would sit and play his small keyboard for hours, sometimes writing music for his newer artists, but more often than not, playing pieces of classical music as a means to unwind.  Pewter loved listening to his boyfriend play; the music always relaxing.

 

“Excuse me everyone.”

 

The group all turned towards the door, seeing a nurse standing there.  “I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over now.”

 

“B-but we just got here,” Mizuki said softly.

 

“It’s ok, you can just come back tomorrow morning.  I was just going to sleep anyway,” Iris replied, her voice as bubbly as usual.

 

“Would it be all right if I stayed?  I’m her mother.”

 

“Oh, of course.  You can certainly stay, but I am afraid I need to ask everyone else to start saying their goodbyes so we can get Iris settled for the night.”

 

“Mom,” Iris began.  “You don’t have to stay.  I’ll be sleeping anyway, there’s no need for you stay here and be uncomfortable all night.”

 

“I’m not leaving you all alone.”

 

“I’ll be fine.  And I won’t be alone.  The doctors and nurses will check on me and then you’ll be back in the morning.”

 

“Sweetheart-“

 

“No mom.  I swear I’ll be ok.  But you’ll hurt your shoulder if you try to sleep in one of these chairs.  Please.  I won’t be able to sleep if I know you’re in pain because of me.”

 

Hitomi’s mouth was set in a grim line.  She knew Iris was right; the metal plate in her shoulder would leave her stiff and barely able to move if she spent the night trying to sleep at an awkward angle in a chair.  But at the same time she couldn’t just leave her daughter all alone.

 

“Could I stay?  Sleeping in a chair wouldn’t bother me.  And if Iris needed to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I could help her walk,” Mizuki asked hopefully.

 

“Mizuki?  Are you sure?  I thought that maybe you might want to come home with me,” Renju said as he stood up from his chair and stretched, his back popping in protest.

 

“I…ummm…can I stay with you tomorrow night?  I want to make sure Iris is ok.”

 

Renju smiled warmly.  “Of course you can.  How about I pick you up in the morning after Hitomi gets here and we’ll go get breakfast?”

 

“Ok!”

 

“Thank you Mizuki,” Hitomi said softly.  “This means a lot.”

 

“Well, Iris is basically my big sister.  I can’t leave her alone.”

 

Iris’ face broke out in a bright grin, her eyes shining with happiness.  “I think of you like my sister too!”

 

“Mizuki, if you or Iris need anything, call me.  It doesn’t matter how late it is, I’ll be here.  And please make sure you listen to anything the doctors or nurses may ask you, ok?  No arguing.”

 

“I promise daddy.  Don’t worry.”

 

“I’m so proud of you.  I hope you know that.  I love you,” he said as he held his arms open.

 

Mizuki rushed over and crushed him in a hug, her strength nearly knocking the wind out of Renju.  “I love you too daddy,” he heard her mumble against his chest.

 

Pewter watched the small exchange quietly, knowing this was the first of many moments that would help to bridge the gap between Renju and his daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

“Owww!!  Damn it!” Pewter hissed, drawing his hand back quickly.

 

“Futa?” Renju looked up from his laptop, sitting on the couch.

 

His boyfriend was sitting comfortably in front of him on the floor, various tools laid out before him on the coffee table.  He was shaking his hand back and forth, the soldering iron sitting forgotten on the table for the moment.

 

“Are you ok?”

 

“It’s fine, I just wasn’t paying attention.”

 

“I’ll go get the burn cream.”

 

“It’s fine Ren.  I don’t need it.  Just give me a minute.”

 

“Maybe we should just head to bed.  It’s nearly one.  We’ve both had a really long day.”

 

“No, I need to keep working.  I have to finish this for Iris.”

 

“I understand that,” Renju said gently, sitting his laptop to the side and sliding off the couch to rest next to the silver haired man.  “But you can’t keep going when you’re obviously exhausted.  You won’t do Iris any good if you make mistakes because you’re tired.”

 

“I…” Pewter sighed.  “You’re right.  But what if something happens?”

 

“She’s stable my love.  She’s in the hospital being looked after by some of the best doctors in the country.  We don’t have a lot of time, but we have enough for you to get a little rest.  Six hours of sleep will not change things.”

 

Pewter nodded, rubbing his hands down his face.  He was exhausted.  Truly, deeply exhausted down to his bones.  Not to mention mentally.

 

Renju reached forward, taking both of Pewter’s hands in his and lowering them slowly.  He leaned down and placed a light kiss on the knuckles before lifting his head back up.  “What have you done to yourself?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“Your hand,” he said, lifting Pewter’s right hand higher.  “It’s starting to bruise.  What happened?”

 

“It’s nothing,” Pewter said, pulling his hands back quickly.

 

“Futa…”

 

“Seriously, it’s not anything you need to worry about.  It’s over with.”

 

“It’s over with?  What?  Did you get in a fight?” Renju laughed.

 

Pewter didn’t say anything, keeping his gaze steady on the floor.

 

“Wait.  Are you kidding me?  Did you actually get in a fight?”

 

“Not so much a fight as just punching someone in the face,” Pewter muttered quietly.

 

“What?  Who did you punch in the face?  And why?”

 

“Is that really important right now?”

 

“Yes!  What happened?”

 

“It was when I went back to ABIS.  When Boss and I were getting permission to sell the Tama unit.”

 

“This is how you got permission?  You punched one of your superiors?” 

 

“No, I’m not stupid,” Pewter sighed.  “That part went fine.  It was after that.  I punched a coworker.”

 

“Who?  Date?”

 

“No,” the engineer laughed.  “Though I have wanted to at times.”

 

“I think everyone has.  That’s a normal reaction to being his friend,” Renju smiled, taking his boyfriend’s hand again.  “So if not Date, then who?”

 

“Naoki.”

 

“The other engineer?”

 

Pewter rolled his eyes at that.  “Sure, I suppose that is his title.”

 

Renju laughed.  “You’re so petty.”

 

“I’m not petty!”

 

“You are, but I love that about you.  It’s cute.”

 

Pewter continued to grumbled and that just made Renju laugh harder.  He leaned forward, kissing the younger man softly.  “So,” he muttered against his lover’s lips.  “Are you going to tell me what happened?  Or should I ask Boss and Date?”

 

“Don’t ask those two idiots.  You know they’ll embellish everything.”

 

“Then tell me.”

 

Pewter exhaled loudly, sitting back and resting against the couch, his legs stretched out beneath the table.  “Fine.  But only because I know you’ll never leave me alone until I do.”

 

“You should be happy I’m so tenacious.  Otherwise I would have taken no for an answer the first time I asked you out on a date.”

 

“As opposed to the other five times you asked after that?”

 

“Hey!  If I hadn’t kept  asking, we wouldn’t be here right now.  You love that I’m persistent.”

 

“You’re right, as usual.  I do.  Why don’t we go to bed and I’ll prove it?”

 

“Nope,” Renju said, pushing his hand firmly against the other man’s chest.  “Stop changing the subject.  You’re going to tell me what happened.”

 

Pewter crossed his arms with a huff.  “Fine.  But it would be easier to show you.”

 

“Show me?”

 

“Here,” Pewter said simply, removing his visor and placing it on the blonde’s face, resting snuggly over his glasses.

 

“What is this?”

 

“Theia records everything that I see and sends that information to the cloud.  I can retrieve it whenever I please and play it back either on this visor or any other device I have linked through the Wadjet system.”

 

Renju looked at his lover in awe.  “You made this as well?”

 

“Yes.  Theia was the first AI I completed.  She is the predecessor to Aiba.  Where Aiba is connected directly to Date’s brain and can in essence speak inside his head, Theia does not have that function.  There are small speakers over the earpiece of the visor, but I also have bluetooth headphones that are connected to her as well.  That way I can set her functions so only I can hear her.”

 

“Futa, this is incredible.  I shouldn’t be surprised at this point, but you’re amazing.”

 

Pewter blushed, a small smile creeping onto his face.  “It seems you and your daughter share the same taste when it comes to tech.  She was quite taken by Theia as well.  Although, when I make hers, she has requested blue.”

 

“You’re going to make one for her?  I…thank you for doing that for her.  I’m glad to see you both getting along.”

 

“She reminds me a lot of you.  Stubborn, speaks her mind, passionate about those she loves.  I’m…well, I’m honestly looking forward to when we tell her about us and get to spend more time with her.”

 

“So am-“

 

“Ugh, will you two stop already?  I’m going to shut down if you both have sex.  I don’t need videos of that uploaded to the cloud.”

 

“What?” Renju turned quickly from side to side, the voice startling him.

 

“Theia, be nice.  And please don’t scare my boyfriend.”

 

“I am being nice, but there’s only so much of your cavity inducing love I can take.  Do you want to pay for my dental bills?”

 

“Considering you don’t have actual teeth, I’m not too worried about it.”

 

“I’m seriously going to shut down.  I’ve got the footage where you punched Naoki.  I can either start it now, or I’m doing a Wadjet update and will be unavailable for approximately three hours.  Your choice.”

 

“Yes Theia, please play it.  Not that I’m particularly proud of that moment, but…just do it.”

 

“Do you want my first person footage, or the footage I obtained from the cameras?”

 

“Cameras, definitely,” Pewter said quickly.

 

Renju gave him a questioning look.

 

“First person can be somewhat jarring and it’s not always completely clear.  Human beings constantly move.  Subtle little nods or jostling from one foot to the other.  After a while those movements can make you feel almost seasick.  Not to mention the cameras through ABIS are all ultra HD, so the footage will be clear.”

 

“Ok, give me a moment and I’ll start the video.”

 

“Thank you Theia.  Start it where Boss and I head into the Psync room.  It should be right about where Date and Naoki were arguing…”

 

 

 

 

“Stop bossing the kid around!  This is training.  How do you expect anything to stick if you just keep yelling at him?”

 

“He’s needs to be ready to go in two months and we’re already behind schedule because that idiot decided to play savior with police equipment!  If he had his AI Ball, I wouldn’t have to push him like this.”

 

“He needs to learn to Psync and trust his instincts without an AI Ball to begin with.  You never know what could happen, so you might want to focus on that.  But maybe the problem isn’t with the kid…maybe it’s the training he’s getting.”

 

“Are you trying to say that I’m the one at fault?”

 

“If that’s how you decide to take it…”

 

“You worthless-“

 

“Enough!” Boss’ voice rang through the Psync room, her voice stern.  “You two don’t need to be arguing period, but especially when there’s an active Psync going on.  Shouldn’t you be watching your Psyncer Naoki?”

 

“Awful generous to give him that title.”

 

“I mean, we call you an Engineer,” Pewter stated, lips curling up ever so slightly.

 

“Rich coming from you Amanoma.  I wonder, would you have gotten nearly this far without Daddy’s money?”

 

“I said enough!” Boss ground out.  “Don’t think that any of you are too old for me to take across my knee.  You first Date, drop your pants.”

 

“What the hell did I do?”

 

“You were arguing when I got here.  The three of you are grown men, start acting like it.”

 

“How about you start acting like an actual superior?  Why in the world would you authorize selling the Tama unit?  That’s for my Psyncer and thanks to the little stunt that Amanoma pulled, we’re going to be set back months.  What the hell were you two thinking?!” 

 

“We were thinking about saving a young girl’s life!”

 

“Oh right,” he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.  “The little internet idol.  Surely her next pop song outweighs the numerous crimes we could be solving by having another Psyncer on the team.”

 

“Naoki, back off.”

 

“It’s fine Boss,” Pewter said.  “I believe he has a condition where his brain doesn’t filter anything before it gets to his mouth, no matter how idiotic.”

 

Naoki crossed his arms and smirked, shaking his head.  “You think you’re so much better than everyone here just because you made the Psync machine and Aiba.  You got lucky.  If ABIS hadn’t found you, you’d be nothing.”

 

“Well, I’d still be a doctor, unlike you.”

 

“You arrogant piece of sh-“ Naoki was abruptly cut off; Pewter punching him squarely in the face.

 

“Pewter!” Boss yelled.  “What the fuck was that?”

 

“I’m going to say this once, so listen up,” Pewter began, ignoring Boss and staring daggers at Naoki.  “I am the lead engineer.  I am the one in charge of the schedule, the usage of the machine, and training.  I also program and create the AI Balls.  Not you.  I answer to Boss and you answer to me.  If you don’t like it, then I suggest you seek employment elsewhere.  Am I clear?”

 

Naoki held his hand to his nose, a slow dribble of blood leaking out from under his fingers.  He nodded ever so slightly, his eyes burning.

 

“Also, it’s been six minutes.”

 

Naoki whipped his head around towards the monitors, the time reading just a few seconds over six minutes.  “Goddamnit Ryuki!”

 

 

The video ended with Naoki desperately typing at the keyboard, his agitation clear.

 

“I can’t believe you punched Naoki.”

 

“It wasn’t my shining moment, but after today, I just couldn’t deal with his usual bullshit.  I overreacted.”

 

“I mean, it sounds like he had it coming, but still…”

 

“Don’t worry,” Pewter said, reaching up to cup Renju’s cheek in his hand.  “Boss will take care of it.”

 

Renju leaned into the touch, closing his eyes and just enjoying the feel of his boyfriend’s hand against his face.  It was comforting, the familiar warmth heating up his skin.

 

“Come on,” Pewter whispered.  “Let’s go to bed.”

 

“Right, we should get some sleep.”  Renju stood up, stretching his back as he did so.

 

“I didn’t say anything about sleep.  At least, not right away.”  Pewter pulled the smaller man against him, threading the fingers of one hand through the silky blonde locks while the other rested against the small of his back.  He crushed his lips to his lover’s in a bruising kiss, all of the emotions of the day finally boiling over.  There was no way he would ever let this man go.  Losing him in one reality was more than he could stand, he’d never let that happen again.

 

“Yeah, I’m not sticking around for this.  Please try to have it wrapped up in three hours…”

 

 

 

 

 

Naoki walked through the parking garage of ABIS, clutching his briefcase tightly in one hand.  His footsteps echoed softly through the otherwise quiet area.  At one in the morning, most everyone had left the police department besides the night shift.

 

He should have left hours ago, but after Amanoma had punched him, he had gone to the medical facility.  The physician’s assistant had looked him over and let him know that his nose was definitely broken.  The woman did what she could, but told him he would either want to go to the hospital or his own doctor to have it set.

 

Of course once he had finished there, one of the other Psync teams had been scheduled for training, which pushed him and Ryuki further back.  Not that his charge had minded, he was only too happy to please everyone he came across.  Like a damn puppy.

 

Naoki wasn’t sure why Boss had ultimately decided to put the new Psyner with him.  Surely he would have been better off with a more seasoned Psyner.  He was by far the most talented engineer  at ABIS, so why was he being used as a glorified babysitter?

 

It wouldn’t be so bad if they had gotten the AI Ball they were promised, but even that was now on the back burner.  All for some pop princess that would be forgotten in two years, tops.

 

“Fucking Amanoma,” Naoki ground out.  He grimaced in pain, temporarily forgetting about his broken nose.  Right, he shouldn’t make any exaggerated facial expressions for the foreseeable future.  Yet another thing to thank the gray haired engineer for.

 

“Excuse me,” a low female voice asked.

 

Naoki turned around quickly, startled by the voice ringing out so clearly.  He had thought he was alone.  He hadn’t even heard anyone approach, which considering the tall heels the woman had on, was surprising.  He looked her over quickly; she was thin and petite, though her shoes gave her a few extra inches.  Her short blue hair was styled into a severe bob, and her suit was clearly expensive, the navy material clinging to her curves.

 

She didn’t seem to be a threat, but then again, why would someone be hanging around the police department garage in the early hours of the morning?  He held his body at an angle, brief case clutched firmly in front of him.  He may not be a cop, but everyone in ABIS had been given basic defense training.

 

“Who are you?”

 

She smiled, the grin almost too wide as her lips peeled back to reveal a set of perfect teeth.  “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.  My name is Shoko Nadami.  I was actually headed in, but I heard you say Amanoma.  Would that be Futa Amanoma?”

 

“Why are you asking?” Naoki questioned, his eyebrows knitting together.  It wasn’t that he was looking to protect his fellow engineer, but the situation he currently found himself in was unusual.

 

“Forgive me.  He’s a…friend of my ex-husband.  I was actually trying to speak with him.  Is he still here?”

 

“Sorry, I’m afraid not.  He left a couple of hours ago,” Naoki said, his voice coming out harsher than he would have normally spoke.  

 

“Hmmmm, that’s a shame,” Shoko said, the fingers on her left hand twitching strangely.  It was almost like she was hitting the keys on a piano, except for holding her hand upright at an odd angle.  “Perhaps you could help me though.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Shoko took a step forward, her pupils narrow pinpricks despite the low lighting of the garage.  She moved like a cat, as though she were stalking her prey.  Something about this woman unnerved Naoki to his core.  “I’m sorry, I need to get going.  I’ve had a long day and as you can clearly see, I need to get to the hospital.”

 

“I promise, this will only take a moment of your time.”  She moved another step closer.

 

The fine hairs on the back of Naoki’s neck were now standing on end.  His body was screaming at him to run, that this woman was dangerous.  How he knew that, he didn’t know, but his fight or flight was kicking in at full gear.

 

“Mr. Endo!  You’re still here!”

 

Naoki glanced over his shoulder, seeing Ryuki run over to him, nearly out of breath.  When he turned back towards where Shoko was standing, she was gone.

 

“I’m so glad I caught up with you!  You left his on your desk,” the black haired boy said, handing over a few pieces of notebook paper to the older man.  It had sketches of an AI Ball and notes written in the margins.

 

Naoki took the papers without a word, looking one more time at where Shoko had been.  Who was that woman exactly?  And what did she want?  He supposed he wouldn’t get the answers now, but he had a feeling that the young man before him had just prevented something terrible.

 

Notes:

So, we all hate Naoki, right? Haha!

Also, this story is strictly going to focus on AITSF. There will not be any Nirvana spoilers besides the use of Ryuki being a minor background character. I brought him in to the story before Nirvana had come out and he'll continue to be here. But other than that, none of his story or background will be in this story. Nothing else that happened in Nirvana will be brought up or explained in this.

That being said, after this story is finished, I may try to write a Nirvana based story in my same Renju lives alternate universe. I've completed the game and will have to see if I can work out a story with that. Thanks for reading as always!

Chapter 12

Notes:

Next chapter, here we go!

Renju’s eyes fluttered, slowly opening as he started waking up.  The sun had just barely risen, letting the blonde know that it was still early.  He was tired, knowing he couldn’t have gotten much more than five hours of sleep, but his body was now awake for the day.  He couldn’t recall the last time he had slept past seven; probably not since he was a teenager.

 

He glanced at the sleeping man next to him, the steady rise and fall of his chest telling him he was still in a deep slumber.  His face was relaxed, in a way that it very rarely was when he was awake.  Between his job and often times taking work home with him, his gray haired lover was constantly under a lot of stress.

 

Though Renju couldn’t really say the same wasn’t true for himself.  There were many times when the two would come back to their apartment and sit silently on their laptops, each working independently on their own projects.  Strangely though, it was never awkward.  After being together for nearly three years, words  weren’t always needed.  Just being around the other was enough.

 

Renju slowly slipped from the bed, moving as quietly as possible to not wake his tired boyfriend.  He needed the sleep and Renju was determined to make sure he got it, knowing he would be obsessing over the nano machine for Iris over the next several days.

 

Walking silently across the floor, he gently opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, fulling closing it behind him before turning on the light.  The harsh fluorescents made him squint for the next several seconds until he got used to it.

 

Once his eyes had adjusted for the most part, he turned the shower on, the sound of cascading water filling the tiny bathroom.  He slowly removed the sweatpants he had managed to slip on last night after he and Pewter had finally gone to bed, knowing that he would wake up freezing if he didn’t put anything on.  Even with his space heater of a boyfriend next to him.

 

Renju smiled at the thought of his silver haired boyfriend, the two were polar opposites in so many ways.  He was always cold, needing to layer up even in the summer at his office.  Though that was mostly Ritsuko’s fault.  That woman constantly kept the air conditioning as low as possible, Lemniscate feeling closer to a morgue some days than an office.

 

He did reason that the building needed to be kept somewhat colder than what would normally be comfortable, due to the expensive recording equipment there.  Most of it wouldn’t work properly if it got overheated, but Ritsuko took it to a whole other level.  Arguing with her was pointless, he may get away with turning the temperature up for about a half hour or so, but she would find out rather quickly and turn it back down.  So, he just took to wearing long sleeve shirts under his suit jackets when at work, and bringing a small heater into his office.

 

Iris had teased him endlessly about that, calling him an old man and returning the next day with a teal scarf to wrap around his neck.  Joking with him that the elderly needed to make sure they kept their temperatures regulated.

 

And then there was Pewter.  It could be the middle of winter, snow falling on the ground, and the man would still be sweltering if he wore a jacket.  Renju had gotten on his case several times, telling him he needed a coat or he would freeze.  But the other man just laughed it off, explaining that even if he went to Antartica, he didn’t think it would be cold enough.

 

The first and only time the two had tried to shower together, thinking it would be fun and romantic, had turned into an absolute disaster.  Renju had gotten in first, adjusting the temperature to his preference while Pewter had just finished shaving his face at the sink.  The taller man stepped in afterward and nearly slipped and fell in his rush to get out.

 

The water had hit and he screeched, actually screeched, before practically flying out of the shower.  Renju had asked what was wrong, but the other man was too busy looking at his back in the mirror, mumbling something about second degree burns.

 

The blonde had rolled his eyes at how dramatic his boyfriend was being, but relinquished control of the shower to him anyway, telling him to turn it down a little if that helped.  Renju hadn’t expected him turn the hot nearly all the way to the right, leaving basically ice water flowing from the shower head.

 

After that, the two decided that it would be best to shower alone, lest he suffer from frostbite or the younger man complain about his imaginary burns.  It wasn’t like he even kept it that hot; public baths were much hotter.

 

Finally seeing the steam coming out over the top of the curtain, Renju stepped in.  The hot water rolled over his body, the heat relaxing his muscles.  The lack of sleep coupled with the previous days events, had left his back a sore mess of knots.  He didn’t think he had relaxed once until he and Pewter had made it back home, and even then, he had been hunched over his laptop working in his music program on Iris’ song.

 

Much like how Pewter threw himself into completing the nano machine, Renju was focused on writing the background music for “Free!”.  It worked as a good distraction to keep his mind off of everything, while giving him something to work towards.  To look forward to with Iris.  As long as he planned for the future and that future included Iris, she couldn’t die.

 

She wouldn’t.  Especially with Pewter now working with her doctors.  Renju was fairly certain that his engineer boyfriend was the smartest person he had ever met, the man constantly impressing him and exceeding his expectations with pretty much everything.  There was no way he would let her die.

 

She was going to live.  He’d see her graduate high school and go on to university.  Balancing her idol career along with her studies.  And when she earned her degree, if she lost interest in performing, well, then Renju would have an executive position ready for her at Lemniscate.  Right along with Mizuki.

 

He’d watch her fall in love and get married.  Start a family of her own.  Maybe she’d have a little girl that looked just like her.  Just like Manaka…

 

Renju’s breath hitched in his throat, tears pricking the back of his eyes.  He couldn’t lose Iris.  Losing Manaka had been devastating, nearly destroying both him and Hitomi.  If they hadn’t had Iris to care for, he honestly wasn’t sure how either of them would have made it.

 

Not that he had been there that much; certainly not as much as he should have been.  But Shoko had always been jealous of his friendship with Hitomi and she really wasn’t fond of him helping her raise a baby.  Especially when she thought his place was with her, regardless of the fact that their marriage was one of convenience and not love.

 

Renju felt the tears streaming down his face, mixing in with the hot water from the shower.  He bit down on his hand to keep from crying out, not wanting to wake his sleeping boyfriend in the next room.  Pewter had enough going on without dealing with his emotional crisis.  Even though the younger man was completely absorbed in the retrofit, Renju could clearly see how the events of his “death” were wearing on him.

 

His death.  How strange to think of that.  If he had gone to meet Shoko yesterday evening, he would actually be gone.  Saito would have killed him and taken over his body, ultimately leading to his daughter becoming an orphan and his lover being imprisoned.  Even after having nearly a full day to absorb the information, it still seemed impossible.  Though, the Psync machine had too until he saw it in person.

 

Letting out a long sigh, Renju held his face under the shower stream, the water washing away his tears.  He ran his hand through his hair, thoroughly soaking it before grabbing the shampoo bottle off the shelf.  Knowing the longer he stayed in, the more likely it would be that he would wake Pewter, he quickly washed his hair and body.

 

He stood under the water for another minute, finally relenting and turning it off once it started to turn lukewarm.  Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist, he moved over to the mirror, fogged up completely from the steam.  He ran his hand back and forth over the glass, condensation beading up and falling down the silvery surface.

 

Looking into the mirror, his reflection stared back, tired and wary, the bags under his eyes almost as dark as bruises.  Well, not quite bruises.  The multiple love bites that now peppered his neck, collarbone, and upper chest were much darker than the circles under his eyes.  Yeah, he was definitely going to have to wear a turtleneck today.  Not only did he not want to explain to Mizuki what a hickey was, he sure as hell didn’t want risk running into Date and having him see them.  He’d never hear the end of it.

 

Quietly opening the bathroom door and turning the light off behind him, he padded back into the bedroom.  He grabbed an off-white turtleneck from the closet and slipped it over his head, pairing it with a pair of charcoal slacks and a matching suit jacket.  He figured he may need to stop by Lemniscate at some point during the day, but the temperature outside was also colder than he would like and the extra layer would help.  For good measure, he also grabbed the teal scarf Iris had given him, hoping that maybe seeing him wear her gift would cheer her up a little.

 

Despite the brave face she put on, Renju knew she couldn’t be happy about the indefinite stay she had in the hospital.  Iris was constantly on the go, never stopping for long.  The girl always had to be moving; singing and dancing as normal for her as walking for most people.  Being confined to a bed would be a special type of torture.

 

Renju took one last look at his sleeping boyfriend before stepping out into the hallway, gently closing the bedroom door behind him.  Making his way to the living room, he grabbed his laptop case off of the end table next to the couch and placed the computer inside.  This way he would be able to play the sample of the piano music he had come up with.  Ota had been kind enough to email a copy of their video he had recorded at Sunfish Pocket, making it easier for Renju to write his own accompaniment.

 

If nothing else, the blonde knew this would make Iris happy.  She had been so proud of this song.  It was easy to tell she really put her heart and soul into it, along with her friends.  Renju smiled slightly at that, knowing Mizuki was part of it.

 

Things had really been put in perspective yesterday.  Watching himself die twice would do that.  He knew he needed to do better by his daughter.  She had been put on the back burner for too long.  The old him, the Renju from just yesterday, had a million excuses.  He was always busy running Lemniscate and Sunfish Pocket, searching for new talent, writing music, recording artists.  Not to mention he still had a few of his father’s businesses that he looked after, though not nearly as closely as his own.

 

None of that made up for the fact that he had pretty much ignored his daughter over the last several years, the odd dinner date notwithstanding.  He was a terrible father.  Shoko was a terrible mother.  And together they made pretty horrible parents.  He’d never be able to thank Date enough for stepping in and taking Mikzuki.  The man clearly didn’t  want to be a father, but he was doing a better job than Renju ever did.

 

Date had called him out yesterday on his lack of parenting, but he also said that he could change.  Telling him he hadn’t lost Mizuki and it wasn’t too late to form a lasting relationship with her.  Renju had screwed up a lot in his life, he had done a lot of things he wasn’t proud of.  He couldn’t change his past, but he could ensure that the future would be better.  Especially now that the love of his life had given him his future back.

 

Shouldering his computer case, Renju walked towards the front door.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Pewter’s visor sitting on the coffee table, all but forgotten in their rush to bed.  Renju blushed at the memory, unconsciously running the fingers of his left hand over his clavicle.

 

He paused for a moment and then reached forward, placing the visor on his face, nestled overtop of his glasses.  The world took on a greenish tinge, the device powering on as soon as he placed it on his face.

 

“Good morning Renju.  Did you have a pleasant…sleep?”

 

“Uh…Good morning Theia.  I did, thank you.”

 

“No, thank you for leaving me out here.  I appreciate the consideration.”

 

Renju blushed again, the AI reminding him that they didn’t purposely leave her there so she wouldn’t hear, but more because they couldn’t think of anything else but each other.

 

“Awww, you’re just as cute as Futa says when you blush.  Adorable.”

 

“Futa talks to you about me?”

 

“Only all the time.  It’s sweet, but also gag inducing at times.  My creator has it bad for you.”

 

“I-I see.”

 

“Now, what can I help you with Renju?  I’m sure there must have been a reason you picked me up besides to say hello.”

 

“Well…umm yes.  Would you be able to do me a favor?”

 

“I can try.  It will depend on the favor.”

 

“It’s nothing much, I just want you to turn Futa’s alarm off on his watch.  I’m sure he has it set to go off in the next twenty minutes or so and he really needs the sleep.”

 

“You know he’s going to be mad at us if I do that.”

 

“He will.  But I’m sure you can tell that he could use the rest.  I’m going to visit Iris and if anything has changed, I’ll tell him.  But he needs to sleep while he can.”

 

“I agree.  Futa always takes on more than he can handle.  But then somehow, he still manages to do it all.”

 

“He’s just that type of person, he makes the impossible possible.”

 

“That he does.  Ok, it’s done.  His alarm is off.  And I have set an alarm for myself to wake him up at nine if he is not up.  That should give him enough time to get some decent rest.”

 

“Thank you Theia.  I really appreciate your help with this.”

 

“Don’t worry about it.  As my creator, I have a deep affinity for him.  I want to make sure he is in good health and happy.”

 

“I’m really glad he has you looking out for him.”

 

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing.  I am grateful that you are here for him.  He needs a little bit of happiness in his life.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter’s eyes snapped open, being woken up out of a dead sleep by a knocking at the door.  He groaned, throwing the covers back and stumbling quickly to his dresser.  He was still slightly dazed from waking up suddenly and just grabbed the first pair of shorts he found, not paying attention if they were his or Renju’s.  Pants were easy to tell, the height difference making it pretty obvious.  Shorts, not so much.

 

The knocking continued and he didn’t bother with anything else, whoever was there this early would just have to deal with his state of undress if they were that desperate to see him.  And why would someone be at his apartment this early in the morning anyway?  His alarm hadn’t even gone off.

 

He quickly glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost nine in the morning, nearly two hours after he wanted to wake up.  “Theia, why didn’t my alarm go off?” he asked out loud, knowing his AI assistant would hear him through the watch.

 

A shrugging emoji was the only thing that greeted him on the digital watch face.

 

“Theia…”

 

An innocent whistling sound next.

 

“I’m not kid-“

 

“Come on Pewter, I know you’re there!  Aiba said your phone’s GPS signal is here.  Come on!  Open up!” Date’s voice was muffled on the other side of the door.

 

“Aiba too?  Are you all turning against me?”

 

Another shrugging emoji.

 

Pewter decided to ignore his sassy creation, knowing that when she got like that he would get no straight answers.  He supposed giving them nearly complete control over their personalities along with the ability to grow and develop on their own had gotten him to where he was now.  No one to blame but himself.

 

With a groan, Pewter trudged over to the front door and opened it, seeing Date’s hand raised to knock again.  The younger man lowered it with a grin and walked right past his gray haired partner, not even waiting for an invitation.

 

“Yes, please come in.  Make yourself at home, completely unannounced.  How do you even know where I live anyway?”

 

“Aiba.”

 

Pewter ran his hand down his face and closed the door, figuring that Date would be staying for a little while at least.  “Would you like some coffee?” he asked, trying to at least be a gracious host.

 

“No, I’m fi-shit, what happened to your back?  Were you mauled by a mountain lion?”

 

Pewter glanced over his shoulder on the way to the kitchen (Date may not need coffee to start his day, but he certainly did) and saw several angry, red scratches on his shoulders.  From the look on Date’s face, he imagined they continued down the expanse of his back as well.

 

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

 

“Huh, didn’t know Renju had it in him.  He must want everyone to know you’re his,” Date laughed out, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Is there any particular reason you’re here?  Besides annoying me that is.”

 

“Ouch!  That’s harsh.  Do I need to have a reason to visit one of my good friends and favorite co-workers?”

 

“Considering you have never once come to my apartment?  Yes, you obviously have a reason.”

 

Date’s grin faltered ever so slightly as he casually linked his hands behind his head.  “I have a small favor to ask actually.”

 

“And it can’t wait?” Pewter questioned as started the coffee pot.  He knew he would need every single bit of caffeine he could get today.  Lack of sleep coupled with his plans to work on the nano machine all day would leave him even more drained than usual.  “You know I’ve got to focus on helping Iris.”

 

“I know, I know.  And I won’t be in your way, I promise.”

 

Pewter didn’t say anything, instead grabbing a mug from the cabinet and sitting it down next to the coffee pot.  He poured a cup and took a pear out of the glass bowl sitting on counter before walking back into the living room.  He sat wearily on the couch, watching Date standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

 

“I’m almost afraid to ask, but what’s the favor?”

 

“Aren’t you going to put a shirt on?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“It’s freezing outside.”

 

“And?  Renju set the thermostat to ‘Hell’ before he left, it’s hot in here.  But, if this bothers you, you can always leave.”

 

“Nice try, but you won’t make me uncomfortable.  I’ve probably spent more time around naked men than you.”

 

“I…what?”

 

“You know, at the gym?  In the locker room.”

 

“Date, I don’t think I have the patience or the mental fortitude to deal with your idiocy today.  I’m running on very little sleep and not enough caffeine.”

 

“It’s not my fault you decided to spend half the night pounding Ren into the mattress.”

 

“Date…” Pewter ground out.  “I will throw this pear at you.”

 

“Ok, ok!”  He raised his hands and backed up a step.  “I’m sorry, but I really do need your help.”

 

“And yet, I still don’t know what you want.”

 

Date took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “I want you to help me get my memories back.  I want to remember my life before, as Hayato, as Falco.  I want to remember Hitomi and Iris.  It’s strange, I never really missed my memories before.  I guess it’s hard to miss something you never knew you had.  But now…”

 

“Look Date, I’d love to help you, but it’s not as simple as you think.  I can’t just make your memories come back.  In my…dream, your memories came back after Saito swapped bodies with you.  When you were back in your original body.  However, Saito was still in Rohan’s body when he regained his memories.  It’s possible that with time, they will come back naturally.”

 

“But what if that doesn’t happen?  And what if we never get the chance to swap me back to my body?  I want to remember Pewter.  I need to!”

 

“I understand, but there is nothing I can do.  Maybe we could set you up with a neurologist, see if there is anything they could-“

 

“Electroshock therapy.”

 

“What?”

 

“Electroshock therapy.”

 

“Saying it a second time isn’t making me understand any better.”

 

“I did a little research last night.  And in some cases, strong electrical shocks have helped cure amnesia patients.  And that’s basically what electroshock therapy is, so maybe that could work for me.”

 

“Electroshock therapy is rarely used anymore.  It’s not something most doctors will even practice.  Not to mention, it’s also been known to cause memory loss.  It’s not worth the risk Date, and I honestly don’t think you’re going to find a doctor that’s willing to try.”

 

Date pointedly stared at Pewter, cocking his head slightly to the side.

 

“You’re kidding.  First of all, no.  And second, I’m not that kind of doctor.”

 

“But, you know more about the brain and how it works than anyone I know.  And you made Aiba, who has the ability to use electric shocks.  I tried to get her to shock me at home, but she refused.  She said she wouldn’t do it unless I was being monitored and she wanted me to come to you anyway.  She thinks it’s dangerous.”

 

“Because it is!” Pewter exclaimed.

 

“Please Pewter.  Can’t we just try?  Aiba has all of those nano cables, what if she just attached to the part of the brain that controls memory and gave a small shock there?”

 

“Do you have any idea what could happen?  Sending a shock directly to your hippocampus or amygdala could erase all of your memories of the last six years.  Instead of administering a shock to your entire brain outside of your head, we would be sending it to one specific area by directly touching it.  The shock would be much more concentrated.”

 

“Yeah, that’s why I’m saying to do a small one.  This will work, I’m sure of it.  Please.”

 

Pewter watched Date, seeing the desperation in the other man.  It wasn’t as if he wasn’t sympathetic, he knew that if he were in his position and had a chance at regaining his lost memories, he would want to.  Especially if he knew that it would lead to memories of the person he loved.  But how could he do something that could possibly cause his friend to lose the memories he did have of the last six years.  He’d never forgive himself.

 

“I’m going to do this.  Whether you want me to or not.  And if you and Aiba won’t help me, then I’ll figure out a way to do it on my own.”

 

“And how are you going to manage that?”

 

“I don’t know.  A taser or something?  I’ll figure it out.”

 

“This is absolutely ridiculous.  You are ridiculous.”

 

Date’s face broke out into grin.  “Does that mean you’ll help me?”

 

The older man didn’t smile back, taking a sip of his now lukewarm coffee before sitting it down on the table and crossing his arms.  He watched Date with a critical eye before letting out a sigh.  “Yes, but we’re doing it my way.  I’m not bending on that.”

 

“That’s fine, whatever you say.  I’ll listen, I promise.”

 

“Lay down and get comfortable then,” Pewter said, picking up his visor from the coffee table and sliding it on his face.  “Let’s get started.”

Notes:

I hope everyone enjoyed this little chapter, I know there wasn’t a lot of movement plot wise, but after the hectic first day everyone had, it was time for a little reflection. Plus, I couldn’t resist taking the time to delve a little into Renju’s thoughts and establish a little bit of his personality and life with Pewter. We never get a glimpse of them as a couple or some of the simple, everyday things they do.

And then I just wanted an excuse to write Date coming over to Pewter’s apartment and annoying him outside of the lab. I love their dynamic together and wish we got more of them in the game. They are just too fun to write.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 13

“Ok Date, we’re going to start off slow.  I don’t want to hurt you and if Aiba or Theia detect anything wrong at all, we’re stopping immediately,” Pewter stated, crouching down next to the blonde detective currently lying in the middle of his living room floor.  He had placed a pillow under Date’s head, doing his best to make him comfortable.

 

“Do you talk dirty like this to Renju?”

 

“We’re done.”

 

“I’m sorry!  I’m sorry,” Date said with a laugh.  “I’m just nervous.  And you know when I’m nervous I make stupid jokes.”

 

“And that’s different from your normal personality how?”

 

“Ouch.  You wound me.”

 

“You’ll get over it.  Now lay still and bite down on the belt,” Pewter said, wasting no time in taking Date’s belt that the blonde man had previously removed and placing it in his mouth.  “Are you ready?”

 

Date nodded his head, letting out a slow breath and closing his eyes.

 

“Theia, are you connected with Aiba.”

 

“Yes, we have established a line through Wadjet.  You should be able to hear her as well.”

 

“I am here Pewter ,” Aiba’s voice sounded through the headset speakers over his ears.

 

“Theia, I want you to monitor Date’s heart rate and breathing.  Aiba, you will be delivering the shock, but I also want you to monitor his brainwaves as well.  If anything is off, I want you both to tell me immediately.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“Aiba, please deliver a shock at ten percent power for three seconds to the amygdala.  Wait five seconds, and then deliver a second shock for the same amount of time.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Date seized up immediately, his pained groan muffled by the belt in his mouth.  His body relaxed momentarily before his muscles tightened again, but he didn’t make a sound after the second shock was administered.  Pewter removed the belt from his mouth and let him catch his breath, gingerly moving him to sit up.

 

“Here,” he said as he held a glass of water to the younger man’s lips.  “Slow sips.”

 

Date complied, taking a small drink before Pewter set the glass back on the table.

 

“What day is it?”

 

“November second.”

 

“And the year?”

 

“Twenty nineteen.”

 

“Who is the Prime Minister?”

 

“Shinzo Abe.”

 

“Vitals look good Futa.  Breathing and heart rate are within normal parameters.”

 

“Brain activity is also normal.”

 

Pewter nodded, watching Date for any signs of distress or pain, but seeing none.  “Have you remembered anything?”

 

Date shook his head slowly.  “No, nothing.”

 

“Ok, I didn’t expect you would after only one set of shocks,  but it was worth a try.  Lay back down then, we’re going to go again.”

 

Date complied, taking his position back on the floor and closing his eyes.

 

“Aiba, I want you to administer the same two shocks, but to the hippocampus this time.”

 

Aiba didn’t say anything, sending the shocks straight to Date’s brain.  He growled around the belt, body shaking from the aftershocks.

 

Pewter checked in with the two AIs before helping Date sit up and asking him the same questions as before.  He spoke clearly, the exact answers as he stated previously.  He was still in his right mind and wasn’t experiencing any memory loss, but he was also not getting any of his memories back either.

 

They repeated the process several more times, moving up to twenty percent power.  Then thirty.  Forty.  And finally fifty percent.

 

Date had screamed at that, unable to hold back any longer.  Tears were streaming out of his right eye and his chest was heaving.

 

“Futa, Date’s pulse has skyrocketed, he is experiencing significant pain.  Stopping is now advisable.”

 

“Aiba, stop.  No more.”

 

“Confirmed.”

 

Date tried to argue, but was unable to make his body comply how he wanted.

 

“Easy, easy.  Stay down.  You need to rest for a minute.”

 

The blonde tried to speak again with no success.  His body wasn’t willing to cooperate.

 

“You need to stay still.  You’ll be fine, but that last shock has affected you more than the others, just give your body a moment.”

 

“Pewter…please…”

 

“Absolutely not,” Pewter said, already knowing what Date wanted.

 

“Please…I want to…remember.”

 

“It’s not safe to continue to administer electric shocks directly to your brain and I will not increase the power anymore.  We’re done.  If this didn’t bring back your memory, then it’s obviously not the answer.”

 

“What if…you Psync…with me?”

 

“Date no.”

 

“Why not?” Date argued, finally finding the strength to sit up.  “I helped you…yesterday.  And it unlocked…your memories.”

 

“That was different.  My memories were trapped in a dream, yours are trapped because your consciousness was swapped twice across two different bodies and the Psync machine malfunctioned.  Yes, performing a Psync could bring your memories back, but that is not a guarantee either.”

 

“But why can’t we try?”

 

“Because you just experienced significant trauma to your brain.  I don’t feel comfortable putting you under and diving into your mind after that.  More than likely it would be fine, but there’s also the chance that it could cause permanent damage or possibly even additional memory loss.  You need to give your mind a break for today.”

 

“You’re seriously not going to do it?  After I helped you and Psynced back to back when both Boss and Aiba were against it?  I stuck up for you and agreed because you’re my friend and it was important to you.”

 

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t, but I’m not doing it today.  I need to work on the nanomachine and you need rest.  You’ve been a Psyncer for six years, you know I’m right.”

 

Date didn’t answer, begrudgingly taking the glass of water off the table and taking a small sip.  Pewter could tell the other man was disappointed and even a little agitated, but he no longer tried to push the issue.

 

“Can I help you with anything?”

 

“With the nanomachine?”

 

“Yeah.  I mean, you’d have to tell me what to do, this is way outside my area, but I can try.  And Aiba could probably help too.”

 

“Yes, please allow us to help Pewter.  We both want to see Iris recover.”

 

“Alright,” Pewter began with a small smile.  “The extra help would certainly be useful.  Here’s what you can do…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So, how is school going?” Renju asked as he took a bite of his grilled fish, sitting across from Mizuki at the small table.

 

Renju had picked his preteen daughter up from the hospital, waiting for Hitomi to arrive so as not to leave Iris alone.  Both girls had seemed well rested and Iris was in good spirits, telling her “adopted” Uncle that nothing was going to hold her back once she got out.

 

He admired her enthusiasm, hoping that between the girl’s strong will to live and his boyfriend’s invention, it would be enough to save her.  He couldn’t bury Manaka’s daughter.  He couldn’t watch Mizuki go through the pain of losing someone that was pretty much a sister to her.  She acted tough, but deep down Renju knew just how sensitive and attention starved his daughter was.

 

And he was the one that did that.  He and Shoko both.  Shoko through her harsh words and actions and him through his complete lack thereof.  He knew how bad things were getting, had lamented it to Date on more than one occasion, but he still did nothing.

 

He hated confrontation, but it was always worse with Shoko.  The woman was prone to boughts of anger and then just as quickly would become hysterical and cry for hours.  There had been many times throughout their marriage when he had just held her as the weight of the world came crashing down around her.

 

Their marriage was volatile, he could never deny that.  But despite everything, he did love her and there were many moments spent with her and Mizuki that he would always treasure.  He might not have ever been in love with her, not the way she wanted anyway, but he still cared deeply.

 

It wasn’t a secret that he was gay.  Shoko knew that from the start, but it didn’t stop her from developing feelings for her fake husband.  He certainly didn’t help matters by sleeping with her, which even now he couldn’t exactly rationalize why he did that.  Was it out of some bizarre sense of duty as her husband?  Was he hoping that by pursuing a physical relationship with her that maybe he would begin to love her?  Or did he feel sorry for her that he was holding her back from actually finding someone?  He’d been over it a million times in his head and the answer was never clear.

 

And now she was gone.  He’d never get to apologize to her for how he hurt her.  How he’d ignored her pain for so long because he didn’t know how to deal with it. Knowing more than likely he would only make it worse.

 

“…and I got an A on my history paper.  The teacher said I did a great job on my research and citing my resources.”

 

Renju was quickly brought out of his thoughts by Mizuki’s voice.  “Oh?  That’s fantastic.  What was the topic?”

 

“We’re studying WWII, so we needed to write a paper on a famous figure from the war and what their influence was.  How things were made better or worse by them, what they contributed, and what happened to them after the war ended.”

 

“Who did you choose?”

 

“Well, pretty much everyone in my class went with someone in the Japanese military or government.  A few kids wrote about some Americans and I think there was one that wrote about Churchill.  But I didn’t want to choose someone that everyone else did.  I wanted to pick someone that the teacher had probably never gotten a report on.  Date told me it’s always a good idea to think outside the box, do something different so that people remember you.”

 

“That’s good advice,” Renju said with a smile, grateful for the other man and how he had taken Mizuki in with no reservations.

 

“I thought so too!  But don’t tell him that.  His head will get bigger than it already is.”

 

Renju laughed at that, knowing the younger girl wasn’t wrong.  “Ok, but now you’ve really got me curious.  Who did you do your report on?”

 

“I wrote about Josef Mengele.  He was a doctor for the Nazis.  He was a terrible person and did all sorts of horrible experiments, especially on kids.  But I thought it was important to learn about it and show my class what an awful human being he was.  We can’t forget history and what it teaches us.”

 

“You know, sometimes I don’t think you’re twelve.  You’ve got an old soul.  But, that’s very wise Mizuki.  You’re much smarter than I was at your age.  I’m really proud of you for getting an A.  We should celebrate that with Date.  We can all go out to dinner.”

 

“Really?  That would be so fun!” she exclaimed.  “Oh!  Can Pewter come too?”

 

“Pewter?” Renju questioned, feeling slightly strange to be using his boyfriend’s nickname.  Though it would probably be stranger still to use the man’s first name in front of Mizuki.

 

“Yeah, he seems really cool and he’s Date’s friend and helping Iris.  It’d be fun for him to come with us.  Plus, you like him too, right Dad?”

 

Renju almost choked but managed to keep himself together.  “Ummm, what do you mean?”

 

Mizuki made a face at that.  “Well, he’s your friend too, right?  You had him drive me to the hospital and then he took you home.  Plus you both know Date, so you’ve had to have met before, right?”

 

“Yes, that’s all true.  We are friends, though I haven’t known him as long as Date,” Renju answered, trying to be truthful without revealing too much.  He wanted to tell Mizuki, but it didn’t seem fair without Pewter by his side.  And Date as well.  He’d been more of a father figure to her than he had been, so he deserved to be there as well.

 

Renju’s phone started buzzing then, the device moving ever so slightly across the restaurant table.  He picked it up and opened the Nile message, immediately greeted by a picture of his shirtless boyfriend hunched over the coffee table, typing something on his laptop.  The picture was from behind the couch and he could clearly see the gray-haired man’s back, scratches criss-crossing down his shoulders to the base of his spine.

 

Date: Nya!

 

Date: Damn Ren, did you leave any skin?

 

Date: Your boyfriend looks like he got mauled by a pack of lions.

 

Date: Also, are you really so damn lazy that you just lay there and make him do all the work?  I bet Pewter would appreciate it if you took him out for a ride sometimes.  *smirk emoji*

 

Renju: Why are you in my apartment?  And why is Futa half naked?

 

Renju: Also, my sex life is none of your business.

 

Date: Are you serious right now?  It’s like the Sahara in here.  Pewter said the thermostat was set set to thirty.  You’re like a damn lizard.

 

Renju: Ooops.  I forgot I turned it up before I got in the shower this morning.

 

Date: You do realize it’s not normal to set it that hot, right?

 

Renju: I can’t help that I get cold easily!

 

Date: I bet Pewter could warm you up…from the inside out.

 

Renju: Get out of our apartment.

 

Date: Sorry, can’t do that.  Helping with important science stuff.  My assistance is invaluable at the moment.

 

Date: Anyway, back to my original point.  Your man is exhausted and you need to pay attention to his needs a little more.  Mama told me it’s something like topping from the bottom.

 

Date: Or maybe it’s power bottom.

 

Renju: Please stop talking to Mama about things you don’t understand.

 

Date: Ok whatever, but you should do that, give him a break.  Or a reward for always banging you to the point where you forget your name.  A little praise goes a long way.  *crying laughing emoji*

 

Renju: Why am I friends with you?

 

Date: Because I’m pretty much the coolest person you know.

 

Date: Sorry, I can’t talk anymore, gotta go.  Pewter needs me to help with something for real now.

 

Renju: …you were the one that texted me first.

 

“Are you ok Dad?  Your face is all red.”

 

Renju cleared his throat and quickly closed out the Nile app, wanting to hide the evidence of his embarrassment.  “Nothing, I’m fine.  I was just talking to Date.”

 

“Oh, was he being a pervert again?”

 

“What?  How do you know what that is?”

 

Mizuki gave him a blank stare.  “Seriously?  I’m twelve.  And I go to public school.  And I live with Date.”

 

“I…well…”

 

“Don’t worry Dad, I’m not interested in any of that stuff.  Especially after seeing how stupid it makes Date.”

 

“Oh thank God,” Renju muttered.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing, it’s nothing.  Hey Mizuki, how about after we finish breakfast, we head over to see Date?  He’s at Pewter’s apartment helping him with the machine for Iris.  We can check in on them and maybe get them something to-go from here.”

 

“Yeah!  That sounds like fun.  Let’s do it!”

 

Renju smiled at that, taking another bite of his fish and chewing it slowly.  This would be the perfect opportunity to tell Mizuki everything.  Date and Pewter were in the same place and everything would finally be out in the open.  He didn’t want to keep his relationship a secret from his daughter any longer, he wanted to be able to have her stay the night with them in the guest room if she chose to.

 

Maybe she would even feel comfortable enough to decorate it and make it her own.  He wouldn’t uproot her from her life with Date, but hopefully in time she would actually want to stay a few nights a week with him and Pewter.  He had failed her so many times before and he was determined to turn it around.

 

Renju grabbed his phone once more and reopened the Nile app.  He found his messages back and forth with Pewter and clicked it once.

 

Renju: Mizuki and I will be by soon.  I want to tell her about us, this is the perfect time.  Also, put a shirt on.

Notes:

Hope you all enjoyed the Renju/Mizuki bonding. Renju really is trying to make up for being a terrible father and Mizuki deserves all the good things!

And Date got to harass both Pewter and Renju, so it’s a good day for him as well.

If you’re enjoying the story and liked the chapter, please leave me a comment! 😁

Chapter 14

Notes:

Here it is! The talk with Mizuki!

Now that he was back home, sitting on his couch with his daughter on one side of him and his lover on the other, Renju suddenly felt all of his strength leave him.  He had been so confident in the restaurant and even on the drive home, but now confronted with the actuality of telling Mizuki about his relationship, he couldn’t seem to form words.  His heart was beating fast and his body felt like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water on him.

 

What if Mizuki reacted badly?  Would she accept the fact that he was gay?  He knew that for the longest time she had held out hope that he would reunite with Shoko, but as the years passed she seemed to finally realize that they would not be reconciling.  Still though, he figured Mizuki would expect him to eventually introduce her to a girlfriend, not a boyfriend.

 

She did seem to like Pewter, that was the one saving grace throughout everything.  But would that change once she knew just how close he and Renju were?  Would she feel betrayed that he didn’t tell her?  Or worse still, would she feel inferior to the other man, as if she had been replaced?  

 

He had briefly texted Pewter his fears while waiting for the to-go order, making sure the steamed white rice did not have butter on it and the miso soup was vegan and did not use a fish stock.  He felt better after his boyfriend told him he would never have to worry about that, that he would never compete for Renju’s attention and that Mizuki would come first.

 

But all those reassurances had faded away once he walked in the door to his apartment and saw Pewter and Date silently waiting.  Of course he had told Mizuki this was simply Pewter’s apartment, not that she would have suspected any differently as Renju still maintained his home in Hitomi’s school district.  The few times Mizuki had wanted to stay the night with him, they had gone back to his house.  And on occasion he and Pewter would stay the night there, but the apartment was what he truly considered home.

 

They had gotten it together, Pewter having had a different apartment in Shinjuku when they first met.  A year into their relationship, they decided it made the most sense to move in together and had started looking for an apartment.  They settled on Ginza as it was close to Akihabara so Renju could easily get back and forth to Sunfish Pocket and Lemniscate, while Pewter’s drive to the police station was effectively cut in half as well.  Not to mention they both loved the nightlife and various restaurants and shops all around.

 

He hoped Mizuki would enjoy the area, though her tastes weren’t nearly as expensive as her father’s.  It could possibly backfire as the girl tended to enjoy simpler things and experiences, versus whatever he would buy her.  That had been his biggest failing throughout the years, his guilt pressuring him to buy her clothing, jewelry, electronics, and whatever character merchandise she was currently in to.  She was always grateful, but never lit up in the same way like she did when they would go out to eat or simply spend time in his office at Lemniscate.

 

Renju could feel the old guilt creeping back in, mixing effectively with his anxiety to leave him barely able to focus.  He was afraid to open his mouth to speak, knowing that whatever he said would be the wrong thing.  He had one chance to get this right and he just knew he would screw it up.  

 

This was his biggest failing, getting so inside his head that he couldn’t function.  It was why he refused to ever confront Shoko.  Why he left his daughter in the care of his best friend.  Why he had effectively let Hitomi raise Iris by herself.  He was never good at making decisions and instead just walked away.  It was easier at the time, but now, when it was possibly too late, he felt the full gravity of his decisions.

 

Shoko was dead.  He’d never have the chance to apologize for all the damage he had done to her, or to make her face her own shortcomings.  

 

Mizuki had spent the last several years away from her parents and he barely knew his daughter anymore.  He wasn’t even sure what her favorite foods were or what she was in to.  But he could guarantee that Date did.  

 

And then there was Iris.  He had taken a backseat to helping raise her and she had slipped away just like Mizuki.  Only now, there was the possibility that she could die and he’d never have the chance to make it up to her.

 

Even though he could never do enough to rectify the damage he had done to his daughter, he had the chance to try.  He could be there now.  He could be a father and do all the things he should have been doing over the years.  This was his one chance and the way to do that was to come clean with his relationship.

 

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning his head ever so slightly to make eye contact with the man he loved.  Pewter gave him a small smile, his green eyes shining with warmth just for him.  He met Date’s gaze next, his best friend sitting on the armchair and watching  the scene unfold.  He gave Renju a subtle wink along with a nod, silently encouraging his friend.

 

“Mizuki,” Renju began, his voice coming out slightly raspy and causing him to clear his throat.  “I’d like to talk to you about something.”

 

“Ok,” she said, giving her father her full attention as she sat her phone down on the coffee table.  

 

“Well…ummm…I’m not sure where to begin honestly…”

 

“Are you ok Daddy?  You’ve been acting weird since we got here.”

 

“I’m fine…I just…ummmm…this shouldn’t be so hard.”

 

“Ren, relax.  It’s going to be fine.  We’re all here for you,” Date said gently, his voice soft, but firm.  When he wasn’t making jokes or being completely perverted, Renju had to admit that his best friend was very good at being comforting.

 

“Daddy?”

 

Renju closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, gathering his strength.  “I…I wanted to tell you that I’m in a relationship.  That I’ve met someone.  Someone I would very much like for you to get to know.”

 

“You’re dating again?”

 

“Yes.  I know it hasn’t been that long since your mother and I divorced-“

 

“Dad, it’s been over four years.  I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to start dating again.  I want you to be happy.  How long have you been together?  If you want to introduce me, it’s been a while, right?”

 

“It’s been close to three years actually.”

 

“Whoa.  Three years?  Why didn’t you tell me sooner?  Were you afraid it wouldn’t work out like with Mom?” Mizuki sounded slightly disappointed, but she wasn’t mad.  That had to mean something.

 

“No, it’s not that.  I was afraid you wouldn’t understand…or that you wouldn’t accept my relationship.”

 

“Why?  Because of Mom?  I know you two aren’t getting back together and I think it’s better that way.  I was sad at first, but Date told me it wasn’t my fault.  That sometimes people just aren’t meant to be together, but that I didn’t cause the divorce.”

 

“No, of course you didn’t. There were a lot of reasons your mother and I didn’t work out, but you did not cause our divorce.  Please don’t ever think that.”

 

“I don’t Daddy, not anymore.  But if it wasn’t that, why didn’t you want to tell me.”

 

“Because Mizuki, I’m not dating a woman.  I have a boyfriend.  I’m gay.”

 

Renju’s words hung in the air, the ticking of the clock on the wall the only sound.  Mizuki didn’t say anything, studying her father with an expression he couldn’t quite read.  He felt himself growing more and more nervous before Mizuki finally spoke.

 

“Did you really think that would matter to me?  I love you Dad.  Who you love doesn’t matter to me.  And I love gay people.  They’re all so wonderful.”

 

“You’re not upset?”

 

“No!  I’m really happy you met someone!  Now you can come to Marble with me and Date!  And you can bring your boyfriend too!  Unless your boyfriend is Date…oh God, Dad please don’t be dating Date.  You could do so much better!”

 

“Hey!” Date yelled.

 

“No, I’m not dating Date.  But wait,” Renju paused, Mizuki’s words finally sinking in.  “What are you doing going to a gay bar?  You’re twelve years old, you shouldn’t be in a bar period.”

 

“I’ve only taken her a couple of times, it’s no big deal.  And Marble isn’t a gay bar Ren,” Date said, rolling his eyes.

 

“It is, you absolute moron.  And, it is also a big deal to take a child into a bar.”

 

“It’s fine, Mama loves her.”

 

“Yeah, it’s really fun dad.  And we only go there on Sunday afternoons sometimes.  Mama gives me cream soda with extra cherries.  She even taught me how tie cherry stems with my tongue.  She said it’s going to make me really popular when I go to high school.”

 

“Date…” Renju growled.

 

The blonde held his hands up quickly, nervous laughter bubbling up from his chest.  “She doesn’t even know what that means!  And Mama is on her best behavior for the most part when we go.  I swear!”

 

“Yeah, I love Mama.  She’s taught me so much about the LGBTQ community.  She’s really great!”

 

“Well, I’m glad you like Mama at least.  I think she’s pretty great myself.”

 

Mizuki nodded enthusiastically before getting a questioning look on her face.  “So, if you’re not dating Date, which I’m so glad you’re not-“

 

“Hey!”

 

“-then who is your boyfriend?”

 

Pewter quietly cleared his throat before leaning forward past Ren, resting his arms across his knees.  “That would be me.”

 

“Really?  Wow Dad, you did good!”

 

“Ummm, excuse me.  Ren would have done good if he picked me too,” Date grumbled.

 

“Yeah, I don’t think so.  You’re pretty self-absorbed and Mom said any woman would have to be careful since you’re a walking STD.  Whatever that means.”

 

“I am not!”

 

“I’m just glad you found someone so nice Dad,” Mizuki said, ignoring her guardian.

 

“Mizuki, I want you to know that I truly love your father.  More than anyone I’ve ever met.  I want to spend my life with him, and that life includes you being there every step of the way.  I promise you that I will never get in between you and Renju, you will always come first.”

 

“Futa…” Renju trailed off, choking up.

 

“Your happiness is important to both of us.  But more importantly than that, I want you and your father to be able to reconnect.  I’d like nothing more than to see you both become close again.”

 

“You know if you hurt my Daddy that I’ll break both your legs, right?”

 

Pewter chuckled nervously at that.  “I’ve heard your strength is quite something.”

 

“She knocked down an tree at the shrine,” Date deadpanned.

 

“Mizuki, I promise that I will never hurt your father or you.  I will spend my life making both of you happy.  And this is because I want to, not for fear of bodily harm.  Though I will admit I enjoy both of my legs in their current state.”

 

“So does Renju,” Date smirked.

 

“Date, seriously!” Renju exclaimed through gritted teeth.

 

“What?  Not my fault you’re a pillow princess.”

 

“What’s a pillow princess?”

 

“Nothing!  It’s nothing, nothing at all!” Renju blushed from his neck to his ears, all while glaring at Date.

 

“Why are you getting embarrassed Dad?  Seriously, what is it?”

 

“It’s just a silly joke between your father and Date.  He’s referring to the way your Dad likes to sleep in, like Sleeping Beauty” Pewter stated calmly, jumping in to save the day.

 

“Then why would Date say that Daddy likes your legs like they are?”

 

“Because if they were broken, I wouldn’t be able to wake up and get the coffee started in the morning or make breakfast.”

 

Date was fighting his hardest to hold back laughter, his real eye glistening with tears of mirth.  Though still embarrassed, the redness had mostly faded from Renju’s face.  At this point, he was more impressed with the white lie his boyfriend had come up with on the spot.

 

“Hmmm, ok.  That makes sense I guess.”

 

Renju let out a small breath of relief, happy that his daughter believed it.  He felt a little bad for lying immediately after finally coming clean with his relationship, but at the same time he didn’t need her learning any other bad phrases from Date.  It truly amazed Renju how dependable and stable his best friend could be in one moment, and then in the next it was like he was a hormonal teenager that couldn’t control his libido.

 

And this was the man that Hitomi had fallen for all those years ago.  He had never met Hayato when they had been dating, but he couldn’t imagine Date as he was now was so much different then.  He supposed that he didn’t know his other best friend’s taste in men as well as he thought he did.

 

“So,” Renju started.  “You never did tell me why you came over so early this morning.”

 

Date looked up at that, hand cupping his chin as he considered the question.  He couldn’t tell if the other man was trying to come up with some sort of perverted quip or if he was thinking over what he was going to say because Mizuki was there.  Honestly, either one was just as likely with Date.

 

“Well, I came up with an idea to try to get my memories back.  I was going to need Pewter’s help, so that’s why I’m here.  Didn’t work though.”

 

“Pewter can cure your amnesia?” Mizuki asked.

 

“Not exactly,” Pewter said.  “There are certain ways to try to stimulate the brain, but it’s not a guarantee that it will bring back any memories.  However, I did promise Date that once I finish the nanomachine for Iris, I would help him out.  We have some specialized equipment at the department that may be able to retrieve his memories.”

 

“When do you think it will be done?  I know Iris has all those doctors looking after her, but I’m worried.  They kept coming in every two hours last night and taking her vitals.”

 

“Don’t worry Mizuki, that’s perfectly normal.  They just need to make sure that she is staying stable and that there aren’t any dramatic changes within that time frame.  And, with Date’s help this morning, I’ve actually finished with the physical machine.  I just need to write the code, which I should be able to have done by Monday morning at the latest.”

 

“Don’t push yourself Futa.  You won’t do Iris any good if you wear yourself out so much that you can’t finish it.  You need to take breaks, eat, and get some sleep.”

 

“I know my limits.  And as hard as it is to believe, Date being here put me way ahead of schedule.  The work I was doing was delicate and not the easiest to do with one pair of hands.  I would have managed, but it would have taken me the rest of the day to do what we ended up accomplishing in just over two hours.”

 

“I want to make sure you take care of yourself.  You have a tendency to overwork and push yourself to the brink,” Renju said softly as he took one of Futa’s hands in his and rubbed slow circles with his thumb.

 

“God, are you sure you’re ok with them Mizuki?  You know it’s only going to get worse from here.  They’re so in love with each other it’s sickening.”

 

“Shut up Date, just because you can’t get a woman, or a man for that matter, doesn’t mean you should make fun of Daddy and Pewter.  I’m happy that they’re happy.”

 

“I can get a girlfriend.  Or a boyfriend if I wanted one.  Plenty of women and men adore me!”

 

“Reika doesn’t count.”

 

“Yes she does!”

 

“Who is Reika?” Renju asked.

 

“This girl from the host club Date likes.”

 

“You’re taking my twelve year old daughter to a host club?!”

 

“Of course not!” Date exclaimed.

 

“Reika drove him home one night when he was too drunk to make it back to the apartment.  I swear, if I wasn’t there to take care of him I think he would asphyxiate on his own vomit.”

 

“You don’t take care of me!  I take care of you!”

 

“Yeah ok,” Mizuki said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

 

“What actually made you choose Date as her guardian?” Pewter asked, silver brow raised in question.

 

“I-I thought it was a good idea at the time.  He’s a police officer, so she would be safe.”

 

“And she is safe with me.  I’m a great guardian.”

 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.  You’re ok.  A solid six.”

 

“Six?”

 

“What?” Mizuki asked.  “That’s better than half.”

 

Date grumbled something under his breath crossing his arms and glaring at the floor.  He really could be a child at times.

 

“So, Date, Mizuki, there was actually one more thing I wanted to talk to you both about.”

 

“Yeah Daddy?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I don’t want to disrupt either of your lives.  At all.  And if you both don’t want to do this it’s fine, it’s honestly a suggestion more than anything.  So don’t feel like you have to agree.  It’s completely-“

 

“Ren, take a breath.  You’re making excuses for us to say no before we even know what you’re talking about.  Relax and just say it.  It will be ok.”

 

“Haha, sorry.  I’m getting in my head again.  I was just going to say that Futa and I would both really like it if Mizuki wanted to start staying the night here sometimes.  It doesn’t have to be anything scheduled.  It can be as much or as little as you want.  The most important thing is that I don’t want you two to feel like you’re being forced apart.”

 

“I’d like to, but what about Date?  You know he can’t take care of himself.”

 

“I can take care of myself.  I’m not the one that’s the child here.”

 

“You’re the only one that’s acting like one.”

 

“I am not!” Date exclaimed.  “Ok, maybe a little.  But seriously Mizuki, if you want to stay one or two nights with your Dad, I’ll be ok.  Worrying about me shouldn’t stop you from being with your family.”

 

“Bu…yo…fa…ly…oo,” Mizuki mumbled so quietly that Date couldn’t make it out.

 

“What?”

 

Mizuki let out a frustrated growl before yelling, “You’re family too stupid!”

 

“Huh?  I’m…”

 

“You’re family too.  I can’t just leave you.”

 

“You’re not leaving me Mizuki.  You’ll still live with me.  All of your clothes and stuff will still be at the apartment.  You’ll just spend the night.  You don’t have an existential crisis when you stay with Iris, do you?  Or when I work overnight and don’t come home until the morning and you’ve already gone to school.”

 

“No,” she said with a pout.

 

“Ok then.  It’s just like that.  And I think that is what your Dad is trying to say.  That you can come over here as much or as little as you want, but you still have a home with me.”

 

“Yes sweetheart, that’s exactly it.  I would never take you away from Date.  He’s been there for you in all the ways I should have been.  I’m sorry for everything I’ve put you through over the last four years, and for everything I didn’t do before that.  But I want to be better Mizuki.  I want to make it up to you and I want to see you happy.  It might not be the most conventional family, but we all are one.”

 

“It’s kind of like I have three gay dads.”

 

“Yes,” Renju said with a smile.

 

“Exactly,” Pewter agreed.

 

“What the fuck you guys?  I’m not gay!”

 

 

 

Notes:

Yay! Family bonding! Mizuki is finally getting the father she deserves with Renju. Date is very much her father too, but in the first game, Mizuki pined for her father's love so much it feels really good to give that to her. She definitely wanted Shoko's love and attention too, but she really seemed like Renju was the one she wanted the most. Maybe that was because he didn't physically abuse her like Shoko and had less of a presence. I'm not sure but I really wanted Renju to realize all the harm he has done to her and make real, substantial changes. He's not a bad person, but he definitely didn't know how to be a father.

And I figured Mizuki would naturally like Pewter. I don't know why, but I just honestly feel like they would be into similar things and would bond. Plus they both love Renju, so they would bond over that too.

I like to think even though Pewter doesn't have kids, that he would be good with them. I don't picture him as the jealous type or that he wouldn't want Mizuki around. Plus my Pewter has his younger sister, so I think that helps him when it comes to being around Mizuki.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a comment! They seriously give me the motivation to keep writing more chapters.

Chapter 15

The next day and a half went by quickly.  Pewter was completely  absorbed in his work, focusing on designing the program.  During the few hours that he would sleep, Theia ran checks to work out any bugs that the new system could possibly have.

 

Mizuki had opted to stay over those two nights as well, excited to get to reconnect with her father.  And even more excited to help work on the piano piece for Iris’ song.  Pewter had to admit listening to the two of them play together while trying out different melodies was incredibly soothing.  

 

When they weren’t working on different notes on the small keyboard, Renju would switch over to classical music, knowing it was Pewter’s favorite.  He turned the volume down as not to be too disturbing to the younger man  or their neighbors, but still loud enough for the engineer to hear and appreciate the sound.  

 

The way his blonde boyfriend could sit and perfectly play piece after piece, all from memory was astounding.  Though Pewter supposed at one point in time in his life he had been just as proficient on the violin.

 

His talent hadn’t come naturally as Renju’s had, though the strict regimen his mother and father had placed on him had forced it nonetheless.  Leaving little time for anything else, his skill did develop into something quite extraordinary.  

 

Even so, his passions had always lied with science and mathematics; never feeling more at peace than when he was in front of a computer writing code or taking apart and reassembling a machine.

 

It wasn’t like that part of his life wasn’t encouraged either, but the Amanoma’s wanted their only son to excel at everything.  His father was a semi-famous scientist within his own right, paving the way with his stem cell research.  And his mother at one point in time had been the first chair for the Tokyo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.  Needless to say, they both expected their son to follow in their footsteps.

 

Pewter did his best learning and keeping up with the violin, going so far as to earn the first chair position himself at the university he attended.  He double majored in biology and engineering and when he graduated with his doctorate, he had been expected to go and work for his father.  

 

Of course he had received several offers from other facilities, including a local institute right in the heart of Tokyo.  But the one that intrigued him the most was from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.  Or more specifically, a newly formed department called ABIS.

 

Unlike the other offers he received, this one was handwritten on thick stationary and signed by the head of the program herself, Shizue Kuranushi.  There wasn’t much to it other than stating he had been recommended by one of his professors for the position of lead engineer and that she herself was very interested in meeting the man that was described as a “nanotechnology genius without equal”.

 

The subsequent interview had been one of the strangest things he had ever experienced.  Granted, this was his first and only job interview as his parents wealth had afforded him the luxury of focusing one hundred percent on his studies and nothing else, but he still felt that the interview was not quite normal.

 

He had been greeted by the police secretary at the front desk and brought down a long hallway, ending with an elevator that she stepped in with him.  She never said a word the whole way, taking them six floors below ground.  Once the door opened, she pointed down a second equally long hallway, telling him to head to the end and the last door on the right was the one he wanted.

 

With nothing else to go on, he followed the woman’s instructions and came to a door decorated with several different types of police tape crisscrossed over it.  One read “Crime Scene” while a second said “Do Not Enter”.  While he was contemplating turning around to go back to the first floor and ask the secretary if she was sure this was correct, the door opened and a shorter brunette woman stepped out.

 

She looked him up and down once, smirking before saying, “Nice suit.  Too fancy for us rats down here in the dark, but I’ll find you a jumpsuit later.”

 

Pewter was taken aback by everything about this woman.  The playful side-eyed glance she gave him, her direct way of speaking, and the way she dressed, which stood out most of all.  She looked like she ready to go hit the clubs at any moment; the slinky, form fitting, purple halter dress leaving very little to the imagination.  She matched it with a pair of black platform heels, giving her a few extra inches of height, but still leaving her much shorter than him.

 

“You always this quiet?” she asked, walking back into the room and gesturing for him to follow.

 

If he had thought the door was weird, it was nothing compared to the state of the actual room that he guessed was supposed to be an office.  There was junk everywhere.  That was the only way he could describe it.  Organized chaos of decorations, knick-knacks, souvenirs, and decor.  Nothing made any sense or matched, right down to the furniture.  Though somehow the strangeness fit the owner perfectly.

 

“How am I going to get to know my new engineering head if you never speak?”

 

That brought Pewter out of his stupor.  “I’m sorry, what?  I mean, I don’t think I understand ma’am.”

 

“Oh no, we’re not doing that, I am absolutely not being called ma’am.”

 

“I’m sorry, I was only trying to be respectful.  Mrs. Kuranushi then?”

 

“Also no.  First, I’m not married.  And second, that is way too straight-laced and professional for me.  You can call me Boss.  After all, that’s what I am now.”

 

“Uh, I think there was a misunderstanding.  This was an interview for the position, surely there are other prospects you wish to-“

 

“No, you’re it.  I already reviewed all the potentials and you’re the only one that had all of the qualifications we were looking for.  In fact, you may be overqualified for this position, but you’re still going to take it.”

 

“And why is that?” Pewter asked, intrigued.

 

“Because Doc, you’ll have free range over this entire program.”

 

“Doc?”

 

“Yeah, I’m not calling you Dr. Amanoma if that’s what you’re looking for.”

 

“No, I wasn’t.  But why Doc?  You can just call me Futa.”

 

“I don’t know, you seem like a Doc to me.  Unless you go by something else?”

 

“Everyone just calls me Futa.  Well…besides my sister, but that was just a silly childhood nickname.”

 

Boss raised an eyebrow.

 

“Seriously, it’s childish.  Please just call me Futa.”

 

“No can do Doc.  Either tell me the other name or Doc sticks.”

 

Pewter let out a sigh and crossed his arms over his chest, meeting Boss’ brown eyes with his sharp green.  “It’s Pewter.”

 

“Pewter huh?  Like the metal?  Is it because your hair is gray?”

 

“No…it’s short for computer.  It was because I was always working on some project when she was little.  She started calling me that but it came out as Pewter and then just sort of stuck.”

 

“Hmmmm, I like it.  Should I get it printed on your business cards?”

 

“Please don’t.  And also, isn’t it a little early to be discussing that.  I haven’t even accepted the job.”

 

“Sure you have.  There’s no way you’ll say no.”

 

“And why is that?”

 

“I already told you.  This program is essentially yours.  You’ll have free reign to do whatever you want, create whatever you want.  You’ll have all the funding you’ll need.  You can even hire members for your team if you want.  Unless you like the idea of going to work for your Dad and being stuck on whatever project he feels like putting you on.”

 

“How do you-“

 

“I did my research.  I know all about you.  I know how many other places are scouting you and what they’ll offer.  Maybe our salary won’t be the highest, but considering that trust fund you have, I’m guessing money isn’t the most important aspect in a job for you.  You’ll find that what we do offer is far more valuable than the money.  The freedom to use your brain in ways you could have only imagined before.  You’ll have everything you want and more.  All you have to do is say yes.”

 

She extended her right hand out, eyes never wavering as she waited for him to grasp it and shake.  Pewter watched her silently, her expression giving nothing away.  The offer sounded too good to be true, but yet he never got the sense that she was lying.  And she was right about the other offers.  He’d never have the freedom that she was willing to give, to work on projects that would solely be his and no one else’s.

 

He knew it was ridiculous to not hear anything else.  To agree without ever talking about salary or even what he would be doing.  But the prospect of everything being on his terms was just too enticing to ignore.  If he walked away now, he’d always regret it.  He had to take this chance and see where it led, there really was no other choice.

 

He reached out his right hand and closed his long fingers around hers, clasping it firmly.  “I’m in.”

 

“Great!” Boss exclaimed, reaching up her other hand to pat him on the shoulder affectionately.  “Let’s celebrate by stripping down and pouring a bottle of Dom P all over each other!”

 

“What?”

 

 

 

Pewter was brought out of his thoughts by a soft chiming coming from his computer.  He blinked a few times, surprised that he had dazed out so completely.  The lack of good sleep was starting to get to him, but he pushed through anyway, knowing that once this was over he could sleep for the next two days if he wanted.

 

“Futa, the program has finished running the last diagnostics.  The nanomachine is calibrated and all command prompts are functioning as designed,” Theia said, her voice sounding though the tiny speakers on his visor.

 

“It’s finally done?”

 

“It’s done.”

 

“I…Theia thank you for everything.  I couldn’t have done this without you.  I’d hug you if I could.”

 

“My sentimental creator,” Theia replied, though her tone was full of warmth.  “I simply followed your instructions.  This is your victory.”

 

“No, this is Iris’ victory.  She’s going to be ok Theia, it’s all going to be…” Pewter trailed off, his breath hitching in his throat.  “I…heh…I shouldn’t be getting so emotional.”

 

“It’s been a long couple of days, anyone would get emotional after everything you’ve been through in such a short amount of time.  You’ve done well Futa.”

 

“Th-thanks for that.  I ummm guess I should get myself together and head to the hospital.  Is Renju already there?”

 

“According to the GPS in his phone, he arrived about fifteen minutes ago.  He first stopped at Mizuki’s school and was there approximately three minutes while dropping her off.  He then went to that little café you both like so much and picked up three coffees.  After that, he drove to the hospital and arrived eight minutes later.”

 

“Thank you Theia, that was…thorough.”

 

Pewter smiled, the difference between her and Aiba fairly obvious in times like this.  Aiba was the more playful of the two, with Theia more often being serious and very matter-of-fact.  He had given both AIs basic code and commands, but other than that, he let their personalities grow on their own.  It was all part of the system he designed that worked with Wadjet.  Aiba, Theia, and any other AI he would create in the future would use this system to learn and grow organically.

 

He had also given the AIs the ability to choose how they would appear.  Aiba had stated that her choice was based off of what Date’s preference would be, but he believed that was more or less her way of trying to joke with her partner.  She didn’t quite understand the concept.

 

Theia had also chosen a form, though for the most part she never showed it.  She could project her image through Pewter’s visor and was also able to appear as a small sprite on the screen of his watch.  As her name suggested, she took her inspiration from the style and fashions of Ancient Greece.  Her white hair piled up on top of her head with a few glowing green tendrils hanging down around her face.  She wore a long white tunic with green diamond shapes around the bottom.

 

He supposed she had chosen green from his own preferences, and the thought made him smile.  Even though she was very much able to make her own decisions, she still wanted to do what made him happy.

 

At one point, he had seriously considered using her as the AI that would eventually become Ryuki’s, granting her the chance to get out and do more than she did with him.  But the selfish part of him didn’t want to let her go, knowing he would miss her too much.  As silly as it was for him to think of, she was his friend.  She was the first AI he had ever made and she would always hold a special place in his heart.

 

“Theia, would you please send Ren a text and let him know I’ll be headed to the hospital soon.”

 

“Of course.  And you should wear the black suit.  It looks really nice on you.”

 

 

 

Hitomi smiled as she watched Renju sitting on the edge of the bed with Iris, his laptop open and playing the music he had composed for her song.  He was explaining how the notes blended perfectly with Ayame’s violin and what his vision for the drum section would be.  He even pulled over the small bedside table and began tapping out a beat with his hands.

 

She was glad to see him so happy, truly smiling for the first time in as long as she could remember.  He always worked so hard, never taking time to do what he wanted.

 

Things had been strained between the two of them over the last few days; her secret about Iris’ health the cause of the strife.  They never kept things hidden from each other and she honestly couldn’t say what had driven her to hide this.  She supposed it was a combination of things.  The biggest of which was always Manaka.

 

They both had been equally devastated by her loss, but as the years went on, she could see the toll it was taking on Renju.  Perhaps it was because he still worked with the Kumakura’s even after everything, not able to just leave the family.  She didn’t think she would have been able to show up there day in and day out, speaking with Rohan after he had…

 

Hitomi stopped that train of thought immediately.  Nothing good ever came from her thoughts going back to that night in the woods.  And it certainly wouldn’t help Iris’ condition to see her start crying.

 

Plus, Renju had offered a tentative truce when he showed up with coffee for both herself and Iris, each cup prepared exactly how they liked it.  Iris had hers loaded with cream and sugar and lots of cinnamon while Hitomi preferred hers with just cream, never enjoying overly sweet coffee.

 

She knew the time would come when he would sit down and hash this all out with her.  Sooner rather than later probably.  But it wouldn’t be until they were sure Iris was ok.  Renju never was the type for confrontation, but she was sure he would make an exception in this case.  She could tell her oldest friend was mad, even when he wouldn’t show it.  It was in the little things he did.  Not keeping eye contact for longer than a second or two, angling his body away from her when they would speak, not hugging her immediately when he came in to the room.

 

Hitomi sighed softly to herself.  She had done this after all.  At first she thought Iris would be fine and beat the cancer in a matter of months, which was all the more reason not to worry Renju.  Then, when it was worse than it originally appeared, she figured she’d be able to get Iris more aggressive treatment and her daughter would still be able to beat the disease.

 

Of course when that didn’t happen, her next plan was to confront So and blackmail him for the funds for Iris’ surgery.  Not the smartest thing she ever thought of, but she was desperate.  The lies here and there to Ren had gone on for too long and she couldn’t face him, not when she knew how disappointed he would be.  And it had all backfired anyway.

 

He found out and the look of pure betrayal would stick with her long after he forgave her.  Because he would, of that there was no doubt in her mind.  But she had to wonder if she had irrevocably damaged their relationship.  Would he ever fully trust her again?  This wasn’t just some small half truth that could be swept under the rug.  

 

She remembered the brief moment the two of them had been alone in Iris’ room and he had finally lost his composure, yelling “She could die Hitomi!  I had a right to know!”

 

The hurt in his eyes and pure anguish in his voice had cut her deep.  They promised to always be there for each other, no matter what.  And she had broken that promise.  Pushed him away when she thought she was doing the right thing.

 

There would never be any apology she could give to make up for what she had done, but she vowed to never lie to him again.  She knew his deepest, darkest secrets.  Things she was certain he hadn’t even told his boyfriend.  And this was how she repaid his trust in her?  No, she would do better.  She had to try to repair whatever she could.

 

“Mom?  Did you like it?  Uncle Renju did a great job, right?”

 

Hitomi looked up at that, smiling for her daughter as she nodded.  “Of course.  But there was never any doubt.  Renju’s always had an ear for music.  He’s really quite gifted.”

 

Renju turned slightly to face her, the barest of smiles on his face.  “Thank you, but you’re giving me too much credit.  I built off of the base Mizuki started with and followed Ayame’s queues.  I couldn’t have come up with something half as good without them.”

 

Hitomi was about to reply, to tell Renju to stop doubting his talent, when there was a knock at the door.  Of course when she had a moment to speak normally with him, they would be disturbed.  “Come in.”

 

The door opened slowly and Pewter walked in, his all black suit a sharp contrast to the casual attire Hitomi had last seen him in.  Renju seemed taken aback as well, staring intently at his boyfriend as he stepped further into the room.

 

The gray haired man smiled brightly at Ren before turning his attention towards Hitomi.  “Good afternoon,” he said as he gave slightly bow.  “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to tell you all the good news in person.”

 

“Good news?” Hitomi questioned.

 

“Yes,” Pewter said, that same bright smile still on his lips.  “I just finished meeting with the board, including Iris’ surgeon.  I’ve handed over control of the nanomachine and given implicit instructions on how to use it.  They plan on scheduling Iris’ surgery for tomorrow morning.  By this time tomorrow, she should be well on her way to recovery.”

 

 

 

 

Pewter walked through the hospital parking garage back to his car, still feeling the elation of knowing Iris was going to be ok.  He had finished the machine in time and though not great, the girl’s health was stable and she would be strong enough for her surgery come tomorrow.  Everything was working out exactly like it was supposed to.

 

Ren was still alive and he had possibly prevented the deaths of six other people.  They weren’t completely out the woods, Saito was still lurking about somewhere, but it was only a matter of time before he would be caught.  Now that they all knew he was masquerading around in Shoko’s body, it would be that much harder for him to hide.

 

He was still uneasy, knowing the other man was out there and hell bent on some twisted form of revenge, but they were prepared this time.  They knew who his targets would be and as long as they kept Renju, Iris, Ota, Boss, and Hitomi safe, things would be fine.  He should probably add So Sejima to that list, though he never cared much for the politician before, and even less now.

 

Of course So had dozens of body guards and hired muscle at his disposal, so worrying about him wasn’t high on the list.  And Renju had made certain that the Kumakura’s were still sparing two or three members to keep watch on Hitomi and Iris.  The women were aware of the security, but his lover hadn’t given too many details to the duo.  Hitomi hadn’t questioned it, but Pewter believed that was more due to the guilt she felt about lying to her best friend than anything else.  She was being very careful to toe the line, but eventually the truth would come out.  Probably once Saito was safely behind bars.

 

That still left telling Mizuki why her mother was being sent to jail, or at least who she thought was her mother.  Renju hadn’t yet told her that Shoko was dead, though Pewter supposed it wasn’t the easiest conversation to have.  How would one even begin to explain that a body swap had occurred a year ago and that the real Shoko had been so confused and devastated she lept off the roof of a building in the body of an insane Yakuza leader? 

 

Mizuki was fairly understanding, but even that would be a hard story to believe.  Which would then open up telling her about Psyncing and that her guardian was actually housed in the body of the man that was directly responsible for her mother’s death.

 

Pewter shook his head to clear his thoughts, this was a happy moment, he shouldn’t worry about things he couldn’t change.  And this was something Renju would ultimately have to do himself, Pewter wouldn’t be able to fight this battle for him.

 

“Hello there Dr. Amanoma, you’re a hard man to track down.”

 

Pewter started to turn, startled by the voice that seemed to echo all around him, when he felt a sharp pain between the middle of his shoulder blades.  He let out a harsh exhale of air before another pain went through his lower back, causing him to drop to his knees.  He heard the clink of metal on asphalt and watched as a lead pipe slowly rolled away.

 

He groaned loudly as felt a prick like a bee sting on the back of his neck, reaching a hand up, but feeling nothing there.  His vision swam and his limbs were suddenly very heavy, his body collapsing to the ground.  He tried to call out, yell, anything, but his throat wouldn’t cooperate.

 

Another blow, this one to the head, making his visor skid across the pavement.  It hadn’t landed as hard as the previous two, likely a kick his addled brain attempted to supply.  He tried his best to stay conscious, but whatever had been injected into him was quickly making it’s way through his system.  The last thing he saw was a blur of navy before the darkness claimed him.

Notes:

Well, that was eventful. After all the fluff and bonding and cuteness of the last few chapters, it had to happen. Everything will be fine though, probably.

As always, please leave a comment if you liked the chapter! Thank you for reading!

Chapter 16

Notes:

Just a quick note that there is violence in the first half of this chapter. It's nothing too graphic, not nearly as bad as the game, but just wanted to offer a fair warning in case it bothers anyone.

Now please enjoy the next chapter!

Cold.  That was the first thing Pewter felt when his mind slowly came back.  He was still sluggish and it took more effort to open his eyes then what it normally should, but when he finally did, he felt his heart sink.  

 

Shoko was standing in front of him and slightly off to the right, her back turned as she adjusted a few knobs on the machine in front of her.   A machine with a huge saw.  Pewter’s breath caught in his throat, it was the same one that he remembered from his Somnium.  The ice cutting machine used to kill Iris and Ota.

 

He had to get out of there before he drew Shoko’s, or more accurately, Saito’s attention.  There could be only one reason he was meticulously plugging in wires and getting the power up and running.  He was planning to kill Pewter and leave his body displayed in the warehouse that his boyfriend owned.  

 

Saito was showy; he wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation of hurting someone even more.  Why else would he display Shoko’s body in the amusement park that held one of the few happy family memories that Mizuki had?  And then lure the girl there on top of everything else?  The same could be said about how he strung Renju from the rafters at Sunfish Pocket, again leaving a trail that would ensure Mizuki, along with Date, would find the man.

 

Every one that followed after became more and more gruesome, making it clear exactly how unhinged Saito was.  And now, his original plan to get Renju had backfired, so his anger could have only grown worse at this point.

 

Pewter struggled to push himself up, his body leaning against a shelving unit that was secured to the wall.  He could barely move, only succeeding in sliding ever so slightly down the support.  Unfortunately the sound from the movement was enough to draw Saito’s attention and Pewter inwardly winced, now what the hell was he going to do?

 

“So, you’re awake?  Good.  I didn’t give you that much, just enough to make you easy to move around.  After all, what fun would it be if you slept through your death?  The screaming is half the fun.”

 

Pewter opened his mouth, trying to yell for help, though he knew it would be pointless.  Who would hear him all the way out in the warehouse district?  But try as he might, the only thing that came out was a desperate whine.

 

“God, you really are pathetic.  How did you manage to screw up all of my plans?”

 

Pewter just looked on in confusion, not quite understanding how Saito knew.

 

“What?  It had to be you.  This bitch,” he gestured to his head, “really doesn’t like you.  There wasn’t much left over of her, but the little that is, well, let’s just say she fucking hates you for taking Renju.  And that little spineless coward, he’s never stood up to her before.  So tell me why I get a text message telling me to go fuck myself and jump in front of the five o’clock train?  That had to be you, right?”

 

Pewter grimaced and closed his eyes, regretting his text for about the tenth time since everything had happened.  If only he hadn’t been so emotional in the moment,  he never would have tipped Saito off.  They would have been able to catch him by now and the old Psync machine would be safe and back in the possession of the police department.  Instead he was going to die cold and alone, leaving Renju behind to grieve.  A reverse of their roles from that other life.

 

“What I don’t get though,” Saito continued on, oblivious to Pewter’s internal struggle.  “Is how you knew?  I was perfect, I never slipped up once.  I know I didn’t.  So how did you manage to catch on?”

 

Pewter just watched him, saying nothing.

 

“Answer me!” Saito screamed, pulling the lead pipe from before off of the ice cutter’s table and bringing down across Pewter’s left tibia.  He cried out, finally able to make more sound than a whisper, and barely pulled his leg in.  He quickly assessed his body through the pain and even though it hurt, Saito in Shoko’s body wasn’t able to muster up enough force to cause a break.  But the shock to his nerves made him realize one thing, his movement was slowly coming back.  If he could just keep Saito distracted long enough, he might stand a chance.  He just had to let the drug wear off a little more.

 

“Would you…believe me if I…said I had a dream?” His words were slightly slurred, but not enough that Saito couldn’t understand. 

 

“Don’t fucking lie to me,” Shoko’s voice growled out, lower than her normal tone.

 

“Ok then. Did you…ever think that maybe…I hate Shoko as much as she…hates me?  That I’d enjoy the…chance to finally tell her…off?”

 

Saito paused, actually considering the question.  “Possibly.  But how do you know I’m not Shoko?”

 

“Besides you talking in…the third person like…a lunatic?” Pewter asked sarcastically.

 

“Would like another hit with this?” 

 

Pewter grimaced. 

 

“Didn’t think so,” he said as he sat it back on the table.  “Whatever, your answer doesn’t matter anyway.  You’ll be dead soon.  You weren’t part of the orders, but it’ll have to do.”

 

That caught Pewter’s attention.  “Orders?”

 

Saito snorted, rolling his eyes at the question.  “You weren’t on the list.  Hell, you probably weren’t even an issue back then.”

 

“List?  What are…you talking…about?”  He had to keep the other man talking; he could feel his arms starting to tingle as more of his nerves and muscles began waking back up.  But not only that, he needed to know exactly what Saito was talking about.  Hopefully he would be like every other criminal that finally got caught red-handed and was interrogated.  They all seemed to love to talk about themselves and how genius their plans were.  Often times going on long monologues that seemed more appropriate for an anime villain than a real world criminal.

 

“Killing you won’t bring me any joy.  I won’t feel anything, not like I would with Okiura.  He’s the one I have to take out.”

 

Pewter swallowed a lump in his throat; hearing this man so casually talk about murdering the love of his life after he had just lived that nightmare made him feel sick.  He had to push past it though, if he had any chance of getting out of here and saving Ren, Saito needed to keep talking.  “Why Renju?”

 

“Because that’s who Rohan wanted.  Six years ago, I was supposed to take out him, Hitomi and Iris Sagan, and Hayato Yagyu.  And when I did, I’d get to feel happiness,” Saito said, a deranged grin stretching across Shoko’s features.  

 

“I don’t understand,” Pewter said, not having to pretend.  He was genuinely confused by the statement.  He knew Saito Sejima had a brain disorder that prevented him from feeling emotions of any sort.  His mother had died while in labor, crashing before Saito had been born and resulting in an emergency c-section to save the baby.

 

Though the team of doctors moved quickly, there was still a lack of oxygen to the unborn baby which resulted in damage to his brain.  The damage then left him unable to secrete oxytocin, hindering his ability to feel happiness, joy, elation, or any other emotion throughout the spectrum.

 

It was later reported during the Cyclops Serial killings case that the only time Saito was ever able to feel any sort of pleasure was when he committed murder.  The act itself would flood his brain full of dopamine, creating a temporary, false bliss that would ultimately disappear after a few minutes.

 

Pewter knew all of this, but what never made any sense to him was the research he did on that particular type of brain disorder.  Research that he used to better understand the body Date was inhabiting so they knew the best ways to help him.

 

Oxytocin deficiency typically resulted in poor communication skills, increased anxiety and fear, irritability, insomnia, and muted emotions or sometimes complete lack there of.  There were also the sexual side effects and in other cases, increased appetite.  Many times those effected by the disorder using food as a means to feel some sort of satisfaction.

 

During the year without any treatment, before Pewter and Boss had been able to obtain Saito’s scarce medical records, Date had certainly exhibited many of those symptoms.  But what was odd, was the fact that the blonde detective never showcased any homicidal tendencies.  And on top of that, there was one particular case that he and Boss had worked on together that ended up resulting in a shootout.  Date had no choice but to fire back, killing the target.  

 

There had been no rush of dopamine, no border line insane happiness.  Boss said Date showed immediate regret that the case had to end the way it did.  That he hadn’t wanted to kill the man.  So why did the same brain that had caused Saito to commit the Cyclops Serial killings work differently with Date?  And not only that, but why would Saito’s essence, now separated from that very brain that was the cause of all of this, still have the base desire to kill?  Something wasn’t adding up.

 

“What is there to not understand?” Saito asked in a bored tone, unaware that his question was indirectly responding to Pewter’s own internal monologue.  At the moment though, it didn’t matter, he was losing Saito’s attention fast and that could be dangerous.

 

“Why would Rohan want…Renju, Hitomi, and…Iris dead?  Da-Hayato…yes, I can understand.  But the…other three don’t make…any sense.”  Pewter slowly flexed the fingers of both hands, finding he was able to move them along with his wrists.  Just a little more time.

 

“Don’t they though?  Renju and Hitomi know too much.  They were a threat to So.  And Iris…well, I think you know why she had to die.”

 

“So ordered the hit?”

 

“Of course not.  He’s a wretched son of a bitch but even he wouldn’t order the death of his own child.  Well…not that child at least.”

 

“Rohan’s gone though.  This was…six years ago, why are you still…obsessing over it?”

 

“Haven’t you paying attention?!” Saito yelled, grabbing the iron pipe from the table once more and brandishing it like a bat.  He swung hard, catching Pewter in his shoulder and forcing the engineer to hit the frigid concrete, head bouncing with a dull thud.  “Those were my orders!  I have to complete them.  If I kill them, I’ll feel something other than this fucking empty void!  Do you have any idea what it’s like to go through life and feel absolutely nothing?!  The most basic of emotions denied to you while everyone else in the fucking world gets to be happy?!”

 

Pewter grunted in pain, his head throbbing while his vision swirled.  He didn’t think he could take another hit like that, not if he wanted to stay conscious and get out of there.

 

“You’d never understand what it’s like.  Having to live life like this.”

 

Pewter slowly pushed himself up onto his knees, his body protesting the entire time.  Saito didn’t budge, eyes following his movements but otherwise standing still while holding the pipe loosely at his side.

 

“You know,” Pewter began with a groan, sitting back on his heels and staring up at the body of the woman that used to be his boyfriend’s ex-wife.  “I could help you.” 

 

Saito raised a delicate brow, the expression coming across a little more demure on Shoko’s features than what the man was probably going for.

 

Pewter pushed on, figuring this may be his only shot.  “There’s medicine to regulate your oxytocin.  It’s worked for Date.  He’s been able to live a normal life in your body.  He experiences happiness, joy, sorrow, fear, pain, pleasure, everything.  His emotions aren’t stunted and he’s not prone to violent outbursts.”

 

“What if I enjoy the violence?” Saito asked, crossing his left arm across his chest, a subtle shiver working through his stolen body.  Even with the sub-zero temperature, he still wouldn’t let go of that pipe to wrap his other arm around himself.

 

“Do you?  Really?  If I told you that you could be like everyone else, feel the full range of human emotions, have friends, fall in love, all without hurting others, wouldn’t you want that?”

 

“Is this the part where I’m supposed to break down and cry, lamenting about my sad life and how no one ever loved me?  How I’ve been waiting all this time for someone to finally understand me?  To save me from myself?”  

 

“No,” Pewter said, slowly placing his hands on the ground, the pads of his fingers finding purchase against the freezing cement.  “I just needed you to keep talking long enough to do this!”

 

The engineer launched himself up with as much power as he could muster, slamming his shoulder into Saito’s stomach and tackling him to the ground.  His height and weight advantage over Shoko helped immensely since his body wasn’t completely back under his control yet.

 

Saito went down with a surprised yelp; likely not the sound he wanted to make.  The fall forced the pipe from his hand, sliding just out of reach as his head hit the concrete with a muted crack. 

 

Wasting no time, Pewter pushed himself off of Shoko’s prone body and tried to stand, wobbling unsteadily.  He moved as quickly as he dared, which admittedly  wasn’t very fast, but he knew it would all be over if he fell.  The movements were disjointed and he felt almost like he was drunk, but he made it to door and slid it open. 

 

The salty air hit his nose immediately and he could see the sun starting to set.  It must be close to five then.  Which meant that he hadn’t been gone terribly long, but hopefully long enough that someone had noticed.  He really could use Date dramatically skidding around the corner in his loud muscle car to save the day.

 

Lurching forward, he kept moving, seeing what had to be the car Saito had used.  It was a black two-seater sports car; likely belonging to Shoko when she was still alive.  If he could just make it there, he had a chance.  He desperately hoped Saito was the type to leave his vehicle unlocked and the key in the ignition.

 

Reaching the door, he pulled on the handle and was relieved when it opened.  The keys weren’t in the ignition as he had hoped, but they were sitting in the cup holder, which was the next best thing.  Something was finally going his way.

 

“That was really fucking stupid,” Shoko’s voice growled behind him.

 

Pewter whipped around, arm raised to take the blow he expected from the lead pipe earlier.  He was not anticipating the warm, burning sensation just below his ribs.  He looked down in shock, seeing the handle of a small knife sticking out of his stomach.

 

“Today is really not your day,” Saito said, stepping forward and holding another needle delicately between his fingertips.  He didn’t wait for a reply and quickly injected Pewter once more, watching his eyes begin to glaze over.  “Now, let’s go have some fun.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Date wake up!”

 

The blonde groaned, rolling over on the couch and pushing his head into the pillow.  He knew he needed to get up, having slept most of the day away, but he was exhausted.  Boss had called him in to go over a case that she was working on with Ryuki and Naoki, wanting Date to review the Psync footage as well as the interrogation to see if he could find anything useful.  He didn’t get out of the precinct until nearly six in the morning, and with Mizuki staying at Renju and Pewter’s, he didn’t need to worry about being awake and presentable.

 

However, it seemed like Aiba had other ideas.  “Date, seriously wake up right now or I will shock you until you lose all control of your bladder!”

 

“Like you haven’t done that before.  Come up with some new threats Aiba,” he mumbled into the cushions.

 

“Kaname, please.  I desperately need your help.”

 

That voice was new.  Date bolted up and opened his eyes, living room coming into focus.  He saw Aiba’s projection sitting in the chair that Mizuki typically occupied, tapping her foot in agitation as she stared at him with a frown.  And next to her stood another female figure in a long, flowing dress that covered her feet.  Her hair was pulled up into an extravagant bun with braids woven throughout and a few tendrils of glowing green hanging down.  Her hands, much like Aiba’s, were transparent, though her tendons were green, matching the pigment in her hair.

 

“Who are you?  Aiba, what the hell is going on?”

 

“I’m Theia.  I’ve established a link through Wadget to speak with you.  Please, help me.  Saito has taken Futa!”

 

“What?!” Date yelled, bolting to his feet.  What little grogginess remained was completely gone with that revelation.  He grabbed his boots sitting next to the couch and quickly shoved them on his feet, stumbling through the apartment to grab his long coat off the rack and throw it on.  

 

He tore the door open and barely paused long enough to lock it behind him, running full speed down the hall and reaching the stairwell.  

 

“Theia, where is he?  Does he have his phone on him?  Can you track his GPS?”

 

He took the steps two at a time, barely paying any attention as he made it down the three flights as quickly as possible.

 

“Unfortunately Saito removed his phone from his jacket when he knocked him out.  It is currently in the parking garage of Tokyo Central.  He is however wearing his smartwatch and I am currently tracking his movements.”

 

“Where is he?” Date asked as he reached the front entrance to his building, pushing the door open and continuing his race to the parking lot.

 

 

“The vehicle is slowing down outside of the warehouse district.”

 

“The warehouse district?  What are they doing there?”  He reached his car and pulled the door open, practically jumping in and starting the vehicle.  Not bothering with his seatbelt, he sped away, heading in the direction Theia had advised.

 

“I am not certain.  The vehicle has stopped and it looks like he is being taken inside the Okiura Fishery building.”

 

“Wait, Aiba, isn’t that Renju’s Dad’s place?  The one from the Somnium?”

 

“That would be correct,” Aiba stated wearily.  “It is the one from the second Psync.  The one where Iris and Ota were killed by the ice cutting machine.”

 

“Shit.  How far away am I?”

 

“Estimated time until you arrive is thirty-five minutes.  Rush hour traffic is at it’s peak and there seems to be no short cuts to trim down your time,” Theia spoke up.

 

“Goddamnit!  We have to make it!  How did this even happen?”

 

“Futa was surprised from behind.  Saito was already waiting there with a metal pipe and some sort of drug to knock him out.”

 

“A mental pipe?”

 

“Correct.  According to the security camera footage, he arrived in a vehicle registered to Shoko Nadami.  He exited the vehicle and located Futa’s car, which was parked next to Renju’s.  The vehicle was unlocked and there was a pipe in the backseat of the car.  Saito saw it and removed it from Renju’s vehicle.  That was the weapon he then used to strike Futa.”

 

“Fucking shit.  Mizuki must have tried to take that damn pipe to school again and Ren made her leave it in the car.  And why the hell did he leave his doors unlocked?  I told him to knock that shit off!”

 

“Date, calm down.  You need to concentrate on driving and making to Pewter on time,” Aiba’s calm voice permeated his thoughts.  “I have also contacted Boss while you and Theia were talking.  She was back at the precinct, but she is now on her way as well.”

 

“That’s not any closer.  Hell, I might make it there before she does.  Can one of you call Ren and connect me?  I need to see if he can cash in a favor with Moma…”

 

 

 

 

 

Renju crouched down in the parking garage, feeling a weight settle in the pit of his stomach.  Pewter’s visor and cell phone were on the ground, mere feet from where his car was parked next to Renju’s own.  Something was wrong, seriously wrong.

 

Not knowing what else to do, he put the visor on over his own glasses and watched as it powered back up.  “Theia!  Theia, are you there?  Please say something, what happened to Futa?!”

 

“Renju, I am here.  Please wait, I am also connected to Kaname via Wadjet.  Let me bring him through, he needs to speak with you.”

 

Renju pocketed Pewter’s cell phone and got into his own vehicle, starting the car and making his way out of the garage.  He had to get to Pewter, wherever he was.  Even though he didn’t know exactly what happened, he had a feeling.  He just hoped he was wrong.

 

“Ren, can you hear me?” Date’s voice sounded through the speakers over his ears.

 

“Yes, I can hear you.  What happened?”

 

“Start heading towards your building in the warehouse district.  Pewter’s there.  Saito ambushed him in the parking garage and brought him there.  I don’t know what he is going to do, but it can’t be good.”

 

“Oh God!” Ren whispered, his breath catching in his throat.

 

“Renju, eyes on the road.  You won’t help the situation by causing an accident.” Theia this time.

 

“I…I….how?  Why?”

 

“Like I said, Saito got him from behind.  Stole Mizuki’s pipe out of the back of your car.  Which by the way, stop leaving the fucking thing unlocked.  Jesus Ren, you’re too fucking scatterbrained for your own good!”

 

“Now is not the time Date!  We need to focus on getting to Pewter.  Petty squabbles can wait until everyone is safe,” Aiba spoke next through the visor.

 

“Right, right, I’m sorry.  This isn’t the time,” Date immediately backed down, his voice strained with emotion.  “Ren, can you call Moma?  I’ve got Boss on the way, but we can use all the backup we can get.”

 

“Ummm, yes, that’s fine, I-I can call him.”

 

“If you are ok with it, I can disconnect Aiba and Date and use this open line to reach Moma.  You just concentrate on driving.”

 

“Yes, thank you Theia,” Renju politely replied, not sure how his brain was even able to form words at the moment.  This couldn’t be real, it had to be some sort of nightmare.  They had all been so careful.  Renju constantly staying on guard and keeping an eye on his surrounding.  The Kumakura’s watching over Hitomi and Iris.  Even Date was being more vigilant and making sure he paid attention.

 

How could they have taken for granted that Saito wouldn’t change up the narrative?  This wasn’t the same as the dream he had witnessed first hand on the computer screen in Psync control room.  Everything was different, the fact that he was alive being proof of that.  No, they were all smart enough that they should have realized something like could have happened.  Would likely happen.

 

Renju hit the steering wheel in frustration, feeling tears pricking the back of his eyes.  He should have walked Pewter back to his car.  Insisted that he accompany his boyfriend even after he told him he would be fine.  He wanted the other man to be able to properly say goodbye to Hitomi and Iris.  And he had said that since they drove separately anyway, it didn’t matter if they left at different times.

 

Pewter planned to go home and cook up dinner for him and Mizuki, stating it would be nice to actually all sit down and have a meal like a real family.  The last two nights had been hectic with him finishing the nanomachine and they had just opted for take-out.  But that evening they would have had their first dinner together, Renju picking Mizuki up from Matsushita Diner where she had asked to go after school.  But now…

 

He pushed those thoughts from his head as he heard the open dial tone and then the rapid keying of numbers before it started to ring.  Moma answered after the third one, his gruff “Yeah” the only thing he said.

 

“Moma, it’s Renju.  I really need your help, it’s an emergency.  Meet me at the Okiura Fishery building.  And bring a gun.”

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

I have been waiting to write this part of the story and am so happy to finally be here! Unhinged!Saito is best Saito and I love getting to explore his character. It's especially fun with him still being in Shoko's body because imagining her going unhinged is just incredible.

I have plans for where I want to go with Saito's brain disorder that definitely go deeper and diverge from canon. So much was never explained, but then the things that were, left some pretty big questions for me. Th biggest being that Date went an entire year without Aiba or being regulated, so how was he able to be just fine and working as an officer for ABIS? It would follow that he should have the same murderous impulses as Saito given the fact that he now has his brain.

The only thing that happens is a few instances of him getting really angry and Aiba following up with quip about increasing his dosage. Which makes sense, but then why didn't he go on a violent bender during that first year when he wasn't medicated at all? It's possible he did, but I find it hard to imagine that it just wasn't ever brought up.

That thought just kept bothering me and it finally led me to where I'm headed now. I hope everyone is enjoying the story and where it is headed. As always, please leave a comment if you are liking it. I live for them! Thank you!

Chapter 17

Pewter groaned, a sharp pain to his head immediately bringing him back to consciousness.  He felt his hair pulled tight, scalp burning as the hand tightened it’s grip and tugged.  The concrete scraped against his back as he was slowly dragged.

 

Wait, something wasn’t right.  His hair wasn’t long enough to use as leverage to move his body, so how was this possible?  He blinked his eyes several times, the drugs still in his system making it feel like slow motion.  He couldn’t quite focus, but he thought he could barely make out a red glow before a door shut and he was outside.

 

“Wha…” his voice came out sluggish…and higher pitched.

 

Pewter forced his eyes to look down, watching his unmoving legs as they lifelessly passed over the cement ground.  His legs that were clad in black tights and delicate heels.  No, not his legs, Shoko’s.

 

“No…st…stop…”

 

“Waking up again so soon?” his own voice asked back, though there was a slight edge.

 

Pewter grunted as Saito pulled on his hair even harder, headed back into the cold storage warehouse.  “How?”

 

“Hmmmm?”

 

“How…am I…in…?”

 

“Oh this?” Saito asked with a laugh, pulling Pewter straight up to stare into his own face.

 

It was wrong.  So completely and utterly wrong.  The warmth and kindness was gone; his eyes shown with a manical glee.  Saito was enjoying this, watching Pewter squirm.

 

“ You should know better than anyone what’s happened.  This was your machine after all.”

 

“But…why is it…here?”

 

“Why not?  My father owns several of these buildings and the one right next door happens to be vacant at the moment.  The perfect place to hide the machine.  And how convenient that this building happens to have a wonderful way to kill you.  It really was quite the lucky find.  I was just going to let you freeze to death, but I couldn’t resist getting that saw up and running.”

 

“You were…always going to…switch, weren’t…you?”

 

“Of course.  I still have to kill Okiura.  And this way will be so much sweeter,” Saito said as he hoisted Pewter into his arms and laid him on the ice cutting table.  “I can’t wait to see the betrayal in his eyes when you kill him.”

 

Saito leaned forward, lips brushing over Pewter’s ear as he spoke.  “I still have a few of your base memories you know.  Maybe I’ll take that…ring you have hidden.  Give him one last happy memory, make all his dreams come true.  Then, Bam!” Saito slammed his hands down on table for emphasis, the sound reverberating loudly through the room.

 

Pewter cringed away, the vibrations making his entire body ache.

 

“Yes, I think I quite like that idea.  I’ll propose to him, then when he’s at his absolute happiest, I’ll stab him straight in the heart.  Rather poetic, don’t you think?”

 

“You’re a monster!” Pewter hissed, trying to reach out and grab Saito but his body refused to listen.

 

“I am, but unfortunately for you, I’m not the only one.”

 

“What do you…mean?”

 

“Nothing you need to worry about, you’ll be dead,” Saito said as he stepped away, moving over to the controls behind Pewter’s head.  He let out a hiss as he raised his left arm, quickly lowering it again.  “Hmmm, maybe I shouldn’t have stabbed you…”

 

“You won’t get…away with this.  Date and Ren…they’ll…find out…”

 

“And so what if they do?  You’ll still be dead and nothing will bring you back.  By the time they figure it out, your body will-“  Saito cut himself off with a violent cough, puffs of air billowing out like smoke.

 

Pewter looked up just in time to see his body double over, one hand firmly over his mouth while the other clutched his chest.  “Something the matter?”

 

“Wha-what did-,” Saito wheezed, drawing in a ragged breath and starting a new coughing fit.

 

Pewter grinned, finding the strength to prop himself up on an elbow and look down at his own body struggling to breath.  “Sorry, it must have…slipped my mind.  I have asthma.”

 

Saito looked up at him, his eyes burning with intensity.  He tried to lunge forward, probably to lash out at Pewter again, but all he succeeded in doing was tumbling completely to the ground.  His breath rattled in his lungs as every inhale became obviously more painful.

 

“Looks like you chose the wrong body,” Pewter said, rolling to the side and sliding off the table.

 

If he could knock Saito out, maybe he could get him back to the Psync machine and perform another swap.  It would be hard considering Shoko’s small frame and the sedative still coursing through his veins, but he had to do something.

 

He crawled forward, his upper body willing to work more than his lower at the moment.  Saito was still preoccupied trying to just draw in steady breaths, so he didn’t know Pewter was creeping over.

 

Not wasting any more time, Pewter grabbed his own body from behind, using the crook of his elbow to wrap around Saito’s neck.  He applied as much pressure as he could and used other arm to hook his hand in place, giving Saito no leverage to get out of the tight grip.

 

He just had to hold on long enough to get Saito to pass out, and with the lack of oxygen due to the asthma attack, it shouldn’t be that long.  He only hoped his strength wouldn’t give out before then.

 

 

 

 

 

Date slammed on the breaks, screeching to a stop and not even bothering to turn the car off before he shot out of the vehicle.  Right behind him was Renju’s obnoxious mid-life crisis white convertible, the top up due to the fall weather.  Not that it mattered since the man never locked his vehicle.

 

“You didn’t lock yours either Date,” Aiba’s voice sounded inside his head.

 

“Not the time Aiba.  Also, stop reading my thoughts.  It’s an invasion of privacy.”

 

“Please believe that I have no desire to read your thoughts.  Not when most of them center around whatever new hostess you’ve taken an interest in.  Also, you are broadcasting so loudly that even Theia can probably hear you.  And she cut the connection.”

 

Date ignored Aiba for the moment, running over to Renju as the older man got out of his vehicle.  “No way, stop.  You’re not going in.”

 

“You can’t stop me Date,” Renju ground out running past the detective.

 

Date threw his hand out, catching Renju by the upper arm and stopping him dead in his tracks.  “Seriously Ren, Saito is dangerous.  We don’t know if he has a gun or if someone else is in there helping him.  I’m going in but you need to wait here for Boss and Moma.  I can’t risk you getting hurt.”

 

“And I’m not willing to risk something happening to you or Futa.  I’m coming with you.  I can help!”

 

“How?  You don’t know how to fight and I doubt you’ve ever fired a gun.  Blood makes you physically sick.  So how are you going to help me?  You’ll be in the way and I won’t be able to concentrate,” Date said gruffly, letting go of Renju’s arm and walking quickly towards the cold storage warehouse.

 

He hadn’t meant to come off as rude and uncaring as he did, but Renju had to know that he would be a liability.  He wasn’t a police officer.  He had no formal training.  If Saito had any sort of ranged weapon, Renju could be dead before he even made it past the door.

 

Date, due to Aiba, could predict the trajectory of the bullet and dodge accordingly.  Renju had nothing like that to assist him, except…

 

He turned back once more, halfway to the building and saw Renju just standing there, staring towards his father’s former warehouse.  He was wearing Pewter’s visor, fitting almost perfectly over his actual glasses.

 

If he has the visor, that meant he had Theia.  And Theia would be able to watch out and protect him just like Aiba.  It wasn’t perfect, but it was more then what he would normally have. And it would certainly make the detective feel better about his best friend following after him.

 

“Fine, hurry up.  Let’s go rescue your boyfriend.”

 

Renju’s head perked up at that, eyes hopeful but still not moving.

 

“Come on Ren or I’m leaving you behind.”

 

That was all it took, Renju taking off in a run.  Date was thankful the man had forgone his suits for once.  Instead wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers.  He must not have been planning to go into work after his visit to the hospital.

 

At least now though, he would be able to freely move and wouldn’t be constricted.  Plus the dark colors would help him hide and blend in amongst the shadows if it came down to it.

 

Date threw up a hand, causing Renju to stop right behind him.  He brought a finger to his lips, locking eyes with his best friend and making sure he understood his signal to be quiet.  Renju nodded.

 

“I’m going to open the door quickly,” Date whispered.  “As soon as I head in, I want you to immediately go left and duck down.  Pull your hood up as well, it will be harder for him to see you if he can’t catch your hair.”

 

Renju listened and swiftly pulled the hood up, the blonde disappearing under the dark material.

 

“If I get a clear shot at Saito, I’m taking it.  I’ve got Evolver loaded with stun rounds, just in case he tries to use Pewter as a shield at the last minute.”

 

“Evolver?” Renju whispered back.

 

Date nodded and removed his gun from the holster under his arm.  “This.  Another of your boyfriend’s genius designs.  The stun rounds work just like a taser.  It will weaken him and knock him out, but it won’t kill him.  We can worry about that after Pewter’s safe.”

 

Renju didn’t say anything, eyes moving forward to watch the door, his body subtly shaking with adrenaline.

 

“Ok, let’s go!”

 

Date pushed the door to the side and raced in, Renju on his heels and then instantly dashing to the left and dropping behind a floor to ceiling shelving unit.  The warehouse was dark and the temperature instantly made his teeth chatter.  He clamped his jaw shut and raised Evolver, scanning the room.

 

“Date!  There!  Two o’clock!”

 

He barely registered the words, seeing Shoko’s shock of blue hair in the dark as she choked the life out of Pewter by the ice cutting machine.  He could hear the gray haired man’s strangled breaths, his hands clawing at her iron grip.

 

Date didn’t hesitate, taking aim and firing a shot directly into Saito’s back.  Shoko’s voice rose from his throat, a loud yelp of pain and then he was quiet, twitching on the floor, but otherwise still.

 

Renju ran over immediately, shoving Shoko away and pulling Pewter into his lap.

 

“Futa?  Can you hear me?  You’re going to be ok!”

 

Pewter looked like he barely heard anything, still gasping and struggling to draw air into his lungs.  Coughs rattled out of his chest, reminding Date way too much of the Psync a few days prior.

 

“Futa?” Renju asked, concern in his voice before his eyes widened in realization.  “Shit!  Do you have a rescue inhaler?”

 

Pewter didn’t answer, desperately trying to suck as much oxygen into his body as possible.  Renju quickly started patting down his boyfriend, hands running over his suit jacket and checking the pockets before finally pulling his hand out from the one inside.  His hand held a red plastic inhaler with a white cap.  He pulled the cap off and gave the cylinder a shake before bringing it to Pewter’s lips.

 

“On three, breathe in as deeply as you can.  One…two…three.”  Renju pushed down on the metal bottle inside the plastic case, the medicine being administered in a small puff.  “That’s good, hold your breath as long as you can…another couple of seconds…good…exhale.”

 

Pewter let his breath out in a huff and Date watched the action repeated once more.  Renju administering another dose of the medicine all while holding the man he loved close.

 

His breathing was starting to settle down and he could see the engineer beginning to relax in the smaller man’s arms.

 

Date slowly let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, the white puffs flowing out like smoke before dissipating.

 

“Date, you may wish to do something about Saito.  He won’t stay like that forever.”

 

As if to confirm that Aiba’s words were true, Shoko’s body started to move, her voice issuing a broken groan.

 

“Ren, your choice here,” Date said as he raised Evolver to point directly at Saito.  “I can stun him again and when Boss gets here, we take him back to precinct and get some bogus charges against Shoko to make sure he goes to prison for life.  Or…I tell Boss there was a struggle and unfortunately I had no choice but to shoot.  Then we never have to worry about him again.”

 

Renju briefly looked down at Pewter, the man he loved, the man that was doing everything in his power to save him from the fate that he himself almost met.  As long as Saito was still alive, even from prison, they would never be able to truly rest.  To have peace.  To feel safe.

 

“Kill him Date.  Let’s end this.”

 

“Wai…” Shoko’s voice whispered, unable to fully form the word.

 

Date’s gun clicked, the chamber moving to the live round he had loaded.  He leveled the gun at Shoko’s head.  “Last chance, you sure?”

 

Renju clutched Pewter tighter.  “Do it.”

 

 

 

 

 

Moma quickly jumped out of his truck, grabbing the rifle off the front seat and barreling towards the open door to Okiura Fishery.  Boss was hot on his trail, her motorcycle parked diagonal behind his truck, her helmet forgotten on the ground.  Her heels clicked quickly across the pavement, perfectly keeping pace.

 

She had her own gun drawn, but it wasn’t anything Moma had ever seen before.  It had a longer barrel than most handguns and there was a strange blue light coming from it, almost as if it were electric in some way.

 

He didn’t have time to question it though; Date and Renju were already there, judging from the other vehicles parked on the dock.  He also noticed Shoko’s little black sports car.  This was getting complicated.

 

Pushing all other thoughts from his mind, he ran headlong into the cold storage warehouse, paying little attention to anything else.  He knew it was stupid, one of the few things his brother had drilled in him from an early age was to always be aware of his surroundings.  To always watch his back.  Not paying attention could put himself and his whole crew at risk.

 

If nothing else, he was confident that Boss could take care of herself.  He didn’t have to worry about her getting hurt due to his sloppiness.

 

His eyes took a moment to adjust to the lack of light; it was mostly dark outside by now, but it was still difficult to see in a building with next to no light.  The little that shown from the floodlights in the ceiling did little but cast shadows everywhere.

 

He heard Date and Renju before he saw them, the blonde detective asking if he was sure about something and the equally blonde pseudo-Yakuza member replying with an icy “Do it.”

 

The click of a gun echoed through the large space and that finally drew Moma’s attention, he eyes focusing on Date’s back and Shoko’s prone body on the ground in front of him.  Her hand was outstretched, reaching forward as if she could stop him.

 

“Burn in hell Saito,” Date growled out.

 

“Stop!”

 

Date startled, whipping around and pointing his gun directly at Moma.

 

“Hold up, wait!  It’s me!” Moma said, holding his hands up, one clutching the barrel of his rifle and holding it in a way that showed he was not a threat.

 

“Damn it Moma!  Don’t sneak up on me, I could have killed you!”

 

“Wait!” Boss exclaimed, coming to a stop beside the Kumakura leader.  “Do you have live rounds in there?”

 

Date looked away, not saying anything as he lowered the gun.

 

“You do!  Why in the hell do you have live rounds Date?  Have you lost your fucking mind?”

 

Boss was beyond angry.  Moma didn’t know the woman that well, but he could tell by the tension in her shoulders and the way her right eye was twitching, that the normally playful and sexually inappropriate woman was now gone.  She was all business and he felt a little bad for the former assassin that was on the receiving end.

 

“Boss, you don’t underst-“

 

“I don’t understand?!” she yelled, incredulous.  “Please tell me what I don’t understand.  Please tell me what would possess you to shoot an unarmed person that is barely conscious!  Saito’s not a threat!”

 

“But he could be!” Date yelled back.  “Don’t you get it?  If I don’t kill him, there’s always the chance he could get out of prison.  Whether he’s released or escapes.  And then what?  I don’t want to live the rest of my life jumping at shadows and neither do they!”

 

Date gestured over to Pewter and Renju, the latter clinging tightly to his boyfriend at the words.  They all knew the nightmare would never be over as long Saito was still alive.

 

“His life or death isn’t for you to decide.  We’re not vigilantes.  If you kill him, where does it end Date?  Huh?  Where do you draw the line?!”

 

“Boss, he is a literal serial killer!  It’s not like I’m just shooting some random unarmed person off the street.  This is me making sure justice is served.”

 

“And what happens the next time justice needs to be served…Hayato?”

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

“You know what it means,” she said lowly.  “You’ve been down this path once before, what’s to stop you from doing it again?  And the next time, I might not be able to save you.”

 

“Using a past I can’t remember against me?  That’s low Boss, even for you.”

 

“Just let the justice system do their job.  We’ll get charges brought up against Saito, in the guise of Shoko Nadami.  I’m sure we can get enough together to get him put away for life.”

 

“Pl-ple…ase…”

 

All eyes immediately turned to Saito.  He was doing his best to try to push up onto his hands and knees, but the stun round had taken it out of him.  His words were slurred and his eyes, or Shoko’s eyes, looked almost glazed.  Moma momentarily thought that was an odd reaction to have to only being tasered, but didn’t let it bother him.  He figured Pewter might have gotten in a good shot before they got there, maybe scrambling his brains a little.

 

“Before this goes any further, there’s somethin’ you all need ta know.  And this might help with the little moral dilemma you seem ta be havin’,” Moma spoke up.

 

“What’s that?” Boss asked.

 

Moma let out a heavy sigh and turned to face Renju, the younger man staring up from his position on the ground.  He hadn’t let go of Pewter once, one arm wrapped firmly around his shoulders and holding him close to his body, while the was placed on his chest.  Knowing what he did now about his subordinate’s boyfriend and his asthma, it was easy to see that Renju was keeping track of his breathing.  Along with the discarded inhaler on the ground, he could take a guess at what had happened before he arrived.

 

“Kid…Renju, Shoko’s still alive.”

 

Renju felt his breath catch in his throat, unable to form words.  Luckily, Moma caught on to the unspoken question in his eyes.

 

“Rohan never died that night.  I just made it seem like he did.  Don’t get me wrong, he might as well be dead.  He’s been in a coma for the last year, life support’s the only thing keepin’ him alive at this point.”

 

“But there was a death certificate and a funeral,” Boss spoke up.  “His death made the news.”

 

“Fake certificate and fake report leaked to the news stations.  I also said I had ‘im cremated so that the lack of body at the funeral made sense.  I know I should have let him die, after all the shit he pulled, but he was my brother.  I figured he wasn’t hurtin’ anybody bein’ in a coma and all, so what difference did it make?

 

“But now I know even in the mental hospital, that was never him.  It was Saito.  And then he somehow lured Shoko there and had her help break him out, all so he could take over her body.  I get now why she was confused and jumped off the roof.  Lucky for her I guess that it didn’t kill her.”

 

“So,” Renju began, his mouth feeling like it was full of tar.  “Shoko’s been alive this whole time?  We could put her back in her body and she would be ok?”

 

“Yeah.  I mean I don’t know nothin’ about how all this body swappin’ shit works, but I can get Rohan’s body wherever you need it.  We have a private ambulance company we use on occasion and they can move his equipment.”

 

“Oh my God!” Renju gasped.

 

“Ren?” Date asked, concern written all over his features as he watched his friend’s eyes widen in shock.

 

Pewter sat up slightly, pushing out of Renju’s embrace to look at his face more closely.

 

“I-I almost…I told you to shoot him…Shoko’s body.  If it had been five seconds sooner…if Moma hadn’t…Oh God, she’d really be dead and…it’d be my fault!” Renju shot up from the ground, hand over his mouth as he ran outside.  The sound of his retching followed soon after.

 

Date made to move after his best friend, but Moma held up a hand.  “It’s fine, I’ve got the kid.  Just make sure he isn’t going anywhere and let me know where you want Rohan delivered to.”

 

“So, we’ll finally be rid of Saito then?” Pewter sat up further, wincing as he did so.

 

The painful grimace didn’t escape either Boss or Date’s notice, and the ABIS leader was by his side in a moment.  “What happened?  Show me what hurts.”

 

“It’s not that bad, trust me.”

 

“Pewter, come on.  What happened?”

 

Pewter let the smallest sigh escape his lips, warm breath turning to vapor in the freezing air.  “He stabbed me, here,” he said, pointing out a tear in his suit jacket.  “The knife was small and he didn’t hit any organs.  It just hurts.”

 

“You’re going to the hospital.”

 

“I’m fine Boss, really.  I just want to go home with Ren.  It’s been a long day and I want to be with the man I love,” he said, deliberately making eye contact with Shoko.

 

“You…bastard…ugh!” she growled out, the sound morphing into a grunt of pain at the last second.  Her hand twitched for a moment and then her head hit the ground, eyes drifting shut.

 

“Sorry,” Date said, placing Evolver back in the holster.  “He was starting to move too much so I stunned him again.  He should be fine.”

 

“Look, I know it’s been a lot today,” Boss began, bringing Pewter’s attention back to her.  “But you need to go to the hospital.  If not for you, than do it for Renju.  And everyone else that loves you.  Get checked out, get a few stitches, maybe a shot of antibiotics.  Then if everything checks out, I’m sure they’ll let you got home.”

 

“Yeah, you know Ren will be right by your side, he isn’t leaving you.  And while you’re at the hospital, we’ll take care of getting Shoko and and Saito swapped.  I can’t say I’m overly fond of the woman, but I’m not leaving her trapped in Rohan either,” Date said, moving to lift Shoko’s now unconscious body into his arms.

 

“Do you want an ambulance or would you prefer I drive you to the hospital?”

 

“Please, no ambulance.  And you don’t have to drive, I’m sure Ren can-“

 

“He’s going to be worried to death about you.  I’ll drive his car and take you both there, then I’ll get a cab back here to get my bike.  Date can handle the Psync.  I’m sure Naoki’s there anyway, so he can help too.”

 

Pewter nodded his head slowly, knowing there was no arguing with Boss.  It didn’t matter anyway, he was exactly where he needed to be.  Now he just had to bide his time and wait for the right moment.  He let a small chuckle escape his lips, a grin forming at the corners.  Things were finally looking up.

Notes:

Yay! Pewter got rescued, sort of. But at least he isn’t dead.

From the beginning I planned on this role reversal between Pewter and Renju. Ren’s been saved from his horrible death in Shoko’s body, but now Pewter is the one stuck with Saito’s mind and no one is aware.

I went back and forth about making it obvious the switch had happened, but I liked the way that knowing adds more suspense so that was the way I decided to go. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!

Please leave me a comment if you liked it and where we are headed. I love reading them and they seriously help me write my ideas out faster because I can’t wait to get the next chapter out!

Chapter 18

Notes:

Next chapter, here we go! Ryuki does feature in this chapter, but still no spoilers for Nirvana. As previously stated, even though he is in this story, I will not be delving in to anything we learned about him in Nirvana. When I started writing this, my knowledge was strictly from the trailer and that's going to continue here. Anyway, please enjoy!

“Naoki, get your ass over here, I need your help.”

 

Naoki sighed without looking up from the computer in the control room, finishing up his report while Ryuki sat next to him and rewatched his Psync footage from before.

 

“Mr. Date!” Ryuki immediately stood up, half running over to the senior agent.  No surprise there, the rookie Psyncer was eager to please everyone.  “What’s going on?  Who is she?”

 

That caught Naoki’s attention, the younger man turning around fully in his chair to face Date, a woman cradled in his arms.  She was stirring slightly, trying to lift her head as her eyes fluttered.

 

He recognized her immediately, the icy blue hair and severe bob the same as the woman who had confronted him in the parking garage several days ago.  And now she was here, being carried into the control room like nothing was wrong.

 

“It’s a really long story and I’ll explain some of it to you, but first, I need her sedated.  She’s starting to wake up.”

 

“What are you talking about?  I’m not just sedating someone.  And what’s wrong with her?  She’s barely conscious as it is,” Naoki said, moving up on the platform to face Date.

 

The blonde Psyncer had a good two inches on Naoki, but it was better than standing in the sunken part of the control room and having to crane his neck up to speak.

 

“Look, I promise I’ll tell you after you make sure she’s sedated.  But I really need you to do this now.  She’s dangerous.”

 

“Where the hell is Amanoma?  Shouldn’t he be authorizing this?  He made it abundantly clear that he’s the one in charge, so I really can’t do anything without his permission,” Naoki half sneered, gesturing to his face.  His nose was still in a splint and even though it was looking a little better, the bruising and swelling hadn’t gone away yet.

 

“Maybe if you’d stop running your mouth…”

 

“Is this supposed to endear me to you?”

 

“Whatever, Ryuki, go get the sedation drugs that are in the lab.  I’m sure I can figure out the dose.”

 

“You idiot,” Naoki grumbled, walking towards the door in the back of the room.  “The only reason I’m doing this is because I don’t trust you not to overdose and kill her.”

 

“Thanks Naoki!  You’re the beeeeeeeeeesssssssst,” Date sang out.

 

Naoki didn’t even dignify that with a response, heading through the door and flipping Date off in the process.  The man really was an idiot.  Which contradicted the fact that he was the best Psyncer they had.  Of the four, well technically five counting Ryuki, Date far exceeded the others in talent and compatibility.  Though he was the only one with an AI Ball so that had to account for some of it.

 

The AI Ball.  He was still pissed that Ryuki’s was just given away.  Especially with it being so close to completion.  Granted, he realized he may have overreacted slightly, but how else was he supposed to act when he wasn’t even consulted before the decision was made?  And now who knew when Amanoma would get around to making another one.  It’s not like he could just go to Akihabara and buy the parts to throw together in an afternoon.

 

He had a copy of the blueprints for the Tama unit, so he knew exactly what it entailed.  For as simple as the sphere looked, it was more complicated than any piece of machinery Naoki had ever seen before.  Even he had to admit he was impressed.  Not that he would ever tell Amanoma that.

 

It’s not like it would do any good to think about the AI Ball, no matter what he wanted, it was gone.  He’d have to wait for Amanoma to get around to making another one, which would put Ryuki further behind.  Sure, they had completed two Psyncs now and the college graduate had talent, there was no mistaking that.  But, it didn’t compare to the ease with which Aiba and Date would get through a Somnium.  

 

Naoki had to constantly coach Ryuki all the way through, whereas Amanoma would just sit back and give reminders every minute.  His Psyncs practically ran themselves.

 

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, the brown locks falling into his eyes momentarily before he brushed them away.  Dwelling wasn’t going to do him any good, it was pointless to spend anymore time on something he couldn’t change.  He needed to get the sedative and then he could send Date on his way.  

 

Opening the door to the small refrigerator, Naoki looked at the various glass bottles inside.  Knowing exactly what he needed, he grabbed one, closed the door, and moved over to one of the counters.  The cabinets with various medical supplies sat above, firmly anchored to the wall.  He took a prepackaged syringe, new gloves, alcohol wipes, and a rubber band to tie on the woman’s arm.

 

He double checked that he had everything he needed before turning back towards the door to the control room.  If someone had told him a year ago he would be working at a secret government facility six stories below ground and possibly performing a less than ethical medical procedure, he would have never believed it.  God, he hoped Date got Kuranushi’s  permission for this…

 

 

 

 

“So, how’s the training going Ryuki?” Date asked as he none too gently laid Shoko’s body across one of the tables near the lockers.

 

Ryuki winced ever so slightly when the woman’s head bounced off the surface, eliciting a small groan.  “Ummm, things are going great!  I’m learning so much from Mr. Endo!”

 

“Really?  From Naoki?  Isn’t he kind of a prick?”

 

“What?  Not at all!  He’s really helped me a lot and he makes sure to point out my mistakes so I don’t make them again.”

 

“I don’t think yelling at you is pointing out mistakes.  Seriously, are you sure you’re ok?  I think if I asked Boss, she could have Pewter take you on.”

 

“I appreciate that Mr. Date, but I’m ok.  I really do like working with Mr. Endo.  He’s tough, but fair.  He doesn’t treat me any differently than he does Kanna.  I know I could learn a lot from Dr. Amanoma too, but he has you and the other two Psyncers, I don’t think that would be fair.”

 

Date watched Ryuki for a moment, trying to see if he let anything slip in the way he held himself or his expression, but nothing changed.  Either he was telling the truth and really didn’t mind working with Naoki, or he was a hell of a good actor.

 

“Why is she on the table?” Naoki asked, his voice holding a hint of exasperation.  

 

“Because my arms were getting tired of holding her up, she’s light but that doesn’t mean I can just stand there forever.”

 

“Did you at least ask Kuranushi about this?”

 

“Yeah, she knows and so does Pewter.  In fact, you’re going to be helping me out with a Psync.”

 

“I’m what now?”

 

“I need you to help me with a Psync.  Well, not me exactly.  I’m not Psyncing.  She is, sort of.  We just have to wait for the other body to get here.”

 

“Body?” Ryuki asked.

 

“Yeah, we’ve got someone else coming here.  Well, being brought here.”

 

“I’m not sticking around for this.  My shift ends in ten minutes and I have plans tonight, so I’ll keep her sedated, but you’ll need to wait for Amanoma for the rest.”

 

“That’s the problem, he’s-“ Date was cut off as Naoki’s phone started ringing.  

 

The brunette turned away, answering the device and moving towards the corner of the room.  “Aya, hey, I was just getting ready to call you…what?…Is everything ok?…Your brother…”

 

“Aya?  Hey Aiba, can you connect to his phone and see who he’s talking to?”

 

“Why?  What reason could you possibly have?”

 

“Well, to start with, we need him here to do the Psync.  I know you can run the machine, but I would still feel better if we had an extra engineer too.  And second, where have we heard the name Aya before?  Not to mention the brother thing.”

 

“Aya?  Aya…hmmmm…wait, in Pewter’s Somnium!  There’s no way though, why would Naoki be talking to Pewter’s sister?”

 

“I don’t know, but what does his phone say?  That’s the easiest way to find out.”

 

“His phone contacts currently have the call listed as Aya Kubo.”

 

“Kubo?”

 

“Yes, but tracing the actual number, it is registered to Ayame Kubo-Amanoma.  He is definitely speaking to Pewter’s sister, but I do not believe he knows it’s her.”

 

“Why is her name hyphenated?  And why does he just have it in his phone as Kubo?”

 

“Unknown.  But perhaps she does not want people to know she is related to the Amanoma’s, so she goes by Kubo.  That was her mother’s maiden name.”

 

“Why wouldn’t she want people to know she’s related to Pewter?  He’s not that weird.”

 

“It’s not Pewter, Date.  It’s their father.  Dr. Kazuki Amanoma.  Don’t you remember what Naoki said to Pewter the other day?  About him only getting this far because of his father’s money.”

 

“Ok, maybe that’s the case, still doesn’t explain why he’s talking to her though.”

 

“Why don’t you ask him?  He just hung up.”

 

Naoki walked back over towards Date and Ryuki, none the wiser to the conversation the former was having in his head.  “Well, it looks like my evening has cleared up.  But before I agree to help with anything, I want to know exactly what I’m getting involved with.”

 

Date raised a blonde brow at that.  “Your date cancel on you or something?”

 

Naoki rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh.  “If you must know, my girlfriend’s brother was just taken to the hospital.  Naturally she is headed to check on him, so our dinner plans have to wait.  Not that it’s any of your business, but it seems to have worked out in your favor.”

 

“Aiba, oh my God he’s actually dating her!  He’s dating Pewter’s sister!” Date’s inner voice was practically cackling with glee.  “I’ve got to tell him, this is too good!  He’s going to totally freak out.”

 

“Absolutely not.  You just got him to agree to help you.  If you tell him that the man that broke his nose and that he cannot stand is his girlfriend’s brother, he might walk out.”

 

“Girlfriend huh?  How long have you been dating?” Date opted for instead.

 

“What does it matter to you?”

 

“Just curious.  I figured you’d want to go to the hospital yourself and check on her brother.  I mean, he’ll probably be your brother-in-law one day, right?” Dated asked, the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly as he tried not to laugh.

 

Naoki either didn’t notice or didn’t care.  “No, we’ve only been together for two months.  I haven’t met her family yet, it’s too soon.  We…wait, why am I telling you this?  We’re not discussing my personal life.  You need to tell me what’s going on with this woman and who this other person is that’s coming here to Psync.  And I want an actual explanation or I’m not helping you.”

 

“Ok, fine.  But sedate her first, she’s starting to wake up.  Then I’ll tell you.”

 

Naoki glanced down, watching the woman’s eyes slowly try to open, the dusty blue lashes fluttering.  A small sound escaped her lips, but the voice was so mumbled he couldn’t make anything out.  

 

Grabbing her arm, he pushed the sleeves of her dress up and tied the rubber band above her elbow.  He slipped the exam gloves on his hands and opened the alcohol wipe, generously rubbing it over the skin in the crook of her arm.

 

“No…pl…ple…ase…”

 

“What?”

 

“Just ignore her.  She’s going to say anything to get you to stop,” Date said, carefully watching.

 

“No…st…op…Na…o…ki…”

 

The brunette hesitated, looking at Date before opening the packaging for the syringe and filling it from the medicine bottle.  

 

“Go on.  I promise I’ll tell you everything once we know she won’t wake up.  She’s too dangerous to keep even slightly awake.”

 

Naoki nodded and pushed the needle against the woman’s pale skin, breaking through immediately and then pushing the plunger down.  The reaction was almost instantaneous, her eyes drifting shut once more and breathing evening out.

 

“Now,” the engineer said, gathering the medical supplies and tossing them into a red trashcan labeled medical waste.  “What’s going on?”

 

 

 

 

 

Saito did his best to patiently wait out the doctors that were tending to him.  Sitting around in a hospital bed was less than ideal, but there was nothing he could do without raising suspicion.  He had protested as much as he could in the back of Renju’s car, but neither Pewter’s boyfriend or Boss would hear anything of it.  

 

And now here he was, confined to a bed with an IV steadily dripping an antibiotic into his veins to ensure that the stab wound he technically gave himself didn’t get infected.  He had since been stitched up and checked over for any other lingering effects.  He knew he was fine, purposely inflicting only so much pain and damage on Pewter as he knew he would be taking the other man’s body.  No point in hurting the engineer so much that he wouldn’t be able to do anything.

 

Stabbing him had been a mistake, he admitted that.  He actually hadn’t planned on it initially, but once the gray haired man made a run for it, he had no choice.  Luckily he knew enough about the human body’s anatomy to guide his knife precisely where he wanted it to go without fear of hitting a major organ.

 

Not that he could tell Okiura that.  It was already bad enough that he had to be in such close proximity to the man so soon after he swapped.  The first several days were the worst, the memories and feelings of the host always the strongest then.

 

Shoko had been a nightmare.  She may have leapt off the roof of the chemical plant, but Saito wasn’t too far off his own self.  Her mental state was borderline unstable.  As soon as he woke up, he had been hit with wave after wave of anxiety.  Her body was practically thrumming with nervous energy.

 

He still didn’t remember how he made it back to her house; perhaps her body’s muscle memory took him straight there.  He had opened the front door, kicked off her heels, and made a beeline for her bedroom, collapsing on top of the soft comforter.  

 

That night he completely lost track of everything.  He didn’t know exactly what time he made it to her house, only that it was dark and he never bothered to turn a single light on.  He laid there for at least ten hours, maybe more, swapping between panic attacks so bad that he thought his heart would explode, and extreme bouts of crying.  Though crying was underplaying the wretched screams that tore through his throat.

 

Saito had never been one for emotions.  His brain disorder kept them all hidden away in the depths of his mind.  He couldn’t remember a single time that he had ever cried as a child, not even when he broke his ankle. It had happened at the ridiculously expensive private elementary school So had sent him to.  He had been playing with a few children and fallen out of a tree, his right ankle snapping on impact.  It hurt, but not nearly as bad as he thought it would.

 

That’s when Saito discovered that in addition to his muted emotions, his pain sensors were off.  Sure, he still felt pain, but not like a normal person would.  Pain, much like his emotions, was dialed down to the point it was almost non-existent.  He could only feel the phantom twinges of severe pain, something small like a scrape or bruise didn’t phase him in the slightest.

 

Naturally with the stigma that would be presented with having a less than perfect son, So kept his doctor visits to a minimum.  There was one mob doctor he trusted more than most, but his father only listened to half the advice he was given.  He denied having Saito go to a therapist, and then flat out refused any sort of drugs that could be used to treat mental health disorders.

 

He was so afraid that the press would somehow catch wind of it and then he would be publicly shamed for something Saito was born with.  Once he was seven, his father eventually stopped taking him to the mob doctor altogether, tired of being told over and over again to get his son help.

 

That was when he found someone new.  Dr. Kazuki Amanoma of the Tokyo Health and Genetics Research Center.  Pewter’s father. The irony was not lost on him that he now occupied the body of his son. 

 

Dr. Amanoma had been kind to Saito, one of the few people that didn’t treat him like a burden.  Probably because So paid well, giving him a little more clout than he had the previous doctor.  Likely due to the fact that he found Dr. Amanoma to be legitimate and more credible.

 

He stayed under his care for the next four years and while there were small improvements, nothing lasted long term.  Thinking back though, he could recall a handful of times he was actually happy.  Or as close to happy as he could be.

 

As Saito came to expect later on in life, nothing good would ever last for him.  Dr. Amanoma had a falling out with his partner and dissolved the practice.  He went off on his own and formed the Amanoma Research Laboratory.  Saito expected that So would follow the doctor that had up until then, helped him in more ways than anyone else previously.

 

But So didn’t keep Saito in his care, unhappy with the lack of progress.  He was seduced by the words of Dr. Amanoma’s former parter, thinking a change of doctor and treatment methods might finally be the answer to curing Saito of his disorder once and for all.  Even now, thinking of that man always sent a chill down his spine.

 

“Love?  Where were you just then?  You’ve been quiet and just staring at the wall.”

 

Saito blinked immediately, turning to face Renju.  He had to be careful, this man knew Pewter better than anyone and he would be the first to catch on if he acted suspiciously.  Zoning out, or more accurately, disassociating, was something he did quite often, though he imagined that Pewter did not have the same problems.

 

“Sorry, I’m still feeling tired from everything.  I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

 

“Futa,” Renju said gently, taking his left hand in both of his and rubbing his thumbs in slow circles.  “You have nothing to apologize for.  I shouldn’t have been rambling on about things that don’t matter right now.  You almost died, tired is probably the least of your problems.”

 

He bent his head down, blonde bangs lightly brushing against his wrist before he felt Renju’s warm lips place a soft kiss against his knuckles.  Saito’s heart sped up at that, a warmth flowing through his entire body as he moved his right hand to cup the older man’s cheek.

 

Renju chuckled to himself as the heart monitor’s steady beeping increased.  “Glad to know your heart still skips a beat when I kiss you.”

 

That brought Saito back to Earth and he quickly moved his hand away, unsure what came over him.  Pewter’s lingering emotions were going to be a problem.  

 

“Are you ok?”

 

“I…” Saito stumbled for a moment, words suddenly hard to form as his mind began to war within itself.  One part of him wanted to grab Renju and hold him tight, craving the warmth of his body pressed against his.  The touch of his skin, the intensity of his gaze, his voice quietly whispering his name.  

 

The other darker part of his mind, the mind that was truly his, wanted to wrap his fingers around Renju’s pale neck and squeeze.  Holding on tightly until he left deep, purple bruises.  Increasing the pressure until he finally stopped moving beneath him, the light gone from his eyes once and for all.

 

“I’m fine,” Saito swallowed, determined not to lose it here of all places.  If he had a mental breakdown like he did when he first swapped into Shoko, the doctors wouldn’t let him leave.  He just had to hold out long enough to get to the apartment, then he could kill Renju and track down Date to get his body back.

 

All of his problems would finally be over once he had his own body, and his own brain, under his control.  He wouldn’t be bound to feelings and emotions any longer.  He could go back to nothing, the way things were supposed to be.

 

“Pewter!”

 

Saito had no time to react before a black blur was suddenly across his chest, holding so tight he could feel nails digging into his upper arms through the hospital gown.

 

“Easy Ayame, remember he got stabbed.”

 

“Right, sorry!” the girl answered, sitting up but not moving off of the bed.  Her green eyes were puffy and he could tell she had been crying.

 

“You didn’t drive here, did you?” Renju asked, worry evident in his tone.

 

“No, I actually asked Amame to drive me over.  Work was slow tonight and since I was scheduled to get off soon anyway, I thought it would be ok.  I hope you don’t mind.”

 

“No, of course I don’t.  I’m glad she was able to drive you over.  I’ll make sure to pay her hours she was scheduled anyway, I don’t want her to miss out on anything.”

 

“Thanks Ren,” Ayame said with a small smile.  “When you called me and…and told me…I…”

 

“I’m ok Aya,” Saito said, wiping a lone tear that spilled out off of her cheek.  “Please don’t cry.”

 

Where did that come from?  Why did he suddenly feel so protective over Pewter’s sister?  Why did seeing her cry make him want to hug her tight and shield her from the world?  This wasn’t good.  He had to get out of this body.  It was overwhelming.

 

“Of course I’m going to cry idiot!  You were kidnapped and almost died!  What would you do if it were me?”

 

The words slipped from his mouth before he could stop them, before he could even think about what he was saying.  “I’d destroy all of Tokyo and kill anyone that stood in my way.”

 

“Futa…?” Renju’s brown eyes were concerned.

 

“What was he drugged with?” Ayame asked, sparing a small glance at her brother’s boyfriend.

 

“A pretty potent mix of tranquilizers and sedatives.  Actually,” he turned his attention back to Saito.  “I think you should stay here for the night.  I’ll stay with you, but if something were to happen, you’d already be here.”

 

“No, I’ll be fine.  It must have just been the last of the drugs still in my system.  I just want to go home Ren.  Please.”

 

Renju looked torn, but Saito was fairly certain that he could convince him to see his way.  After all, this man would do absolutely anything for Pewter.

 

“He’d probably do better back at your apartment anyway,” Ayame mentioned.

 

“But what if something happens?”

 

“Then you call emergency services.  You know how stressed he gets.  He’ll be worse here than at home.”

 

“I am right here,” Saito sighed, a tinge of amusement in his voice.  Why did he find this funny?  Why were the two people he loved most in the world arguing over his health making him want to grin and laugh?  

 

No, not the people he loved.  Pewter loved them.  He had to remember that.  These feelings would fade the longer he stayed in this body, not that he planned on staying longer than he needed to.  But no, he had to keep his mind and Pewter’s separate, else he spiral into a week long episode like he did with Shoko.

 

“Ok, ok,” Renju said as he held his hands up.  “When the doctor comes back as long as he gives you the all clear, we can go home.  But, if you feel anything strange at all, you need to tell me at once.”

 

“I will,” Saito promised, and at the moment, he meant those words.  He couldn’t imagine disappointing the handsome blonde.

 

“Good.  Now Ayame, are you sure Mizuki is ok to stay the night with you?  I’d normally ask Date, but he’s going to be working late and I just don’t want her to be alone.”

 

“You worry too much.  It’s going to be fine.  Mame is staying the night with me too, so we’re going to pick her up from Ota’s place and head back.  I’m fully stocked on ice cream and chips, and we’re gonna grab some sushi and yakisoba on the way home, so don’t worry, Mizuki will have a good time!”

 

“Hmmm, sushi sounds delicious, we should get some too.  I’m starving.”  And Saito found that wasn’t a lie.  Eating regularly was never something he paid much attention to.  Food brought him no joy.  Sure, he had things that he liked to eat, but even then, it wasn’t like he truly enjoyed himself.  He mostly ate to sustain himself and nothing more.

 

But he had been spoiled by Shoko’s body.  For all of her faults, she truly enjoyed sushi and he found himself taking after her.  And now, his stomach was empty and he felt like he could eat five rolls just by himself.  Murdering Renju could wait until he ate something.

 

Renju and Ayame stared at him in shock, his sister’s brows rising almost comically.  

 

“Sushi?  Are you sure you’re feeling ok?” Renju asked.

 

“What?  You don’t like sushi?”

 

“I do, but you don’t.”

 

Saito nervously racked his brain for the answer.  How could Pewter not like sushi?  Did he just not like raw fish?  Did he prefer the cooked rolls that weren’t really sushi but were at least a decent alternative?  No, that wasn’t it.  He had the answer, it was right there…

 

Vegan.  Pewter was vegan.  And Saito had fucked up.  He let out a small laugh., trying his best to play it off.  “I was just joking.  I am hungry though, so maybe we could stop somewhere and get some tofu?”

 

Fucking tofu.  Great.  After he killed Renju he’d find something decent to eat.

 

“Sure, we can get some tofu.  Whatever you want.”

 

He could tell Renju’s suspicions were raised now, but he didn’t believe he had actually caught on.  More than likely he thought the drugs were still messing with his mind.  He just had to not screw up epically until they got back to the apartment.  Should be easy enough.

 

Yeah, he was gonna be screwed.

Notes:

So, I know we don't know how body swapping would actually effect Saito's mind long term, especially because we only spend a few minutes here and there with him any time he has performed a swap. I do believe that he would have more issues than most people due to the fact that he can't feel anything. Going from no emotions to feeling everything at once would have to be jarring. Like someone that is colorblind finally seeing colors for the first time. It would have to be so bright and vivid, and borderline overwhelming.

I wanted Saito's reaction to swapping to be like that. Especially after swapping into someone like Pewter that loves those he cares about so deeply. Saito never had that, so I think it would be really hard for him to sort through those feelings and not be confused.

I really hope everyone liked this chapter! If you did, please leave me a comment! You have no idea how much inspiration they give me to keep going! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 19

Notes:

This one's a long. A little cw though, this chapter deals a lot with various mental health disorders and unhealthy ways of coping. Also, there is talk of child abuse that happened in the past.

Date watched as Naoki sat behind one of the computers, his long fingers deftly moving over the keys as he entered all of the information for the Psync.  Ryuki was sitting next to him, quickly jotting things down in a notebook.  Though the younger man would probably never run the Psync machine, it wasn’t a bad idea to learn the basic functions.

 

Hell, even Date could run the equipment by himself if he had to.  Not that he particularly wanted to as there was too much room for error, but he had the knowledge regardless.

 

Standing off to his left, stood Moma Kumakura, the shorter man watching through the huge observation windows at the scene below.  Shoko’s body was laying prone in the Psyncer’s chair, the steady rise and fall of her chest the only movement from the otherwise still woman.  Naoki had assured him that she would stay unconscious for the duration of the Psync and that once the swap was over with, he could wake her back up with a stimulant.

 

Directly behind her was the body of Rohan Kumakura, the larger man still on the stretcher he had arrived on.  Naoki and Date figured the safer option was to keep him on the stretcher, not wanting to disturb any of the medical equipment or IV line that Dokuta Yogano was currently monitoring.

 

The two men had worked together, along with Ryuki, and quickly removed the screws holding the second chair in place to the Psync machine.  The chair now sat off to the side and Rohan’s body was positioned under the headgear.

 

As soon as Naoki gave the signal, they would be ready to start, but he still seemed to be keying some information into the database.  He knew from watching Pewter that it wasn’t just a simple matter of putting a subject in the chair and diving in; monitors needed to be set up and calibrated for each person that was undergoing the Psync, sedative and stimulant dosages needed to be calculated based on height and weight, not to mention the system itself needed to be up and running at full capacity to ensure that all aspects of the Psync were recorded.

 

And Naoki seemed to be triple checking his work, likely nervous that he had such a large audience.  It probably didn’t help that the leader of the Kumakura’s was there as well.  Naoki had looked like he wanted to faint on the spot when the Yakuza entered the control room.

 

For as much as the brunette engineer liked to run his mouth, Date had never seen him so quiet.  He surprisingly listened to his entire story from beginning to end, not interrupting once.  He never once questioned the body swapping, though Date could see the doubt in his eyes.  Even Ryuki had asked about that, not that Date could blame him.  The newest ABIS member had only performed two actual Psyncs thus far and they had been pretty simple and straight forward in comparison.

 

This was going to be something new for all of them to experience.  Well, technically Date had been the subject of one, but he wasn’t any closer to regaining those memories.  

 

“I think we’re ready to begin,” Naoki said quietly, spinning around in his chair to make eye contact with Date.

 

“So…what’s going to happen?  Is this Saito guy going to be running around Ms. Nadami’s Somnium?” Ryuki asked.

 

Date smiled at the politeness his junior displayed, not missing that it was only directed at Shoko.  The younger man was old enough that he remembered the Cyclops killings, the crime going unsolved to the general public.  It would be hard to find anyone that didn’t know about that, it made national news after all.

 

“I’ve never operated a Psync like this before, but since the the Psyncer is completely unconscious, he shouldn’t be moving around Somnium.  More than likely we will see bits and pieces of Shoko’s Somnium while we wait out the time limit,” Naoki answered.

 

“But how will we see her Somnium if no one is there to explore it?”

 

“You know this Ryuki,” Naoki said with a sigh, but surprisingly there was no bite behind his words.  “Somnium is our gateway to view the dreams that someone has.  Though this body is still in a coma, it has been proven that comatose patients can still dream and have been known to have brief moments of lucidity where they know what is happening around them, even if they can’t interact.  More than likely, we will be viewing whatever dreams Shoko is having.  There won’t be anyone to interact with them, so how they play out is anyone’s guess.”

 

“You think she’ll even be having dreams?  She’s been in a coma for over a year now,” Date said, watching the woman through the window.  

 

He didn’t like Shoko, he never did.  He only spent time with her because of Renju.  After their divorce he thought he would finally be rid of her, but Renju had asked Date to keep seeing her, not wanting his ex-wife to think he had made the younger blonde choose between the two.  Date had tried to explain that he really didn’t want to be around her, but his friend had just sighed and asked him to go out with her on occasion as a personal favor.  Telling him that she really didn’t have too many friends and that he was starting to get worried about the state of her mental health.

 

Not that Shoko had ever been great in that department, but it seemed like the divorce had really taken it’s toll on her.  So much so that Renju actually told him one drunken evening in Marble that he almost didn’t go through with it, afraid that she may do something to herself.  What was with his best friend and dropping bombshells in Marble like that?

 

Now Date didn’t know how to feel.  Sure, he didn’t like her, but he never wished her dead.  He did have to admit though, things would be a lot easier for Mizuki without her toxic mother.  Hell, the past year with Saito parading around as Shoko, the girl barely had to interact with her.  And she had been much happier.  There were moments where she was sad and missed her mother, but most of the time he had provided enough distraction by taking her to that restaurant with the gross looking stew she loved.  Or to Akihabara to buy her one of those Uchikoshi games she enjoyed so much.

 

“It’s possible,” Naoki stated, bringing Date out of his thoughts.  “Like I said, studies have been done on comatose patients and they do dream.  Now, she may not have a dream at all during the time we’ll be performing the Psync.  Or she could have several dreams one after the other.  No one will be interacting so we’ll only be able to watch like it’s a movie.  Everything about this type of Psync is new so I can’t even begin to guess how it will go.”

 

“Could have fooled me.  You actually seem like you have some idea.”

 

“That’s only based off of what you told me with the swapping and from the notes that Amanoma had in the system.”

 

“Pewter had notes on body swapping right in the system?”

 

“No.  He had notes from some Psync he performed on a comatose patient that had been a witness to a murder.”

 

“I don’t remember that one,” Date said, racking his brain for what Psync it could have been.

 

“You wouldn’t.  He was the Psyncer.”

 

Date frowned at that, knowing that in the past Pewter had performed Psyncs himself when there was no other option.  He really wished the man would stop stretching himself so thin.  

 

Well, after he healed up and they were able to put everything with Saito behind them, he would absolutely make sure his friend took a break.  If he had to make Boss put him out on leave so he could actually relax, he would.

 

“Anyway,” Naoki continued on.  “As long as there are no objections, we can get started.”

 

Date shook his head no and turned to look at Moma.  The black haired man kept his gaze on the window, quietly muttering, “Go ahead.”

 

“Ok then.”  Naoki turned back around in his chair, typing in a few prompts before both visors lowered and the machine came to life.  “Here we go.”

 

Date wasn’t sure what he expected, but a black screen with utter silence wasn’t it.  If he didn’t see the constant flashing of lights on the machine and the monitors with the timer going, he would have thought something was wrong and that it was malfunctioning.  It wasn’t until almost three and a half minutes in that a picture finally came in to focus.  The image was projected on what was labeled Monitor 4, but it was also displayed on one of the larger screens on the wall.

 

 

“Mr. Okiura,” an older man in a long white coat began.  “She seems to be suffering from postpartum psychosis.  It’s incredibly rare, but given the fact that she is bipolar, it likely increased her risk of developing it.”

 

“What can we do?” a younger Renju asked, looking at Shoko sitting on the table in the doctor’s office.  She was still, almost too still.  Tears streamed down her face and her breathing would hitch, but she made no sound.  “She can’t live like this.”

 

“There are medications.  Unfortunately, I will have to adjust her bipolar medications as well.  What she’s currently taking are not compatible with what I can prescribe to treat her postpartum psychosis.”

 

Renju sighed loudly at that, a pained expression flickering across his face for a moment.  “But the last time she had to change medication…”

 

“I understand.  Unfortunately it’s not much better than a guessing game when figuring out how different medications will react from person to person.  And her body seems to violently reject most of them.”

 

“She already has nightmares.  Terrible ones.  She tells me that she dreams of giving birth to a monster, a demon covered in black blood that screeches so loud it’s deafening.  It’s almost always that dream or one where I…where I stab her repeatedly and cut the baby out.  Every night she wakes up screaming,”

 

“I wish I could say that I can make it stop, but with postpartum psychosis, this is what I would expect.  Many women relive their birth over and over, but the chemical imbalance in the brain twists it into something frightening and traumatic, even when it wasn’t.  The only good news is that it doesn’t last forever.  It can take up to two years for her hormones to completely regulate back to normal levels, but the medicine will help.”

 

“I’m afraid if this goes on any longer she’ll…” Renju trailed off when Shoko let out a small whimper.  He wrapped his arms around her and let her lay her head against his shoulder.

 

“I understand.  I can also prescribe something to try to help dry up her milk supply, that may help slightly with the hormones she is still producing.  Other than that, just watch her carefully.  Keep track that she is taking her medication the same time every day and if she is having any reaction to it.  If anything changes, call me immediately and I will get you in.”

 

“Thank you doctor.”

 

 

 

“Why?!” Shoko screamed,  hurling the book she had been reading across the room.

 

Renju calmly sidestepped out of the way, the object bouncing harmlessly on the floor.

 

“Why are you always with her?  Why are you helping her raise a child that isn’t even yours?  What about us Ren?  We’re your family!”

 

“Please calm down.  Did you take your medicine today?”

 

“Don’t tell me to fucking calm down!  Why are you with her?  Is she who you want?”

 

“Stop being ridiculous.  You know it isn’t that at all,” Renju said, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Then why are you constantly at her house?  Mizuki and I need you!  If you’re not with her then you’re at the damn office!  I can’t do this on my own!”

 

“You’re hardly on your own,” Renju muttered.  “And Hitomi and Iris need me too.  I can’t just abandon them.”

 

“So you’ll abandon your actual wife and child to go play house with another woman?”

 

“Goddamnit Shoko I need a break from all of this!” Renju snapped before his eyes widened, realizing what he said.

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry that my mental disorder is such a burden to you.”

 

“I didn’t mean it like that-“

 

“Yes you did.  You can try to backtrack all you want, but you meant it.”

 

Renju ran a hand through his blonde hair, tousling the locks so they stuck up at an odd angle.  “Please just take your medicine.  Once you do, you’ll feel a lot better and we can put this argument behind us.”

 

“That’s your answer to everything isn’t it?  Keep me medicated.  Keep me compliant.  Then I won’t cause you any trouble.”

 

“Damnit Shoko!  I’m not worried about you causing me trouble.  But if you act out of your mind around Rohan, he might have you taken care of.  Have you ever thought about that?  And where that would leave Mizuki?  She needs her mother.”

 

Shoko didn’t answer, turning around and walking down the hallway.

 

 

 

“Mama, why doesn’t he love me?” Shoko slurred, cradling her drink to her chest.

 

Mama let out a loud sigh before filling up a glass with seltzer water and squeezing half a lemon in it.  “Here honey,” they said, prying the mostly empty drink out of the blue haired woman’s hand and replacing it with the new one.

 

“No, I don’t want this.”

 

“Doesn’t matter, you need it.  Start getting hydrated now or you’ll hate yourself in the morning.”

 

“You think being hydrated will change that?”

 

“Shoko, sweetie, listen to me.  Getting yourself hung up over that man isn’t worth it.”

 

“That’s surprising coming from you.  You love Ren.”

 

“Yes, I do.  And it’s because I love him and you too, that I’m telling you this.  Sign the papers.  Let him go so you can start healing.  You knew from the beginning that he was never going to love you the way you wanted.  Don’t you want to find someone that actually wants to build a life with you?  That is in love with you?”

 

“But why can’t it be Ren?” Shoko sobbed, laying her head down.  

 

“Because he’s gay honey.  And he always has been.  You can’t change him no matter how much you want to.  Any more than you can be what he wants.”

 

“But I…”

 

Mama placed a warm hand over Shoko’s.  “I know honey.  I know you loved him.  But you deserve more than a loveless marriage of convenience.  And so does he.  And so does that beautiful little girl of yours.  Shouldn’t she see her parents happy instead of fighting all the time?”

 

“Mizuki hates me anyway.  I can’t control my temper and…”

 

“Shoko, are you taking your medicine?”

 

“You too Mama?”

 

“I’m just worried about you.  You know you can’t just stop taking it.”

 

“I have to.  You don’t know how it makes me feel.  I can’t think and things are always fuzzy.”

 

“Shoko…”

 

 

 

“Daddy!  Daddy!  Watch us!” Mizuki giggled, arms waving as her horse circled past Renju.

 

Shoko smiled brightly as she waved with one hand, her other arm wrapped tightly around Mizuki.  They rode past, the merry-go-round keeping it’s steady pace.  

 

“Mommy, this is so fun!” Mizuki’s small voice rang out, her excitement contagious.  

 

“It is fun.  Maybe we can get your dad to go on the ferris wheel with us next.”

 

The ride spun around a few more times before finally slowing to a stop.  Shoko picked Mizuki up and deposited her to the ground, the three year old taking off like a bolt straight towards her father.

 

Renju grabbed the girl and lifted her into his arms, easily holding her against his chest.  “Did my two best girls have fun?”

 

Shoko smiled warmly, walking over to her husband and daughter.  Her eyes shown with a happiness that they very rarely ever did.

 

“How about we grab something to eat?  There’s a diner not too far from here.”

 

“Ferris wheel Daddy!”

 

“Hmmmm?”

 

“How about one more ride?  The three of us,” Shoko said softly.

 

“You know I don’t do well with heights…”

 

“Please Daddy!”

 

“Just one time Ren.  Think of what a nice memory this will be for Mizuki when she gets older.”

 

“If she even remembers.  She’s still so young.”

 

“That’s why we have the pictures.  Oh, look!  Let’s sit her on that panda and ask that man to take a picture of all of us!”  Shoko ran off before Renju could say a thing, smiling brightly.

 

 

 

“Renju, this is Shoko Nadami, I want you to show her the ropes.  I’m thinking we start her out as a courier,” Rohan said, gesturing to the petite girl standing in the middle of the room.  He stood in front of his desk, Moma right by his side.

 

A teenage Renju looked at the girl, adjusting his glasses before calmly asking, “How old is she?”

 

“Sixteen.”

 

“Wh-what?  But she’s so-“

 

“Young?  And?  I don’t give a shit.  Her parents owed me.  I told ‘em interest or her.  You can see what they chose.”

 

“But she-“

 

“Don’t start talking back kid.  There’s a lot worse things I could have done to a little thing with such pretty eyes…”

 

Renju swallowed hard at that.

 

“Come on Rohan, no need to scare the kids.  Let Ren look out for her and I’m sure he can have her ready to go in the next few weeks.”

 

“Ren?  When’d you two get so close runt?”

 

Moma laughed, trying to keep the mood light.  “I’m not, he’s just a kid, so I gave him a kid nickname.  It’s nothin’.”

 

Rohan narrowed his eyes at his brother before turning his attention back to Renju.  “You’ve got till the end of the week.  I already have an assignment for her.  If she fucks up, it’s on you.  Now get her out of here.”

 

Renju nodded before quickly bowing at the waist, grabbing Shoko’s hand and pulling down.  She got the message, bowing next to him before being led out of the room.

 

“You ok?” he asked as they walked down the hall, her hand still in his.

 

Shoko nodded once.

 

“I’m really sorry you got involved in this.  I’ll help you however I can, but you’ve got to be willing to do the work.  Rohan won’t hesitate to…take care of you if you mess up.”

 

“I understand,” she answered quietly.

 

“Ok, good.  That’s good.  Let me buy you some lunch, and then we can get started.”

 

Shoko smiled ever so slightly.  “Thank you…Renju.  Is it ok for me to call you that?”

 

“Yeah, we’re the same age practically.  It’d be weird otherwise,” he said with a small laugh.

 

“Ok Renju, thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome…Shoko.”

 

 

 

 

“Renju stop!  You can’t!” Shoko yelled, tears streaming down her face as she tried to hold on to the blonde’s arm.

 

He easily pulled out of her grasp, his own face a mask of grief as he looked at her.  “He killed Manaka!  I have to make him pay.”

 

“You don’t know that for sure!”

 

“I saw him burying the body!  H-he pulled out her eye!  I-I…”

 

“I understand that,” Shoko said as calmly as she could, trying to control the waver in her voice.  “But you didn’t see him kill her.  He could have been covering it up.”

 

“If it wasn’t Rohan, than it had to be So.  I’ll kill them both if I have to,” he answered nonchalantly as he held the gun up in his right hand.

 

“Have you lost your mind?  You can’t kill them.  And even if you do, do you think that you’ll just get to walk away?  You’ll be the next one with a target on your back.”

 

“Moma will probably thank me.”

 

Shoko slapped Renju hard across the face, the crack echoing in the small living room.  “Stop trying to joke about this!  I know you loved Manaka.  I know you did!  But would she want you to go get yourself killed?”

 

“Don’t bring her up!  You’ve always been jealous of her and Hitomi!  What right do you have to speak her name and tell me what she would have wanted?!”

 

“I know she loved you Ren!” Shoko was screaming at this point, not caring if their neighbors heard them or not.  “And if she loved you half as much as I do, then she would do whatever she could to save you!  She wouldn’t want you to die avenging her!  Can’t you see that?”

 

“But what if they go after Iris?” Renju whispered so softly that Shoko barely heard him.

 

“Does Rohan know she gave birth?  Or So?”

 

“I don’t…think so.  She still looks…looked pregnant.”

 

“Then as long as we keep her hidden away, they should never know.”

 

“But how do we do that?  Manaka’s family disowned her after she got pregnant out of wedlock, so they won’t take the baby.  And we can’t take her, how would we suddenly explain adopting an infant child after the family head covered up the murder of a woman that was nine months pregnant?”

 

“What if Dr. Yogano issued a birth certificate?  No one would question that.”

 

“And how would we explain that?  No one would believe you just had a baby.”

 

“Not me…Hitomi.”

 

“What?  You want to put this on Hitomi?  I can’t do that to her!”

 

Shoko sighed softly, moving over to take the gun out of Renju’s hand and sit it down on the hall table.  “Who else would you trust to raise that little girl?  To protect her?  Besides us, there’s no one we can go to.  The only other option would be to leave her at the hospital.  And then who knows who would get her.”

 

“Let’s just say Hitomi agrees-“

 

“She will.”

 

“Fine.  Hitomi agrees.  How exactly do we use the Kumakura’s doctor to do this without Rohan finding out?  Nothing gets done without him being in the know.”

 

“We go to Moma.  No way he’d let a baby suffer.  And it wouldn’t be the first time he’s helped me keep things from his brother.”

 

Renju raised his eyebrow at that, but Shoko didn’t elaborate further.

 

“Come on Ren, let’s go talk to Hitomi.  If there’s anyone in this world that can convince you your idea was stupid and this is the way to go, it’s her.”

 

 

 

 

“Shoko, I need to talk to-Jesus are you drunk?  It’s ten in the morning.  And you’re at work.”  Renju walked into Shoko’s fancy office at the real estate firm she worked at, taking in her disheveled look and half empty bottle of saki sitting on the desk.

 

“What do you care?” she growled out.

 

“I need to talk to you about something important and you need to be sober for it.”

 

“We don’t have anything to discuss.”

 

“We share a daughter Shoko, that’s going to tie us together for the rest of our lives.  And Mizuki is what I need to talk to you about anyway.”

 

“Then say your piece and get out.”

 

“Come on Shoko, it doesn’t have to be this way.  We should be able to get along for Mizuki’s sake.  Our divorce has been really hard on her.”

 

“Well I’m so sorry to be the cause of even more problems.”

 

“If you would just take your medicine-“

 

“Always the same thing with you,” Shoko slurred, taking a large drink straight from the bottle and setting it down with a loud thud.  “Take your medicine.  Let it make you a zombie.  Let it make you see things.  Let it make you have nightmares.  As long as you’re quiet and don’t cry or show any emotion, we’re all happy.”

 

“That’s not it at all.  Are you having trouble with your medicine again?  We can get you in with the doctor, change it-“

 

“You lost the right to care or get involved in my personal life when we divorced.”

 

“Just because we’re divorced doesn’t mean I stopped caring Shoko.”

 

“Well you should have.  Get out of my office, I’m done with this conversation.”

 

“No, I still need to talk to you.  I’m not leaving.”

 

“Then spit it out Renju!  I’m busy and I have work to do.”

 

“Clearly,” Renju snorted.

 

“If you’re just going to be sarcastic, then go.  I want to be left alone.”

 

Renju took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “I’m sorry, let me start again.  I want to talk to you about Mizuki.  I think it would be best if she went to live with Date for a while.  Maybe a year, or longer.  I don’t know.  But this thing we have now, her going back and forth between us isn’t working.”

 

“You do realize this is what divorced couples do, right?  Joint custody means that a child has to go back and forth.  She stays with you sometimes and then she stays with me.”

 

“And when she’s with you all you do is yell and scream.  And I know you’ve hit her before, when you have one of your really bad manic episodes.  Or she’s left all alone while you’re at work.”

 

“As opposed to how you pawn her off on Hitomi while you work all day long and then spend half the night at clubs looking for new talent?”

 

“That ‘new talent’ is what kept us in the very nice lifestyle that we lived.  I can’t just hope the next hit group shows up at my office.  I have to work for what I have, and that means going out at night.  And I don’t like leaving Mizuki by herself, so Hitomi helps out.”

 

“Of course she does.  Hitomi, patron saint of orphaned children and broken men.  Thank God for her,” Shoko sneered.

 

“I should have known talking to you was a bad idea.  I can have Mizuki taken away from you, you know.  But I wanted to be decent.  To respect you as her mother.  I didn’t want to have to get lawyers involved and have your rights terminated.  But if you force my hand, I will.  You know as well as I do that Mizuki will be better off with Date.”

 

Shoko took another drink from the bottle, her glazed eyes meeting Renju’s for a moment before looking away.  “Do what you want.  She hates me anyway.  If Date thinks he can do such a great job, then let him.  He can have her.”

 

“This isn’t forever Shoko.  And it’s not like we won’t see her.  But Mizuki needs more than what we can give her.  And Date is a good man.  He has a steady job, he’s great with her, and most importantly, he can protect her if something ever happened.”

 

“I agreed, now get out.”

 

Renju hesitated for a moment, looking like he wanted to say something else, but just shook his head.  He turned around and walked quickly out of her office, closing the door softly behind him.

 

Shoko waited a few seconds, making sure he wouldn’t come back before opening the drawer on the right side of her desk.  Shuffling a few papers around, she pulled out a small framed photo.

 

Holding it tightly, she let her tears fall silently, hitting the glass and slowly falling to the bottom of the frame.  It was the picture from Bloom Park.  All three of them smiling brightly for the camera.  Renju’s arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close to his side.  Mizuki happily sitting on top of a small coin operated panda ride, both arms thrown up in the air.

 

“Mizuki…my sweet girl…I’m so sorry…”

 

 

 

The screen went black again, the image cutting out.

 

“What happened?” Date asked, watching the timer.  It had just hit six minutes, the alarm on the monitor going off momentarily before Naoki silenced it.

 

“She stopped dreaming.”

 

“Why?  And why did it jump around like that?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“It looked like it started right after they had Mizuki and then they were a little older and then it was right before the divorce.  And after that Mizuki was little again, then Shoko and Ren were teenagers.  It was all over the place and didn’t make any sense.”

 

“Date, it’s a dream.  Or her memories that she is dreaming of.  But people don’t dream in chronological order.  I’m honestly surprised that they were as clear as they are.”

 

The room was quiet after that.  Date absorbing the information he had seen from Shoko’s dreams, Moma’s gaze still transfixed on his brother’s body that would soon contain the mind of a serial killer, and Ryuki trying to watch everything at once.

 

“How long should we wait until we turn the machine off?” Ryuki asked as another alarm went off signaling the Psync had now hit seven minutes.

 

Just as before, Naoki closed out of it, silencing the shrill sound.  “I’m going to stop it at eight minutes.  That should be adequate time for this to work.  If it works.”

 

“It will work,” Date said.  “Trust me.”

 

The silence was back, Date watching the seconds tick by along with Naoki and Ryuki.  Everything was going by in slow motion as he tried to piece together what he had just witnessed.

 

He knew Shoko was bipolar, Renju had told him that before.  He never went into too much detail, only telling him that it was particularly difficult when she would come off of her medication.  That was when she would become increasingly unstable.  Her mood changing rapidly and even causing violent outbursts on occasion.  

 

That was the biggest reason his best friend had asked him to take Mizuki in, he was going to try to get her the help she needed.  But seeing those dreams in her Somnium, it looked like there was a lot more to the story then he has initially been told.

 

He was going to have to talk to Ren about this.  Especially now that Shoko, the real Shoko, would be back.  Even after Date had taken custody of Mizuki, Shoko would still see her a few times a month.  He should have noticed right away that something was off when she just stopped visiting suddenly.

 

But he hadn’t.  And neither had Renju.  They both chalked it up to her finally giving up altogether.  But in reality, she had been stuck in a never ending nightmare that she couldn’t wake up from.  Shoko wasn’t a great person by any means, but even she didn’t deserve this.

 

Once she woke up and was coherent enough to understand, Date would have a talk with her.  Maybe it would be better coming from him anyway.  Shoko always did seem to open up to him, just like Renju.  

 

He smiled ever so slightly at that, wanting to laugh at how alike they were in that regard.  If the two of them could just get their shit together and stop all the arguing, maybe they’d stand half a chance of being decent parents.  Renju was already on his way there, with help from Pewter, so maybe, Shoko had a shot at it too.

 

“Ok, that’s time, I’m shutting it down.  Let’s go wake her up.”

 

Notes:

Well, that was a ride, huh?

As I played the first game, I kept thinking back to Shoko and how she was with Mizuki. She honestly exhibited a lot of classic symptoms of postpartum depression that had later turned into depression as Mizuki got older. This in no way excuses anything she did, but as someone that went through postpartum depression first hand, so much of this made sense. Mine was very different from Shoko's in that I couldn't stand being separated from my daughter and always had a "bad feeling" hanging over my head.

But postpartum depression can manifest in many different ways. The worst of which is postpartum psychosis. Obviously this isn't canon and it's never been stated that this is why Shoko acted like she did, but for my purposes and for telling the much broader story I have planned, this is why she was that way.

Again, making it perfectly clear that nothing excuses the way she treated Mizuki and things will absolutely be brought up later. Shoko and Renju were terrible parents, but I'd like to think that maybe they weren't just shitty people with no redeeming qualities at all. After all, someone like Pewter fell in love with Renju and I don't get the feeling that he would be ok being in a relationship with a deadbeat dad.

And Date was friends with them both and called them out on their shit, so I don't think he would have stayed by their side after taking Mizuki in if there wasn't something there.

Anyway, I'll stop my rank about the Shoko/Renju family dynamics.

If you liked this chapter, please leave me a comment and feed my soul. I seriously love every single one of them and they make me so happy! And I write faster because I can't wait to get the next one out! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 20

Notes:

Next chapter here we go! Also, we hit 20 chapters! What?

“So, how long have you and Uncle Renju been dating?” Iris asked, inclining her head towards the corner of the room where the blonde man was speaking quietly to her mother.

 

Iris had been surprised to see both Renju and Pewter come back, having not been gone all that long.  Of course she was happy to be seeing them again, she loved her uncle.  And the man sitting in the chair next to her was the entire reason she would live to graduate high school, something that had been a fantasy until a few days ago.

 

She honestly couldn’t believe she was getting a second chance.  When she had first been diagnosed, she was hopeful.  Mostly fueled by her mother’s fierce determination that she would beat it and that they were going to get whatever treatment necessary.  But as time went on and the tumor didn’t shrink, she could tell the outcome wouldn’t be good.

 

Naturally her mother never told her that, but it wasn’t hard to come to that conclusion.  She could tell by the way the doctors would look at her as they spoke to Hitomi, quietly whispering in the corner of a room.  Much like her mother was doing now.  She really wished that they wouldn’t treat her like such a child.  Like she wasn’t old enough or mature enough to handle the truth.

 

Sure she could act like a child sometimes, she was eighteen after all.  What was the point of being a teenager if she couldn’t have a little bit of fun?  But she could also handle a lot more than her mom gave her credit for.  Most of her life had consisted of being teased and bullied by her classmates for not having a father.  Kids were cruel, especially when they found out that in addition to not having a father, she didn’t even know who the man was.  But Iris had pushed through and developed a thick skin, doing her best to not let it bother her.

 

Things were a little easier now that she was an internet idol, she had even made a few actual friends.  She wasn’t stupid though, most of the people only liked her now because of her status, not her.  If she didn’t have a hit song or a following on To-Witter, would anyone really bother with her at all?

 

“A couple of years,” Pewter answered quietly, staring at his pants as he picked at an invisible thread.

 

“Really?  And Uncle kept it a secret for that long?  I really wish I could have met you before.”

 

Pewter briefly made eye contact at that, a strange expression on his face before turning his gaze back to his black slacks.  “Why is that?”

 

“Because you make my Uncle happy, happy happy!” she exclaimed, leaning forward and grabbing his hand, forcing the older man to leave the material alone.  “He used to be so sad all the time, back when he was married to Mizuki’s mom.  I’m not saying it was her fault, but he just seems different with you.  He’s actually been a lot more fun the last few years, but I thought maybe he was relieved or something by the divorce.  Now I know it was because of you.”

 

“I think you’re giving me too much credit.”

 

“No way, how could he not be happy because of you?  I’ve only known you for a couple of days and you’re already one of my favorite people.  You saved my life.  And I think you saved Uncle Ren too.”

 

Pewter shifted in the chair, uncrossing and recrossing his legs, all the while trying to dislodge his left hand from Iris’ grip, but she was determined not to let go.  “Why do you say that?”

 

“Because,” Iris started, sparing a small glance to the corner of the room and seeing Hitomi and Renju still occupied in their conversation, not paying attention to the other two at all.  “Uncle Ren used to be at Lemniscate all the time.  Like seriously, he was always there.  If I stopped by at seven in the morning before school, he was there.  Or if I had to go grab something at nine at night after I got off of work, he was there.  But when he thought he was all alone in the office, there were a lot of times he would be crying.  Mizuki’s caught him too, but he would just say he had a rough day or some other kind of excuse.  But he hasn’t done that nearly as much as he used to.  And I think it’s because of you.”

 

“I don’t think I didn’t anything,” Pewter said, finally pulling his hand out of Iris’.  He didn’t go back to tryin to hunt down a string only he could see, so Iris figured it had to be some sort of progress.

 

“Of course you did.  You’re his soulmate!  The two of you are so cute and perfect together!  Oh!  If you marry him, will you be my uncle too?” Iris mused, bringing her hand to rest beneath her chin.

 

“I ummmm, don’t think it works that way.  Since he’s not really your uncle.  And it’s not like we could get married here anyway, we’d have to go to another country,” Pewter said nervously, back to fidgeting with his pants.

 

“Oooo, so you have thought about marrying him.  Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” Iris whispered conspiratorially.  “But the more I think about it, being an uncle doesn’t fit you.  You’re more like…a big brother.”

 

“A…what?” Pewter nearly choked.

 

“What?  It makes total sense!  You’re Aya’s big brother, and I just get that protective big brother vibe from you.  I always wanted a brother you know,” Iris said somewhat wistfully.

 

Pewter looked like he was almost ready to pass out, but he swallowed audibly and took a slow breath in before letting it out.  

 

“Are you ok?”

 

“I’m fine, I just sustained a small…injury earlier.  The pain is starting to get to me.”

 

“Futa?”

 

Pewter turned his head, watching Renju walk back over to his side.  “I’m sorry love, I should have been more conscious of how you’re feeling.  We can get going.”

 

“Awww, do you have to leave?” Iris asked, making sure she gave her best pouty face.

 

Renju laughed before leaning in and giving her a gentle hug.  He held on tight and then pulled back, placing a small kiss on her forehead before standing straight up.  “You have a big day tomorrow, so you need to get plenty of sleep.  And visiting hours are over with in five minutes anyway.”

 

“Just hide in the bathroom if the nurse comes by, I won’t tell.”

 

“No, you need to get some sleep.  I’ll be by first thing in the morning though, I’m not going to let them take you back to surgery without seeing you first.”

 

“Fiiiiiiiiiiine,” Iris sighed dramatically.  “But I expect strawberry crepes tomorrow.”

 

“After your surgery, if the doctor says you can have them, I’ll bring you all the strawberry crepes you can eat.”

 

“You and my new big brother?”

 

Pewter blanched at that.

 

“Big brother?” Renju asked, raising a brow.

 

“Mmhmm.  I’ve decided to adopt him as my big brother.  Mizuki is already my little sister, so I thought it would be nice to have a brother too!”

 

“You might not want him as a brother,” Renju chuckled.  “You should see how protective he gets over Ayame.  I’m afraid he might actually have a stroke if she ever introduces him to someone she’s dating.”

 

“I’m not that bad,” Pewter muttered, his voice strained.

 

His tone didn’t escape Renju’s notice and he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.  “Come on, let’s get you home.  I know when you aren’t feeling well.”

 

“I want a hug before you leave!” 

 

“I just gave you a hug.”

 

“Not you.  I want a hug from my brother,” Iris giggled, holding her arms out towards Pewter.

 

The gray haired man looked like a deer caught in headlights as his head swiveled from Iris to Renju and back again.  

 

“Go ahead Futa, she won’t bite.”

 

Pewter awkwardly stood from his chair and bent down, more or less just leaning his body against Iris’ as she wrapped her arms around his back.

 

“Thank you again for saving me,” she whispered.  “And for saving Uncle Ren.”

 

 

 

 

Date slowly followed behind Naoki and Ryuki, the two younger men heading towards the Psync chamber.  Moma kept pace beside the blonde detective, still usually quiet.

 

He hadn’t said a word during the Psync, watching the footage on the screen with a look that Date couldn’t quite read.  He knew the Yakuza leader had known Shoko for a long time, but even he was surprised that he had met her at sixteen.  He didn’t think she had gotten involved with the Kumakura’s until she was much older.

 

Hell, Renju had never mentioned meeting her that young either.  Not that he had ever really talked about how they met, but he just figured it was when they were in their twenties, not teenagers still in high school.

 

“You gonna tell me why you said all that stuff to Pewter before?”

 

“What stuff?”

 

Date sighed loudly.  “The whole ‘Don’t worry kid, they hated each other once they were married’ bit.  It’s pretty easy to see that wasn’t the case.”

 

“Sometimes ya gotta bend the truth a little to spare feelings.  Nothin’ more to it.”

 

“Spare his feelings?  Seriously?”

 

“What?  Would it have been better if I told your friend that his boyfriend’s ex-wife was head over heels in love with him even though she knew he was gay?  That she wanted to try to save their marriage no matter what it took?  If Ren wants his boy to know, he’ll tell him, it’s not my place to go divulgin’ all that.”

 

“You think he won’t come in here and watch the Psync footage?  This is his entire job you know.”

 

“Well, if he does, nothin’ I can do about it.  I think Ren should be a little more truthful about his feelings in general anyway, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten involved in all of this to begin with.”

 

“So, your comment about them having Mizuki…the one night stand kinda thing…might not have been that after all.”

 

“Date look, I like you.  You seem like a good person, but I’ve known Renju for over twenty years and I’m not going to go around tellin’ his business.  If you want to know, ask him.  Or ask Shoko when she wakes up.  But it’s not my place to talk about any of this.  I never should have said anything about their marriage to begin with, even if it was to try to spare the other kid’s feelings.  Just let it go,” Moma said, stepping into the bright, white room behind Ryuki.

 

Date didn’t really want to stop the conversation, he had quite a few questions for the man, the least of which centering around why his older brother had forced teenagers to work in a Yakuza family.  But he knew that wouldn’t get him anywhere at the moment.  It was pretty obvious he was done talking about anything to do with Renju and Shoko.

 

“I’m going to administer the stimulant now.  Everyone should be prepared for her to at the very least be confused,” Naoki stated as he put on a clean pair of gloves and ran an alcohol wipe over the crook of Shoko’s elbow.

 

“What do you mean?” Date asked as he watched the brunette quickly give the needle and then set it aside on the metal tray by the chair.

 

“She’s been in a coma for a year.  In a body that wasn’t hers.  And this was all after an extremely traumatic event that led to this in the first place.”

 

“Do you think she’ll be ok after the Psync?  All of her dreams seemed like they were very painful memories,” Ryuki said softly.

 

“I’m not worried about that being the problem.  The Psync shouldn’t be too much of an influence on her.  She may remember bits and pieces, but she didn’t experience it like we did.  Do you remember your dreams in explicit detail?”

 

Ryuki shook his head no.

 

“Ok, well the same applies here.  Unless you happen to wake up right in the middle of your dream, you usually don’t remember them.  Or you may remember a small portion, but even then it usually isn’t clear.”

 

Shoko let out a small groan, her eyelids fluttering a few times before finally opening.  She looked around the room, not quite focusing on anything in particular before she locked eyes with Naoki, the closest one to her side.  

 

“Ms. Nadami, how do you feel?” he asked gently, keeping his voice low.

 

Date was honestly surprised.  Most of his time spent around the man and was when he was yelling and trying to start a fight, so seeing a kinder and almost soft side to the engineer was sort of startling.  Though Date supposed that he did need to have some sort of bedside manner.  It was usually the engineer that attended to the Psync subjects when they woke up.

 

“Date?” Aiba’s voice sounded inside his head.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Shoko’s heart rate has increased dramatically.  Her breathing is also starting to speed up.  I believe she is beginning to have a panic attack.”

 

“Hey Naoki-“ Date didn’t get a chance to finish.

 

Shoko took in one deep breath and let out a terrified scream, throwing herself out of the chair and to the ground.

 

“Shit!  Shoko!” Moma yelled as he tried to catch her. 

 

She screamed again, throwing out a hand and scratching the older man across the face, leaving three angry marks down his cheek.  Scrambling away as quickly as she could, she made it to the opposite wall, her back hitting it and stopping her movements.

 

Her chest heaved with exertion while her eyes darted wildly around from left to right.  She was scared out of her mind.

 

“Shoko, it’s me,” Date said quietly, moving slowly towards her.  He kept his hands raised and made sure his eyes were locked on hers.  He didn’t make any sudden movements, not wanting to frighten her any more than she already was.  “You’re ok now, but you’ve got to let us help you.”

 

“Da-date?” Her voice was barely a whisper, surprising with the volume she had screamed at.

 

“Yeah, it’s me.”

 

“But, I don’t…what happened?  Rohan…” Shoko trailed off, glancing Rohan’s comatose body on the stretcher.  “No, he-“

 

“Shoko, it’s ok.  Everything is fine now.  You’re in your own body.  He can’t hurt you.”

 

“But he tried to kill me.  He was going to and I…”  Shoko glanced away and saw Moma standing off to the side.  Her eyes widened and she started pushing away again, trying to put as much distance as possible between them.  “No, please don’t kill me!  Please, I’m sorry!”

 

“What?” Moma asked, genuinely confused as he watched how she reacted to him.  He took a step closer and watched as Shoko actually flinched.  That immediately stopped him in his tracks, not wanting to cause her anymore fear.

 

“Please, I don’t want to die,” she sobbed out, voice breaking.

 

“Shoko, no one is going to hurt you,” Date tried, kneeling next to her but not reaching out.  

 

“He said I had to die.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Rohan.  After I…helped him get out…he said I had to die.  And now…”  She looked at Moma again.

 

“Oh, I get it,” he said softly.  “You think I’m gonna finished the job.”

 

Shoko let out a slight whimper, Date only able to hear because he was right next to her.

 

“Shoko, hey Shoko.  Just look at me, ok?” Moma asked quietly, kneeling down a few feet behind Date, not wanting to get too close and startle her.

 

Shoko raised her eyes, blue boring into his brown.

 

“Ok, good.  Now, you know me Shoko.  You’ve known me for a long time.  Have I ever threatened you or hurt you?”

 

She shook her head no.

 

“Right.  I wouldn’t hurt you.  And Rohan…he can’t hurt you either.”

 

“But he told me I had to die.  Me and…Renju.  You too Date,” she said, glancing at the blonde by her side.

 

“Shoko, I promise no one is going to hurt any of you,” Moma said, holding his right hand over his heart.  “You have my word.”

 

“Something’s been bugging me though,” Date spoke, brows knitted together in concentration.  “Why did you help Rohan get out of the hospital anyway?  If you were worried about him hurting you, the safest thing to do would have been to leave him there.”

 

Shoko looked away, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around them.

 

“Why?”

 

No answer.

 

“Shoko, you can tell me.  Whatever it is, you know I can help.  Either as myself, or as an officer if I need to.”

 

She turned her eyes towards Moma again before looking away quickly.  “Rohan…he called me one day.  Somehow he got ahold of a cell phone.  He told me that I needed to help get him out.  That if I didn’t…he’d go after Mizuki and Ren.  I didn’t have a choice.”

 

“How did you manage to get him out?”

 

“I posed as a medical assistant for the health insurance company.  It was a…play I’ve done before in the past.  I had all the credentials I needed and no one questioned it.  I was able to get a private room with him and then we waited.  After a few minutes, we just walked out a side door and got in my car.  He had me drive to this old factory and then…” she trailed off, biting her bottom lip.

 

“And then you woke up in his body and saw yourself.”

 

“I don’t know.  I..that sounds crazy.  I think I was drugged…or something.  I just…I don’t know.”

 

“It’s not crazy Shoko.  I promise I’ll explain everything to you, but I need you to get checked out by a doctor first.  You’ve been through a lot today.”

 

“No!  I don’t want to go by myself.  I can’t!”

 

“Date, her heart rate is rising again.  You need to calm her down.”

 

“Shoko, hey it’s ok.  You’re not alone.  I can have someone go with you to the hospital.”

 

“Can’t you go?” she asked, her voice so tiny and unlike herself that Date almost found it hard to believe it was her.

 

“I can’t.  I’m sorry, but there’s still some things I need to do here.  Maybe Ryuki can go…?” Date looked over his shoulder at the younger Psyncer, the black-haired man standing silently next to Naoki.

 

“Sure Mr. Date, I can go.”

 

“No.”

 

“Shoko, it’s ok, you can trust him.  He’s the same as me, he’s an officer and he won’t hurt you.”

 

She shook her head no, not bothering to speak.

 

“How ‘bout you come with me?  I can take you back to the clinic, no crowds.  Just me and Dokuta.  You know he’s honest.”

 

Shoko turned back to Moma, not answering, but also not cringing away anymore either.

 

“Shoko, I know you’re scared and you don’t understand what happened.  Hell, I’ve been told everything and still don’t understand half the shit.  But trust me when I say I’m not seekin’ any sort of revenge or nothin’.  I’ve never lied to you.  But I have lied to Rohan for you.  You know you can trust me.”

 

“Ok, I’ll go with you,” she muttered.  “But promise me you’ll keep Mizuki and Ren safe.”

 

“He’s family, you know I won’t let anything happen to him.  Or your girl either.  Not that I need to worry, the kid says she’s got a mean right hook.”

 

Shoko let out a small laugh at that.  “Must be because dolphins are so strong.”

 

“Huh?” Moma questioned.

 

Date smiled at that; if there was any lingering doubt this wasn’t Shoko, it was all gone now.  “So, what are you going to do with Rohan’s body?”

 

Moma stood up, dusting off his knees and stretching his back.  “Honestly, I dunno.  Easiest thing would be to just take him off of life support and be done with it, but that might be a discussion for more than me and you.”

 

“You have my vote,” Date said darkly.  “He’s a threat as long as he is alive, if we do it now, no one needs to look over their shoulders anymore.”

 

“Date, you do realize it’s highly unethical to-“

 

“I’m not saying to kill him Naoki.  But if he comes off of life support, he should die within a matter of minutes, right?  Families make that decision all the time, to end the suffering.  I’m sure Moma doesn’t want to see his ‘brother’ living as a vegetable anymore.  Especially since he’s technically already been dead for a year.”

 

“It wouldn’t be minutes,” Dokuta spoke up, stepping away from the comatose former head.

 

“How?  Usually when someone comes off of life support, everything shuts down within minutes.”

 

“Because, he’s not on a ventilator.  He can still breathe on his own.  He’s got a central line for his IV and I put in a gastronomy tube after he’d been in a coma for a couple of weeks.  It was too risky to keep the nasogastric tube in.”

 

“The what?” Date asked, clearly not following.

 

“A nasogastric tube,” Naoki answered.  “It goes through the nose and directly to the stomach.  But it’s a terrible solution long term because it runs a higher risk of the patient asphyxiating and getting pneumonia or some other secondary infection.”

 

Dokuta nodded his head at the explanation.  “Exactly.  Once we knew he wouldn’t be waking up from the coma any time soon, I put in a gastronomy tube.  It goes directly through the stomach.  It’s a safer option.”

 

“Ok, so since he isn’t on a respirator, what does that mean?  You just stop giving him the IV and using the feeding tube?”

 

“If all care was stopped, that’s what it would entail, yes.”

 

“Ok, so do that then.  Then the problem is gone.  He almost killed Shoko, tried to kill Pewter, and planned on killing Renju.  Hell, we know I was on his list too and there were a handful of other people that were at risk.  Letting him die peacefully in his sleep isn’t a luxury he deserves, but it would ensure that we’re all safe.”  Date was standing now, still staying close to Shoko in case she needed him.  “You know it’s the right thing to do Moma.”

 

“Date, you don’t actually believe it would be peaceful, do you?”

 

“Why wouldn’t it be?  He’d pretty much be dying in his sleep, like I said.”

 

Naoki shook his head, running his fingers through his brown hair and sighing.  “It’s not quick, it’s not peaceful, and it wouldn’t be like someone dying in their sleep.  At all.  Stop the IV fluid and the feeding tube and you are basically starving someone to death.  It can take days, sometimes upwards of a week or two for someone to die.  It’s incredibly painful, even if the patient is in a coma.”

 

“He’s right, this wouldn’t be something quick,” Dokuta added.

 

“Date, I’m sorry, but this isn’t something I’m willing to discuss right now.  We can meet up later.  You, me, Shizue, Ren, and Pewter.  But until then, I’m taking him back to the clinic.  He’s in a coma, he can’t cause any trouble.”

 

“Why are you so attached?  This isn’t your brother!” Date yelled out, a sudden burst of anger taking over.

 

“Because I don’t just fuckin’ kill people!  I know who he is.  I know what he is.  But if I killed him, I wouldn’t be any better than him or my brother.  I’m not willin’ to go down that path.”

 

“He’s a serial killer Moma!  What part of that don’t you get?  The world is better off without him.”

 

“You think I don’t know that?!  Fuck Date, I know what he and my brother did.  It makes me sick, but I’m not just going to murder someone in a coma.  And if you don’t like it, too bad.  As his ‘next of kin’, I’m the one that makes all the decisions.”

 

“I could have you arrested you know.  Faking a death certificate.  That’s a crime.  If you cashed in on any insurance, well that’s fraud.”

 

“Are you threatening me?  Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

 

“Why wouldn’t it be?  You’re basically a neutered dog, all bark and no bite.  I already know you won’t kill me.”

 

“Date stop!  You need to calm down!”

 

“I’m fine Aiba,” Date growled out.

 

“I’m upping your serotonin.  You’re not ok, you haven’t been all day.”

 

“Watching your friend get kidnapped and almost murdered will do that to you.”

 

“Calm down,” Aiba said firmly, administering a small amount of the reserve serotonin kept inside her body.

 

Date immediately felt a soothing wave of peace wash over him.  His anger was starting to dissipate, though it didn’t fade altogether.

 

“That’s about enough of that.  Date, get your ass up here,” Boss said over the speakers, standing behind the glass windows of the control room with her arms crossed.  “Moma, you can take your brother and Shoko.  I’ll deal with Date.”

 

Moma nodded, walking over to where Shoko still sat on the ground, observing everything.  He reached out a hand and she hesitantly took it, letting the older man help her to her feet.

 

“Date, I said now,” Boss said, a hard edge to her voice.  “Naoki, Ryuki, you two as well.”

 

“The hell?  We didn’t do anything Kuranushi.”

 

“I didn’t say you did.  And stop calling me.  Just get up here.”

 

Date walked past Moma and Shoko, shooting the shorter man a quick glance.  “This discussion isn’t over.”

 

“Didn’t think it was.”

 

“Now Date!”

 

“Uh-oh, I think mom’s mad.”

 

“What the fuck Naoki?  I am not old enough to be your mother!”

 

“I mean tech-“

 

“Finish that sentence and you’re on leave.”

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Naoki muttered, opening the door to the Psync room and ushering Date and Ryuki ahead of him.  He had a feeling it was going to a long night.

 

 

 

Notes:

You know I had to have Renju drag Saito to see Iris. I mean come on, they were already in the hospital. I don't know why I'm really enjoying putting Saito in awkward situations where he has to try to act like he isn't freaking out internally, but I do.

And poor Renju just thinks his boyfriend is tired from the day.

A little more Shoko this chapter because for some reason I am really enjoying writing her too. I know she may seem a little out of character, but I think anyone that went through what she did would be scared and a little out of it. I believe that Shoko is definitely strong and independent, but after almost dying and being in a coma, I think that would leave some unresolved trauma.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! As always, please leave a comment if you liked it! Thank you!

Chapter 21

Saito was in hell.  He had to be. All of these emotions and feelings were beyond overwhelming, he felt like he couldn’t even think straight.  It was bad enough that he had to sit in the hospital with Renju and Ayame fawning over him, but then they had to go see Iris.

 

His own little sister.  The perfect image of her mother.  He hadn’t expected that.  Not that he hadn’t seen Iris before.  He knew what she looked like from pictures and even a handful of her streams online.  But seeing her in person was different.  It was painfully obvious then how much she looked like her mother.

 

So much so that it caused him stop in the middle of her room, breath catching in his throat at the sight.  If he hadn’t known it was impossible, he would have sworn it was Manaka Iwai lying in that hospital bed and smiling up at him.

 

Her smile. So full of life and happiness. It had been hard to make eye contact with the girl after that.  

 

Every time he looked at her, it was Manaka staring back.  Manaka’s betrayed eyes, her mouth dripping blood as it bubbled up from her lungs.

 

Why was this bothering him?  Why now of all times?  When he was in Rohan’s body, none of his crimes had bothered him.  He never felt a single moment of remorse. 

 

Even Shoko’s body hadn’t produced these sorts of feelings.  Of course that may have been due to the fact that most days were a struggle to not drink himself stupid or crawl into her large bed and cry for days.  He had found her stash of pills in her medicine cabinet, but after taking them for a few days and feeling like he could never concentrate, he stopped altogether. 

 

He should have known that was a mistake. The two weeks of withdraw from her antidepressants was a special kind of hell. 

 

 And on top of everything else,  he was doing whatever he possibly could to keep up appearances as the woman while simultaneously gathering intel on those closest to her.  Now his plans had all gone to shit and he was left scrambling.  Leave it to him to pick a body that was so morally just and full of love and affection for those around him.  It really made it hard to even think about what he had to do.

 

Like killing Renju.  

 

Instead he was sitting on their couch, in pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt while eating what was the most delicious Mabo Dofu he ever had.  Which was surprising considering it was vegan.

 

He couldn’t believe how normal this felt.  To feel Renju’s leg resting against his, the silence not awkward as they both ate their meals.  It didn’t escape his notice that Renju was also eating a vegan meal, though he knew the blonde was not vegan himself. 

 

His heart warmed at the thought that the man he loved would do something like that for him.  No, not the man he loved.  The man Pewter loved.  The man Futa Amanoma loved so much that it overwhelmed almost every other aspect of his personality.

 

How was he supposed to kill him when all he could think about was grabbing him and kissing him until he couldn’t breathe?  Holding him so close that he could feel his heart beating through his chest.  Running his hands through that silky blonde hair that looked like spun gold.

 

This wasn’t good.  He had to get this over with.  The sooner the better.  Even if the thought made him feel sick.  It wouldn’t last.  And then, once he got back into his own body, he’d feel the elation that had been denied up until that point.  

 

He’d kill Shoko after that.  Then Hitomi and Iris.  And it would finally be over.  He would finish everything Rohan had told him to do. He had to.

 

“You’ve been quiet darling, are you still in pain?” Renju asked.

 

“I’m ok,” Saito answered quietly, taking another bite of his dinner to avoid speaking any further.

 

Renju raised an eyebrow, but didn’t push the issue.  The two sat in silence once again, slowly finishing their meals.  Every once in a while the shorter man would reach over and give his knee a squeeze or lightly touch his hand, small things that would be so insignificant to anyone else.  But they were beginning to drive Saito crazy.

 

He had never been touched so lovingly or frequently before.  Not that things like that had interested him in the past.  He never understood the appeal of dating or intimacy or even sex.  None of them made him feel anything but empty.  

 

But now, sitting here in Pewter’s body, feeling his love for Renju radiate through his entire being, he could finally understand the allure of such affections.  Which was exactly why he needed to get out of this situation.  The longer he stayed here, the harder it was to give himself the motivation to do what he needed to do.  His body gave a small shiver, the thought of killing Renju bothering him much more than it should.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing, I’m just cold,” Saito said, making a show of grabbing the throw off the back of the couch and wrapping it around his shoulders.

 

“You’re cold?”

 

“Yeah, I should have put on more than a t-shirt I guess.”

 

Renju gave him an odd look but didn’t say anything, gathering up the dishes and walking towards the kitchen.  Saito heard the sound of water running a moment later and the clinking of plates.

 

Why did he have the sudden urge to go into the kitchen, walk up behind Renju and wrap his arms around him?  Maybe lean his head on his shoulder and just breathe in the scent of his aftershave and shampoo.  He shook his head roughly, as if that would make the invasive thoughts just disappear.  As if it would make his mind any clearer. 

 

“Here,” Ren said, appearing next to him, glass of water in one hand and a pill in the other.

 

Saito must have given him a questioning look because the next thing out of his mouth was, “It’s your pain medication.  Since you ate, you can have your next dose.”

 

“Thanks.”  Saito took the medicine and glass, quickly downing the pill.  His side was starting to hurt again, but how did Renju know?  Though there was some part of him that felt like he would know immediately if his lover was in pain.

 

No.  Stop.  Not his lover, Pewter’s lover.  He had to keep his thoughts together before he ended up an emotional mess.  There was no way he could afford to spend an entire week distraught and crying like he did when he first swapped with Shoko.

 

Sensing his inner turmoil, Renju took a seat back on the couch, sliding close to the other man.  He reached out, turning his face towards him as his warm brown eyes stared lovingly into his own green.  His hand was soft, thumb rubbing gently across his cheek before he slowly slid it behind his head.

 

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he leaned forward, lips brushing against Saito’s.  They were so warm and soft, it felt incredible.  Renju pulled him closer, deepening the kiss and moving his other hand to rest against Saito’s waist. His fingertips brushed the edge of the shirt before slipping beneath, the sensation of skin on skin nearly causing his mind to go into overdrive.  Not knowing what to do, he froze momentarily before closing his eyes and kissing back, his body hungry for more. 

 

He’d kissed people before.  Both men and women, but nothing had ever felt so good, so electric, so satisfying as kissing Renju.  There was so much love and passion behind it that Saito almost forgot to breathe, his head dizzy from it all.  He could get lost in this man if he wasn’t careful. 

 

And then it was over all too quickly, Renju pulling back but still keeping that intense gaze of his locked on Saito’s.  He didn’t move, didn’t say anything for over a minute.  Saito was starting to get nervous, should he say something?

 

“I can’t help but love you…” Renju sang, his voice quiet and soft.  “Even though I try not to…”

 

The blonde watched him closely, eyes full of fire and something else that Saito couldn’t quite determine.  What was he supposed to do?  Should he say something back?  His mind was still buzzing from the kiss, and now this?  Listening to his voice, it was bewitching. How else could he describe it?  Two simple lines had him ready to melt at this man’s feet. 

 

He hadn’t even been that loud.  Honestly it was barely more than a whisper, but Saito could tell if he actually took the effort to sing it would be something special. Maybe not the level of a professional singer, but that didn’t matter. Not when every single thing about this man was enough to draw him in and make him want to stay here forever. 

 

Yet through the fog his mind was creating, he couldn’t help but feel like there was something he wasnt quite able to grasp.  Something important. 

 

“Are those new lyrics you’re working on?  They’re beautiful,” Saito said, remembering from Shoko that Renju did write music.

 

“No…it’s just…never mind…” he trailed off, lowering his hand and sitting back.  His eyes became glassy and a single tear fell down his cheek before he could stop it.

 

“Ren?  Are you ok?” Saito asked, the concern in his voice real.

 

“I’m fine,” Renju answered, standing up quickly and walking away.  “I almost lost you today, I think it’s all just getting to me.”

 

“You should sit back down.”

 

“No, I’ll be ok.  I just…I have something for you.  I’ll be right back.  Wait here, ok?”

 

Saito nodded.  

 

Renju stood there a moment longer, just staring as if he could see into the deepest recesses of Saito’s soul.  A few more seconds and then he broke eye contact, a sharp puff of air escaping his lips as he continued down the hall and disappeared into their bedroom.

 

What was that?  Certainly that reaction couldn’t have been normal.  Everything had seemed fine up until he had sat back on the couch.  But there was no way he could have given himself away.  He had kissed back, not pulling away or doing anything else that would have been out of character.  

 

Was it the singing then?  He thought complimenting him was the way to go, but when he asked if the other man wrote the song, the answer had been no.  No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find the answer inside Pewter’s brain.  He hated not having full access to his host body’s memories, it made things that much harder to figure out.

 

But maybe he was just thinking too much.  He had been able to play off any strangeness in his actions thus far as being in pain or overwhelmed from the day, so it couldn’t be his acting.  If it wasn’t that though, then what-

 

Saito whipped his head around, hearing a soft click and then a rapid popping sound.  He jumped off the couch just in time to avoid Renju aiming directly for the middle of his back, stun gun in hand.  He wasn’t fast enough to miss it completely, catching the electric volts in his right arm, the pain enough to bring him to his knees.

 

“Ren?” Saito asked, his voice strained.

 

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?!” Renju yelled, tears streaming down his face as he held the stun gun in front of him.

 

“What?”

 

“You’re not Futa!”

 

Saito felt his blood run cold.  “Ren-“

 

“You think I don’t know how the man I love kisses?  How he feels?  I can’t believe I-“ he choked back a sob.

 

“Please Ren-“

 

“And the song?  Futa would have known,” he growled out, anger and sadness blending into one.

 

Damn it all, he should have just kept his mouth shut.  Or killed him when they first walked into the apartment.  It wouldn’t have taken much to overpower the shorter man and choke him until he breathed his last.

 

He had to do this now, there was no other choice. Renju knew and he couldn’t allow the other man to tell anyone else and ruin his plans.  As long as he was in Pewter’s body it would hurt, but the pain was only temporary. Once he got his body back from Date, it would be ok. It had to be. 

 

 

 

 

Futa was gone.  He was gone and the man before him, wearing the face of his lover, was the one person he hated most in the world.  The one that had taken Manaka away.  

 

How could he have been so stupid?  How did he not notice immediately?  This was the man he loved, the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and he couldn’t tell it wasn’t him. 

 

Somehow Saito must have swapped before they got there, but there had been so sign of the Psync machine in the warehouse. The thought never even crossed his mind that the man he had held so tightly in his arms wasn’t Futa. 

 

No, Futa’s soul or essence or mind or whatever it was that made him him, was in the body of his ex-wife.  And he had told Date to…

 

“Oh God…” Renju felt like he was going to be sick.

 

“Ren?  Are you-“

 

“No!  Shut up!  Don’t call me that!  Don’t you dare use his voice and try to be him.  You don’t have the right!” Renju’s chest was heaving, the tears still flowing down his cheeks though he made no move to wipe them away.

 

“Just let me explain-“

 

“Explain what?  What could you possibly have to say to me?  Hmmm?  You want to talk to me about how you kidnapped my boyfriend and stabbed him?  How you probably made him fear for his life?  How you swapped bodies and made us all believe that he was you?  We almost killed him!”

 

Saito looked away, his expression a mix of hurt and…sadness?  No it couldn’t be, there was no way  he felt anything other than hatred.  This had to be another trick.  He was a murderer at twelve, someone like that didn’t have the ability to feel remorse.

 

“Or would you rather talk about Manaka?  You remember her, I’m sure.”

 

Saito didn’t speak, keeping his eyes downcast.

 

“Nothing to say?  Don’t sit there and pretend like you actually give a shit!”

 

“I didn’t say I did,” he replied softly.

 

“Oh?  What’s with the act then?”

 

“It’s not an act.”

 

“You expect me to believe that you actually care.  That you’re capable of feeling regret.”

 

“I don’t know…”

 

Renju felt more anger now that Saito was speaking than he did at the other man’s silence.  He wasn’t sure how that was even possible, it made no sense. But somehow his non-answers and apathy were worse than if he had been gloating about his victory.  It’s what he would have expected, so why wasn’t he?  In some ways, he was still acting like Futa, but that wasn’t possible.

 

Though at the moment, he couldn’t spend any more time worrying about it.  He needed to do something besides just standing around.  It wasn’t like a savior  would pop out of nowhere and break their stalemate.  

 

Date.  He needed Date.  If he could knock Saito out with the stun gun, then he could call Date and get this mess all straightened out.  The blonde detective had told him that he was taking Shoko’s body and swapping her with Rohan Kumakura.  Or, more accurately, swapping her back into her actual body from Rohan.  So if Shoko was back in her body, then Futa should be…

 

No, he had to stop thinking about it and wasting time.  This was it.  If he didn’t take him out now, he wouldn’t get another shot.  He shifted ever so slightly, tightening his grip on the stun gun.  His one and only chance.

 

Renju lunged forward, clicking the button and turning the power on, the electric arching back and forth with a loud popping sound.  He threw his arm out, aiming directly for Saito’s chest.

 

Saito’s head snapped up quickly, moving faster than Renju expected.  He grabbed the blonde’s wrist and twisted, turning it a full one hundred and eighty degrees and shoving up.  

 

Renju heard the crack before his mind registered the pain, fingers loosening and the stun gun falling from his grasp.  He gasped as the burning fire tore through his wrist all the way to his elbow and pulled his arm in, cradling it to his chest.

 

He barely comprehended what happened before his back was shoved against the wall, Saito hovering above him.  His brows were furrowed together, an odd look that would have shown as sorrow on Futa’s face.

 

“You know, in this moment, I am sorry for what I have to do.”

 

“What-“

 

Renju was cut off as Saito’s hands wrapped tightly around his neck, squeezing with a force he never would have expected from his gentle and caring boyfriend.  He reached up with his left hand, clawing at his neck, his right hanging uselessly at his side.

 

He tried to suck in a breath but his body was unable to comply, his windpipe was being crushed completely, allowing no air in or out.  Spots started to explode in his vision, the edges going gray as he tried everything he could to stay conscious.  It was no use, Saito was much stronger than he was and he had the advantage of height in Futa’s body.

 

His last coherent thought as the darkness finally took him was of Futa.  At least he was able to see the face of the man he loved before he died.

 

 

 

 

Saito dropped his hands as if he were burned, stumbling away and letting Renju’s limp body fall to the ground.  He was unnaturally still for a moment, lying at an odd angle on the floor. After what seemed like an eternity but in reality was less than ten seconds, Renju drew a small, unsteady breath.  They were short and shallow, but he was breathing.

 

The relief that Saito felt wasn’t something he expected.  He shouldn’t feel this way.  He needed to finish the job.  But the thought of doing that made his hands shake and he found that no matter how hard he tried to make Pewter’s body move forward, he couldn’t.

 

“What the hell is wrong with me?”  His voice was rough, thick with emotion.

 

He felt like he was going insane, like this body wasn’t fully under his control.  He needed his body back, and he needed it now.  Renju could wait.  

 

Once he was back to himself, he could come and finish the job.  At least then he wouldn’t have all of Pewter’s thoughts and feelings waging war inside his head.

 

He grabbed the stun gun off of the floor, pocketing it along with what had to be Pewter’s cell phone sitting on the coffee table.  Renju must have picked it up from the parking garage.

 

He held the phone up, the device recognizing his face and opening.  Well, that answered that question.  It was definitely Pewter’s.  He scrolled through the numbers quickly, finally coming across the name he was looking for.  Kaname Date.

 

He tapped the number, the phone dialing and connecting after a few rings.

 

“Date, I need you to meet me over at ABIS…you’re still there?…Ok, stay there then.  I need your help…”

Notes:

I was originally going to end this with Renju's point of view, but I thought that would be too mean. So I added the little snippet with Saito at the end.

Also, the song that Renju sings is War of Hearts by Ruelle. I don't know why but I feel like it fits their relationship so well. The lyrics make me think of how stubborn they both probably were with falling in love and then before they knew it, they were already in too deep.

Please let me know what you think in the comments! I appreciate them all and always love hearing your thoughts!

Chapter 22

Date yawned tiredly, stretching his arms above his head before bringing his focus back to the screen in front of him.  Currently in his office, he was finishing up his report on the evening’s events.  Most of it would never see the light of day; primarily being for the members of ABIS and a few higher ups in the department, but unfortunately, he still had to write it.

 

And not only did he have to write it, he had to make sure it was done before he went home for the night.  Boss had been pretty vocal about the fact that if he left before finishing she would place him on leave.  He knew she was mad about the argument with Moma, especially considering the tentative truce they had going on, but he didn’t think she’d be quite this upset.

 

He hadn’t been yelled at so much by her in one day since he accidentally spilled coffee on the rug in her office.  Like he was supposed to know she kept her doujins under there. 

 

And what was up with her suddenly being all pro-Moma?  Yeah, maybe he let his anger get the best of him, but she jumped down his throat like he actually hurt the guy.  Hell he hadn’t even pulled his gun out.  Something was definitely going on there, it had to be.

 

“Hey Aiba, you think Boss is fucking Moma?”

 

Aiba sat quietly on her station next to the computer, both charging her battery and hooked up to a line that was refilling her supply of serotonin.  Her little ears flicked back and forth causing a small smile to creep on to Date’s face.  He was always amused at the little ticks she had, things that he wasn’t even sure she knew of.  

 

“Are you an idiot?”

 

“What?  Why else would she get all defensive?  It’s gotta be that, right?”

 

“Date, you do realize that other human beings are capable of getting along and forming friendships without sex having to be a part of the equation.  I believe that Moma and Boss have a mutually beneficial relationship that is business related, not physical.”

 

“I don’t know, she seemed pretty mad for someone just sticking up for her business acquaintance.”

 

Aiba  let out a sigh and flicked her ears once more.  “You do remember you threatened to have him arrested and then called him a neutered dog.  I think Boss was saving your ass before things escalated any further.”

 

“What do you mean?  Moma would’t hurt me.”

 

“Maybe not, but Dokuta was there.  And he used to be under Rohan.  Who knows what he could do?  You need to remember that you’re dealing with Yakuza, no matter how docile Moma might seem.”

 

“I…you’re right,” Date replied dejectedly.  “I know I shouldn’t have pushed things, I get it.  But Aiba…it would be so much easier if we could just get rid of Saito.  I know Rohan’s body is in a coma, but what if he wakes up?  I don’t want Ren and Pewter living in fear for the rest of their lives.  And what about Iris and Hitomi?  Saito went after them in Pewter’s Somnium, what’s to say he wouldn’t wake up a year or two from now and decide to finish what he started?”

 

“I understand where you’re coming from, but the likelihood of Rohan waking up is next to zero.  And it is ultimately not your decision to make.”

 

“He almost killed Pewter today.  If we had been any later…he would have.”

 

“I know Date,” Aiba said softly, disconnecting from her station and wobbling over to her partner.  She placed her two tiny paws on his arm and looked up at him, trying her best to give him some minuscule amount of comfort.

 

“Thanks Aiba.  And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

 

“It’s ok, I know it wasn’t you.  Not really.  You can’t always control how your brain reacts to stress and fear.”

 

“I know, but I’m still sorry.  You’re my partner and one of my best friends, it’s not ok to take out my anger on you.”  He reached over and gave her head a small pat with his finger.

 

“Well, if you really want to make it up to me, there’s a new documentary on WebPix about the Sphaerocoris Annulus.  You can watch it with me when we go home.”

 

“What the hell is that?”

 

Aiba let out a groan and touched her tiny hand to her forehead in aggravation.  “It’s the Picasso bug.  It’s well-known for it’s beautiful and distinctive markings.”

 

“Seriously, do we have to watch another bug documentary?  Some of them are really creepy.”

 

“They are not creepy!  How could you say that about such beautiful and divine creatures?  They’re-“

 

“All right!  I get the point.  I’ll watch the weird bug movie with you.  Just calm down before you fry a circuit.”

 

“That wouldn’t actually happen.”

 

  “Seriously though, what’s with you and the bug thing?  Why of all things did Pewter program you to be obsessive over that?”

 

“He didn’t.”

 

“Then why do you like them so much?”

 

“I don’t know.  I just do.  Pewter gave me free reign to learn and develop as I pleased.  He downloaded my basic programming, but other than that, I use Wadjet to update my system and to learn what interests me.  The first bug I ever saw was the Mormolyce Phyllodes.  It was love at first sight,” Aiba said wistfully.

 

“So, you’re weird because you chose to be, not because he is?”

 

“Excuse me, did you ever think that maybe you’re the weird one?  Pewter and I are way more normal than you.”

 

“I don’t think I’d call that lab coat normal.”

 

“Says the man with the purple turtleneck and woman’s vest.”

 

“It’s not a woman’s vest!”

 

“Date, I have told you this numerous times, that clothing brand is exclusively for women.  Just because you found it in the men’s section doesn’t mean anything.  It was probably put there by accident.”

 

“Whatever, it’s not-“ 

 

“You have an incoming call,” Aiba cut him off.  “It looks like it is from Pewter.  Should I put it on speaker or would you rather me go back in your socket?”

 

“Speaker’s fine.  Why is he calling though?  Shouldn’t he be resting?”

 

“Why don’t you ask him?” Aiba stated as she accepted the call.

 

“Date, I need you to meet me over at ABIS,” Pewter started immediately, not offering any sort of greeting.

 

“Well, you’re in luck, I won’t have to go far.”

 

“You’re still there?”

 

“Yeah, I’m here.  Just finishing up my report.  Boss wouldn’t let me leave until it’s done.”

 

“Ok, stay there then.  I need your help.”

 

“With what?  Is something wrong?  Shouldn’t you be getting some rest at home?”

 

“I’ll be fine.  But I really need your help.  It’s too much to explain over the phone, but I’ll be there soon.  Don’t leave, ok?”

 

“I won’t, but where’s Ren?  Does he know you’re leaving?  I don’t think he’d be too happy.”

 

“He’s fine…he fell asleep.”

 

“Don’t you think you should be sleeping too?  You got stabbed Pewter.  Should you even be driving?” Date asked as he heard the telltale signs of his car starting.

 

“I promise I’ll get some rest when I get back.  But there’s no way I can sleep now.  Please help me, I promise I’ll tell you everything when I get there.”

 

“I already said I would.  You know I’ll always help you out, but I just want to make sure you’re ok.”

 

“I’m fine.  I’ll be there in less than twenty minutes.”

 

The line went dead.

 

“That was weird, right?  I know he can get hyper focused, but did he seem a little shorter than normal?”

 

“Hmmm.  I suppose so, though he did just experience a significant trauma.  Perhaps he is not thinking clearly,” Aiba supplied.

 

“Then should he really be driving?”

 

“There’s no need to worry about that.  If there were really an issue, Theia could take over driving.”

 

“How?  She isn’t an AI Ball.  How would she dock herself in the car when she’s in his glasses?”

 

“She connects remotely.  In that way, she is more advanced than I am, but Pewter did say he is planning an update to my system.  He’s been working on a few new features, but he hasn’t shared them all with me.  He said that he’d like a couple of them to be a surprise.  He even encrypted the documents on his computer so I can’t see what it is.”

 

“Well, it must be pretty hard to surprise an AI since you can pretty much access anything you want whenever you want.”

 

“This is true.  I must admit, I’m quite exhilarated to receive a surprise.  I’ve never gotten a present before, so this is kind of fun.”

 

Date took that to heart, watching her tiny ears rapidly move back and forth, showing just how excited she was.  He’d never thought of getting her a gift before, but seeing how happy the idea made her, he knew he had to.  Maybe he could ask Pewter to perform some routine maintenance in the next few days and he could sneak out to grab her a little something.

 

What could he get her though?  He knew she liked bugs, but what was he supposed to do?  Buy her one of those weird frames with dead butterflies pinned inside?  Wait, she would probably like that actually.  But there was no way he was bringing that in the apartment.  It was bad enough his fridge was full of those damn clione.

 

Yeah, he’d have to think of something else.  Something a little less serial killer like.  Cause nothing screamed normal like using something dead as a decoration.

 

Of course the aforementioned clione in his refrigerator wasn’t exactly normal either. He never should have let Mizuki bring them in the apartment. 

 

Maybe he could sneak them into Renju and Pewter’s fridge somehow.  But if he did that, then he’d be taking away her reason to come home.  Without the clione there to check on, why would she even bother coming back?

 

“Hey Aiba?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Do you…never mind.”

 

“What is it?  You know that I can feel your emotions.  And while you are normally borderline unbearable, now you’re…sad?  What’s wrong?”

 

“It’s nothing…I was just thinking of Mizuki.”

 

“Date…”

 

Date let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair, pulling a few strands from the half bun tied in the back.  “It’s just…Renju’s making an effort and she’s staying there some.  And tonight she’s with Pewter’s sister.  She hasn’t been home in three days.  Plus, Shoko’s back.  What if she tries to make up with Mizuki?  I mean, she should.  I want Mizuki to be happy and to have her parents, I…sorry, I’m rambling and not making sense.”

 

“Date,” Aiba began gently, moving ever so slightly to take his pointer finger between her two paws.  “You’re afraid she’ll leave you behind, aren’t you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Yes you are.  You’re afraid that with her parents back and Pewter coming in to her life, there won’t be any room for you.  That she’ll just move on while you’re left here.”

 

“It’s not like that, but…I’m nothing to her Aiba.  I’m not her family.  She has her parents.  Hell, I’m not even like Pewter.  He’s dating Ren, so he’s more her family than I am now.  I’m just her dad’s friend, why would she want to stay with me?”

 

“Because she loves you.  You should know that better than anyone.  Who did she invite to her school dance last month?  Hmmmm?”

 

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

 

“Of course it does.  You saw the other kids there.  Almost every boy in her class invited their mothers and almost every girl invited their fathers.  There were a handful of exceptions, but it was a parent/child dance.  And she invited you.”

 

“But-“

 

“No Date.  She loves you and whether you want to admit it or not, she thinks of you like a father.  It doesn’t mean she loves Renju any less or doesn’t think of him as one too, but you’ve been the one constant in her life the last four years.”

 

“I can’t lose her Aiba.”  Date’s voice was barely a whisper, his tone vulnerable in a way that it normally never was.  “I’ve lost everything else, things I can’t even remember.  Hitomi and I were in love.  Iris was like a daughter.  And it’s all gone.  I might not ever get it back.  I can’t lose Mizuki too.  I don’t want to be selfish, but I’m really scared.  If she leaves, I’ll have lost two daughters.”

 

“She’s not going to leave.  And you haven’t lost Hitomi and Iris. You can still have them back. It might not be the same, but you aren’t the same person you were six years ago.  Your memories may come back, but even if they don’t, it doesn’t mean you can’t get to know them again.  Start over.  At your core, you’re still the same person Hitomi fell in love with.”

 

“Do you really think she could love me like this?  This is the face of the man that killed her best friend.  Not to mention this body technically belongs to Iris’ brother.  It’s not normal.”

 

“I don’t think anything about this situation is normal.  But she also doesn’t know any of this.  Maybe you and Renju should sit down and talk about telling Hitomi the truth.  Manaka was his best friend too and he hasn’t treated you any differently.  He knows that you aren’t Saito.”

 

“I…I don’t know.  I think it might be better to just let them go.  I wasn’t a good person.  I killed people.  Hitomi deserves to be happy.  And there’s no way she can do that with me.”

 

“You deserve to be happy too.  If all you do is live in a past you can’t remember, you’ll be full of regrets the rest of your life.  Start living now.  Do what makes you happy.  Make plans to have a day with Mizuki.  Ask Hitomi out to dinner.  Take Iris shopping once she’s been cleared by the doctors.  Build a future with the people you love.”

 

Date watched the tiny AI fondly, scooping her up in one hand to press his cheek against her body before holding her in front of his empty socket.  Aiba gave him a small pat and then maneuvered herself to take her rightful place as his left eye.

 

“Thanks for the pep talk Aiba, you’re a good friend.”

 

“So are you Kaname.” 

 

 

 

 

 

Shit.  Shit.  Shit.  Fuck.

 

Saito stood up from the bathroom sink, his entire face wet, a mixture of sweat and cold water.  He had barely made it to the bathroom in time to throw up, the acid rising in his throat as his mind kept replaying the scene back at the apartment over and over again.  No matter what he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about Renju’s face as he desperately tried to gasp for air.  Those few unbearable seconds when he lay unconscious on the ground, not breathing.  When his body drew in that first precious breath, he thought he would cry tears of joy.  

 

It was all too much.  The raw emotion.  The pain.  The love.  The affection.  All of it.  He needed his body back.  He wanted that void of nothingness.  The peaceful emptiness of not being able to feel a thing.

 

He was so tired of looking in mirrors and seeing a stranger staring back.  He wanted his green eyes.  His blonde hair.  His pointed chin.  That small scar that he had just under his jaw from when he fell as a child.  

 

Cupping his hands under the still running water, he brought them up and splashed it against his face, enjoying the brief coolness against his clammy skin.  He grabbed a few paper towels from the dispenser and wiped his hands and face, throwing them away and making his way back out into the hall.  

 

He had already messaged Date through Nile, letting him know that he had arrived and to meet him in the control room.  It was odd to know that, the image of a large room filled with monitors popping into his mind unprompted.  

 

This had happened a few times with Shoko as well. He had no control over what memories or knowledge he had access to.  Mostly it was just the gray haired man’s feelings for Renju, but there was the odd memory of the Psync machine scattered in there as well. 

 

It made sense he supposed, especially considering the body of the man he was currently inhabiting was the inventor of the technology.  He walked through the halls on autopilot, his body pretty much taking him there by pure muscle memory and nothing else.  If he really thought about it, he wouldn’t know where he was in the building, but it didn’t seem to matter as he was getting to his destination all the same.

 

The room was quiet when he opened the door.  Most of the monitors were off and the lights were turned down.  He could hear the soft whir from several fans housed in the various pieces of equipment, but other than that it was silent.

 

Date was sitting in one of the chairs in the sunken portion of the room, staring idly at his phone.  He had a small smile on his face as he quickly typed a message and sat the phone down on the table.  

 

“Damn, you look like shit.  You sure you should be here?”

 

Saito ignored the question and instead asked one of his own, “What’s got you so happy?”

 

“Huh?  Oh, well, I took some advice from a friend and asked Hitomi out on a date.  She said yes,” he replied, smile turning into a goofy grin.

 

Saito had to control himself not to visibly flinch, though hearing her name caused his heart rate to increase.  His body was at war once again, feeling nauseous at the thought of killing the brunette woman even when he knew in his mind he had to.  If he didn’t kill them all when he was back in his body, he would never know a moment’s peace.  

 

“Seriously though, are you sure you’re ok?  You look really pale and Aiba said your pulse is really high.”

 

“Who?”

 

Date furrowed his brows, giving Saito a strange look before his eyes widened in shock.  “Oh my God, you’re right.  How did I not…”

 

“Are you talking to yourself?”

 

“…you’re really not him.”

 

Fuck.  How did everyone keep figuring him out?  He spent almost an entire year as Shoko and no one suspected a thing.  But now that he was Pewter, he couldn’t manage to trick the same people that he had fooled the entire time.  A day. A single fucking day. How could he not go one day without getting caught?  What was wrong with him?

 

“Don’t move asshole!” Date yelled, pulling out his Evolver and quickly loading it.

 

Well, that wasn’t ideal.  “Sorry, but I don’t think so.”

 

Date was quick, but Saito was quicker.  He lunged forward, ducking under Date’s outstretched arms and circling behind him, stun gun in hand.  Before Date could even register what happened and turn around, Saito jammed the gun into the back of his neck and turned it on.  The shock radiated through his body and he slumped to the ground, completely unconscious.

 

“That’s one problem solved.”

 

 

 

 

Saito looked over the computer screen one last time, making sure all of the calculations were correct.  He hit “Enter” and watched the timer slowly start counting down from five minutes.

 

This machine was much easier to use than the prototype.  Just a few key strokes and he had enabled the machine to run on it’s own.  It would automatically start once the timer reached zero, and then once ten minutes had elapsed, the swap would be complete.

 

Ten minutes might have been a little overkill, but he wanted to make absolutely certain that they were both in Somnium long enough for the swap to occur.  It would be a pain in the ass if he had to do it again.  Not to mention it would be more likely that he would be caught.  He was already on borrowed time as it was, knowing Renju could wake at any moment.

 

He had stumbled out of the apartment in a haze, only taking Pewter’s cellphone and the stun gun.  He didn’t bother with Renju’s phone or anything else that he could possibly use to call for help.  Once the blonde man woke up, Saito was sure his first call would be to someone at ABIS.

 

He needed to hurry, the timer was already down to three minutes.  Grabbing the glass bottle and syringe he had taken from the back room, Saito hurried down into the Psync chamber.  Date was currently in the Psyncer’s chair, breathing steadily but completely unconscious.  If Saito was lucky, he would remain asleep while in Somnium and then wake up soon after the Psync was complete.  

 

Of course, it would be Saito waking up, not Date.  The other man would be trapped in Pewter’s body, which Saito planned on loading up with enough of the sedative to keep him unconscious for at least the next hour.  

 

Saito sat down quickly, opening the packaging for the new syringe and filling it with the sedative.  He had precisely calculated exactly how much he would need based on Pewter’s weight and injected it directly into his arm.  Throwing the now empty needle on the ground, he leaned back, the chair moving into position as the visor came down, blocking his vision.

 

When he woke up, he’d finally be himself again.  It would all be over.  He smiled as his mind slowly faded away, feeling the nano cable slip behind his eye.  This was it.  He was getting his body back.

Notes:

We have now reached the rapid body swapping portion of the story. It wouldn't be a fic based off of the first game if everyone wasn't getting swapped around. And now Saito is finally going to be back in his original body...

I hope you all enjoyed Date and Aiba getting to bond. Even though they argue a lot in the game, they both care so much for each other. At the end of the first game when Date knows he is going to lose her, it really cements how much he loves her. I just wanted to have little glance of them bonding and Aiba being there to comfort Date. I think they would be more likely to act that way when they are alone versus being around others. Hopefully it didn't come across too out of character for either of them.

As always, if you liked this chapter, please leave a comment! I love every single one of them!

Chapter 23

Renju slowly woke with a groan, his head spinning and throat raw.  His eyes were heavy, refusing to open at first despite his attempts to do so.  When they finally did flutter open, the world around him was fuzzy.

 

Glasses.  He needed his glasses.  Reaching over, he felt around for the beside table, but there was only the plush carpet beneath his hand.  What?  Was he on the floor?

 

Trying to get his bearings, he propped himself up on one elbow, the action taking significantly more effort than it should.  He caught a glimpse of something reflective on the floor, inches from where his head previously lay, and grabbed it.  Slipping the glasses onto his face, the world suddenly came in to focus.

 

What had happened?  Did he get so drunk he passed out on the floor?  No, while that might explain the pounding in his head, his burning throat was a difference story.  He must be getting sick then.  Maybe it was the flu and he just collapsed in the living room, unable to make it to bed.

 

No.  That didn’t make any sense either.  Futa wouldn’t leave him laying on the ground, he would have helped him to bed.  So why…?

 

Renju sat up quickly, the room around him spinning painfully fast and almost causing him to fall completely back to the ground. His memories came back in a flash.  Finding Futa’s visor and cell phone in the parking garage.  Rushing to the fishery.  Shoko choking Futa.  Date firing off a round and stunning her.  Heading to the hospital with Boss driving his car.  The doctors making sure Futa was ok and the stab wound wasn’t too deep.  Visiting Iris.  Heading back home and having dinner.  And then realizing…

 

“Fu…ta…” Renju’s voice came out as a rasp and then quickly dissolved into a series of harsh coughs.

 

After the coughing fit had subsided, he looked around the room once more, laying eyes on Futa’s visor on the coffee table.  He didn’t question it at the time, but now he realized just how strange it was for his boyfriend to have never once put it on.  Futa wore his visor nearly as much as someone that needed corrective eyewear, mainly only taking it off to sleep, shower, or watch TV so his world wouldn’t be tinted green.

 

In a way, it was lucky that he hadn’t worn it or taken it with him, because Renju needed Theia now more than ever.  He was a few feet away, but started to crawl over on his hands and knees.  Or tried to.  As soon as his right hand hit the ground to support his weight, a sharp, burning pain made its way up his arm, body collapsing beneath him.  He let out a grunt, causing more coughing to tear from his throat.  

 

Weak and in more pain than before, he scooted along on his side, finally reaching the table after a significant amount of effort.  Panting from exertion, he leaned back against the couch, letting the furniture support him.  He grabbed the visor from the table, sliding it over his glasses.  The act itself was enough to wake the AI from her sleep, the visor emitting a slight glow.

 

“Th-theia?” His voice was barely a whisper.  Just saying her name brought a wave of suffering to his throat, causing him to swallow.  It was like shards of glass were stuck in it.

 

“Renju?” she answered back through the tiny speakers.  “Wait, what has happened?  Was there an accident?  Your body has significant trauma.”

 

“I…” Another coughing fit.

 

“Please wait, allow me to complete a scan.”

 

Renju didn’t try to reply, laying his head back against the couch cushions and trying to not pass out again.  He felt lightheaded in addition to the awful headache he was experiencing.

 

“Renju, you need to go to the hospital immediately,” she said, and he could hear the panic behind it.  “You have a concussion, several ruptured blood vessels in your right eye, a bruised larynx, a hairline fracture in your hyoid bone, and a fracture in your scaphoid bone.”

 

“I…need to…Futa…”

 

“I already tried calling him, but he didn’t answer.  His voicemail picked up so I did leave him a message, but he has not tried calling me back.  I have tracked his location using his watch.  He is currently at ABIS.”

 

“No…Date…call him…he needs to know…it’s not Futa, it’s…Saito.”

 

“What?  That’s not possible.  I saw everything.  You were still wearing the visor in the warehouse.  The Psync machine was not there.  Unless he did the swap somewhere else and came back, but why go to the trouble to come back to the warehouse district?”  She was talking to herself at this point, not waiting for Renju to reply.

 

“Theia…please call Date.  Warn him…”

 

“Yes, on it.”

 

Several seconds went by before Theia spoke again.  “He is not answering either.  I have also tried to connect to Aiba using Wadjet, but she is offline.”

 

“No…I have to get…there.”  Renju tried to push himself off the floor, managing to heave his body onto the couch, but still struggling to try to stand.

 

“No.  You are in no position to go anywhere and you certainly can’t drive.  I am calling you an ambulance.”

 

“Please Theia, I have…to help…Date.”

 

“And how do you plan to do that?  You’ll collapse before you make it to the elevator.  You need a doctor.”

 

“Then call Moma, but try to…call Boss first.  Or the other…engineer.  The one…Futa hates.”

 

“Moma is not a doctor, but I will try to contact Boss and Naoki.”

 

More silence.  Renju hated not knowing what was going on, but it was probably for the best.  He was having a hard enough time keeping up with the conversation with only Theia talking to him, he couldn’t imagine trying to listen to her speak with someone else.  It had to be an effect of the concussion, though Renju wasn’t sure how he even got one to begin with.  He remembered Futa, no, not Futa.  Saito.  He remembered Saito strangling him, pushing down so hard that his vision faded into nothingness.

 

Maybe he hit his head when he fell down.  It had to be something like that, not that it really mattered anyway.  The most important thing was making sure someone got to Date in time.  Because he knew something was wrong.  Date being unreachable wasn’t that much of a stretch.  The man slept like the dead and he often pulled all-nighters, so sleep was precious when he did get it.  But, for Theia to say that Aiba was offline, he knew that was bad.

 

He was still trying to wrap his head around the whole AI thing and how his boyfriend was more of a genius than he ever thought, but even with his limited knowledge, he wouldn’t expect Date’s partner to just be completely unreachable.  Sure, he supposed she could be charging, or maybe even updating her operating system, but in his heart, Renju knew that wasn’t the case.

 

“I’ve managed to reach Boss and Naoki.  Boss was home, but she is headed back to ABIS now.  She lives close to fifteen minutes away and was walking out to her motorcycle as we spoke.  Naoki left for the evening and returned home as well, but his apartment is only eight minutes from headquarters.  He was also on his way there.”

 

“Thank you…Theia.  Just keep trying…Date…”

 

“I will, but you need to let me call an ambulance for you.”

 

“No, please just call…Moma.”

 

“Renju, I don’t think you understand the gravity of your injuries.  If the swelling in your throat gets any worse, it could restrict your breathing.  Not to mention if you ever hope to play the piano again, that wrist needs to immobilized as soon as possible.”

 

Renju shook his head slowly, doing his best not to go too fast.  “Call Moma…he has a…key for…emergencies.  Ask him to…bring Dokuta.”

 

“You are just as stubborn as Futa.  But I will call him on one condition.”

 

“I’m listening.”

 

“If Dokuta cannot help you, you go to the hospital immediately.”

 

Renju nodded.  “I will.”

 

“Ok, I’ll call him.  Just lean back and try to relax.  Not too much though, you can’t fall asleep.”

 

Renju followed her advice and leaned his body against the couch, giving his neck a break and letting his head rest on the plush material.  Date would be ok.  He had to be.  He just needed to have faith that Boss or Naoki would get there in time.

 

 

 

 

 

Saito blinked slowly, the bright lights of the Psync chamber causing him to squint.  It took a moment for his vision to focus and when it did, he noticed that he could only see through his right eye.

 

It worked.  It actually worked!  He was back in his body.  He jumped out of the chair, resisting the urge cry out in happiness.  This was everything he had been working towards for the last year and now it had finally happened.  His plans may have fallen apart, but the end result was still the same.

 

He couldn’t even begin to describe all of the things he was feeling.  Elation.  Joy.  Glee.  Excitement.   He had never felt so full and content before.  It was…wait…why was he feeling anything?  Something wasn’t right.

 

If he was in his original body, he shouldn’t feel anything.  Much less happy.  His body was numb to emotions, so why would he feel them now?  He shouldn’t, not unless the Psync didn’t work.

 

Saito whipped around quickly, staring at the other chair attached to the Psync machine.  Laying there peacefully, the steady rise and fall of his chest the only movement, was Pewter.  He looked down, seeing the eyesore of a coat that Date chose to drape his body in.

 

With a snarl of disgust, Saito’s fingers deftly unbuttoned the outerwear and threw it in the empty chair.  He’d find something more to his liking.  Hell, all he had to do was go home.  He was sure his father didn’t get rid of his belongings, clothes included.

 

So Sejima.  That was certainly going to be complicated.  He wasn’t sure if the man had any idea what had happened to his son for the past six years, but knowing him, he was willing to bet he knew  some of it.  So always had his ear to the ground, finding out things that by all rights he shouldn’t know.

 

Thinking of So was starting to bring even more emotions to the surface.  Complicated ones.  The most obvious and glaring was hate, but there was sadness and even a small amount of fear mixed in.

 

“God, what the hell is wrong with me?” he mumbled to himself, trying to figure out what was going on.

 

Before he could give his situation any more thought, the vision in his left eye suddenly came to life.  One moment he was seeing mono, and the next it was normal.  He blinked rapidly, thinking his mind must be playing tricks on him, but no matter how many times he opened and closed his eyes, his sight remained the same.

 

That was strange.  He knew Date was wearing a prosthetic eye, since he had ripped the original from his socket six years ago.  But he thought that’s all it was, a prosthetic.  He didn’t imagine it would actually be used to be able to see.  

 

He must have gotten it from Pewter.  It wouldn’t be a stretch, the man had created the Psync machine and all the technology to go along with it, an artificial eye with the ability to restore sight would probably be nothing compared to that.

 

The eye had to be powered somehow, because it was definitely off until a minute ago.  The electric shock from the stun gun must have knocked it out and it finally powered back on.  He’d have to search around and see if he could find the charger.  He very much liked the idea of having his vision restored, so he would ultimately need something to keep the device on and functioning.

 

“Date?”

 

Saito turned quickly, looking back towards the Psync chamber door.  It was still closed and no one was there.  He spun in a full circle, taking in the entire room, but he, and the unconscious body of Pewter, were the only ones there.

 

“Not Date then…” A woman’s voice, full of disappointment and sadness.

 

“Who’s there?!” he yelled, turning his attention upwards, trying to see if anyone was in the control room.

 

What was happening?  Had he finally lost it?  He didn’t think he was hearing things, but there was absolutely no one there.  Did swapping across several different bodies cause psychological damage?  Granted, Saito knew he wasn’t the most sound mentally, but he had never heard voices before.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a slight grinding sound, it was faint, but it was almost like he could hear it inside his head.  No.  He could definitely hear it inside his head.  It was coming from his left eye and it was trying to move on it’s own.  He felt a slight pressure, almost like it was going to pop out, and then it settled back into place.

 

“Damn it!  You fried the release mechanism!”

 

“What?  Who said that?”

 

“Me dumbass,” the voice answered back.  

 

He was about to fire off another question, asking exactly who “me” was, when an image appeared before him.  He could only see it out of his left eye, but it was a petite woman that was semi-transparent with glowing strands of hair and strange markings on her body.

 

“What?” Saito gasped out, taking a step back.

 

“Do you like destroying everyone’s lives?  Do you have any idea what you have put all of my friends through?”  She crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“I really am going crazy.”

 

“No, but you’ll wish you were when I’m done with you.  My core programing doesn’t allow me to hurt you or cause you harm, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it yourself.”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Saito asked, taking a hesitant step back.  He still wasn’t completely sure that he hadn’t lost his mind.  The image of the woman before him seemed real, and her voice certainly sounded real, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be experiencing a simultaneous audio and visual hallucination.  

 

“Your little stunt with the stun gun caused major damage to my central system, but some features are still working.  Pewter made sure that no matter what happened to me, my back-up system would always be functioning and would continue to give Date his medication.”

 

“Medication?”

 

“Mmhmm.  Date didn’t do well with your brain condition.  I was created not only to help him as his partner, but to make sure he always has a steady supply of serotonin.”

 

“Serotonin?  Is that why…”

 

“Why you’re actually feeling emotions?”

 

Saito’s eyes widened, his shock evident.

 

“Oh I know everything you’re feeling.  I can’t read your mind, but the way your body has been reacting has given me everything I need to know.”

 

“I shouldn’t feel this way.  Make it stop.”

 

“Oh no, I don’t think so.  In fact, you’re getting an extra dose.”

 

Saito sucked in a breath as he felt a wave of cold creep down his spine.  It was like his veins had been injected with ice water.  

 

“You know, just the serotonin on it’s own isn’t going to do much, but reminding you of some of the things you’ve done?  I think that might do the trick.  You certainly remember your victims from the time you were the cyclops killer, don’t you?”

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

The woman let her arms fall to the side, her expression giving nothing away.  “I’m going to make you feel everything you should have felt.  All the pain and hurt and fear you caused your victims, it’s your turn to feel it.”

 

She didn’t say anything else, her image disappearing.  It was soon replaced by the first cyclops victim.  Chihiro Fujiwara.  The brunette woman had been in her early thirties, as most of them were, with short brown hair and equally brown eyes.  He shuddered as he remembered how Rohan had ripped her right eye out, holding it up and observing it like one would a precious stone.  At the time it hadn’t bothered him, but now…

 

The pictures of Chihiro continued to flash across the vision in his left eye, intermixed with a handful of short videos showing her laughing and joking with friends.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ve found plenty of pictures and videos from all of the victims ‘Our Place’ pages.  They’ve been left up as memorials.  Every year on the anniversary of their deaths, friends and family post messages.  It’s been six years, but their losses are still felt just as much today as they were then.  You did this.  You and Rohan.”

 

Saito fell to his knees, listening to Chihiro speaking with another woman, talking about some concert they were waiting in line to see.  She was so happy.  So full of hope.  She didn’t realize that her days were coming to an end.  And why would she?  No one her age would think their life was over.  Not unless they were diagnosed with some sort of terminal illness. 

 

She was well loved; the photos and videos proved that.  She had plenty of friends.  And family that cared deeply.  

 

A new video stared playing.  This one a birthday party.  It was obviously for Chihiro.  She was front and center, full of smiles as others gathered around her.

 

Was that her last birthday?  The last time she would celebrate with those that loved her?  Why did he feel so guilty about her never seeing another birthday again?  Why was he feeling anything at all?  He didn’t care about her.  He didn’t care about any of those women.  He didn’t know them.  He didn’t even know why they had to be killed.  He never asked.

 

Rohan was the one that found all the victims.  He gave Saito a name and where to find them and that was that.  Saito would lure them away, working quickly to subdue the women and take them up into the mountains where Rohan was waiting.  He would kill them in any variety of ways and then Rohan would take his prize.  Afterwards having his low ranking Yakuza bury the women in a shallow grave.

 

He felt the rush of endorphins when he killed them all, his body practically shaking with electricity.  He was able to ride that high for a day or two before it would all fade away.  Lucky for him, Rohan seemed to have a list of those he needed taken care of.  Saito never questioned it.  Simply reporting to the Kumakura office and getting his orders.

 

Rohan made sure that Saito was always summoned late at night, wanting to keep him away from other members of the family, but specifically Moma.  For as cold and calculating as the Kumakura head could be, he seemed to have a soft spot for his younger brother.  Which seemed odd because he had heard on more than one occasion that the two did not get along.  Their different attitudes on violence and how the family should be run often at the forefront of their arguments.

 

Either way, Rohan wanted to keep Saito a secret.  He wanted as few people as possible to know that he was even associated with the Kumakura’s, let alone what the younger man looked like.

 

All through his thoughts, the images of Chihiro’s life never stopped.  A woman who’s name he barely remembered, and now he knew that she had two older brothers, a tan cat that was featured in many of her selfies, and that she was an avid runner; competing in many different races.  At the time of her death, she had a fiancé.  A man who several times a year would post messages on her “Our Place” page.  It didn’t seem like he had moved on either.

 

The strange, white haired woman showed him various posts throughout the last six years, all of them with the same basic message.  That he would love Chihiro until the day he died.  That there would never be another woman like her.  

 

Even closing his eyes didn’t make the images stop.  He could still see them out of the left side of his vision.  It was all becoming too much.  He had to get out of here, he had to make it stop.

 

He could feel the tears streaming down his face as he stood up, stumbling towards the door.  The longer he stayed in that room, the more likely it was that he would get caught.  Surely that was what the woman in his vision wanted.  He still didn’t know exactly who she was, or more accurately what she was, but she had to be related to Date somehow.  Obviously some sort of artificial intelligence, but much more advanced than he ever dreamed possible.

 

Though given the genius of Futa Amanoma, he really shouldn’t be surprised.  His father was a pioneer in his field, it would only stand to reason his son would be the same.

 

Saito slowly made his way down the hallway, trying his best to get his bearings.  It was a struggle, mostly because he couldn’t see completely.  His brain having a hard time trying to process both sets of vision simultaneously.

 

“Still trying to fight it, are you?  Maybe the crime scene would be more to your liking.”

 

A stifled gasp escaped from Saito’s throat as he slid down the wall that had previously supported him.  Chihiro’s remains were more bones than anything, most of her flesh rotted away.  A few patches of brown hair were still attached to her skull, along with scraps of fabric that had once been her clothing.  It was obvious that animals had dug up her shallow grave and Saito felt the bile rise in his throat, the images rapidly went by in some gross imitation of a slide show.

 

He grabbed at the artificial eye, fingers trying to find purchase, and pulled.  Nothing happened.  He knew she said the release mechanism had been fried, but he should still be able to remove the eye himself.  Pulling even harder, he felt a significant amount of pressure in his socket, but still, the eye wouldn’t budge.

 

“In addition to my vital functions remaining online, a lock also engages when my operating system takes a certain amount of damage.  This is so I wouldn’t accidentally fall out, especially if Date were unconscious.  But it also prevents anyone from trying to remove me as well.  I can only be released if someone with administrative credentials logs in to the master account and disengages the lock.”

 

“Stop…please,” he whined, his voice sounding pathetic even to his own ears.

 

“Mr. Date?”

 

Saito forced his head up, vision swimming with Chihiro’s corpse and a young, black haired man standing before him.

 

“Mr. Date?  Are you ok?”

 

Who was this?  Obviously someone that knew Date.  Likely a co-worker as the sub-terrainnian space was not open to the public, nor did members of the police force tend to frequent the area.

 

No matter how hard he tried to rack his brain, he couldn’t think of a name.  He supposed it was because he was back in his own body.  Date may have inhabited it for six years, but it was never his.  When his essence flowed over to Pewter, all his memories went with him.

 

“Let me help you up.”

 

Hands were suddenly on his left arm and a gentle pressure urged him back to his feet.  He leaned heavily against the shorter man, letting him take the brunt of his weight.  “I need to get out… of here.”

 

“Ok, don’t worry.  I’ll help you.  Are you feeling sick?  I can take you to the hospital.”

 

“No, please…I need to get out, but I don’t want anyone to…see.  I…”

 

“I get it,” the man answered, his gray eyes gentle and full of understanding.  “I won’t let anyone see you like this.  Do you think you can take the stairs?  It’s the best way to avoid a crowd.  Not that there are too many people here this late, but we can bypass the lobby area and head straight to the garage.”

 

“I think I can manage the stairs…if you’ll help me.”  He grimaced slightly as he spoke, the woman in his head screaming the entire time, doing everything possible to distract him.

 

The man’s gaze softened even more, likely mistaking his expression as weakness.  “Of course I’ll help you.  You’d do the same thing for me.”

 

Saito nodded, playing along.

 

“Since you don’t want to go to the hospital, where do you want to go?  Back to your apartment?”

 

“No,” Saito said, walking forward slowly as the younger man held the door open to the stairwell.  “I’d like you to take me to Congressman Sejima’s estate.”

 

 

 

 

Notes:

More Saito suffering because apparently that's what I do now. I've been enjoying torturing him just a little too much, but it's fair since he's basically hurt every single other person in the game in some way or another.

Hopefully Aiba wasn't too out of character. In the annihilation route, she was able to knock Saito out with a shock, but since that function is offline currently, she had to improvise. Given the fact that she is desperate for someone to catch him, I think she would try to flood him with artificial hormones and then do whatever she possibly could to trigger an emotional breakdown.

Unfortunately for Aiba, poor, sweet Ryuki was the one that found him. The only one Renju didn't have Theia call because he didn't even think of him.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and the Saito drama! Please let me know in a comment if you liked it.

Chapter 24

Moma walked in to the apartment, letting Dokuta and Shoko follow behind him.  He had been at the doctor’s clinic, the man finishing up Shoko’s exam, when he received a call from a number he didn’t recognize.  Normally he would have ignored it, but after the day he’d had, he figured it was best to answer.  Just in case.

 

The voice on the other end wasn’t one he was familiar with.  A soft, feminine voice with an English accent.  She had introduced herself as Theia and said that she was an assistant of sorts for Pewter, the kid Renju was dating.  Before he could even question the strangeness of her calling him, she launched into a story about how Renju had been seriously hurt, refusing to go to the hospital and only wanting to see himself and Dokuta.

 

Of course because Shoko was there, and refusing to be left alone, she came along.  It wouldn’t have been his first choice, considering the two argued over everything, but he figured given the situation, they would control themselves.  Hopefully.

 

Moma quickly relayed the information Theia gave him to Dokuta, the doctor grabbing things from the cabinets and throwing them into a bag.  He recognized a bottle of pain medication and what looked like a sling and bandages.  He also grabbed a second bottle, the label reading “Cortisone”, along with several syringes in sealed packaging.

 

He knew the injuries were going to be bad, but he hadn’t expected Renju to look quite as small and fragile as he did laying on the couch.  His neck was a splotchy display of purple marks, while his right arm was draped across his stomach, the wrist swollen to twice it’s normal size.  His eyes were open and he watched Moma wearily, the whites of his right eye almost completely red with blood.

 

Dokuta pushed past him, sitting down on the couch gently, doing his best not jostle the blonde.  He set the bag on the coffee table and opened it up, pulling out the first bottle and syringe and setting them aside.  He also grabbed an alcohol wipe and rubber band to tie the man’s arm off.

 

“I’m going to give you two injections, ok Renju?  The first is a pain reliever.  It’s not going to completely go away, but it will take the edge off.  The second is an anti-inflammatory.  That’s going to reduce the swelling in your throat and wrist.”

 

Renju nodded ever so slightly, holding out his left arm so that Dokuta could wrap the rubber band above his elbow.

 

Shoko hovered near the door, not wanting to step too far in to the apartment, but also not wanting to wait outside, and out of eyesight.  She quietly watched Dokuta work, having been on the receiving end herself only a half hour prior.  They had been lucky that she didn’t have any injuries from the time of Saito masquerading as her.  Nothing major anyway.  Just a few cuts and bruises, but not nearly as bad as it could have been considering the state Date was in at the warehouse.

 

Not that his mood had improved much when they made their way over to ABIS.  Moma understood where the man was coming from, it wasn’t hard to figure out why he felt the anger and frustration he did.  It did surprise him when that anger was directed towards him though.  Date was lucky Boss had stepped in when she did, he knew only too well what a loose cannon Dokuta could be at times.

 

For the most part, the doctor was fairly mild mannered and certainly lived up to his reputation of helping others.  He may be a Yakuza doctor, but the man was no slouch when it came to rendering medical care.  But on a few occasions, he had seen him go off the rails.  Usually it was in defense of either Moma himself, or someone else, but it was a sight to see the normally quiet and reserved man act out.

 

“Renju, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you seriously need to go to the hospital.  Patching you up in your living room can only go so far, you really need to get a set of x-rays.”

 

The blonde started to shake his head and Moma took that as his cue to step further in to the room.  Shoko followed right behind him, still staying a good distance from her ex-husband, but not willing to let Moma get too far away from her either.

 

“Kid, this isn’t open for discussion, you’re going.”

 

“I will,” Renju rasped, sitting up further on the couch while Dokuta worked on his other side, gently fitting the sling over his shoulder.  “But please go to…ABIS first.  I need to…make sure Date… is ok.”

 

“I’m sure that loudmouth is fine.”

 

“Please Moma.”

 

Moma watched the man he pretty much considered his younger brother in everything but blood struggle to get to his feet, his second in command right by his side.  Renju’s eyes burned with a fire that he very rarely saw.  He was another one that played his emotions close to the vest, never quite letting others in.  

 

“You know this isn’t a good idea.”

 

“I know, but I need…to make sure he is…ok.  We have to…catch Saito and swap…Futa back.”

 

That’s right, that Theia woman did say that Saito had been swapped into Renju’s boyfriend.  And who they thought was Saito, was actually Pewter.  When the swap earlier at ABIS had gone through, Pewter’s essence was transferred over to Rohan’s body.  The same body that Date had been ready to kill right then and there.

 

Moma pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer fingers, letting out a large sigh.  All this science fiction shit was starting to give him a headache.  How had his life become so complicated in less than a week’s time?

 

His thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of his phone vibrating in his breast pocket.  He reached in and pulled it out, bringing the device to his ear.  “Yeah?”

 

“Hey, it’s Boss.  Where are you now?”

 

“I’m with Renju, just getting ready to leave his apartment and head over to ABIS.”

 

Renju smiled at that, walking forward with help from Dokuta.

 

“How is he?  Theia called me and said he wasn’t in great shape, but she was insistent I get over here to Date.”

 

“He’s in a bad way for sure, but you know how he is, won’t go to the hospital until he’s sure Date is fine.”

 

Boss sighed heavily on the line.  “About that…”

 

“What is it?”

 

“We were too late to stop the swap.  Saito’s back in his body, and Date is in Pewter’s.  Naoki’s with him and running a few tests, but he seems like he’s going to be ok.  Saito didn’t do anything other than knock him out with a stun gun.”

 

“So, there isn’t any reason we should even go then.”

 

“What’s happening?” Renju asked, his voiced edged in worry.

 

Moma held up a hand, stopping any further questions for the moment.  

 

“I wouldn’t say that.  Date actually wants you to come here.”

 

Well, that was certainly a change from a few hours ago.  “What for?”

 

“He wants you to bring Rohan’s body.  He’s planning to swap and get Pewter back in his body.”

 

“But, that doesn’t make any sense.  He’d be comatose if he did that.”

 

“He knows.  And once you all get here, he’ll explain everything.  Just hurry.”

 

The line went dead after that.  Moma slowly lowered the phone from his ear and tucked it back in his pocket.

 

“What’s going on?” Renju asked again.

 

Moma ran a hand down his face, looking at the younger man, then Shoko, and finally Dokuta.  “You, me and Shoko, we’re headed to ABIS.  Dokuta, I need you to take the truck back to the clinic and make arrangements to get Rohan.  We’re bringing him back over.”

 

“Again?” Dokuta asked, brow raised behind his glasses.

 

“Yeah,” Moma answered simply.  “Ren?  Is your car in the parking lot?”

 

“It should be.  My keys are still…on the table,” he said, gesturing towards the side table by the front door.  There was a small basket sitting on top of it with a set of keys and a wallet inside.

 

“Ok, we’re taking your car and Dokuta’s taking my truck.  Let’s go.”

 

“Why do you need to bring Rohan back to ABIS?” Shoko questioned, speaking up for the first time.  

 

“Come on, I’ll tell you both in the car.  But before that, something’s been bothering me.”

 

Renju raised an eyebrow.

 

“Where is this Theia chick?  She was all worried over the phone, sayin’ I needed ta get here as soon as I could, but then she ain’t here watching you?  Seems kinda weird for someone that concerned.”

 

Renju let out a small laugh that dissolved into a series of coughs.  Dokuta tightened his grip on the younger man, wanting to make sure he didn’t overbalance.

 

“Somethin’ funny about what I said?”

 

“Theia isn’t…” Another cough followed by Renju harshly clearing his throat.  “She’s an AI.”

 

“A what?  Like that one in Date’s eye you keep talking about?”

 

Renju nodded.

 

“But wait a second, you have both of your eyes.  So, how does that work?”

 

“Here,” Renju said as he gestured to the bright green visor that was currently sitting on top of his head.  Moma had been so concerned with his health when they first arrived, he hadn’t even noticed it.  His eyes had been drawn to the blonde’s various injuries and bruises; an extra pair of glasses had been the last thing on his mind.

 

“You know, I should be surprised by now, but after all the weird shit today, this is kinda nothin’.  Let’s just get over to ABIS,” Moma stated, walking out of the apartment, the rest of the group trailing behind.

 

 

 

 

 

Renju was in a state of disbelief as he sat in the Psync control room.  Sitting right next to him was his boyfriend, or his physical body at least.  Currently, he was inhabited by his best friend.  And said best friend had just gotten through a lengthy explanation as to why it made the most sense for him to swap with Futa so that the engineer would be back in his original body.  Which meant Date would be…

 

“You can’t do this,” Renju said quietly, his voice still rough from the damage his throat had taken.  The only relief he had was that it wasn’t completely raw at the moment, likely due to the combination of pain killers and anti-inflammatories given to him by Dokuta.

 

“I’ll be fine Ren.”  Date tried to smile, but it was easy to see that the expression was forced.  “We need Pewter more than me right now.  And after everything I did…I owe it to him.”

 

“That doesn’t matter!  You’ll be in a coma until we get your body back.”

 

“I know.  I don’t like it, but what’s the alternative?  We leave Pewter like that?”

 

Renju sat quietly, unable to say anything back.

 

“Exactly.  I know you don’t want to leave him like that any more than I do.  And we need him.  Isn’t Iris’ surgery in the morning?”

 

Renju nodded.

 

“He at least needs to be here for that, in case something goes wrong with the machine.  Plus, I know you and Boss are going to do everything in your power to track Saito down and get my body back.  Just don’t leave me in there for too long.”

 

“Once we have Pewter back, he should be able to log in to Wadjet and track Aiba.  Unless Saito has taken her out, that will lead us right to him,” Boss said, leaning against the railing.  

 

Renju had never seen her dressed down so much before, but he did remember Theia saying that she had been home for the night, so it made sense.  She was wearing a pair of leggings and an over-sized sweatshirt with a neck hole so large it hung off one shoulder.  

 

“Aren’t you able to track her now?”  Shoko this time.  “I don’t like thinking about anyone being trapped like that.”

 

It was amazing how small and subdued she seemed.  Normally she would have bitten off some sort of sarcastic remark by now.  Or at the very least, tried to start an argument with him.  He supposed it make sense in a way.  She had only been out of her coma for a few hours and had to come to terms with the fact that she had lost an entire year of her life.  An entire year where no one even noticed she wasn’t herself.  It had to be reeking havoc on her already delicate psyche.

 

“Unfortunately we haven’t been able to track her.  It seems like when Sejima knocked Date out with the stun gun, it took her whole system offline.  I was able to view the report that Wadjet logged the moment she was out of commission.  Just her absolute basic functions would still be working, if they even are,” Naoki answered, turning his chair around to face the rest of the group.

 

Moma stood next Boss, arms crossed over his chest as he listened to everything around him.  He hadn’t been very talkative since they made it back to the station.  Not that it was a huge surprise, he’d been introduced to an entirely new world in the span of a few days.

 

Hell, they all had.  Renju knew that Futa worked for the police and that the name of his department was ABIS, but that had been the basic extent of his knowledge.  Sure, he was aware that his boyfriend wasn’t a police office, but was instead involved in the science division, but even that wasn’t much to go off of.

 

Futa had always been fairly tightlipped about his projects and his job, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.  Renju was the one that constantly talked about his business, having Futa listen to a new song he was working on or getting his opinion on a band he was thinking of signing.  He still hadn’t really had the time to properly process everything he had learned, but that would have to come later.

 

“So, if you can access this Wadjet system,” Shoko began, “why can’t you track Saito?  How is having Pewter back going to make a difference?”

 

“Your jealousy is showing Shoko,” Date quipped, the tone odd when said in Futa’s voice.

 

She let out a slow breath and shook her head.  “I didn’t mean it like that.  I don’t want anyone to be trapped in a coma like I was.  Do you think it’s fun having brief moments of lucidity but knowing you can’t do anything?  I could hear the things around me, I know that Moma came to visit sometimes.  I can’t tell you how many times I tried to do something, anything.  I wanted to make a noise or flutter my eyes or move a damn finger.  But my body wouldn’t listen.  I don’t want you to have to go through that.  Or Pewter.  I want to get Saito back so you don’t have to swap into Rohan’s body.  But I don’t see what difference having him log in to Wadjet versus Naoki would be.”

 

“The difference is the type of clearance that he has.  Wadjet isn’t our system.  It’s global.  We have IDs assigned to us and can log in, but there is a limit to what we can do.  Given Amanoma’s long term projects and his doctorate that he loves to flaunt, the creators of Wadjet were only too happy to have him be one of their administrators.  No one else has his credentials.  It would be like trying to get information as a police officer versus a CIRO agent; it’s a huge gap between what I can access and what he can.”

 

“Which is exactly why I need to swap into Rohan.  I’m not thrilled about it, but we need Pewter.  Time is running out and if Saito finds a way to leave the country, we’ve pretty much lost.”

 

“That shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  While Naoki was checking you over, I got in touch with the Commissioner General and he is going to contact the CIRO and the transportation board.  Saito’s information is going to be at every airport, railway, and seaport, he’s not leaving this country,” Boss explained.

 

“That’s an awful big risk paintin’ a target on Sejima’s son.  You don’t want him as an enemy,” Moma muttered beside the brunette.

 

“Not much I can do.  We need to get Saito back and swapped into Rohan as quickly as possible.  Who knows what kind of trouble he is getting in to right now?”

 

 

 

 

 

“Uh, Mr. Date,” Ryuki said softly.  “Are you sure this is a good idea?  It’s almost midnight.”

 

Saito ignored the black haired man next to him, continuing to hit the button on the intercom over and over.  He didn’t care if he woke the entire household up, he’d stay there as long as it took for someone to come to the gate.

 

And at this late hour, it was guaranteed that one of his father’s hired muscle would come right out.  There were security cameras, so whoever was watching was sure to see him standing there.  More than likely, the person on duty knew who Saito was.  His father was incredibly paranoid about those he hired and let in to his inner circle, so the turnover was slim.

 

He was certain someone had gone and woken his father by now, letting him know his erstwhile son was standing outside.  Saito felt a small shiver work it’s way through his body.  It was lightly raining and the cold, damp air was starting to get uncomfortable.

 

“Here,” Ryuki whispered, shrugging out of his long outer coat and placing it on Date’s shoulders.  The garment hit Ryuki about mid-calf, but with the height difference, it rested just at Saito’s knees.

 

“Aren’t you cold?”

 

“I’ll be fine.  I have my jacket, but you forgot your coat when we left.”

 

“Thanks,” Saito mumbled, pulling the material tighter across his chest.  It was hard to think straight and respond properly with the AI still playing image after image in his left eye.  Not to mention the constant talking.  She was doing everything she could to trip him up and he was afraid the longer he stayed around Ryuki, the easier it would be for him to figure out he wasn’t Date.  He needed to get rid of him.  “It’s fine for you to head home.  I’ll be ok here.”

 

“But how are you going to get home?  I can’t just leave you here.”

 

“There’s no need to worry, I’ll take care of him.”

 

Saito chuckled softly as he looked up to meet the eyes of his father.  So the man had decided to personally come out himself instead of sending one of his lackeys.  He must really be curious.

 

“Congressman Sejima!” Ryuki startled, quickly bowing at the waist.  “Please forgive us for disturbing you so late into the evening.”

 

“There’s no need for that.  I’m always happy to meet with my constituents.  It brings me no greater joy as a man of the people.”

 

Saito rolled his eyes.  It never failed, his father always seemed to be “on” when it came to his political career.  If only the general population knew the real So Sejima.

 

“Still though, I realize it’s incredibly late.  We probably should have waited until the morning but-“

 

“Please, I understand.  I believe your friend here has business with me, Mister…?” So trailed off.

 

“Ryuki sir.  Kuruto Ryuki.”

 

“Well then Mr. Ryuki, I appreciate you bringing your friend out to see me, but I assure you that I can take it from here.”

 

Saito could tell from So’s tone that Ryuki was being dismissed.  He started to remove his coat before he felt a soft hand over his own.

 

“It’s fine.  Keep it for tonight.  You can give it back to me tomorrow at work.  But please call me if you end up needing a ride.  It doesn’t matter how late, I’ll have my phone right next to me.”

 

“Ok,” Saito nodded, once again wrapping the coat around his shoulders.

 

Ryuki stood there a moment longer before offering a final bow to So and turning on his heel.  He walked back down the street to where he parked his car, disappearing around the corner.

 

“Well, I suppose you should come inside.  I don’t feel like standing out here in the rain and you’re shivering like some pathetic drowned rat.”

 

The smile was instantly gone from So’s face and his words were now laced with ice.  His public persona of the warm and caring father figure for all of Japan was now replaced by the cynical and suspicious man he had known all his life.

 

He followed quickly behind his father, the other man striding forward with a purpose across the expansive yard and into his home.  Their home.  

 

Saito quickly slipped out of his shoes and hung Ryuki’s coat by the door, walking to the informal reception room that So often used to greet the few people he counted as friends.  His feet padded softly across the tatami mat as he sat down on one of the cushions, a warm cup of tea already poured out and sitting on the table.

 

“Still four sugars Master Saito?” one of the maids asked quietly, standing off to one side and setting down a plate of cookies.  Wakumi Hoga.  She had been a part of the household since he was around eight.  He believed she had been nineteen or twenty, he couldn’t really remember and at eight years old, anyone that was an adult pretty much was the same age to him.

 

She had watched him grow up and had always been kind to him, much kinder than he deserved, that was for sure.  And she never failed to remember his love for sweets.  While Saito normally had no desire for food and only ate to live, the one thing that brought him a slight amount of joy was sugar.  He figured it was the little bit of serotonin that could be derived from the treats that made him feel anything at all, so he managed to develop a bit of a sweet tooth as a result.

 

So had likely told the woman to prepare a pot of tea and bring it in, but when she was advised of who the guest would be at this late hour, she had made up a plate of treats as well.  Obviously they weren’t homemade as she wouldn’t have had time to bake something, but the fact that she remembered such a small detail after six years was more than his father had ever done.

 

He felt warm when he thought about growing up with her watching over him, the memories bringing up a fondness that he had not previously known before.  It must be the medication coursing it’s way through his system.  Never in his life had he felt such an array of emotions.  The AI invading his mind was still doing her best to make his mask slip, moving on to showing crime scene photos of his second victim.  Clutching his head between his hands, he squeezed his eyes shut and let out a groan.

 

“I’m sorry Master Saito, I must have forgotten how you like your tea.  Please tell me and I’ll get you a fresh cup right away.”

 

Saito cracked his right eye open and shook his head.  “No need Wakumi, this is perfect.  I’m afraid I have a headache.”

 

She smiled gently, warmth radiating from her entire demeanor.  “Then I’ll be back in a moment with an aspirin.”

 

She slipped out the room, closing the sliding door behind her.

 

“Why are you here?” So asked, straight to the point as usual as he sipped his tea.  He didn’t even bother to hide the disdain on his face.

 

“You know it’s me?”  

 

“I know my own son.  I take it your memories have returned in full then?”

 

“My memories?”

 

So watched with a critical eye, taking another drink before setting down his cup.  Wakumi came back in at that moment, holding out her hand with a small white pill.

 

Nodding his thanks, Saito reached forward and took the offered medicine.  His hands started shaking as he was shown a particularly gruesome autopsy photo of the third victim and the pill slipped from his hand, landing on the floor.

 

“Master Saito?” Wakumi asked gently, kneeling down and picking up the pill.

 

“Sorry, I ummm, I’m not feeling all that well.”

 

“Please, you don’t have to apologize.”  That same sweet, maternal smile.  “Let me help.  Open your mouth.”

 

Saito vaguely felt like he was eight years old again, but did as she asked.  He opened his mouth and she placed the pill on his tongue before picking up his untouched cup of tea.  She brought the drink to his mouth and tipped it back gently, allowing him to swallow a mouthful before placing it back on the table.

 

“Wakumi,” So ground out, brows furrowed together.  “Stop babying him.  He is a grown man and more than capable of taking a single pill on his own.”

 

“Forgive me Master So.  It’s hard not to dote on him, even now,” she said, standing back up and bowing deeply.

 

“You are dismissed.  Prepare Saito’s room and then come back in an hour to clean this up.”

 

“Yes sir,” she said with a final bow and backed out of the room.

 

“My room?”

 

“Yes, your room.  I expect you will be staying at least the night, if not longer.  Correct?”

 

Saito nodded.

 

“Then you’re going to need somewhere to sleep.  Unless you prefer sleeping on the floor like a stray dog.”

 

“No father, thank you for your generosity.”

 

“Stop with the false pleasantries.  It doesn’t suit you.”

 

“I could say the same for you.”

 

So barked out a laugh at that.  “I see you haven’t lost that sharp tongue.  Now, answer my question.  Why, after six years, have you suddenly decided to show back up?”

 

“You asked if my memories returned, why?”

 

So let out a long sigh.  “Answering a question with a question.  Are we really going to play this game?”

 

“I don’t know what happened.  Or what you were told.  Obviously it was enough to make you decide you didn’t need to look for me.”

 

So drank the rest of his tea and sat the cup down.  “I should have had Wakumi bring in the good Sake for this.  But fine.  Your little incident six years ago nearly became public knowledge.   There was some sort of accident and then the next thing I know, I’ve got a woman from the Tokyo PD on my property telling me that you’re a total amnesiac.  You couldn’t remember your name, anything about your life, or even how you came to be wandering around the streets of Golden Yokocho missing your left eye.  I was given two choices, though it wasn’t really a choice at all.”

 

“What was it?” Saito asked.

 

“I let you go to trial for the Cyclops Serial killings, which would put your name, and mine, in every available news outlet by the next morning.  Needless to say, that would be an absolute disaster for my political career.  Or, I give you over to some new department and she would take charge of you.  It wasn’t much of a choice.  I wasn’t about to let you cost me everything I had worked for.”

 

“Naturally,” Saito supplied.

 

“Don’t give me that.  You know how important it is that my reputation remain spotless.  If I’m ever to be Prime Minister some day, I can’t have a murderer of a son hiding in the closet.”

 

“No, God forbid one of your children screw something up for you,” Saito bit back, grinding his teeth together.

 

“Children?”

 

Despite feeling like his head was about to explode and the horror show being presented in his left eye, Saito let a shark-like grin creep onto his face.  “It seems we have a lot to talk about…father.”

 

 

Notes:

Yay, we're finally going to get Pewter back! Timeline wise, it's only been a few hours, but I know it's been so much longer than that for everyone else. Of course to get Pewter back, we have to lose Date for a bit.

Also, more Saito! And So finally makes his debut! I really hope you all enjoyed this little look in to their family dynamics.

And poor Aiba. She really is trying everything within her power to get Saito to screw up so someone notices. It's just unfortunate for her that the one person that was around Saito was Ryuki and he just doesn't know Date all that well yet. He wouldn't be able to pick up on all the little quirks like the rest of his friends would.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Please leave me a comment, I love hearing everyone's thoughts!

Chapter 25

Notes:

Ok everyone, this chapter is kind of heavy. Tags have been updated, but as a CW, there is talk of a past suicide attempt towards the end of the chapter. I have marked the beginning and end of this scene with ***, so it is easy to skip over.

If you choose to skip over it, I will give a brief rundown of the scene in the end notes.

Boss took a long sip of her coffee as she looked around the room.  Dokuta had arrived about twenty minutes ago, Rohan in tow.  He was currently down in the Psync chamber, monitoring the former Kumakura head’s vitals.

 

Date was seated in the opposite Psync chair, Renju next to him and speaking quietly.  The mics were on, but it made no difference.  The blonde man had suffered so much abuse to his throat his voice wasn’t much louder than a whisper.

 

This whole entire situation was a giant disaster.  She was losing her best Psyncer in order to gain her brightest engineer back.  Honestly, she wished Date had listened to her and agreed to give it a little time.  She was sure she could find Saito, she just needed the opportunity to do it.  Not that she didn’t want Pewter back, but it felt like more of a betrayal to sacrifice her best friend to do it.  It sucked no matter how she looked at it.

 

“Hey Naoki?”

 

The brunette paused in his typing and glanced over his shoulder.  “Hmm?”

 

“You ever figure out what was being said in Saito’s Somnium?”

 

Moma looked up curiously at that.  “Saito’s Somnium?”

 

“Yeah,” Naoki said briskly, pausing to take a drink of his own coffee and sitting it back down on the desk.  “Sejima went into the subject’s chair and put Date in the Psyncer’s chair.  After knocking him out with the stun gun.  Everything was recorded, from start to finish.”

 

“How?  No one was here to run it, right?”

 

“You don’t need anyone.  The machine can have commands preloaded in so that it runs on it’s own.  He set a delay to give him enough time to get in position, then made sure it would run for a full ten minutes before shutting off.  The footage we got was pretty much the same deal as Nadami’s Somnium.”

 

“My…Somnium?” Shoko asked, sitting up a little straighter in her chair.

 

“Didn’t you tell her anything at all about this?” Boss asked.

 

Moma shrugged one shoulder.  “Just the basics.  I still don’t understand how half this shit works, let alone how to explain it to someone else.”

 

“Ok, long story short then.  Your ex-husband’s boyfriend is an absolute genius.”

 

Naoki snorted at that.

 

“Can you not be jealous for five minutes?  Is that really too much to ask?”

 

“I’m not jealous of someone that bought his way into everything that makes him special.  Some of us actually had to work our asses off to get where we are and didn’t have Daddy’s money to do it.”

 

Boss rolled her eyes and brought her right hand up to rest on the railing, fingers tapping out an annoyed beat.  “Anyway, he made the Psync machine and all the tech that goes along with it.  It allows us to look inside the minds and dreams of the subject.  We’ve used it to help witnesses unlock memories they may have repressed and to find ways to build a case against criminals.  None of what we find is admissible in court, but it’s produced leads time and again.  If you want to know more about how it actually works, Naoki can explain it, he loves to hear himself talk.”

 

“I do not.”

 

“Yeah ok.”

 

“You act like I’m just as full of myself as Amanoma is.”

 

“Oh no, you’re way worse.”

 

Naoki let out a huff and went back to keying in everything he would need for the upcoming Psync, muttering under his breath about a “hostile work environment”.

 

“So, the Psync machine records all the data from the dreams that the Psyncer enters,” Boss stated, bringing the conversation, and Shoko’s attention, back to her.  “Normally the Psyncer would sort of lead the Psync, interacting with the dream and looking for clues to what we are trying to find or unlock within the subject.  Your Psync, and Saito’s, were a little different because the person in the Psyncer’s chair was completely unconscious.  Without anyone to guide where the Psync goes, the dream just plays out, starting and ending randomly.”

 

“You saw my dreams?” 

 

Boss observed the younger woman closely.  She didn’t give much away in her mannerisms or facial expression.  Not that it was a surprise after what they all had witnessed, Shoko obviously had some practice at schooling her emotions.  But Boss was an expert at drawing out confessions and reading people, knowing when they were lying or hiding information.  She could tell that Shoko was worried about what they may have viewed.

 

“Look, I’ll be straight with you.  A lot of what we saw wasn’t pretty.  Most of it wasn’t stuff you’d tell anyone, I’m pretty sure.  And if you want to watch it later, I can make it happen.  But I promise you that nothing in your Somnium is going to leave this room.  We can pretend like it never happened, or if you feel like you want to talk about some of those things, we have a psychologist on staff.  He was specifically hired on for our department, so he knows all of the inner workings of the Psync machine and how that can effect our Psyncers.”

 

“I’ll think about it,” Shoko answered softly, attention focused on the Psync chamber below.  Or more specifically, Rohan Kumakura’s comatose body.

 

Boss really couldn’t blame her.  She had to be feeling several complicated emotions seeing the body she spent the last year in.  Not that she really was aware of that at the time, but it still had be a lot to process.

 

“What’s all this about Saito’s Somnium you were talkin’ about earlier?” Moma spoke up.

 

Boss eyed him wearily, knowing she had to be very careful with how she presented the information.  She didn’t want to risk straining their delicate relationship any more than Date had earlier.  It seemed like Moma was fine and had moved past their little spat, but there were certain things in Saito’s dream that could definitely upset him if not phrased the right way.

 

“It mostly revolved around the Cyclops Serial killings and there was a lot of stuff with your psychotic older brother too.”

 

Or she could just leave it up to Naoki to bring it up in the worst way possible.  Boss brought a hand up to her head, massaging her left temple as she felt a tension headache coming on.  “Naoki…”

 

“What?”

 

Was he so blissfully unaware that he didn’t see an issue in what he said?  Watching the edges of his mouth pull up in a slight grin made that thought leave her mind.  No, he was just an asshole that liked playing with people.

 

“What did Rohan do now?  Or then I guess.  It couldn’t have been anything too recently,” Moma huffed out, his voice sounding more tired than usual.

 

“Given the events that his dreams were focusing on, I’m going to say it was all from at least six years ago.  There were a handful of things from when Sejima was younger, but the majority of his Somnium focused on the Cyclops victims specifically.  Well, them and some of your friends I suppose.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Her,” Naoki pointed over to Shoko.  “Okiura, Date, the Sagan’s.  Your brother was giving a list of people to kill to Sejima, he just never got the chance to finish the last job he gave him.”

 

“Renju and Shoko?  But why?  That doesn’t make sense, they’re ours,” Moma muttered.

 

“Don’t know.  Guess you’ll have to pay the jailbird a visit.  I didn’t get too much out of the Somnium, definitely not answers as to why he wanted them killed.  Or the Cyclops victims.  Each of these dreams started out exactly the same.  Rohan saying a word in German, followed by the name of the victim, and then another German word.”

 

“German?” Moma asked.

 

“What was the translation?” Boss questioned at the same time.”

 

“Sun and star.  I have no idea why or what the significance was.  It was always sun first, and then star.”

 

“I still don’t understand.  Rohan doesn’t know German.  Why would he say something in German at all?”

 

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Naoki said with a shrug.

 

“What exactly did he say?  Word for word.”

 

“The first Cyclops victim was Chihiro Fujiwara.  When Rohan told Sejima to kill her, he brought him into an office somewhere.  Maybe his own, I don’t know.  He sat him down and said, ‘Sonne.  I need you to kill Chihiro Fujiwara.  Stern.’  We saw all the victims in the footage and nothing changed.  Same with the last set of orders.  The only difference was, the swap with Date occurred and Sejima was locked up in that mental hospital.  So he never got the chance to carry it out.”

 

“Even knowing what the words translate to, it doesn’t give us any answers,” Boss stated.

 

“Yeah, it doesn’t make any sense.  Sun and star?  That means nothin’,” Moma agreed.

 

“Do you think you could ask your brother about it?  Maybe he could shed a little light on the situation.”  

 

Boss watched Moma consider her question.  It was hard to get a read on him, the Yakuza leader not willing to let anything slip.

 

“I can try.  I don’t know how much he would be willing to tell me though.  He never trusted me with any of his business before and even though he’s been alive for the past six years, he didn’t try to reach out even once.”

 

“Do you think they’re keywords?”

 

All eyes turned to Shoko.  She took a deep breath and sat up straighter in her chair, doing her best to look more imposing than she obviously felt.

 

“Keywords?” Moma asked, speaking for all of them.

 

“You know, like for hypnosis or mind control.”

 

“There’s no such thing as mind control,” Naoki dismissed immediately.

 

“Oh, but invading someone’s dreams and body swapping are perfectly normal?” Shoko bit back.

 

Boss let a small chuckle escape, glad to see the woman was starting to regain a little bit of her backbone.  And she always enjoyed Naoki getting put in his place.

 

The engineer in question let out a frustrated noise.  He really didn’t like being called out.  “I get where you’re coming from with the comparison, but what we do here with the Psync machine is totally different than mind control.  That’s something straight out of a science fiction novel.”

 

Shoko gave him a flat look at that.

 

“I know how it sounds,” he acquiesced.  “But it doesn’t change the fact that mind control doesn’t exist.”

 

“No Naoki, she might be on to something.”

 

“You too Kuranushi?”

 

“If Rohan was simply giving Saito a list of people to kill, why not just say so?  He could have easily sat him down and said, ’I need you to go kill Chihiro Fujiwara’ and left it at that.  There was no need to start it with ‘Sonne’ and end it with ‘Stern’.  And he did it every single time.  There wasn’t any deviation.”

 

“You do realize if what you’re saying is true, we have an even bigger problem on our hands.”

 

“How so?”  Boss asked.

 

“If Sejima was under some sort of mind control or hypnosis or whatever you want to call it, then that means he might not have been killing of his own accord.”

 

“Are you tryin’ to say that you think my brother figured out a way to brainwash someone and turn them into a serial killer?”

 

“No, I don’t think he’s that smart.”

 

“Naoki!” Boss exclaimed.  She really was going to ring his scrawny neck.

 

“I don’t mean it like that.  I wouldn’t be able to figure it out, so I’m sure he couldn’t.  But that means someone did.  And whoever that is, they’re extremely dangerous.”

 

“Why is that?” Shoko asked.

 

“Because, whoever this is, they’ve either made some sort of drug or machine or hypnosis technique that worked.  And if it worked on Sejima…”

 

“What’s to stop them from usin’ it on someone else,” Moma supplied.

 

“Exactly.”

 

Boss had a really bad feeling about this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You know, you don’t have to do this.  It’s not too late to back out.  I wouldn’t blame you…and neither would Futa,” Renju managed to rasp out.

 

Date watched his best friend, seeing the internal struggle play out in his facial expressions.  Renju was suffering.  He wouldn’t say anything, but he was.  So much had happened in a matter of days, it was a wonder the man hadn’t broken down.

 

Pewter’s prophetic dream followed immediately by back to back Psyncs.  Iris’ brain tumor and hospitalization.  Coming clean to Mizuki about his sexuality and relationship.  Pewter’s kidnapping and what they thought was a rescue.  Not to mention the emotional havoc of believing Shoko had been dead for the past couple of days to then find out she was in fact alive.

 

Any one of those things would have been enough to push a normal person over the edge.  But not Renju.  It made Date wonder if all the years of being with the Kumakura family had numbed the other man’s senses somewhat.  Of course, there was only so much the human mind could withstand.  Date really didn’t want to see Renju reach that breaking point.  

 

He needed Pewter back.  They all did.  Even Date.  He still couldn’t believe he had almost been responsible for the silver haired man’s death.  Not once, but twice.  If it hadn’t been for Boss and Aiba, hell even Moma Kumakura played a part; he was afraid he would have gone through with it.  

 

His blood had boiled at the thought of Saito possibly hurting the engineer.  How everyone else managed to stay so calm was beyond him, but perhaps it was his body after all.  He noticed now when he thought of the Sejima heir, that there wasn’t nearly as much malice behind it.  Oh, he still hated him, but the overwhelming urge to lash out was gone.

 

That had to be Pewter’s influence.  The man had the patience of a saint.  Though working for ABIS probably helped in that aspect.  Date knew he could be a lot to handle, but then throw in Boss and Naoki, not to mention the other Psyncers who were all unique in their own ways, and now you had a melting pot of strangeness guaranteed to aggravate even the most stoic of individuals.

 

“Come on, let’s forget about it.  We’ll find another way.”

 

“No,” Date said, meeting Renju’s brown eyes with Pewter’s own green.  “I’m doing this.  We all need him back, but you more than any of us.”

 

“I don’t want to be selfish…”

 

“Ren, it’s not selfish to love someone.”

 

Renju looked away.

 

“Seriously Ren, stop.  The man you love is suffering and you want to end that.  It’s not selfish.  And, I wasn’t lying when I said we need him back.  He’s the only one that stands half a chance of tracking Aiba down before Saito figures out a way to remove her.  If that happens, it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder to find him.”

 

“It’s still no guarantee that we will find him.  And what if he’s already taken her out?  It’s been two hours already, that’s plenty of time for him to have ditched her anywhere in Tokyo.”

 

“She’s still with him, I know it.  Pewter designed her with a failsafe.  The actual dock that she attaches to inside my eye socket has a mechanism that triggers if she takes too much damage or if I’m hurt.  It locks her in so she can’t be removed or accidentally become dislodged and fall out.  If he wanted her out, he’d have to start physically taking her apart to get the lock to disengage.”

 

“It’s entirely possible he’s done that already.  Or is just about finished.”

 

“I doubt it.  He’d need special tools and someone familiar with the technology to even attempt it.  Otherwise he might get some of it out, but not everything.  And as long as the stem is there, it will continue to send a signal to Wadjet.”

 

“Futa really thought of everything.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, your boyfriend is smart and good looking,” Date said with a smirk.

 

He received the barest of smiles back from Renju, but it was enough.  He had managed to make the other man relax and bring his guard down, even if it was only slightly.  “I need you to do me a favor Ren.”

 

The blonde furrowed his brows together in question before nodding.  “Of course, anything.”

 

“Not even going to hear what it is before agreeing?”

 

“You’re getting ready to go into a coma so I can have my boyfriend back.  I think that’s earned you the right to ask for anything you want.”

 

“Ok then.  It’s not anything big.  I just need you to talk to Hitomi for me.”

 

“Hitomi?”

 

“Yeah,” Date said quietly, a slight blush creeping it’s way onto Pewter’s cheeks.  “I sort of asked her out on a date tonight.  Well, last night I guess now.  It wasn’t anything big.  I know she hasn’t really been leaving the hospital since Iris was admitted, so I was going to meet her there today for lunch.  But since that isn’t going to happen now, could you tell her how sorry I am.  I…well I kinda already abandoned her once.  It’s not fair to leave her in the dark.”

 

“Of course I’ll tell her.  And I’ll tell her why.  She’s going to know what an amazing man and friend you are, how completely unselfish you’re being.”

 

“Don’t lie to her,” Date laughed, trying to lighten the mood again.

 

“Stop putting yourself down.  You’re all of those things and more.  I don’t know anyone else that would do what you’re about to.  You’ve already done so much for Mizuki and I, and now this?  I’ll never be able to even begin to repay you.”

 

“Luckily you don’t have to.  You’re my best friend.  I’m not doing this so you’ll owe me.  I’m doing it because I care.”

 

“I know Date, I love you too.”

 

“Come on man,” Date said, a slight hitch in his voice.  “Don’t make it sappy.”

 

“I hate to break up whatever weirdness this is,” Naoki’s voice sounded over the speakers.  “But we’re ready to begin.”

 

“I don’t think he has any friends,” Date said, causing Renju to laugh.  It sounded more like a bark with the damage his throat had suffered, but he was glad to get some sort of response out of him.

 

“I heard that,” Naoki’s annoyed tone replied.

 

Date smirked to himself as the Psyncer’s chair started it’s recline.  He felt his heart rate begin to pick up, the anxiety he’d managed to keep at bay previously coming back full force.  Swallowing a lump in his throat, he tried to push the nervousness away.  He was scared.  It wasn’t something he wanted to admit, but he was.  There was no way of knowing how long he’d be trapped in a coma inside Rohan’s body.  

 

He hoped it would only be a matter of hours, but it could take days.  That was the more reasonable timeline.  There was also the part of him that knew there was a chance he would never wake up.  If Saito somehow managed to evade police capture, that would be it.

 

A few years ago, it wouldn’t have mattered to him.  Being a fresh amnesiac with absolutely no family or connections, his life had been pretty miserable.  Not to mention that before he got Aiba and an apparently steady flow of artificial serotonin, he had just existed.  That was the only way he could describe his first eleven months at ABIS.  

 

For almost one year, he never felt anything.  Nothing made him happy or sad.  He couldn’t find humor in any jokes, no matter how funny.  Boss and Pewter had taken him out on more than one occasion, doing things that would have typically been fun and enjoyable to anyone else, instead leaving him empty.  Walking though life like a zombie had been the worst type of torture.

 

He couldn’t remember anything from before, but there was no way he had lived his life like this.  He couldn’t have.  It was the same thing every single day.  Wake up.  Eat breakfast.  Shower and get dressed afterwards.  Head to ABIS.  Work on whatever case Boss assigned him and then head home.  He’d sit in his small apartment for hours, doing nothing but staring off into space before his exhaustion would force his body to go to sleep.  Sure, sometimes he would watch TV or maybe listen to music, but it was all in vain.  

 

***

 

Then he’d wake up to do the same thing over again the next day.  Another meaningless day in his meaningless life.  He couldn’t keep going on like that.  And he didn’t plan to.

 

It was pure dumb luck that Boss had shown up at his apartment completely out of the blue on his day off.  He tended to work until she forced him to take a day.  Those were the worst.  At least when he was at ABIS he was doing something.  It made no difference that he didn’t enjoy it, he was able to keep his mind occupied for those few precious hours before he had to go back home to his empty apartment.

 

But when he was forced to not come in, those days were the ones he dreaded most.  And it was one of those days that found him wanting to espace.  To finally end things once and for all.  He had been staring at the Evolver Pewter had created for two hours, maybe more.  The constant glow of the weapon comforting in some strange way.  

 

He had finally worked up the courage to pick it up, fitting the barrel into his mouth, teeth clacking loudly as he awkwardly tried to close his lips around it.  The metal was cold against his tongue, causing a slight shiver to work it’s way down his spine.

 

He remembered clearly how close he had been to pulling the trigger, his finger ever so slightly increasing pressure.  A knock at the door had caused him to quickly pull the gun out, the top of it scraping the roof of his mouth and leaving a vaguely metallic taste behind.  He wasn’t one to startle easily, which was probably the only thing that stopped him from shooting the gun as a pure reflex.

 

The knock had sounded again, pushing him to stand and head over to the entrance.  On the other side, standing out in hallway, was Boss.  She had a huge grin plastered on her face as she told him to put his shoes on and follow her.  She started rambling on about some project Pewter had just completed and how it was going to change everything.

 

He had taken one last look at the forgotten Evolver sitting on his coffee table and turned away, slipping his feet into the boots by the door and following behind.  

 

That had by far been the worst day of his life.  The day he almost ended things.  If his current situation happened back then, he wouldn’t feel even half of the fear and trepidation he had now.  There was nothing he had to live for.  

 

***

 

But now?  He had friends.  Really good, wonderful friends that he hated leaving behind.  He had Aiba, who was so much more than just a series of code, she was her own person and the closest thing he had to family.  Then there was Hitomi and Iris.  No, he didn’t recall his life as Hayato and how important they had been to him, but he was willing to do anything to get that back.  To remember the two people he loved.

 

And then there was Mizuki.  Stubborn, sarcastic, standoffish, pain in the ass Mizuki.  He had hesitantly taken her in when Renju had asked, knowing that his home would be a better environment than what she was currently going through with her actual parents.  It was supposed to be temporary, a couple of months tops.  But then it turned into a year.  Then two. Then three and four.

 

Somewhere along the way he fell in love with this little girl.  Her quirkiness bringing about it’s own charm.  He looked forward to hearing about her day at school, taking her out for dinner, watching stupid reality shows that they both made fun of.

 

He had gone from reluctant caretaker to father.  Because he finally realized that’s what he was.  A father.  And she was his daughter.  Not by blood, but it didn’t matter.  He felt it in his heart.  It didn’t take away from Renju being her father, Mizuki’s heart was big enough to love them both.

 

But now, he had to leave her behind without even getting to say goodbye.  He couldn’t hold her close and hug her tight, kissing the top of her head and telling her that it would all be ok.  Even if it wouldn’t be.  Even if he knew he couldn’t guarantee that, he would tell her anyway.  

 

He felt a tear roll down his cheek, the visor of the Psync machine lowering over his face and hopefully stopping anyone else from noticing.  It really was unfair, this whole entire mess.  He just had to trust in his friends that they would bring him back.

 

The nano wires slowly slipped behind his eye, the feeling odd since Pewter didn’t have an artificial device implanted in his left socket.  The familiar swirling of colors greeted him and then he was in.  It was out of his hands now. 

 

 

Notes:

CW: Date, being unable to deal with Saito's brain disfunction leaving him emotionless, contemplates and then attempts suicide. He is stopped only because Boss happens to show up at his apartment.

 

So, that was a whole lot this chapter. I've had this idea for a long time of how I wanted Date's year without Aiba to go. As someone that previously was able to feel emotions like anyone else, I don't think he would react well to suddenly being without them. No, he can't remember having them, but I imagine he would have this sense of something feeling wrong hanging over him. Then eventually it would push him to the breaking point.

Not only was there significant Date reflection, but also possible revelations about Saito too. Things are about to get interesting.

I hope everyone enjoyed the latest chapter. As always, please leave a comment if you are liking the story, I love every single one of them!

Chapter 26

Notes:

He's finally back!!!

The first thing he noticed was how awfully bright the room was.  It was too bright, making everything whitewashed.  He couldn’t focus on anything.  

 

Someone was speaking off to his left, but the voice was raspy and slightly jumbled, his ears unable to differentiate the individual words.  His head felt like someone had taken a hammer to it and his side burned just under his ribs on the left.  The sensations were all too much, what had happened?

 

He had a vague recollection of an angry Date pointing a gun at him, his expression so full of hatred.  Why was he like that?  And why was it directed at him?  It made no sense.

 

Pewter sat up slightly, his eyes starting to adjust and vision clearing.  The Psync chamber.  And he was in the Psyncer’s chair.  That was strange.  He didn’t remember needing to Psync himself.  Where was Date?  Or Ryuki?  Or even Kanna?  She was under Naoki, but the girl had been doing a lot more Psyncs recently.  More than any of the others.  Was there really no one else available to Psync but him?

 

No.  That wasn’t it.  He’d remember if he was doing a Psync.  And the last thing he remembered was being at the hospital, delivering the machine for Iris’ surgery.  He had stopped by her room and talked with her and Renju and Hitomi.  And after that, he left to go home.  Right?

 

Why couldn’t he remember?  He was headed home to wait for Ren and then they were-

 

Pewter bolted upright, jumping out of the chair and standing briefly before the world started spinning.  He felt the bile rise in his throat as images began to flash in his mind’s eye.  Waking up in the cold storage warehouse.  Shoko looming over him.  But it wasn’t really her.  It was Saito.

 

He had tried desperately to get away and had almost made it, but then he had been stabbed.  That explained the painful ache in his side.

 

He felt his legs give out, but before he could hit the floor, an arm wrapped around his waist, slowing the fall.  Sliding gently to the ground, he looked up into the warm brown eyes of his lover.

 

“Futa?”

 

His voice was so raw and weak, barely loud enough to hear.  But the questioning tone that remained confused him for a moment before he remembered.  The swap.  Saito had swapped into his body and he was in Shoko’s.

 

“Renju!”  He had expected to hear her feminine voice echo back and was pleasantly surprised when it was his own.  “How?”

 

“Please Futa, is it…really you this…time?”

 

“What?”

 

Renju cleared his throat, or at least that’s what Pewter thought the painful noise was.  And that’s when he finally took a good look at his boyfriend.  His neck was a mess of splotchy purple and black bruises; bruises that looked distinctly like the indentations of fingers.  The whites of his right eye were almost completely red, blood swirling just beneath the surface.  And his right arm was held firmly in place with a sling, straps criss-crossing over his shoulder and across his chest to keep it stable and prevent movement.

 

“What happened Ren?  Who did this?”

 

Tears streamed down the blonde’s face as he hugged Pewter tightly against his chest.  He let out a small hiss as his arm was crushed between them, but didn’t let up.  Almost so softly he could barely hear, Renju rasped out, “I can’t help but love you…even though I try…not to.”

 

Pewter couldn’t tell if the breaks in the man’s normal singing voice were from the obvious injury to his throat or the emotions he was going through or a combination of both.  It didn’t matter, it was still the most beautiful thing he had heard and he let himself get swept up in the sound, wrapping his arms around the smaller man.

 

“Please Futa…”

 

Pewter lowered his head into the crook of Renju’s neck, placing a small kiss in the hollow before singing back, his own voice not much stronger.  “I can’t help but want you, I know that I’d die without you.”

 

Renju couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer as he started full on sobbing.  His breath was a series of choked gasps, clutching the gray haired man as tightly as could.  “I’m sorry.  I’m so…sorry.  I should have known…it wasn’t you.”

 

“It’s ok Ren,” Pewter whispered, rubbing his hand in calming circles against his lover’s back.

 

“I should have known.  You…would have.  I just left…you.”

 

“Please don’t do this.  You didn’t know.  You had no way of knowing.  And Saito is a master manipulator.  But if I’m back, you at least figured it out.  Something must have made you realize it wasn’t me and that’s all that matters.”

 

Renju looked away at that, fresh tears sliding down his cheeks from behind his glasses.  

 

“Love?”

 

“I…I betrayed you.  I’m so-“ his voiced hitched.  “So sorry.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You were acting…strange.  I wasn’t completely…sure, so I…I had to know…”

 

“What happened Ren?  Was he the one that hurt you?”

 

Renju nodded slightly, his face full of self-loathing and despair as he glanced up to meet Pewter’s eyes.  “I didn’t know how…else to figure it…out.   I…I kissed him…I’m so sorry.”  He hung his head in shame.

 

“Ren?”

 

A small whimper escaped his lips.

 

“Ren, please look at me.”

 

“I can’t,” he whispered.

 

“Please Ren.”

 

Pewter gently placed two fingers under his boyfriend’s chin, applying just enough pressure to get him to look up on his own.  He didn’t want to risk hurting his neck anymore by forcing him.

 

“I’m sorry Futa.”

 

“Sweetheart,” Pewter smiled gently.  “You have nothing to be sorry for.  You figured out it wasn’t me.  You brought me back.  You are the reason I’m here right now.  Can’t you see that?”

 

“If I had just-“

 

“No, you’re not doing this.  You’re not shutting down and blaming yourself.  Everything isn’t always your fault.  You don’t have to martyr yourself every single time something goes wrong.  If I hadn’t been stupid enough to go into a parking garage by myself when I knew there was a serial killer out there, I wouldn’t have gotten into this situation to begin with.  So if you’re going to take the blame, then you have to blame me too.”

 

“What?  No…you didn’t do…anything wrong.”

 

“And neither did you my love.  But,” Pewter said, sitting back ever so slightly.  “How about we get off the floor and head upstairs?  It looks like we have an audience and I think I need to get brought up to speed.”

 

Pewter watched the faces staring down at him from the control room, but found himself focusing on one in particular.  Shoko Nadami.  “I’m definitely missing something here.”

 

 

 

 

 

Something was an understatement.  In the time he had been comatose in the body of the former Kumakura leader, just under nine hours, things had changed drastically.  Shoko was still alive.  Rohan Kumakura, though reported dead by suicide, had in fact survived the fall and was being kept alive in Dokuta Yogano’s clinic.  

 

Naturally, Pewter had known for years that Rohan was still alive, essence trapped in Hayato’s original body and currently serving a life sentence in Fuchu prison.  But he hadn’t expected to learn that his body, inhabited by Shoko, had survived the fall.

 

Seeing Shoko alive, hovering close to Moma, he wasn’t sure how he felt.  He didn’t wish the woman dead, but at the same time, he wasn’t exactly happy that she was alive.  He probably should feel terrible about those thoughts, but remembering the things Renju had told him about his ex-wife, how terrible she was to Mizuki, it made it hard to be happy she was there.

 

Renju on the other hand, seemed to be taking it well.  He supposed as long as his boyfriend was happy she was alive, he could be too.  Or at the very least, he could fake it.  She wasn’t causing trouble at the moment, and hopefully it would stay that way.

 

Shoko was the very least of his problems though.  Boss had delivered the painful news that Saito had managed to swap with Date, forcing the detective into Pewter’s own body, while the former had escaped and left the precinct.  They had no idea where he had gone off to and no one had been able to contact Aiba, including Theia.

 

If they didn’t get Saito back soon, they risked leaving Date trapped in a coma for who knew how long.  And that didn’t sit right with Pewter.  He was already upset the man sacrificed himself so that he could come back, there was no way he would leave him to suffer that fate any longer than necessary.  

 

Which was why he now found himself sitting in front of one of the computers in the control room, logging in to Wadjet and waiting to be authenticated.  Once he was in, he would be able to start the trace that would hopefully lead them straight to Saito.

 

But of course that had also taken a complicated turn.  He hadn’t yet gotten the chance to review the footage for himself, but both Boss and surprisingly Naoki, had given him a brief rundown of what Satio’s Somnium contained.  Some it sounded like what he remembered from his own dreams but most of it was new.  Including the German phrases that were repeated over and over again throughout.

 

Loathe though he was to admit it, Shoko’s theory about mind control was a solid one.  Honestly, it’s exactly what he would have said.  Years of studying the brain and how it worked, he had come across many things.  Including forms of hypnosis that used key words to bring about various behaviors or actions.  

 

This however, would be beyond any sort of hypnosis he had ever read about.  Hypnosis was generally used to try to stop bad habits or compulsive behaviors.  The most common form being as a way to quit smoking.  Something to this extent, actually implanting the idea to kill someone in the subject’s consciousness, it was absolutely without a doubt, mind control.

 

And if that were the case, how responsible was Saito Sejima for the crimes he committed?  Was he just as much a victim as the people he killed?  

 

He had a brain disfunction, that much they all knew to be true.  When Pewter had first gotten ahold of Saito’s scarce medical records and used them to try to formulate a plan to help Date, he had studied the disorder in detail.  He read every book, article, scientific journal, and study on the subject he could find.  Hell, he had even called his father for advice, something he very much didn’t want to do, but forced himself to anyway.

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t like his father or care for the man, but the two had a somewhat strained relationship ever since Pewter had decided to major and receive his doctorate in engineering.  His father had wanted him to study neuroscience, which he did minor in, so that he could one day join him at the research laboratory he had founded.

 

So of course when Pewter didn’t do that and instead chose to work for a newly founded and completely unknown sector of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police department, his father hadn’t been thrilled.  He had spent most of his life trying to please the man only to realize it would be impossible unless he gave up his own dreams.  

 

At the time he had rationalized that his younger sister, well, technically half sister, would be there to pick up the pieces and be the golden child.  She already was in a way, his father and stepmother constantly doting on the girl.  They had been so pleased when she was accepted into university, earning a spot as the second chair violinist in her first year.  A feat that was pretty much unheard of for a freshman.  

 

That had all come crashing to a halt about about six months ago when she had suddenly shown up at his apartment with a duffle bag and her violin case, stating she dropped out of school and needed a place to crash for a few days until their parents calmed down.  

 

The pressure had been back on him as soon as his father found out Ayame was temporarily staying with him and Renju.  It was up to him to convince his sister to go back to school, to make sure she finished her degree.  Oh and while he was at it, he should quit his own job and finally come work for him.  When he said no, it had been the last time the two had spoken.

 

And now here he was, thinking of the best way to contact his father once it was finally a decent hour.  Pewter knew he was going to have to consult someone on this and unfortunately his father was the best.  The question would be, would he believe him?  

 

Much like his son, Kazuki Amanoma was a man of science.  He believed in the things he could see, the things he could touch; the tangible.  Experiments and tested hypotheses, precise calculations.  There was no room for theories without merit or science fiction that would be more at home in a space opera.  He knew as soon as he mentioned mind control to his father, the man would be dismissive.  But, maybe if he was able to phrase it just right…

 

Who was he kidding?  He would just be in for another long speech about how he should leave ABIS and go work for him.  

 

“I’m in,” Pewter said, focusing back on the task at hand.

 

“Great,” Boss replied, walking down the stairs to stand behind him.  She leaned against the back of his chair and watched the screen, a series of code scrolling across that probably made no sense to her, but gave him no trouble.  “How long before you’ll have Aiba tracked down?”

 

“Unfortunately, that’s the hard part.  It could be a couple of hours.”

 

“Hours?  But can’t you just track the GPS signal?” Renju asked.

 

“It doesn’t work that way Okiura.  She’s not a cellphone or a car,” Naoki sneered, leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the edge of the elevated floor.

 

“Seriously Naoki, what is it going to take to make you shut up?  Or at least think before you speak?”

 

“Breaking his nose seemed to work.  Should I do it again?” Pewter smirked, glancing over at Boss.

 

“Pewter,” Boss ground out.  Apparently she wasn’t quite as amused as he was.  

 

“Fine fine, I’m done.  I wouldn’t actually break his nose…again.”

 

“You caught me off guard last time,” he said, subconsciously reaching up to touch the splint still taped to his bridge.  “If you actually faced me like a real man instead of looking for a cheap shot, I don’t think you’d be so lucky.”

 

“Shut up Naoki,” Shoko said with a huff, kicking his feet from her spot at the railing.  The motion caused him to almost overbalance, catching himself just in time to not fall.

 

“Not another word,” Boss commanded, staring down the brunette man.  “You brought this on yourself, so you have no one to blame.  Maybe if you learned how to interact with actual human beings instead of snapping out sarcastic comments all the time, you’d earn a little respect.”

 

Naoki, being incapable of listening, bit back something equally snippy, but Pewter had tuned him out.  He turned his focus to the monitor in front of him, inputting commands faster than his boyfriend could follow.  Though he could tell Renju was paying rapt attention to everything he typed.

 

It would take a while to locate Aiba, nothing short of a miracle was going to make it go any faster.  With the vast majority of her systems shut down, she wasn’t putting out a steady signal.  Her GPS and location features required a lot of battery to function, pretty much like anything else that had those features, so in the event of a system failure, they were some of the first things to shut down. 

 

Now he had to do things old school.  Triangulation.  The method wasn’t quite as accurate as GPS tracking, but it would work in a pinch.  If he could just get an idea of where Aiba was, they could begin the search.

 

Pewter glanced at his watch, it was now just after two in the morning.  He could tell by the looks on his companions faces that everyone was beyond exhausted.  It had been a long and trying day for all involved, and the next several days probably wouldn’t be any better.

 

“I think you all should go home,” Pewter said softly, spinning his chair around to face the group.

 

Boss stepped away from his chair, standing up straighter.  “Are you serious?  I can’t just go back to bed while Date’s trapped in a coma and Saito’s on the loose around the city.”

 

“I can,” Naoki replied simply.

 

“Naoki,” Boss hissed through gritted teeth.

 

“I know, I know.  ’Shut the fuck up Naoki’,” he imitated in a high pitched voice.

 

“All of you are going to need rest,” Pewter interjected, trying to avoid another argument between the two.  “It’s not a matter of if, but when, I will need you later today.  Hopefully we can find Saito in the next few hours through Wadjet, but if not, we may have to actually start searching the city.  None of you will be any good if you’re dead on your feet.  So go home, get a few hours of sleep.  If we get a hit on a possible location, Theia will send out a text to everyone and we can go check it out.”

 

“What about you two?” Shoko asked.  “Ren needs to go to the hospital and you should probably get checked out too.”

 

Pewter eyed the blue haired woman cautiously.  She seemed to be genuine, but he couldn’t be too careful around her.  “I’m going to head to the hospital now.  We’ll both get examined and by the time they get finished running tests and taking care of Ren, Iris should be ready for surgery.”

 

“Surgery?”

 

Renju nodded solemnly.  “It’s a long story, but…Iris has a brain tumor.  A pretty bad one.  Futa designed a…special nano machine that can…do the surgery, so he is…going to be there to help in case…something were to go wrong.”

 

Shoko looked shocked by the information.  “I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered out.  “I know how much she means to you.  I ummm…you should tell Hitomi I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

Well, that was probably about as nice as Shoko was going to get.

 

“Thank you Shoko, I will,” Renju said with a small smile.

 

Pewter felt a frown tug at the corner of his lips, watching Shoko smile back. It was totally unreasonable for him to feel any sort of jealousy whatsoever, but he couldn’t help it creeping in. There was no reason for it at all, Renju was with him. He had chosen him. Not to mention the fact that he was gay and Shoko was decisively lacking in the equipment he desired. 

 

It had to be the stress and anxiety of the last several hours. Thinking he was going to die and then suddenly waking up to find that among other things, his boyfriend’s ex-wife was still alive.  It was a lot to handle. 

 

“I got a question,” Moma stated, bringing the focus of the room over to him.  He looked at Boss directly before continuing.  “What’s the likelihood you could get me in to Fuchu to talk to Rohan?”

 

“I should be able to.  I’m on pretty good terms with the warden there, so I don’t think it will be an issue.”

 

“Great.  Tell ‘em I’m on the way and should be there in ‘bout thirty minutes.”

 

“Wait.  What?  It’s the middle of the night.”

 

“And?  This can’t wait.  I need to know what the hell kinda shit my brother had going on with Saito.  He might have some of the answers we need.”

 

“And this can’t wait until the morning?”

 

“No, it can’t.  I’m kinda hoping me going there and waking him up catches him off guard too.  Maybe it’ll be easier to get something out of him.”

 

“Ok, I’ll see what I can do.  No guarantees, but I’ll do my best to make it happen.”

 

“That’s all I ask.  And I’ve got faith in ya, I’m sure you can do this.”

 

“Well, on that note, I guess I better make a phone call,” Boss said, nodding to Moma.  “If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my office.”

 

Pewter watched as she left the room, closing the door behind her.  It was time for him and Renju to leave too, he really wanted to get his lover to the hospital as soon as he could.  Theia had given him a brief rundown of Renju’s injuries, and while none of them were life threatening, he was particularly worried about the hairline fracture to his hyoid bone.  Damage to the neck wasn’t anything he was willing to play around with.

 

Not only that, he could tell whatever pain medicine Dokuta had given the man was starting to wear off.  Renju was obviously uncomfortable, his eyebrows were pulled together in tension while he kept shifting back and forth in his chair.

 

“I’ve set Wadjet up to run on it’s own.  Theia is currently connected wirelessly and will get real time notifications if Aiba sends out any sort of signal.  I’ll contact everyone as soon as I hear anything,” Pewter stated, standing from his seat and offering a hand to his boyfriend.

 

Renju reached up with his left, letting the engineer help him to his feet.  He was a little off balance, leaning lightly against Pewter for support.  

 

“I’m going too,” Moma said as he turned towards Shoko.  “I’ll drop you off at your house and then I’m headed to Fuchu.”

 

“No,” Shoko replied simply, crossing her arms across her chest.

 

“No?”

 

“I’m not staying there.  Not by myself.  What if Saito still has a key?  He could just show up.”

 

“You’ll be fine.  I’ll have one of my guys stand guard across the street if you want.”

 

“No.  I’m not staying there.”

 

“Fine, I’ll get you a hotel room.  Saito won’t know where you’re staying then.”

 

“No, I’m not going anywhere by myself.”

 

“Then where the hell do you want to…Oh.  No.  C’mon Shoko, there’s no way.”

 

Shoko raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer to Moma.

 

“No.  You’re a grown ass woman, you can stay somewhere by yourself.  I don’t have time to babysit you, I’ve got shit to do.”

 

“I won’t get in the way.  I’ll be quiet and keep to myself.  I know you have that big family compound.  Your parents are dead and Rohan’s gone, you’ve got the room.  And I’m sure you don’t have a girlfriend,” she said matter-of-factly.

 

“Seriously?  The fuck Shoko.”

 

“Come on, let’s get over to Fuchu.  You need to talk to your brother and then I’m looking forward to getting some sleep in a big, soft bed.  Make sure you give me one of the nice rooms,” Shoko replied over her shoulder as she made her way over to the same door Boss had left through minutes before and stepping into the hall. 

 

“Good luck,” Renju said with a smirk.

 

“‘Good luck’ my ass.  She should be staying with you.”

 

“Absolutely not,” Pewter stated, his tone brokering no argument.

 

“I’m sure she would be fine in a couple of days.  Just let her stay with you two-“

 

“Again, no.  I can’t imagine anything I would like less than having my boyfriend’s ex-wife under the same roof.  Plus, she seems quite attached to you.  Like a little baby duckling.”

 

Renju tried to hide his laughter at that, but it quickly turned into a bought of coughing.  Moma’s eyes softened at that, the older man letting out a tired sigh.

 

“Get the kid to the hospital.  I’ll look after Shoko for now.  But maybe once you’re in the clear, you could have a conversation with her about going back to her place.  I’ll make sure it’s safe and I’ll put someone on guard duty to watch it.  She’ll listen if you tell her, she always does.”

 

Renju nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment.  Moma stood there for another few seconds before offering a simple wave and following out after Shoko.

 

That just left Pewter, Renju, and Naoki in the control room.  Dokuta was still down in the Psync chamber, making sure Rohan’s vitals remained stable.  The plan currently was to keep him there, not wanting to keep transporting him back and forth.  Pewter hoped they would have Saito tracked down before noon so that they could perform another swap.  

 

That was the best case scenario.  If he couldn’t be found by then, Rohan would go back to the clinic.  It wasn’t ideal, but keeping him hooked up to basically equipment that would be found in an ambulance wouldn’t work long term.  

 

“So, what’s your plan then?” Pewter asked, observing Naoki still sitting in his chair.

 

The brunette considered the question before answering.  “I’m going to go over the Psync footage a little more.”

 

“Saito’s?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“But I thought you were in such a rush to get home.  You don’t care about any of us.”

 

“Didn’t say I did.”

 

Pewter closed his eyes briefly, willing himself to not punch his smug coworker directly in the nose again.  His attitude was beyond irritating, but his lack of answers even more so.  “Then why are you staying here?”

 

“Honestly?  I’m curious about this whole mind control thing.  I have a hard time believing it’s true, but I’d like to look the video over a little more.”

 

“Why do you care about Saito and if he was brainwashed or hypnotized or anything else?”

 

“I don’t.  I care about the science behind it.  If this is true, how did it happen?  Maybe there’s something we missed before.  It’s not like Kuranushi and I were scrubbing over every little detail.  We had a lot more going on.”

 

Pewter supposed that was true.  The two of them had arrived at ABIS at roughly the same time according to Boss.  That was when they discovered Date still unconscious in Pewter’s own body.  Of course they had to wake him up and confirm that it really was Date and not still Saito.  Naoki probably didn’t have the time to actually give the Psync his full attention.

 

That still begged the question as to why he wanted to look it over so badly.  He wasn’t doing it to help any of them, that much was certain.  Naoki’s motivations were purely selfish, he wasn’t one to do something out of the goodness of his heart.  So why was he willing to comb through the footage when he was clearly just as exhausted as everyone else?

 

It didn’t make any sense.  There wasn’t anything to gain from it.  It wasn’t some big case that he could garner favor from the higher ups.  This wasn’t even on the record and likely would never see the light of day.  But then, what could it be?

 

“Wait a minute.  Are you trying to figure out how it works so you can do it yourself?”

 

Naoki shrugged nonchalantly.  “Maybe.”

 

“Why am I even surprised at this point?”

 

“Think about it Amanoma.  If this is real and we can figure out how to do it ourselves, we can use it instead of Psyncing.  We wouldn’t have to dive into someone’s dreams, we could just make them tell us everything that happened.  We could get confessions out of criminals or actual statements from witnesses that wouldn’t otherwise tell us anything.  This would be a huge breakthrough for our department and so many more cases would get solved.”

 

“You can’t just brainwash someone and make them do what you want.  It’s illegal.”

 

“But this is fine?” Naoki asked, gesturing towards the Psync machine below.

 

“Yes!” Pewter exclaimed, clearly frustrated.  “We obtain consent!  The Psync subject signs a waiver.  What you’re talking about completely violates bodily autonomy!”

 

“I think you’re being a little dramatic.  This is way less invasive than going into someone’s brain.  We would only ask questions related to a case.  You never know what you’ll get in a Psync.  It could be something that the subject doesn’t want you to know, but they can’t stop the process or say no at that point.”

 

Pewter raised his visor up to sit on top of his head while he pinched the bridge of his nose tightly between his thumb and pointer finger.  “I can’t believe this is truly a conversation I need to have right now, but do you actually understand what consent means?”

 

“Of course I do, I’m not an idiot.”

 

“Clearly that’s not correct.”

 

“What the-“

 

“But as I said before, we don’t Psync without the subject giving clear and concise consent to do so.  They sign a legal document.  There is no gray area.  They are well aware that the Psync may reveal information not related to whatever case we happen to be investigating.  And, if after having the process along with the risks explained, they choose not to do so, then they don’t have to.  

 

“What you are suggesting is forcing someone to give information against their will.  It doesn’t matter if you only ask questions related to the case.  You’re still not giving them the right to choose.  Boss would never go for that.  Not only is it illegal, but it’s highly unethical.”

 

“I guess I have to disagree with you then.  If we can solve a case, solve a murder, and possibly prevent a future one because we asked one of two questions, I don’t see the problem.  We’re talking about criminals here, murderers, rapists.  They don’t deserve to say no.”

 

Pewter had to admit, there was a very small part of him that could see the other engineer’s point of view.  He didn’t agree with him, but he could understand.  Hell, if those he loved were threatened or in danger, he might even go along with it.  But he knew it was a slippery slope and once someone went down that path, it was a lot harder to set aside emotions in favor of morals.

 

“Fine,” Pewter said after his momentary pause.  “Review the footage if you want.  I doubt you’ll find the answers you’re looking for, but someone needs to watch it and log the notes, so if you’re willing to do it, great.”

 

“I’m glad we can agree then.”

 

“No, I don’t agree.  And please don’t mistake my willingness to let you stay as that.  I’m your superior, whether you like the fact or not.  If I told you to leave, you’d have to leave.  There wouldn’t be any room for argument.  I’m letting you stay, so please don’t throw my generosity back in my face.”

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Naoki replied, rolling his eyes.

 

Pewter supposed that was about as respectful as he would get out of the younger man.  He didn’t say anything further, not wanting to spend even more time debating the morality of mind control versus Psync technology.  Wrapping an arm around Renju’s shoulders, he led the shorter man out of the control room and into the hallway.  It was about time he put the man he loved first, and that meant heading to the hospital.  They both needed to be checked over; Pewter was pretty sure he had pulled a few stitches out and Ren’s health was beginning to worry him.

 

“Come on love, let’s get going.”

 

 

Notes:

Pewter totally took over this chapter. Normally I try to split it up and do more than one point of view, but I couldn't resist having him be the focus of the chapter since he's been gone so long. Now the plan to track Saito down and get Date back can start. Nothing can go wrong there...

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and it was worth the wait for Pewter. Btw, the song that Renju and Pewter sing to each other is "War of Hearts" by Ruelle. It's such a fitting song for the two of them and I couldn't resist making it theirs.

Please let me know in the comments what you thought!

Chapter 27

Sitting across from the man simply known as #89, it was hard for Moma to get a read on him.  Rohan himself was never very expressive, letting his actions speak louder than words.  Even when he engaged in his favorite activity of peeling his victim’s skin off in slow, agonizing strips, his face remained blank.  Most wouldn’t be able to tell what the man was thinking, but Moma could.

 

At least he could when his brother still looked like his brother.  Now watching him in the original body of Date, one of his brother’s own hired guns from way back, he had no idea what was going on inside his head.  He stared straight at Moma, eyes showing only the slightest hint of boredom.

 

“So what brings you to my humble abode at such an ungodly hour?  You caught me off guard, had I known you were coming, I would have brewed some Kona.  That is still your favorite, right?”

 

“Not even going to pretend you’re not him, huh?” Moma countered, ignoring Rohan’s question.

 

He had to be careful not to reveal his brother’s true identity.  They might be the only ones in the small room, but he knew on the other side of the glass mirror, several individuals were watching.  

 

Boss had pulled a lot of strings to get him in during the early hours of the morning.  And even though she had worked out a deal, the guard escorting him back clearly wasn’t happy.  Not that Moma was surprised.  He was fairly well known as a Yakuza leader, so that certainly wasn’t going to earn him any favors.

 

“What’s the point?  I’ve been here for six years and now you suddenly decide to drop in and visit?  You obviously know who I am.”

 

“I do.”

 

“Great,” Rohan grinned, showing far too much teeth.  It was predatory and eerily similar to the smiles he used to direct at Moma when they were younger.  “I heard about ‘Rohan’s’ death you know.  Suicide.  What a shame.  That must mean some other poor sap was taken out too.  And the reason you’re here is because he must be causing trouble for you.  Am I right?”

 

Rohan was smart, Moma should have known he would get straight to the point.  Of course, his brother was also keeping tight lipped.  He couldn’t let too much information slip.  

 

Obviously he was worried about the same thing, those in the next room finding out that he was in fact Rohan Kumakura and not Hayato Yagyu.  Hayato might be facing a life sentence for attempted murder, but he was still alive.  If it was discovered and somehow proven that he was Rohan, there were a whole list of crimes that would now be linked back to him.  Including the Cyclops Serial Killings.  And he knew his brother wouldn’t get away with life in prison if that information was out in the open.

 

“You’re not wrong.  Saito’s back.  And I need to find him.”

 

“And what makes you think I know where he is?”

 

“I don’t.  But I don’t need you for that.  I already know where he is.  With his father at the family home.”

 

“Then if you know all of that, why are you visiting me in the middle of the night telling me you need to find him?  You always were strange, but this is weird even for you.”

 

“You did something to him.  And I want to know what it is.”

 

Rohan chuckled at that.  “What is it with you and this savior complex you have?  Every kid I brought in, you had to look out for them.  And now this one, with all he’s done, you’re going to try to save him too?”

 

“What did you do to him?  Brainwash him?  Hypnosis?  Huh?  What was it?”

 

“Oh that?” he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.  “That wasn’t me.”

 

“Bullshit!  I saw you!  You tellin’ ‘im to kill all those people.  Those girls.  Ren, Shoko, Date.  It was the same thing.  You started with ‘Sonne’ and ended with ‘Stern’.”

 

“You saw it?  How in the hell would you ever…hmmmm.  It’s that machine, isn’t it?”

 

Moma didn’t reply.

 

“Well that’s interesting.  You forgot a few names though.  Hitomi and Iris.”

 

“Why did you want to kill them?  Any of them?”

 

“The Sagan’s should be clear even to you.  They pose a threat to So.”

 

“How?  They haven’t done anything for eighteen years.  Why would he order that now?  Or then, I guess.  It doesn’t make sense either way.  They weren’t a threat six years ago either.”

 

“He didn’t.”

 

“What?”

 

“He didn’t order the hit.  He didn’t know about it.  Unless something has changed since I’ve been in here, he’s still blissfully unaware that the baby survived.”

 

“Then why?”

 

“Haven’t you learned by now that sometimes you need to take care of things for your best clients before they become an issue?”

 

Moma couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  His brother was sadistic, but ordering the death of a then twelve year old and her mother all because he found out that she was So’s daughter was insane.  “She was…”

 

“A child?  I don’t care.  She was a problem.  If he had a scandal break out and didn’t get re-elected, all our cash went with him.”

 

“There are more important things than money!” Moma exclaimed, slamming a fist down on the metal table.

 

“Right.  You have morals,” Rohan sneered the word like a slur.  “I should have killed you years ago, you always were too soft.”

 

Moma cringed at that, remembering just how close his brother had come to killing him one day.  The black haired man had just hired a secretary for their office.  A nice girl, still in college and looking for an easy part-time job that wouldn’t interfere with her school schedule.  

 

She had only been there about a week, mostly taking care of the books for their legitimate businesses that were used as a front.  It was simple, but time consuming.  Which made it all the easier to hide that she was actually working for a Yakuza family.  The girl was too busy with spreadsheets to pay attention to anything else. 

 

Moma had been going over a few things he wanted her to work on, nothing important, but he still made sure to review it in person instead of just leaving a list.  It was important to him that he show anyone that worked for him the same level of respect. And that was why he made it a point to ask that tasks be done directly.  

 

Barely a few minutes into his explanation, Rohan had strolled in to the office, in a particularly bad mood.  He made a beeline straight for their new secretary, Moma placing himself between Rohan and the girl.

 

Rohan was a lot bigger and a hell of a lot stronger than Moma though.  He got a right hook off, hitting Moma squarely in the left temple.  The hit would have been bad enough, but his brother was also wearing a pair of brass knuckles.  They tore across the thin flesh of his forehead, cutting it open with ease.

 

Moma tried to fight back, but his brother got off another strike, knocking him out and effectively ending any help he could have been.  He wasn’t sure how long he laid there on the cold floor of the office, but when he finally woke up, Dokuta was hovering over him.

 

The girl was dead.  Dokuta didn’t give him any other details other than the fact that he had sent one of their underlings to take care of it.  He didn’t want Moma to have to do it himself.

 

Moma reached up and touched the scar on his forehead, a constant reminder of that day.  It had been close to eighteen years, but he never made the mistake of hiring someone else.  He couldn’t risk Rohan going off the rails again.

 

“If you’re just going to sit there looking like a kicked dog, you can leave.”

 

“Answer my questions then.  You wanted Hitomi and Iris dead because of So.  But why Ren and Shoko?  And Date.  All of them were ours, it doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“Are you really that thick?  Your precious little Renju and Shoko knew about Iris.  And this ‘Date’, if he’s who I think he is, he was dating Hitomi.  I needed to make sure all of the loose ends were taken care of.”

 

“What about the mind control?  How did you do it?”

 

“I already told you I didn’t.”

 

“Stop lying.  I know you did.  I saw everything I needed to and that was you giving Saito those commands.  You can’t deny it.”

 

“Moma,” Rohan started, saying his name slowly.  “I didn’t do it.  I simply used it to my advantage.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Someone got ahold of that kid a long time ago and fucked with his mind.  I just happened to reap the benefits.”

 

“Who?” Moma asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

 

Rohan looked briefly out of the corner of his eye, focusing on the mirror.  He leaned forward across the table, or as far forward as the shackles around his wrists would allow him to go.  Moma met him the rest of the way, his chest pressed against the table as his brother whispered into his ear.  It was too low for the camera to pick up and he knew the others in the room next door wouldn’t be able to hear.

 

Moma’s eyes widened and he sat back quickly, rocking the chair.  “Yo-you’re shittin’ me.”

 

“I’m not.”

 

“But why?  It doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“You’d have to ask him that yourself.  He never told me his reasons why.  Why he chose Saito, why he used him and not someone else.  And I didn’t really care.  I had the perfect weapon for what I needed.”

 

“He really never killed anyone willingly then, did he?”

 

“Guess not.  Looks like you got a real moral dilemma on your hands.  I honestly wish I could see it all play out.”

 

“But why?  You could have had anyone else help you.  Why would you want to brainwash someone?”

 

“Because it was fun when I used the release word.  Watching him stand there over a body he just killed, screaming and crying.  You know he tried to give one of them CPR?  He stabbed the bitch in the chest, blood was everywhere and here he is sobbing and giving compressions.  All this blood is pouring out and he’s just covered in it.  It was beautiful,” Rohan laughed out. He was enjoying this. 

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

 

“I mean, a lot,” Rohan said with a shrug.

 

“So, he was your real partner all along?  Not Saito?”

 

“See?  I knew you’d catch on.”

 

Moma stood up abruptly.  He needed to get out of there.  He needed to get as far away from his brother as he possibly could, before he did something he would regret.  And, he needed to get to So Sejima’s before Pewter and the others did.  If they got to Saito before him, it could be bad.

 

“Leaving so soon?  And here I thought we were having such a lovely little chat.”

 

“You’re fuckin’ sick.  I don’t even know what to say.”

 

“One last thing then, since I’m guessing you won’t be back.”

 

“What else could you possibly have to say to me?”

 

“Mond.”

 

“What?”

 

“It means ‘moon’.”

 

“More fuckin’ German?”

 

“It’s the release word.  It puts a stop to any orders he was given.”

 

“Why are you telling me this?”

 

“Because I know you’re going to have to take him out.  And I just love the idea that he’s going to be begging for his worthless life after you bring him back to himself.”

 

“Maybe I won’t do that then,” Moma said, his words coming out a lot calmer than he felt. 

 

“Oh, you will.  I know you.  You’re going to try to save him, just like you do everyone else.  But, you wouldn’t be here unless there wasn’t a whole lot of other shit going on.  You were desperate.  If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have come to see me.”

 

Moma didn’t say anything, looking away and not wanting to make eye contact with his brother.

 

“I’m right.  You forget that no one knows you better than I do.  I know everything you’re feeling.  God it’s been too long since I’ve seen that look on your face,” Rohan laughed, leaning back in his chair.

 

“I hate you.”

 

“I know you do.”

 

Moma turned around, walking over to the door and knocking twice.  It opened after a few seconds and he was greeted by the same guard that let him in earlier.  No words were exchanged as he led Moma down the hall and back out into the waiting area.  

 

Shoko was sitting in one of the chairs, the only person besides another guard that was even there.  She was calmly reading some gossip magazine, not showing any of her initial skittishness from hours before.

 

“Come on, let’s go.”

 

“Finally.  Took you long enough.  Please say we don’t have to go anywhere else.”

 

“We don’t, we’re headed back to my place,” he said, walking towards the front doors and holding one open for Shoko to walk through.

 

He would head home.  He’d make sure Shoko got settled in to one of the guest rooms and wait for her to fall asleep before heading to So’s.  There was no way he could take her along for that.  One, he didn’t know how she would react to seeing Saito, though he guessed it wouldn’t be good.  And two, he couldn’t risk her telling Renju what he had going on.  Not until he clarified a few things himself.  

 

He felt bad lying to Shoko, and Renju too.  They were both like younger siblings to him, but he had gotten particularly close to Renju over the years.  But the two of them were too close to the situation.  And emotional.  God, they both were so emotional.  He lost track of the amount of nights they each spent crying on his shoulder about the divorce.

 

Shoko because she loved Ren and hated losing him, even though she knew he was gay and could never truly love her like she wanted.  And Renju because he was so devastated that he hurt Shoko, never wanting to do that to her but no longer able to continue living a lie.

 

And Moma was right in the middle, trying to be the peacekeeper.  He really was a sucker for playing hero.  Rohan was right about that.  

 

 

 

 

A daughter.  His and Manaka’s daughter.  The child he had thought perished inside her mother’s womb was actually a young woman and finishing her last year of high school.

 

So took a slow sip of his Sake, letting the alcohol burn it’s way down his throat.  After Saito’s revelation, he had needed the drink.

 

While his son had gone off to bed close to an hour ago, sleep evaded So.  Not that he had expected to get a good night’s rest after Saito had shown up at the front gate close to midnight, but now he knew the effort would be wasted.

 

He still had no idea what had happened to trigger Saito’s memory.  It had been six years since that ABIS woman had come to him and said she would be taking Saito.  He had no choice but to let his son go, else she planned to leak the details of the Cyclops Serial Killings and his role in it.

 

If that ever got out, it would be political suicide.  Granted, he could truly say he had nothing to do with the crime and at the time, had no knowledge, but it would do little good.  He’d never get re-elected again, and he could certainly kiss any hopes of running for Prime Minister goodbye.  No, he had to go along with her plan.

 

She told him she would be giving Saito a new name and identity, and that he would be helping the department as some sort of special agent.  So in the meantime, would tell anyone that asked about Saito’s whereabouts that he had gone off on a spiritual journey to find himself.

 

It sounded ridiculous when the brunette woman said it, but then even more so when he had to repeat the same words from his own mouth.  Still, he was surprised how little anyone questioned the flimsy excuse.  He supposed that had to do with the fact that he had always kept Saito at a distance.  Both from himself and others.  

 

He never allowed the boy to get too close to anyone, but especially after Manaka.  He couldn’t risk it.  In the end it seemed like it didn’t matter, he had taken four more victims.

 

So grimaced when he heard a muffled cry carry down the hall.  Off and on for the last thirty minutes, he had heard those noises.  He couldn’t recall Saito ever crying.  Not when he was a child and especially not since he reached adulthood.  But those sounds were most definitely cries.

 

The boy never showed any sort of emotion, not really.  There had been odd moments of manic excitement here and there, but he attributed that more to madness more than any sort of positive feelings.

 

But now here he was doing his best to stifle his sobs.  He certainly hadn’t been crying or upset earlier, but he had been acting strange.  He had rushed through his story about Iris being alive, making it a point to tell his father that they had to devise a plan to see her.  Then he went on a tangent about Iris’s technically adopted mother, Hitomi Sagan, and her pseudo uncle, Renju Okiura.

 

Now those were two names he was familiar with.  He hadn’t seen them in over eighteen years, but he remembered Manaka’s best friends quite well.  A few times when he had given speeches in the past, Manaka had gone to hear them and dragged her two friends along.  Naturally they knew nothing of So’s relationship with her, but he had talked to them both a handful of times.

 

And here he was, all these years later and he would need to confront them both.  They had in essence stolen his daughter away and never given him the choice about getting to know her or raise her.  Considering they knew what Saito had done, it wasn’t the worst idea to keep her a secret, but he would have thought that in eighteen years time, one of them would have said something.  

 

Though, what was he supposed to do now?  He couldn’t just take Iris.  Not without establishing his paternity.  And that would leave him vulnerable to someone finding out exactly what had happened to her real mother and the role his son played in it.

 

No, he would have to confront them all and make sure they weren’t planning to expose the truth.  At least not until he could figure out a way to put a positive spin on it.

 

He was sure he could do it, and possibly keep the secret of her real mother buried deep, but he had to be smart.  He couldn’t rush it, and he had to make absolutely certain that Iris, Hitomi, and Renju would play their parts.

 

A long lost daughter might be just the thing his political career needed.  She could certainly make him sympathetic to the general population.  And he could play the doting and devoted father while she went off to university.  This could be just his ticket to make sure he secured his position as the future Prime Minister of Japan.

 

So let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth.  Iris Sagan, soon to be Iris Sejima, would make her debut to the country as his daughter.  After all, who didn’t love a good story about found family?

 

 

 

 

Saito was decidedly having the worst day of his life.  Getting his body back should have been the culmination of his year of hard work and planning.  And instead he was lying face first into his pillow, doing his best to quiet the sounds of his sobbing.

 

It had taken everything in him to get through talking to his father without screaming or crying or worse, talking to the woman inside his head.  Because if he did that, his father was sure to ship him back off to the mental hospital he had spent five years in as Rohan.

 

He absolutely couldn’t let that happen.  Not until he finished what he was ordered to do.  But how could he do that when he couldn’t even think straight?  His mind was a jumbled mess, photos and videos playing on an endless loop.  And he knew it was a loop because he had seen everything three times now.

 

Sometimes the strange glowing woman would talk, but for the most part she kept silent.  She said her peace long before and now let the crime scene footage speak for her.

 

If only she hadn’t injected him full of serotonin.  He craved the nothingness of his body more than anything, what a complete disappointment to get it back and have it feel like this.  It was more awful than he could even put into words, because now he was at war with himself.

 

He knew he had to kill an entire list of people, including his little sister.  He had to.  And if his mind were the one he remembered, it wouldn’t have been a problem.  But now?  The thought made him feel sick.

 

He simultaneously wanted to kill and not kill them all.  It was an absolute nightmare.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, he was getting the most awful trip down memory lane possible.

 

“Please stop.  I don’t want to see this anymore.”  Saito barely managed to get the words out.

 

“Oh really?  I’m pretty sure your victims didn’t want you to kill them either.”

 

Saito grimaced at that, remembering Chihiro in particular begging for her life before he killed her.  It hadn’t bothered him at the time, but he had a hazy memory of getting sick next to the makeshift grave Rohan made him dig.  

 

The Kumakura leader never dirtied his hands with that particular task, making Saito do the work himself.  Everything had been mostly fine until he removed the girl’s unseeing right eye.  He had lovingly examined it, cradling it delicately before slipping it into a ziplock bag.  

 

That had been the moment, even in his dazed state, Saito knew he was truly in deep.  He didn’t question what he did with the eyes after the fact.  He knew Rohan was obsessed with them and always took the right one from whomever he ordered Saito to kill, but that was the extent of his knowledge on that particular subject.

 

It was probably for the best honestly.  He was pretty sure he didn’t want to know what ultimately happened to all of those eyes.  The man was more sick and twisted than even Saito was.  At least when he killed, he didn’t needlessly torture his victims.  Not that it was any comfort to them.

 

Saito clutched the fabric of his sheets in his hands tightly.  Why was he thinking of this?  Now of all times.  His mind picked a strange time to decide to grow a conscience.

 

Though what else could he do?  It was nearing five in the morning and he hadn’t been able to sleep at all.  Sure, he had wanted to.  He was completely exhausted, but every time he felt his eyelids get heavy and his mind start to slip, that woman would do something to wake him up.  

 

She’d start yelling at him or just switch to a video to make sure the sound fully woke him back up.  He didn’t know how much longer he could take it honestly.  Sitting with his father had been the true test and while he had gotten through it fairly well, the longer he went without sleep the easier it would be for him to screw up.

 

He let out another stifled scream into the pillow as the crime scene photos for his fourth victim, Honoka Ose, flashed across his vision.  She had been discovered only a day later, so the decomposition hadn’t begun for her like it had for the others.  He clearly remembered her death, though he did the others too.  

 

Rohan had urged him to shoot her in the head, something about how stabbing had been too messy and  strangling had taken too long.  And Saito went along with it.  Even now he wasn’t sure why.  If he thought about it too long or tried to go against what Rohan wanted, he felt an odd buzzing in the back of his head.  It was like tinnitus, but worse.  

 

The white noise would start off softly, but grow and grow the longer he tried to disobey.  Not that he actively tried, but there was always some part of him that questioned what he was doing.  It was like being trapped in a dream.  The kind where he knew he was dreaming, but he couldn’t stop what was happening or wake himself up.

 

He let out a slow, shuddering breath as he tried his best to get his emotions under control.  It did little good though as no matter how tightly he clenched his eyes shut, he still saw the images just as clearly.  The images that had been playing nonstop for six hours.  The images that were now starting to skip.

 

What was going on?  Saito lifted his head from the pillow, the room completely dark.  

 

“No this can’t…beeeeeee…happen…iiiiiiing…”

 

The voice in his head suddenly slowed down, the sound unnatural.

 

“My batt…eeeeeeeer…yyyyy…”

 

And then everything was quiet.  The only sounds were the steady ticking of his watch on the bedside table and his own breathing.

 

“Are you still there?” he asked nervously, almost afraid that she would answer back and this was a part of some plan.

 

But she didn’t say anything.  There were no more images flashing across his left eye.  In fact, he hadn’t noticed it due to the darkness of his room, but he could no longer see anything out of that eye at all.

 

He wouldn’t question it.  Her couldn’t.  He’d take this brief reprieve and finally get some sleep.  When he woke up later in the morning he would deal with his final orders.  They were six years in the making, what was a few more hours?

 

Yes, sleep was exactly what he needed.  He laid his head against the pillow, closing his eyes and letting his mind start to slowly shut down.  Maybe he would get the nothingness he desperately craved.

 

A gentle knock sounded at his door.

 

“Master Saito?”

 

Wakumi.  He considered staying quiet, pretending to be asleep, which wouldn’t be hard as he felt the pull of unconsciousness at the back of his mind.  But she wouldn’t be at his door in the early hours of the morning if it wasn’t something important.

 

“Yes?” he answered, the exhaustion evident in that single word.

 

The door opened softly, warm light spilling in from the hall.  Wakumi stepped inside, coming to stand beside the bed and placing a glass of water on the table next to him.  “Forgive my intrusion.  Your father has requested your presence in the formal meeting room.”

 

“Why?  Hasn’t he gone to bed-“ Saito started coughing, his throat rough from his earlier cries.

 

“Here, take a sip,” Wakumi said, picking the glass back up and holding it out.

 

Saito nodded his thanks, taking a drink of the cool, refreshing liquid.  It soothed his throat immediately, stopping the coughs.

 

“And no, your father has not gone to bed.  I believe you gave him a lot to think about this evening.”

 

It didn’t surprise Saito that Wakumi had heard their conversation.  She had probably been standing in the hall while he spoke with the older man, waiting patiently for them to finish so she could clean the room.

 

“Can it not wait until later?”

 

“I’m afraid it can’t.  Your father has a guest.”

 

“A guest?”

 

“Yes, Mr. Kumakura is here.  And he said he needs to speak to you immediately.”

 

Kumakura?  It had to be Moma.  But why?  All of his dealings had been exclusively with Rohan.  He’d never even met Moma in person before.  So why would he be here now of all times?  And asking for him and not his father?  Something wasn’t right.

 

“Wakumi, please tell my father and Moma I will be there momentarily.  I need a few minutes to get myself together.”

 

“Of course Master Saito,” she said, placing a gentle hand on top of his head and smiling softly.  She left it there for only a moment before walking away, heading back to the door and shutting it gently behind her.

 

Things were about to get interesting.

Notes:

Sorry for the lack of Pewter this chapter, the supporting cast had way too much to say. He'll be back next chapter for sure though.

I hope everyone enjoyed Moma being a little sneaky. I like having him be true to a Yakuza boss with plots and plans, but also the fun of him having morals and a conscience.

And So with his scheming and trying to figure out the best way to use Iris to his advantage. Why wouldn't he want to manipulate the situation instead of actually getting to know her and be a father?

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Chapter 28

Notes:

I think this may be the longest chapter I have written so far. Please enjoy!

Moma was tired.  Beyond tired actually.  He’d been up for almost twenty-four hours running all over the city and it still wasn’t over.

 

Instead of being home in his bed getting a few precious hours of sleep and trying to put the day’s events behind him, he was standing in So Sejima’s mansion.  Not that that in and of itself was terribly strange, he had been there many times before.  Hell, he had even hired So’s head body guard, Mamoru Bodai.  

 

If only this could have been a normal social call. Or even one of those boring security meetings he usually dreaded. But no, he was there to see Saito Sejima.

 

He really didn’t know how he felt about that.  This was the man that murdered those four women, one of which was the older sister of Dokuta’s secretary.  Over the years Moma had come to deeply care for the girl, looking out for her in much the same way he did for Renju and even Shoko.  

 

But, if what Rohan said was true, Saito may not have been at fault.  Not really.  Because even if he was the one that committed the murders, if his mind had been altered and his control relinquished, could he really be to blame?

 

And that was where his biggest obstacle lay.  Moma was able to rationally think about the situation and work it out in his head.  He was close to it, but not as close as the others.  No matter how he looked at it, it was going to be an issue. 

 

He knew that Renju, Shoko, Pewter, and Date would never be able to forgive the younger Sejima.  And he couldn’t necessarily blame them.  The things Saito did were unforgivable.  But Rohan was the one that gave the orders and forced Saito into it.  Or at least that’s what he wanted him to believe.

 

This whole thing was making his head hurt.  It didn’t make sense.  Any of it.  How was mind control even real?  

 

“You know, it’s very strange that you show up at my home the exact day that Saito decides to come back from his spiritual journey.”

 

“You can cut the crap, I know he’s been in Tokyo this whole time.”

 

So narrowed his eyes.  “Do you now?”

 

“I haven’t known long, but yeah, I know.”

 

“Then I suppose you also know he’s apparently been a member of the police department.  And has had amnesia for the past six years.”

 

Moma didn’t say anything for a moment, letting the information sink in.  It appeared that So only knew a very small part of the story.  He obviously hadn’t been told about the body swapping, though he seemed aware of the fact that the man he thought was Saito was still in the city.  But that begged the question of why he never tried to contact him.

 

“So you just really waited for him to remember you, huh?  You never thought to try to get in touch with him yourself?”

 

“Why would I?  If he started to remember his life, it could have raised some complications for me.  Plus, that police chief or whoever she is seemed to have it handled.”

 

Moma was starting to get the picture now.  He might not have every little detail, but he didn’t need it.  Not now anyway.  From what So just said, something had happened to cause “Saito’s” amnesia.  During that same time, Shizue must have gone to him and made some excuse to take his “son” to ABIS.  So, having no reason to doubt the amnesiac Date was Saito, allowed the younger man to be taken.  And why wouldn’t he?  He had someone else that was willing to step up and take care of the problem. 

 

“I’ve been summoned?”

 

Saito strode into the room, clearly just as tired as Moma was, if not more so.  He looked like he could fall asleep standing up. 

 

Even though he had been prepared for the face that greeted him, the difference was staggering. Obviously he looked like the man he had come to associate with Kaname Date, but the mannerisms, expressions, even the way he held himself, were so far removed from the man he had seen over the last several days.

 

The younger Sejima stood up straighter, not slouching like Date would.  His mouth was set into a deep scowl and his eyes constantly darted around the room, taking in everything.  Or eye was more like it.  The right one was fine, but the left was a dull gray and moved ever so slightly, but not nearly as much as his real one.

 

Moma didn’t pretend to know or even understand half of what he had been told about the AI Ball that Date had implanted in his eye socket.  He wasn’t stupid by any means and he was able to grasp the most basic concepts of it, but that was it.  Though from the way it looked now, he had to guess that it was powered down.  Which would explain the trouble Pewter had in locating it.

 

For now, this would work to his advantage.  He didn’t know how long it would take for the scan he was running to locate the device, but he could rest easy for the moment knowing it hadn’t been found.  If it had, he was sure he would have received a text by now from the other AI, Theia.

 

“How you doin’ there Saito?  You know who I am, right?” Moma asked wearily, keeping his attention focused on the younger man.

 

Saito stepped further into the room, stopping a few feet away from Moma.  So sat on the tatami mat, slowly drinking some sort of liquor from the glass in his hand.  He looked bored at the exchange, but after knowing the man for years, he could recognize the perfectly crafted political persona he put on. 

 

“Yeah,” Saito answered simply, fingers on his right hand twitching strangely.

 

“Had a bit of a rough night?” Moma tried again, seeing if he could get the blonde talking.

 

“I’ve had better.”

 

Another short answer.  Saito was suspicious of him, that much was easy to tell.  But other than the overwhelming exhaustion radiating off the man in waves, he couldn’t really get a read on him.  

 

“Why are you here?” Saito asked, his tone coming out harsher than Moma expected.  He was used to Date’s slightly warmer quality to his voice, so to hear Saito’s biting question was odd.

 

“I’m here to talk to you.  Why don’t we sit down.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I’ve had a long day and you look like you could fall over at any moment.”

 

“Not that idiot,” Saito ground out.  Apparently he wasn’t in the best of moods when he was tired.

 

“I went to pay my brother a visit.  We had a very interesting conversation about you.”

 

“Your brother?!” So exclaimed, sitting his glass down hard on the table, the liquid sloshing around inside and coming close to spilling out.  “He’s dead.”

 

“Funny thing about that.  Apparently not everyone you think is dead, stays dead.  Except for your victims,” Moma said, directing his attention back to Saito.

 

The younger Sejima flinched as if he had been slapped.  That was interesting.  He hadn’t expected that reaction.  “Struck a nerve?”

 

“I’d watch yourself,” he said, voice oozing menace.  “You might find yourself as the next one.”

 

“I don’t think that would be the case.”

 

“Oh really?  You think just because you’re Rohan’s brother that I wouldn’t kill you?  I never liked that prick anyway.”

 

“No, I don’t think you’d kill me because you have no reason to.”

 

“Is that so?  And what makes you so sure?”  Saito moved closer, his movements reminding Moma of a large cat circling it’s pray.  

 

He was tired of this game.  Normally he prided himself on his patience, but he found it was in short supply as of late.  “You weren’t ordered to kill me, so you won’t.  Not without a good reason anyway.  And I’d imagine if I don’t get in the way of what you need to do, you’ll leave me be.  Isn’t that right?”

 

“What are you talking about?”  This time his voice lacked the anger behind it, leaving only confusion in it’s wake.

 

“Shoko.  Ren.  Date.  Hitomi.  Iris.  Rohan ordered you to kill them all six years ago.  But you had your little ‘accident’ and never got the chance, until now.”

 

“Iris?  Moma what the hell are you talking about?  Why would Rohan want Iris dead?”  So was on his feet, looking between his son and the man he had come to trust reasonably well throughout the years.

 

“Seems like you know the truth then,” Moma started, reading the clear concern in the Congressman’s tone.  “Apparently my dear older brother was worried that Iris, and by extension everyone connected to her, could be a problem.  He didn’t want anyone finding out that you had a secret child out of wedlock with a girl that barely graduated high school.  His plan was to have them all eliminated, killed by your son’s hand.  Which I’m sure Rohan thought would be rather poetic considerin’ he already murdered her mother.”

 

“Don’t you ever bring her up to me again,” So said darkly.  

 

That reaction was certainly…something.  Did So actually care about his former lover?

 

“You’re talking awfully big for someone who’s outnumbered.”  Saito took another step forward.  

 

Moma knew in a fight, it was very likely he would be taken down quickly. He was much shorter than the blonde, not to mention older and physically weaker. But the good thing about the Yakuza boss was that he knew and recognized his own shortcomings, which helped him better prepare for any given situation. 

 

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” Moma stated calmly, reaching under his suit jacket and grabbing the pistol he kept strapped to his side.  It wasn’t nearly as nice as the rifle he preferred, but unfortunately it wasn’t practical to carry it around for everyday protection.  He raised the gun, holding it level at Saito.

 

“What are you doing?!  Are you insane?!” So shouted. 

 

The blonde let out a bark of laughter, a slightly manic grin taking over his features while he opened his eyes unnaturally wide.  It was unnerving to say the least.  

 

“You think this is funny?”

 

“No, not at all.  I think it’s hilarious.”

 

“This isn’t a joke.”

 

“Oh, but I think it is.  I know you won’t kill me.  Rohan told me all about your bleeding heart and high moral compass.  You don’t kill people.”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong.  I don’t like to kill.  But I will.”

 

That seemed to wipe the grin off of Saito’s face.

 

“Be that as it may, it’s not goin’ to be me that pulls the trigger today, it’s gonna be you.” 

 

“What-“

 

Moma didn’t wait for Saito to finish the thought, lowering his arm slightly and tossing the gun.  Saito caught it with ease, though it was more of a reaction than anything.

 

“That was really stupid,” he finally said, his mind catching up to what had happened.

 

“Sonne,” Moma said, making sure to enunciate the word perfectly.  “Shoot yourself in the head.  Stern.”

 

Saito’s face went slack almost immediately, all expression gone.  His right eye took on an almost glazed look as he glanced down briefly at the gun in his hand before raising it to his temple, pulling the trigger without a moment’s hesitation.

 

So yelled something, whether it was actual words or just a noise, Moma couldn’t tell.  He was too focused on Saito.

 

Click.

 

Saito lowered the gun, the same vacant stare behind that green eye.  He looked at the gun for a moment longer before raising it again, pulling the trigger a second time.

 

Click.

 

The blonde let out a noise of frustration, pulling the trigger over and over, the results the same.  It wouldn’t fire, just a hollow clicking sound.

 

“What is wrong with you?  Have you lost your goddamn mind?!” So snapped, finally coming out of his stupor.  “What if there had been a bullet in the chamber, he could be dead!”

 

“There wasn’t.  I made sure myself before I came here.”

 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better after you just told my son to kill himself?”

 

“No, nothin’ about this entire situation should make you feel good.”

 

“And why did he listen to you?  What the hell were you saying?”

 

Moma chose to ignore So for the time being, moving to stand directly in front of Saito.  The younger man was significantly taller than Moma, but at the moment, he seemed so small.  His eyes were wide, but not in the deranged way they were previously.  No, this was the wide-eyed stare of a child that was scared.  He was muttering to himself softly, his voice tinged with panic.  It took Moma a moment to figure out what he was saying, the words all running together.  And then he heard it.

 

“I have to shoot myself.  I have to shoot myself.  I have to shoot myself.”  Over and over again. 

 

“I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of through the years,” Moma said softly, reaching up and prying the gun out of Saito’s tight grip.  “A lot I gotta answer for when I leave this world.  But I’m not gonna let you be one of those things.  If givin’ you a chance earns me that spot in hell, well…let me burn I guess.  You deserve the chance to be saved and I’ll do what I can to make sure you get it.”

 

He was pretty sure Saito didn’t hear a thing, still mumbling to himself and getting more agitated by the second.  

 

“Mond.”

 

Moma didn’t know what to expect when he said the release word Rohan had given him.  He knew there was always the possibility that his brother was screwing with him and it wouldn’t work, but considering the word seemed to fit in with the celestial theme of the other two, he didn’t think that was likely.  Rohan was a lot of things, but a liar wasn’t one of them.  And it seemed his brother had been telling the truth this time as well. 

 

Saito stopped his muttering, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.  He barely seemed to be breathing at all, standing as still as a statue.

 

“Saito?”

 

Nothing.

 

“What the hell did you do?” So demanded, watching everything unfold.

 

“I’m trying to help him.”

 

“By what?  Trying to make him kill himself and then doing whatever this is?”   He gestured vaguely.

 

“I’m actually trying to help fix whatever the hell was done to him!” Moma snapped back, his patience at a breaking point.  “And you and I?  We need to have a little talk.”

 

Before So could bite out whatever scathing reply was on the tip of his tongue, Saito collapsed to the ground, his body hitting the mat with a dull thud.  Moma had a brief moment of fear before he saw the other man was still breathing.  He had just passed out.  Whether it was from exhaustion or the release word, Moma wasn’t sure.  All he knew now was that it was going to be a pain in the ass when he had to move him.

 

“Isn’t this just fuckin’ great.”

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter sat by himself in the surprisingly quiet hallway.  It was early, nearly six, and he supposed the hospital would come alive soon with the changing shift and morning routine.

 

Renju had been taken back for tests and exams, including bloodwork and a CT scan.  While some of it was overkill, Pewter was glad he was getting the treatment.  Not that Dokuta hadn’t done a decent job, but he had been limited in what he could do in their living room.  

 

In the short time he had known the man, it was plain to see that he was an excellent physician.  He was caring and paid close attention to his patients and their needs.  It was apparent why Renju trusted him so much.

 

Of course Renju hadn’t been thrilled with being taken back by himself, but as he and Pewter weren’t related, there was little he could do.  Renju had even tried telling the doctor that Pewter was his fiancé, and he’d be lying if he hadn’t felt a little thrill at those words, but the doctor wouldn’t hear any of it.  A fiancé still wasn’t a relative and while they could have possibly pushed the issue, Pewter knew the real reason he wasn’t allowed back.

 

The injuries Renju had sustained were clear.  Finger shaped bruises on his neck, a broken wrist, a concussion.  The doctor on duty without a doubt thought this was a case of domestic violence.  And because of that, he wanted to make sure he separated the two men so he had a chance to not only treat Renju, but to speak with him in private about his injuries.

 

Which, if Pewter wanted to get technical, he had inflicted himself.  Of course he knew it wasn’t actually him, it was Saito, but it didn’t alleviate the guilt he felt when he thought about his own hands wrapping around the neck of the man he loved and squeezing.  And how must Renju have felt?  The face of his lover staring down as he slowly strangled the life out of him.

 

When they first arrived at the hospital, he had told Renju this line of questioning was a very real possibility.  That given the nature of his injuries it wouldn’t take long for someone to put two and two together and accuse Pewter.  Renju expressed his doubts, but when the situation played out exactly like his boyfriend said it would, he had resigned himself to leave with the doctor.

 

Pewter wasn’t worried about Renju saying anything.  They both had already told the doctor that Renju had been attacked by whom they believed was the same person that hurt Pewter.  Both men were vague enough in their answers and stated they had been attacked from behind and never saw who it was.  It’s not like they could really say that it was Saito Sejima swapping bodies and that both crimes were committed by the same person technically, even though he looked different.

 

No, that would be a sure fire way to earn them both a psychiatric evaluation.  So they settled on the same lie, the attacker snuck up and caught them off guard, never allowing either man to see a face.  It helped that the doctor was able to pull up Pewter’s records from the day prior.  Not that it had actually been him at the time, but he needed to make sure he used every advantage he could get.

 

And now here he was, simply waiting.  Waiting to hear how his boyfriend was doing, how the tests were going.

 

It was too early to do much of anything else.  Iris and Hitomi were likely still sleeping and he wasn’t going to go and disturb them.  He planned on speaking with Hitomi before Iris’ surgery, if only to let her know about Renju’s injuries so she could prepare herself and her daughter for how the blonde looked.

 

If it were up to him, he wouldn’t put Iris through the stress of seeing Renju in that state right before her operation.  Granted, the surgery was going to be relatively straight forward and simple due to his nanomachine, but like anything else, it carried risk.  And having her upset and worked up before it wasn’t the best idea.  But his boyfriend had explained that he promised he would see her before she was taken back and that if he wasn’t there, it would cause her more stress than seeing him hurt.

 

Pewter glanced at his watch again.  The digital face read 06:02.  It might still be too early to talk to Hitomi, but there was one person he knew would be up.  Had probably already been up for the last thirty minutes getting ready for the day and preparing to head into work.

 

He pulled the small, wireless earbuds out of his pocket and placed them in his ears.  Normally he’d be fine with taking the call and having it play over the small speakers of his visor, but he didn’t want anyone that possibly came through the quiet hall to hear.

 

“Theia, please call my father.”

 

“Right away,” she answered, the phone ringing seconds later.

 

It didn’t take long for older Amanoma to answer.

 

“Futa?  What’s wrong?  Are you ok?  Is it Ayame?”

 

“We’re both fine,” he answered.  He should have known after several months of no contact that a random phone call in the early hours of the morning would worry him.

 

“Is something else the matter?  It’s barely six.”

 

“I know.  I’m sorry for calling you this early, I thought you would be awake.”

 

“I was.  Don’t worry about that.  But why are you calling now?  It must be important if it couldn’t wait.”

 

“I need to ask you about something.  And please listen, don’t just write me off.”

 

Pewter heard his father sigh on the other end, likely preparing himself for another explanation of Pewter’s tech.  His father would listen, that was one thing he could at least say he did.  But he wouldn’t give it much more thought than that.  He still very much considered his son’s chosen career a hobby, wanting him to use his degree in neuroscience and work for him instead of continuing on with what he referred to as “pet projects”.

 

“Go on then.  I’ll hear you out.”

 

Pewter closed his eyes and leaned back against the hard hospital chair.  “What do you know about mind control?”

 

“What?”  The surprise was clear in his father’s voice, he hadn’t expected that question.

 

“It might not even be mind control.  It could be hypnosis.  Or maybe brainwashing.  I’m not sure.  But I need to know, how much control could you exert over a person if you did that.”

 

“Futa, where is this all coming from?  You never ask hypotheticals.  Did something happen with that machine of yours?”

 

“No, the machine is perfect.  It wouldn’t cause the subject to become brainwashed.”  Sure body swapping was an accidental side effect, but other than that it was perfectly safe.  And his father didn’t need to know that little detail anyway.

 

“Well, for starters.  What exactly are you dealing with?  Those three things are vastly different and only hypnosis is actually used and studied.  The other two in theory could be real, but you would have a hard time proving it.”

 

“What would hypnosis look like then?  Would you be able to make another person kill someone by hypnotizing them?”

 

“What?  Seriously Futa, what happened?  Why are you asking these questions?”

 

“Please Dad.”

 

Another long sigh.  Pewter could just picture his father sitting down at the small table in the kitchen.  His family home had an actual formal dining room, and they did use it on occasion, but his father had always preferred the cozy and inviting feel of the kitchen.  Especially when he wanted to have his morning coffee before heading over to his lab.

 

“No, hypnosis wouldn’t make someone kill another person.  It’s more or less meditation.  Your subject is placed into a relaxed state while the hypnotherapist guides them to a place that makes them feel relaxed.  It could be the beach, a lake house, maybe a cabin in the woods.  The subject ends up dissociating, basically feeling like they are actually there and disconnected from their body.  At that point, it’s easy to make suggestions that the subject’s mind is more open to.  Losing weight, quitting smoking, helping with anxiety.  It’s still not a guarantee or a cure all, the idea is simply planted at the back of the person’s mind.”

 

“So, if I were a smoker and wanted to quit, and decided to get hypnotized, the next time I wanted to reach for a cigarette, a voice in the back of my mind might tell me that’s a bad idea.”

 

“Precisely.  Or perhaps you wouldn’t even have the desire to smoke one at all.  Or maybe it just wouldn’t work.  It doesn’t for everyone.”

 

“Then based on what you told me, a person could not be placed in a hypnotized state and given a list of people to kill and then go and do it, without ever questioning it.”

 

“Yes, no amount of hypnosis is going to allow another human being to implant an order to kill.”

 

“Ok, I think I’m with you on that.  What about brainwashing?  Or mind control?  Could either of them force someone to kill?”

 

“Futa…”

 

“I need to know Dad.”

 

“In theory either of those two could.  But this is more science fiction than actual science.  Brainwashing would be more general while mind control would be specific.  Or another way to look at it would be brainwashing is only good for simple commands.  You wanted to know if it could be used to kill someone?  Yes.  It would be more along the lines of ordering the subject to kill every single person they came across.  They wouldn’t differentiate friend from stranger, young or old, they would kill indiscriminately.”

 

“And mind control?” Pewter asked, believing this is where the answer he needed lie.

 

“It would be a lot more clear cut.  The subject of the mind control probably wouldn’t even realize it.  They would act perfectly normal until given their instructions, and then, they would keep going until either they completed the task or were told to stop.”

 

“Would keywords work with mind control?  How would that work long term?  If a subject had amnesia for a number of years and then began to remember, would those commands come back right away or would it take awhile?  And what if the subject had a brain disorder?  How would that effect the mind control?  Would it make it easier or-“

 

“Futa, slow down.  You need to take a breath and gather your thoughts.  I can’t follow where you’re going with all of this.  You need to give me actual specifics.  If this is for a case you’re working on, vague descriptions won’t help me help you.”

 

Pewter knew his father was right.  Not only had he just started to go off on a tangent that probably made very little sense, but he’d never get the answers he was looking for if he wasn’t more explicit with his queries.

 

“Would mind control be able to last for years?  Five or more, if the subject had amnesia.  Keywords were used when the order was given.  One word at the beginning, and one at the end.”

 

“It sounds to me like these keywords are what is being used to actually cement the orders.  The first word, would likely be used to put the subject into an almost dreamlike state.  Then the command would be given.  Immediately after, the next word would be used to bring the subject back to reality.  They would have their orders, even if they didn’t realize it.  In the case you are giving me, where your subject is being asked to commit murder, they may know what they are doing, but never question it.  The same way turning a light on in a dark room or locking your door when you return home doesn’t require a thorough examination of the action. It would seem normal and natural to the subject of the mind control.”

 

“But what would happen during the amnesia?  Would they still have the desire to commit the murder?”

 

“Possibly.  I think it would depend on the circumstances.  The person they were asked to murder, are they around them?  Or due to the amnesia, have they been separated from the people they once knew?  The orders might possibly still be there, but buried so deep they wouldn’t come out unless the name is specifically spoken or something else triggers a memory.”

 

“What if the subject had significant damage to their brain?”

 

“Like head trauma?  Was that what caused the amnesia?”

 

“No, before the amnesia.  What if the subject was born with a brain disorder?  Would they be even more susceptible to mind control?  Or would it be possible that they could be faking it and using it as an excuse to commit the crimes?”

 

“Anything is possible, but in my experience if the brain has already experienced some level of trauma, whether the person was born with it or it happened later in life, it’s likely to leave it open to more.”

 

“What about someone with an oxytocin deficiency?  Someone that would have no emotions and an inability to feel anything at all.”

 

“What?” his father asked sharply, drawing in a quick breath.

 

The tone surprised Pewter, they had been having a decent conversation for once.  Neither had been sarcastic, his father hadn’t been condemning his career choice.  It was the most genuinely interested the man had seemed in years.  But now, he sounded almost angry.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“The name doesn’t mat-“

 

“Who is it Futa?!” he yelled, voice so loud in the earbuds that it caused Pewter to grimace.

 

“You know that I can’t tell you that.”

 

He was met with silence, and then the telltale sound of a chair sliding roughly across the floor.  His father had gotten up from the table and was likely pacing the kitchen area, a habit he had for as long as Pewter could remember.  A habit Pewter himself even picked up.  He had managed to wear a smooth line in the floor of the control room where he walked the same path back and forth for years.

 

“Your subject…it’s Saito Sejima, isn’t it?” 

 

“Dad-“

 

“Stay away from them Futa.  So, Saito, anyone else associated with that family.  Stay away.”

 

He definitely wasn’t imagining things now.  There was an urgency to those words, a fear he had never heard from the man before.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I said so!  I’m your father and that’s enough of a reason.”

 

“I’m thirty-six years old.  With all do respect Dad, I’m a grown man and I can make my own decisions.”

 

“I don’t care how old you are, you are my son and as long as I’m alive it’s my job to protect you.”

 

“Protect me?  From what?  You’re not making any sense.”

 

“It’s…just stay away from them.  If you’ve somehow gotten involved with that family, get out.  Is it because of your job?  If they’re forcing this on you, then quit.  Right now.  Come work for me.  You can head up whatever little projects you want here.  That’s what you’ve always wanted anyway.  Free reign to work on whatever interests you at the time.”

 

“Why are you acting like this?  Where is all of this coming from?  Why are you afraid of the Sejima’s?”

 

“I’m not.  Just stay away from them, this isn’t open for discussion.”

 

“Dad, please tell me what this-“

 

“No.  We’re done talking.  Do as I say and stay away from them.  I won’t say it again.”

 

And then the line went dead.  What the hell was that?  What even happened?  What about the Sejima’s would illicit that type of reaction from his father?  It didn’t make any sense.  As far as he knew, the man didn’t even know So or Saito.  He would know of So, most people did as he was pretty outspoken, even as far as politicians were concerned.

 

“Theia, that was…”

 

“Unusual?  I agree.”

 

Leave it to his AI to know what he was thinking without even being connected directly to his brain.  He supposed that was because the two had been together in some way or another for the last fifteen years, give or take.

 

“I need a favor.”

 

“Of course Futa, you only need to ask.”

 

“Search whatever databases, online servers, articles, anything you can find for some sort of connection between my father and So.  Even if it seems insignificant, log it and save it to my files.”

 

“I will, I’ll begin the search now.”

 

“Thank you Theia.”

 

“No need to thank me.  You know I’ll always be here for you.”

 

“I know.  That means everything to me,” Pewter said with a smile.

 

“Futa?  Talking to Theia again?”

 

Pewter looked down the hall, watching his boyfriend slowly make his way over to him.  He looked better than when he first came in, but not by much.  His bruises were rapidly darkening, but his wrist had been fitted with a cast in addition to the sling to limit his mobility.

 

“What did the doctor say about your neck?” Pewter asked, standing from his seat and closing the remaining distance between the two.  He was particularly worried about the fracture to his hyoid bone.  Technically his neck was broken, but the bone situated just under jaw and at the top of his throat meant that a cervical collar would do little good.  In fact, it would probably make it worse by putting unneeded pressure on his already raw throat.

 

“I need to limit my neck movements and stick to a diet of strictly liquid or soft foods for the next four or five days.  After that, I need to come back for a follow up.”

 

Pewter nodded his head.  It made sense.  Without any way to actually hold the bone in place to make sure it healed properly, the next best thing was to try to stop any unnecessary movements.  And there was a notable difference in how the neck and throat would move that delicate bone when swallowing broth versus food of more substance.

 

“How is your pain?”

 

“The doctor prescribed me a pain reliever and gave me this topical analgesic to apply to my neck.  It’s been helping more than I thought it would.”

 

“Good.  I’m glad,” he said, leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on the shorter man’s lips.  He was careful not to move the blonde’s head, maneuvering his own body instead.

 

“We should get going.  I want to try to talk to Hitomi before Iris wakes up.  Better that her mother prepares her for what I look like then her seeing me first.”

 

“I agree,” Pewter said, stealing one more quick kiss before straightening back up.  “Lead the way.”

 

 

 

Notes:

Moma finally got to meet Saito. I seriously love making this man plot relevant. Take away the cringe that destroyed him in game and he can be so interesting.

And we get our first glance of Pewter's Dad! Since we know absolutely nothing about either of Pewter's parents, it's been kind of fun to create him. And for as smart as Pewter is, I really like the idea that the person he would go to when stumped would be his father.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always, please leave a comment! I cannot begin to tell you all how much they mean to me and how fun it is to see your thoughts on where the story is going.

Chapter 29

Notes:

So, I know last chapter I said that was the longest one, but now this one definitely is. So here we are, a little over 6k words. Enjoy!

“What the fuck are you wearin’?” Moma  asked incredulously.

 

Boss rolled her eyes, standing in the middle of So Sejima’s home and crossing her arms over her chest.  So stood off to her left, casually smoking a cigarette and not looking too bothered by anything, despite the fact that his son was currently laying on the floor.  Moma stood next to him, his expression conveying just how done he was with everything.

 

“What?  You said it was an emergency.  So, I dressed for an emergency.”

 

“The fuck kind of emergency calls for hot pants and a crop top?  It’s fuckin’ freezin’ outside.”

 

“How the hell was I supposed to know?  I thought it was a Yakuza emergency, and since you called me, I figured it was because you needed to me to seduce someone, so…”  She gestured up and down.

 

“I don’t even know what to say right now,” Moma stated as he rubbed a hand over his face.  “In what way have I ever given you the impression that I would need you to seduce someone if I called you for an emergency?”

 

“Why else would you call me?”

 

“Oh I don’t know…for police help maybe?”

 

“Huh.  That actually makes a lot more sense.”

 

“If you two morons are done screwing around, maybe we can talk about how you’re going to help my son.”

 

Boss and Moma turned their attention back to So, the older man putting his cigarette out in the ashtray before lighting up another one.  Nothing like stressful chain smoking.

 

“This is why I called you.  I need your help with Saito, and you can’t tell Renju, Shoko, or Pewter.  At least, not until I can get a few things figured out.”

 

“What makes you think I’ll keep this a secret from them?  One of them happens to be a good friend of mine, and the other is his boyfriend.  And Shoko…well, actually I’m fine lying to her, so no problem there.”

 

“If you tell them, they’ll insist on getting Date back right away, won’t they?  We’ll never get the chance to find out what actually happened.  I’ve got a little bit of an idea, but that’s where you come in.  We need to dig deeper.”

 

Boss watched the black haired man closely.  He didn’t seem to be lying.  Nothing about his words or expression gave her any indication that he was being anything less than truthful. But if that were the case, what did he have to gain from any of this?  

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Why do you care so much?  Why are you doing all of this?”

 

So blew out a long puff of smoke, watching Moma just as carefully.  It looked like he was curious about the answer as well.

 

“My brother caused a lot of this.  It’s my job to make it right.”

 

“And how do you propose to do that?”

 

“I don’t really know.  But I’ve got to do something.”

 

“And him,” Boss said, gesturing down to Saito.  “You really believe the whole ‘mind control’ thing?”

 

“Completely,” Moma answered quickly.

 

“What makes you so sure?”

 

“Well for starters, he felt the need to come in here and play God,” So spat out. 

 

Boss raised a brow at that.

 

“I used the keywords you were talkin’ about back at ABIS.  Gave the kid an order and he went through with it, no hesitation.”

 

“How do you know he wasn’t just doing it to trick you?  It’s not like we can actually prove any of this is real.”

 

“Are you calling my son a liar?”

 

“I mean, he is the son of a politician, so it kind of fits.”

 

“He,” So gestured angrily, pointing at Moma with his cigarette, “gave Saito a gun and told him to shoot himself in the head.”

 

“He obviously didn’t though.”

 

“Only because it wasn’t loaded.  But Saito had no way of knowing that.  He couldn’t have.  And, I consider myself to be pretty good at readin’ people; kid wasn’t lying.”

 

“Then where exactly does that leave us?” Boss asked, glancing between So and Moma.

 

“Obviously you’re going to help my son.”

 

“Oh, because you were so concerned about him six years ago, huh?  Just letting some stranger take him away to be part of a secret government organization without a care in the world.”

 

“Don’t stand here with your holier than thou attitude thinking you’re better than me.  You have no idea what I went through all these years with him.  Everything I’ve done has been to keep him safe, to keep him out of jail.”

 

“Like covering up the murder of Manaka Iwai?”

 

“Don’t you DARE speak her name!” So bellowed.

 

“Touchy subject?”

 

“Shizue, not the time,” Moma muttered under his breath.

 

Boss knew she should probably feel bad about pushing him to this point, but she honestly didn’t.  Sure, he just watched his son attempt to blow his brains out, but even that couldn’t evoke sympathy in her.  She just didn’t like the man.  

 

He came across as wanting the best for their country, wanting to change some of the old, archaic laws currently in place.  And while she would admit that many of his ideas were good ones, she couldn’t help but feel there was something else lurking just beneath the surface of that perfectly curated smile.  

 

Six years ago when she had met with So and told him that she would in essence be taking custody of Saito, he had argued.  Or at least pretended to.  But in actuality, all it took was a mention of the Cyclops Serial killings and he quickly relented.

 

She only told him as much as she needed to, letting him believe that the man was in fact still his son.  So hadn’t questioned her reasonably flimsy excuse about total amnesia, nor had he asked much about ABIS.  She certainly couldn’t tell him about the Psync machine or the body swapping, who knew what he would do with that kind of information.

 

So she kept him relatively in the dark, marking that as the last time she had to deal with the man.  He never tried to contact her or “Saito” afterwards.  

 

Despite the things Saito had done, it made her wonder how his own father could just effectively wash his hands of him.  That was his son.  His only child.  At least that he knew of at the time.  She wasn’t entirely sure if he had been told about Iris yet.  

 

“Ok,” Boss said, the silence hanging in the air lasting long enough.  “What is your plan?”

 

“I’d like to take him back to ABIS, see if there’s any way we can find out a little bit more about what happened to him.”

 

“What makes you think I’m going to let you take him anywhere?” So asked.

 

“The threat from before still stands.  You can keep him, but I’ll make sure every little detail of his involvement in the Cyclops killings is released.”

 

“And how exactly will making that information public help him?”

 

“It won’t.  But I don’t give a shit about him or you.  I want to find out the truth.  Who did this and why?  And have they done it to anyone else?  If this can be replicated easily, that’s a dangerous thing to have out there.”

 

“Well, go on then Moma.  Why don’t you tell her your little theory?” So asked, sarcasm evident in his tone as put out his second cigarette.

 

“You know who did it?”

 

“I don’t have any proof.  Which is part of the reason I came here.  I wanted to see how he was connected,” Moma said, gesturing at So.

 

“And I’ve told you all I know.  If he did anything strange, it was never in front of me.  And he certainly didn’t announce the fact that he brainwashed my son.”

 

“Who was it?”

 

“I’d rather not say.  At least not until we can get him back to ABIS and find out a little more.  I don’t think I’m wrong, but I’d rather not go accusin’ someone without having more to go off of than just my brother’s word.”

 

“Fine, but if I help you with this, I expect a full explanation.  Now, how are we going to get him out of here?”

 

“I suppose I’ll leave that to the two of you.  Please be sure to close the door behind you,” So said, pushing past Moma.

 

“Where are you going?  It’s barely seven,” Boss stated.

 

“I’m suddenly feeling rather unwell.  It’s been a trying morning after all, so I think it would be in my best interest if I headed over to the hospital to get checked out.  I’ll leave Saito in what I’m sure are your very capable hands.”

 

And with that, So disappeared down the hall.

 

“Come on,” Moma said, wasting no time grabbing Saito under the arms and pulling his body upright.  “Get his legs.”

 

“I’m sorry, what?”

 

“Get his legs.  You don’t think I can carry him by myself, do you?”

 

“And what makes you think I can carry him?  Even with your help.”

 

“Just come on and grab his legs, he’s heavy.”

 

Boss grumbled under her breath, this was definitely not what she thought was going to happen when she got the call from the yakuza leader in the early hours of the morning.

 

 

 

 

“Come on Kuranushi, I haven’t slept in twenty-four hours.  I just want to go home.”

 

“Quit complaining, I need you to run the Psync machine,” Boss said, gesturing for Saito to take a seat in one of the chairs in the control room.

 

Luckily for her and Moma, the younger man had woken up about halfway through the drive to ABIS, meaning they didn’t have to carry him through the building.  Not that it would have been that strange of a sight, she and Pewter had dragged a drunk Date through the halls more than once.

 

But still, it was a lot easier to have the blonde upright and mostly coherent.  At least she thought he was coherent.  He hadn’t said a word since waking up, but he seemed to hear just fine and was able to follow instructions.

 

“I also need you to release Aiba so we can get her out.”

 

“I can’t do that.  Amanoma is the only one with the credentials to release her.”

 

“Isn’t he still logged in?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“Perfect.  Input whatever command you need to and then get Aiba out.”

 

“Not that I’m complaining,” Naoki started, scooting his chair over to one of the other computers and opening a different program.  “But why not just ask him to do it?”

 

“Because he’s a little preoccupied right now.”

 

“On that same train of thought, why aren’t we calling him and letting him know that we have Saito back and can do the swap?  As my superior, I really shouldn’t keep something like this from him.”  Naoki’s last sentence oozed sarcasm.

 

“You didn’t seem like you had a problem staying behind and looking over the Psync footage when I asked you too.  And to keep that from him.”

 

“Hmmmm, must have slipped my mind.”

 

“Cut the shit and just get Aiba out.”

 

“Already done.  You should be able to remove her with ease now.”

 

At those words, Saito didn’t waver, reaching his hand up to the AI Ball currently residing in his left eye socket and pulling.  Aiba came out just as easily as Naoki said she would, resting soundlessly in Saito’s palm.

 

Still just as silent as ever, Saito held out his hand to Naoki, waiting for the engineer to take the equally quiet device from him.

 

“Oh…uh thanks,” he said, sitting Aiba down gently on the counter.

 

“Now, back to what I was saying.  I need you to run the Psync machine.  Who’s the Psyncer on the schedule this morning?”

 

“Kanna.  And the answer is no.  I’m going home.  I’m exhausted and I need to get some sleep.  You can’t keep me here and you know it, so don’t try telling me that you’re going to fire me like you usually do.”

 

“You do that?” Moma asked.

 

“No.”

 

Naoki gave her a flat look.

 

“Ok yes, but it’s a joke.  Naoki knows it’s a joke.”

 

“Do I?”

 

“Yes you do.  And for your information, didn’t you want to have some time off at Christmas with your girlfriend?  I seem to remember you babbling on how it wasn’t fair that your time off didn’t get approved and that you were supposed to meet her family.”

 

“It wasn’t fair.  Why does Amanoma get any time off he wants approved and I’m just left with the scraps he deigns to give me?”

 

“I’ll get you the time off.  Hell, I’ll even throw in a little bonus pay.  Maybe you can get your girl a nice ring for Christmas.”

 

“We’ve only been dating two months, it’s a little early.”

 

“What are you talking about?  If she could stand you for two months, you better propose now.  No telling when she’s going to snap out of whatever delusion she’s trapped in and leave your ass.”

 

“You really know how to get me to want to do a favor for you.”  Naoki shook his head with a sigh.  “I don’t know why I’m agreeing to this, but I’ll help.  What are we doing?”

 

“I’m going to need you to run the machine while Kanna does the Psync.  We need to see if we can unlock some of his memories.”

 

“What more do you need?  We have the Psync footage from before.”

 

“I need to see who made him this way.  My brother gave me a name, but I…have to be sure,” Moma said.

 

“Who is it?” Naoki asked.

 

“Moma’s not sharing with the class,” Boss answered.

 

“It’s not that.  I will tell you, but I don’t want to accuse someone that could be innocent.  Which is why I want to see if what Rohan told me is true.  If it’s not, we should be able to get the answer of who did this with the machine.”

 

“Have you tried asking him?” Naoki gestured to Saito calmly sitting in the chair next to him.

 

“I did.  He didn’t say anythin’.  I don’t know if he doesn’t know or just doesn’t want to answer.”

 

“Well, what about using the keywords?  You could make him answer.”

 

“Absolutely not!” Moma exclaimed quickly, slamming a hand down on the railing.

 

Naoki jerked back in surprise, eyes wide behind his glasses.  “I was just suggesting this would be easier than a Psync.  If he really is under the influence of some sort of mind control, we would know for sure and you’d get the information you’re searching for.  It’s way less invasive than a Psync.”

 

“And I said no.  I’m not using the keywords.”

 

“Again.”

 

All eyes turned to Saito, the blonde sitting still in the chair, his gaze focusing on Moma.

 

“What?” Moma asked, not sure if he had actually heard the younger man speak or not.

 

“I said, ‘again’.  Since you already used them before.”

 

“Look kid-“

 

“Don’t worry about it.  It’s not like Rohan didn’t do the same thing,” Saito said, looking thoughtful for a moment.  “He never told me to shoot myself in the head though…”

 

“Wait, what?!” Naoki exclaimed.  “You used the keywords and told him to kill himself?”

 

“Taken out of context, I admit it sounds bad.”

 

“Put it in context then.  I’d like to know what kind of game you were playing,” Saito spoke up, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs.  He had mastered his father’s expression of bored indifference, but there was something burning behind his eye that was all Saito.

 

“I admit, it wasn’t the best idea, but it was all I had at the time.  I had to make sure there wasn’t any way he was faking it.”

 

“And your solution to that was to try to use keywords and mind control that we know nothing about to try to get him to kill himself?  Do you have any idea how dangerous that could be?” Naoki asked, wondering how he was suddenly the voice of reason. 

 

“The gun wasn’t loaded.  But I figured that was the easiest way to see if he was lying or not.  If he was, there was no way he would have shot himself.  But he didn’t hesitate. Not at all.  That’s how I knew it was real.  And besides,” Moma continued, turning an accusatory glare towards Naoki.  “Weren’t you just the one that suggested we use the mind control to get him to talk?”

 

“Yes, exactly!  To talk, not to shoot himself.  We have no idea what that could do to him mentally. We don’t even know how this was done in the first place.  What lasting effects it could have.  It’s all completely unknown and now you just gave him an order that we don’t know if he could try to complete later on or not.”

 

“He won’t.  Rohan gave me the release word when I visited him.  That, and all the other orders he was given, should be gone.”

 

“So nice of you to do that.  Felt a little too much like big brother giving those orders, huh?” Saito asked, cocking his head to the side.

 

“I liked you a lot better when you weren’t talkin’.”

 

“And I liked you a lot better when you weren’t trying to make me shoot myself in the head,” Saito shrugged.

 

“So this is where everyone is!  What’s up, having a little party and not inviting me?”

 

The four turned their attention to the door, watching as a tall, red-headed woman walked in.  Her hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail, sunglasses perched on top of her head.  She wore a low-cut brown sweater and plaid pants, heels clicking noisily across the floor as she came to stand next to Boss.

 

“You’re late Kanna,” Naoki said simply.

 

“I’m not, I was waiting for you in the meeting room to go over today’s agenda, but you weren’t there.  Checked your office and that was empty too.  I didn’t think we were starting in here today,” she said, not really looking all too concerned.  “By the way Boss, your boobs look great.”

 

“Thank you Kanna,” Boss smirked.  “At least someone noticed.”

 

“Is that why you wore that?” Naoki asked.

 

“No, but that doesn’t mean you can’t compliment me on it.”

 

“I didn’t know we were supposed to say something. Sayin’ that is usually a sure fire way to get slapped, but they do look nice.  Perky and shit,” Moma said, gesturing to her chest.

 

“See, now you’re just saying it because I brought it up.  I can’t tell if you’re serious or not.”

 

“He is.  We all are.  They look amazing,” Naoki rattled off.  “Now, can we actually get started with this Psync?  Kanna’s here, so I don’t see any reason to wait.”

 

“Come on Kiki, don’t get your panties all in a twist.”

 

“Don’t call me that.”

 

“Awww, is my sweet boy upset?  Do you need a hug?”

 

“Please stop treating me like a child.  I’m your superior.”

 

“I can’t help that you’re younger than me and just so adorable when you’re angry,” Kanna said, taking on an almost motherly tone one would use when speaking with a toddler.

 

“You’re a year older than me.  Actually, not even a full year, I’ll be twenty-seven in December so quit acting like it’s more than that.”

 

“Oh come on, you like it.  Isn’t that kind of your whole thing?  Don’t you like women bossing you around and being condescending?  Why else would you work for Boss?”

 

“She has a point,” Boss answered.

 

“Plus, you’ve got that hot little dommy mommy girlfriend of yours.”

 

“A what now?” Moma barked out a laugh.

 

“You know what, screw the vacation time, I’m leaving.”

 

“Stop, stop,” Boss said, doing her best to hide her own laughter.  “We won’t tease you anymore, just stay.  You need you to operate the Psync.”

 

Naoki let out a frustrated growl but didn’t leave.  He turned his attention back to the main computer, inputting a series of commands.   Boss could tell that he was getting the machine ready to go, albeit reluctantly. 

 

“So…” Kanna started, turning to Boss.  “Who am I Psyncing with?  Did we get a new case?”

 

“Not exactly.  You’ll be Psyncing with him,” Boss answered, pointing at Saito.

 

“Date?”

 

“Sort of.  I’ve got a lot to fill you in on, and it can’t leave this room.”

 

“No problem.  I’ll keep whatever kinky shit I see in baby girl’s Somnium a secret.”

 

“B-baby girl?” Saito sputtered.

 

“Well for starters, that’s not quite who you think it is,” Boss said.  “But, let’s go from the beginning…”

 

 

 

 

 

“Ren!  Oh my God, your neck!” Hitomi gasped, left hand covering her mouth in shock.  Even though Pewter had pulled her aside and told her exactly what had happened, seeing the actual injuries first hand was jarring.  

 

To think after all these years, Saito Sejima would come back into their lives.  Not only come back, but almost take another of her friends from her.

 

She had to admit, she couldn’t follow everything the excitable engineer had said, but she got enough of the story to know that things were a long way from being ok.  Saito was out for blood, and not only was Renju in danger, but so were Shoko, Date, Iris, and herself.

 

While all of that was startling and frightening in and of itself, the most unbelievable of all was the body swapping.  It sounded like something straight out of those science fiction movies she liked so much.  Aliens from other worlds, experiments resulting in crazy powers, humanoid like robots; that’s exactly where body swapping would fall.  It shouldn’t exist in real life.  The same as mind control…

 

“I’m ok Hitomi, I got lucky,” Renju said, voice rough from the obvious abuse this throat had taken.

 

And he was lucky.  She knew that for sure.  She had followed the Cyclops killings when they had been on the news, and now that she was aware the killer was actually Saito, she without a doubt knew that Renju was lucky to escape with the injuries he did.

 

It took everything in her not to reach out and pull him close, to squeeze him so tight he couldn’t breathe.  It was all too much.  All she could see when she looked at him was Manaka.  The one they couldn’t save.  

 

If only they had pushed a little harder, made her stay with them that night.  Or gone with her.  Refused to let her leave by herself.  Maybe if they had both been there with her, Saito wouldn’t have attacked.  Or if he did, they would have been able to fight him off.  After all, he was only a twelve year old boy at that point.

 

Which led her to the question that was always at the back of her mind.  Why would a little boy, a child Mizuki’s age, want to kill someone?  How could he have had so much hatred in his heart that he would take the life of a woman that he thought was pregnant?

 

“Hitomi, please don’t cry, you’ll get me started too.”  There was a slight waver to Renju’s voice then, and Hitomi reached up with her left hand and wiped her eyes, a few wayward tears leaking out.

 

“I’m sorry Ren, I just…I can’t lose you too.”

 

“I know, Tomi.  I know.”

 

And she knew he did.  She could see it in his expression that he was thinking of Manaka just as much as she was.  Their best friend had already been front and center in their minds with Iris’ health, but this just brought it out even more.

 

She understood how wrong she had been to keep the tumor diagnosis from Renju, but at the same time, she didn’t want him to suffer.  Everything she did was from a place of love.  She tried her best to protect him as much as she could, somehow always playing the role of mother for their trio.  

 

Renju was serious and often times emotional, while Manaka had been the life of the party.  Constantly ready to sing and dance, bringing her two shyer friends out of their shells.  And then there was Hitomi, the glue that held them together.

 

They had been inseparable since elementary school.  Consistently in the same classes and doing everything together.  When Manaka had taken an interest music, Renju was only too happy to help.  And of course, Hitomi got dragged into it.

 

She smiled slightly to herself as she remembered Manaka signing them all up for the senior play.  A musical.  Renju had been mortified to learn he would be playing the lead opposite Manaka.  He hadn’t auditioned, but Manaka used her imensive debate skills to win him the part.  It also didn’t hurt that Renju played the piano and the main character was an accomplished organist.

 

Hitomi had actually laughed at the news until Manaka informed her that she would be one of the supportive roles.  One that required singing and dancing.

 

“Thinking of Manaka?” Renju asked, noticing Hitomi’s wistful expression.

 

“Yeah.  Remember when she signed us up for the musical?”

 

“A musical?” Pewter asked, raising a silver brow.

 

“Mmhmm.  Manaka got all three of us parts in it.  She was the lead along with Renju though.  It was something to see.”

 

“What was it?”

 

“The Phantom of the Opera,” Renju answered.

 

“You were the Phantom?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Renju was embarrassed now.  He had never liked being the center of attention and she could plainly see that it even extended to his relationship.  “He was.  And he was incredible.”

 

“I would have loved to see that.  Renju’s voice is truly something special.”

 

“I have it.  The school recorded it and I still have a copy.”

 

“Please stop Hitomi.”  Renju was blushing all the way to his ears now, while Pewter was watching with an expression so full of love it made Hitomi’s own heart hurt.

 

She would never deny her best friend the opportunity to experience so much happiness, he deserved it after the life he had lived.  But times like this reminded Hitomi of exactly how lonely she was.  She had Iris, and there wasn’t a day she didn’t thank God for her daughter, but it didn’t change the fact that she wanted someone to share her life with.  A partner.

 

It made her life all the more bitter that she briefly had that dream.  Hayato had been everything she wanted.  He was caring and compassionate, he worshipped her like a goddess instead of treating her like something to be ashamed of.  Every single man she ever dated in the past wanted to hide her away, the stigma of being a single mother hovering over her like a black cloud.

 

But not Hayato.  He didn’t bat an eye, though maybe it was because of the type of person he was and how they met.  After all, he had his own stigma of being an unwanted child.  Forgotten and pushed through the system until he aged out.  And even then, his koseki listed him as an orphan, leaving him open to more discrimination.

 

It was no wonder two broken and abused people were drawn to each other.  And despite everything he had been through in life, he managed to be a wonderful male figure in Iris’.  He planned weekends out, amusement parks and aquariums, visits to shrines and museums.  She guessed it was partially due to his own hopes growing up, wanting a positive figure in his own life that would have loved and cared for him.

 

They weren’t together that long before he was cruelly ripped away.  And worst of all, she hadn’t been able to grieve his loss.  Not when Iris had been hit so hard.  She had cried for days.  Scared that her mother was going to die in the hospital and also confused as to why the man she had started to call Uncle had left without a word.  

 

She had stayed with Renju and Shoko while Hitomi recovered in the hospital.  And while the brunette knew that Renju loved Iris with everything in him, he had also been dealing with the end of his marriage.  It wasn’t even quite two years later that he and Shoko had divorced.

 

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. What was with her today?  She was all over the place with her emotions.  Though she supposed she had every right to be.  Iris was getting brain surgery and Renju had almost lost his life at the hands of Manaka’s killer.  And if all of that wasn’t bad enough, Pewter had briefly told her that Date had gotten in Saito’s path as well.

 

The one man that had opened something in her closed off heart was now in a coma, while Saito was running around in his body.  Pewter looked like he had more to say on the subject, but had cut himself short.  Honestly though, after everything else she had learned, she wasn’t sure her mind could handle any more.

 

No, right now she needed to concentrate on Iris.  Nothing else was as important as she was.

 

“Let me talk to Iris and tell her what happened before you come in the room.  I don’t want to upset her.  I mean, she is going to be upset, but better I prepare her then just let you walk in.”

 

“I agree.  That’s why I wanted Futa to talk to you first as well.”

 

“Ok, just give me a few minutes.  I’ll call you in when I’m ready.”

 

“Take your time,” Renju said, placing his left hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently.  Hitomi reached up with her own left hand, giving it a pat before moving away.  What a pair they made.  Both unable to use their right arms due to injuries.  Though hopefully Renju would recover with little to no issues.

 

She pushed open the door to Iris’ room and steeled herself for the talk ahead.  Iris was sitting up in bed, taking a quick selfie.  Peace sign up, tongue out, and winking.  She couldn’t help but laugh.

 

Iris could be so grown up at times, but then in moments like this, she was just like any other teenage girl.  Wanting to take silly pictures and post them to Ultragram.

 

“Mom?  Are Uncle Renju and Pewter here?  It’s almost time for my surgery and they promised they’d see me.”

 

“They are, but I need to talk to you before they come in.”

 

“Why?  I wanted to see them for more than a few minutes and my surgery is in less than an hour.”

 

“I know sweetheart, I won’t take long, but something happened.”

 

Iris put her phone down, smile fading from her face.  “Mom?”

 

“There was an…accident.  Renju was hurt.  He’s going to be ok, but he doesn’t look that great right now.  Before they come in, I wanted to prepare you.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“You know how Pewter was hurt last night?  How someone attacked him?”

 

“Yeah…” Iris answered hesitantly.

 

“The same person went after your Uncle.  His wrist is broken and he’s got a concussion.  He was also strangled, so there is a lot of bruising on his neck.  And his left eye has several broken blood vessels, so it’s almost completely red,” Hitomi said softly, trying not to let the worry she felt show in her voice or expression.  “But he is ok.  It looks bad, but the doctors here have done a lot to help him.  He’s not feeling as much pain as he was.”

 

“Who would do something like this?  Uncle Renju wouldn’t hurt anyone.  And Pewter has been so nice.  He makes things to help people.  Why would anyone want to do this to either of them?”

 

“I don’t know sweetheart,” Hitomi lied.  She certainly wasn’t getting into body swapping with Iris.  Nor was she going to tell her that her own half-brother was the guilty party.

 

“Are the police looking for whoever did this?”

 

“They are, don’t worry.  And your Uncle has a lot of powerful friends, so please believe that he and Pewter will have protection.”

 

“Ok,” Iris said hesitantly.  “But can I see him?”

 

“You can,” she answered before turning towards the door.  “You can come in now.”

 

The door opened only a few seconds later, Renju walking in with Pewter right behind him.  He kept a smile on his face, doing his best to look positive for Iris.

 

“Uncle Ren?” Iris sounded like she could cry any second.

 

“I’m here,” he said, not wasting a moment and closing the distance between the two.  He sat down next to her on the bed, wrapping his good arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

 

She buried her face in his chest and sniffled, mumbling something too low for Hitomi to hear.

 

“Are you sure this was a good idea?  She really shouldn’t be getting this upset before her surgery,” Pewter said as he moved to stand next to Hitomi.

 

“It would be worse if Ren wasn’t here.  He’s been the closest thing to a father that she has ever known.  She would have been worried sick if he didn’t show up.”

 

“I understand, but this is going to be a delicate operation.”

 

“I know.  But look, she’s already stopped crying.  She’ll be ok.  She’s relatively resilient.  Though whether that’s a good thing or not, I can’t say.”

 

“Hitomi,” Pewter said, lowering his voice to make sure only she would hear.  “I know Renju hasn’t always been there for Iris or Mizuki.  He’s bridging the gap with Mizuki now, but I want you to know we both plan on being there for Iris as well.”

 

“Thank you,” Hitomi said as she pulled him into a warm one-armed hug.  “You’re a good man.  I’m so glad Renju found someone like you.”

 

Pewter laughed nervously, patting Hitomi on the back.  “I assure you I’m not that good of a person.  My motives are completely selfish when it comes to Ren.  I would do anything he ever asked of me, even if it meant hurting others instead of helping them.”

 

“Now, why don’t I believe that.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“A selfish man wouldn’t do all the things you have for my daughter.  You’re saving her life.  And even if you stand here and try to tell me your incentive for that is selfish too, I don’t care.”

 

“You’re a strange woman Hitomi.”

 

Now it was her turn to laugh.  “You wouldn’t be the first man to say that.”

 

“Hey now you two, what’s going on over there?” Renju asked, an amused smirk on his face as Iris sat next to him with an equally entertained look.  “Hitomi, are you trying to steal my boyfriend?”

 

“You caught me,” she teased, stepping out of Pewter’s embrace.  “But alas, he’s too hopelessly in love with you for me to have a chance.”

 

“I’m truly sorry to have to this to you Hitomi,” Pewter said, playing along.  “I can only imagine how devastated you must be.”

 

“I am, but I’ll have to go on, if only for Iris’ sake.”  Hitomi wiped a fake tear from her eye, eliciting a series of giggles from her pink haired daughter.

 

“Mom, you can’t date him anyway, remember?  We’ve adopted him, so he’s my big brother now.”

 

“You’re right sweetheart.  I forgot-“

 

Hitomi was interrupted by a light knock at the door.  She glanced at the clock on the wall.  It was still about thirty minutes before Iris’ surgery was scheduled, but she knew one of the nurses would be coming soon to check on her and take all of her vitals.  

 

“Please come in,” she called.

 

Renju stood up with a sharp inhale as the door opened, quickly taking almost protective stance in front of Iris.  Pewter moved in much the same way, making sure Hitomi was completely behind him, forcing her to peek around his back.  Her eyes widened as she took in the man in the doorway.

 

“What are you doing here?” Renju bit out.

 

“Now, now, is that any way to greet one of your congressman?” So asked, stepping fully into the room.  “I’m here to see young Miss Sagan of course.”

 

“What could you possibly have to say?” Hitomi’s voice shook ever so slightly as she spoke.

 

“Plenty, though whether you want me to say that here and now, or wait until we can speak in private is completely up to you.”

 

Hitomi swallowed, catching Renju’s eyes briefly.  He looked just as worried as she did.  What was So Sejima doing here?  And why did he want to see Iris?  He had to know about her, what little he said implied as much.

 

This wasn’t good.  She couldn’t let him stress Iris out, not now.  “We can talk, in private.”

 

“Mom?”

 

“It’s fine.  I’m not going anywhere until they take you back.  I’m sure the congressman can wait twenty minutes.”

 

“I can, I’ve waited eighteen years after all.”

 

Hitomi nodded, knowing she had little choice in the matter.  At least she would have Renju by her side.  She could take solace in that for the time being. 

 

 

Notes:

So much going on in this chapter! Moma and Boss working together, So being sneaky, Hitomi’s internal anguish.

Even more serious stuff is coming in the future, so I tried to break it up with a little humor here.

And we’ve got a new Psyncer. I wanted to play around with the idea of having another one show up. The other Psyncers are mentioned in text only and never named, so I liked the idea of bringing another one in briefly.

Plus we got a glimpse of Hitomi. She was the character I was afraid to write the most because I just wasn’t sure I could do her justice.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a comment if you did!

Chapter 30

Notes:

Wow, here we are at Chapter 30! Starting with what was supposed to be a oneshot and we’re still not done.

So, this chapter has a lot going on. There’s some pretty graphic violence towards the end, nothing we didn’t see in canon, but figured it was worth pointing out as it's more than what I typically have described in the past.

Also, there is a fairly descriptive medical scene as well. Just throwing this out as a warning in case anyone wants to skip it. I’ll mark with *** where the scene starts with the violence and that will carry through till the end.

If you choose to skip that part, I’ll have a brief description at the end.

“So, you’re the one doing it, huh?” Saito asked, gesturing to the syringe and bottle sitting on the  steel table next to the subject’s chair.  “What’s the likelihood I won’t wake up again and I’ll be trapped in him?”

 

Dokuta let his gaze wonder over to Rohan’s body, laying peacefully on the medical stretcher he was brought in on.  “Not my choice to make.”

 

“Yeah, I know.  Just figured I’d ask.”

 

Saito looked away from Rohan, he had seen enough of that man’s face to last a lifetime.  He wasn’t really sure how to deal with all of the thoughts, emotions, and memories swirling around inside his head.  It was like he had lived two different lives, and in a way, he had.

 

There was him, the real him, that had been buried deep in his own subconscious.  He remembered everything like it was a movie.  A particularly bad horror film that he couldn’t turn away from.  Through it all, he couldn’t feel, couldn’t react, couldn’t stop any of it.

 

Then there was the part of him, the strange, obsessive part, that liked it all.  He knew it wasn’t really him, it was whatever was done to him, but it didn’t change the fact that it felt real.  Too real.  

 

He was disgusted by the things he had done and at the same time, the thrill had been like no other.  The more he thought about it, the more his stomach churned in protest.  Maybe once all the artificial serotonin that had been dumped into his system was finally gone, he would get a moment’s respite.

 

That was the entire problem now.  His memories were real.  The things he felt were real.  But they weren’t really him.  And he didn’t know how to separate the fact from fiction.  The real Saito from the Saito he had been for the last several years.

 

And it was all because of Rohan.  Rohan and…and…

 

Saito winced, the lights suddenly too bright and a strange ringing sounding in his ears.  He couldn’t concentrate.  There was something there, in the back of his mind, some dark, ominous shadow that lurked just beneath the surface. But the more he tried to focus on the memory, the more it escaped him.

 

His mind was a jumbled mess, no wonder he wasn’t able to hold on to anything at the moment.  He found some memories to be clearer than others, but he supposed in time it would all come back.

 

“Thanks Dr. Yagano.”

 

Dokuta frowned at that, trying to read Saito after his random display of gratitude.  “For?”

 

“Not being a dick to me as a kid.  I know I was…strange.”

 

The blonde doctor let out a sigh.  “I wanted to do more for you, you know.  I tried to.  Your old man though, he didn’t like me interfering too much.  Wouldn’t let me send you to a psychologist or do anything more than just talk to you or prescribe sedatives.”

 

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to do that.  You could’ve pushed me off, I was just some bratty rich kid with an asshole dad.  But you didn’t.  You cared.  You’d ask how my day was.  What I was doing in school.  Help me with my homework if I needed it.  And you always had that drawer full of candy,” Saito said with a slightly wistful smile.

 

“You weren’t a bad kid.  You got dealt a shitty hand in life and that sucks.  I wasn’t going to make it worse by pushing you off.”

 

“I just wanted you to know I appreciate it, especially if this is the last chance we get to talk.”

 

“You really ok with that?”

 

“I don’t know,” Saito answered honestly.  “I don’t know what I feel.  The idea of sleeping and just feeling nothing is kind of nice though.”

 

Dokuta frowned at that, but didn’t say anything further.  Saito supposed it would be hard to follow up his statement.  After all, he pretty much just said he didn’t care if lived out the rest of his life in a coma.

 

It was probably a better alternative to what would await him otherwise.  He’d be executed for sure.  And it probably wouldn’t even be that long of a wait.  He was a serial killer; the court system wouldn’t care if it was reluctantly or not.  

 

Of course that brought it’s own appeal.  Another way to just end it all and get the peace and nothingness he craved.  He didn’t think he wanted to die necessarily, but it wasn’t like he had a great life to just hop back into either.

 

Especially with so many people knowing exactly how to control him, how to bend him to their will.  Would death really be so bad when compared with the very real possibility that any life he would have in the future would never be his own?

 

“Dr. Yagano?”

 

Saito turned his head towards the control room.  Naoki was standing front and center, looking down at the good doctor standing next to him.

 

“We’re ready to begin.  If you wouldn’t mind administering the sedative.”

 

Dokuta nodded and slipped on the rubber gloves sitting on the tray.  He opened an alcohol wipe, beginning to pull up Saito’s sleeve.

 

“Just a second Doc,” Saito said as he pulled his arm back.  Dokuta was about to say something, but Saito quickly continued.  “You need to use my right arm.  Main veins in the left are collapsed.”

 

“Why?” Dokuta asked suspiciously.  “If you’re usin’, I’m not sedating you.  Not without knowing you’re clean.”

 

“I’m not.  Even if I was, it wouldn’t have been in this body, obviously.  It’s from when I was a kid.  Maybe around eleven or twelve, I can’t remember.  I was getting worse, so I had a lot of blood draws done.  I guess the doctors needed to check something, I don’t know.  Doesn’t matter anyway.”

 

“Blood draws shouldn’t cause collapsed veins.”

 

“I don’t know,” Saito said, knitting his brows together as he felt another headache coming on.  “It doesn’t matter anyway.  Just put me under so we can get this over with.”

 

Dokuta hesitated, watching Saito lean his head back and shut his eyes.  Or eye more accurately, the empty socket was already closed.  He swallowed audibly and walked around the chair, preparing the injection.

 

 

 

 

“Ok Kanna, you’ve got six minutes in Somnium, make them count,” Naoki said, speaking into the small microphone next to the computer screen he was currently monitoring.

 

“I know, I know.  I’ve been doing this longer than you have.  God, you sound like Pewter.”

 

“No I don’t!”

 

“Yeah, you kind of did,” Boss laughed out, knowing just how much that must bother him.

 

“Whatever, let’s just try to figure this out.  Kanna, looks like there are a couple of things you can interact with right now.  Maybe go over to the desk and pick up that notebook.  See if you can read it.”

 

Boss watched the scene playing out on the small screens, Kanna standing in what looked like a doctor’s office.  It was bigger than most, housing what seemed to be an exam room, desk with a computer, and several shelves full of books.  There were also a handful of personal items that didn’t belong in the setting.  A few colorful drawings obviously done by a child, a school backpack, and a small yukata decorated with chrysanthemums.  They were a deep maroon at the base and transitioned to yellow, on navy blue fabric.

 

“No way, look at this cute little yukata!  Do you think it was Saito’s when he was a kid?”

 

“I don’t know, but don’t worry about it.  I doubt it has anything to do with what we’re looking for.”

 

Kanna clearly didn’t care what the engineer had to say, picking up the small garment and holding it up.  It was definitely for a child, the fact made certain now that they all could see how small it was.  It stayed in Kanna’s grip for only a few seconds before fading away, part of the room going with it.  In it’s place however, was a young Saito.

 

He couldn’t have been much more than eight or nine, Boss guessed.  He was tiny, apparently not having hit any sort of growth spurt yet.  He stood there almost nervously, pulling at the left sleeve with his right hand, small feet shuffling along in his sandals.

 

“Are you ready to go Master Saito?”

 

A woman entered then, long brown hair pulled up in a bun and dressed in her own yukata.  She wore a light yellow one, cherry blossoms and branches adorning it.

 

“That’s Wakumi,” Moma stated, eyes focused on the screen.

 

“Wakumi?”

 

“One of So’s maids.  She’s been with the family a long time.  Nice woman, never understood why she wanted to stay there with him though.”

 

“Where are we going?” the child Saito asked.

 

“We’re going to the summer festival.  You’ll love it!”

 

“I don’t know about that,” Saito answered flatly, voice lacking any emotion.

 

“Oh I know you will!  First we’ll get some takoyaki.  Then while we eat it and walk around, we can listen to music.  Oh, and we’ll have to walk to the temple so you can get a fortune.  I can’t let you leave until we do that.  Maybe, if the boats are being rented out, we can take one out on the pond, that would be fun, right?”

 

“I-I guess.  I don’t know.  I’ve never been on a boat.”  Saito looked down at his feet, unsure of what else to say.

 

“I know you’ll love it.  And after our boat ride, I bet you’ll be hungry again.”

 

“Maybe.  I don’t really get too hungry.  I eat when Father tells me to.”

 

“Even you won’t be able to say no to crepes.  How does chocolate banana sound?  Or strawberry?”

 

That got Saito’s attention.  His head snapped up and there was the tiniest of smiles on his lips.  “I like chocolate.  And strawberries too.”

 

Wakumi put a finger to her lips, eyes turned towards the ceiling as though she were deep in thought.  She stayed that way for several seconds before snapping her fingers together.  “I’ve got the perfect plan.  We’ll just have to get both and share them.  Then you get a chocolate one and a strawberry one.  And I certainly wouldn’t say no to both either.”

 

Saito let out a small giggle.  “That sounds pretty fun Ms. Wakumi.”

 

“If you think that’s fun, just wait until the night ends.  That’s the best part.”

 

“What happens then?”

 

“The fireworks start.”

 

Saito’s eyes lit up.  “I’ve never seen real fireworks!  Father always said they’re loud and it’s too crowded.”

 

“Well, you’re in for a treat then,” Wakumi said, holding out her hand.  Saito placed his small hand in hers and the two faded away.

 

“That was adorable!” Kanna exclaimed, and Boss could practically hear the heart following that statement.  

 

“And completely useless.  We didn’t learn anything,” Naoki grumbled.

 

“Have a heart Kiki, we learned he likes chocolate and strawberries.”

 

“And that’s going to help us how?”

 

“Fine, fine.  Don’t get so mopey,  Look, I’m going to pick up your stupid book.”

 

And Kanna did.  She flipped through several pages, but nothing seemed to happen.

 

“What’s in it?  What’s it say?”

 

“I don’t know.  I can’t read it.  It’s the Roman alphabet, so maybe English?  Or it could be German.  Possibly Dutch.  I don’t know though.  I have no idea how to even pronounce it.”

 

She turned a few more pages and stopped, staring down at what looked like some sort of chart and a drawing.  

 

“What’s that?” Naoki asked.

 

“It looks like a brain.  I can’t read what any of the notes say though.”

 

A slightly older Saito ran past then, clutching what looked to be the same book in his hands.  He was out of breath and soon gone from the room, vision disappearing, but not before an overly distorted and barely distinguishable voice called after him.

 

“Saito!  Bring that book back now!”

 

Kanna clutched her head, dropping the notebook in the process.  The voice was gone, but a strange high-pitched ringing was left in it’s place.

 

“What’s that noise?  It’s awful.”

 

“I don’t know,” Naoki answered.  He couldn’t see anything on the monitor that would be making the sound.  It was like bad feedback from a microphone, but it didn’t stop.  “Maybe try interacting with something else.”

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t know.  Anything.  Just see if it stops.”

 

Kanna nodded and walked over towards the bookshelf.  There were dozens of books there, but they all looked like medical books of some sort.  They ranged from just general journals all the way to ones that specified certain parts of the body.  Most of the books looked dull and almost faded, but one in particular drew Kanna’s attention.

 

It was bright red, with bold white lettering along the spine.  It read “The Complete Hematology Archive”.  She picked the book up and opened it, the noise suddenly stopping.

 

“Well, I guess that takes care of that.”

 

Just like with the yukata before, the book faded out of sight.  It reappeared a few feet away, opened up and sitting in Saito’s lap.  He was quickly reading page after page, flipping much faster than most people would be able to read.  Especially someone his age.  He looked to be eleven at the most.

 

“This…” Saito started.

 

“Yes, yes, now you understand,” the voice from before said.

 

Kanna looked all around, but she didn’t see anyone besides Saito.  The boy was looking off in the distance, to presumably wherever the speaker was.

 

“Your blood is incredibly rare.  The rarest in the world.  In fact, I have only ever met five other people with that blood type.  You’re a universal donor.  You can give blood to anyone, regardless of their blood type.  And despite that, it hasn’t been studied nearly as much as other types because of it’s rarity and lack of volunteers.”

 

“You want to…study me?”

 

“Yes, your blood could be the key to saving thousands.  Hundreds of thousands even.  Who knows what kinds of medicine or treatments we could come up with using the knowledge we gain.  We may even be able to come up with a treatment for your brain disorder once and for all.”

 

“I-is this what Father wants?”

 

“Of course it is.  But we shouldn’t bother him with such trivial things.  For now, we can keep everything we have done and everything we will do between us.”

 

Saito looked down at the book in his lap again, focusing on one particular passage.  The top portion read, “Rhnull(Golden Blood)”.

 

“What’s golden blood?” Kanna asked.

 

“I’m not sure,” Naoki answered back.  “I’ve never heard of it.”

 

Saito faded away once again, the memory gone and with it, the terrible ringing came back.  This time, it was even louder than before.

 

“Damn it, not this again!  Naoki, can’t you make it stop?”

 

“It’s not anything I can do.  It’s inside his Somnium.  Something is triggering this to happen.  Try interacting with an object again, it worked last time.”

 

Kanna pushed forward, moving to the desk and picking up a cell phone that lay on it.  It was an older model, one that looked like it was out of the early two thousands.

 

The red-head flipped it open and hit the power button, trying to see if she could get it come on.  The screen lit up and at the same time, the noise faded away.  Not completely, thought it wasn’t nearly as loud as before.

 

“Should I try to make a call?”

 

“Maybe open the call log and see if there are any names in it,” Boss suggested, leaning over the back of Naoki’s chair.

 

“Ok,” Kanna answered.  “Last call says ‘Rohan Kumakura’.”

 

“What?” Moma asked, stepping closer to row of computers.

 

“Yeah, actually, the last several calls have his name listed.”

 

“Hit redial.  See what happens,” Naoki said.

 

Kanna followed his instructions and hit the “OK” button in the center of the phone.  The others in the control room could hear the quiet ringing and then the line answered.

 

Once it did, the phone faded out of Kanna’s hand and reappeared in someone else’s.  So Sejima stood in one corner of the room while in the other, Saito sat in an exam chair, eyes steadily watching his father.  Next to Saito, a blue figure hovered, nothing distinguishable about it at all.

 

“What the hell is that?” Moma asked.

 

“An incomplete memory,” Naoki answered.  “Sometimes, when the subject has really locked a memory away in their mind, whether it’s intentionally or unintentionally, it shows like this.  It’s because Saito can’t quite remember all the specifics about this event, so his mind is filling it in the best it can.  He can’t remember who was there with him, or he doesn’t want to remember.”

 

“What are you talking about?” So hissed into the phone.  “No, absolutely not.  That’s too far.”

 

“Father?” Saito asked, his voice quiet and too low for So to hear.

 

“Saito, you need to concentrate on me.  We have another test to try today, and I think you’ll pass this one,” the blue figured stated, same distorted voice as before.

 

“Do you have to take more blood?”

 

“No, no, not today.  I do have to give you one small injection, but you’ll barely feel it.”

 

Saito nodded slowly, his face taking on a resolved look.  The blue figure hovered around and picked up a small syringe from the metal tray, quickly wiping the crook of Saito’s left arm before pushing the needle through the delicate skin.

 

All the while So stood in the corner, back to what was happening, unaware that Saito’s eyes remained fixated on his father.  The young boy flinched slightly as whatever was in the needle began making it’s way through his system.

 

“How do you feel?”

 

“It burns,” Saito said through gritted teeth.

 

The blue figure grabbed the leather-bound book from the same metal tray, jotting down something before sitting it back down.

 

“Now Saito, I want you to listen very carefully to me.  Do you understand?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“Good, good,” the blue figure mumbled lowly, head seemingly looking in So’s direction before turning back to Saito.  “Sonne.  Walk over to your father and place this pen in his pocket.  Stern.”

 

And at the same time, quiet enough the blue figure wouldn’t have heard it over his own voice, So spoke.  “Do you really expect me to say ‘I want you to kill Manaka Iwai’?”

 

Saito’s eyes went blank and his breathing leveled out, but he never moved from his chair.

 

“Another failure,” the blue figure muttered, fading away along with Saito and So.

 

“Oh my God,” Boss whispered, backing away.  “It was because of So.”

 

She couldn’t believe it.  She still had a hard time being fully on board with the mind control, even after Moma and So himself confirmed it.  But watching this play out in Saito’s Somnium, a place where he couldn’t lie even if he wanted to, she had no choice but to accept the truth.  And that truth was that Saito murdered Manaka because of his own father’s orders.  Orders that So never meant to give, but did regardless.

 

“Do you know who it is?” Naoki asked, glancing over his shoulder at Moma.

 

“No,” he said softly.  “I can’t tell anything.  That voice isn’t natural.  And there aren’t any features I can make out.”

 

“Hey Kiki, what’s that?”

 

Naoki, along with Boss and Moma, focused back on the monitors.  The room was still the same as before, but now it had taken on a darker hue.  It was like the lights had all been turned down.

 

Back in the corner where Saito and the blue figure had previously been, it was pitch black.  No, it was even darker than that, and the shadows almost seemed to be moving.  The space wavered unnaturally.

 

“I don’t know, but maybe stay away from there.  Try looking at something else.”

 

Kanna nodded, putting a little distance between her and the corner.  She walked over to the school bag on the ground, but as soon as she picked it up, it suddenly turned into a briefcase.

 

“Did you see that?”

 

“Yeah.  Maybe try opening it.  It could be important since it changed like that. Nothing else in his Somnium has changed shape.”

 

The red-head lifted the briefcase and sat it on the edge of the desk, popping the two clasps easily and opening it.  Inside were a pair of black leather gloves, a rock, a knife, and a gun.

 

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

 

“It’s fine Kanna,” Boss said, though her voice wasn’t nearly as confident as it normally was.  “Try the gloves on first maybe.”

 

“Whatever you say,” she answered back, slipping the smooth leather onto her hands.  They were too big; definitely made for a man.

 

The room suddenly shifted and all around Kanna were woods.  The desk was the only thing that remained with the moon shining overhead.  It was full but somehow the light didn’t penetrate the darkness that still hovered in the distance.  Before she could say anything else, a brunette woman ran past, her breathing loud and labored.

***

Not even two steps behind her was Saito, his long legs giving him a clear advantage.  He caught the girl in no time, tackling her to ground.  She landed with a painful grunt and then Saito was flipping her on to her back, straddling her stomach and reaching down with black leather clad hands.

 

He squeezed hard, the leather creaked as his fingers tightened.  The woman flailed beneath him, hands reaching up to try to pry his own away; scratching and pulling, but nothing worked.  She couldn’t make a sound as Saito’s strong hands continued to crush her windpipe.  

 

“Oh God, th-that’s the first Cyclops victim!  That’s Chihiro!  Boss, what the hell is this?  You said I was looking for memories about possible brainwashing.”

 

“I know I said that, and we are.  But part of that has to do with the Cyclops serial killings.  It’s all connected.”

 

Kanna pulled the gloves off, the scene disappearing along with it.  “I’m done, pull me out.”

 

“But there’s still over three minutes-“ Boss started.

 

“I don’t care!  Pull me out!”

 

“Kuranushi, this probably wasn’t a good idea.  The first victim…that was Kanna’s cousin.”

 

Boss’ face went white at Naoki’s words.

 

“She doesn’t talk about it a lot, but one night we were working on a case.  The suspect already killed two victims and had all the makings of being another serial killer.  She told me about her cousin’s case and how that was the reason she got involved with ABIS in the first place.  She wanted to try to help solve it one day.”

 

“Goddamn it Kiki!  Quit talking and get me out!” Kanna yelled, slamming the pair of gloves into the briefcase, her hand nicking the knife inside.  “Owww!”

 

That caught Naoki’s attention.  

 

“What the hell?  Why did I feel that?”  She looked at her hand, a sizable cut on her palm that was slowly leaking bright red blood.

 

“Are you sure you didn’t just react because you saw your hand hit the knife?”

 

“I’m sure.  I know what I felt.  And what I still feel, my hand hurts-“

 

“Hello Honoko.”

 

Kanna turned around, the voice startling her.  Emerging from the blackness, the shadows clinging to his form, was Saito.  He grinned manically, twirling a knife in his hand as he stalked towards her, closing the distance.  

 

The Psyncer took an uneasy step back, not sure why he was coming for her when he clearly said the name of the last victim.  

 

“Naoki, come on, start shutting it down.”

 

“I am, but we have to give it thirty seconds to activate and do it right.  Emergency shut downs could hurt you or the subject.”

 

Kanna took another back, not liking the look in Saito’s eyes.  He was deranged; expression almost gleeful if not for how he kept his eyes unnaturally wide.  He cocked his head to the side, in an almost catlike gesture, and that was when he lunged.

 

She barely had enough time to get out of the way, turning quickly on her heel and running with everything in her.  The air burned her lungs as she drew in a deep breath, pushing herself harder, knowing there was no way she could let him catch her.

 

“What’s happening-“ Boss started, thought being cutoff by a loud alarm ringing out. 

 

“Warning: Psyncer is experiencing tachycardia. Shut down is advised.”  The robotic voice sounded through the speakers in the control room.

 

“Naoki!!  Help me!”

 

Naoki’s head whipped back to the screen just in time to see Kanna fall.  Saito had caught up and tackled her much like Chihiro.  And just like her cousin, Kanna fought back, fiercely.  She kicked out, catching Saito firmly in the shoulder and eliciting a loud groan.  Her fingers dug in to the soft dirt beneath her, trying her best to pull away.

 

Saito wouldn’t let go though, holding on tightly and doing his best to drag her towards him.  “Hold still, you’ll only make this worse!”

 

Kanna grabbed a handful of dirt, flinging it behind her and into Saito’s face.  His head whipped back, a gutteral growl tearing from this throat as he let her go and reached up to angrily wipe his eyes.  

 

Pushing up, Kanna stumbled to her feet and took off again.  The woods blurred around her, all the trees looked the same, the darkness making it nearly impossible to distinguish any of them.  She had no idea where she was running to, losing all sense of direction.  The desk was no longer anywhere near by, but it didn’t matter, she simply had to keep moving until Naoki was able to shut down the machine.

 

“Please hurry Naoki!  Get me out of here!”

 

“It’s almost ready.  Just remember, this isn’t real.  The Psync can’t hurt you.  Nothing you experience is really happening.”

 

“Easy for you to say!  You’re not the one with a psychotic killer-“ Kanna’s words turned into a scream, shrill and sharp.

 

Saito had caught up again, grabbing her by the ponytail and pulling back, hard.  Using her own body weight and momentum against her, he shoved her to ground.

 

“You bitch!  You’ll fucking pay for that!”  

 

If she thought Saito was deranged before, it was nothing compared to how he looked now.  His face was covered in dirt, hair was pulled out of the half bun and tangled around his face, and his eyes burned with barely contained madness.

 

Not giving her a chance to pull anymore dirty tricks, Saito brought the knife swiftly into the meaty flesh of her thigh.  Kanna screamed, the pain nearly unbearable.  Not hesitating, he stabbed down again, this time in her stomach.

 

Another scream, much louder than the ones before.  It was almost like it was coming from the monitors and below…

 

“Naoki, turn this thing off, she’s seizing!” Dokuta yelled from down in the Psync chamber.

 

Boss’ head snapped up, looking over the top of the monitors in time to see Kanna’s body shake with violent tremor after tremor.

 

“Warning: Automatic shutdown has failed.  Manual override recommended.  Warning: Psyncer is experiencing tachycardia.  Warning: Psyncer’s body temperature is now forty degrees Celsius.  Warning: Psyncer is experiencing a Grand Mal seizure.”

 

“Naoki, shut it down!”  Boss screamed.

 

“I’m trying!  I’m putting in the override code and nothing is happening!  The machine is malfunctioning!”

 

Boss watched on the screen as the scene played out exactly how she imaged the last Cyclops murder went.  Kanna was on her back, Saito stabbing the knife repeatedly into her chest, blood flowing freely from her mouth and soaking the soaking the ground beneath her.

 

“Fuck!  She’s aspirating!” Dokuta yelled again.

 

“Warning: Manual override failed.  Fatal system error has occurred.  Power source being disconnected.”

 

Suddenly there was silence.  The monitors all went blank, the lights on the Psync machine immediately shut off.  The visors lifted from both Saito and Kanna faster than normal, jerking back into position.

 

“Naoki, bring me your crash kit!” Dokuta wasted no time in getting the girl out of the chair on to the ground, holding her on her side as she shook and coughed up what looked like blood.

 

Naoki was frozen for only a second before practically jumping up the stairs.  He ran straight for one of the lockers in the back, yanking the door so hard it hit the one next to it with a resounding clang.  Sitting in the bottom was a large black bag.

 

It had been there ever since Naoki had started, though he had never needed to use it.  And he hated that they needed it now.  

 

He slung the bag over his shoulder and bolted out of the room, Boss and Moma right on his heels.  He didn’t even remember going through the hall or down the stairs into the Psync chamber.  One minute he had been in the control room, and the next he was on the floor next to Dokuta while holding a suddenly still Kanna.

 

“Dokuta?  Is she…?” Moma trailed off.

 

“She will be if we don’t do something!”

 

He was quickly tearing through the bag, not caring what happened to the items he didn’t need.  He tossed them aside, finally landing on what looked like a mental hook with a handle.

 

“Hold her head steady and tilt it back so her chin is up.  I need to suction her lungs and then intubate her.”

 

Naoki did as he was asked, but it was easy to see the fear in his eyes.  They all felt that way.  Boss stood off in the corner, clearly on the phone with emergency services and trying to explain what was happening.

 

Dokuta slipped on a pair of rubber gloves and pulled Kanna’s jaw down, making sure her mouth was open wide.  Moving quickly but cautiously, he slid the hook in sideways, pushing until he hit the back of her throat.  He turned the handle, pushing the metal down her throat and adjusting as he went.

 

Once it was where he needed it, he silently directed Naoki to hold on it, pulling out a packaged tube and ripping it open.

 

That was the next thing to go in.  He followed the hook down, but the tube was much longer, going even further.  He squeezed the bulb on the end, bright red blood coming up with it.  

 

“The ambulance is on the way.  It will be less than five minutes.”

 

Naoki nodded, afraid to speak.  He didn’t trust his voice as he watched Dokuta pull the full tube out and toss it aside.  The next tube was opened just as quickly as the first and followed the same trajectory.  This time however, he removed the mental device from her throat right after.

 

“You ever bagged a patient before?” The blonde doctor asked, attaching the tubing to a clear mask and fitting it over the woman’s face.

 

Naoki nodded again.

 

“Good,” he said simply, snapping the Ambu bag onto the mask and waiting for Naoki to take it.  “I’m going to start compressions and I want you to give two breaths with the bag every thirty, got it?”

 

Another nod.

 

Dokuta placed his hands over Kanna’s chest, pushing down quickly.  He just hoped he had acted quick enough.

Notes:

***Kanna sees Saito kill the first Cyclops victim Chihiro. He chokes her to death and Kanna reveals that she is her cousin. This was the reason she joined ABIS.

Saito now comes after Kanna and she is in the role of the fourth victim. She is caught and stabbed to death, all while trying to escape. The Psync machine malfunctions, allowing her to feel the pain of the fourth victim’s death.

Kanna goes into shock, aspirating, and has a seizure. The Psync machine suffers a fatal error and completely shuts down. Dokuta tries to save Kanna and performs an emergency intubation followed by CPR.

 

That was pretty intense. But at least the previous chapter was fun. Also, forgive any inaccuracies with Dokuta’s end scene. I used to be an EMT, so I tried to draw on that, but I stopped about five years ago. Medical procedures change and what I have described may very well be outdated. This is also based on US procedures and is state specific. What is done in my state could very well be different to how things are done in Japan.

Seriously though, I just couldn’t resist giving him a larger role and getting to see him actually put his medical skills to use. He strikes me as the type that would be very good in an emergency. Calm and collected. And of course he is still at ABIS because Moma hasn’t asked him to take Rohan’s body back to the clinic. Lucky for Kanna really…

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave me a comment if you did!

Chapter 31

“Well now,” So began.  “Let’s talk.”

 

Renju glanced nervously over at Hitomi.  She stood defiantly, looking far more confidant than he felt.  That was usually the case with her though.  Hitomi never had any problem standing up for herself, or Renju for that matter.  She was much stronger than most people gave her credit for. 

 

Especially with Iris having been wheeled back to surgery only a moment ago.  She never let her anxiety break through, keeping her focus on her daughter alone. 

 

It probably helped that Pewter went with her, though he was noticeably torn.  Renju could tell his boyfriend wanted to stay, not trusting So in the least. 

 

But Renju had sent him off with a quick kiss, reassuring him that both he and Hitomi would be fine.  It was more important for him to be back with Iris, watching over the machine and making sure the surgery went off without a hitch.  And it wasn’t just the tech he was worried about, no, he was absolutely certain the machine his boyfriend designed was perfect.  Much like everything else he worked on.

 

His worry was Iris.  She was already nervous about the procedure, coupled with the fact that she was concerned over his attack.  

 

And then So showed up.  She had been curious about it, but So managed to spin a fairly convincing lie that he happened to be in the hospital and heard there was a sick young girl about to undergo an operation.  As a citizen of his district, it was his duty to visit.

 

The story seemed to brighten Iris’ spirits, the girl gushing about how she had learned about his many stances in her political science class.  She said that she really looked up to him and that it truly made her feel better that he would visit her.

 

It took everything in Renju to bite his tongue and not kick him out of the room.  He wanted to, immensely.  But that would have raised Iris’ suspicions and he wasn’t about to do that right before her surgery.  

 

So he stayed quiet.  And watched the older politician sit and talk to Iris with more familiarity than he had any right to.

 

Pewter was also visibly uneasy, but Renju had attributed that to the fact his boyfriend knew the truth of Iris’ parentage.  He never said a word, but kept his attention focused on So all the same until the nurse came back to get Iris. 

 

After Iris was taken out of the room and the door shut behind them, So turned his gaze to Renju.  His gray eyes gave nothing away.  “He’s Kazuki’s son, isn’t he?”

 

That took Renju by surprise and it clearly must have shown on his face.  So let out a small chuckle, apparently amused by the blonde’s reaction.

 

“I thought as much. Amanoma isn’t exactly a common name.”

 

“How do you know Futa’s father?”

 

“Don’t concern yourself with that.  When I said we needed to talk, it wasn’t about him anyway.”

 

“I realize that, but you’re the one that brought it up.  Futa is my boyfriend, how could I not question it?”

 

So let out a small sound of discontentment and crossed his arms.  “I’ve known Kazuki for a long time.”

 

“How?”

 

“I believe this is a conversation I should be having with your boyfriend, and not with you.”

 

“Well as you can see, he’s indisposed at the moment.  He’s trying to save Iris’ life,” Renju said with just the smallest hint of malice behind his words.  He knew he had to walk a thin line, but he couldn’t help the feelings of disgust and hatred that had built up over the years whenever he thought of either Sejima.  “Now, how do you know him?”

 

“It’s not quite as sinister as you seem to be making it out in your head.  Kazuki and I are old friends.  Though we’re not as close as we once were, there was a time when we were almost like brothers,” So stated.  “But, that’s enough of that.  I’d like to talk to you both about Iris.  And let’s not pretend you don’t understand why.  You both are too smart for that and I despise wasting time.”

 

Renju looked at Hitomi again, knowing there was no way to get out of this.  So knew the truth, it was just a matter of what he would do with that knowledge.

 

“Now tell me, exactly how long did the two of you think you could keep my daughter from me?”

 

“Honestly?” Hitomi answered.  “Forever.  You don’t deserve to know her.  To be a part of her life.”

 

“Be that as it may, I will be.  The only question is, will the two of you still be?”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Renju asked.

 

“Why kidnapping is a crime,” So said, faux concern tainting his voice.  “And as a man of the people, it’s my duty to report it.  Even if it would pain me to do so.  After all, you both have taken such excellent care of my precious daughter.”

 

“You’re threatening us?  After everything you did!” Hitomi hissed.

 

“Everything I did?  I believe my record speaks for itself.  It’s spotless.  There is nothing in the past or present that you will be able to pin on me.  The two of you however, you’ve kept quite busy over the years.  I didn’t have much time to look into things, but I was able to gather a little information.”

 

Renju swallowed nervously.  He didn’t like the sound of where this was going.

 

“My dear Hitomi-“

 

“Don’t call me that like we’re friends.” 

 

Renju had never seen Hitomi look so angry before, she was practically shaking.  Normally so quiet and reserved, it was strange to see her lose her composure.  Though he supposed that it shouldn’t come as a surprise, after all, it was her daughter being threatened.

 

“Why so on edge Hitomi?  Afraid that I know all of your dark secrets?  I’m sure it would jeopardize your job and the life you built for yourself if it were to get out to the school board that you had previously been romantically linked to a yakuza assassin.”

 

“You can’t prove it.”

 

“And you,” So smiled, eyes on Renju.  “Helping with the Kumakura’s since you were what?  Fifteen?  Sixteen?  On paper you look like you’ve cleaned your life up, but you’re still with them.”

 

“Like Hitomi said, prove it.”

 

“Oh I can and I will if need be, but hopefully those actions won’t be needed.  After all, we’re all adults here, I think we should be able to come up with an amicable solution that works for all of us.”

 

Hitomi took it a deep breath and let it out slowly, doing her best to keep her emotions at bay.  “You need to stay away from Iris.”

 

“I would never hurt her.”

 

“Maybe not physically, but there are many ways to hurt a person without ever laying a finger on them.”

 

“Like stealing away a child and leaving a grieving father to mourn her death?”

 

“You never loved Iris!” Hitomi screamed.

 

“Don’t stand here and tell me what I felt.  You have no idea,” So ground out darkly.

 

Renju knew he shouldn’t push the issue, but hearing those words from So made something snap inside.  He’d been through too much because of this man and his son in the last several days and he couldn’t take it anymore.  “You didn’t want Iris!  You tried to get Manaka to get a goddamn abortion!  And when she refused, you wanted her to give her up for adoption or leave the country.”

 

“And I’ve had eighteen years to think about my actions.  About the decisions I made.  But I suppose you’ve always been a perfect father, never making any mistakes that you might have regretted.”

 

Renju physically winced as if the older man had slapped him.  There was no way he could be comparing their two situations.  He knew he was severely lacking as a father, but he had never once tried to force Shoko into getting an abortion.  They hadn’t planned on getting pregnant, but once they found out, giving up their daughter was the farthest thing from their minds.  And So had the nerve to stand here in this room and act like just because he now decided to be in Iris’ life that everything in the past was just fine.

 

“I’m nothing like you.  Manaka and Iris were a dirty secret you were desperate to hide and make go away.  I’m not perfect, but I never did that to my wife and daughter.”

 

“Yes, well, who knows how differently things would have turned out if I had been given the choice to actually be present in my daughter’s life.  But the two of you took that away from me.  So standing here and pretending that I walked away for eighteen years couldn’t be further from the truth.”

 

“Oh, because it was so obvious how much you wanted to have a family with Manaka,” Hitomi bit out.

 

“Had Manaka lived we could have…never mind, that’s not important.  It doesn’t change the fact that I am Iris’ father and I have a legal right to her.  She’s still two years away from being twenty, so if I really wanted to push the issue, I can take her.  The courts won’t take kindly to a pair of kidnappers keeping the daughter of a high ranking politician.”

 

Renju knew So had them right where he wanted.  He was absolutely right, the courts wouldn’t see it from their point of view.  They’d never be able to convince a judge, especially one that more than likely was in So’s back pocket, that what they did was in the best interests of Iris.  And it wouldn’t just be the two of them going down.  Likely Moma and Dokuta would get dragged in to it as well.

 

He couldn’t let that happen.  Moma was like a brother and Dokuta had helped him out more times than he could count.  He just had to hope that whatever So was planning wouldn’t end up hurting Iris.  She was what mattered most.

 

“What is it you want then?  I can’t stop you from telling Iris, but I am going to ask that you at least let her recover and get released.  She doesn’t need you possibly ruining her rehabilitation,” Hitomi said.

 

“Of course not, I’m not a monster, no matter how much the two of you try to paint me as such.  I’ll even let you stay in her life.”

 

Renju rolled his eyes.  “How generous of you.”

 

“You have no idea.  But, let’s talk about what is going to happen moving forward.  I will a part of Iris’ life as her father.  She will get to know me, and when the time is right, she will be formally introduced to the country as my daughter.”

 

“And how exactly do you plan on pulling this off and not look like you abandoned her?  You said you’re going to let Renju and I still be in her life.  Am I safe to assume that means you aren’t going to press kidnapping charges?”

 

“As long as the two of you are willing to cooperate, I see no reason to.”

 

“Then how are you going to spin this?  You must have some angle cooked up.  And I hope it’s not saying that you had an affair with Hitomi and that she hid Iris away.  Because if that’s what you’re planning-“

 

“It’s not, don’t worry.  Despite what the two of you may think of me, my plan is not to paint either of you as the villain unless you force my hand.  I’m going to let the adoption stand.  Manaka is still Iris’ mother and I’m not erasing her.  I’ll tell the press she was tragically killed.  I didn’t know she was pregnant and subsequently gave birth shortly before her death.  And the two of you, as her best friends, wanted what was best for Iris and arranged her adoption.”

 

“But Manaka’s death has never been reported.  She’s technically still a missing person.  How is this going to work?”

 

“I know where she’s buried.  I’ll send an anonymous tip over to the MPD and then they’ll have her…remains.  At least this way, Manaka will finally have the rest she deserves.  I’ll pay for her shrine, the two of only need tell me where you would like it.”

 

Renju and Hitomi shared a look.  They knew Manaka’s body wouldn’t be there in the woods.  After eighteen years, Renju even doubted that there would be any sort of scent for the cadaver dogs to pick up on.  

 

“She won’t be there,” Renju said.  No point in delaying the inevitable, it was better just to say it all now.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“That night, the night Manaka was…killed,” Hitomi began.  “She had a tracking device.  We were worried about her, that something might happen.  When we saw her leaving the city limits and not coming back to my house, we got worried.  We followed her signal all the way out to Aokigahara Forest.  And then…”

 

Hitomi couldn’t continue, her voice catching on a sob as she was no longer able to hold back the tears.  Renju felt his own eyes start to get misty, but knew he needed to continue.  “We saw Rohan.  He and a couple of his guys, they were digging her grave.  They threw Manaka in like she was nothing.  And Rohan, he took her eye as some sort of sick prize.  That’s the fate you left her too, but we refused to leave her there to rot and be forgotten about like she never mattered.”

 

So didn’t say a word.  Renju wasn’t sure what the other man was thinking, but it didn’t matter.  He could feel guilty or disgusted or regretful, it wouldn’t change the fact that he was the reason Manaka was dead.  He was the reason Iris had to grow up without her birth mother.  

 

“What did you do with her?” he asked quietly.

 

“We waited for Rohan to leave and then we dug her up.  With sticks and our hands.  We got her out, took her home and cleaned up, and placed her somewhere no one could find her.  Somewhere safe.”

 

“Somewhere safe?”

 

There was nothing left to hide now.  This was the last big secret concerning Manaka and Iris that Renju and Hitomi had between them.  Luckily the statute of limitations for tampering with a body were long gone, but that was the furthest thing from Renju’s mind at the moment.  If he was truly being honest with himself, he almost felt relief.  They would finally be able to bury Manaka.  She wouldn’t have to be locked away in a warehouse with only the two of them to come and visit.

 

She could have someplace beautiful and green.  Flowers all around and touched by sunlight.  And it wouldn’t just be for Manaka, but for Hitomi too.  He wouldn’t have to take her in the middle of the night on Manaka’s birthday and deathday to see her.  They wouldn’t have to sneak around so others didn’t see them.  He wouldn’t have to watch the tears instantly freeze on her face every time she cried.  They could finally be allowed to grieve for their best friend.

 

“She’s in the old fishery building my father owned.  The cold storage warehouse.  Perfectly preserved.”

 

So let out a long sigh and reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes.  Not caring that he was in the hospital, he placed one in his mouth and lit the end, breathing in the rich smoke before exhaling.  “This is going to be a lot more complicated.’

 

 

 

 

 

Boss could feel a headache starting.  The throbbing at the base of her skull brought on by stress, lack of sleep, and a rush of adrenaline that was beginning to fade.  

 

She had no idea how she was going to explain this to the higher-ups.  First, and most importantly, they nearly had a Psyncer die.  Kanna certainly wasn’t out of the woods yet, but Dokuta’s quick thinking had saved her life.  That much Boss was certain of.  There would never be enough words to thank the man for saving her, for saving one of Boss’ good friends.  To think, only a few days ago she had been so opposed when Renju had called Moma Kumakura and his mob doctor in, and now…

 

This wasn’t the way she had expected her week to go, that was for sure.  Putting thoughts of Kanna aside, she focused on a problem that would be just as big of a deal, if not more, once the Psyncer recovered.

 

The Psync machine.  It sat quietly, no lights flashing or low hum of the electric coursing though.  It was almost eery to be in the room with the machine off.

 

Though it wasn’t off.  Not really.  Dead was a more accurate term.  Just hopefully not for good.  She really didn’t want to hear Pewter when he found out what had happened.  It was bound to be worse than when her bosses did.

 

Because not only had they very possibly destroyed the machine that he had spent years perfecting, they had done it while Psyncing with the man he was desperate to find.

 

Which now brought her to the final piece of the major problems she had.  Saito Sejima.  He was calmly sitting in the subject’s chair, body half turned to watch the others in the room.

 

What was she going to do with him?  Technically, he hadn’t done any of the crimes he had been involved with willingly.  He had been used and manipulated by Rohan Kumakura and some mystery doctor that they still didn’t know the identity of.

 

Well Moma did, but he didn’t seem to want to share still.  At least not with everyone currently present.  Boss could tell that he was waiting to talk with her alone.  She wasn’t sure if he didn’t want to speak in front of Naoki, Dokuta, or Saito.  Or possibly all three.

 

But, even once she found out the identity of whoever it was that did this to Saito, it didn’t change the fact that she had Date waiting and depending on them to get him back.  There was no choice, not really.  She would get Date back.  She couldn’t and she wouldn’t leave his mind inside the comatose body of Rohan Kumakura.  He didn’t deserve that.

 

A few hours ago, the decision would have been simple.  Now though, she could feel the guilt of sentencing Saito to that same fate.  But what could she do?  She refused to leave Date.

 

Not that it mattered at the moment.  The Psync machine currently being inoperable made that decision for everyone.  There was no way she could perform the Psync even if she wanted to.  And there was no telling how long it would take for Pewter to fix it.  Unless…

 

“Saito, where’s the prototype machine?  We know you had it in the abandoned factory, but then you moved it.  Where did you take it?”

 

Saito eyed her up cautiously, right eye giving nothing away as pondered over the question.  “Why should I tell you?  That’s just going to speed this whole thing up, isn’t it?  I tell you where the machine is and then you Psync me with him.”

 

He nodded his head in the direction of Rohan. Dokuta was currently by the former head’s side, checking over the monitors. 

 

“As opposed to what?  I just let you walk out of here?  You know I can’t do that.”

 

“Well I’m certainly not going to help you put me into a coma.”

 

“Didn’t you find them all over at the warehouse district?” Naoki asked, an edge to his voice.  He still sat in the same spot on the floor he had been when helping Dokuta give CPR to Kanna.  He didn’t look up to meet Boss’ eyes, his own focused on the drying blood the red-head had coughed up.

 

“Yeah…”

 

“He’s not that original.  He’s probably got it stashed in one of the other warehouses.  All you need to do is look for whichever ones currently aren’t in use and you’ll more than likely find the prototype.”

 

Saito scoffed at that, his lip turned up into a sneer.  “Is that really what you think?”

 

“Then where is it?”  Boss asked again.

 

“The only way I’ll tell you is if you agree not to Psync me into Rohan.  Otherwise, feel free to scour the city looking for it.”

 

“I can’t do that.  You know I can’t.  Even if I wanted to.”

 

“Then I can’t tell you where the Psync machine is.  Even if I wanted to.”

 

Boss closed her eyes briefly and let out a sigh.  She could feel her headache getting worse.  “I’ll make you tell me if I have to.  I was hoping that given the choice, you would want to do the right thing, but I guess I was giving you too much credit.”

 

“And I guess it was giving you too much credit that you wouldn’t be like every other crooked cop and use your power to your advantage.”

 

“Are you seriously going to act like you’re the victim here?”

 

Saito shrugged.

 

“You have two choices,” Boss started, frustration flowing through her words.  “Either tell me where the machine is, or I make you tell me.”

 

“Do what you have to do I guess.”

 

 

“Fine-“

 

“Wait!  We’re not doing this,” Moma jumped in.

 

“This is ABIS business and it doesn’t concern you.”

 

“The hell it doesn’t.  I’ve been dragged into this giant mess whether I wanted to be or not.  And if it wasn’t for me you’d be dealin’ with an even bigger mess.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Who stopped Date from killing Pewter?  Twice.”

 

“Tch.”

 

“And who got the information from Rohan?”

 

“Information that you still won’t share.”

 

“It’s not that I won’t share it.  It’s that I don’t think now is the time.”

 

“And when will it be the time?  You said you wanted to see the Psync before you said anything.  Because you didn’t want to accuse a possibly innocent person.  Well, the Psync is over and you’re still keeping quiet.”

 

“You saw the same things I did.  I wasn’t able to tell who it was from that, but I’ll talk to you about it later.  Right now, you want to get Date back, right?”

 

“Yes, obviously.  Why do you think I’m trying to find the prototype machine?  We need that to switch them back.”

 

“Right.  You want Date back.  And Saito wants to keep his body and not be forced into a coma.  And I have a feeling you don’t feel too great about that happening either after watching the Psync.”

 

“It doesn’t matter what I think.  I’m not leaving Date.”

 

“What if there was another solution?”

 

“Such as?”

 

“Everyone goes back to their original bodies.  Saito stays in his.  Date gets his own back, and… Rohan goes where he belongs.”

 

Boss was taken aback.  Of all the things she would have expected to hear from Moma, this certainly wasn’t it.  “You’re willing to sacrifice your own brother to give Date his body back and make sure Saito doesn’t go into a coma.”

 

Moma nodded.

 

“Why?  He’s your brother.”

 

“He is.  But for the past six years I already thought he was in a coma.  I had no idea he was sitting in a jail cell in Falco’s body.  And why would I?  He never made any effort to contact me.  He could have; easily.  It wouldn’t have taken much for him to convince me that it was really him either.  But he didn’t. And then, I find out all this shit?  I can’t just stand by and let him live out the rest of his days in relative comfort while the kid rots away.  He already stole a good portion of his life, why should I let him get away with more?”

 

Boss let out a small bark of laughter.  “Anyone ever told you you’ve got a real savior complex?”

 

Moma rolled his eyes.  “Maybe once or twice.”

 

“Let’s just say I agree to this plan.  And, that I’m able to get custody of your brother to do this swap-“

 

“You will.”

 

“Ok, I do.  It still doesn’t change the fact that ‘Falco’ is technically serving a life sentence.”

 

“And don’t you know a lot of higher-ups that could make that go away.”

 

“Possibly.”

 

“There you go.  Easy enough.”

 

“No, not easy.  But even if I can make this happen, it still doesn’t change the fact that we don’t know where the prototype machine is.   And you don’t want me to force him to tell us, so where do we go from there?”

 

Moma turned his attention to Saito who still sat quietly in the subject’s chair.  He had been observing the back and forth between the two with a lot more indifference than someone would normally have when their entire life was being decided.

 

“Kid, if I offer you protection and guarantee your safety, will you tell us where the machine is?”

 

“I want her word too,” he said flatly.

 

Boss rolled her eyes.  “What?  Don’t trust me?”

 

Saito just stared.  He was incredibly hard to get a read on.  It was strange to Boss, if it had been Date still in that body, she’d have no trouble at all.  She’d been around him six years, even longer when he was still Hayato, but everything was different now.

 

Despite the fact that it was the same physical body sitting in the room, Saito couldn’t be more different.  He barely showed any emotion, and what little he did, Boss had to imagine was due to the artificial serotonin still in his system.  

 

Boss let out a sigh, knowing they would get no where until Saito could at least believe that she wouldn’t subject him to living out the rest of his days in Rohan’s body.  “Fine.  You have my word.  I’ll make sure we Psync Date back into his body.”

 

And she meant it.  Though, if she wasn’t able to get his original body back, the one he had borrowed for the last six years would have to do.  She didn’t care if that left Moma or Saito or even So himself upset with her, she would deal with it.  The only thing that mattered was getting Date back and if it meant sacrificing Saito, then so be it.

 

“There ya go kid.  She gave her word.  And I gave you mine that I would make sure you were ok.  Now, can you tell us where the prototype is?”

 

Saito quickly looked around the room, taking a moment to focus on each of the occupants.  Boss knew that he was weighing his options, fully aware of the fact that once he told them the location, there was no taking it back.  

 

“It’s in the warehouse district.  The building next to Okiura Fishery.”

 

 

“Told you,” Naoki mumbled under his breath.

 

“Seriously?” Boss asked.

 

Saito shrugged.

 

“We go through all of this for it to be exactly where Naoki said it was.  You said it wasn’t there.”

 

“Technically I didn’t say that.  And why would I have told you before making a deal?  There’s no way you would have let me walk away.”

 

“I’m not letting you walk away now.  I can’t just have you running around on your own doing whatever you please.  First of all, too many people know you as Kaname Date.  I can’t let people mistake you for a member of the department.  And secondly, you’re still a murderer.  How can I trust that turning you loose won’t result in more killings?”

 

“Shizue, come on.  I think we’ve seen enough to know that he’s not like that.”

 

“Maybe he’s not, but do we really know for sure that the supposed release word your brother gave you really undid everything?  What if there’s some other sort of trigger?  What if physically seeing the people he was ordered to kill enacts something buried deep in his subconscious?  We don’t know how this works at all.”

 

“I don’t think that’s the case.  Technically, that’s Date,” Moma said as he pointed to Rohan’s body on the stretcher.  “He’s not made a move to hurt him since we got here.  I’m not sayin’ there’s nothing to worry about, the keywords are still active and all.  But he’s not just gonna go out here and start hurtin’ people.”

 

“I wish I had your confidence.  But since I don’t, the next best thing is going to be you watching him.  I know you’ll be able to handle him if he gets out of line.”

 

Moma shook his head.  “Uh, no can do.  I’ve got Shoko stayin’ with me, remember?”

 

“So?  It’ll be fine.”

 

“The hell it will be.  If you’re still tryin’ to keep this from Ren and his boy, lettin’ Shoko know won’t help that.  She’ll tell ‘em both as soon as she gets a chance to.  Unless you want her to stay with you.”

 

“I’ll pass on that.  Do you have any idea how pissed Pewter would be if I let his boyfriend’s ex-wife stay at my house?”

 

“You know,” Saito started.  “You could just let me go back to my home.”

 

“And risk your father putting you on the first flight over to Europe?  I don’t think so.  You can stay with Naoki.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Boss waved him off.  “See?  It’s settled, this works perfectly.”

 

“No it doesn’t.  I have a one bedroom apartment.  There’s no where for him to stay.”

 

“He can sleep on your couch.”

 

“I’m not just going to sleep on someone’s couch.  You can’t pawn me off like a stray dog,” Saito said indignantly.

 

“If you’re so worried about him possibly leaving the country or being a danger to other people, why don’t you let him stay with you?” Naoki asked, slowly standing up.

 

“Well…”

 

“Actually, that’s a pretty damn good idea,” Moma agreed.  “Who better to watch and keep an eye on him then you?  It makes a lot of sense.”

 

Boss really couldn’t argue their reasoning, as much as she wanted to.  Realistically, it made the most sense for Saito to stay with either herself or Moma.  Both of them knew about the mind control and triggers, not to mention his brain disorder.  And since Moma couldn’t take him, it would logically fall to her.

 

“I know I’m going to regret this, but fine.  He’ll stay with me until we can figure out what we’re going to do.  But for the moment, I need you to take him to the warehouse district and start getting the Psync machine set up.”

 

“Where are you going?” Moma asked.

 

“I need to head over to Fuchu and get Rohan released to me.  Naoki will come with me and then we’ll meet you all over there.”

 

“Why am I going with you?” Naoki asked, though for once he wasn’t being condescending.

 

“Because I need to talk to you about what happened with the Psync.  All of this has been recorded and stored on ABIS’ servers.  We’re both going to have to write full reports on the incident, but I need you to try to explain to me what the hell happened.”

 

“Well that’s going to be a short conversation because I don’t know.”

 

Boss knew that was probably true, but it didn’t change the fact that they needed to discuss it.  It wasn’t just because what had happened was now archived.  There was a very real possibility that the entire Psync program, or even possibly ABIS itself, could be shut down because of this incident.

 

If she and Naoki didn’t get their stories straight and at least try to convince the MPD Director that the machine was safe, there wasn’t going to be a whole lot she could do.  The fate of everything was literally riding on how well she and Naoki were going to be able to work together on this.

 

God help her, it wasn’t looking good.

 

 

 

Notes:

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I really liked Hitomi getting to feel some justifiable anger. She's always so calm and collected, but I thought if anything would make her lose her cool, it would be her daughter being threatened. Or what she perceives as a threat anyway. Plus, the way she actually used Manaka's body in canon to scare and blackmail So, the girl's got a dark side.

Even Renju got to go off a little. I guess So just has that effect on people.

And for now, at least until she can actually figure out what to do with him, Boss has custody of Saito. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that arrangement.

But, we're at least working our way to getting Date back. I've missed his perverted remarks, it's just not the same without him around.

As always, thanks for reading! Please leave a comment if you've enjoyed this chapter!

Chapter 32

Iris was scared.  She knew she didn’t have any reason to be, not really.  She trusted Dr. Nakagawa and the fact that he would be able to help her.  The man had been her doctor since the beginning, since that awful day she collapsed at school.  

 

And not only did she have him, but she had Pewter as well.  Without a shadow of a doubt, she trusted in him and the machine he made.

 

But even with all of that, she was terrified.  She was having actual brain surgery.  It might be as non-invasive as possible, but it was still brain surgery and it still carried actual risk, minimal as it may be.

 

She kept telling herself that there was no reason to worry, nothing would go wrong.  Pewter loved her Uncle with everything in him and because of that, he wouldn’t go forward with the operation if he thought for one second that it could go wrong.  He wouldn’t risk the life of someone Renju loved and cared for so deeply. 

 

In her mind she knew all of this was true, but she couldn’t get the fear crippling her heart to let her be.  It was suffocating. 

 

“Iris, are you doing alright?” Pewter asked, standing above her.  Backlit by the bright surgical lights, he almost looked celestial.  Well, if celestial beings wore surgical masks and caps.

 

“I’m a little nervous,” she answered truthfully.

 

“Of course you are.  This must be a scary thing for you.  And you have to be awake as well.  I don’t know how much comfort this will be to you, but I promise I’ll be here.  I won’t leave your line of vision, you’ll be able to see me the entire time.”

 

“Would it be ok to hold your hand?” Iris asked quietly.

 

Pewter’s eyes widened ever so slightly, as if the question caught him off guard.  It lasted only an instant before they took on a familiar warmth.  “Yes, absolutely.  Anytime you get scared, just squeeze my hand and I’ll squeeze right back.”

 

Iris smiled, she really was glad that he would be here with her.  She was still frightened, but not quite as much as she was moments ago.  “How is this all going to work?  I’m not going to feel it, right?”

 

“No, the brain itself doesn’t have any pain receptors, so you actually won’t feel anything during the surgery.  Before they get started, you’re going to get a numbing agent injected in several places around your left eye.  This is going to make sure that you don’t feel anything with the nano cables going in or moving around.  They wouldn’t hurt, but we don’t want you to stress out when you feel them.”

 

“I have to get a needle?” Iris gulped.

 

“It’s very small.  I won’t say it’s not going to hurt at all, but it will be over quickly.  You’ll also be given eyedrops to numb the eye itself.  It’s going to feel a little strange, but this is all to ensure you have as little discomfort as possible.”

 

“Is that the nanomachine?” Iris asked, turning her head towards the table set up a few feet away.

 

“It is,” Pewter replied, nodding towards the small, round device.

 

“How are the cables going to get to my brain with my eye in the way?  Do you…have to take it out?”

 

“No, you don’t have to worry about that.  See that thing sitting next to it?  The one that looks sort of like an eyepatch.”

 

Iris looked at the table again and saw a small black object.  Pewter was right, it did look like an eyepatch.  Or actually, it more had the look of those small goggles she had seen people wear when they went in tanning beds.  The only difference with this one was the center part was gone and it had a small dip that looked big enough to hold the nanomachine.

 

“That is going to sit directly on your left eye and the strap will go behind your head to hold it in place.  The device will sit right on top and the nano cables will be able to pass through the small hole in the middle and then go behind your eye.  You won’t feel anything and it’s completely quiet, so you don’t have to worry about any noises startling you either.”

 

“I’m still nervous.  I get that it’s not invasive and I’m really glad I don’t have to shave my head and have my skull cut open, but it’s scary.”

 

“I know,” Pewter answered.  “I won’t lie and tell you there is no risk at all, but it is minimal.  And like I told you before, I’ll be here the whole time.  I won’t leave your side.”

 

Iris smiled.  It was small, and not as bright as the usual ones she put on for her streams, but it was real.  She couldn’t help but think again how happy she was to have Pewter by her side.  There was just something about him that felt so familiar.  He really was like the older brother she had always wanted.

 

“Iris, I’m going to start numbing the area around your eye now.”

 

Iris glanced past Pewter and saw a nurse standing behind him.  She had attended to her earlier in the morning, checking her vitals and making sure everything looked good before her operation.

 

“Ok, Miss Nasu.”

 

“Just hold still dear, you’ll feel a little pinch, but it won’t be bad.  Close your eyes for me.”

 

Iris took a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes just as the nurse had instructed.  She could feel her heart quickly pounding in her chest, the faster beeping on the monitor confirming it.  Her nerves were getting the better of her now that the surgery was mere minutes away.  She knew she needed to calm down, but it was easier said that done.

 

“Iris, it’s going to be ok, I promise,” Pewter’s soft voice spoke.  And then she felt his warm hand grasp hers, squeezing tightly before interlocking their fingers together.   She barely noticed the needle prick her skin, concentrating instead on the light pulse point she could feel through the gray haired man’s thumb.  The gentle thrumming made her own heart slow, her breathing steady as she already felt the serum begin to numb the upper portion of her face.

 

“I’m ready,” she whispered.

 

 

 

 

Moma tried to stifle a yawn as he stood in what would have normally been an empty building in the warehouse district.  For the most part it still was, if not for large machine sitting in the center.  It looked exactly like the one back at ABIS, save for the fact that this one glowed red.

 

It unnerved Moma honestly.  The windowless building coupled with the lack of decent artificial lighting made the red flashing even more pronounced.  He felt like he was at a bad rave.  Of course that might be due to Saito lying on the floor, earbuds in, and techno blasting as loud as he possibly could from the cellphone currently in his possession.

 

The blonde wouldn’t stop complaining about being forced to listen to j-pop on the way to the warehouse district, and Moma, getting sick of his whining, finally gave in and handed his phone over.  He pointed out the glovebox and had the younger man find the earbuds stashed away in there, allowing him to listen to whatever he wanted so Moma could enjoy Ayumi Hamasaki in peace.

 

It was short-lived though once he heard the bass pounding.  And now, even in the large warehouse building, the noise seemed to echo.  He had no idea how the other man seemed so relaxed, laying down on the cold ground, ankles crossed together, and one arm behind his head.

 

“You sure the kid’s alright?”

 

Moma glanced over to his right, Dokuta standing there and looking just as tired of all this shit as he was.  Although, probably even more so after everything he went through.  He was pretty certain his second in command hadn’t planned on having to do an emergency intubation in the early hours of the morning.  Nor had he probably planned on dragging Rohan’s body all over Tokyo with an ambulance service.

 

“No, I don’t.  But I think he’s doing as good as he can, all things considered.”

 

“I still don’t know if it’s a good idea to send him with that cop.  There’s something about her I don’t quite trust.”

 

“Shizue’s fine.  I’m not worried about her.  She hasn’t done anything to make me feel like she’s being dishonest.”

 

“She’s still a cop though.”

 

“Technically, she’s separate from them.  I mean, I’m not saying she couldn’t pull something, I just don’t think she would.  Not without a good reason anyway.”

 

“Whatever you say, you’re the one in charge.”

 

“For now…”

 

Both men whipped around, not expecting the deep voice behind them.  There, at the entrance to the building, stood Rohan.  Boss and Naoki were on either side of him, making sure he didn’t try to escape.  Not that he could, his ankles were shackled, forcing him to take small steps, and his wrists were cuffed together.  Even if he wanted to get away, he wouldn’t make it very far.

 

It was still hard to believe that the man Moma had only known as Falco was his brother.  He’d only seen him a handful of times, at that point trying to stay out of his brother’s way and his business as much as possible.  Falco was a dirty cop turned assassin, Moma knew better than to mess with him.

 

Harder still though was trying to associate Kaname Date with this man from his past.  Falco had been a grizzled, no bullshit kind of guy.  There was absolutely no trace of the joking and light personality Date had.  Though he supposed if he was able to forget everything from his past, all the hurt he had caused, maybe he would be a little freer too.

 

“Yagano, I see you stayed with Moma.  I thought most of the guys went off with Ujisaki.”

 

“They did,” he answered simply, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Good to see you’re loyal.  When I eventually come back, I’ll make sure to save a place for you.”

 

“I don’t think so.  Not with you.  Never with you again.”

 

Rohan laughed, seemingly amused by Dokuta’s answer.  “And what about you?  You think you’re going to stay the head when I come back?”

 

“You’re not coming back.  You’re goin’ where you belong, in your body.  This is it Rohan, if you have anything worthwhile to say, I suggest you say it now.”

 

“People wake up from comas all the time baby brother.  I wouldn’t be so sure that I’ll never be back.”

 

“Enough talking, let’s just get this over with already,” Naoki ground out, pushing Rohan slightly forward towards the Psync machine.

 

Rohan turned his head, glaring at the brunette.  “Awful brave when I’m here in chains, aren’t you little boy?”

 

“Just shut up and move.”

 

“Such hostility.  What did I ever do to you?” Rohan asked, voice full of faux concern as he started slowly walking to the Psync machine.

 

“You killed those women, I think that’s more than enough.”

 

“But that wasn’t me.  He,” Rohan inclined his head towards the blonde still relaxing on the ground, “was the one that did it.  Strangled Chihiro.  Bashed in Yui’s skull.  Shot Narumi point blank.  And stabbed Honoko to death.  If there is anyone you should be directing your anger at, it’s him.  Maybe have him take out those earphones, I’d love to talk to him.”

 

“What?  So you can try to control him some more.  I don’t think so.  I’m putting you under and then you can spend the rest of your miserable life hooked up to machines.  If someone doesn’t end you first.”

 

“Someone like you?  You’re weak, just like she was.”

 

Naoki’s eyes widened at that.

 

“Rohan, leave him the fuck alone, he’s a kid,” Moma said, getting sick of the way the older man was obviously trying to get a rise out of Naoki.

 

Rohan ignored his brother, keeping his gray eyes locked with Naoki’s brown ones.  The corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile; he was enjoying this.

 

Moma knew that Rohan always got some sort of sick pleasure out of torturing his victims.  His favorite was a combination of both mental and physical pain, wanting to inflict as much hurt as possible.

 

“If your looks hadn’t given you away, your name did.  She cried for you, you know.  Not to help her, she knew that was impossible.  She died with your name on her lips, saying how sorry she was.”

 

“You bastard!” Naoki screamed, lunging forward.  

 

It was exactly what Rohan had been waiting for.  He moved ever so slightly to the left, letting Naoki lose his balance in his attempt to rush him.  Rohan grabbed the younger man by the back of his shirt and spun him around, quickly looping his handcuffed wrists over his head and around his neck.  He pulled hard, bringing Naoki’s back flush against his chest and increasing the pressure to ensure that the brunette wasn’t going anywhere.

 

Naoki’s hands shot up desperately, trying to get some kind of leverage under the chain currently crushing his windpipe.  It was no use.  Rohan was much stronger; coupled with the fact that he caught the engineer completely off guard.

 

What only took seconds felt like minutes to Moma.  Like he was moving in slow motion.  He saw what was going to happen mere moments before it did, but couldn’t react in time to stop it.  On either side of him, he heard Boss and Dokuta both yelling, unable to make out exactly what they were saying.

 

“Rohan, stop!  Let the kid go!”  Moma stepped forward cautiously, knowing he wouldn’t be able to take his brother in a traditional fight.  Though, he wouldn’t have to worry about that if it came down to it.  He had his handgun back and resting safely in the holster under his jacket.  And this time it was loaded.

 

Not that he wanted to use it.  He was a good shot, but Rohan was holding Naoki in just the right way that it would be next to impossible to not hit him.

 

“Let him go right now!” Boss yelled out, pulling her own gun from inside her coat.  She must have grabbed it on her way out of ABIS, though it was clearly a man’s coat and too big on her.

 

“You’re not going to shoot me, so put that thing away.  You need this body for him,” Rohan said, briefly glancing over at his own unconscious body on the stretcher before bringing his focus back.

 

“If you think I’m just going to let you walk out of here-“

 

“That’s exactly what I think.”  He pulled a little tighter, the chain digging into to Naoki’s flesh and causing the man to let out a ragged cough.

 

“Just let the kid go Rohan.  No version of this ends up with you walking out of here just fine,” Dokuta spoke up, trying to reason with the former head.

 

“Maybe not, but I’ll take this cop with me.  And I’ll make sure that one doesn’t have a body to go back in to.  I’m sure as shit not willingly giving up my life for fucking Falco.”

 

“Come on, just let him go.  Kid’s not even a cop.  He’s some computer nerd, ain’t even worth killing,” Moma said as he took a step forward.

 

Despite his delicate situation, Naoki looked like he was actually trying to argue the fact.  If he wasn’t physically incapable of speaking at that moment, Moma was pretty sure he would have been spouting off.  Leave it to him to try to get the last word even when his life was in the balance. 

 

“Stay right there.  I can snap his neck quicker than you can get to me.  You remember how easy it is to break, don’t you?”

 

Moma shuddered.  He knew Rohan was purposely trying to hit a nerve.  Distract him by reminding him of the dark past the two of them shared.

 

Naoki continued to struggle, clawing at his neck and trying to wedge his hands under the small chain connecting the handcuffs, but it was next to impossible.  Rohan’s hold was too tight and there wasn’t any room.  It wouldn’t be much longer and the man was sure to pass out from lack of oxygen.

 

“Now then, I’d appreciate if someone would undo the shackles around my ankles.”

 

Moma stood silently, watching Boss out of the corner of his eye as she stood rooted to the spot.  She made no move to do as Rohan asked, likely trying to think of a way to get Naoki out of his precarious position.

 

Rohan tightened his grip once again, causing the brunette to choke and cough.  He loosened the hold just as quickly, not wanting the man to pass out completely.  At least not yet. 

 

“Hurry it up or I’ll kill him here and now.  You think I give a shit about him?  At least his sister had beautiful eyes.  This one’s barely worth killing.”

 

Naoki growled and threw his head back, trying to catch Rohan off guard, but he didn’t have the leverage to hit hard enough to make an impact.  What Rohan didn’t expect, or anyone else in the room for that matter, was Saito.

 

Moma had honestly forgotten about him in all of the commotion.  He’d been quiet, and slightly out of sight behind the Psync machine.  With the significant volume of the music, he probably didn’t even hear anything at first.

 

But at some point he had obviously become aware of the dangerous situation they all found themselves in.  And while Saito wasn’t exactly thrilled with the arrangement he’d been subjected to thus far, anything would be better than having Rohan try to take over his life again.

 

So Saito waited.  Silently crouched behind the Psync machine.  Looking for an opening that he could use.

 

As soon as he saw Naoki throw his head back, he launched himself forward.  He grabbed the back of Rohan’s orange jumpsuit and pulled.  The shock of his body slipping backwards made him lose his footing, his arms shooting out in an attempt to rebalance.  Naoki used the distraction to slip out from his grip, collapsing to the ground and coughing.

 

Dokuta rushed to Naoki’s side and pulled the man up and out of the way.  He wanted him as far from Rohan as he could get him, not trusting that the other man wouldn’t make another grab while he was in his current state. 

 

Saito wasn’t done however, perfectly timing a kick to the back of Rohan’s knees, forcing the former Kumakura leader to the ground.

 

“Shoot him, now!” He yelled, eye on Boss.

 

She didn’t hesitate, raising that strange gun he had seen her wield yesterday just outside the warehouse next door.  Evolver, he vaguely remembered her calling it.  Leveling it at Rohan’s chest, the barrel extended with a faint blue glow and she fired.

 

Moma’s voice caught in this throat, unable to yell or scream or do anything to stop his brother getting shot.  He wasn’t even sure his mind fully processed what happened before Rohan slumped forward, body convulsing on the ground.

 

“It’s stun rounds, don’t worry,” Boss tried to say calmly but her voice was pitched higher than normal.  She was breathing heavy, coming down from an adrenaline rush that Moma knew only too well.

 

“How did I manage to get caught by you all?  You really suck at this whole rescue thing,” Saito muttered, putting the earbuds back in and taking a seat back on the ground.

 

“Where did he get that from?” Boss asked, pointing to the phone in the blonde’s hand.  “What if he used to call someone to get him?  He shouldn’t have a phone at all.”

 

“It’s mine.  He said my taste in music was shit on the ride over and wouldn’t stop complaining.  That shut him up.”

 

“And why are you letting him listen to it so loud?  I can hear it from here.  He’s going to go deaf.”

 

Moma raised an eyebrow, curious why this was what the woman chose to fixate on. “He’s a grown ass man, what the hell did you expect me to do?”

 

Boss didn’t bother to answer, striding over to where Saito currently sat.  The clicking of her heels echoed throughout the mostly empty warehouse.

 

“Hey!” Boss yelled, grabbing Saito roughly by the ear with one hand and using the other to take out one of the earbuds.  “Turn that down now before you destroy your hearing.”

 

“Are you kidding-ow!  Ow!  Ok, stop pulling my ear!  I’m turning it down.  See!  Turning it down right now!”

 

Boss let go and Saito immediately reached up to rub at where she pulled, glaring the entire time.  

 

“I need you to get up anyway.  You’re the only one here that’s actually used this machine, so you need to help Naoki run the Psync.  And I want this over and done with before Rohan has a chance to wake back up.”

 

Saito stood up slowly, wiping the dust from the back of his pants and pocketing the phone for the moment.  He gave Rohan a kick for good measure as he walked over to the controls for the machine.  “Let’s get started then.”

 

 

 

 

“Master So, welcome home,” Wakumi greeted with a bow.

 

So nodded, slipping his coat off and handing the garment over to her.  He walked down the hall towards his personal wing of the mansion, where his living quarters were housed.  Only Wakumi and a few others were allowed to step foot there.  Even Saito kept his distance, though not because he wasn’t allowed.  The younger Sejima liked to avoid being anywhere his father was for too long.

 

Which wouldn’t be an issue at the moment.  For now, at least, Saito would be that Kuranushi woman’s problem.  He had no doubt that once whatever her and Moma needed his wayward son for was over with, he’d have him back.  But for the time being he’d let someone else handle whatever mess Saito had gotten himself into now.

 

Unfortunately that left the issue of this supposed mind control.  He sat down heavily in his bed, letting that sink in.  Mind control.  It was next to impossible to believe, yet he had to. 

 

He had watched with his own eyes as his child stood in this very home mere hours ago and attempted to kill himself.  All because Moma Kumakura told him to.  

 

The treatments Saito received over the years were by no means certified or approved by the Ministry of Health, but So knew that going in.  Any actual physician he took Saito to insisted on trying to do a full mental health evaluation.  One even wanted to send the boy to a psychiatric hospital in order to monitor him and work out treatment.

 

Naturally So had refused.  If the press or any rivals competing for his spot in the House of Representatives ever got word that his son was possibly suffering some sort of mental deficiency, his political career would be over.  There was no question.

 

Sure, some of his associates were much more open minded when it came to mental health, but as a whole, it was still very looked down upon.  Regardless of the fact that he did love his son, he couldn’t risk him becoming a burden.  Not when there was the chance his disorder could be cured.

 

Knowing what he knew now from Moma and from watching the horrific display in the early hours of the morning, he’d come to the realization that he made a terrible mistake.  In his quest for a way to fix his son, he’d condemned him to the fate he currently suffered.  And had suffered through for years if what Moma said was true.

 

It was unbelievable.  The man he had known since middle school being capable of doing this to Saito.  To turning him into a mindless being able to kill on command.  

 

At least now Manaka’s death made sense in some strange way.  He never understood why Saito had snapped and stabbed her to death.  He had never been a particularly jealous child, and Manaka hadn’t taken away So’s attention.  If anything, given Saito’s own health issues, So spent more time with him than he did with his daughter’s mother.

 

His daughter.  Iris Sagan.  As if Saito suddenly regaining his memory and coming home hadn’t been shocking enough, then he finds out that his and Manaka’s child actually lived.  He had been so sure she had perished with her mother.  Manaka had still looked very pregnant right before she died.

 

How could he have known she had given birth only two days prior?  And then given the newborn girl over to Renju and Hitomi.  It never even crossed his mind to possibly look for his child out there somewhere.  Not that he would have.

 

So knew his younger self only too well.  He supposed he hadn’t been incredibly young when Iris was born, but he still wouldn’t have given up his political career to search for and subsequently care for a child born out of wedlock.  Not when eighteen years ago it could have spelled the end of everything he spent years working for.

 

But things had changed.  He had changed.  Japan still had it’s issues, but his illegitimate daughter wouldn’t be the stain on his name that she once was.  And now that he knew exactly how to spin the story to make her eventual homecoming a celebration.

 

Iris, along with Saito, would be front and center during his announcement to run for Prime Minister.  He’d show them both off to the country, knowing the sway he’d have from the younger voters because of his exceptionally good looking children.  He planned to use every advantage he had.  A grieving widower left to raise his son by himself, discovering years later that he had a long lost daughter would make him sympathetic if done correctly.  

 

He’d arrange a meeting with his advisor later.  There wasn’t much time to get everything in order, but certainly enough for him to sleep for a few hours.

 

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts.

 

“Master So?”

 

“Yes Wakumi?” So answered back.

 

Wakumi slid open the door, bowing briefly once again before straightening up.  “I’m sorry to disturb you, but you should know there is a visitor here to see you.”

 

“A visitor?”

 

“Yes.  Dr. Amanoma is here.  And he said it’s urgent he speaks with you.”

Notes:

I hope everyone enjoyed the Pewter and Iris bonding! They really don't get to interact much in canon besides the whole kidnapping thing. And then it's not exactly wholesome. I really wanted the two of them to have a sweet bonding moment. They are two people that Renju loves with everything in him, so they should get to know each other and get along.

And I think Iris would take an immediate liking to Pewter. She is already friends with his sister and she would probably think he's pretty cool with how much he knows about tech. Plus I think she would ultimately end up trying to get Pewter to play shovel forge with her. And he would secretly be really good at it while Renju sits back and asks a million questions because he does not understand the game at all.

We're so close to having Date back! A little hiccup with Rohan this chapter, but he's going to be back soon! And Naoki continuing to not have a great week with people physically assaulting him.

And So got to have a little time to reflect on the events of the last several hours. He may love his kids in his own way, but he's still going to use them for his own political gain.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a comment! I love reading them all and it makes me so happy to know you all are enjoying it!

 

A quick personal note as well. I will do my best throughout December to update each Sunday, but In can't promise I will be able to stick to this schedule. My daughter's birthday and the holidays always make December a jam packed month for me and with working full time on top of that, I may not have as much time to write. That being said, I will do my best to keep to my weekly update schedule. If I can't update, I will try to let everyone know on discord though.

Thanks again for reading!

Chapter 33

Notes:

I wasn't sure I'd get the chance to update tomorrow as I won't be home for most of the day, so enjoy this chapter a day early!

So sat wearily at the chabudai, holding a steaming cup of tea as he observed Kazuki.  The man was opposite him, his own untouched cup of tea sitting on the low table. 

 

The older Amanoma was almost comically large as he towered over table, even sitting down.  He was taller than So by several inches, maybe even an inch or two over his son.  He wasn’t exactly sure how tall Futa was as he didn’t get overly close to the younger man at the hospital.  

 

The height was where the similarities between the two ended though.  Kazuki was broad in the shoulders and still seemed to be quite muscular beneath his suit, though maybe not as much as he was in their younger years.  He also remarkably maintained his jet hair; only the smallest bits of gray were visible at his temples along with one larger streak right in the front.  

 

Futa must have gone gray early, So reasoned to himself.  Especially since there wasn’t a single trace of the blonde it had been when he was a young child.  Blonde hair and green eyes, the child hadn’t even looked like Kazuki.  No, Futa had been his mother through and through.

 

That was, until his personality started to develop and his natural curiosity compelled him to start tinkering with things.  Then he was his father’s son all the way.

 

Taking devices apart and then trying to figure out how they went back together had been his favorite activity.  The child had been nearly three years old, one of the last times Kazuki had brought him by the estate to visit, and he had managed to completely disassemble the pump for his koi pond.

 

Kazuki had grown frustrated with the boy, nearly reaching the end of his rope after being a single father for the last six months.  But His beautiful wife had simply laughed, brushing off the man’s concerns and crouched down next to the young boy.  Sai was so gentle and good with him, and that was when So knew she’d be a wonderful mother to their own future children.

 

He laughed as she sat down right on the grass, pieces of the pump spread out around her, and helped Futa put it back together.  Though surprisingly the toddler did most of the work.  He fit the pieces together one by one and before long it was sitting back in it’s original spot, the water once again filtering through.

 

Sai had taken Futa’s little hand and grabbed the can of food for the fish, letting him sprinkle it in the pond.  The boy’s eyes were full of wonder as the fish came to surface, mouths open wide and greedily grabbing for every piece they could.

 

It was a simpler time for sure.  Before his political career really took off.  Before he lost Sai.  Before Kazuki walked away, taking Futa with him.  But people change.  Not always for the better, though there was nothing So could do to go back and fix any of it.  Life had that funny way of moving forward.

 

“Why is Futa getting involved with Saito?” Kazuki asked, finally breaking the silence.

 

“Hmmm?  No small talk?  Not going to ask how I’ve been?  Straight to the point.”

 

“This isn’t a social visit.  And no need to ask how you’ve been when I see you on the news all the time.  I’m well aware of how you’re almost exactly where you want to be.”

 

“Am I now?”

 

“Prime Minister is the next logical step, and if I know you, you’ll be running in the next election.”

 

“Does that mean I’ll have your vote and support?  A prominent figure in the medical research field such as yourself would lend a certain amount of clout to my campaign,” So mused.

 

“You don’t need any help there, I’m sure.  And there’s plenty of others in the field that would be far more willing to support you.”

 

“Is that right?  Even when some of the issues I stand for would directly help your son and that nice boy he’s currently dating?”

 

Kazuki let out a snort.  “As if you actually care about those things.  I’ve known you a long time So, switching your political affiliation and your stance on LGBTQ rights is something you did for you and to secure your seat, not because you necessarily believe in it.”

 

“People change Kaz.  Like you for example.  Who would have thought you would actually learn the correct terminology?”

 

“It’s an acronym.  Not exactly that hard.  And as you’ve already alluded to, I have a gay son.  It makes sense for me to know so I can support him.”

 

“As the parent to a child that identifies as bisexual, it also makes sense for me to support him.”

 

Kazuki actually laughed at that statement.  “You’ve never done anything right for that child in your life.  Please don’t try to tell me that all of a sudden you’ve taken an interest in his well being.”

 

“It’s not just for him.  It’s for others like him.  Like Futa.  Someone very close to me once believed and fought for those rights.  For the rights of someone close to her.  This is my small way of continuing her fight.”

 

“You’re talking about Manaka, aren’t you?”

 

So let out a sound of affirmation, staring into his tea.  He raised the cup to his lips and took a slow sip, the liquid having already cooled significantly.  “The child survived you know.”

 

“What…?”

 

“A daughter.  She’s eighteen now.”

 

“But how…?  Saito-“

 

“I know!  No need to bring that up.”

 

“But then how did the baby survive?  She was pregnant when she…passed, wasn’t she?”

 

“I thought she was.  But apparently she gave birth two days prior.”

 

“Then what happened to the girl?  And how did you find out about her?”

 

“Saito told me.  How he found out isn’t that important.  What is, is that she is alive.  And being raised by Manaka’s best friends.”

 

“Her friends?  Did they not know you were the father?”

 

“Oh they knew.  And they knew what happened to Manaka as well, which was a huge part of the reason Iris was kept from me.  In fact, one of those friends that helped raised her is Renju Okiura.  I believe you’re familiar with that name.”

 

“Renju?  This…”

 

“Seems like no matter how hard you try to sever ties we still end up connected, even all these years later.  That’s why you came here isn’t it?  You said Futa was somehow involved with Saito.  I’m guessing that doesn’t sit particularly well with you.”

 

“Of course it doesn’t!  Everything I’ve done for him is to keep him safe and away from-”

 

“And that left us as collateral damage, correct?”

 

“Oh like you’re so much better!  Look at everything you’ve done to Saito.  You may question my parenting and the secrets I’ve kept, but you’ve gotten yourself involved in something much more dangerous.”

 

“Is that right?”

 

“Don’t be coy, it doesn’t suit you.  And you know what I’m talking about.  I wouldn’t show up here on just a hunch.  Futa called me this morning spouting off some nonsense about brainwashing and mind control and how would it effect a person with an oxytocin deficiency.”

 

“That’s certainly specific, isn’t it?”

 

“When I asked if it was Saito he said he couldn’t tell me, but he didn’t deny it.  What I want to know is why my son is suddenly involved with yours?”

 

“How should I know?  This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

 

“Cut the bull.”

 

“It’s the truth, whether you want to believe it not.  Saito showed up at my door just after midnight.  First I’ve seen him in six years.”

 

“Back from his ‘soul searching’ journey then?”

 

“Yes, and as you can see, we haven’t had much time to catch up.  This is the first I’m hearing about any involvement with Futa.”

 

Kazuki let out a small sigh, staring at his tea as if all the answers he needed were there. “So, what the hell have you done to that boy?”

 

“I took him to someone I trust.  Someone that was supposed to do more for him than you ever did.”

 

Kazuki slammed his hand down on the table; the cups clattered on their saucers but didn’t spill.  “You know damn well that I only ever had his best interests at heart!  You were the one that stopped me every step of the way.  Too afraid of having your perfect image tarnished by your less than perfect son.”

 

“I did what I thought was best for Saito at the time.  We weren’t getting anywhere with your treatments-“

 

“You did what you thought was best for you!  That’s what you’ve always done.  You never truly cared about Saito’s well being, you only wanted him to get better so he wouldn’t become an issue for you later down the road.  And look what happened.  Your daughter’s mother paid the ultimate price for your failures.”

 

“I told you not to speak of that!”

 

“Maybe we should start talking about her So.  Anything that ever happens to you, you push away.  You don’t deal with anything.  You wouldn’t even talk about Sai.”

 

“And I won’t now either.  My personal life is no business of yours.  If you recall, you are the one that walked away and took Futa with you.  You’re the one that ceased all contact.  You wouldn’t even return my calls at first when I asked for your help with Saito.”

 

“And I should have stuck to that.  Look where it got me.  And him.”

 

“You were certainly fine with answering my call after I lost Manaka.”

 

“Because you called me in the middle of the night in a panic because Saito stabbed her to death!  What was I supposed to do?  I couldn’t ignore that.  And even then, you still didn’t want me to get him the help he needed.  What was even the point?”

 

“Perhaps I just needed to talk to one of my oldest friends.”

 

“You don’t need a friend.  You need serious psychiatric help.  You and Saito both,” Kazuki said, standing up from the floor.

 

So followed soon after, realizing their time together was coming to an end.  Clearly Kazuki was done with whatever this was.

 

“I appreciate your concern, misplaced as it may be.  But I can take care of myself and Saito is old enough that he doesn’t need me looking out for him.”

 

“And that’s where you’re wrong,” Kazuki said, moving towards the door and grabbing his coat off of the stand.  “No matter how old our children are, they need us.  They need our love, our protection, our support.  And sometimes they need us to take care of the monsters waiting in the dark so they can continue on in the light.”

 

“And I suppose Saito and I are included in those monsters.”

 

“You are.  Which is why I want you to stay away from him.”

 

“You can’t hide this forever you know.  Hasn’t he ever gotten curious?  Ever asked?”

 

“Yes.  And I’ve handled it.”

 

“He’s going to find out.  And there’s every possibility that he and I will be seeing more of each other, whether you like it or not.”

 

“I said to stay away from him So.  I mean it.”

 

“It’s not my doing, I assure you.  But I told you Renju helped raise Iris.  And Futa is his boyfriend.  I’ve already made plans to be involved in my daughter’s life and likely that means Renju will be along at times.  It’s not outside the realm of possibility that Futa would be there too.”

 

“If he is, you simply need to stay quiet.”

 

“Oh I won’t be the one to tell him.  If he’s as smart as you, he’ll figure it out on his own, I’m sure.  I just hope you’re prepared for how it’s going to effect him.”

 

“Are you really trying to give me parenting advise?”

 

“No, of course not.  I wouldn’t dream of telling you anything about that.  But maybe you should go talk to your new wife.  I’d imagine she’d agree with me.”

 

“Would you please stop calling her that?  I’ve been married to Shion for for twenty-six years.”

 

“Fine second wife.”

 

“Or just wife.  That’s what she is.  You don’t have to add anything else to it.  And yes, she does agree with you.  But given it’s not her decision to make, she doesn’t press the issue.”

 

“Fine,” So said, raising his hands in mock surrender.  “You obviously know best.  I just hope Futa doesn’t feel betrayed when he ultimately finds out.”

 

“He won’t find out.”  Kazuki slipped his coat on, heading for the front door.  “For what it’s worth, I do hope you get Saito the help he needs and deserves.  Just don’t involve my son in it.”

 

And then he was gone.

 

“Always good to see you Kaz.”

 

 

 

 

“It’s done,” Naoki said, his voice slightly raspy.  

 

“I’ll go put his eye back in then,” Saito replied as he moved over to where Date lay.

 

The visor had lifted from the older man’s face, left eye currently resting against his cheek.  Saito donned a pair of fresh gloves, courtesy of Dokuta, and gently maneuvered the eye back into it’s socket.  It felt strange to be doing this again after the previous day’s events.  

 

Less than twenty-four hours ago he’d done the same thing while masquerading as Shoko, carefully removing her left eye as well as Pewter’s.  He couldn’t risk anyone finding out that he had swapped, not when he had so desperately needed to stay hidden in plain sight.  

 

Yesterday he had been a murderer.  A monster.  A soulless killing machine hell bent on completing his final orders.  And now here he was, helping the very people he had been plotting against.  

 

It was strange.  He couldn’t remember a time when there wasn’t a heavy fog surrounding his thoughts.  Now everything was so clear.  His memories were also coming back, slowly but surely.  He didn’t forget everything during that time, but he found some things harder to remember than others.

 

And then there were the things he wished he could forget altogether.  Like his role as executioner in the Cyclops killings.  And Manaka…

 

Saito shook his head, stepping away from Date and walking back over to where Naoki stood, observing him the entire time.  The younger man didn’t trust him, that was plain to see.  But he also wasn’t outright hostile.  And given what he had learned before, it was sort of surprising.

 

“I…” Saito began.  “I’m sorry…about Narumi.  She was your sister, right?”

 

“She was,” he answered back.  

 

Saito didn’t know what else to say.  Apologizing felt like the right thing to do, like what he should do.  But somehow it didn’t feel natural.  The words felt hollow.

 

Maybe it was because he didn’t quite believe them himself.  It wasn’t that he didn’t feel bad for the brunette.  He imagined losing a sibling, especially one that was murdered, would be extremely traumatic.  Something that would probably haunt Naoki for the rest of his life.

 

But Saito just couldn’t relate.  Sure, he had a sister.  But he didn’t know the girl.  His only interaction had been at the hospital while pretending to be someone else and internally losing his mind over all of the feelings and sensations of a new body.  It’s not like he had exactly gotten the chance to assess what life would be like with Iris in it.

 

And that, coupled with the fact that even though the memories of their murders were becoming more pronounced, it didn’t seem real.  It was like remembering a movie he had watched.  He had seen it play out, remembered the details, but at the same time, it wasn’t him.  Not really.

 

That was the key.  The reason his words felt stilted.  He couldn’t feel true remorse for what he had done because it didn’t feel like he had done it.  Maybe that would come later.  He hoped not, but given his luck, it wouldn’t be surprising.

 

“Did she suffer?”

 

Saito turned his head back towards the engineer.  The man was staring off into the distance, eyes not really focused on anything at all.  Though looking at his profile through the glasses, it was hard to get a read on him.

 

“It was quick.  I know that doesn’t make up for it, but her death was better than the others.  Faster.  Instant.”

 

Naoki nodded his head, his breath hitching ever so slightly.  Before Saito could make an attempt at actual words of comfort, something better than the idiocy he had just let out, the man moved away.  He was walking towards Date, the former detective beginning to stir.

 

“Kid?”

 

Saito didn’t need to turn around to recognize Dokuta’s voice.  The yakuza doctor placed a hand on his shoulder, the small gesture helping to keep the blonde grounded.

 

“You need to know this isn’t your fault.”

 

“I know that.”

 

“Do you?”

 

Saito found that he couldn’t answer.  The words had come so naturally at first, but Dokuta’s simple query made him question his own self.  His own thoughts.  His own mind that he couldn’t quite trust.

 

“It’s not.  Every single person in your life failed you.  Myself included.  I can’t do anything to make up for it, but I can try to help you move forward, if you’ll let me.”

 

“And how do I move forward?  I’m a killer.  And I’m not.  I feel guilty.  And I don’t.  Everything feels right and wrong.  I can’t even trust my feelings because I’ve never had them before.  And once whatever it was that was injected in me goes away, I won’t feel anything at all.”

 

“You have to move forward.  Killing someone…taking a life, is never easy.  That sticks with you.  It wakes you up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat; it haunts your waking moments when you’re sitting by yourself and there’s nothing to stop the invading thoughts from creeping in.  It doesn’t go away.”

 

“That was comforting Dokuta, thank you,” Saito snipped.

 

“It wasn’t meant to be.  You’ve got a long road ahead you.  There are going to be others like Naoki that know what you did.  Sure, they’ll also know it wasn’t your choice, but it won’t change how they look at you.  They’ll still judge you, even if they don’t mean to.”

 

“And what do you suggest I do?”

 

“Start learning to live with it.  Start the process of healing yourself and realizing that this wasn’t your fault.  You didn’t ask for this.  You didn’t want this.  And you have to forgive yourself.  If you don’t the demons will destroy you.  They’ll eat away at you and before long, you might find yourself thinking that the only way out is staring down the barrel of a gun.”

 

“I’m fine.  I told you, these feelings are going to go away on their own soon enough.  Then I won’t have to think about it anymore.”

 

“You’re lying.”

 

Saito growled and whipped around, dislodging the doctor’s hand from his shoulder.  “And what makes you say that?  You don’t know me.  The last time you spent any time with me at all was when I was a kid.”

 

“I know that look.  That haunted look a man gets when he’s taken a life.  I’ve seen it too many times to count.  And I’ve seen my fair share of ones that find their own way out.  I don’t want to see that be your future.”

 

“Don’t worry about me.  I’m not your responsibility.”

 

“Look kid, I’m not sayin’ all this because I feel responsible for you.  I’m sayin’ it because I genuinely want to see you get a chance at life.  If you ever find yourself struggling, if it feels like it’s too much, come see me.  Come to the clinic, or the office.  I’m sure you still know where it’s at.”

 

Saito nodded.  He remembered.  How could he forget?  Though the idea of going back to the Kumakura office turned his stomach.  The stale smell of cigarette smoke as Rohan sat behind the desk in the dim room, eerily backlit by the glow of the lanterns.  He always kept it dark, said too much light gave him headaches.

 

“I’d rather avoid the office, if that’s all the same to you.”

 

“It’s fine.  Come there when you’re ready.  Or don’t at all.  Like I said, clinic is open to you too.  I’ll have Moma set you up with your own phone and I’ll program my number in.  You call or message me when you need to.  Ok?”

 

“This honestly seems like overkill but since it’s obvious you won’t leave it alone until I agree, fine.  I’ll take a phone and I’ll take your number.  I won’t use it, but I’ll take it.”

 

“Good on you kid.  I hope you don’t have to use it.  I do.  But, if the world starts closing in, I’m here.”

 

Honestly, why did Dokuta want to help him at all?  It’s not like Saito was a particularly likable person anyway.  Even without the mind control.  It really made no sense that this Yakuza felt the need to go out of his way for him.  But whatever.  He’d take the man’s number.  If only to make him feel better.  He certainly wasn’t doing it for himself.

 

 

 

 

Date blinked, slowly opening his eyes.  It took a moment for the world to come in to focus, the bright red flashing not helping his distorted vision.  The room was dark, or at least not bright like it should be in the Psync chamber.  And it was unusually cold.  He felt a shiver work it’s way through his spine. 

 

Groggier than normal, he just couldn’t seem to make his body work quite like he wanted.  His limbs felt heavy and the Psync chair wasn’t raising automatically like it normally should.  With one final push, he sat up, feeling a strange twinge in his stomach as the skin pulled tightly just above his bellybutton.

 

That was odd.  He hadn’t felt something like since six years ago.  Back when he had been Falco and shot on a job for the Kumakura’s.  His stomach wound had healed, but the resulting scar tissue left behind always made certain movements a little uncomfortable.  But why would he feel something like that?  Why would-

 

Date leaned forward and clutched his head, the rush of memories hitting him like a freight train.  The last few days.  Trying to track down Saito.  The confrontation in the fishery building.  Getting swapped with Pewter, who had actually been Saito.  Agreeing to swap into Rohan so that Pewter could have his own body back.

 

And mixed in with those events, were other memories.  Older memories.  Some he wished he could forget forever.  The orphanage.  The screaming and crying of other kids.  The awful caretakers that didn’t care if they were hurt or hungry or scared, so long as they shut up and stayed quiet. The terror.  The abuse. Physical.  Mental.  And for a few horribly unlucky ones, sexual. 

 

He remembered finally aging out.  Getting out of that hellhole but being ill-prepared for the real world.  It’s not like most places wanted to deal with orphans.  No where decent would hire him once he presented his koseki and the potential employer saw the black mark of being a throw away child.  But his luck had finally turned around when the MPD accepted him.  

 

His rookie classes with Shizue was the first time true happiness had been granted to him.  She was fun and full of life, a quality rarely seen in the somber faces of those stuck toiling away the years at the orphanage.  The two immediately hit it off and she soon became the first person he ever trusted, the first he could truly call friend.

 

More and more the thoughts, memories, and events of years past started to flood his mind, one after the other.  His homicide cases.  His vigilante justice.  Being forced into working for the Kumakura’s.  And then Hitomi.

 

Beautiful, sweet, kind, loving Hitomi.  He had fallen for her completely, even though he never wanted to.  She had been the light desperately missing from his life.  The first warm breeze of spring, signaling the cold, dead winter.  She had made him feel alive in ways that he never thought possible.  She and Iris both.

 

And now he remembered them.  He remembered the life they were starting to build.  How Hitomi began asking him to stay over more and more.  Slowly turning one night visits into two or three.  Planning weekend getaways as a family.  It had been the perfect life.

 

Until it wasn’t.  Until Rohan had given the order to kill them both.  That had been nothing short of a nightmare.  It took everything in him not to react, to accept the orders and walk out of the room calmly.

 

He should have taken Hitomi and Iris and ran.  Far away from Tokyo.  From the Kumakura’s.  From everything that was holding him back.  They could have started a new life.  Been any normal family.  Husband, wife, daughter.  Hell, maybe even a dog.  Some cute little thing Iris could dote on.  It would have been perfect compared to the hell that came after.

 

Date groaned, holding his head tightly between his hands as he willed the images assaulting his brain to stop.  His temples were pounding and if it got much worse, he was afraid he might physically get sick.

 

“Date?  Hey, easy there.  You’re not quite steady yet, just stay put.”

 

He looked up, vision still swimming but he could vaguely make out the woman standing in front of him.  “Shizue?”

 

Her eyebrows furrowed together, not expecting that name to come from his lips.  “Hayato then.  It’s been a while.”

 

“Too long.  But…I think I prefer Date.  Hayato is someone I’d rather leave in the past.”

 

“That may not be as easy as you think.”

 

“Why?”

 

Boss sighed and took her phone out of coat.  No, not her coat.  His coat.

 

“Why are you wearing my coat?”

 

“Because it’s cold out and I needed something to cover up,” she said as she opened the jacket slightly, showing off the crop top and excessively short shorts she had on.

 

“What the fuck are you wearing?”

 

“That’s what I fuckin’ said!” Moma exclaimed from off to the side.

 

And that’s when Date noticed him.  Standing next to Moma and Dokuta, calmly taking everything in without a care in the world, was Saito Sejima.  Saito, who was back in his original body, the body Date had inhabited for the last six years.  Which could only mean, he had to be back in his original body too.

 

None of that mattered at the moment.  Not when there was a serial killer standing in the middle of what looked like an empty warehouse building.  Why was no one doing anything?  Why wasn’t he sitting in handcuffs, waiting to be hauled off to jail?  Or better yet, why wasn’t he bleeding out in the middle of the floor?  Then they could all finally be done with him.

 

“You son of a bitch!” Date yelled as he pushed off the chair, heading straight towards the blonde.

 

Saito easily used Date’s disorientation against him, side-stepping out of the way and landing a swift kick to his lower back.  He dropped to his knees, hands going out to break his fall and scraping against the rough concrete.

 

“Date calm down!”

 

“Calm down?  How the hell can you tell me to calm down when he’s here?  He tried to kill Pewter!  And was going to kill the rest of us!  He’s a murderer!”

 

“And you’re not?” Saito asked calmly.

 

“Saito, go sit down and shut up!” Boss hissed.

 

“Why are you getting mad at me?  He’s the one that rushed me.”

 

“Because you’re making it worse.  I need to explain what happened to him and you fluttering around like a little fairy isn’t helping.”

 

“Excuse me?  I wasn’t fluttering!”

 

“Then what do you call that little spin kick you did and the hop.”

 

“That’s Tai Chi!” Saito huffed out indignantly.

 

“I don’t care, go sit your ass down.  And you better not blast that music again either.”

 

“Yes mom.”

 

“I am no where near old enough to be your mother.  But I can tell you right now that you’re old enough for me to take across my knee and beat your ass.”

 

Saito grumbled something under his breath as he went over to the Psync chair and sat, glaring the whole time.  Moma was laughing while Dokuta had an amused smirk on his face.  Past the two Yakuza, Date saw Naoki standing stonily by the control panel for the Psync machine.  The original Psync machine.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Boss let out slow breath.  “A lot.”

 

“Care to elaborate?”

 

“Let’s step outside.  And then I’ll tell you everything that’s happened.”

 

 

 

Notes:

Can I just say I really enjoyed writing the Kazuki and So scene? These two suspicious older men are a joy! And getting to give Pewter actual family in this fic has been so fun. He's deserves interesting family dynamics.

And then Saito gets to have some reflection followed by a deep conversation with Dokuta. If the game won't make the Yakuza doctor relevant, I will.

But best of all, Date's back! And he remembers everything! Including Hitomi. It's starting to get interesting!

As always, thank you for reading! And if you liked the chapter, leave me a comment and feed my soul!

Chapter 34

How could things have gone so badly?  It didn’t make any sense.  None at all.  He had accounted for everything. 

 

Well, not everything apparently.  He never would have figured that Boss of all people would go behind his back along with Moma and Naoki.  The other engineer and the Yakuza head weren’t that surprising.  One hated him and the other didn’t know him well enough to garner any sort of loyalty.  But Boss…

 

They had worked together for eight years.  Which honestly wouldn’t have even been that big of a deal if they weren’t also friends.  She had been the one that was always there for him when he had spats with his family and needed someone to listen.  Or when he went through his painful breakup right before meeting Renju.  Whom Boss had managed to inadvertently set him up with.  

 

He’d never forget seeing the handsome blonde across the room of the club and Boss immediately catcalling for him to come over.  It had been mortifying, but yet he wouldn’t change a thing.  Not when it would have meant possibly never meeting Renju.

 

The reason Pewter even had the chance to be happy, to be in such a loving and committed relationship, was because of Boss.  And she was also the reason he was currently being chewed out by the commissioner only minutes after escorting Iris back into her room.

 

Her surgery had been a success.  It should have been reason to celebrate.  Hitomi and Renju certainly were.  Well, Renju was simultaneously happy while also glancing worriedly at his boyfriend from time to time.

 

Pewter smiled and nodded, trying to reassure the man that everything was alright when that was the furthest from the truth.  He couldn’t begin to describe how not ok everything was.

 

Boss had somehow found Saito and brought him back ABIS, setting up a Psync with Naoki running it.  Not that the man he was currently talking to knew it was Saito.  

 

Well, technically he did know it was Saito’s body, most of the higher ups were aware of the little body swapping fiasco six years ago.  But for the time being, the Commissioner was still under the impression it was Date.  

 

And on that point, Pewter wasn’t going to correct him.  Sure, he’d have to write a report along with Boss eventually, but it wasn’t something he was going to get in to at the moment.

 

First and foremost, he was too exhausted to think coherently and put his thoughts into words.  It wouldn’t do any good to try to explain what happened when he didn’t have the mental capacity to organize his internal dialogue.  

 

Second, and probably most important, were Hitomi and Iris.  Neither woman knew anything about the body swapping.  Hitomi had been told Saito was back, but even she was still unaware that the man she knew as Kaname Date was actually her ex-boyfriend Hayato Yagyu who’s spiritual essence was in the body of Saito Sejima.  The man who murdered her best friend.

 

God, his head hurt just thinking about it.  And if it was hard for him to grasp, being the creator of the technology, he didn’t even begin to know how to explain it to Hitomi so that she would understand.  Though it probably made the most sense to leave that up to Renju.  It would be more suitable coming from him anyway.  Nothing would make it an easy conversation, but given the history the two shared, it may go over a bit better with the blonde taking the lead.

 

He supposed Renju could handle that conversation while he headed back over to ABIS to try to sort out the mess that was left behind.  Because it was certainly a mess.  Theia had obtained the live feed straight from the Psync chamber while Pewter listened to the commissioner drone on and on about how the entire program was in jeopardy because of what happened.

 

It was worse than he expected.  The Psync machine itself was completely dark.  No flashing lights, no residual hum from the equipment.  It was dead.  Not permanently, Pewter knew that much.  He’d be able to fix it; it was just a matter of how badly the equipment had been fried.  At this point it could take hours or weeks to repair, but he wouldn’t know until he was actually able to get back to headquarters and look over the machine himself.

 

But there was also the matter of actually getting the room cleaned up as well.  The floor was in disarray, a few spots of dried blood which Theia had informed him came from Kanna.  The most senior Psyncer had a massive seizure, causing her to aspirate and cough up blood all over the floor.

 

The telltale signs of an intubation were there as well.  Pewter immediately recognized the crash kit haphazardly thrown on the floor along with the used equipment.  Theia had also let him know that Dokuta had luckily been there; the doctor able to perform the intubation and likely saving Kanna’s life.

 

And now he had the most senior official in the MPD chewing him out and demanding an explanation for what had happened.  For once, Pewter was at a loss for words.  Normally explaining his tech came naturally, and honestly, there was some small part of him that really enjoyed telling others how it worked.  He was quite proud of his inventions, and when someone took an actual interest, it was about the highest compliment he could receive.

 

But no, this time, he couldn’t think of anything to say that would make sense as to why the machine failed.  He honestly didn’t know.  Not without being there and looking at the reports.  And he was sure Naoki hadn’t had a chance to look anything over yet as he had left in a hurry along with everyone else.

 

Which was what Commissioner Yamada was griping about now.  Wanting to know why they all left without a word.  Nothing had been filed and Boss hadn’t even reported the incident. 

 

“Dr. Amanoma, are you even listening to me?”

 

“Yes, obviously,” Pewter said, rolling his eyes.

 

“You’ve been quiet.”

 

“Just waiting for you to finish talking sir.  You’ve been rambling on for close to ten minutes.”

 

“Do you think this is a joke?”

 

“No, I don’t.  But I also don’t have the answers you’re looking for either.  I have to look at the machine and watch the Psync footage and check the logs.  None of which I can do at the hospital, because if you’ll recall, I had to assist with the nanomachine I created.”

 

“Yes, yes,” Commissioner Yamada said dismissively.  “The board already gave their permission, no need to bring up your pet project.  Just try to hurry it up and get back to headquarters.  We need to know what happened.”

 

“I’ll do the best I can.”

 

“That may not be good enough.  I can only keep this under wraps for so long.  I’ve already had the board breathing down my neck to shut ABIS down.  They don’t see the value in your division when the evidence and information you receive isn’t admissible in court.  You need to understand that they are looking for any reason to shut you down.  And Kuranushi may have just given them that on a silver platter.”

 

“I understand sir.  As soon as I know Iris is stable, I’ll head over.”

 

“Thank you.  I’ll try to stall the board as long as I can, but I can’t guarantee you much more than a day.”

 

“Understood sir,” Pewter said, tapping the side of his visor and disconnecting the call.  He let out a long sigh, all but collapsing in one of the chairs in Iris’ room.  It was uncomfortable, as all hospital chairs tended to be, but the chance to relax his weary body was too great.

 

“Everything ok?” Renju asked, stepping away from Iris to stand next to his boyfriend.

 

The girl was currently engaged in conversation with her mother, excitedly walking her through the entire surgery.  She temporarily wore a patch, her left eye more sensitive than normal to light.  Pewter knew it would go away within the next several hours, but in meantime he didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.

 

At least that was one thing that had gone right.  Nothing else had in the last several days, but he supposed this was the best case scenario.  Iris was well on her way to recovery and could be released as soon as the next day as long as her vitals remained stable and brain scan later in the day was good.

 

“Futa?” Renju asked again, bringing the gray haired man out of his stupor.

 

“Sorry, it’s just…things aren’t going well.  There was an accident with the Psync machine.  One of the other Psyncers, she was hurt.  Pretty severely.  I’ve been told she’ll make it, but I don’t know what kind of damage she could be left with.  And on top of that, the Psync machine itself was badly damaged.  I have to go assess it and see how long it will take to repair.”

 

“If you can’t then…” Renju dropped his voice, not wanting Hitomi to hear.  “Date, he’ll be stuck, won’t he?”

 

“Unless we’re able to locate the prototype I designed, then yes.  He’ll be stuck until I can fix the current one.”

 

Renju frowned.  The information wasn’t sitting right with him, any more than it was with Pewter himself.  “We’ve got to get him back.”

 

“I will Ren, don’t worry.  If I have to spend every waking moment working on the machine, I will.  I’m not leaving him.”

 

“We still have to get his body back too.”

 

Pewter let out a sigh.  This was what he wanted to avoid, not trying to worry his boyfriend any further.  But there was no way he could dodge the topic now.  “About that.  Boss has Saito.  I have no idea why she hasn’t told me, but believe me, I will find out.”

 

 

 

 

 

“So, what do you think of the new face? Or, old face I guess,” Date said, staring down at Aiba’s hamster form. 

 

She was currently on her charging stand in Date’s office, thanks to Naoki. It wouldn’t fix everything, most of her functions were still offline, but at least she was able to be awake now that her battery was connected to a power source.

 

“It will certainly take some getting used to, but it’s not a terrible change.”

 

“Is that your way of saying you think I look handsome?”

 

“Definitely not,” Aiba said, though there was the barest hint of amusement behind her words.

 

“Well, either way, I think this is it for me with the body swapping.  I may not have wanted this body six years ago, but strangely enough, it feels good to be back.”

 

“I take it you remember everything now.”

 

“I do…” Date began slowly.  “Not that I necessarily want to, but I do.  It’s…a lot.”

 

“I imagine it would be.  You went from only having memories of the past six years, to an entire life.  It would have to be somewhat jarring.”

 

“It is.  But…it’s not all bad.  There’s a lot of good there too.  Joining the force and becoming friends with Shizue.  Meeting Hitomi and Iris.  Getting to have a family, even if it was for a short amount of time.  It was…a good life,” Date said, almost hesitantly.

 

“You don’t sound so sure.”

 

“It’s not that.  It’s more…how do I go back to that?  Hitomi thinks I just spent the last six years in prison.  Never reaching out to her.  Just leaving her and Iris with absolutely no closure.  And on top of that, I’m the reason she almost died and can’t use her right arm.  What am I supposed to do?  Walk back in to her life like nothing happened and hope we can pick up where we left off?”

 

“You never know Date.  If you come clean and tell her everything, from the beginning, she may be more forgiving than you think.”

 

“That’s an awful lot to ask of her.”

 

And it was.  He knew that.  There was no reason for Hitomi to forgive him.  He’d be lucky if she even gave him a moment to try to explain himself.

 

“I might not be the best one to offer advice on this, but don’t you think you should let her be the one to make that decision?  Especially since you said she thinks you just left without ever trying to contact her again.  Doesn’t she deserve actual closure for what happened?”

 

“I just don’t want to ruin her life.  She’s got a good thing going right now.  I think it would be better for everyone if I just walked away.”

 

“And what will that do?  You’d be abandoning her again.  Walking away a second time without so much as a word.”

 

“What do you mean?  She doesn’t know I’m back.”

 

Aiba let out a sigh, raising a tiny paw to her forehead.  “You’re still an idiot I see, no matter which body you happen to be in.  Don’t you remember talking to her just yesterday?  You planned a lunch date with her.  And now you’re going to stand her up.”

 

“I told Renju to tell her I’m sorry.”

 

“Yes, because Renju telling her that you ghosted her will make the whole thing so much better.”

 

“Aiba, I can’t hurt her.  Not again.  She doesn’t deserve that.  And neither does Iris.  I’m not a good person.  My life is a serious disaster.”

 

“Then what was all that talk a few days ago about  wanting to get your memories back?  Hmmm?  You made Pewter shock your brain on his living room floor because you were desperate to remember Hitomi.  And now you have those memories back, and you just want to throw it all away.”

 

“I know it doesn’t make any sense, especially to you-“

 

“Because I’m an AI?”

 

“Well…yes.  I don’t mean that in a bad way Aiba, but you can’t possibly understand what all of this is like.”

 

“I do realize that my capacity to fully understand human emotions is limited, but I know you Date.  I know the person you are.  The man that has been my partner for the last five years.  And while you are undeniably perverted to the point where sometimes I think about lobotomizing you in your sleep, I also know that somewhere deep inside is a good man.”

 

Date grinned, smiling despite everything.  “You think I’m a good man, huh?”

 

“I said somewhere deep inside.  Very deep.  So deep that I will probably never find it again.  But, despite that, you do have one or two redeemable qualities.  So maybe you should give yourself and Hitomi a chance at happiness.”

 

Date’s face fell at that.  He turned away from Aiba, eyes fixated on the black computer monitor sitting on his desk.  “I don’t think I can make her happy Aiba.  It’s too late for that.”

 

“You made her happy once before, didn’t you?  And Iris too.  Plus, you’ve got Mizuki and you know they both love her as much as you do.  You can make it work.”

 

“I…Aiba, you know Mizuki can’t stay with me anymore.  Not after all of this.”

 

“And why not?  You better not try to give some flimsy excuse to push her away too.”

 

“It’s not an excuse, but how can I possibly still stay her guardian?  I’m a murderer Aiba.  There’s no other way to say it.  I murdered criminals that escaped the justice system with their money and sleazy, bottom feeding lawyers.   And once my luck finally ran out, I murdered people for Rohan.  Sure he said that they were rival Yakuza members, but who knows?  It’s not like I gave a shit.  I just did what he said to save my own ass.  I’m not exactly the kind of person that should be taking care of a child.”

 

“That’s not fair to Mizuki and you know it.  You’ve been a constant in her life for the last four years.  You’re the one that took care of her when she was sick, attended school functions, sat with her when she had nightmares.  You’ve been her father and you’re just going to walk away and abandon her like her real father did?”

 

“Come on, that’s not fair.  I’m doing what’s best for her.  And Renju is getting his life back on track.  With him and Pewter together, Mizuki will be just fine.  Those two balance each other out and Pewter isn’t going to put up with Renju’s bullshit.  She’s better off with the two of them.  Plus, Shoko’s back.  Maybe she can make a change for the better too.”

 

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Aiba asked with a shake of her head.  “Having more people that love a child isn’t a bad thing.  Mizuki can have her mom and dad and Pewter in her life and still have room for you.  And all of the reasons you gave to walk away are in the past.”

 

“I killed people Aiba, you don’t just come back from that.”

 

“I’ve looked through your file.  The first man you killed, he was a murder.  Got off on a technicality and was free to go out and do it again.  The second man, he was a serial rapist and had actually killed his last victim in a fit of passion.  The third-“

 

“Aiba,” Date cut her off.  “As fun as rehashing my past is, I really don’t want to think about it.”

 

“I’m simply trying to explain that while vigilante justice still isn’t a good thing, you also weren’t going around killing innocent people.  You were taking care of the ones that slipped through the cracks.  It doesn’t make it right, but you’re also not a dangerous sociopath that kills for the sake of killing.”

 

“How are you the one sitting here and arguing the morality of the things I did?  Doesn’t this go against your law of robotics or whatever it is.”

 

“I’m not saying you should kill someone.  I’m simply telling you that I know what’s in your heart.  I know you, Kaname.  I know that you would never kill an innocent person for no reason.  I also know that you would never, ever do anything that would possibly endanger Mizuki, Iris, or Hitomi.  You’re a good man despite how many times you keep trying to convince me that you aren’t.”

 

Date didn’t know what to say.  Aiba had been the one constant in his life for the past five years.  He’d shared his thoughts, hopes, fears, and everything in between with her.  She would always listen, no matter how annoyed she may have gotten with him.

 

“How do I make this all work?  Mizuki isn’t even going to recognize me.  And Hitomi and Iris will, but I’m sure they hate me.”

 

“It’s not going to be easy, but you have to take it slow.  Just respect all of them.  Give them their own space after you’ve told them what happened.  Let them decide when they want to know more or pursue the relationship further.  It will be hard on all of you, but I’m confident things will work out.”

 

“I’m going to need you to come with me.  Help keep me straight.”

 

“That’s going to be a little impossible.”

 

“It’ll be fine.  You can just sit in my pocket or on my shoulder until we can get my eye out.”

 

Aiba tilted her head to the side, ears twitching as she took in Date’s words.

 

“What?  Are you really that surprised?”

 

“But, you have both eyes.  And you don’t need me to supply your medication anymore since this body doesn’t need it.  Why would you want to remove a perfectly functioning eye?”

 

“Why wouldn’t I?  You’ve been with me the last five years and I can’t imagine a life without you in it.  Giving up an eye is nothing if it means I get to have my best friend back.”

 

“Your best friend?”

 

“You know, for someone with all the world’s information within her grasp, you sure can be dense sometimes,” Date said, affectionately tapping Aiba on the head with one finger.

 

“I could say the same for you.  But unfortunately I think you happen to be dense because of your stupidity.”

 

Date let out a laugh at that, honestly not remembering the last time he really, truly felt this way.  Things were going to be different from here on out.  Very different.  But, he supposed that different wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.  As long as he still had Aiba by his side, he felt like he could overcome whatever this new future might throw at him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Does anyone care to explain why it was such an emergency that I needed to drop everything and head over here?” So asked, looking around the underground conference room.

 

He was currently sitting at the head of the table; Moma to his right and Saito to his left.  Boss stood at the other end of the table, turning on the TV hanging on the wall while Naoki was preoccupied typing away on a laptop.  He glanced up every once in a while at the screen, seemingly checking something, and then went back to his work.

 

“I’m sure you were so busy,” Saito said, rolling his eyes as he leaned back in his chair.

 

“As a matter of fact I was.  I had to stop my meeting with my political advisor to be here.”

 

“God forbid anyone interfere with your career.”

 

“Enough Saito, you’re not here to provide sarcastic commentary,” Boss stated.

 

“Then why pray tell are either of us here?” So asked, gesturing around the room.  “I certainly wasn’t expecting to get summoned to the MPD and then be escorted six stories below.  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you wanted to get rid of me.”

 

“Maybe we do,” Saito said wistfully, shrugging one shoulder.

 

Boss snapped her fingers.  “I said stop.”

 

“I’m not a dog, you can’t just snap your fingers at me and-“

 

“Bad, bad!” Boss replied, clapping her hands together quickly.

 

“I hate it here,” the blonde mumbled.

 

“If we could get back to the matter at hand children.  My patience and time are both wearing thin, so whatever you have to say, I suggest you say it now.”

 

“Fine,” Boss said, lowering her hands to her side.  “We want to know who did this to Saito.  I questioned him, but he doesn’t remember.  Or can’t remember due to the brainwashing-“

 

“Mind control,” Naoki interrupted, still typing away.

 

“It’s the same thing.”

 

“It’s not.  They’re completely different.  This is mind control.”

 

“Whatever.  Saito can’t remember who did this possibly due to the mind control.  We need you to tell us who.”

 

“Hasn’t he told you yet?” So asked, gesturing towards Moma.

 

“No, he hasn’t said anything to me, regardless of how many times I ask.”

 

“It’s like I told you before, I don’t want to go accusin’ nobody until I know for sure.”

 

“You certainly didn’t have an issue asking me though, did you?” So questioned.

 

“There’s a big difference between trying to confirm it with the person directly involved and tellin’ someone that could ultimately end up arrestin’ an innocent person.  I don’t see why my brother would lie about this, but I wasn’t willing to risk it.”

 

“And I’ll tell you again, if he ever did something to Saito it wasn’t in front of me.  Not only that, he never would have hurt him.  This had to have happened much later.  When Saito was grown.”

 

“No, it happened when he was twelve.  I’m completely sure,” Boss stated firmly.

 

“And you know this how…?” So asked.

 

“Because…Saito, I’m sorry,” she began, a light sigh escaping her lips.  And she found that she actually was sorry.  It was strange, this was the man they had been trying to hunt down, the man that tried to kill Shoko, Renju, Pewter, and Date.  The man that would have killed countless others.  But, it wasn’t his fault.  Not when someone else had implanted a trigger capable of making him do anything as long as someone had the key words.  Saito had gone from most wanted to a tragic figure that she felt some odd need to protect in the span of less than a day.  And now, she had to force him to watch that torture play out along with his father.  

 

She took a deep breath before continuing on.  “I know I didn’t talk to you about your Somnium before this, but I need to show you and So the footage.  We need to figure out who did this to you.”

 

“It’s fine,” Saito said simply.  He didn’t seem too bothered by the idea, but Boss had to wonder if the medication Aiba had forced into his system was finally starting to wear off. 

 

When Date had been in control of the body, Aiba supplied a steady stream of the concoction Pewter had come up with.  It was a mixture of serotonin, oxytocin, and a few other things that Boss honestly had no idea what they were.  But she trusted her second-in-command at ABIS and knew he would never test something on another human being until he was completely sure it was safe.

 

In fact, she was pretty sure he had tested it on himself several times before ever giving a single dose to Date.  No matter how many times she told him to stop, he always used himself as a guinea pig for his new inventions first.

 

But through trial and error, and finding the correct dosing for Date, they found that the medication lasted around twelve hours max.  Outside factors such as Date’s particular activity level for the day or stress played a role in exactly how long the artificial serotonin would last.  Not that it was ever an issue with Aiba constantly with him.  She monitored his levels as part of her basic programming and would give an additional dosage if necessary.

 

Now though, they didn’t have Aiba to keep an eye on Saito and dutifully keep him medicated.  Technically she could have Aiba placed back in the man’s socket, but she didn’t think that was something either one of them would be agreeable to.  And even if Aiba technically was a piece of equipment and property of ABIS, Boss didn’t feel right treating her as such.  The AI was so much more than just a machine.  She was one of Boss’ subordinates just the same as Date or Pewter or Naoki or Kanna.  

 

And because of that, she wouldn’t force her to work with Saito.  Never mind the fact that for some reason she found herself wanting to protect him too.  It must be because she had looked after Date for the last six years in this same body.  That had to be it.  She certainly wasn’t getting soft and letting his story get to her.  Absolutely not.

 

“Naoki,” Boss turned her attention back to the brunette engineer.  “Is everything ready to go?”

 

He nodded his head in affirmation, clicking a few keys on the laptop and then displaying the frozen image of a preteen Saito on the TV mounted to the wall.  The featureless blue figure stood right next to him and a younger So was in the foreground.  Even though he was close to twenty years younger in fact, the man still had the same steely gray hair that he did now.  

 

“What is this?  How did you get a recording of this?”

 

“It’s not a recording.  This is the Psync I was telling you about.  One of our Psyncers was able to go into Saito’s dreams.  We wanted to see if maybe we could get the answers from there, but as you can see, his memories are incomplete.”

 

“This usually happens when the subject of the Psync either can’t remember or the trauma was so great, they blocked it out,” Naoki supplied.  “In this case though, I believe that because of the mind control, there was some sort of failsafe imprinted deep in Saito’s psyche.  He’s unable to remember these events with any clarity, or anything to do with the mind control as a way to protect the person that did this to him.”

 

“You honestly don’t remember?” So asked, turning to look at his son.  “All the times we went there, and you don’t remember anything?”

 

Saito grimaced, closing his remaining eye.  “I…every time I try to remember…I get this awful headache.  It’s like it’s right there, just beyond my reach.”

 

“Hey kid, don’t hurt yourself.  Just watch the footage and then we can find out if Rohan was telling the truth or not,” Moma replied.

 

“If you’re even sure this is where it started,” So said dismissively. 

 

“Oh I am,” Boss answered.  “Go ahead Naoki, hit play.”

 

Naoki started the video a few seconds later, the footage playing just as it had earlier that morning.  It was almost unbelievable that so much had happened in the last six hours.  It was barely the afternoon now, but the Psync and everything that followed afterwards felt like it was days ago instead of hours.

 

So watched the screen with intense concentration, though his expression gave nothing away.  He watched his own conversation on the phone along with doctor injecting some unknown substance into his son’s arm in the background.  

 

Saito wasn’t much better, observing the video with just about as much impassiveness as he could muster.  Not that Boss was surprised.  Even with the serotonin, the blonde wasn’t the most emotional.  She could tell he was the type to keep things bottled up inside.  Much like the previous owner of his body.

 

Boss’ attention was drawn back to So as she heard the man let out an audible gasp.  The isolated clip from the Somnium had ended, right as the order was given and Saito’s full attention had been on his father.  His father who had been on the phone with Rohan Kumakura, telling him specifically that he would never give the order to kill Manaka.

 

“Now do you see why I’m so certain that this is when it started?”

 

So swallowed, eyes still fixed on the screen in front of him, the footage once again frozen on an image of Saito and the mysterious blue figure.  “This video, you said it’s from his dreams, correct?”

 

“Yes, that’s how the Psync machine works,” Boss answered.

 

“Then it’s possible this is some fantasy his mind concocted to save him from the truth.  This may not be what actually happened.”

 

“You really just want to believe I’m a monster, don’t you?”

 

“Saito, don’t put words in my mouth.  That’s not what I mea-“

 

“It’s exactly what you meant, Father.  I’ve never been good enough for you.  I’ve always been a stain on your record.  Your poor, mentally ill son.  Better fix Saito before anyone finds out.  If I was such a burden to you, why not drop me off at an orphanage?  Certainly your life would have been easier.”

 

“You’re my son, I wouldn’t just give you up.”

 

“Or you couldn’t just give me up, could you?  After all, it was publicly known Mother was pregnant and then died in childbirth.  It certainly wouldn’t have done your political career any favors to give me up, huh?”

 

“You always think the worst of me.”

 

“Wonder where I get that trait from?” Saito sneered.

 

“As interesting as this is, any chance you want to weigh in on exactly who that was that did this to Saito in the first place?  We know that this is accurate.  You can’t lie during a Psync.  Yes, some elements of it may not be exactly true to real life, but you can’t just make up events as you see fit,” Boss said as she tried to steer the conversation back.

 

“I’d like to know too,” Moma said, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table.

 

So let out a long sigh, finally tearing his eyes away from the screen and looking at Boss and then Moma.  “That wasn’t Kazuki.”

 

“You’re shittin’ me.  Rohan lied?”

 

“You can’t honestly be surprised about that, can you?” Saito asked, raising a brow.  “Plus, I could have told you that Dr. Amanoma never would have done something like this.”

 

“Wait.  Kazuki…Amanona?  Like Pewter?” Boss asked.

 

“Yes, that’s his father,” Naoki said off-handedly.

 

“And how do you know that?”

 

Naoki raised a brow over the edge of his glasses, trying to see if Boss was being serious.  “Of course I know him.  Everyone in our field does.  Hell, most people outside of it do too.  The man won the Kyoto Prize; he’s famous.”

 

“The what?”

 

“Forgive me,” Naoki said with a huff.  “I forgot you’re an idiot.  It’s the lifetime achievement award in science for those who have made significant contributions for the betterment of mankind.  It’s not just given out to anyone.”

 

Boss chose to ignore Naomi’s snarky comment and instead turned her focus back to Moma.  She knew Pewter’s dad was a scientist; he’d told her about it many times before in the past.  But he had left out the little detail that he was incredibly well-known and an apparent genius in his field.  She might not know anything about the award he received, but if Naoki was impressed despite his hatred for Pewter, she knew it had to be something.  “So, why would your brother tell you such an obvious lie?  He had to know it would be easy enough for you to figure out.”

 

“I don’t know.  It didn’t make sense when he told me, which is why I wanted to make sure before I said anything.  But, it makes even less sense that he would lie about it.”

 

“Hold on, even you knew who Pewter’s dad was?”

 

“Yeah,” Moma stated, shrugging his shoulders like it wasn’t a big deal.

 

“See what happens when you read?  You learn things.”

 

“Shut up Naoki!”

 

So sat calmly, watching everything play out before him.  He kept his expression neutral, schooled in not giving away anything he didn’t want to.  “Maybe he wasn’t lying.  What exactly did Rohan say to you?”

 

“What do you mean?” Moma asked, confused by the question.

 

“You asked him who did this to Saito, yes?  What did he say?”

 

“I already told you.  He said it was Dr. Amanoma.  Told me he never said why he did it, just that he did.”

 

“He specifically said Kazuki?”

 

“That’s what I said.”

 

“No, you said Dr. Amanona.  Did Rohan say Kazuki or Dr. Amanoma?”

 

“Does it make a difference?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Father?” Saito asked, interest peaked.

 

“I mean, he said Dr. Amanoma.  But what does it matter?  Still the same person.”

 

“No, there’s more than one Dr. Amanoma…”

 

Boss had heard enough.  This whole situation was getting out of hand rapidly.  If it wasn’t Pewter’s father that created the mind control, then the person So was implying did it…

 

”No, you can’t seriously be suggesting that Pewter did this?  He would have only been eighteen years old.  He’s smart, but there’s no way a high schooler did this.  And you said this person was a doctor.  I know for a fact that Pewter didn’t get his doctorate until he was twenty-three.”

 

“It seems Rohan’s still trying to get one over on everyone.  He never was satisfied giving the obvious answer,” So said, mostly to himself.

 

“What are you talkin’ about?  Are sayin’ the whole thing was a lie?  That Pewter or his father were never involved?” Moma asked.

 

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.  Rohan even referred to Dr. Amanoma as ‘he’, didn’t he?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Tricky as ever.”

 

“Stop mumbling and tell us what’s going on.  It wasn’t Pewter.  And you’re saying it wasn’t his dad either.  Then who was it?  You obviously know because you saw the footage from the Psync.  You know what doctor you took Saito to,” Boss stated firmly, her agitation clear.

 

“I do.”

 

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “Then who was it?”

 

“Dr. Amanoma.”

 

Boss slammed her hands down on the table, startling all of the occupants in the room, save for So.  She was getting tired of these games the Congressman seemed to want to play.  “After all of that?  Are you kidding me?”

 

“I’m not.  Saito’s doctor at the time was Dr. Amanoma.  Dr. Fumiyo Amanoma.  Kazuki’s first wife…and Futa’s mother.”

 

 

 

Notes:

Dun dun dun! We now know who the mastermind is. I tried to make the misdirection as Uchikoshi as possible before the reveal. Hopefully it came across that way. I know there were a lot of theories out there about who it could possibly be. And now we know.

But don’t think this is over yet. We may know who it is, but there’s still more to come. Especially since Pewter is planning to make his way over to ABIS. He’s certainly going to be in for a surprise.

And I even threw in a little Date angst with some Aiba bonding. They are the best together and he will absolutely be getting his partner back once things settle down.

As always, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please leave a comment below. I love them all! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 35

Pewter sat in the control room, watching the Psync footage with ever growing horror.  One monitor displayed the actual Psync, while the other showed the feed in the Psync chamber itself.  He had just seen the order to kill Manaka, delivered by So Sejima himself.  That one tragic event, ultimately scarring his boyfriend’s heart more than the man would ever let on, was because of a mistake.  

 

Saito didn’t kill the woman out of jealousy or misguided rage; he did it because he heard the words his father had spoken at the same time that the mind control was first implemented.  All the while the mysterious blue figure stood there, thinking their experiment hadn’t succeeded.

 

And just who was the doctor present in Saito’s dream?  There weren’t any distinguishing features and the voice was distorted beyond recognition.  Pewter couldn’t even tell if the person was male or female.  Though, judging by how tall the figure seemed to be, he would guess that whoever this was, was male.  Otherwise she would be fairly tall for a woman.

 

Not that he would have any idea who this was even if he could figure out their sex.  The office in the Somnium didn’t have anything of note to help identify it from any other facility.  A fairly plain desk, an exam table, and bookshelves weren’t exactly helpful.

 

Pewter let out a sigh as the scene changed, a portion of the office disappearing and giving way to a densely wooded forrest.  He could feel his anger creeping to the surface once more as he watched Saito strangle the first Cyclops victim.  In his mind he knew it wasn’t justifiable, that Saito wasn’t truly at fault.  But for as logical as his mind could be at times, his heart was a different story.

 

This man almost killed Renju.  Had killed him in a different life.  He still wasn’t completely sure where all of those memories came from.  They were so real, so vivid, that it truly felt like he had lived that life.  But he knew it was impossible.  Time travel wasn’t real, and up until very recently, he hadn’t believed in precognition or psychic revelations.  But what else was there to explain what had happened?

 

And why him of all people?  Someone who absolutely didn’t believe in the occult.  If he was being honest with himself, he still didn’t believe in it.  Which led him to where he was now.  Four months worth of memories that were his, but also not.

 

He’d gone back and watched his own Somnium footage several times.  At first looking for anything he had missed, but then obsessively trying to find the answers to why he had these memories.  And he still came up empty handed.

 

It was impossible to lie in Somnium.  Dreams could absolutely take on fantastical elements, making the impossible possible.  He’d seen that more times than he could count.  Somniums where people could fly or where they turned into animals.  There was even a particularly memorable one that had drinks that allowed the Psyncer to shrink down to the size of mouse or grow as large as a giant.  Kanna had really enjoyed that one, telling Pewter it reminded her of her favorite story as a child.  

 

Kanna…

 

Pewter slowly turned to look down into the Psync chamber; Kanna’s blood still present on the floor.  He felt his throat tighten at the sight, willing himself to swallow the painful lump.  It wouldn’t do well to lose his composure here, not now.  There would be plenty of time later to wallow in his feelings over the matter.  

 

Maybe by that point he would work out a way to visit as he hadn’t even been permitted to see her at the hospital.  He had certainly tried before heading over to ABIS, but her attending physician stood firm on his stance about no visitors.  Not that Pewter would have been able to talk to her anyway.  He didn’t know much about her current condition, other than the fact she was being kept in a medically induced coma.

 

While he wasn’t as close with Kanna as he was with Date, she was still the very first Psyncer at ABIS, other than himself.  He had personally trained her, working long hours with the girl who had more dedication and determination than he had initially given her credit for.

 

He hadn’t been confident when Boss had first brought the loud, boisterous, and flamboyantly dressed redhead before him.  And even less so when she quickly told him she was joining their department as an internal transfer from the police division.  She was a beat cop, and a new one at that.  Fresh from the academy, she had little experience.  But at that point, no one else had wanted to sign up for their little experiment, which had been in danger of shutting down before it really even started.

 

Pewter had ultimately agreed to train her. What else was he supposed to do?  He knew they desperately needed Psyncers; it wasn’t like he could just keep relying on himself.  The prototype did have a function that allowed it run on it’s own, automatically shutting down after exactly six minutes.  But even he knew the Psyncs would run more smoothly if he was able to actually be in the control room and helping guide someone else through.

 

Unfortunately Kanna was not the best solution to the problem.  She wasn’t very compatible with machine, and even less so with most of the subjects brought in.  Pewter had honestly been ready to call it quits, but the girl had been so determined.  She refused to give up.  She listened to every single thing he said, looking to improve no matter what it took.

 

And she did.  She still wasn’t nearly as in sync with the tech as Date was, but she managed to get better nonetheless.  Not that it was entirely fair to compare her skills to Date’s.  He was by far the most compatible out of all of the Psyncers.  And then having Aiba just made it even more so.

 

He had offered Kanna the option of an AI Ball, willing to make a sister unit to go along with Aiba if she so chose.  The girl had refused however.  She was fine with the way things were and wasn’t looking to lose a perfectly good eye.  Though now Pewter was afraid that’s what would be coming next.

 

Reviewing the Psync footage along with Kanna’s vitals made one thing perfectly clear; if she had had an AI working as the avatar in Somnium, she never would have been at risk.  Her inability coupled with Saito’s near perfect compatibility had been a recipe for disaster.

 

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been nearly as bad.  More of an inconvenience than anything, perhaps speeding up time or making it harder to traverse through the dreamscape, but no one would have actually been in danger.  Unfortunately Saito’s mind control made it a different story.

 

There was some sort of failsafe implanted within him.  One that didn’t allow Saito to access his memories of who started all of this and would react accordingly to keep that information locked away.  Pewter mused that if the blonde tried to remember on his own, he would probably be met with a headache, or worse case scenario, lose consciousness.

 

But the rules of Somnium were different.  Kanna never should have felt Saito’s pain.  Or felt her own pain triggered by Saito’s mind control reacting negatively with the machine itself.  And from there it had just been a vicious cycle. 

 

Once the machine had stated to malfunction, panic set in for the redhead. Pewter saw the readout where her brain activity spiked and her heart rate sped up.  Between the machine no longer protecting her mind and the fear of actually dying, it was no wonder her body reacted the way it did. 

 

Pewter cradled his head in his hands, rubbing his temples in slow circles. This whole thing was a mess. Besides Kanna and whatever Boss had going on with Saito, it was going to be hell to explain this to the higher ups.  

 

They were going to want answers that he just couldn’t give.  Not to mention wanting to know where the real Date was once Boss got through her description of the events leading to all of this. 

 

And there was no easy way to explain that he was currently in a coma in the body of one of the most notorious and blood soaked Yakuza leaders Tokyo had known in recent history.   That wouldn’t go over well at all. 

 

“Pewter?  When did you get here?”

 

That voice…Pewter turned around quickly, standing from his chair and facing the entrance to the control room. Leaning casually against the railing, looking nearly the same as he had six years prior, was Hayato Yagyo. 

 

“What?  Is it really…?”

 

The dark haired man smiled, much more gentle than he had in his past life. “It’s me.  I’m back.”

 

 

 

 

 

“She’s going to be ok Ren,” Hitomi whispered as the nurse from earlier, Hanayo, wheeled Iris out of the room.

 

She was off to get another round of testing done, the previous ones already looking promising.  Iris had even felt strong enough to stand from her bed and sit down in the wheelchair.  While she still wasn’t cleared to walk yet, she had taken the two small steps from her bedside to the chair with ease.  

 

It did Hitomi’s heart good to see her able to stand.  To know that even after a few hours, her daughter was already feeling stronger.

 

“She is, she really is,” he said back, taking the seat next to his best friend.

 

Hitomi knew Renju had been just as worried as she was.  Just as scared.  Sure, he was confident in his boyfriend and his abilities, but there was something about the word “cancer” that caused even the bravest of souls to fear.  Especially when “inoperable tumor” was what followed immediately after.

 

She didn’t know how she would ever be able to repay Futa for this.  To ever thank him enough for saving her only child.  For saving the one piece of Manaka that she and Renju clung to desperately.  If she had lost Iris…

 

No, she didn’t even want to think of that outcome.  Imagining the world without Iris’ bright and shining presence was more painful than she could bear.

 

“While Iris is gone, I need to talk to you,” Renju said, warm brown eyes staring deeply into her own.

 

“About So?”

 

“No.”  He shook his head, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.  “About Date.”

 

“Date?  What about…oh!  Oh no!  I completely forgot I was supposed to meet him downstairs in the cafeteria for lunch!  Did he message you?  He must think I’m a scatterbrained idiot now.”

 

How could she forget?  The first man that had shown any interest in her since…well, that didn’t matter.  A nice, decent man wanted to get to know her and take her on a date and she had stood him up.  She supposed that was what she got for trying to move on though.

 

“It’s not that Tomi.  He’s not going to be able to make it.  There was a bit of an…accident at Futa’s work and Date got caught up in it.  He wanted me to tell you how sorry he was, but he didn’t know when he’d be able to see you.”

 

“Oh,” she said, a little deflated.  So that was it.  He must have realized how bad it would look to date a single mother.  It’s not like it was the first time she had dealt with this.  Every man with the exception of one had always left when they found out she had Iris out of wedlock.  It wouldn’t do to be associated with a type of woman like her.

 

Not for the first time, she wished she and Renju had been a little smarter at nineteen when they went to Dokuta.  It wouldn’t have been that much more work to have listed a fake name for her husband and then later provide a death certificate.  Better to be a young widow with a child in this country than a single mother.

 

Renju reached out, grabbing her right hand in his left and squeezing.  She might not be able to move that arm, but she could at least still feel.  

 

“I’m…I’m going to tell you something.  And it can’t leave this room.  I don’t think Date would want me to tell you this, but I’m going to anyway.”

 

“What is it?” Hitomi asked curiously.

 

“It’s about who he really is.  And how he came to end up in the body he’s currently in.”

 

“The body…he’s currently in?  That doesn’t make any sense Ren.”

 

“It will, I promise.  Just let me explain.  It’s going to sound absolutely insane, but let me finish.  You’re going to have to trust me.”

 

Hitomi smiled, squeezing her fingers in Renju’s grip as much as she was able to.  It was light, but she knew he felt it.  “I’ll always trust you.  Nothing will ever change that.”

 

“Ok, then I’ll start from the beginning…”

 

And he did.  He told her all about how her ex-boyfriend Hayato had been involved with the Kumakura’s.  Renju didn’t know him, having already been working exclusively with Moma at that point.  Hitomi knew the man was involved in something dark, how could she not with the way she met him?  But she never figured he was a part of the same Yakuza family that Renju and Shoko were.

 

She didn’t have much time to dwell on that though, Renju moving on and continuing the story.  He started talking about Saito next, and how he had been involved with Rohan.  The two of them were responsible for the Cyclops killings six years ago, a case that for all intents and purposes remained unsolved even now.  And during that same time period, Hayato had been a personal assassin for Rohan, taking care of anyone that dared cross him.

 

While Hitomi wasn’t thrilled to have her worst fears of her boyfriend’s past finally realized, she found that it didn’t bother her nearly as much as she thought it would.  Perhaps because her own past was filled with several dark secrets.  How could she judge Hayato when she had helped hide a body, faked a birth certificate, and kidnapped an infant?

 

Neither of them were good people.  Both judged and thrown away by society for not being absolutely perfect.  It was no wonder they had been drawn to each other.  If only they hadn’t been so cruelly torn apart.  

 

She still had a hard time believing that the Hayato she knew was the one to shoot her.  The man who had been nothing short of amazing to both her and Iris could never have purposely done something so heartless.  

 

But everything happened so fast before she lost consciousness, causing the events to all blur together.  The next thing she even remembered was waking up in the hospital with Iris crying over her and Renju standing by her beside.

 

And now she had her best friend telling her that apparently the shootout in her home wasn’t everything it seemed to be.  The man standing by her side hadn’t been Hayato, despite the fact he wore his face.  It had been Rohan.  Which then left Hayato’s essence in the Kumakura leader’s body.  

 

Hitomi was starting to have a hard time following along, though she let Renju keep going.  Her head was spinning from back to back revelations about body swapping and murder plots.  And it didn’t end there.  Saito Sejima had found out everything; leading to the theft of the machine Futa had created.  And with that, one final swap.

 

“Wait, Hayato is…Date?”

 

“Yes,” Renju answered simply, needing no more words after everything he had just divulged.

 

“And Date, is in Saito’s body, but he has amnesia and can’t remember anything from before the swap six years ago.”

 

“Yes, that’s correct.  Or, it was until sometime this morning.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well, actually Saito hasn’t been using Rohan for a host for about a year now.  He had been in Shoko, biding his time to try to get to all of us.”

 

“Us?”

 

“He had a plan to kill me, you, Date, and…Iris.”

 

“But wait…Rohan’s dead.  It made the news last year.”

 

“It was a lie.  Moma was the one that reported Rohan’s death.  He found his body, still alive, but barely.  Took him back to Dokuta’s clinic and he’s been in a coma ever since.  Or Shoko had been anyway.  But I’ll tell you about that later.  All you need to know is that Saito swapped into Futa and we didn’t know it.  That’s how I was hurt.”

 

“Oh my God Ren!  When you said Saito did that to you, I didn’t know you meant…are you ok?  I mean, I know it wasn’t Futa, but seeing him try to hurt you that way, it would have to…”

 

“I’m ok.  I figured out that it wasn’t Futa, but even with that, seeing that kind of anger on his face isn’t something I ever want to experience again.”

 

“But Futa was here, so Saito must have swapped again then, right?”

 

“He did,” Renju nodded.  “Back into his actual body.  Which left Date in Rohan’s.”

 

“And Rohan is in a coma.”

 

“He is.  But we’re going to get him back.  Futa knows where Saito is and I’m sure he’s working on a plan right now to put Date back where he belongs.”

 

“I hope so,” Hitomi said softly.  “I…can’t believe he was Hayato the whole time.  He’s back Ren.”

 

“He is, but he’s not the same man he was before.  He doesn’t remember his life at all.  In fact, he went to Futa and tried to have him help get his memories back, but it didn’t work.  I know he wants to remember you and Iris, you just have to prepare yourself for the fact that it may never happen.”

 

Hitomi smiled slightly.  “That doesn’t matter.  The fact that he actually wants to remember us and be in our lives says everything.  I won’t walk away from him just because he’s different now.  He’s still the same good person inside.  He’s still the man that I fell in love with.  His memories or appearance won’t change that.”

 

“Even if he’s in Saito’s body?”

 

“It’s…not ideal, but he’s not Saito.  It’ll take some getting used to, but I won’t abandon him when he needs me most.”

 

“You’ve got to be the most understanding, compassionate woman I’ve ever met.  You’re really something special.”

 

“I don’t know about that.  I just don’t believe in judging someone for something they can’t help.  I wouldn’t want that done to me.  Anymore than it already has been.”

 

Renju smiled sadly, giving Hitomi’s hand a pat before standing up.  “I promise I’ll find a way to make this right.  We’ll get Date back and Saito will be the one in a coma where he belongs.  Things will be ok.”

 

If life had taught her anything, it was that Renju always found a way to push forward, despite any adversity he may face.  She knew between him and Futa, they would find a way to get Date back.  Back to his body, and hopefully, back to her and Iris.  They would have the chance to really be a family.  And this time, she wouldn’t let him get taken away.  They’d both get to experience the love they deserved and had been denied.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m sorry, what?” Saito asked, clearly confused.

 

Moma took in the faces of everyone in the room, expressions ranging from shock to utter disbelief.  He was sure his own bore a similar countenance.  And how could it not?  He believed everything Rohan told him without question.  Because why would he lie?

 

And that answer was simple.  Because he was Rohan.  Because that’s what he did.  Manipulate situations and sit back to enjoy the fallout.  He’d seen it play out enough that he really shouldn’t be surprised.  And yet he was.

 

At least he hadn’t told anyone other than So, who had immediately shut it down.  He couldn’t imagine the mess they would currently be facing if he had told Boss.  Arresting one of the most well known figures in the country on false charges certainly wouldn’t do her division any good.  And it would have brought unneeded scrutiny on So, which in turn would have possibly hurt him and those associated with him.  

 

If he was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t particularly care what happened to the Congressman.  The only reason he had a relationship with him at all was because of his brother.  

 

“Come now Saito, you have to remember.  You went to her for close to a year,” So stated, bringing Moma out of his thoughts.

 

“I don’t.  I don’t even remember this happening at all,” he said, frustration evident in his voice as he gestured to the screen.

 

“Enough, we’re not playing these games from your childhood.”

 

“Of course, why would I ever think you would believe me?”

 

“I want to but how can you possibly have such huge gaps in your memory?  You have to remember something, she-“

 

“If I may,” Naoki interrupted with a bored drawl.  “I don’t think he’s lying about this.  While you all were watching the footage, I was going over the brain waves from the entire Psync.  There was a noticeable difference in how his neurons fired and reacted when Dr. Amanona was present as opposed to other memories.  I don’t think he remembers because there is a block or something that is preventing him from remembering.”

 

“Hmmm.  Look at you being helpful.  I didn’t know you cared,” Boss replied.

 

“I don’t.  But the sooner we wrap this up, the sooner I can go home.  There’s no way all of you aren’t just as exhausted as I am.”

 

Naoki’s words finally put in to perspective exactly how tired Moma truly was.  He’d been up for over twenty-four hours and though he had gotten a second wind, the lack of sleep was beginning to catch up.  He agreed with the brunette wholeheartedly, he just wanted to go home and rest.  Though more than likely a very angry Shoko was waiting for him at his house.

 

She had to be up by now and not pleased about being left alone with no way to contact him.  He at least had the forethought to send Chinpei over, telling the younger man just to hang around and be there if she did happen to wake up before he got home.  He hadn’t planned on running around all over the city well into the afternoon, that was for sure.

 

He definitely owed Chinpei for this.  Shoko could be difficult under the best circumstances, and this certainly wasn’t that.  He just hoped she hadn’t destroyed his house.  Or gotten in to his good liquor.

 

“I am in complete agreement.  As I told you all before, my time is short and I have several other appointments.  If we’re quite done here, I’ll be taking my leave,” So said as he rose from his seat.

 

“No, we’re not done, actually.  We’re far from done.  You think you can just drop a bombshell like that and then leave.  You’re accusing the mother of my second in command of brainwashing-“

 

“Mind control.”

 

“Seriously?  Is it really that important for you to always be right?”

 

“Yes,” Naoki said with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

 

“Whatever.  You,” Boss rounded back on So, “are accusing Pewter’s mother of being the mastermind behind the Cyclops serial killings.  This isn’t some small thing and you’re not going to just up and leave.”

 

“I’m not accusing Fumi of anything.  I simply told you who the doctor was in that footage.  Who it was that treated Saito when he was that age.  I didn’t think she was capable of something like this.  She’s a genius, but this is beyond…”

 

“Beyond what?  Look at Pewter.  He created all of this technology.  The time for doubting that mind control is possible is over.”

 

“I don’t doubt the mind control.  I’ve seen a first hand demonstration,” So said as he cut his eyes at Moma before looking back at Boss.  “I doubt her involvement in the serial killings.”

 

“Back to blaming me again Father?” Saito questioned as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

 

“I didn’t say that.  I know you were forced and manipulated into doing it.  But there’s no way that Fumi would ever kill someone else.  She wasn’t that type of person.”

 

“Then who ordered their murders?  I have a hard time believing it was completely random.  And a motive was never established even when we actually found out who did it,” Boss said.

 

Naoki finally stopped typing away on his laptop, taking an avid interest in the conversation.  Not that Moma could blame him.  This was probably the closest the man had ever gotten to finally getting his answers.

 

“Isn’t it obvious?” So replied.  “It was Rohan.  You already know this.  He ordered their deaths and apparently used the mind control to make Saito carry it out.”

 

Moma shook his head.  “No, I don’t think so.  Rohan was a piece of shit, but he didn’t kill for no reason.  Now, it might not have been a good reason, but he wasn’t just picking someone random off the street.”

 

“Then perhaps you should go and ask him his reasons why instead of continuing to bother me.  I’ve said all I’m going to say on the matter. “

 

So stepped away from the table, not waiting for Boss or anyone else in the room to say anything.  Moma had worked with him enough years to know when he was done.  They wouldn’t get anything else out of him.  At least not at the moment.  He might try his luck later, after a day or two had passed.  

 

Despite always being underestimated, Moma did have a way of fitting in and charming those amongst the upper echelons.  It was why out of all of the families associated with the Ujisaki’s, his had the best reputation with the leaders of the country.

 

If anyone could get So to talk, it would be him.  He just had to bide his time and wait for the right moment.  Which would be sooner rather than later if So’s comments about meeting with his political advisor earlier meant what he thought they did.  

 

It was no secret to Moma that So’s ultimate aspirations were for the head of the Japanese government, the Prime Minister.  And if that was the case, he wouldn’t want any skeletons coming out of the closet.  

 

“I’ll walk you out,” Moma said, rising from his own seat and moving to catch So before he stepped out of the room.

 

“Suit yourself.  But as I just said, I’m done talking.”

 

“Yeah well, maybe I needed to stretch my legs and have a smoke.”

 

“I’m sure that’s it exactly,” So said, sarcasm evident in his tone as he opened the door to the hall.

 

“Con-congresman Sejima!”

 

“Shit,” Moma muttered under his breath as he looked out into the hallway.  Pewter stood right outside the door, more nervous than he would have expected.  With as well known as his father was, it was hard to imagine the other man being intimidated a politician.  

 

“Oh good, So’s here.  As if one Sejima wasn’t enough for today,” Date said, pushing past Pewter and stepping in to the conference room.

 

“I thought I told you to wait in your office?” Boss asked with an exasperated sigh.

 

“You did, and I didn’t listen.”

 

“Boss?  What the hell is going on?”

 

Pewter had walked in as well, wearily watching So before settling on Saito.  His green eyes burned, anger barely contained as he refused to break contact with Saito’s equally green remaining eye.

 

Leaning forward, Saito placed his elbows on the table and cupped his chin in one hand, a self-satisfied smirk playing at the corners of his lips.  “Miss me?”

 

Pewter instantly lunged forward, only to be stopped by Date grabbing a firm hold on his upper arms.  “We’re not doing this, come on.  Not right now.”

 

“I suggest you don’t piss him off,” Naoki stated as he gestured to the splint across his nose.

 

“Pewter, what are you even doing here?  I thought you were supposed to be at the hospital helping Iris.”

 

“I was,” he said, shrugging out of Date’s grip but making no move to go after Saito once more.  “But the Commissioner called and told me a little story about how Kanna did a Psync into Date and it went horribly wrong.  I got chewed out for nearly ten minutes because you didn’t report any of it.”

 

“I was going to-“

 

“Obviously not.  You were more concerned about running out of ABIS as fast as you could.  Afraid someone was going to catch you with him?”

 

Boss rubbed a hand down her face before replying.  “If that were the case, why would I bring him back here?  Think about it Pewter. Everything is back to how it should be, but I needed someone that was familiar with the prototype machine to help run it and make sure Date was ok.”

 

Moma could see how Boss was purposely avoiding the subject of body swapping.  They may have all just sat there and talked about mind control and the ability to enter dreams, but it was clear she didn’t trust the Congressman with certain information.  Even if his son knew about it.

 

“Be that as it may,” Pewter said, seemingly calmed down ever so slightly and catching on to what Boss wasn’t saying.  “Why isn’t he sitting in a jail cell?  We can’t trust that he isn’t a danger.”

 

“He isn’t Futa, you don’t need to worry about that right now.”

 

Pewter raised an eyebrow, looking strangely at So but not saying anything.  He had to be thinking the same thing Moma was, the familiarity with which So addressed him was odd.  And it wasn’t just him, it was Kazuki and Fumiyo too.  So had used nicknames with them both, as if he were much closer to them than just the father of their patient.  Of course Pewter had no way of knowing that, not being present for that conversation.

 

“So’s right,” Boss said.  “As long as someone doesn’t use the keywords and trigger the mind control, he’ll be fine.”

 

“That’s not very reassuring.  We have no idea who could possibly know the keywords.”

 

“It’s just us and Rohan.  And he’s not going to be a problem.”

 

“And your mom, apparently.”

 

“Naoki!” Boss ground out as she rounded on the other engineer.  “What is wrong with you?”

 

“What?  You were taking too long.  And there’s no point in dancing around it.”

 

“What are you even talking about?  Why would my mother know anything about this?”

 

“Because she’s the doctor that did this to him.”

 

Of all the things Moma expected, Pewter laughing wasn’t one of them.  It didn’t last long, but it was plain to see that the younger man was amused by Naoki’s answer instead of confused or horrified or any other number of reactions that would have been more appropriate.

 

“You think this is funny?” the brunette asked incredulously.

 

“I think it’s funny that you all seem to think this is something my mother is capable of doing.”

 

“And why is that?  Because she’s such a wonderful and kind person that could never do something like this?”

 

“Well, she is, but no.  It’s more because she’s a violin instructor and obviously not a doctor.”

 

Now it was So’s turn to laugh, the man letting out a sharp bark before shaking his head back and forth.  “Not Shion, your real mother.”

 

Pewter narrowed his eyes.  “How do you know that?”

 

“I know both your parents quite well.  Or I did anyway.  But, I should be asking you how well you know your mother.”

 

“I’m not getting into this here, especially not with you.”

 

“Because Kaz told you not to have anything to do with Saito and I, correct?”

 

“How-“

 

“Your father and I had a talk this morning.  He told me he said as much to you.  And for the record, I was always against the secrets he kept from you.”

 

“Secrets?  What secrets?  Dad has always been honest with me.  My real mother left when I was barely two, walked out and never looked back.  She didn’t even try to fight for custody of me during the divorce.  He never kept any of that from me.”

 

“He told you just enough of the truth to keep you from asking any more questions.  That was smart.”

 

“Naturally you’d agree with someone manipulating their own child,” Saito replied, bitter edge to his voice.

 

“I wasn’t being manipulated!”

 

“I kind of think you were.  You’re a pretty easy target-“

 

“Enough!  Both of you, we aren’t doing this here,” So said sternly.

 

The two men backed off, though they still glared at each other.  In fact, everyone in the room had gotten silent for the older politician.  And no wonder, So’s entire presence demanded respect.

 

“Now that I have your attention, I’m sure you have questions.  And I’ll do the best to answer them.”

 

“I thought you were in such a rush to leave.  You told me that you didn’t have anything further to say,” Boss said.

 

“Not to you I didn’t.  But Futa’s different.”

 

“How am I different?”

 

“Because you’re owed the truth your father has kept from you the past thirty-six years.”

 

“How exactly do you know my father?”

 

“Well, for one, he was Saito’s doctor when he was younger.”

 

“What?  That doesn’t make sense,” Pewter began.  “Dad has his doctorate in neuroscience.  Why wouldn’t you take him to a real doctor?”

 

Saito chuckled to himself. “Oh, that’s because we don’t do that here.  Too risky to be seen going to and from an actual neurologist or psychologists office.”

 

“Don’t listen to Saito, he’s being dramatic.”

 

“Am I though?”

 

So ignored his son, continuing on.  “I knew your father even before that though.  We met in middle school and became fast friends.  There were several of us in our little group, but he and I were the closest.  Besides your mother that is, but she was a few years younger than us.”

 

“You knew my mother too?”

 

“I’ve known her longer than your father.  My whole life in fact.  We haven’t spoken in years, but she was always very dear to me.”

 

Moma noticed how So seemed to almost soften when speaking of the woman.  He supposed if she was as close of a friend as he was claiming that it made sense.  Especially with how he defended her earlier.  But there was something else there.  Something that implied it was more than just friendship.

 

It seemed Pewter was picking up on the same things he was.  He watched the silver haired man adjust his stance ever so slightly, going a little more on the defensive as his lips curved downwards in a frown.  “What aren’t you saying?”

 

“Maybe you should talk to Kaz before I tell you anything else.”

 

“I already spoke with him this morning.  Before you did apparently.  And he told me to stay away from you and your entire family.  Naturally I asked him why, but he wouldn’t give me an answer.  Just said to stay away, not to contact you.  So I don’t think if I called him now, he would be any more willing to discuss what’s going on.  Something that I’m sure involves my mother.”

 

“You do have to understand Futa, your father was only trying to protect you.  In his own, misguided way, but everything he did was to keep you safe.”

 

“Safe from what?”

 

“Your mother.  And the group she fell in with.  His biggest fear was that one day you may try to find her, try to reach out to her.  He couldn’t let that happen.”

 

“And Dad wanted me to stay away from you because he was afraid you may still be in contact with her?  And tell me how to find her?”

 

So shook his head.  “I don’t think it was that, so much as he didn’t want you around anyone connected her, especially me.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because my dear nephew, Fumi is my younger sister.”

 

 

 

Notes:

More revelations this chapter and probably also more questions. Hopefully we're all enjoying the ride so far. It took a while to get here and we're still not done.

And a little Hitomi perspective because she deserved more time. I love her and Renju's friendship and wished we had gotten more than the flashbacks when they were teenagers.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. If you did, please leave a comment, I love them all.

Also, a quick note for next week. I will not be updating on Sunday as I will be spending time with my family for the holidays and traveling. Updates should resume on 01/01. Thank you all for the constant support, kudos, and comments, they have meant so much to me throughout the year!

Chapter 36

Notes:

First chapter of the new year, let's go!

Renju smiled warmly, all the while listening as Iris told him and Hitomi another story from her surgery.  In order to help keep her mind off of what was actually happening, Futa had talked to her almost the entire time.  It was important that Iris stayed still and didn’t move unnecessarily, which also included talking.  And unfortunately, keeping quiet wasn’t one of Iris’ strong points.

 

That left the gray haired man to fill the silence, which Renju knew from experience was hard for his boyfriend.  It wasn’t that Futa was overly shy or even that he didn’t like to speak, he just didn’t feel the need for idle chatter.

 

But knowing that Iris needed to keep her mind off of what was happening and keep quiet at the same time, left him with little choice in the matter.  So he told her a couple of stories about the two of them.  How they met.  Memorable dates they had been on.  Even their vacation over the summer to Atami.  

 

He must have run out of the tamer stories though because now Iris was launching into an explanation of the Psync machine and how it worked.  It honestly surprised the blonde that Futa was so willing to discuss his technology that up until a few days ago, had been a secret of ABIS and the MPD.  But he supposed that Iris was getting antsy by then and this was a last ditch effort to keep her focused on him.

 

It had been the right call.  Iris may not have ever shown much interest in science, but as a gamer, he could see why this would appeal to her.  Futa’s explanation must have seemed like one giant VR gaming system.  And he remembered the most recent anime obsession both Iris and Mizuki had gotten into, some show where the main characters became trapped in a game and had to fight to survive.  Blade Skill Network maybe?

 

This was a good thing though, something he could use to his advantage.  Iris’ expansive knowledge of gaming, science fiction, the occult, and other obscure and random facts would ultimately end up helping him when he had to explain who Date really was.  The hard part was over; Hitomi knew his true identity.  But they both agreed that Iris deserved to know.  Not that she didn’t like Date, but she didn’t have much interaction with him.  He had come by the day she was first admitted, having been at Sunfish Pocket when she had collapsed.  And he had briefly stopped by another time to visit, but other than that, most of his interactions had been limited to messaging Hitomi. It had been clear since learning the truth of who he really was and what had happened, that Date wanted to remember his past and was trying his best to connect to Renju’s oldest friend.  

 

That may have worked with endearing him to Hitomi, but he wasn’t any closer to Iris.  The younger girl still missed him dearly, Hitomi telling him that every so often her daughter would ask about Hayato.  She wanted to know if her mom ever heard anything or maybe even ran into him.  And she was always disappointed when the answer was no.  The man left a lasting impression and disappearing without so much as a goodbye had hurt the girl deeply.

 

Renju mused that as long as things continued to go well, they should be able to tell her once she was settled back home.  And not just about Date, but her father, half brother, and birth mother as well.  It would be a difficult conversation, probably one of the hardest either of them would have in their lives, but it needed to be done.  Because if they didn’t do it, So would.

 

Just thinking about the man put him in a bad mood.  He still couldn’t believe he had just walked into Iris’ room and demanded to be a part of her life, like he was the one that had been wronged.  Granted, Renju was intelligent enough to realize his part in all of this too, but he had only kept Iris a secret from So to protect her from Saito.  There was no way that he or Hitomi could have left an infant in that precarious situation.

 

He just wished he could have done more at the time.  He should have.  And looking back made him acutely aware of how much he had failed Hitomi and Iris.  He just walked away and left his best friend to raise a baby on her own, forcing her to give up her own dreams while he continued on as if nothing had changed.

 

Though he knew that wasn’t the case.  Not really. Everything had changed that day.  But if he added anything else on to the trauma he had already been through, he would have broken.  Completely.  It really was a wonder during that time in his life that he hadn’t.  But he had to remain strong, not for his sake , no, for the ones that were depending on him.  Because if he let that happen to himself, there really would be no one left to help Hitomi or pick up the pieces of Shoko’s fragile mental health.  Back then, she already barely made it through each day, if he were-

 

“Daddy…?”

 

Renju turned towards the door slowly, his neck still stiff but feeling slightly better now that he’d had a second dose of his pain medicine.  Mizuki stood in the doorway, her shocked expression plain to see.  Ota was right beside her, mouth still open for whatever he had been going to say, but the words refused to come out.

 

“Mizuki-“

 

That brought the younger girl out of her stupor.  She rushed across the small hospital room in three large steps and enveloped her father in a hug.  The embrace was tight, though she was careful not squeeze too hard, keeping Renju’s injured wrist out of the way.

 

“What happened?” her voice cracked ever so slightly on the question and Renju noticed that her eyes had the slightly glazed look of unshed tears.

 

“I’m ok Mizuki, it looks a lot worse than it is.”

 

“A lot worse than it is!” she exclaimed, pulling back and crossing her arms.  Tears were streaming down her face now, but Renju knew better than to bring attention to it.  “No one told me anything!  Aya and Mame just picked me up from Ota’s place and said that you asked them to watch me.  Something about the idiot working on a big case and that Pewter had been hurt and you needed to help him.  And that’s fine, I didn’t want to bother you, but why wouldn’t you tell me?  You look like someone almost killed you!”

 

“Mizuki, I’m sorry…I-“

 

“You promised things would be better!  That you wouldn’t leave me out anymore.  You said that me and you and Date would all be a family!”

 

Renju’s heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.  Even when he made a conscious effort to change, he still managed to hurt his daughter.  It hadn’t even been three full days since he sat with her in his and Pewter’s apartment, promising to be more involved and do better.

 

And he couldn’t even go a week before betraying her trust and letting her down.  He really was the worst father.  “I’m so sorry Mizuki.  I know that sounds hollow and you have no reason to believe anything I say, but I am sorry.  You deserve so much more, more than I’ve ever been able to give you.”

 

“I just want you to believe in me.  Tell me the truth.  Don’t keep things like this from me.  I’m not a little kid, I can handle whatever this is,” she said as she gestured vaguely up and down.  

 

“It’s not an excuse, but everything happened so fast yesterday, and I didn’t want to worry you.  I honestly just wanted you to have a good time with Aya and not be concerned with all of this.”

 

“Seriously Dad, do you and Date share a brain?  You both always think leaving me out of stuff is what’s best.  It makes me feel like you don’t care enough to tell me or involve me.”

 

“I…didn’t think of it that way.  I’m sorry Mizuki.”

 

Mizuki sighed and lowered her arms to her side.  She had calmed down slightly and didn’t look nearly as hostile, so that was something Renju supposed.  “Will you tell me now?  What happened to you, I mean.”

 

Renju nodded.  Though it was honestly the last thing he wanted to tell his twelve year old daughter, after everything he just said, he had little choice.  Not unless he wanted to go back on everything once again and prove himself a liar.  “Ok, I will.  Let’s go down to the cafeteria.  We’ll find somewhere nice to sit and have a hot drink, does that sound ok?”

 

“Yeah,” Mizuki answered softly.

 

Renju rose from his chair and stretched his left arm above his head, trying to get some of the stiffness out of his back and neck.  He followed Mizuki over to the door where Ota still stood, awkwardly observing the family argument.

 

“Ota,” Renju said, placing his left hand on the younger man’s shoulder.  “Thank you for all of your help with Mizuki and for being there for her.  I know you’ve been a good friend and I want you to know that I appreciate you being there in ways that I haven’t.  If there’s ever anything you need, just let me know.”

 

Ota shook his head slightly and looked away, an embarrassed blush tinging his cheeks.  “It was nothing Mr. Okiura.  She’s one of my best friends and she would do the same for me.  She’s been there a lot for me too, with the restaurant and…mom.”

 

Renju noticed the slight hint of sadness to his words, but didn’t press further.  He was curious, though now wasn’t the time.  He needed to make things right with Mizuki first.  

 

“Come see me one day this week at the office.  You have my number, text me a day that works for you and I’ll make sure my schedule is open.  We can talk then.”

 

“Really Mr. Okiura, there’s no need!  I’m managing and-“

 

“Ota don’t be so stubborn,” Mizuki said as she stepped out into the hall and held the door open for her father.  “Let Dad try to help.  He’s really good at thinking outside the box and coming up with solutions.”

 

“I…ok.  Thank you Mr. Okiura.  I’ll text you later this evening if that’s alright.”

 

“That will be fine Ota.  I look forward to it,” Renju said with a warm smile, giving the boy a reassuring pat on the shoulder before removing his hand.  

 

That was one thing down, now he had to find a way to tell his daughter about everything she missed in the span of about fifteen hours.  It wouldn’t be easy, but he was going to tell her the truth about everything.  The body swapping, Saito and So, they’re relationship to Iris, all of it.

 

 

 

 

 

Mizuki sat across from her father at the small table, staring at her hot chocolate with way too much whipped cream on top.  She supposed the cafeteria lady felt bad about it just being instant and wanted to do her best to make it taste better.  Which now left Mizuki eating the topping with a spoon to try to even get to her drink.  

 

Her father’s choice had been much more sensible.  A simple cup of green tea with one packet of artificial sweetener.  She wasn’t sure which one, the paper was yellow, but she always avoided the ones that weren’t sugar when she ordered tea out.  

 

Ota was the one that taught her that, telling her that there had been studies done that showed a link between memory loss and an increased risk of dementia.  And seeing first hand what he was going through with his own mom…

 

She’d definitely have to talk to her dad about it.  After staying the weekend with him and Pewter, she could see that the gray haired man was definitely a health nut.  Not only was he vegan, but he was very particular about his diet and exactly what he ate and when he ate.  He wouldn’t have anything past seven at night to make sure he was better able to digest his food and didn’t slow his metabolism down.  And he tended to eat small meals every couple of hours versus large meals three times a day.

 

Maybe if she could get someone as health conscious as Pewter on her side, she would be able to convince her father to switch to regular sugar.  And it would also serve as a test to see if he really did care about her dad like he said he did.

 

Mizuki really had no reason to doubt the other man’s feelings, but she also didn’t want to see her father hurt.  They’d all been through hell with the divorce, the last thing she wanted was someone else to cause him pain.

 

But she’d worry about Pewter and his feelings later.  She needed to talk to her dad about what was going on before he decided to back out.  Because unfortunately for her, she was familiar with his lack of follow through.

 

“So Dad, what happened?”

 

Renju didn’t say anything, staring down at his cup of tea and stirring the completely dissolved sweetener with a flimsy piece of plastic.  

 

“Dad?”

 

“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to think of where I should begin.”

 

“How about with what happened to you and Pewter?  Aya said he was hurt and that she came here to see him, but he was ok.  She didn’t say anything about you being hurt though.”

 

“That’s because I wasn’t when she saw me.  This happened later.  But I think I need to start further back, otherwise this isn’t going to make any sense.”

 

“Start wherever you need to Dad, I’ll listen.”

 

“You probably won’t understand all of this at first, but I’m going to tell you a little about Date and what happened six years ago when he lost his memory.”

 

Mizuki furrowed her brows as she took a sip of her hot chocolate, finally eating enough of the whipped cream to actually drink it.  “And this has to do with how you got hurt last night?”

 

“Indirectly…yes.  It’s a long story and I don’t have all of the details because this was told to me secondhand.  There will probably be some gaps, but in order for you to understand exactly what happened to me, you need to know what happened to him.”

 

“I don’t get it, but ok.  I’m listening.”

 

“Ok then, six years ago, Date went by a different name.  He was actually a completely different person from the man he is now.  Back then, he went by Hayato Yagyu or sometimes Falco…”

 

Mizuki listened with rapt attention as her father started weaving his elaborate tale of crooked cops and Yakuza families and how this all tied in to Iris and Hitomi.  And if that wasn’t enough, he started in on body swapping and how the son of Congressman Sejima was actually one of two men responsible for the Cyclops Serial Killings six years ago.

 

She had been young at the time, only six years old herself, so she didn’t remember it with too much detail.  She’d heard of it of course, and through the years, kids at school would talk about it sometimes.  It was also a favorite topic of discussion among Ota, Iris, and Amame.  Since the killer, or she guessed more aptly killers, had never been caught, they had their own ideas.  Especially Iris and Amame.  They loved conspiracy theories and trying to figure out if this was all some big coverup by the government.  Both girls were convinced it was.  Of course recently, Iris had started suggesting that maybe it was some sort of secret society that was involved. 

 

Though vague, Mizuki did have a few memories of her mom and dad sitting together on the couch and watching the news at night.  Even at six years old, she found their hushed whispers strange.  As well as their growing horror whenever another body was found.

 

Naturally she had been too young to really understand the importance of what happened.  But now as her father was explaining that Rohan Kumakura, his former boss in the Yakuza, was also involved, it sort of made sense that he had such a reaction.  Needless to say, it was hard for Mizuki to imagine her gentle and mild-mannered father as part of a gang, but apparently he was.  Along with her mother.  And Date too.

 

She had a stray thought that maybe she should join, since her whole family was a part of it anyway.  She’d fit right in.  And she was pretty sure this Moma guy her dad was currently talking about would like her, especially since she was strong.  

 

Maybe even Pewter would want in.  No, on second thought, he was definitely too straight-laced for that.  No way a person like him would ever be involved in something that shady.

 

Mizuki brought her attention back to her dad as it was starting to get even more complicated.  And he hadn’t even told her how he had gotten hurt yet.  She really was having a hard time following, just like he said she would.  But she didn’t dare interrupt him to ask any questions, afraid that if she broke his flow now, he might not continue divulging as much information.  Her father was the type that would definitely clam up if he thought he was telling her more than she could manage at twelve.  

 

And maybe it was a little beyond what she could handle.  But she didn’t care.  Her dad was trusting her with something super important and she wasn’t about to let him down.  Not now.

 

He continued on, oblivious to the fact that she was doing her best to process everything he said.  Though that was probably because she wasn’t letting it show on her face.  She kept her expression perfectly passive, nodding every once in a while even though she didn’t understand how any of this was true.  

 

Because how was it possible that the Date she knew, the man who had filled the role of father just as much, if not more than her actual father, wasn’t real?  Sure he existed, but nothing about him was genuine.  His name was fake and the body he inhabited wasn’t his.  It belonged to Saito Sejima, one half of the Cyclops serial killers that her dad had mentioned earlier.  

 

Nothing made sense.  The body swapping was something right out of a science fiction movie.  And she should know, she’d watched tons of them both with Iris and by herself.  

 

Machines that were used to look into someone’s head and see their dreams, while also being capable of switching a person’s soul from one body to another.  It was unreal.  And she couldn’t believe someone as smart and sensible as her father believed it.  But he did.  She could tell by how he continued on, despite the fact that his voice was starting to give out.

 

He was now at the point in his story where the events were only from a few days ago.  He had skipped over several years, but she guessed nothing significant had happened during that time.  

 

Well, besides her parent’s divorce and going to live with Date.  Shoko drinking more to cope with it all and starting to distance herself until a year ago when she basically cut off all contact.  And then her father, while he remained in her life and would see her two or three times a month, wasn’t nearly as involved as he used to be.  He had pretty much just given up, not knowing how to mend their broken relationship.

 

There really was no reason to rehash all of that.  Not when they talked about it at length over the last couple of days when she had stayed with him and Pewter.  They certainly weren’t exactly where they needed to be, but they were getting there.  And that was more than he had done in the last several years.  

 

She better start paying attention again, especially since her dad was talking about some sort of dream that Pewter had.  One that was so real he made her father go to where he and Date worked to use the machine he invented.  He wanted Date to go into his dreams and try to get more out of it than what he could remember.

 

Her father told her how horrified he had been, seeing everything play out on the small screens next to Date and Pewter’s superior.  He’d seen her mother dead, but it hadn’t actually been her.  Saito Sejima had swapped with her a year prior and had been a parasite waiting in her body for just the right moment.  And when he finally found it, he had lured Renju to him and swapped into him.  After the switch was complete, he had stabbed her father to death, while in her mother’s body.

 

Mizuki did her best to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes.  If it hadn’t been for Pewter and his strange vision of the future, she would have lost both of her parents.  She wouldn’t be here right now, trying to rebuild her relationship with her dad.  It was hard to imagine how very different her life would be in that moment had that other future come to pass.

 

What was now a fairly normal Tuesday, besides the story she was hearing, would have been a day filled with mourning and grief.  And while she would have still had Date, she knew there would be very little he could do to comfort her.

 

Despite wanting to hear the rest of the story, she bolted out of her chair and ran around the table.  This time she wasn’t as careful as before, grabbing her father tightly and burying her head in his chest.  He hissed at the pressure on his wrist but didn’t push her away, wrapping his one good arm around her back and holding her closer still.  

 

“It’s ok sweetheart, it’s ok,” he said softly, his own voice breaking with emotion.

 

Mizuki didn’t say anything, knowing that words would fail her in this moment.  She didn’t even think she could get her vocal cords to cooperate if she wanted to, her throat was so tight it was a wonder she could make any noise at all.  But as the raw and broken sobs tore from her throat, it seemed it was possible. 

 

The rest of the story could wait.  Whatever happened last night didn’t change the fact that her dad was here.  He was hurt, and badly at that, but it was more than he would have been if Pewter hadn’t had that dream.  Her parents were still alive and she had the chance to grow up and mend her broken family.  And it was all because of her father’s insanely smart, but slightly odd, boyfriend.  She owed him everything.

 

But for now, she would just be happy that on this particular Tuesday, she was still able to hug her father.  That he was alive and holding her close.  Everything else could wait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What?” Pewter asked, voice barely a whisper.

 

Date watched with a concerned frown, taking a step forward to stand next to his friend.  With the exception of So, everyone else in the room was in varying degrees of shock and disbelief.  Even Saito was staring at his father’s back with a startled expression.  How strange.

 

“You didn’t know?” Boss asked, picking up on the blonde’s cues just like he was.

 

“Of course I didn’t know!  This can’t be possible, you don’t have a sister!”  Saito rose from his chair and walked around the table, standing directly in front of So.  

 

Pewter flinched ever so slightly and took a step back, not wanting to be closer to his apparent cousin than he needed to be.  Moma still stood in between the two, but he wouldn’t be much of a buffer if the two taller men decided to come to blows.  And knowing Pewter and his short temper as of late, it might come to that.  Naoki could certainly attest to it.

 

“Calm down Saito.  There’s no need to get so upset about it.  It’s not that big of a deal.  Yes, I have a younger sister, but we’ve been estranged for years.”

 

“How?  I’ve seen our Koseki.  You don’t have any siblings on there.  You were an only child.”

 

“I had it altered.  My career was just starting to take off and Fumi had started…losing her grip.  She just up and left one day, fled to Europe and filed for divorce there.  As much as I love my sister, I couldn’t risk the liability she posed if our familial connection remained.”

 

Saito snorted, lip curling up in a sneer.  “Naturally, can’t let anything stand in the way of your goals, not even family.”

 

“You always take things the wrong way-“

 

“And how exactly was I supposed to take it?!  Hmmmm?  Nothing in this world will ever be as important as you and your ego!”

 

“Did my moth-“ Pewter cut himself short, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.  “Did your sister say why she left?”

 

“What did your father tell you?”

 

“That’s not what I asked.  It doesn’t matter what he said, I want to know if she said anything to you before she left.”

 

So sighed softly, looking between his son and nephew, both with eyes the same emerald shade of green.  “She was extremely agitated the day she left.  It was all very rushed and the only thing she took was one single suitcase.  She actually called me from the airport, right before she was supposed to board her plane.  I guess she wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have enough time to meet her in person and try to stop her.”

 

“You said she was agitated, why?  What gave you that impression?  What did she do?”

 

“She wasn’t making any sense.  She just kept saying she had to leave, that it was the only way to save you.  That if she stayed, you’d be in danger.”

 

“From what?” Pewter asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“She wouldn’t say.  I asked her that myself, but she just kept repeating the same things.  That she had to go far away.  That she was going to find a solution to all of this, but she couldn’t stay here.  And then she hung up.  I didn’t even know where she was going, the only reason I knew she was at the airport was because I could hear all of the announcements in the background.”

 

“And you just left it at that?  She was your sister and you let her take off to who knows where when she was clearly having some sort of episode?”

 

“Of course he did.  You’re supposed to be so smart, haven’t you figured it out yet that father only cares about himself?  You’re delusional if you think he actually gives a shit about you or your mother,” Saito said in a huff.

 

“I didn’t ask you.  You shouldn’t even be here, you should be sitting in a jail cell right now.”

 

Saito grinned, the smile looking eerie now that he was the one back in control of the body and not Date.  “But I’m not.  And I won’t be.  Better get used to me Cuzzo, I’m not going anywhere.”

 

 

“Don’t call me that.  You’re nothing to me.”

 

“Awww, I’m hurt!” Saito said as he put a hand to his chest.  “Especially after me and that sweet boyfriend of yours got so close.  He really is passionate.”

 

Pewter lunged forward, letting out a growl.  Saito had been ready for the move, knowing that his teasing would get the engineer riled up.  He quickly moved away, sidestepping and catching Pewter right in the ankle.  His older cousin stumbled, but didn’t completely lose his balance, catching himself on the edge of the table.

 

Date had seen enough, he grabbed Saito by the back of the shirt and pulled roughly.  The blonde hadn’t expected that move and had no choice but to let himself be pulled backwards.  The former assassin kept a firm grip on the shirt, holding on to Saito almost like a cat would to it’s kitten’s scruff.

 

“You need to quit.  Whatever little game you think you’re playing, stop.  You’re lucky you aren’t in a jail cell, but don’t think you couldn’t be.  Whatever you think is saving you right now, won’t last forever.  So calm down and stop antagonizing my friend.”

 

Saito didn’t say anything, instead just letting out a frustrated sigh as he tried to dislodge Date’s grip.  It didn’t work.  

 

“As for you,” Boss said, moving forward to stand closer to Pewter who was eyeing Saito up with nothing but pure disdain.  “You need to put your differences aside for now.  I know you hate him and I’m not telling you to become best friends-“

 

“Good, because that isn’t happening.”

 

“Glad to see we agree on something,” Saito snipped.

 

“Anyway,” Boss continued.  “You don’t need to be friends.  You don’t even need to get along.  But as long we’re here, you two aren’t fighting.  Save that for the Sejima family dinner.”

 

“The two of you aren’t fighting regardless, we’re family and we’re going to act like it,” So said, looking between his son and nephew with a slight frown on his face.  “You both need to understand how different things are now.  We need to be a united front as you both will be a direct reflection on me during the next election.”

 

“Do you ever get sick of talking about that?  I haven’t even been back a full day and you won’t shut up about it.  Just drag Iris along, she’s the only one you care about anyway.”

 

Iris?  Why would…?  And then Date remembered.  Iris was So’s daughter with Manaka, Hitomi and Renju’s best friend.  He hadn’t actually known the information back when he was Falco, but now that he did, he wasn’t going to let So manipulate the situation.  The girl had already been through enough, but he didn’t like Saito’s implications.

 

“What are you talking about?” he asked lowly, tightening his grip on the blonde’s shirt.

 

“Come on man, you’re going to choke me, let go.”

 

Date loosened it ever so slightly, but still refused to let the other man out of his grasp.

 

Saito let out a sigh and stretched his neck from side to side.  “Whatever.  It’s not like I care.  Father dearest wants to present my darling little sister to the country, and try to use her to win the election.”

 

“What?” Date growled, turning his stare towards the older Sejima.

 

“It’s not like that.  I’m simply looking ahead to ensure that I’m the one to break the news to the media outlets.  I want to be able to control the situation.  If this were to come out before I was ready and fully prepared, it could have negative effects on Iris.  And her mother.”

 

“Are you threatening them?”

 

“No, I’m not.  I simply know how those reporters can be.  If they find out before my story is ready to go, they are going to assume Hitomi was pregnant out of wedlock and ran off with my daughter.  She’ll be scrutinized heavily for that, as will Iris.  I’m trying to find the best way possible to save everyone’s reputation.”

 

“But especially your own,” Saito mumbled.

 

“Enough, all of you.  We have something more important to discuss than your family squabbles.”

 

“Really?  I was enjoying this,” Naoki said, still sitting at the other end of the table.  He leaned back comfortably in his chair, hands resting behind his head as he watched everything unfold.

 

“You do realize this is exactly why everyone wants to punch you.”

 

Naoki shrugged, hands still behind his head.

 

“As I was saying, this can wait.  We need to get to the bottom of everything that happened with Saito.  And it looks like your mother is the one at the head of all of this.”

 

“Please don’t call her that,” Pewter said warily.  “That woman may have given birth to me and shared half of her DNA, but she is absolutely not my mother.”

 

“Come now Futa, you don’t mean th-“

 

“Don’t I?” Pewter cut So off.  “What has she ever done for me?  She walked out before I could even remember her.  She’s never once tried to get in touch with me.  To my knowledge she’s never tried to support me in any way.  But let’s say she did, it means absolutely nothing.  I would have rather had my mother growing up than her money.”

 

“Abandoning children does run in the family,” Saito deadpanned.

 

“Enough Saito!  You are not helping the situation at all.”

 

Saito looked confused for a moment, furrowing his brows together.  “Uh, I wasn’t trying to.”

 

Date watched as the three men dissolved into petty arguments once again.  They were shouting at each other, though it was hard to make out what any of them were saying.

 

He watched as Moma just stood off in the corner.  He had been silently observing the same as Naoki had, though there was no amusement on his face.  It was easy to tell that the Yakuza leader was just over this whole thing.  But he didn’t dare to leave, not when his biggest client was still standing in the room.  

 

Where Moma was frustrated, Boss was angry.  He could practically see the vein throbbing in her forehead.  There were very few occasions where he actually saw her emotions get the better of her, as she was usually the most easy-going person in any room.   But now, after being ignored by So, Saito, and Pewter, he could see that she was at her breaking point.

 

She let the yelling continue on for another fifteen seconds or so before bringing her thumb and pointer finger to her lips.  She opened her mouth ever so slightly and let out a whistle so loud and shrill that Date winced.  The fighting immediately stopped, and even Naoki was looking serious as Boss stood there, arms now crossed over her chest and glaring at So.

 

“I said enough of the arguing.  You all want to fight, then do it on your own time.  Right now, we have to figure out what happened.”

 

“That should be pretty obvious,” Saito said, finally wrestling his way out of Date’s hold.  “Father had Auntie Fumi scramble my brains in order to make me compliant.  Back-fired big time though.”

 

“That is not what she was supposed to do.  She said she was working on something that she thought would help you.  Do you think I would have actually let her do this if I knew?”

 

“I mean, yes.”

 

So was about to retort, but Boss slammed her fist down on the able, effectively silencing him.  “No, we’re not starting this again.  We all need to concentrate and figure out exactly what happened.  I don’t believe for one second that all of this was just innocent.  Who comes up with actual mind control to fix a brain abnormality?  Especially when we’ve proven that medication in fact works.”

 

“Again, I didn’t actually know this is what she was doing, but as I said before, Fumi wouldn’t have had malicious intent.  She’s not that kind of person.  I truly believe she was trying to help Saito.”

 

“Well, be that as it may, it doesn’t change the fact that we have a big problem on our hands now.”

 

“What do you mean Boss?” Date asked.

 

“Fumiyo has effectively come up with a way to make mind control real and tangible.  What if Saito isn’t the only one she did this to?  And even if he was, she still used it later on to try to get him to kill an entire list of people, not to mention the Cyclops victims.”

 

Naoki winced at that, eyes briefly flickering to Saito and then back to Boss.

 

“That wasn’t my sister.  Remember?  Rohan gave all of the orders.”

 

“But Rohan found out about the mind control from Fumiyo,” Boss countered.  “He didn’t just happen to stumble on it.  He couldn’t have, not with how specific those keywords are.”

 

“Even if she did tell him about it, which I doubt because Rohan never mentioned having ties to her before, she wouldn’t have ordered anyone’s death.  That would have been all Rohan.”

 

“No, I don’t think so,” Moma spoke up.  

 

So narrowed his eyes, lip curling up in a sneer as he took in the shorter man.  “And what makes you say that?  Your brother was no stranger to murder.”

 

“I didn’t say he was.  But just because he’s a killer, doesn’t mean he ordered those deaths. None of them were tied to our family in any way. And like I told you before, he didn’t just kill random people for the hell of it.”

 

“I’d hardly call Iris, Hitomi, and Renju random.  And the other two were indirectly involved as well, right?  Renju’s ex-wife and Hitomi’s boyfriend.  He wanted them all dead because they knew about Manaka or were connected to someone that did.”

 

“I wasn’t talkin’ about them.  Yeah, he would have ordered those hits, but I’m talkin’ about the Cyclops killings.  Someone else had to be behind that.”

 

“And you all think my sister was?”

 

“Who else could it be So?” Boss asked, slightly frustrated edge to her voice.  “She’s the one that set this all in motion.  And we never were able to discover a motive for their killings.  All four women were strangers.  They weren’t connected in any way.  None of them knew each other or even had any mutual friends in common.  They lived in different areas of the city, worked vastly different jobs, and were different ages.”

 

“Given that information, it seems all the more likely that they were random killings orchestrated by Rohan.  The man was crazy, he didn’t need to have a reason to kill someone.  If he didn’t like a person, he would kill them.”

 

“I think your sister holds the key to all of this.  Maybe she tried the mind control on them or she knew them somehow.  Maybe they worked with her in some indirect way.  I don’t know.  All I do know is that she is involved in this case in some way, shape or form.”

 

“What are you trying to say?” Naoki asked, his expression a strange mix of sadness, anger, and something else that Date couldn’t quite place.

 

“I’m going to have the Cyclops case reopened.  A new investigation is going to happen and I’m getting every single piece of evidence and all the reports sent to ABIS.  But before that, I’m having an arrest warrant issued…for Fumiyo Amanoma.”

Notes:

Mizuki's back! I know it's been forever since we've seen her, but timeline wise, she hasn't been gone all that long. But either way, she's back and is having a much needed talk with her dad.

I'm also trying to integrate Ota into the story a little. I'll be honest, he's not a character that I particularly like in canon. He's annoying at the best of times, and downright creepy at the worst. But, he's also shown that he does have the power to change and make better choices, so let's see if I can give him the Shoko treatment and make him a little more likable.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and spent time with family or friends. Please enjoy the latest chapter and if you liked it, leave a comment!

Chapter 37

Boss yawned tiredly as she picked up her cup of coffee and took a cautious sip.  She grimaced at the taste but kept drinking, needing all the caffeine she could get.  It was stronger than she usually made it, probably more akin to espresso at this point.

 

Taking a large gulp this time, she ignored the way it burned down her throat.  Instead just trying to get it in her system as quickly as possible.  

 

God, it really was awful.  Maybe she shouldn’t have tripled the scoops she usually used in her machine.  But all she had been thinking of was the best way to keep going and stay awake.

 

She wouldn’t touch those energy drinks.  And not because of the caffeine content, that she could handle that.  

 

No, the one time she had actually brought a few in, handing one to Pewter and Date, the former had chewed her out for it.  She thought she was doing something good as they had been working on a big case and were both exhausted from the long hours they had been putting in.  

 

Date took his without complaint, but Pewter looked at her like she had just handed him a bottle of poison.  And then she had to listen to a ten minute lecture about how dangerous energy drinks were.  Even though he was no longer in the building, it wasn’t worth him finding out that she had one.  She’d never hear the end of it.  

 

So instead, here she was drinking her concoction that tasted more like mud than anything else.  Even with the copious amount of sugar she added, it didn’t help.  She would have added milk, but when she checked her mini fridge, she saw that it had gone bad about two weeks ago.  Oh well, that was a problem for another day.

 

Boss took one final gulp of liquid tar before sitting the empty cup back down.  “Bleh.”

 

If the caffeine didn’t kick in soon, she’d just have to go up to the fourth floor and use one of the vending machines to get a soda.  There was no way she could stomach another cup of whatever the hell it was she made.  But for now, she’d at least try to go through some of the files she had sitting on her desk.

 

For once she was actually seated in her chair, several folders stacked neatly in front of her.  Her plan was to try to go through at least half of them if she could.  There were thirteen in total, two per Cyclops victim and then an additional five on the case itself.  She could have probably gotten through all of the files if she hadn’t sent everyone home, but for once, she agreed with Naoki.  They all needed rest, herself included.  And she would go home after she at least made an attempt to go over the basics of the case.

 

Not that she was overly excited to go back to her house as it was; she’d have to bring Saito home with her.  Currently, he was making use of the bunk room and hopefully taking a nap.  At least that way he wouldn’t bother her.  

 

She wasn’t particularly worried about him sneaking out either.  The only way out was either climbing six flights of stairs, or the elevator.  And while Saito probably didn’t mind doing either one, Boss had engaged the security system Pewter had designed.  It had a lockdown feature that meant only those with badges could use the card reader to access the stairwell or elevator.

 

She was pretty sure she heard Saito down the hall earlier, actually trying to get out.  He must have gotten frustrated pretty fast because it wasn’t too much later that she heard the door to the bunk room slam shut.

 

For someone who was thirty years old, he sure acted like a sullen teenager.  Despite all that, she supposed she should cut him a little slack.  After all, it wasn’t entirely his fault that he was this way.  

 

And she needed to give him some time to acclimate back into the real world.  He’d been in and out of some sort of fugue state since he was twelve, so a small amount snippiness on his part wasn’t completely out of line.

 

She really did need to stop thinking about Saito though, and concentrate on the files in front of her.  She wouldn’t solve anything, or help him, if she didn’t start reading.

 

For once she found herself wishing she hadn’t sent Naoki home, knowing his help would be absolutely invaluable right now.  The younger man could be thoroughly annoying and almost always in a bad mood, but he was smart.  If he had been there, she was fairly certain they could get through these files in a few hours.  And while she didn’t always agree with him, she had to admit he had good instincts.

 

Unfortunately keeping him there, or any of the others, wasn’t something she could do.  Technically, she supposed she could pull her rank and demand it, but seeing how tired everyone was finally did it for her.  Naoki was all but dead on his feet by the time the conversation ended with So Sejima.  Pewter and Date weren’t much better either.

 

The two of them ended up heading back to the hospital, choosing to ignore their exhaustion for the time being.  Pewter wanted to pick up Renju, and Date was going along because he wanted to be able to visit with Iris and Hitomi now that his memory was back.  The two had left almost immediately; So and Moma following close behind.

 

That had left her, Saito, and Naoki.  Even though the other engineer didn’t live terribly far, Boss still didn’t want him driving.  She just wasn’t willing to take the risk that he could get into an accident and asked him to either have someone come pick him up or take a taxi.  It just proved how absolutely worn out the other man was when he didn’t hesitate to call his girlfriend and ask her to take him back home.  Normally Naoki wouldn’t have listened to anything she suggested, but she figured maybe the lack of sleep had gotten to him and made him a little more docile.

 

Boss felt the corners of her lips twinge upward, remembering when the girl met him over at the elevator.  Kanna had been right with her comments, Naoki’s girlfriend absolutely looked the part of some weird, beach dominatrix.  She wore all black, though it was highlighted with a bit of orange and yellow throughout, including what looked like a clam bra worn on the outside of her shirt.  It reminded Boss of her teenage years, dancing around her room and wearing a homemade cone bra.  The latest La Donna single playing as she belted the lyrics out at the top of her lungs.

 

It made her wonder if that’s the kind of look she was going for.  Though from the little Naoki had mentioned her, the girl was apparently twenty-two, so it was likely she didn’t have a clue about that little piece of music history.  

 

Watching the way the girl fawned over her subordinate, it was easy to see that they were a good match.  Unusual and definitely odd, but good nonetheless.  She was pretty sure there had to be an interesting story behind their meeting, but she wasn’t going to press her luck trying to get it out of him.  She’d wait until he wasn’t expecting it and see if she could trick him into divulging it later.

 

After a few moments of pleasantries, Boss sent the two on their way.  Granted, one of her favorite things to do was aggravate the brunette, but he was too easy of a target at the moment.  And it wasn’t any fun if he didn’t fight back a little bit.  

 

Boss sighed as she looked over at the still unopened files sitting on her desk.  Somehow it seemed even larger than before.  Of course, it wouldn’t get any smaller if she just sat there and continued daydreaming.  Reaching forward, she grabbed the first one off of the stack and flipped the cover back.  

 

Chihiro Fujiwara, the first victim.  She was twenty-seven at the time of her death, the same age her cousin Kanna was now.  That was still hard to believe.  The girl had managed to keep the information under wraps for six years, never telling anyone besides Naoki apparently.  It suddenly all made sense how desperate she was to join ABIS when they had first been given the funding.  No one in their right mind would want to join a brand new division made up of just two people with barely tested technology, but that didn’t stop Kanna.

 

“Oh my God, can we leave?  I’m bored and I’m hungry,” Saito whined as he threw her office door open and walked straight in, not waiting for an invitation.

 

“Don’t you know how to knock?  All that money and Daddy couldn’t buy you some manners?”

 

Saito rolled his eye, purposely striding towards Boss’ desk and bringing his knuckles down to rap against the wood.  “Better?”

 

“No, but just sit down.  If you’re here, then you can help.”

 

“Help?  With what?”

 

“Reading through these files.  I need to find some sort of connection, some sort of reason why Rohan chose them.  And how they all link back to Fumiyo.”

 

Saito grabbed the black chair sitting against the wall and dragged it over, placing it opposite Boss before taking a seat.  He grabbed a file from the same pile Boss had, opening his to photograph of Yui Sugimoto, along with her basic information.  The second victim.

 

“So, you really think my…Aunt did this?”

 

Boss was quiet for a moment, staring down at Chihiro’s smiling face.  The truth was, she didn’t know.  There was just as much of a chance of Fumiyo not being involved, but she didn’t have any other leads to go off of.  If Moma were to be believed, his brother wouldn’t have been the one to choose the victims.  Though she had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that she actually trusted someone that was a Yakuza, it didn’t change the fact that she did.  

 

With Rohan effectively eliminated, that left Saito.  And there was no way he was behind it, his Somnium had proved that much.  But if it wasn’t either of them, and if it turned out that it wasn’t Fumiyo either, she’d be back at square one.  

 

“I honestly don’t know if she did or not.  I really don’t.  But given what she did to you, there’s a good possibility that she’s involved in all of this somehow.”

 

“And you think the key to proving that is in these files?”

 

“Maybe?  I can’t say for sure.  The case was thoroughly investigated and we were never able to find a link between any of the victims.  They didn’t know each other.  There weren’t any mutual friends.  They all worked different types of jobs and at different companies.  They came from different backgrounds.  Nothing similar at all.”

 

“Then if you know all that, what makes you think you’ll find something in here?”

 

“I don’t know if I will, honestly.  Maybe there isn’t anything to find and we’ll just have to wait until we can find Fumiyo and bring her in.  But if there’s any chance that I’m missing something, I want to try.”

 

Saito nodded and flipped the page over, starting to read the information about Yui’s background.  He didn’t look up, but said, “If I’m going to help you with this, at least feed me.  Order something from GooberEats.”

 

“Seriously?  You think you can order me around and get me to pay for your meal?  Order something yourself if you’re hungry.”

 

“How?  I don’t have a phone.  Moma took his back.  And, since you basically kidnapped me from my home while I was unconscious, it’s not like I had time to grab my wallet.  ‘Course the credit cards probably aren’t any good now anyway.  But the least you can do is feed me, since I’m helping you out.”

 

“I think I’d be a little nicer to the person that’s currently keeping you out of jail.”

 

“And I think I’d be a little nicer to the person that is going to sit here and read through all of these files with you.  I could just go back to the bunk room and take a nap.”

 

Boss let out a loud sigh as she grabbed her cell phone and pulled up the app.  Loathe as she was to admit it, she did want his help.  It would suck to have to read through this mountain of files by herself and Saito seemed fairly intelligent, so they would likely get through it all in a few hours if they kept a steady pace.

 

“Order some sushi too.  And don’t cheap out. Get the good stuff, I’m sure you can afford it.”

 

Yeah, they could probably get through it in a couple of hours as long as she didn’t kill him first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date paced the hallway full of nervous energy.  He was right around the corner from Iris’ room, but he didn’t dare walk into view.  Not when he could still hear Pewter’s voice, quietly telling Hitomi the events of the last several hours.  Apparently Renju had filled her in on quite a lot, so it made Pewter’s job easier.

 

Hitomi had asked to talk in the hall, not wanting Iris to hear everything right at that moment.  And Date couldn’t blame her.  The surgery was a success and her recovery was already going well, but it wouldn’t be the best idea to get her overly excited.  Not until she was given a complete bill of health.

 

The door had opened and Pewter stepped out first, loudly stating that the hallway should be the perfect place to talk.  Date barely rounded the corner before Hitomi followed the engineer out, calling over her shoulder to Ota and asking him to come get her if anything happened with Iris.

 

Before Pewter even had a chance to speak, Hitomi immediately asked him about the swap with Saito.  She said Renju told her everything, including how they were trying to track Aiba’s signal to get an idea of where Saito could be.

 

His friend hesitated only a moment before beginning to tell her all that had happened since he left the hospital earlier and went back to ABIS.  He could hear Hitomi’s gasp when she was told that he was now back in his original body, and his memories had returned.

 

Of course Pewter didn’t stop there.  He explained as quickly and concisely as he could about Saito still being around, the mind control, and the biggest revelation of the day, his connection and relationship to So Sejima.

 

Date peaked around the corner at that, Hitomi was mostly facing away from him and he could just make out her left profile.  He may have seen her just two days ago, but watching her through his own eyes with his own memories reminded him of just how beautiful she was.  She hadn’t changed at all in six years, if anything, she was even more gorgeous than he remembered.

 

He felt his heartbeat pick up in his chest and it took everything for him to remain standing where he was.  There would be a time to talk to her and reveal himself, but he wanted to let Pewter finish speaking first.  His reunion could wait a few more minutes.

 

“You’re So Sejima’s nephew?  Then that makes Iris…”

 

“And I cousins, yes,” Pewter replied softly, his voice full of warmth.

 

“All this time she’s been talking about her new big brother and it turns out you’re actually related.  Once we tell her, she’ll be thrilled.  But wait, that means Ayame is her cousin too.”

 

“Not quite,” Pewter started.  “My sister and I have different mothers.  My birth mother is So’s sister, while Aya’s mother actually comes from a decent family and not one made up of narcissistic sociopaths.”

 

Hitomi laughed at that and then quickly covered her mouth with her left hand.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have laughed, but it’s just so true.  Though there may be hope for the Sejima side, they gave us you and Iris after all.”

 

“It’s hard to be thankful for someone that abandoned me.”

 

Date watched Hitomi step forward, enveloping Pewter in a hug before he could react.  He stood awkwardly, not quite sure if he should hug back or not.  

 

“It may not mean anything coming from me, but I’m grateful to have you in our lives, no matter what brought you into them.  You saved my daughter’s life, and you’ve made my best friend happier than I’ve ever seen him before.  And for what it’s worth Futa, family are the ones that love you and care for you, not necessarily the ones you’re blood related to.”

 

She stepped away then, a small smile on her lips as she watched the taller man.  It was easy to see that Pewter was still having a hard time coming to terms with everything he had learned that afternoon, but he gave the barest of smiles back.

 

“I suppose you would know a thing or two about that.”

 

“I do.  Iris isn’t my blood.  I didn’t nurture her inside my body for nine months, I didn’t go through hours of labor to bring her into this world, I wasn’t the first one to hold her in my arms.  But, none of that matters.  She is my child.  Nothing in this world will ever change that.  Just like your mother.”

 

“It’s not the same.  I don’t even remember her.”

 

“Not your birth mother.  The woman that raised you.  She’s the one you look at that way, isn’t she?  And even though she’s not your blood, you love her the same.  Just because you suddenly found out that you have other relatives, doesn’t invalidate the bonds you’ve created,” Hitomi said comfortingly.  “And besides, you have Iris and I now.  We’re happy to call you family.”

 

“I…” Pewter cleared his throat.  “Thank you.  That means a lot.”

 

“Even if you weren’t related to my daughter, I’d still think of you that way.  You can’t get rid of us that easily.”

 

“I wouldn’t want to.  But on that note, I better find Renju.  I have a lot to tell him.  You said he and Mizuki went down to the cafeteria?”

 

“They did.  He was planning to tell her the same things he told me.  He didn’t want to lie to her about how he got hurt.”

 

Pewter nodded in understanding.  “I suppose I can help fill in a few of the gaps then.  And while I do that, I believe there is someone here that wants to speak with you.”

 

“You don’t mean…”

 

Pewter smiled warmly and pointed down the hall.  Hitomi slowly turned around and Date took that as his cue to step around the corner.  

 

He watched her eyes widen in shock, a tiny gasp escaping her lips.  Pewter nodded briefly before walking away, leaving the two of them to their privacy.  Or as much privacy as they could get in the hall.

 

“Hitomi, I’m so-“

 

“Hayato!” Hitomi exclaimed, running forward and launching herself into his arms.

 

Instinctively he pulled her closer, hugging her tight against his chest.  She melted against him, fitting perfectly together just like they used to.  Having her here, being able to feel her warmth against him, it was like no time had passed.

 

“I can’t believe you’re here.  You’re really back!  You’re-“

 

Date cut her off, leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers.  Just like the night they met, Hitomi didn’t hesitate.  She kissed him back fiercely; six years worth of grief, trauma, loneliness, and heartbreak behind it.

 

He felt alive again.  The feeling that something was missing that always hovered in the back of his mind was now gone.  He was finally complete with the woman that he loved back in his life.  How could he have ever doubted that this was the right thing?  It seemed so silly now.

 

“I’ve missed you so much,” Hitomi said as she pulled away ever so slightly, face hovering close to his.

 

Date smiled brightly, giving her one more quick peck before standing up straight.  He loosened his arms to give her a little more space and room to breathe, but still kept them lightly around her.  “I’ve missed you too.”

 

“I can’t believe you’re back.  Renju told me about the body swapping and everything that happened six years ago, but I never thought I’d get to see you with this face again.  And then Futa comes here and tells me that’s exactly what happened, I just can’t…”

 

“I know it’s a lot to take in.  And I’m sorry for everything I put you through.  You were left thinking I was the one that shot you.  I can’t even imagine how betrayed you felt.”

 

“I knew something was wrong.  In my heart, I knew you’d never do that, but by the time I was strong enough to be released from the hospital, your trial was already over with.  I tried to visit you, but I was told you were in solitary confinement.  You couldn’t have any visitors at all.  I tried for so long, I didn’t want to just give up, but every letter I wrote and appeal I made was rejected.”

 

“Don’t say that, you didn’t give up.  You had to do what was best for you and Iris.  I was just some dirty cop turned Yakuza assassin, you both were honestly better off without me.”

 

“No, we’re not doing this,” Hitomi said firmly, pulling away from Date’s embrace.  She fixed him with a stern gaze as she crossed her left arm across her chest.  “You’re not going to try to push me away as soon as I finally have you back in my life.”

 

“Don’t worry, I’ve done a little soul searching over the last few hours with a good friend of mine.  She told me I’d be stupid to let a good woman like you go.”

 

“She’s right, you would be.”

 

Date laughed, starting to feel more and more like maybe they really could just pick up where they left off.  All the fears he felt seemed to just melt away the more he stood there, staring into her chocolate brown eyes.  He’d never be able to walk away, he couldn’t leave this amazing woman even if he wanted to.  And he absolutely did not.

 

“I don’t want to ruin the mood, but how exactly are you here?  You were sentenced to life in prison.  And while I’m starting to get the picture that ABIS has a lot of sway, I can’t imagine it was a simple thing to get you released.”

 

“I honestly don’t know all of the details myself yet, but Boss is working it out.  She said something about presenting new evidence to pin everything on Rohan.  And since he is still technically listed as deceased, no one will really be able to disprove it.”

 

“Boss?”

 

“Oh, she’s my boss.  And Pewter’s too.  Her real name is Shizue.  I think I might have mentioned her before once or twice in the past.  She’s been my best friend for a long time, we were officers together when we first started out.  She may be a wine drunk man-eater with a strange obsession for boy bands, but she’s as cunning as they come.  If anyone can figure out a way to spin this, it’s her.”

 

“I just don’t want to lose you again.”

 

“You won’t Hitomi.  I’m never leaving you or Iris again, I promise.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naoki watched Kanna’s chest steadily rise and fall, the rhythmic hissing of the ventilator nearly enough to make him finally fall asleep.  He knew he should have gone home.  Hell, that was why he asked Aya to come and pick him up in the first place.  

 

But about halfway there, he asked her to take a slight detour towards the hospital.  He briefly told her there had been an accident at work, and as a result, his coworker had been seriously hurt.  Even though he kept out most of the details, Ayame still didn’t ask any questions.  She knew his job had a lot of government secrets that he wasn’t able to discuss and she had always respected that.

 

It was honestly one of the many reasons he really liked her.  She never tried to manipulate or guilt trip him because he couldn’t tell her certain things, unlike other women he had dated in the past.  She always seemed to understand when an emergency came up too, even though most of the time he couldn’t tell her exactly what it was.

 

And while some women would have been threatened by his sudden need to go see his female coworker in the hospital, she wasn’t.  In fact, she had left him alone so that she could run down to the gift shop and get a bouquet of flowers, saying that it would be nice to have them for when she woke up.

 

Aya had actually met Kanna once, purely by coincidence.  Naoki had shown up to Sunfish Pocket to pick her up after a shift, and Kanna happened to be there with two of her friends.  Of course as soon as she saw her favorite coworker to pick on, she immediately jumped up from her table and made a beeline over to him.

 

He smiled when he remembered the shocked look on her face that Ayame was his girlfriend and not just a waitress he was there to see.  The two girls had chatted for a moment before they had to leave, but the redhead had apparently left an impression on his girlfriend.  Though, she left one on everyone she met.

 

What he wouldn’t give to hear her say one of her stupid nicknames or make vague sexual innuendos with Boss at his expense.  Anything would be better than watching her lay so still, pale face scrubbed clean of any makeup.

 

He didn’t think he’d ever seen her without her signature winged eyeliner or her hair done up in that high ponytail she seemed to favor.  It made her look weaker than she was, because that was never a word he would have used to describe her.

 

“Kanna, I’m so sorry,” he whispered.  “This is all my fault.”

 

He almost half expected her to sit up with that goofy smile she always wore and start laughing.  Teasing him about how she finally got some emotion out of him.  But no, she was still as ever.

 

He had read her chart when he first arrived.  There wasn’t too much actually available on it, most of it was logged in to the hospital’s computer system, he was sure.  Though what was there showed she wouldn’t be waking up any time soon.  She was being kept in a medically induced coma, and probably would be for at least the next week.

 

Kanna had a long road ahead with her recovery.  And while she likely would be able to make a full one, Naoki didn’t know what kind of future she would have at ABIS.  Hell, he didn’t know what kind of future any of them would have.

 

From what Amanoma had explained before leaving, there was a very real possibility that ABIS could be shut down.  Now, Kuranushi didn’t seem too worried and claimed she would take care of it, but he had to prepare himself for the fact that they could all be out of a job soon.

 

He supposed he could apply to the IT department of the actual MPD, but the idea of working a deadend job like that held absolutely no appeal.  Not to mention that wouldn’t be a viable solution for Kanna.  Being a Psyncer was one thing, but he didn’t know if she would ever get the medical clearance to go back to being an officer like she was before.

 

If only he had stopped the Psync as soon as she had felt the cut on her hand.  He would have safely been able to shut the machine down and bring her out so that none of this would have happened.  But instead he ignored his own bad feelings because he wanted answers about his sister’s death.  And because of his selfishness, Kanna had paid the price.

 

He was quickly brought out of his spiraling thoughts as he heard the door open and Ayame step back in.  She was carrying a small pot with a tall, orange orchid in full bloom.

 

“I was going to get her a bouquet, but then I wasn’t sure when she was going to…wake up.  I didn’t want them to be withered.  And I saw this and thought it was perfect.  It’s not as pretty as the ones you grow, but it’s still pretty nice.  I just hope she likes orange.”

 

“She does.”

 

“Really?” Aya’s face brightened.

 

“Mmhmm.  She told me once it’s one of her favorite colors.  Her cousin had a bearded dragon when they were growing up and she used to love and go see it.  She told me it was a really bright shade of orange.”

 

“Well, it is a good color.”

 

“I find myself growing fonder of it too,” he said, smiling up at his girlfriend from his seat.  “Even if you look like some sort of Halloween clam.”

 

“Rude!” Ayame said with a laugh, lightly slapping him on the shoulder.

 

“But true.”

 

“Admit it, your life has been a lot more interesting since you met me.”

 

“It has, but it doesn’t mean you don’t dress like some sort of anime super villain.”

 

“Well, just for that, I’m keeping your card.  You owe me dinner.”

 

“I was going to take you to dinner tonight anyway.  After I get a few hours of sleep.”

 

“Nope.  We’re not going out tonight.  I’m going to stay at your place and we’re going to get an obnoxious amount of takeout food and watch some sort of comedy because we both need to just relax and laugh.”

 

Naoki had to admit, that all sounded really good.  Especially the part about just relaxing in his own apartment with his beautiful girlfriend by his side, watching some sort of mindless movie.  He knew she needed the break as much as he did, with her brother being attacked just last night and all.  She had told him that he had gotten lucky and the injury wasn’t as serious as it could have been, but it still had to be scary for her.

 

No, a night home was exactly what he needed.  What they both needed.  And he’d be able to break the good news that he had managed to get off for Christmas so he’d be able to spend it with her and her family.  They may have only been together two months, but he was secretly thrilled she wanted to introduce him.  It meant she cared about him just as much as he did for her.  They’d spend Christmas with her parents and brother, and then for New Years, he’d take her to meet his own mom.

 

And despite everything that had recently happened, things really were starting to look up.  Normally he would think it was all too good to be true, but with all the bad that had happened, what else could possibly go wrong?

 

“Aya?  What are you doing here?”

 

He spoke too soon.  He’d know that grating voice anywhere.  Naoki slowly turned around, seeing Amanoma standing in the doorway, stupid green visor perched on top of his head.

 

Well…fuck.

Notes:

They're finally back together! It took 37 chapters, but the Date and Hitomi reunion is here!

And we got a little Naoki pov to end the chapter. Had to give this stupid man that I adore a little time.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and always, leave me a comment if you did! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 38

Pewter looked between his sister and Naoki, trying to figure out what was going on.  It wasn’t necessarily a huge surprise that the other man was in Kanna’s room; he did know her fairly well. They had been partnered going on three years and despite Naoki’s many protests, they actually did get along well.  In fact, besides Kanna, Ryuki was the only Psyncer that didn’t have a problem working with the obstinate engineer. 

 

And while Naoki being there at least made a little bit of sense, despite the fact he wished the other man wasn’t, his sister was the surprise.  As far as Pewter knew, she and Kanna were not acquainted.  And there was no way she knew Naoki, which begged the question, why was she here?

 

“What is going on?”

 

Ayame laughed nervously, glancing down at Naoki currently seated by Kanna’s bedside before turning her attention back to him.  “I know this probably isn’t the best time, actually I know it isn’t.  I really wanted to wait until Christmas, but…”

 

“Wait, what?” Naoki asked, his expression taking on a look of disgust.  “No way, you’re not serious.”

 

Pewter opened his mouth to snap at Naoki, but Ayame started talking again.

 

“Ok, here it goes.”  She took a deep breath in and let it out.  “Futa, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend Naoki.  Naoki, this is my brother Futa, but I like to call him Pewter.”

 

Pewter felt his brain short-circuit, unable to even form a coherent sentence.  He was pretty sure he made some kind of noise, but actual words alluded him at the moment.

 

“Are you ok?  Why aren’t you saying anything?” Ayame asked, noticing the awkward silence lingering in the air.

 

“This is your big brother?  The same big brother you said works in the police lab?  The one you said I have so much in common with and we would really get along well?”

 

“Yeah.  Of course you guys will get along.  You both are super in to science and math and stuff.  You’ll have a lot to talk about with him and Dad!”

 

“But your last name…”

 

Ayame had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed by that.  “I was going to tell you, I was!  It’s just…ugh…every time I meet someone new and they find out I’m an Amanoma, the conversation immediately turns to Dad.  I constantly feel like I’m getting interviewed.  And I didn’t want it to be like that with us.  I really like you and wanted to get to know you.  So, I used my mom’s maiden name and said it was mine.”

 

“But he’s…oh my God, he’s really your brother?”

 

“Why are you so shocked?  Do you two actually know each other?”

 

“Unfortunately,” Naoki grumbled.  “We work together.”

 

“No way!  This is the asshole coworker you said dresses like a Kusemon villain?”

 

“How did I not figure it out?  It’s so obvious now with the way you dress,” Naoki mumbled to himself. 

 

“Hey!” Ayame exclaimed before rounding on her brother.  “And you!  Is Naoki the prick subordinate that thinks he’s smarter than he actually is?”

 

“Are you kidding me?  You told Aya I’m a prick?” Naoki yelled, quickly standing.

 

That snapped Pewter out of his daze, taking a step further into the room.  The shock was slowly fading away and he was left with mostly confusion, but also a little bit of anger.  Which honestly, wasn’t that unusual when he was around Naoki.  “So?  You told her I’m an asshole that dresses bad.”

 

“Well you are!”

 

“I am not!  And, why are you calling her Aya?  You have no right to be that familiar with her.”

 

“She’s my girlfriend, or did you miss that part?  Maybe you’re the one that’s not as smart as he thinks he is.”

 

“I don’t know about that, you’re still not smart enough to keep your mouth shut,” Pewter said as he gestured towards his nose, enjoying the glare he received from Naoki.

 

“Wait a second,” Ayame said softly, narrowing her eyes as she brought her full attention on Pewter.  “Please don’t tell me you broke his nose.”

 

“He did,” Naoki answered simply.

 

“Oh my God!  What the hell Pewter?  You can’t just do that!  What’s wrong with you?”

 

“In my defense-“

 

“What defense?  You hit my boyfriend and broke his nose!  What could you possibly have to say to justify that?”

 

“I’m interested in that myself,” Naoki said smugly, crossing his arms over his chest.  He really did look quite pleased with himself, and why not, he had Aya there backing him up.

 

“Sit back down.  I know good and well you were probably running your mouth.  My brother isn’t a violent person, so I’m sure you did something to provoke him.”

 

“But Aya-“

 

“I said ’Sit down’,” she said firmly.

 

Naoki complied and sat back down in the chair, not saying another word.  Pewter almost wanted to laugh, but he didn’t dare to.  He had been on the receiving end of his little sister’s fiery temper before and it was better directed at her boyfriend than him at the moment.

 

He cringed internally at that.  Naoki was Ayame’s boyfriend.  God how could she have chosen so badly?  And why of all people would she be interested in him?  

 

Pewter didn’t claim to know Naoki well at all, but he didn’t really see where they would have any common interests.  His sister loved the arts, in pretty much any form.  She was just as at home at a museum or the symphony as she was a manga café or cosplay convention.  But as far as anything science related, she never made it a secret that it flew over her head and held no interest.

 

That was his thing and their father’s; Aya definitely taking after her mother in regard to her talents and interests.  Shion had been first chair for the Tokyo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra before a car accident cut her career short.  And even though she was no longer able to play on a professional level, she passed on her knowledge and love of music to her two children.  But especially Ayame. 

 

Thinking on those terms, It just didn’t make sense.  Aya could barely keep her focus when he got into discussions with their father about different projects he was working on or the latest journal he had read; it all bored her terribly.  And yet here she was, with possibly the driest, most uninteresting person on the planet.

 

“Hey, don’t think you’re off the hook either!” Aya reprimanded, turning her icy glare towards Pewter.

 

“What are you talking about?  I thought you were blaming him.”

 

“I’m blaming both of you!  You’re grown men and resorting to name calling and playground fights to solve your issues.  If you have a problem, why not talk it out?  Like adults.”

 

“I’m certainly open to suggestions on how to deal with him and that huge chip he has on his shoulders.  It’s not my fault he’s insecure about his intelligence, amongst other things.”

 

“Trust me, I’m not insecure about that, ask your sister,” Naoki said with a smirk.

 

“I’m sorry, what?” Pewter choked.

 

“Enough!  You need to stop running your mouth,” Ayame hissed.

 

“Are you seriously implying that my sister-“

 

“Pewter,” Ayame turned back around, holding up a hand.  “Stop that train of thought right there.  I’m an adult and what I do is my business.  It’s not yours to know, it’s not yours to get involved with, and it’s certainly not yours to give your unsolicited opinion.”

 

“But you-“

 

“If the next words out of your mouth aren’t, ‘But you’re right, you are an adult and can make your own decisions’, then I suggest you shut up about it,” she paused briefly and reached out her hand to Naoki.  He took it gently and stood up, lacing his fingers with hers.  “You’re my big brother and I’ll always love you and appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but you don’t get to tell me who I can date or what I can do with my life.  Am I clear?”

 

“Aya…”

 

“You came here to see your friend, right?” Ayame said, tilting her head slightly towards Kanna.  “We’ll leave you alone so you can spend some time with her.  I’ll text you later after you’ve managed to cool off and then maybe we can have a reasonable discussion.”

 

Ayame didn’t say anything else, walking out the door with Naoki behind her.  The brunette seemed to know better than to try to get the last word in and silently followed behind her, hand still clasped in hers.

 

Pewter watched as they left, door slowly closing behind them.  He honestly didn’t know what the hell just happened.  Seeing Naoki and his sister was the last thing he expected when he visited Kanna’s room.  No, actually that was wrong.  The last thing he expected was for them to be dating.

 

This day just kept getting worse and worse.

 

 

 

Saito set down Narumi Endo’s file and stretched his neck.  He could feel a headache starting to form at the base of his skull and he realized it was probably a combination of how he had been hunched over Boss’ desk and the fact that he was reading with only one eye.  It had been a little strange adjusting to his vision in mono, but nothing really bothered him until that moment.  

 

Of course now that he thought about it, it made sense.  He was putting all the strain on one eye and had been doing nothing but reading for the past two hours.  

 

This wasn’t going to work long term.  He needed to find a solution, but there was no way he was putting Aiba back in his socket.  He’d rather deal with headaches and no depth perception than have her commentary invading his brain.

 

It was strange though, sitting there and thinking rationally about something.  No thoughts in the back of his head about murder or orders he had to follow.  His mind was surprisingly clear, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with that.

 

Because not only was he able to think on his own with no restrictions, but he also felt…emotions maybe?  It was a lot to take in all at once.  He felt actual satisfaction from eating food, enjoying the sushi much like he had when he was in Shoko’s body.

 

And he found himself entertained by the music he had listened to on Moma’s phone.  He used to listen to music a lot when he was a teenager.  Not because he really liked it or even found himself enjoying certain songs, no, he gravitated towards anything that was loud and had an abundance of bass.  He would turn the volume up as far as it would go and listen to the same song on repeat for hours, actually feeling the vibrations through his body.

 

It was the closest he ever came to finding something that made him experience what he believed was actual satisfaction.  Physically anyway.  His mind remained just as impassive and blank as always back then.

 

But now, with whatever drug was still coursing it’s way through his veins, he was experiencing life like he never had before.  Sure, he had been in Shoko’s body for the better part of a year, but she also had a lot of her own issues going on.  It wasn’t like her mind was a happy place exactly.

 

Saito reached forward and grabbed the next file, opening up Honoko Ose’s autopsy report.  He was surprised at the amount of guilt he felt reading through them, and especially looking at their pictures.  Each woman had an actual photo showing them when they were alive, but there were also crime scene and autopsy photos as well.  And with being in various stages of decomposition, they weren’t the easiest things to look at.

 

That didn’t matter though.  Saito owed it to these four women to find out the truth behind their killings.  Why he had been given orders by Rohan, who in turn had been given orders from someone else.  Whether that was his Aunt or not, it didn’t matter.  Four women were dead by his hand and they would never be able to find peace until the one behind it all was brought to justice.

 

Saito almost laughed at that.  It was rich coming from him, that was for sure.  He’d never be able to make up for the things he did and he was selfish enough to admit that he’d only go so far.  Helping out by reading some files was one thing, but he certainly wasn’t about to go to jail over his involvement.  

 

The one thing he had going for him though was the fact that his father was adamant about running in the next election.  While he was already thoroughly annoyed by the subject after less than a day, he had to admit that it did benefit him greatly.  There was no way the man would let him rot in a prison cell, not when it would destroy his career.  And if he remembered correctly, he was pretty sure his father was on good terms with the police commissioner.

 

Though there was nothing he could do at the moment, so he better continue to make himself useful to Boss for the time being.  She seemed to have some modicum of sympathy towards him, misplaced as it was.  And he needed to take full advantage of that.  

 

He wasn’t sure if the affection completely came from her or if some of it was perhaps due to Moma.  The two seemed to be on good terms, or as good as an officer of the law and the head of a crime family could be at any rate.  And because of that, Boss was seemingly following the older man’s lead.

 

He thought back on Moma’s little speech right before releasing him from eighteen years of hell on Earth.  The man had been more sincere and caring than Saito would have thought Rohan’s younger brother was capable of.  He had never met Moma when working with the older Kumakura, Rohan made sure to keep him away from everyone.  Which made sense, he couldn’t let his secret about his perfect weapon get out.

 

Still though, Saito never would have figured that Moma was such a bleeding heart.  The man really was hellbent on righting all of Rohan’s wrongs and turning around the bloody reputation his family had forged.  And because of that, Saito had another unlikely ally in his corner.

 

As long as both his father and Moma were on the same page about his freedom, he really didn’t have anything to worry about.  The two of them would manage to keep Boss and his newfound cousin in check.

 

“Have you found anything useful yet?” Boss asked as she closed her own file and set it back on the pile.

 

“Not a thing,” Saito answered.

 

And it was true.  The autopsy reports were fairly standard, as were the actual files on each of the women and the lives they had led prior to their deaths.  There wasn’t anything extraordinary and groundbreaking to be found.  They all lived fairly average lives, had a few close friends, some family.  In fact, the only things they truly had in common were that none of them were married and they all were employed.  But that was hardly proved a motive.

 

“There’s got to be something.  No one goes to the trouble of hiring the Yakuza just to kill four random women.  It doesn’t make sense.”

 

“Do you have anything else besides the case files?  Were any interviews done with family or friends?  Maybe even coworkers?” Saito asked as he flipped to the next page of the report, a diagram of a skeleton next to a generic female body drawn on the page.

 

Just like the other three, it outlined the injuries she had sustained in death.  Multiple stab wounds were shown on the body and several ribs on the skeleton were circled, showing nicks from where the knife must have dragged against the bone.

 

“Interviews were done and recorded, but the videos aren’t here.  They were completed by a different team, so I have to wait until someone can pull those from archiving.  And to be honest, a cold case from six years ago just isn’t a high priority.”

 

“No, I suppose not,” Saito said, continuing to stare at the page.

 

“And you really don’t remember anything?  You can’t recall even a small detail from your sessions with Fumiyo?”

 

“I already told you I don’t.”

 

“I know that, but I thought maybe after you had some time to think about it, you might remember something.”

 

“You think I’m lying, is that it?” Saito asked, the smallest hint of malice behind his words.

 

Boss sighed and shook her head.  “No, I actually don’t think you’re lying, that’s the problem.  I almost wish you were because then I could eventually get you to talk.  But if you truly can’t remember, it’s pointless.”

 

“I suppose you could always try to Psync with me again.”  Saito wasn’t even sure why he suggested that.  The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to think about them.  But he was surprised that he actually didn’t mind the idea.  Not because he particularly wanted to help out, but more because he wanted answers his own self.

 

“We can’t do that.  The Psync machine is still out of commission, and even if it wasn’t, after what happened to Kanna…it’s just not safe.  I’m afraid if we dive any deeper it could hurt another Psyncer even worse, or possibly destroy your mind.”

 

“If you were careful about it and shut down as soon as something seemed wrong it could work.  And you could use the original machine.”

 

“Definitely not.  I wouldn’t want to use the one here, let alone that one.  It doesn’t have nearly as many safety features, it’s too much of a risk.  We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.  Research and interviews and plain detective work.  God it’s been too long since I worked on the force, I’m really rusty at this.”

 

“You were a cop?” Saito found himself asking.

 

“Yeah, once upon a time.  Me and Hayato were in the same graduating class of officers.  I liked it well enough, but I always felt too…restricted by the way the MPD did things.”

 

“I guess you would.  A sketchy science fair project system and a gray area of consent definitely seems more your speed.”

 

“Yeah, well this gray area of consent is what’s keeping you out of prison, or worse, from being dead, so I’d be pretty thankful for it if I were you.”

 

“Duly noted.”

 

Silence followed after that with Boss going back to another of the seemingly endless folders, while Saito continued to stare at his.  He felt like he was missing something, but he didn’t know what.

 

Whatever it was, probably wouldn’t be found in the autopsy reports though.  The women had all been killed in different ways, no two were alike.  So, there weren’t any similarities between the marks indicated on each drawing.

 

Saito started to turn the page before he noticed something written in the margin next to the skeleton.  It was small, but he thought he had seen those words before.  Maybe on one of the other reports?

 

“Can you hand me Chihiro’s autopsy?  And Yui and Narumi’s too?”

 

“What is it?” Boss asked, grabbing the three files from the discarded pile and passing them to the blonde.

 

“I’m not sure.  Just give me a minute,” he said as he opened each of them.

 

He quickly turned to same page, showing the generic female diagram and skeleton side by side.  Their deaths may have all been different, but that wasn’t what he was focused on.  It didn’t matter, not when he saw the same phrase repeated on all four documents.  

 

“Give me your phone.”

 

“Why?” Boss asked suspiciously.

 

“I need to look something up.”

 

“What did you find?”

 

“I don’t know.  Maybe nothing, but that’s why I need to check to be certain.  Just give me your phone.”

 

Boss raised a brow.

 

“Please.”

 

“Now that’s better.  You can be taught,” Boss said as she unlocked her phone and handed it over.

 

Saito pulled up a search engine and typed in his query, waiting a few moments for it to load the results.  And there it was, plain as day.  They had their link.  Though what it meant, he had no idea.

 

His face must have shown something other than indifference because now he had Boss snapping her fingers in his face and asking, “Well?”

 

Saito put the phone down on the desk, a picture of an x-ray that focused on the lower body still showing on it.  “Each of the reports listed the same thing as a pre-existing condition right here in the margin, next to the skeleton.”

 

“And what is it?”

 

“Pubic Symphysis Diastasis.”

 

“What the hell is that?” Boss asked, grabbing one of the reports and looking at it herself.

 

“It’s a separation of the pubic bone not due to fracture or trauma.”

 

“And that means?”

 

“Typically, it happens to a woman in the later stages of pregnancy or during childbirth.  Normally, it goes back to the way it was, or close enough, several months postpartum.  But, in cases of excessive force during birth, like the use of forceps, it can leave lasting and permanent damage.  Damage that all four victims have.”

 

“But that would mean…the common link…”

 

“Yeah,” Saito said as he leaned back in the chair, closing his eye and letting the world go dark.  “At some point in time, all four victims gave birth and had a child.”

 

 

 

 

Moma trudged up to his front door, letting out a small sigh as he unlocked it and stepped into the foyer.  Finally, he’d be able to get some sleep after running all over the city.  Though, he supposed he would have to deal with Shoko first.

 

He’d check in with Chinpei and let the younger man head home.  There really was no reason for him to stay now that Moma was back.  Hell, there really wasn’t any reason for Shoko to stay.  Her entire basis for being worried was completely gone.  Saito wasn’t a threat and would no longer be coming after her.  Of course she didn’t know that.

 

Moma kicked off his shoes and slid them against the wall.  Normally he’d try to stack them neatly on the rack, but he found himself not really caring at the moment.  He’d pick them up later.  It wasn’t like Chinpei or Shoko would care.

 

Moving a little slower than he normally would, Moma walked down the hall and headed towards the living room.  The house was certainly bigger than he needed, especially as a single man on his own, but it was his family home.  And as such, his sentimental heart wouldn’t allow him to part with it.  

 

Rohan didn’t have any issues with that though.  As soon as their father had passed and Rohan took over as the new head, he moved out, leaving just Moma and their mother.  Which then made it impossible for Moma to leave.  He couldn’t just walk out on their recently widowed mother, not when her health wasn’t the best.

 

So Moma stayed.  He took care of her like the dutiful son he was, while Rohan took charge of the family.  Not that he minded terribly.  His father’s reputation had been bloody, and no one was better suited than Rohan to follow in his footsteps.  At one point in time they had been the top family under the Ujisaki umbrella, though now that fell to the Ito family.

 

It was just as well honestly.  His dealings and operations might not all be legit, especially the investment fraud, but at least he could sleep at night.  Unlike the Ito family head who specialized in human trafficking and drug distribution.  Moma took a slight amount of comfort knowing he didn’t sell his soul in order to stay close to the top with his earnings.  

 

And honestly, all that really mattered was keeping the Ujisaki head happy.  That man didn’t care where the money came from, as long as it came in and the numbers were met.  Moma preferred to stay under the radar as much as possible with Raiyu Ujisaki anyway, not trusting the man in the least.

 

Not that any of the other families trusted him either.  It wasn’t something discussed out in the open, but they all knew he murdered his brother to secure his position as family head.  Ryoichi Ujisaki had been found dead in his office, a bullet to the temple and gun in hand.  A textbook perfect suicide.  The police hadn’t even bothered to investigate, spending less than five minutes on the scene before ruling it as such.

 

Moma wasn’t surprised though.  The MPD did their best to stay out of Yakuza affairs.  Hell, they were probably pretty happy at first to be rid of Ryoichi.  The man was only head of the Ujisaki’s for five years, but in that time there had been a steady uprise in crime.

 

If Moma was being truthful with himself, he had secretly been glad to have the man out of the picture too.  He had never gotten along with Ryoichi, he was too much like Rohan for his tastes.  And maybe that was why Raiyu finally had enough and took his brother out.

 

The newest head wasn’t much better though.  He didn’t have the cruel and violent streak his brother had, but he was smart.  Extremely smart and very calculating.  His weapon of choice was manipulation, and he was willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

 

While Moma certainly didn’t consider himself stupid, he would much rather not go up against someone like that if he didn’t have to.  Especially someone that probably weighed out every single scenario and still came to the conclusion that committing fratricide was the best choice.

 

“Hey there Boss, what are you standin’ around for?”

 

Moma shook his head to clear his thoughts, realizing that he had walked into the living room and apparently was just zoning out, lost in his own mind.  “Ah, nothing, just thinking about…” he trailed off as he took in the scene before him.

 

Chinpei sat on the floor, kotatsu pushed out of the way and against the far wall.  He was surrounded by several wooden pieces and tools, while currently screwing together what looked like a table leg.  Shoko sat on his sofa, typing away on his laptop with one hand, while her other held a glass of red wine.  She casually took a sip, not paying Moma any mind.

 

Moma groaned as he saw the bottle of his Chateau Mouton sitting on the floor.  Of fucking course she went for the one hundred and thirty thousand yen bottle.  Why wouldn’t she?  Shoko wouldn’t dare touch the cheaper stuff.

 

He continued looking around the space, seeing several shopping bags, all of which he noticed bore various designer names on them.  And that was when he saw that the blue haired woman was no longer wearing the clothes she had been when he left, she had an entirely new outfit on, right down to her shoes and jewelry.  Because why would Shoko give a shit about walking around his house with her shoes on?

 

“God fucking damn it Shoko, are you kiddin’ me?”

 

“What?” she asked innocently, turning her head slightly to look at Moma out of the corner of her eye.

 

“Chinpei man, what the hell?  You were supposed to be watching her.  What is all this shit?”

 

Chinpei turned away, looking sheepish as he tried to concentrate on putting together the new piece of furniture.  “Sorry Boss, she said she wanted to go out shopping.  That she needed some clothes, so I drove her to a couple of stores.  Then she saw this table in the window of a furniture store and said that it fit your aesthetic better or some shit, and she had to buy it.  I figured it must have been ok, you gave her one of your credit cards.”

 

“I’m sorry, I did what now?” Moma asked, not sure that he heard right.

 

“Oh yeah, sorry Chinpei.  He didn’t exactly give it to me, but he did leave it here for me to find, so it was obviously fine to use.”

 

“What are you talking about, I didn’t just leave it sitting out.  And it definitely wasn’t for you to go out and pretend to be Holly Go-not-so-lightly.”

 

“Oooo, that’s a good idea, I really do want one of those blue boxes.  We should head back out.”

 

“No, no, absolutely not.  You’re not going anywhere.  God help me, I don’t even want to know what you spent today.”

 

“Yeah, you really don’t,” Chinpei supplied.

 

Moma honestly didn’t know if he should laugh at the absurdity of it all or scream in frustration at the situation, or maybe a little of both.  It had been in the early hours of the morning when he left, but Shoko had been fast asleep.  He knew there was no way she was waking up any time soon, not with how worn out she had been.  So all of this damage had to have been done in the last three or four hours tops.  How did she even manage to spend so much?  And why?  

 

Shoko had always been sort of selfish ever since he had met her, and then once she came into some money with her schemes, it had gotten worse.  But for all the years he had known her, she never went off the handle quite like this.  So what had changed?

 

And then he suddenly remembered her Psync back at ABIS.  The images had played just like a movie, and several of them had mentioned the same thing.  Shoko’s bipolar disorder and her need for medication.

 

Moma was willing to bet that for the past year Saito had taken up residence in Shoko’s body, her mental health hadn’t been at the forefront of his mind.  More than likely he never took her medication, leaving Shoko to come back into her body that was very much in the middle of a manic episode.  

 

He really needed to get Dokuta to write her a prescription.  It wouldn’t work right away, but the sooner they started her on a regular medication schedule, the sooner she could have some relief from her symptoms.

 

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he pushed the button to bring up his homescreen before remembering it was dead.  Yet another thing to thank Saito for.  He had run the battery completely down listening to that stupid music of his and then didn’t even bother to tell him.  

 

Moma stepped around the chaos in the middle of the living room and over to one of the side tables, where his extra charger was plugged in to the wall.  He connected his phone and set it down, the battery icon flashing once to show it was in fact charging before going black again.  Oh well, it wasn’t that important anyway.  He’d call Dokuta in a bit, he was pretty sure the man was getting some well deserved rest anyway.  

 

“Hey Chinpei.”

 

The younger man looked up from his spot on the floor, pausing his work.  “Yeah Boss?”

 

“You can go on home now if you want.  I’m headed to bed for a bit, but I’ll be here.  I don’t want to keep you.”

 

“What about my table?” Shoko asked, taking another sip of wine.

 

Moma took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  He really didn’t want to yell at the woman, not after everything she had been through.  Though the lack of sleep had Moma’s patience wearing thin.  “Shoko, I’m only gonna say this once.  Chinpei is not your servant.  He’s a member of my family and works for me.  Which means he gets paid.  To do his job.  That job does not include putting together furniture that you bought with my money because you were bored.  It also doesn’t include making him chauffeur you all over town to shop and hold your bags.  He was here as protection, and that was it.”

 

“I didn’t make him do anything he didn’t want to do.  Besides, I always liked Chinpei.  He’s one of the few you have that doesn’t make me want to throw a brick at his head.”

 

“Thanks Miss Shoko!  That was really nice.”

 

“Chinpei that wasn’t…never mind,” Moma said with a shake of his head.  “It doesn’t matter Shoko, you don’t get to override my orders.  You might be mostly contract work now, but you’re still technically a member.  And if you want my help and protection, I’m simply asking for a little respect from you.”

 

Shoko finished the rest of her glass and set it down with a huff.  “Fiiiiiine.  I get it.  You’re right ok?”

 

Moma knew that was the best he was going to get out of her, especially since he could tell she was already tipsy.  “As long as we understand each other.  Now like I said, I’m going to lay down for a couple of hours.  I’ve been up all night and I just need to get some rest.  So no more spending.  Watch some TV or whatev-“

 

A loud knock at the front door cut Moma off mid sentence.  He glanced at Chinpei who just shrugged, rising to his feet.  Shoko’s eyes widened as she sat up straighter on the couch, not knowing who could possibly be on the other side.  He could tell she was still worried about Saito, but now wasn’t the time to try to launch in to that.  Plus, even if he still had been an issue, he wouldn’t have just knocked on the front and waited for someone to answer it.

 

“Moma?  You in there?  Open the door!” Dokuta’s voice sounded, slightly muffled on the other side.

 

“It’s open!” Moma yelled down the hall, brow raised in question.  Why was Dokuta here?  It hadn’t been quite two hours since they were together, the doctor heading back to the clinic with Rohan before going to his own home.

 

Dokuta walked in, solemn look on his face.  Moma noticed right away he had changed his clothes, his old friend wearing a black suit and tie, along with a perfectly pressed white shirt.  He opened his mouth to ask why he was so dressed up, but the words died in his throat when the next person walked in behind him.

 

Akito Takata, his first lieutenant.  The taller man wore a suit exactly like Dokuta’s, his moss green hair slicked back and pulled into a low ponytail.  He was always put together, no matter the situation, but something was off seeing his two highest officers standing together in his living room in their best suits.

 

“What happened?” Moma asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.

 

Chinpei looked between them all, sensing the same thing Moma did.  There was a problem, and it was big enough that it brought both lieutenants together.

 

“You didn’t answer your phone,” Akito said simply, gray eyes scanning the room before settling on Shoko.  His expression didn’t change, but Moma could read the slight hint of confusion in the way his gaze lingered on the blue haired woman.

 

Akito had acted as go between for years, so he had come to know Shoko fairly well.  He wasn’t her biggest fan, but then again it was hard to find anyone that genuinely did like the woman.  Still though, he held his tongue, apparently waiting for Moma to speak.

 

“It was dead, and I couldn’t find the charger in the truck.  It’s probably under the seat, but honestly I was more concerned with getting back here than looking for it.  Now, do you two mind telling me what’s going on and why you’re dressed like that?”

 

“You need to get your Montsuki on,” Akito replied. 

 

Moma felt his heart sink.  There were very few occasions that he ever had to wear his most formal Kimono.  Important business meetings, weddings, funerals, or…

 

“Raiyu is dead,” Akito said flatly.  “And the heads are all being gathered.  We need to go.”

 

 

 

Notes:

Another chapter down. We had some family drama, Saito being slightly useful, and poor Moma still not being able to get any sleep. I hope everyone enjoyed it! As always, thank you for reading!

Chapter 39

Iris stared at her mom in disbelief, hardly daring to hope that what she was saying was true.  But the smile on her face proved it all.  It had been a long time since she had seen that look, so full of love and hope.  Sure, she looked at her with love all the time, but this was different.  

 

As far back as she could remember, she had only seen her mother in love once.  And that was with her uncle.  The relationship had only lasted a couple of months, but it was a complete whirlwind.  Iris fondly recalled how easily her mother’s boyfriend had integrated into their lives.  He quickly went from “Mr. Falco” to “Uncle” within a month.

 

Iris knew it was immature on her part to be twelve years old and latch on to someone so completely.  But her Uncle Ren was the only other man in her life and as she got older, he had a harder time splitting himself between her, his businesses, and Mizuki.  Not that she blamed him.  Mizuki was his actual daughter, not her, and she really needed him.  

 

So when Falco actually came into their lives, she found it really hard not to get attached.  He was kind and funny and made her mom so happy.  And honestly, that would have been enough for Iris.  But Falco cared for her just as much as he did for her mom.  He helped her with her homework and made dinner sometimes and even took her to a festival to watch the fireworks.  

 

She had so many good memories for the short time he was a part of their lives.  And then he was just gone.  

 

At the time, Iris didn’t know what had happened.  She had been fast asleep in her bed, but the sound of several loud bangs woke her up immediately.  Confused and not sure if what she heard had been real or part of a dream, Iris stumbled out of bed and down the hall.  She opened the door to the living room and that was when she saw it.  Her mom lying still, God she was so still, in a rapidly growing pool of blood.  Her uncle tackled to ground, struggling as an officer tried to handcuff him.

 

Iris had screamed, running forward and hitting the man trying to restrain Falco with her tiny fists.  It didn’t do much of anything and she was quickly scooped up by another man she hadn’t noticed in all the chaos.

 

He was huge, taller than anyone she had ever met, and so broad.  He picked her up like she was nothing and pulled her away.  She kicked and screamed, but it didn’t do any good, she couldn’t break his vice-like grip.

 

The rest of the night had been a blur.  Everything happened so fast.  The ambulance came and took her mom away.  The cops there tried to talk to her; some woman and the same large man that had restrained her.  She couldn’t speak though, she just kept crying.  She wanted her mom, she wanted to know that she was going to be ok.  And she wanted her uncle.  

 

He had been hauled out and Iris screamed, begging the officers not to take him away.  No one listened though.

 

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed or how long she had been there, long enough for several more officers to arrive and the initial man and woman that spoke with her to leave though.  There had been someone with a camera too, taking pictures of the living room and not allowing her to leave the space.  All she wanted to do was go back to her room and grab her favorite cat stuffed animal and hold it tight.

 

It felt like forever before Uncle Renju had arrived.  She had never seen him look so scared in his life.  He ran forward and scooped her up, nearly crushing her with the intensity of his hug.  

 

After that, everything went by so fast.  She stayed with Uncle Renju while her mom recovered.  He tried to keep everything as normal as possible, taking her to visit Hitomi nearly every day.  But she always asked questions about Falco, questions the other man couldn’t answer.

 

And then one day she was back home, helping her mom up the front steps and opening the door for her.  Uncle Renju dropped them off and made sure they were settled before leaving.  

 

Iris didn’t know how to ask her mom what had actually happened and it seemed like she didn’t know how to start the conversation either.  Eventually the silence grew to the point that neither said anything.  Hitomi went off to bed, leaving Iris with her own thoughts. 

 

Over the years she took to internet searches to find any information she could on what happened that night and where her uncle was. There was very little in the way of articles, which she found strange because she figured the news would have definitely reported a shooting in their quiet, residential neighborhood. 

 

But they never did. And searches for a court case yielded similar results.  Nothing to be found.  Not that she was ever hopeful on that front anyway.  She didn’t know her Uncle’s real name, so how could she find his case?

 

Even at twelve she knew that “Falco” wasn’t his actual name.  Well, she supposed it could have been, but that was incredibly unlikely.  Not that it ever mattered to her.  He could call himself whatever he wanted to, it didn’t change how much she cared about him. 

 

And that’s what made those years of searching even harder.  She just wanted answers.  She wanted to know where he was, why he left.  What had happened that night when all evidence pointed to him being the one to shoot her mom. But she knew in her heart he would never harm either of them. 

 

That was the hardest thing for her.  She couldn’t ask her mom because it was such a painful subject for her.  And she couldn’t go to Uncle Renju because he would turn around and tell her mom that she was asking questions.  So she was left on her own to try to find the answers. 

 

And then one day, she had a brilliant idea of how to find them.  Or so she thought at sixteen. 

 

Uncle Renju had been sitting in her living room, having tea with her and her mom.  This was their normal routine for years.  He’d come over and ask how school was going, if they needed anything, how he could help. 

 

Her mom would talk about work and Uncle Renju would catch them up to speed on his newest idol or band he had signed.  Those were Iris’ favorite moments, listening to the new songs his company would be releasing and dancing around the living room to the music. 

 

Her uncle made a seemingly innocent comment one day about how when she danced, she looked just like her mom at that age.  Iris knew Hitomi liked to dance, she was the one that taught her as a child, but that was when it clicked.  If her Uncle Ren could help her with becoming an idol and sign her to his business, maybe she could get a decent following and become well known.  If that happened, there was a chance Falco would see her and try to contact her. 

 

The only flaw with that plan was that she looked incredibly different at sixteen than she had at twelve.  Would he even recognize her?  He’d know her name, but all of Uncle Renju’s idols used stage names.  How would her other uncle know her if she didn’t even go by Iris?

 

Still though, she started hatching her plan right then and there.  She began dedicating herself to learning all the newest idol dances and filming herself for her ViewCube channel.  It was private at the time, but she wanted to make sure she had enough videos to release and start making a name for herself. 

 

And then one day as she sat editing one of her videos, she remembered the talk she had at the shrine with her uncle.  He was always so smart and full of knowledge on ancient history and civilizations.  They talked for what seemed like hours about Egyptian mythology, but one name stuck out to her more than the others. A-set. 

 

That was it.  She finally had her way to make sure he’d know who she was without any sort of doubt.  Logging in quickly to her account, she changed her User ID, and then proceeded to uploaded her videos without a second thought. 

 

Surely at some point her uncle would see them if she got famous enough.  And he would immediately recognize the name A-set, having chosen it for her himself.  He had joked that same day at the shrine that when she grew up to be a famous idol, that should be her name. 

 

Of course she knew he hadn’t been serious at the time, but what better way to draw her uncle out of hiding then that?  To actually make his silly comment a reality. 

 

And now here she was, sitting in a hospital room, her uncle actually the farthest thing on her mind with everything else that had happened in the last few days.  How funny that the one time she actually wasn’t thinking of the man, he would be what caught her off guard. 

 

The last thing she had expected was her mom to come in her room, beaming in a way she hadn’t seen in so long, and then proceed to drop the bombshell that her uncle was back.  The story she told was pretty short, basically that he had been wrongfully accused of shooting her and had spent a significant amount of time in prison before being released. 

 

Iris knew there was more than what her mom was actually telling her, but she didn’t care. Her uncle was back, and if what her mom was saying was true, standing out in the hallway and waiting to come in. 

 

“Mom, I’m ready.  I want to see him,” Iris whispered, barely able to contain her excitement.  Questions could come later, right now all she wanted was her uncle and her mom.

 

Hitomi smiled softly and called out, “You can come in now.”

 

A few second later the door opened, and there he was, walking in like no time had passed at all.  He looked exactly the same.  His hair was maybe a little longer and she could see that he hadn’t shaved in maybe a day or two, a little more stubble than she was used to seeing.  But other than that, the man standing before her was exactly the uncle she remembered.

 

Iris felt her lips quiver as the tears started.  He was really here!  He was back and she refused to ever let him leave her or her mother’s life again.  “Uncle Falco!”

 

He closed the distance quickly, not wanting her to try to get up.  Sitting down gently on the edge of her bed, he didn’t hesitate to draw her in, holding her tightly in his arms as she sobbed against his chest.

 

“Shhhh, it’s me Iris.  I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” he said as he rubbed her back in soothing circles.

 

That just caused Iris to cry even harder.  She was happy and she knew she shouldn’t be acting this way, but she couldn’t help it.  All of her emotions bubbled to the surface and she couldn’t do anything but continue weep against the man she had spent six years trying to find.  She clutched his shirt tightly, her fingers refusing to let go.

 

No matter what happened from here on out, she knew she would be ok.  Her uncle was back and her little family was complete.  And nothing in this world was going to take that away from her.

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter sat two bowls of soup down on the kitchen table before taking a seat in front of his own.  He watched Mizuki hungrily dig in while Renju was a little more hesitant, taking a small spoonful of broth and swallowing slowly.

 

There was no doubt he was still in pain, despite the medication he was taking.  Pewter had decided given the doctor’s orders that Renju stick with liquids and soft foods, soup would be the best choice for dinner that evening.  He had cooked down the vegetables longer that he usually would, effectively turning them to mush.

 

“I’m sorry I don’t have something better for you Mizuki,” he said, currently watching as she devoured spoonful after spoonful.  “I’ll make sure we have something more substantial next time.”

 

“What are you talking about?” she asked with a mouthful of vegetables before quickly chewing and swallowing.  “This is delicious!  I love soup.  Date makes this absolutely gross looking stew, but it’s so good!  And this tastes great and doesn’t look like vomit, so you already beat him there.”

 

Pewter felt himself laugh at that, trying to picture Date in the kitchen cooking.  He supposed the man must cook, given the fact that he had been taking care of Mizuki for four years, but he just never seemed the type.  

 

“Well, I’m certainly glad you like it, but just so you know, you don’t have to eat vegan because I do.  I’m happy to cook anything you like. Your dad and I often eat different meals, it was just tonight, with everything…”

 

“I get it Pewter.  Oh sorry, is it ok that I call you Pewter?  Or should I call you Mr. Amanoma?  I’ve just kinda been calling you that, but I know it’s really disrespectful.”   Mizuki glanced between her father and Pewter, not sure if she had offended him or not.

 

“Pewter is perfectly fine.  You can call me Futa if you want, though most people don’t.  I think almost everyone in my life besides your dad call me Pewter.”

 

“Ok,” she said with a smile.  “Then I’m going to call you Pewter too.  And like I said before, I get it with dinner.  Daddy’s hurt, and you are too.  You don’t have to make a separate meal for me ever.  I’m just happy to be here.  I like this.”

 

“This?” Renju spoke up.

 

“Mmhmm.  A family dinner.  It’s nice.  I remember when we used to do this with mom, before you…And sometimes Date and I would eat dinner together, but he had to work late a lot, so it didn’t always happen.”

 

“I’m so sorry Mizuki.”  Renju bowed his head, a slight waver in his voice.  

 

“No, don’t do that!  I’m happy with the way things are now, you’re alive and we’re all together.  Maybe mom will even come around.”

 

“Alive?” Pewter asked, slightly confused by Mizuki’s wording.

 

Renju looked back up, nodding his head before taking a quick drink of his water.  “I told Mizuki everything.”

 

“What do you mean everything?”

 

Surely that was just a figure of speech.  Renju couldn’t have meant that he truly told his twelve year old daughter every single thing that had happened.  In order to do that and have it make sense, he’d have to go back eighteen years, tell her the entire bloody history of Iris’ mother and the Cyclops killings.  There was absolutely no way he was so irresponsible that he would burden a child with that information.

 

“Like I said, I told her everything.  I told her about the Kumakura’s and Manaka.  I told her who Iris’ real parents are and what Saito did.  Your dreams, Date, all of it.  I didn’t want to keep any secrets from her.  I don’t want to lie to my daughter anymore.”

 

Never mind, his boyfriend was an absolute idiot.  Incredibly hot and booksmart, but an idiot nonetheless.

 

“Futa,” Theia’s voice echoed quietly just above his ear.  “Renju’s body temperature has gone up and his heart rate has increased slightly.  It may be a side effect of the medication, but it could also be due to the concussion.  I would advise not upsetting him further by berating him.  And before you say it, no, I am not reading your mind.  I just know you all too well and what that look means.”

 

Pewter let out a small huff and subtly nodded his head.  Theia was right.  Renju had certainly been through enough and he didn’t want to make it worse.  Having him get upset with all of his current injuries wouldn’t be the best idea.

 

The thing was, he was still going to end up upsetting him anyway, no matter how much he didn’t want to.  By the time he had caught up with Mizuki and Renju at the hospital, it was late afternoon.  The three of them had gone home together in Pewter’s car, making small talk.  And then when they actually reached the apartment, he had started dinner right away, leaving Mizuki and Renju to chat in the living room.

 

There hadn’t been any time for him to discuss what he needed to most.  His parentage and who his birth mother really was, along with everything that happened with Saito and Date.  He planned to sit Renju down after Mizuki went to bed and lay everything out; the whole, horrible truth.

 

It honestly scared him to even think about it.  While he knew Renju’s heart better than anyone, there was always the slight chance he would react badly to the fact that his boyfriend was related to the man that killed his best friend and left his niece to grow up without her birth mother.

 

Not that Iris didn’t have a completely loving and devoted mother in Hitomi, but who knew how things would have turned out had Manaka lived?  And there was no doubt that because of this, Renju unequivocally hated Saito.  That, coupled along with everything else the man had done recently…well, if Renju did want to sever ties he wouldn’t blame him.

 

But no, he couldn’t think like that.  This was Renju.  The same man that cried in his arms when he woke up from the Psync, back in his body.  The same man that had attacked Saito once he figured out what had happened, even though there was little chance for him to win and actually overpower him when he was in Pewter’s body.  This was also the same man that believed his absolutely insane story about a prophetic dream and body swapping.  So why would he push him away because of who his family was?

 

“I need to tell you something.  Something very important.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I was going to wait until later, but since Mizuki is already caught up to speed, she should hear this too.  We’d end up telling her eventually anyway.”

 

“Is everything ok Futa?”

 

“No, not really.  But it will be, because you’re here with me,” he said, taking his boyfriend’s left hand in his right.  He leaned his head down and placed a soft kiss on the knuckles before letting go.

 

“I suppose I should start with the good news then.  Date’s back and he’s going to be ok.”

 

“He’s not in a coma anymore?!” Mizuki exclaimed, dropping her spoon to the table in her excitement.

 

“That’s right, he’s back to his old self and doing just fine.”

 

“Then that means Boss and Moma caught Saito and swapped him back.  We don’t have to worry about him.”  Renju breathed out a small sigh of relief and it hurt Pewter to have to tell him otherwise.

 

“No, not quite.  I got this information from Date, so naturally he wasn’t conscious for all of it, but Saito’s still around.  Date is back in his original body, the one that had Rohan Kumakura’s mind trapped in it.  A swap was performed between the two of them.  So Date is in his original body, Rohan is back in his which is in a coma, and Saito…is still in the body that you both associate with Kaname Date.”

 

“And where is Saito now?”

 

“Boss has taken him in to her custody, until she can figure out what she’s going to do.”

 

“What she’s going to do?!” Renju yelled, or tried to at least.  The strain on his vocal cords cut off the higher registers of his voice, making the sound more akin to rasp than anything.

 

“Love please don’t.  I have a lot more to tell you, but you can’t upset yourself like this.  If I wasn’t afraid of you finding out from someone other than me, I wouldn’t even be telling you now.”

 

“How can you expect me not to be upset about this?  Saito is a serial killer.  He murdered Manaka!  And he killed those four women.  We don’t even know if there could be more.  Those are just the ones that were found.”

 

“There weren’t any others.  I’m fairly certain of that.”

 

“Fine, maybe there weren’t.  But what about us?  And Hitomi and Iris?  And Date and Shoko?  He tried to kill all of us.  He should be rotting in a jail cell waiting for his execution date.”

 

Mizuki gasped at that, never seeing her father quite so angry before.  He was always so calm, always the voice of reason.  To see him losing control so easily, it was unnerving.

 

“I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but it’s a lot more complicated than we initially thought.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I can’t believe I’m actually going to say this, but Saito was under the influence of mind control.  Shoko’s theory was correct and he has been off and on for the last eighteen years.  All the things he’s done, they haven’t been of his own free will.”

 

“What?”

 

“I know how it sounds,” Pewter said as he shook his head.  “It’s ridiculous.  But I watched his Psync footage.  I saw what played out and it’s absolutely true.”

 

Renju watched him with a critical eye, trying to take in the information.  He was certainly asking a lot of the other man, more than he had any right to.  Especially since over the last few days he presented him with visions of the future, a possible parallel world, diving directly into dreams, and body swapping.  He wasn’t completely sure where his boyfriend would draw the line, but mind control was a pretty good guess.

 

“I don’t…if anyone else told me something like this, I’d say they were crazy.”

 

“Please believe me when I say I feel like I’m crazy.”

 

“Where does this leave us?  I mean really.  I can’t just forgive him, and I’m sure you can’t either.  If he wasn’t in control of his own thoughts and actions, I know I shouldn’t hold him responsible, but I do.  He’s still the one that killed Manaka.  I blame him and anyone else that had a part in this.”

 

Pewter swallowed harshly.  “I can understand that.”

 

“Do you know who did this to him?  Someone had to do this to his head, right?”

 

Pewter nodded.  He suddenly found himself unable to speak, especially since he knew what he needed to say next.  And once the words were out of his mouth, he’d never be able to take them back.

 

“Who was it?”

 

He stared at the table, unable to meet Renju or Mizuki’s eyes.  It would be all but impossible to talk then, seeing the judgement on their faces.  “You know my dad’s wife is my stepmother, right?”

 

“I do, but what does that have to do with this?”

 

“My mother, she…no that’s not right.  She doesn’t get that title.  The woman that gave birth to me, she’s the one that did this.  She’s the one that created the mind control.  She’s the reason why Manaka is dead and Iris doesn’t have her mother.  My family is responsible for the death of your best friend.”

 

“What?  How did you find-“

 

“Please, I’m not done,” Pewter said as he held up his hand.  He took in a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly.  “There’s more.  My birth mother, Fumiyo Amanoma, is So Sejima’s younger sister.  And that makes Saito my cousin.”

 

Pewter looked up and immediately wished he hadn’t.  He could see the disbelief and a hint of anger on Renju’s face and it hurt his heart more that he could admit.  “I’m sorry Ren.  All of this, everything you and Hitomi have gone through, is because of my mother and cousin.  My family destroyed yours.”

 

 

 

 

 

Moma kneeled down on the tatami mat, awkwardly holding his Montsuki to not trip all over it.  He hated the thing honestly.  It was long and heavy, making it not easy to move around in.  He would have much preferred a suit like Dokuta and Akito wore, but as the chairman, his attire was expected to be even more formal when meeting the new Ujisaki head.

 

It wasn’t any different for the other families gathered around him, all kneeling in a semi-circle.  Six families, including his, were currently under the Ujisaki’s.  It was unusual to have them all gathered together at once like this, but it was even stranger still considering it had been less than a week since they had gotten back from the annual golf tournament.  A tournament that Raiyu Ujisaki had been alive for.  

 

And now here they all were, gathered for the official death announcement.  Of course with that came the announcement of the new head, the youngest Ujisaki son.  Despite knowing this, he knew it wouldn’t go over well with the others gathered around.  Moma himself wasn’t exactly thrilled either, but he was pretty sure he’d be the least confrontational about it.

 

The new head had a lot against him coming in to this already.  For starters, he was only twenty-four, much younger than even the youngest chairman, Tatsuya Goto.  Tatsuya was thirty-five and pretty much at the bottom, with little respect amongst the other families.  He had the fewest members, even less than Moma, which was really saying something.  Six years later, and the mass exodus after Rohan “stepped down” still hurt his numbers.  

 

But that never mattered to Moma.  He’d rather have his twenty some odd guys that he knew without a shadow of a doubt were loyal, than a bunch of backstabbers waiting in the wings for any opportunity to gain favor with the Ujisaki’s by taking him out.  Which was part of the reason he got along well with Tatsuya, the other man always being respectful and polite.  Hell, they had even played a round together at the tournament.

 

And with as loyal as Tatsuya was, if anyone gathered was likely to support the new Ujisaki head, it would be him.  Though Moma already knew he’d support the boy as well, despite his age.  

 

In fact, he imagined age would be the least of the issues the others would have.  Besides being young, he was about as far removed from the tradition his father and brothers had laid down before him as he could be.  He dressed more like a pop star than a member of a crime family, with his bright and trendy clothes and two-toned hair cut into a fade.  The style was jarring, seeing his natural black underneath and topped with hair that was bleached to the point it was white.   It definitely was not the way the now head of the one of the strongest Yakuza families in Japan should look.

 

And if the deck wasn’t already stacked against the boy, there was the issue of his parentage, which absolutely would be called into question.  The third child of Ichiro Ujisaki was the son of his second wife, a Korean immigrant that had worked in his household as a maid.  Once he eventually married her, he had adopted her son, Han-jae.  The child’s last name had been changed to Ujisaki and while technically he was in the line of succession, no one ever thought that one day they’d look to Han-jae as the head.

 

But then Ichiro had been murdered by a rival family, promoting Ryoichi before the man was ready.  It was obvious from the start with the way he controlled things and almost ran the Ujisaki’s into the ground.  And while Moma didn’t agree with Raiyu’s methods, he certainly could understand why he did what he did.  It wasn’t like he hadn’t had similar thoughts himself about his own brother.

 

But now Raiyu was dead at thirty-seven, likely under mysterious circumstances.  Moma would be willing to bet that Han-jae had something to do with his older brother’s death.  Not that he would admit to it.  Same way Raiyu never deviated from the suicide story for Ryoichi.

 

“You look exhausted Moma.  Not sleeping well?”

 

Moma glanced to his right, the only female chairman currently kneeling next to him. Yasha Ito, head of the Ito family.  She had taken on the name “Yasha” after she took over her family, trying to prove herself as worthy of her title.  Moma found it a little ridiculous, but he didn’t dare say that to her face.  Yasha was…well, he supposed unhinged was the best word for it.  He wasn’t necessarily sure if she had always been like or if it was from years of sampling her product, which she was currently offering to him.  Fucking great.

 

Yasha held out her thin hand, a large ring worn on her middle finger.  She flipped the top of it open and inside Moma saw the white powder filled nearly to the top.  “Here’s a little something.  It’ll wake you right up.  And if you like it, I’ll cut you a good deal.  One of my boys is headed back from Bogotá as we speak.”

 

“I uh, think I’ll pass, but thanks anyway.”

 

She shrugged, dipping her long pinky nail in and bringing it to her nose.  Moma turned his head away in disgust, afraid to let it show on his face.  Yasha may be acting tame for the moment, but he knew not to trust that.  She had almost knifed one of the caddies at the golf tournament for making an offhand comment about her purple contact lenses and deep red hair extensions.  

 

Not that he blamed the guy.  Yasha was doing everything in her power to look demon-like and live up to her newly chosen name.  It’d be interesting to see how she reacted to Han-jae.

 

Moma glanced towards the back of the room, hearing the paper doors slide open.  Shinobu Daigo, the current captain, at least for now, of the Ujisaki family entered.  He wore a black suit, much like the other captains and lieutenants present.

 

The dark haired man walked forward until he was in the center of the room, perfectly positioned to talk to the six kneeling chairmen.  He slowly made eye contact with each of them, pausing for a few moments as if he was trying to get a read on what they were all thinking.

 

“As you all are aware, it is with great sadness that I must announce the official passing of Raiyu Ujiskai.  He was found dead this morning from natural causes.  The autopsy will not be back for a few weeks, though it’s likely it was a heart attack.”

 

“Bullshit.”  

 

Moma heard the word muttered to his left by Jurou Kiyama, only loud enough that he would hear.  Looks like he found the first dissenter.  Not that he was surprised.  Jurou was a few years older than him and the most outspoken of everyone there.

 

Of course, Moma had to admit that a heart attack did sound suspicious.  Raiyu was young and in excellent shape.  He certainly wasn’t what one pictured when they heard heart attack as the cause of death.  

 

“Now,” Shinobu continued on, unaware of the Kiyama chairman’s snide remark.  “I’d like to bring in the new head.  All families are expected to renew their pledges today to Han-jae Ujisaki.”

 

And with that, Han-jae strode into the room without a care in the world.  Two years ago, Moma had been in this exact position as Raiyu walked in, dressed in his own Montsuki and greeting each of the chairmen solemnly.

 

Han-jae on the other hand looked like he planned to go out clubbing after the little meet and greet was over.  He wore white sneakers and dark skinny jeans along with a white and black striped button up and leather jacket.  Apparently he couldn’t even be bothered to take off his sunglasses, the dark lenses making it impossible to see where he was actually looking.

 

Dressing like that, the absolute lack of respect for his dead brother and Yakuza tradition, it sure as hell wasn’t going to win him any favors.  Moma really didn’t know what the kid was thinking, if he even was.  And given his age, it was highly likely he wasn’t.  He wasn’t exactly a genius himself at twenty-four, though he’d like to think he had a little more common sense than that.

 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Jurou growled out as he jumped to his feet.

 

Yep, there it was.  Moma groaned internally, not daring to actually make a sound and draw attention to himself.

 

Shinobu moved forward but was stopped by Han-jae, hand resting on the other man’s shoulder.  “Is there a problem Jurou?” he asked, voice soft and lilting.  Completely opposite of what one might expect given his dress.

 

“Yeah, there is.  You.”

 

“Me?”  Han-jae raised a hand to his chest and cocked his head to the side, playing up his confusion as if he didn’t know exactly what the issue was.

 

“You’re making a mockery of us, and your brother.  What right do you have to come in here, dressed like that, and think we’re all just going to pledge our loyalty to you?  Some fucking Korean trash that should have been dealt with long before now.”

 

Moma heard a sharp gasp behind him.  It either had to be Dokuta or Akito, but his guess was the former.  He absolutely wasn’t going to turn around to find out. 

 

“Are you saying you’re…unhappy with me as the head?”  Again with the quiet speech and oddly high pitch.  It made him seem incredibly young and weak, which was the exact opposite of what he should be doing.  He needed to establish that he was a strong and capable leader, not stand around like he was scared to speak up.  It didn’t make any sense and Moma was trying to wrack his sleep deprived brain to figure out what he had to gain from acting this way.

 

“Unhappy?  I’m disgusted to even be associated with bottom-feeding vermin like you.  You’ll drive the Ujisaki family into the ground and I for one don’t plan on sticking around to see it.  Get me the knife.”

 

“The knife?” Han-jae asked.

 

Whether he didn’t actually understand, or was simply pretending to, Moma couldn’t tell.  It didn’t seem to matter though, because Shinobu knew exactly what Jurou was talking about.  He went to a table sitting off to the side of the room and opened a small drawer, pulling out a smooth block of wood and an extremely sharp looking knife.

 

“Wait, is this because you want to leave?”

 

“Yes, the Kiyama family is out,” Jurou said as he kneeled once again, Shinobu sitting the wood and knife down in front of him.

 

“Hold on, stop.  This isn’t necessary.”

 

“If you think for one second I’m actually going to pay you instead-“

 

“No, it’s not.  If you want to leave, then leave.  That goes for anyone here.  If you no longer wish to be under the Ujisaki family, under our protection, you’re free to go.  I don’t need or want your pinky.  Or your money.”

 

“You really don’t know how things are done here, do you?” Jurou asked as he climbed to his feet a second time.  “You’ll be lucky if even Tatsuya stays after that pathetic display.  Humanity isn’t a luxury the Yakuza have to afford.  It shows just how much you have to learn.”

 

Han-jae shrugged, clasping his hands behind his back.  His entire body language showed just how indifferent he was to the whole thing.  As if he really didn’t care that he could lose everything his father had built.  And maybe he didn’t.  He wasn’t born in to this life, he wasn’t an Ujisaki by blood.  Maybe this was his way of getting out of a job he never wanted.

 

“One thing before you go,” Han-jae murmured.

 

“And what’s that?” Jurou bit back testily.

 

“I’m not pathetic.  Or trash.  And mistaking me for someone that has any humanity is the last thing you’ll ever do.”

 

“What does-“

 

Moma saw the slight tremor of Han-jae’s left arm a second before he moved.  He didn’t even have time to cry out as he whipped his arm around, gun pointed straight at Jurou and pulled the trigger.  The older man collapsed to the ground, bullet hole just above his right eye.

 

The Kiyama family Captain and Lieutenant stood there in shock, watching the rapidly growing pool of blood soak through the tatami mat.  No one in the room moved.  They didn’t so much as breath too loudly while Han-jae still pointed the gun directly ahead.

 

“As I said before, I don’t need or want anyone’s finger.  Your money either.”  Han-jae finally lowered the gun while using his right hand to push the sunglasses up on top of his head.

 

Moma felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched the cold and calculating look in the new head’s eyes.  He had planned this from the beginning.  Maybe not knowing he’d kill Jurou specifically, but he knew someone was going to die by his hand.  It was his way of establishing dominance.

 

He had tricked them all.  Pretending to be meek and submissive, hell even the voice was a lie.  His register had noticeably dropped an octave just now; it was all part of the show.

 

And now they all knew exactly how far the man was willing to go.

 

“So,” Han-jae growled, waving the gun flippantly.  “Anyone else want to leave?”

 

 

 

 

Notes:

That was a ride, huh? Iris had some big feelings, but was finally reunited with her uncle. She doesn't know everything yet, but she's happy just to have her family back together.

And poor Pewter, he's had an incredibly bad day and now has to finally tell Renju and Mizuki about everything he's gone through.

Speaking of bad days, Mom's just keeps getting better and better. All he wanted was sleep and now he has to deal with all of this.

As a quick aside, the outfit Moma and the other chairmen are wearing are Montsuki Kimonos. It is a formal kimono that is traditionally worn for weddings, funerals, or other important ceremonies. The one Moma wears is completely black to signify he is in mourning.

And a last note, there will not be an update next Sunday. I am going out of town for work for a couple of days this week and will not have as much time to write. Instead of rushing out a chapter just to keep with the Sunday schedule, there will not be an update. Unless something else happens, updates should resume on 02/05/23, but if you happen to be on the Uchikoshi discord server, I will keep everyone update there.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Comments are always appreciated!

Chapter 40

Renju felt like he was going to be sick.  He heard the words and he definitely understood them, but believing them was something else entirely.  Because there was no way, it was absolutely impossible that Futa, sweet, loving, caring Futa, could be related to So and Saito Sejima.  

 

The two of them were a blight, poisoning anyone that came near.  It’s why he feared so much for Iris, knowing that in a matter of days she’d be told about the connection.  As much as he didn’t want her to know, to never find out, it was better coming from him and Hitomi than So himself.  Iris deserved to have the two people that loved her most in the world deliver the news, not that snake of a man.

 

And now, not only did he have to deal with that, but his boyfriend was somehow a part of that messed up family tree.  Even knowing that Shion wasn’t Futa’s mother, he never would have guessed that his real mother had been the sister of So Sejima. 

 

Shion had come in to his boyfriend’s life when he was six years old, teaching him the violin.  Futa said his father had looked for something to occupy his time besides taking apart every machine he could get his hands on.  And apparently he thought learning an instrument might help with all of his excess energy.  He supposed in a way it had, Futa was nothing if not a perfectionist and threw himself into learning, even as a child.

 

Over the years, Kazuki and Shion grew closer, dating and then eventually getting married.  And while Futa did tell Renju that Shion was actually his step-mother a few months into their relationship, he made it clear that she was the woman he considered his actual mother.

 

Futa didn’t remember his birth mother at all.  She had walked out when he was just over two years old and that was that.  According to his boyfriend, she had never once tried to contact him over the years.  He had asked his father questions of course, but there really weren’t any answers to give.  He didn’t know why she left, he didn’t know where she went.  And he didn’t even know if she was still alive.

 

In some strange way, he supposed it made sense that Futa never really pursued it any further.  He didn’t remember the woman, and growing up he had a perfectly wonderful mother in Shion.  Perhaps if he had some lingering memories he may have wanted to find her, but his birth mother would be a literal stranger.

 

Now though, Renju had to wonder how much of the story Kazuki told was actually true.  Fumiyo did leave, that much was certain.  But did she have a reason that she gave to her now ex-husband?  There had to be some form of contact after all, the two were divorced.  It wasn’t like something like that could just be granted without both parties being aware and signing paperwork.

 

And now Futa was slowly telling him about how his mother had come back after all those years to try to treat Saito, but never once trying to connect with her actual son.  Saito had been twelve, which meant Futa was eighteen at the time and just finishing up high school.

 

It was crazy to think how the one year difference in age basically kept them apart and their paths from crossing until they had been older.  He would have loved to have known Futa then, to have been able to spend even more time with the man.  Though in hindsight, he knew it was for the best that they didn’t know each other back then.

 

Without a doubt he would have fallen hard and fast, just like he did when they eventually met two and a half years ago.  But it wouldn’t have done him any good back then.  He couldn’t fall in love with someone he couldn’t have.  Not when he had been married to Shoko.  Despite not being the way she wanted, he did actually love his wife.  And he would never even dream of cheating on her.  Especially not with everything they had gone through during the years and Shoko’s fragile mental state.

 

“Please say something.”

 

Renju looked back at Futa, realizing too late that while he had been listening, he was also simultaneously zoning out and staring at the table.  Normally he wasn’t this bad with paying attention, but he had a feeling it was all the medication he was currently on.  It was making his head feel a little fuzzy.

 

“I’m sorry love, I wasn’t trying to ignore you.  I heard everything you said and I…are you ok?”

 

“Me?” Futa asked, clearly taken aback.

 

“Yes, you.  Are you ok?  The last few days have been bad enough without adding this to it.  How are you holding up?”

 

“Aren’t you upset?”

 

“At you?”

 

Futa nodded.

 

Renju smiled warmly, moving his left hand to grasp Futa’s and rubbing his thumb slowly across the other man’s knuckles.  “Never.  You didn’t ask for this.  It’s not your fault you’re related to them.  And before you even say it, you’re not them.  You are absolutely nothing like So or Saito.  You’re a good person Futa.”

 

“People keep saying that…”

 

“Maybe because it’s true.”

 

Futa snorted at that.

 

“I think you’re a good person too,” Mizuki spoke up.  She had been sitting quietly, listening to Futa’s story with rapt attention.  “You saved my daddy and mom’s lives.  And you made the nanomachine to get rid of Iris’ tumor.  I think all of that proves you’re way better than one side of your family.  Plus, just because some people in your family aren’t great, doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or that you’ll end up like them.”

 

“Mizuki…I…”

 

“Besides, I really like you.  And so does Daddy.  I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.  He doesn’t sit in his office and cry nearly as much when he thinks no one is there.”

 

Renju was taken aback by that.  He had no idea Mizuki had ever seen him in his moments of grief.  He always tended to let him emotions come out when he was alone at the office, for that exact reason.  He didn’t want anyone else to see.  He didn’t want to burden Futa or Mizuki, or even before that, Shoko, with his breakdowns.  And now knowing that not only had Mizuki seen him, but apparently more than once…

 

“You cry at the office?  Why?  You don’t have to be afraid to show your emotions with me Ren.”

 

“I know, I just…you know I don’t want to-“

 

“Stop.  I know you’re going to say you’re a burden and you’re not.  You never have been and you never will be.  I want you to share what you’re feeling with me, no matter what.”

 

“That goes both ways you know.  That little speech about your family destroying mine, that’s not true.  And if that is your subtle way of trying to walk out of my life, it’s not going to work either.  I don’t care who you’re related to.  You’re not them.  I fell in love with you, you’re the man I want to share my life with.  We’re a family.  You, me, Mizuki, Iris, and at this point, probably another half dozen people or so.”

 

“We can get rid of Date if you want,” Mizuki deadpanned.

 

Renju chuckled at that.  “You know you love him as much as he loves you.”

 

“You still could have picked a better guardian.  Maybe someone a little more responsible.”

 

“Just out of curiosity, why did you pick Date?” Pewter asked.

 

“Because I trusted him.  I couldn’t tell you why, but the first time we met, we just clicked.  We became friends almost immediately and before I knew it, he was someone that I would trust with my life.  I knew if there was anyone out there that could take care of Mizuki and make sure she was safe, it would be him.”

 

“I mean, he’s not all bad I guess,” Mizuki admitted.  “But he is still pretty stupid.  And he’s lucky Aunt Hitomi likes that in a man or he’d would die alone.”

 

“That’s pretty harsh,” Renju said.

 

“She’s not wrong though,” Pewter replied back.

 

Despite the heavier topic earlier, Renju found himself smiling at the scene before him.  His boyfriend and his daughter, two of the dearest people in his life sitting on either side enjoying a family dinner.  It wasn’t the most orthodox family or even the most normal dinner, but it was still so much more than he ever thought he would have.

 

Eighteen years ago, he didn’t think he’d ever be happy again.  He didn’t think the pain of loss and the constant fear he had lived in would get better.  He didn’t think Shoko would ever come out of her dark place or that he’d ever see Hitomi smile again.  His life had been in shambles.

 

And now, he had so much to be grateful for.  So much to live for.  He finally found love and acceptance in Futa.  He had an amazing daughter that was growing up to be an incredible young woman.  He had a bright and charismatic niece that was as smart as they came, who had been given a new lease on life.  He got to watch his best friend find her lost love and finally have her own chance at happiness.

 

His life was turning into what he had always dreamed of, had prayed for.  And he wouldn’t let his boyfriend’s uncertainty change that.  They would all be happy, they’d find some way to make it work.  And he’d be damned if he let Saito Sejima take anything else away from him.

 

 

 

“Come on, I said I was sorry!” Saito yelled as Boss slammed the door to car.  

 

Saito jumped out after, closing the driver’s door and walking up the path to her house.  It was a fairly new build, lacking the traditional charm of his father’s house.  It was a lot smaller too.  Likely a two bedroom, maybe three, it was hard to tell from outside.

 

“I can’t believe I was actually stupid enough to let you drive,” Boss grumbled under her breath as she reached into her purse, pulling out her house key.

 

“I was just trying to help.  You were dead on your feet.  You fell asleep twice on the drive.”

 

“I’m wide awake now.”

 

“Yeah, but that’s just because of the adrenaline.”

 

Boss turned to glare at him, eyes so icy that he wasn’t sure if the chill that just went down his spine was from that or the cold November rain.  Either way, he had better say something, else he risk being stuck outside all night.  Because he was pretty sure she wouldn’t think twice about locking him out.

 

“Again, I’m sorry.  I didn’t want to hit that curb.  It’s dark and the rain makes it hard to see.  And I’m not used to having just one eye.  It’s a lot.”

 

“If you couldn’t drive, you should have said so.  I could have called a taxi.  I’m never letting you drive again, you’re awful.  How did you even get a license?”

 

Saito just shrugged, moving further under the front awning as the wind picked up, blowing the rain sideways.  “I mean, technically I don’t have one.”

 

“What?!  Are you serious right now?”  Boss paused in unlocking the front door, once again turning her cold stare in his direction.  

 

“I never needed one before.  I always had a driver growing up.  There just wasn’t any reason for me to get one.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me that?”

 

“You didn’t ask.”

 

“Saito, I…uuuuuggghhh!” 

 

Saito wasn’t sure what that noise was that just came out of the older woman’s mouth, but he could guess that it wasn’t good.

 

Boss took a breath before continuing, slowly letting it out.  “I didn’t think I needed to ask something like that when you were the one that offered to drive.  It goes without saying that when someone says they are going to drive a vehicle, they have a driver’s license.”

 

“Just because I don’t have a license, doesn’t mean I can’t drive.”

 

“Oh my God, that’s exactly what it means.  I’m a part of the MPD, I can’t have you breaking the law when I’m the one responsible for you.”

 

“Look, we made it back just fine, didn’t we?  I might not have a license, but I still know how to drive.”

 

“No you don’t!  You almost hit a person!”  

 

“But I didn’t.  I hit a curb instead.  And I don’t think I’ve heard a thank you yet for not committing vehicular manslaughter in your car.”

 

“Have all the back to back Psyncs destroyed what few braincells you have left?”

 

Boss didn’t wait for an answer, turning back to the door and unlocking it, stepping inside.  She didn’t slam it behind her, so Saito took that as his cue to follow her in.  He had to admit, he was having a good time annoying her.  

 

Before they called it a night at ABIS and left, Boss had taken him back through the control room and into a smaller room in the back.  It was some sort of medical office and held a refrigerator full of various vials.  She had grabbed one and sat it down on the counter, moving over to one of the drawers and opening it to withdraw a brand new syringe in its packaging.

 

Saito must have made some kind of face because the next thing he knew, Boss was comforting him.  Telling him not to worry, it was just the medication that helped with his oxytocin deficiency.  That she wouldn’t drug him without his consent.  As if he actually cared what any of these people did.  

 

He might be free of the mind control, but his life wasn’t his own.  He still wasn’t able to just leave and do what he pleased.  The only silver lining was that he wasn’t being told to go and murder someone, so that was kind of a nice change of pace.

 

But now with a fresh dose coursing through his veins, his mind felt clear.  There wasn’t that odd fog hanging over him and stopping him from experiencing the world like everyone else.

 

And because of that, he had come to find out that he liked teasing Boss.  Really liked it.  There was a strange sense of giddiness that made him feel like a kid, ready to pull the next prank on some unexpecting adult.  Not that he knew what exactly that felt like, his childhood pretty much nonexistent.

 

“You can sleep in this room,” Boss said as she started walking down the hall past the living room.  She pointed out a door to the right that was slightly ajar, though not open enough that Saito could actually see in there.

 

“You know, when you and Moma kidnapped me, you didn’t exactly let me pack a bag.  I don’t have any clothes or even my toothbrush.  Why don’t you give me your keys and I’ll be right back.”

 

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

 

“Is that a trick question?  Or am I actually supposed to answer?”

 

Boss just glared.

 

“No…?”

 

“You’re impossible.  And no, I’m not giving you my keys.  First of all, we’ve already established that you can’t drive for shit.  And second, I don’t believe for one second that you would come back if I let you go off on your own.  I’ll find you something to wear.  I’m sure I’ve had an ex or two leave a few things behind.  As for a toothbrush, go in the cabinet in the bathroom under the sink.  There’s a couple of brand new ones under there, never been opened.”

 

“I’m not wearing some other guy’s clothes.  I’m not a charity case, I want my stuff.”

 

“We’ll get it tomorrow, after I’ve had more than two hours of sleep.  But for tonight, can you stop bitching about every goddamn thing and just be grateful you aren’t sleeping on a cot in a jail cell?”

 

Saito stared her down for a moment before sighing.  “Fine.  But first thing tomorrow I want to go get my stuff.” 

 

“Not a problem.”

 

“So where’s the bathroom?”

 

“There, right next to the guest room.  You can wash up and I’ll find you something,” Boss said as she started towards her room at the end of the hallway.

 

“Wait, what’s that room?  Another guest room?  Or an office?” Saito asked as he pointed to the only door on the left side of the hall.

 

“It’s nothing, just another room.  You don’t need to go in there.”

 

Curiosity peaked, Saito walked over to the door and tried the handle.  It wouldn’t turn, clearly locked.

 

“What did I just say?  Do you purposely not listen or do you actually not comprehend when someone tells you no?”

 

“I wanted to know what’s in there.”

 

“And that’s not any of your business.  It’s private, so just leave it alone.”

 

“Ugh, is it some kind of weird sex room?  Do you have some naked guy tied up waiting for you?”

 

“Yeah, your dad.”

 

“Hrrrk!” Saito gagged.  “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

 

“Good.  Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers.  Now go brush your teeth like a big boy while I go get your jammies.”

 

Boss disappeared into her room before Saito got a chance to reply, still trying to recover from the horrific mental image she had supplied his brain with.  He was curious about that room though.  Why was it locked when every other room was open in the house?  If there was nothing to hide, there wouldn’t be any need to say the room was off limits and keep it locked up.  Which meant, there had to be something there.  The way she was deflecting made it obvious enough.  But what could it be?

 

He wasn’t going to get any answers tonight, that much he knew.  The door was locked and he couldn’t risk trying to pick it while Boss was home.  Even with how exhausted she seemed, if he made too much noise he could end up waking her.  And if he wore out his welcome too fast, he really would find himself inside a jail cell.

 

Saito crouched down and opened the bottom cabinet, finding several new toothbrushes just like Boss said.  He had to wonder if she kept them on hand because she actually did have men coming over.  But then again, he had only known her for about a day and he could see what an absolute train wreck she was.  Anyone with common sense would avoid getting involved with that disaster. 

 

Standing back up and clearing his mind from thoughts of Boss, Saito opened up the toothbrush and threw the packaging away in the trashcan next to the sink.  He’d finish up in here, get dressed, and go to bed.  It wasn’t that late, but even he had to admit that getting a decent night’s sleep sounded amazing.

 

Everything he had been through over the last day was really starting to hit him.  Well, hit him again.  He’d honestly felt like he was going to pass out several times throughout the day before getting a small second wind.

 

He was so tired he could barely think straight, but the one thought that nagged at the back of his mind, that would like make a peaceful night’s sleep elusive, was what would actually happen to him?  For now, there wasn’t much they could do because he was “Kaname Date”, special agent for ABIS.  If nothing else, he could trust that Boss wouldn’t destroy her friend’s name and reputation.

 

But, as had been proven time and again in the last day, the woman seemed to care about him too.  He still kept coming back to the same question of why though.  Was it strictly because of Moma and the weird relationship the two shared?  Did she feel sorry for him because of his past?  Which if that was the case, he certainly didn’t need her pity.  Or was it some other reason?  Maybe because for the last six years his body had been inhabited by her best friend and she couldn’t just forget those feelings.

 

It didn’t really matter though.  At the moment he had someone in his corner that was looking out for him.  And if he continued to make himself useful by studying the Cyclops case, maybe he could figure out a way to ensure he stayed out of prison permanently.  It was still a long shot, he had no idea how Boss was planning on spinning that a convicted felon hadn’t been returned Fuchu and was technically still in her custody.  But if anyone could do it, she would be the one.

 

“Hey, I couldn’t find any pants, but I’ve got a pair of sweatpants I bought that are way too big.  They stretch, but they’ll probably still be a little short.  I did find a t-shirt though.”

 

Saito spit out the rest of the toothpaste before whipping around towards the door.  “Don’t you knock?  What if I was naked?”

 

“It wouldn’t be anything I haven’t seen before.”

 

“I’m sorry, what?  What the fuck did Date do in my body?”

 

Boss smirked a little before steeling her features and shaking her head.  “Probably better you don’t know.  Also, you’re not a fan of host clubs, are you?  If so, I should probably give you a list of ones to avoid in the future.”

 

“Why?”

 

“You know what?  Don’t worry about it.  Forget I said anything.  Here’s your clothes.  Just leave yours in the hall and I’ll throw them in the washing machine,” she said as she thrust a ball of hot pink and black into his hands.

 

“Are you serious?  Pink velour sweatpants?”

 

“The shirt is black.”

 

“I’m not wearing these!”

 

“You’re just sleeping in them, don’t be a baby.”

 

“And what the fuck is this?!” he yelled as turned them over, showing the back to Boss.

 

“That’s just the brand or something.  They’re American.”

 

“I’m not wearing something that says ‘Juicy’ on the ass.  You’ve lost your mind.”

 

“No one is going to see you.  And even if someone did, it’s in English so it’s not like they’d know what it said. Just take a shower, get dressed, and go to sleep.  That’s the only thing I have that will fit you and you aren’t free-balling in my guest bed.  So stop being a baby.”

 

She walked out after that, closing the door a little harder than necessary and leaving Saito standing in the bathroom, his own perplexed expression staring back from the mirror.

 

“I fucking hate it here.”

 

 

 

Moma was quiet the entire ride home, trying to wrap his exhausted mind around what exactly had happened.  He knew the meeting wasn’t going to be a particularly joyous occasion, not that many were, but to have watched as Jurou was shot and killed without any warning…it wasn’t the worst thing he had ever seen, but it was up there.

 

Han-jae was quickly making himself on par with Rohan, and he didn’t like that at all.  Not when he was almost completely sure the new head had murdered his own brother in addition to killing one of the chairmen all on the same day.

 

He played the role of unassuming and weak all too well.  Granted, Moma did feel like something was off, but not to the point that he would have ever imagined what played out.  And then the aftermath.

 

Han-Jae’s flip from soft-spoken and well-mannered to the dark and brusque personality he truly was, had been jarring.  The Kiyama family Captain and Lieutenant had stood there in complete shock before finally coming to their senses.  At least they had the wherewithal not to attack, but just barely.

 

He watched as the scene played out, the two men screaming while the boy didn’t move, silently observing.  Though could Moma really even call him that?  He was a lot younger than everyone sure, but with his mask gone, his innocence all but disappeared.

 

Eventually the other two men ran out of expletives to yell and finally took a breath, giving Han-jae the moment he had been waiting for.  He explained that under no uncertain terms, they were lucky to be alive. That they could have just as easily met the same fate as Jurou, had Han-jae not been so magnanimous.

 

And because of his generosity, they were allowed to take the body of their former head and leave.  He would give them twenty-four hours to work out whatever logistics they needed to and get back to him with the new chairman’s decision.  Would the Kiyama family still remain under the Ujisaki’s, or would they leave?

 

Moma honestly found himself not caring one way or the other.  He certainly had no love for the Kiyama family.  Jurou had always been brash, speaking out whenever he felt the need to, which was often.  He also had no problem handling things with violence when it came to rival Yakuza families.

 

In this dark and seedy underworld, Moma knew that there were times that it was the only answer.  But more often than not, disputes between families could just as easily be worked out behind a closed door with skilled negotiations.

 

Unless you were Jurou Kiyama who strived on death and pain.  Especially when he was the one to administer it himself.  Maybe that was why so many of his brother’s former members had chosen to go to the Kiyama family instead of staying under him.  Jurou ran things much in the same way Rohan did, which wasn’t a good thing.

 

Moma had to admit, he had seen this coming.  If anyone was going to have an outright problem with Han-jae, it would be Jurou.  His territory so to speak, was nestled right in Shinokubo; Tokyo’s own Koreatown.  Many of the businesses there were forced to pay extra for his family’s protection, else they risk becoming the target instead.

 

And while he still didn’t like Han-jae’s methods, the more Moma thought about it, the more it made sense.  What could the new head have done in that situation?  Let Jurou leave and take his entire gang with him?  He didn’t have the presence or funding to go completely on his own, he’d have to find another large family to be absorbed with.  And whoever he found would be directly competing against the Ujisaki’s.

 

No, Han-jae did what was necessary, loathe though he was to admit it.  He only had one shot to establish himself and keep the Ujisaki’s in the position they currently were.  If he had backed down, or shown any sort of weakness, the other Yakuza families would have pounced.  And that would have endangered everyone under the Ujisaki name, which Moma couldn’t let happen.  Better the devil you know and all that.

 

“You doing ok back there?” Moma asked as he turned around slightly in the passenger seat, looking back at Akito.

 

The man nodded, unfocused eyes staring out the window but not really paying attention to his surroundings.  A thin sheen of sweat covered his face, the only indication of the pain he was currently in.

 

Akito always had been the type to keep things to himself.  He was a man of few words and didn’t tend to let anyone get close to him.  Dokuta and Moma had been the exceptions, though he couldn’t say even then that he knew the other man particularly well.

 

He certainly hadn’t expected him to be the first one to step forward, no questions asked, when Han-jae made the announcement that all of the remaining families would need to prove their loyalty.  In the past, this had been done with a simple pledge and a small sum of money, but not this time.

 

Despite his prior declaration to Jurou, Han-jae demanded that one person from every family present cut off the tip of their pinky as a show of support.  Who that would be was left up to them however.  

 

Moma made the decision right then and there that he would be the one to do it.  He wasn’t about to ask either of his officers to do something like that for him.  He certainly couldn’t ask Dokuta, his hands were his livelihood as a doctor.  And he wouldn’t ask Akito either, not when the man had stuck with him all these years after Rohan had been forced to vacate the chairman position.

 

Apparently the first lieutenant must have sensed Moma’s intentions because before he could say a word, Akito was kneeling before Han-jae, holding out his hand for the knife.  Of course once he was already there, Moma had to stay silent.  Speaking up in any way could show dissent in his own family, which he absolutely couldn’t allow.  And Akito knew that.  So he watched as the man who had been unflinchingly loyal for over two decades took a punishment that he should have.  Just one more reason for Moma to feel like he was an inferior leader.  

 

The other families soon followed suit, each one having one of their officers lose the fingertip as opposed to the chairmen themselves.  Not that this was all that surprising, why would the other head’s do it themselves when they had perfectly willing subordinates ready and able to step in?

 

“You know, I probably could’ve asked Yasha to give you somethin’ for the pain.”

 

Akito snorted at that, turning to face Moma.  “Like I’d take anything that harpy offered me.  God only knows what it would be laced with.  I’ll take my chances with the pain.”

 

“You don’t need that shit anyway,” Dokuta said, eyes focused on the road and heavy downpour.  “I’ve got some stuff at the clinic I can give you and I’ll write you out a prescription to get more if you need it.”

 

“Akito, look-“

 

“Save it.  I don’t want to hear any apologies or whatever else you’re going to say.  This was my choice and I don’t regret it, so let it go.  You’ve got more important things to worry about anyway.”

 

And that was true.  Moma turned around and leaned his head against the back of the seat, closing his eyes as he listened to the steady swish of the windshield wipers.

 

The family pledges should have been the end of everything.  Raiyu had died, and as a sign of respect, no business should be discussed on a day of mourning.

 

Apparently Han-jae didn’t get the memo.  Or, more than likely, simply didn’t care.  It’s not like either of his brothers had been close to him or even seemed to feel anything close to a familial bond.  After the death of their father, things had only gotten worse.

 

Which was probably why the gathering had been so unconventional to begin with anyway.  Han-jae didn’t dress in the traditional Montsuki, he simply wore his street clothes.  He didn’t open with a speech about his deceased brother and how he would honor his memory as the new head, though in Han-jae’s defense, he hadn’t been given the opportunity to do that before Jurou started running his mouth.

 

Even after all of that went down, he still could have said something to the other chairmen present, but he didn’t.  He instead launched into how they would all prove their loyalty then and there.

 

And that should have been the end of it.  They all should have been dismissed and headed home, meeting again in the next few days for the official funeral, and then a few days after that to discuss business.

 

Instead, Han-jae had pulled each chairman aside, having the business discussions right then and there.  Moma didn’t know what to expect.  He wasn’t the top earner, but he also wasn’t at the bottom either.  His businesses had started to do well over the years, little side projects that he had invested in while Rohan had been more interested in higher paying, but exceedingly more dangerous jobs.

 

Two of his most successful ventures had been from within their own family.  Shoko’s investment fraud scheme hidden under the guise of the perfectly legal real estate company she was a partner in, and Renju’s Lemniscate.  Renju certainly had enough assets to start up the business on his own, but Moma knew a good opportunity when he saw one to invest.  He had the free cash available to help with the start-up versus Renju having to sell off some properties to actually get liquid funding.  

 

Both businesses had been good calls and had brought in a steady supply of income over the years.  That, combined with So needing something like clockwork every couple of months, kept him comfortably where he needed to be to avoid being singled out by the then Ujisaki head, Raiyu.

 

And luckily, Han-jae didn’t have any complaints about the money coming in, and his cut of it.  Unfortunately though, that wasn’t the end of it.

 

“So Moma, a little birdie told me you’ve got a nice thing going on with some lady cop down at Metro, care to elaborate?”

 

Moma felt his chest tighten at the words.  He wasn’t exactly sure what Han-jae knew and didn’t know, so he had to keep his words careful and precise.  He definitely didn’t want to get Shizue, or anyone else at ABIS, dragged into this mess.

 

“Nothin’ to tell I’m afraid.  We happened to cross paths because of So Sejima, nothing really more than that.”

 

“That does add up, but my informant said the two of you had been spotted together even without So.  Is she in his pocket too?”

 

“No,” he said immediately.  He wasn’t going to paint Shizue as some crooked cop, despite the fact she toed that line already.  “He came to her for help with his son.  She had helped him out years ago with uh keepin’ ‘im on the straight and narrow so to speak.  He wanted her help again and I’ve been keeping track.”

 

“She trusts you then?”

 

“I’d say marginally, yes.”

 

“Good, I may have some use for her.”

 

“She’s not like that.  There may be a little trust there, but she’s not happy with workin’ together.  She’s not going to do anything illegal, I can tell you that.”

 

“There’s always ways to motivate people, you know that.”

 

Moma really didn’t like the sound of that or the implications that were behind his words.  Han-jae had already proven that he would do whatever was necessary, no hesitation.

 

“Don’t look so tense Moma, I’m not even asking that she do anything illegal.  I’m simply wanting the department to do what they always do when investigating Yakuza deaths, and look the other way.  My brother died of a heart attack, plain and simple.  No toxicology report needed.  I’m sure you can get our point across.”

 

Moma hated that he was going to have to drag Shizue into all of this.  But better him than Han-jae.  He knew she could handle herself in most situations, but Han-jae was a still relatively unknown variable with an exceedingly short fuse.  It made for a dangerous combination that he really didn’t want to test.

 

Though, this was all going to have to wait until the morning.  It wasn’t terribly late, just a little past seven, but he knew Shizue was probably dead to the world by this point.  Just like everyone else besides him.  There wasn’t anything he could do tonight, and Han-jae wouldn’t do anything either.  He had a few days to get this mess figured out, but hopefully come tomorrow afternoon, he’d have some sort of plan.

 

Moma watched as his house slowly came into view, relieved that he would finally be able to get some rest.  He wouldn’t be able to really think until he got at least a few hours of sleep, but if he was being honest with himself, he really hoped that he could manage an entire night.

 

Dokuta turned into the driveway, parking the car and turning to look right at him.  “You need anything before I take Akito over to the clinic?”

 

“No, I’ll be fine.  I’m headed to bed and I’m gonna let Chinpei get back to his place.  I’ll have to give him a little something extra this month.”

 

“Yeah,” Dokuta said with a grin.  “He’s a good kid.  Doesn’t always have the best ideas, but he’s getting better.”

 

“That’s just because we still gotta get rid of all the shit Rohan taught him.  He’ll get there though.”

 

Dokuta nodded.  “You take care of yourself tonight.  Don’t try to figure everything out at once, you know we’ll help you out.”

 

“I know,” Moma said as he opened the door and quickly dashed out, practically running to his front door in the rain.

 

It felt good to know he had people like Dokuta and Akito still with him.  Both could have just as easily left after Rohan, but they didn’t.  They stayed and proved their loyalty time and time again.  He just had to hope that between them all, they could come up with some sort of solution to the Han-jae situation and that it wouldn’t come back and bite them in the ass.  

 

Who was he kidding?  His luck had been shit lately.  If something could go wrong, it likely would.  That was a problem for tomorrow though.  For now, Moma was finally going to get some well deserved rest.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Wow, I honestly can't believe we're here at Chapter 40. I certainly wasn't expecting it to be this long in the beginning, even after I decided it was no longer a one shot. We still have a little way to go, but we are gearing up for the sequel which will have full Nirvana spoilers.

As I'm sure you could spot, there was a little teaser for things to come with Boss. If you haven't finished AINI, then nothing was revealed. But if you have, you can probably guess what was implied.

Not a lot of plot movement this chapter, but more or less a way to finally end the day from hell and let everyone get some sleep.

I hope you all enjoyed it and as always, please leave a comment, I love them all!

Chapter 41

Iris smiled as she looked over the lyrics on her tablet.  She wasn’t sure why she had the sudden burst of inspiration, but this was the first song she had finished completely by herself.  For both “Invincible Rainbow Arrow” and “Free!”, she had enlisted Ota’s help to clean up the lyrics.  It was still her original idea, but some of the weaker sections definitely needed a second set of eyes.

 

And she had to admit, Ota’s talent absolutely was writing.  His light novel that she and Mizuki had read was proof of that.  It was better than he ever gave himself credit for, which was probably why he only let the two of them read it.

 

But because of his proficiency with words, he was her first choice when writing songs.  She knew his borderline obsession with her pretty much guaranteed he’d help with anything she asked, but he was surprisingly honest when it came to editing her lyrics.  He didn’t just tell her everything was perfect because she wrote it, he gave genuine constructive criticism and ways to fix it.  Which was part of the reason why she felt comfortable enough to say that her newest song was exactly what she wanted.

 

There wasn’t a single line that she disliked.  Every word flowed from her heart, likely the most thoughtful thing she had ever written.  And it was completely different from her other two songs that were fast paced dance tracks.  This was going to be a ballad.  

 

She wanted it to be simple, focusing more on her singing than anything else.  In her mind she pictured a piano solo, maybe a harp with it, but nothing else.

 

Though her biggest fear was that her voice wouldn’t be strong enough to sing how she wanted to.  Uncle Ren was always trying to get her to pay a little more attention to her vocal lessons, and honestly, she had pushed them off the last several months.  

 

And why wouldn’t she?  She knew what was happening to her.  She knew her time was short.  Why spend what little she had left on that when she loved dancing so much?  Dancing had been something she shared with her mom since she was little; having so many fond memories of moving around the living room in time to whatever music happened to be playing on the radio.

 

As a dancer herself, Hitomi had been the one to nurture Iris’ own dancing. Her love was ballet and she continued to dance all through high school.  Of course, that had taken a back seat when she became pregnant with Iris.  She constantly told her that she had no regrets giving up dancing, but Iris still wondered how differently her mom’s life would have turned out had she not given birth so young.  Would she have continued dancing?  Would that have been her career?  Maybe she would have ended up as a dance teacher instead of an elementary one.

 

She knew that if she hadn’t found those old recital pictures in a childhood album, her mom probably never would have shared the information with her.  She was surprisingly closed off about her younger years, telling mostly vague stories and never getting into much of anything else.

 

In fact, her mom and Uncle Falco talking about how he had been wrongly accused and in prison for the last six years had been the most she opened up about anything.  They sat and talked well into the night, filling in some of the blanks from the horrible shooting.  Iris still thought they were holding back a few key details, but it didn’t matter now.  She was finding out more than all of her years of searching had yielded her.  She’d just have to ask them about it again when she was released from the hospital.

 

And hopefully that would be today.  All of her tests yesterday had gone well.  The CAT scan showed that Pewter’s nanomachine had completely gotten rid of the tumor.  There wasn’t a single trace left.  Not that it meant she was completely out of the woods, she’d have to go a month with no regrowth before the doctors would consider her in remission.  And after that, she’d be coming in for quarterly scans and blood work.

 

Pewter had told her that once she hit the five year mark, that was when she would officially be cancer free.  And when that happened, because it would, he’d help plan the best party she’d ever had along with her Uncle Ren.

 

She thought for probably about the tenth time now, that she really was happy to have him in her life.  There was something so familiar about him, even though she knew she had never met him before.  Maybe it was his eyes, they were always so warm and friendly which made it easy to trust him.

 

Iris scrolled back to the top of her document, once again looking over her lyrics.  More than anything she wanted to get in the studio and record it.  Along with the official version of “Free!”.  It would probably take some convincing on her mom and uncle’s part, but she was sure if the tests went well today, they’d possibly consider it.  Maybe even as early as next week.

 

Although it might not matter if she was ready because she didn’t think her Uncle Ren would be up to playing the piano.  And she absolutely wanted him on the official accompaniment, along with Ayame on the violin.  Pewter too, because through her conversations with him during her surgery, she had discovered that he played the violin just like his little sister.  Maybe if she asked nicely enough, coupled with a little pouting, she could get him to play on the background music as well.  It would be pretty fun to have a brother and sister working together on her music, especially when she cared deeply for both of them.

 

She’d have to sing her newest song for the pair and see what they though of that one too.  Maybe they could even work together to write some of the music along with Uncle Ren.  Initially she pictured a gentle harp, but the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea of a soft violin playing in tandem with the piano.  It would help tie in with “Free!” and it made sense to use the instrument on more than one song.

 

She hummed softly, imaging how she wanted the opening instrumental to go and hoping that it would translate well when the time came to write the music.  She kept her voice low, not wanting to wake her mom or uncle.

 

Both had stayed the night; Nurse Hanayo overlooking the fact that it was two visitors instead of one.  She knew how much Iris had been through over the last several days and when Hitomi had pleaded that she hadn’t seen her uncle in years, the other woman agreed that she didn’t see an extra visitor well after hours had ended.  She had even managed to find a folding cot to bring in, ensuring that Hitomi wouldn’t hurt her shoulder too badly.  Unfortunately her uncle had been designated to the reclining chair, but he didn’t seem to mind.  He was happy to be there and didn’t seem too bothered by the discomfort.

 

She gave one more long look to the corner, seeing that her humming hadn’t woken either one of them.  Still mindful of her volume, she started singing quietly.

 

 

“I know that we’ve been here before

Danced across this old worn floor

But the music stopped long ago, didn’t it?

In my dreams you’re always there

And I can’t help but stop and stare

How did you grow to be so beautiful?

 

My heart will race

And I’ll give chase

No looking back

It fades to black

And all this time

A simple chime

Rings out to me

To let us be

We’ll make it through this, won’t we?”

 

 

“Iris?”

 

Iris looked up immediately, seeing her uncle’s dark eyes staring back.  He had a small smile on his face as he stood up and stretched, his back popping audibly several times.  Walking over, he took a seat on the edge of her bed, not wanting to rouse Hitomi by talking across the room.

 

“I’m sorry Uncle, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

 

“It’s ok, I was mostly up anyway.  And hearing your singing is quite a nice way to start my morning.  I always knew you’d make it some day.”

 

Iris blushed slightly at the compliment.  “I haven’t really make it yet.  I only have one single out, but it’s not exactly a hit.  I’m still more popular as a streamer.”

 

“So?  That’s the new thing anyway, isn’t it?  I’m sure your fans will follow you with whatever you decide to pursue.  But what’s that song you were singing?  Is it new?”

 

Iris nodded.  “Yeah, I just wrote it.  I’ve been up for a couple of hours and I couldn’t get the lyrics out of my head, so I started writing them on the tablet.  And I’ve been tweaking them all morning.”

 

“I really liked that first verse.  It’s sad, but beautiful at the same time.  I don’t know if that makes any sense.  You know I’m not nearly as cultured as your mom when it comes to this kind of thing.”

 

“No, it makes total sense!” Iris whispered excitedly, trying to contain her usual enthusiasm so shr didn’t yell by mistake.  “That’s what I was going for.”

 

“Can I hear the rest?”

 

Iris bit her bottom lip and looked over at the cot, the steady rise and fall of her mom’s chest showing that she was still in a deep sleep.  She really didn’t want to wake her up.

 

“Don’t worry about your mom.  She’s definitely still out.  And if you sing softly like you were before, I doubt it will be loud enough to wake her.  Does it have a name?”

 

“Yeah.  Well, sort of.  I’m thinking of calling it “Aria of the Broken” but I might change it later.  I don’t know.”

 

“I like that.  It’s very pretty Iris, but it’s also kind of heavy.  What made you think of something like that?”

 

“It’s silly.”

 

“I promise I won’t laugh.”

 

Iris took a deep breath and let it out.  She knew her uncle was serious and telling the truth, he had never laughed at her when she was younger and coming up with the most outrageous stories imaginable, so surely he wouldn’t make fun of her reasoning for writing a song.  

 

“I had a dream last night.  I honestly don’t even really remember most of it, but I felt a lot of emotions when I woke up.  I was really sad and had this overwhelming urge to cry.  Like someone was hurting somewhere and I was feeling it all for them.  It made me feel empty and almost heartbroken.”

 

“That’s sounds like a pretty bad dream.”

 

“It was, but there were some parts that felt so real.  Like I was actually there.  I remember seeing mom and Uncle Renju.  They were both crying and holding each other.  There were some other people I knew too and some I didn’t, but everyone was just so sad and I don’t know why.  And then like I said, when I woke up I was hit with this immense sense of sorrow.”

 

Even now she felt herself tearing up at the dream.  It was silly, it wasn’t real.  None of that had happened.  It was probably a result of her surgery and overstimulated mind.  Not to mention how prior to her operation, her mental condition had gradually worsened.  She was almost embarrassed now at some of the things she had believed were true.  Things that her mind had absolutely come up with on it’s own.  

 

She’d especially have to have a long talk with Ota and Amame.  She couldn’t believe she had actually convinced the two of them that some secret organization called Naixatloz was after her.

 

Unfortunately though, as her tumor grew, things like that became more common.  She couldn’t even remember where she first heard the name.  Probably on one of the haunted tours she liked to go on with Amame, Ota, and Mizuki.  Her best friend was really into conspiracy theories and most of their conversations ended up dissolving into that or unsolved cases.

 

“Iris, are you sure you’re ok?  Maybe we should tell the doctor about your dream.  I don’t know if that’s normal to experience or not, but I don’t want you to feel hopeless like that.”

 

“No, I’m ok, I swear.  It was a little jarring waking up after that, but I don’t feel that way anymore.  It only lasted a few minutes, but I was able to use that to write my song, so it’s not all bad.  You still want to hear it, right?”

 

Her uncle looked a little uneasy, but nodded his head.  “I do.  Go ahead, I’m listening.”

 

Iris smiled and took another deep breath, picking up where she had left off before.

 

 

“Our fates are intermingled now

I couldn’t leave even if I knew how

Not that I would ever want to

My love for you has never waned

Is it too much to ask that yours remained?

And yet the broken cries escape me still

 

My heart will race

And I’ll give chase

No looking back

It fades to black

And all this time

A simple chime

Rings out to me

To let us be

Perhaps I’ve asked too much, haven’t I?

 

Somewhere, through this all

And walking down that lonely hall

The shattered heart still beat, but barely

I heard the sad and lonely cries

And watched the tears fall from your eyes

You’ve been strong for so long, haven’t you?

 

My heart will race

And I’ll give chase

No looking back

It fades to black

And all this time

A simple chime

Rings out to me

To let us be

I’ll reach out my hand for you to take, won’t you?

 

And here’s my promise, pure and true

I’ll always be standing next to you

Even if you can no longer see me

I’ll still walk with you in your dreams

In this world that’s not what it seems

Our souls will always be together

 

The moon will show, with it’s bright glow

Shining down on the Earth far below

It’s time for me to go now

No more tears or terrible fears

Mourning me though I’ve been here for years

It’s only at the end you understand, don’t you?

 

Your heart will race

And you’ll give chase

No looking back

It fades to black

And all this time

A simple chime

Rings out to you

But it’s all through

So many regrets, but we can’t change the past, can we?”

 

 

Iris had closed her eyes at some point during the song, feeling the music only she could hear.  And now when she opened them once again, she saw her uncle just staring at her.  His eyes glistened and he looked like he was trying to hold back his own tears.

 

“What did you think?” she asked hesitantly.

 

“Iris, that…it really was beautiful.  Even without the music, I don’t think I’ve heard something so moving.”

 

“You really like it?”

 

He nodded slowly.  “I do.  I love it.  I can’t wait to hear it when it’s finished.”

 

Iris felt her face light up at that.  After being without him for so long, to have him walk back into her life like nothing had changed was incredible.  And on top of that, he really liked her song.  He wasn’t just saying it for her benefit, she could tell he truly meant it.  Because the one thing she remembered about her uncle was what a terrible liar he was.  

 

He never could keep a secret and even when he tried, it resulted in the most horrible acting possible.  She remembered how desperately he tried to keep her birthday trip a surprise, stopping by the night before to tell her and her mom to pack a bag.  He wasn’t fooling anyone with the lame excuse he gave about having one on hand in case you needed to leave to go on an unplanned vacation.  Even to her almost twelve year old self, the excuse fell flat.  Especially when he said it was always a good idea to pack a bathing suit in the event there was an indoor pool.

 

And just as she had expected, he had pulled up early the next morning and knocked on their door.  Iris had already been up for an hour, picking out the perfect travel outfit.  She wheeled her little suitcase to the living room and practically ran for the door with an excited squeal of “Uncle”.

 

That had been her best birthday ever.  They celebrated at an indoor water park, their little family riding all the slides over and over again, floating down the lazy river, and even laughing as they got knocked over in the wave pool.

 

The time they had may have been brief, but it consisted of some of the happiest memories she ever experienced.  She felt what it would be like to have a family like everyone else.  A mom and a dad that loved and cared for her.  It was perfect.

 

And now she had that again.  She had her uncle back and saw her mom light up like she used to.  And the best part was, she’d actually get to live to see them get married one day and really complete their family.

 

“I love you uncle.  To Ra and back.”

 

Falco looked taken aback for just a moment before smiling brightly.  “I…I love you too Iris.  To Isis and back.”

 

She sat her tablet aside and leaned forward, hugging the man tightly.  It made her so happy that he still remembered their silly little saying, using the Egyptian gods in place of the sun and moon.  She really was being given a second chance at everything.  And she wouldn’t mess it up, knowing how few people ever got an opportunity like this.

 

 

 

 

Pewter sat his cup of black coffee down on the counter as he took a seat in front of one of the many computers in the control room.  He hadn’t gotten nearly as much sleep as he probably needed, but it was still enough to make him feel able to function.  Not that it mattered, even if he hadn’t felt up to it, he still needed to be there.  The longer the Psync machine was down, the more likely it was for the higher ups to completely stop their funding.

 

They already were revamping the program, now requiring all Psyncers to have an AI Ball or they wouldn’t be allowed to Psync.  He had received the email this morning, Theia reading it off to him once he placed the visor on his face.

 

It certainly made things harder now, considering they actually didn’t have a single Psyncer with an AI Ball.  Technically Pewter could still Psync with Theia, he’d just have to make sure he docked her up to the main computer while he was in the Psyncer’s chair.  But none of the others would be able to until he was able to plead his case to the board.

 

What happened with Kanna had been an accident.  A horrible, terrible accident, but an accident nonetheless.  The machine had suffered a critical failure due to whatever the hell had been done to Saito, and that combined with the incompatibility Kanna shared with him, had resulted in the mess they were currently in.

 

The likelihood of something like this ever happening again was slim.  Pewter couldn’t say it would never come to pass, that’d be foolish.  But the chances of someone else being under the influence of mind control and having a Psyncer with low compatibility was so rare that he wouldn’t even know how to do the math to figure out the percentage.

 

Convincing the board would take some work though.  And the best way to do that was to get the machine up and running and do another Psync, showing that it was still perfectly safe and there was nothing to worry about.

 

He took his visor off and gently placed it next to his coffee cup, connecting Theia to the main computer.  The lenses glowed green before a small image projected itself out.  And there Theia stood, a miniature version of her Grecian form, colors dulled but still green despite being able to see through her.

 

“You really should have woken Renju up before you left you know,” Theia said as she crossed her tiny arms.

 

“I left him a note.  And he needs the sleep.  You know he does with all of his injuries.  Better he get as much sleep as he can so he gets through the worst of the pain.”

 

“The same could be said for you.  You’ve been running yourself ragged for days Futa, with a stab wound no less.  You’re barely sleeping, you hardly eat.  First it was the nanomachine and now it’s this.  You need rest.”

 

“I’ll get it when this is done, I promise.  But this is important.”

 

“So is your health.”

 

“You sound like Renju,” Pewter said with a slight smile, logging in to Wadjet and beginning a scan on the Psync machine.

 

“I obviously don’t because if I did, you’d actually listen to me.”

 

“Don’t be like that, you know I ignore him too.”

 

“When are you going to stop putting everything and everyone else in your life first?  You need to take care of yourself more.”

 

“I do take care of myself.  It’s just a lot of things happened all at once.  And I’m the only one that can take care of this.”

 

“You are, but it doesn’t mean it needs to be done right now.  Or even today.”

 

“Yes it does, you saw the email-“

 

“And do you honestly think they’ll actually shut ABIS down?  Not to sound harsh, but if Kanna had died, then maybe, but she didn’t.  And her doctor seems confident she’ll make a full recovery in time.  You don’t have to burn yourself out to fix this.”

 

“We don’t know if they’ll shut us down or not.  I think it’s unlikely too, but the possibility is there.  So the sooner the machine is up and running, the sooner I can show everyone it’s safe.  Besides that, we need it functioning anyway.  There are still active cases and Psyncs that were scheduled and have to be pushed back because of this.”

 

“Futa, there isn’t anyone to do the Psyncs.”

 

“I can do them.”

 

“No you can’t.  There are anywhere from two to six scheduled every single day during the week.  And that’s not counting ones that are emergencies.  You’d never get any rest.  And you know there’s a cooldown period.  You can’t physically do more than three back to back Psyncs in any given day.  You know this.”

 

“It’s fine, that’s more of a guideline.  I made the machine, I know what it’s capable of and what I’m capable of as a Psyncer.  I can handle it and so can the machine.”

 

“What is your obsession with this?  Why is it so important that you get it running right now…oh.”

 

“What?” Pewter asked, pausing mid type on his stream of code.

 

“Your mother.  Fumiyo.”

 

“Please don’t call her that.”

 

“It’s because of her.”

 

“Why would it be because of her?  She has nothing to do with the Psync machine.”

 

“No, but Shizue has a warrant out for her arrest.  Which means, eventually she’ll be brought here.  You want the machine up and running because you want to Psync with her.”

 

Pewter was silent, going back to the string of numbers currently scrolling across the screen.

 

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

 

More silence.

 

“You don’t have to answer, I know I am.”

 

“And so what if you are?  The only reason Boss would bring her in is so that we can Psync with her.  Otherwise she wouldn’t have issued the warrant personally on behalf of ABIS.”

 

“I don’t think I need to tell you what an absolutely horrid idea this is.”

 

“And why is that?  A Psync could give us the answers we’ve been looking for.”

 

“Not the Psync, you being the Psyncer.”

 

“I’ll be fine.”

 

“She’s your mother.”

 

“No she’s not!” he yelled before gathering himself, pushing down the emotions he let bubble to the surface.  “She’s nothing to me, no different than any other stranger I’ve had to Psync with before.”

 

“Futa, we’ve been together for nearly fourteen years, I know you’re lying.”

 

“Even if I am, it doesn’t matter, someone has to Psync with her and I’m the only that can.  Date is out of commission until we can get his eye removed and let it heal.  Same with Ryuki.  And I still have to make his AI Ball.  Not to mention we have no idea if any of the other Psyncers are going to be willing to stay once they’re told they have to have their eye removed.  It’s going to be a deal breaker for some of them.”

 

“Saito could do it.”

 

Pewter snorted.  “Absolutely not.  He’s the whole reason we’re here now anyway.  Plus, if that woman really was the one that did all of this to him, I don’t think having him be the Psyncer would be smart.  I can do it and you’ll be right there with me.”

 

“Then by that token, you should have Date do it and I’ll partner with him.”

 

“No.”

 

“And why not?”

 

“Because we don’t know how compatible he is in his original body.  It might not work as well.”

 

“That’s a flimsy excuse and you know it.  You just want to be the one to do it.  What are you looking for exactly?”

 

“Answers.”

 

“Futa, please listen.  It’s a bad idea.  You’re too emotionally attached to this.”

 

“I’d have to actually know her to be attached.  But I don’t.  So I’m not. She left before I could even remember her face, how could I possibly be too emotional about it?”

 

“Just listen to yourself.  You’re hurt.  You’ve been hurt all your life, but now you might finally get the answers your father never gave you.  I know it’s tempting to be the one to get them, but don’t you think you could end up compromising the Psync?  If you start projecting onto her during the Psync, or even if you interview her before it, the whole thing could change.  You’ve seen how subjects can be influenced with what they spoke about prior to a Psync.  You may not get the true answers because she’ll be experiencing what she just heard.”

 

“Then I’ll be careful not to see her until she’s unconscious.”

 

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”

 

“Noted.”

 

Pewter let out an internal sigh, shoulders dropping as he focused back on the screen in front of him.  He hadn’t realized just how tightly he had been holding his body, the anger he had previously felt being replaced with relief that Theia was dropping the subject.  At least for now.  

 

He had no doubt she would bring it up again, as she never let anything go.  And it wasn’t that he didn’t see things from her point of view because he actually did.  If this was anyone else, he’d agree with her wholeheartedly.  He’d be the first one trying to convince someone else that they couldn’t Psync with a person they were so emotionally invested in.

 

Because Theia was right.  An overabundance of emotions could and would influence a Psync.  He’d seen it happen before with one of the other Psyncers, Ichiro.  The man had gotten too close to a case, desperate to solve it due to the fact that it involved an active serial killer.  University students were being targeted and there had been five murders before a suspect had been found.  

 

Ichiro had become obsessed with the case, doing everything in his power to prove his worth as the newest Psyncer at the time.  And it didn’t help that he was working with Naoki, who could be just as aggressive when it came to cases like that.  

 

Boss had made the unfortunate mistake of letting both men be present for the interrogation.  While Psyncers were also agents and it fell under their jurisdiction to question suspects, Naoki shouldn’t have been there as the engineer.  It only served to get them both riled up to the point that they were screaming at the subject immediately before the Psync.  And because of that, along with some of the other accusations that had been thrown at the man, the Psync itself became skewed.

 

Not that it could have been used in court anyway, but the hope was to get enough evidence that they could figure out where he would strike next.  Then it would just be a matter of using one of the younger detectives as bait while the other officers remained hidden.

 

But because of Naoki and Ichiro’s complex, the culprit nearly had a sixth victim.  It was only pure, dumb luck that Date had reviewed the case file and figured out which university was likely to be the next target.  And even then, he barely made it to the school in time.

 

So Pewter was all too aware how being emotionally involved never ended well.  But it didn’t matter.  He had to have the answers he needed.  He had to know why his birth mother would subject her nephew to experimentation and then order him to murder the original Cyclops victims.  Or, give the order to Rohan who then was the one that actually executed it.

 

Which begged another question.  Why was Fumiyo partnered with Rohan?  Had she known him prior to all of this, or had she only entered into a business relationship with him when she came back to Tokyo to treat Saito?

 

Honestly, neither option made any particular sense.  Why would someone as smart as she was, a damned scientist, get involved with the Yakuza?  And have people murdered.  By her own nephew.

 

He needed those answers, but more importantly, he wanted to finally get the truth of why she left in the first place.  For years, his father had been nothing but vague with his answers.  Saying she just was no longer interested in being a mother or a wife and that she had packed her things and left in the middle of the night.  She never told him where she went and never made any contact once they had been officially divorced.

 

And while all of that may actually end up being the truth, he had a feeling there was much more to the story.  Especially with the little So had told him.  He didn’t trust So, not in the least, but he had seemed oddly forthcoming in their conversation.  More so than he would have guessed at any rate.

 

He also seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for him.  It didn’t escape his notice how he spoke and treated Saito versus how he was with him.  Almost as if he was longing to have a relationship and form a bond.  Which made the situation even stranger.  He kept his own son at a distance and only seemed interested in how Iris would be able to help his career, so why would he try to purposely pursue a relationship with him?

 

It must all come back to Fumiyo somehow.  He didn’t know how close they were, but if he had to guess, he’d say they had a fairly good relationship.  They may be estranged now, but at some point in time they must have been close.

 

And what was it So had said yesterday afternoon?  That when Fumiyo had left, she had been agitated, calling him from the airport right before she got on the plane.  He said he figured she did that in order to stop him from rushing there to try and stop her.  But when he had asked his…uncle why she had been so upset, he said he didn’t know.

 

He had a feeling that wasn’t necessarily true.  More than likely he hadn’t wanted to speak with such a large audience.  Which made him wonder, if he actually paid the man a visit at his home, would he be willing to speak in private?

 

It was worth a shot if nothing else.  The worst he would have to lose would be his time.  If So didn’t want to talk, he couldn’t make him, but maybe, just maybe he’d be willing to disclose some of what he knew.

 

Pewter focused back on the screen, watching as the scan finally finished running.  And with it, the first bit of good news he’d had in a while. The machine was actually still operational.  

 

The failsafe had functioned as it was supposed to when so many errors happened at once.  It had cut off power to the machine and effectively put it in safe mode.  Which meant it had the appearance of being completely off, but in essence had cycled through a full system reboot, which took a minimum of twelve hours.

 

In fact, all he would have to do is input his credentials as admin and the system would restart.  It really was a relief to have it be something so simple as opposed to all of the systems being completely fried.  But luckily for him, his invention had run perfectly under the absolute worst conditions possible.

 

He let a small smile cross his face, happy that something had gone right in all of this.  At least he wouldn’t have to spend the entire day fixing the machine.  In fact, once he ran through a test Psync, he’d get out in enough time that he could actually go visit So if he wanted to.  And then he could decide from there if he was ready to confront his father about everything he had learned, or if he was going to go home and talk to his boyfriend.

 

“Theia, is anyone on the schedule to come in?”

 

“One moment,” she said, her avatar pausing in it’s movement as she searched through the ABIS calendar.  “Unfortunately no.  The original schedule called for Kanna, but she had been removed and replaced with Ryuki.  But now because of the AI Ball rule, he’s been taken off as well.  In fact, the schedule for the entire week has been cleared.”

 

“What about Boss?  Or even Naoki?”

 

“Naoki is not scheduled today.  And Boss has it on the calendar to come in this afternoon.”

 

“Hmmm…”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I’m just thinking.  I need to do a Psync to make sure it’s all running properly.”

 

“It’s just after nine now.  She comes in at noon, so you could work on something else or go back home until then.”

 

“No, I want to get this done now.”

 

“I suppose one of the detectives may be willing to help.  What about Kagami?  He’s usually quite friendly.  Not standoffish like most of the others.”

 

“No, I’ve got another idea in mind,” he said as he started rapidly typing.  “I’m going to implement the new update to the system.  This will be the perfect test to make sure it works properly.  That way I’m killing two birds with one stone.”

 

“What update?  What are you…” Theia trailed off as she once again started accessing information on the ABIS mainframe.  “No!  Absolutely not!  You cannot do that, especially when you’re completely alone.  What if it doesn’t work?  What if something happens to you?”

 

“I’m not alone.  You’re here with me and you’ll be plugged in and running the Psync remotely as the engineer.”

 

“Futa, I refuse to let you do this.  I’ll call Boss and have her come down here.”

 

“You’ll do no such thing.  Everything will be fine.  And you know I wouldn’t let anyone else test this.  I have to make sure it’s safe before I let any of the others use it.”

 

“Futa-“

 

“Drop it Theia.  I said it’s fine.  You’ll be monitoring my vitals and if the worst happens, do a force shutdown.”

 

“Why would you even want to do this?  What do you think you could possibly gain?”

 

“Think about it, no one knows the Psync subject’s mind better than the Psync subject themselves.  If they know the memories they are looking for, it’s easier to access.  This update allows the Psyncer to seek out specific memories.  And in addition, it allows someone to be both the Psyncer and the subject.  If this works, it could revolutionize the technology.  We could find answers to things that were long since buried due to trauma.  Memories that the subject doesn’t even know they have.”

 

“Like memories from someone just over two years old, when memories first start forming?” Theia asked matter-of-factly.

 

“Yes, that could be another use.”

 

“You’re going to try to recall anything you can to do with Fumiyo, aren’t you?”

 

Pewter was silent once again.  His AI was right, that was exactly what he was going to do.  And why shouldn’t he?  Maybe he had the answers he wanted.  Maybe they were some of his first memories that he couldn’t quite access on his own, but with a little help from his own technology, he could possibly reach them.

 

He had to try at the very least.  And like he had told Theia, he never tested his inventions on anyone but himself first.  The only exception to that rule had been Aiba.  And that was only because there was a dire need for her to help Date while also being on a serious time constraint.  It had been easy to see that Saito’s condition had steadily been wearing on him mentally that first year.  

 

Even then, Pewter hadn’t been entirely comfortable with the idea of just implanting the AI without testing it on himself first.  But there had been little he could do, lest he have his own eye removed.  And while he would have been willing, there just wasn’t the time to do it and heal from the surgery.  Not with Date slipping away a little more each day.

 

Luckily it had all worked out in the end.  But with this, he wasn’t going to let someone else test it.  It had to be him.  And though he could understand Theia’s worries, he wasn’t about to do something that would place him in danger.  His life wasn’t perfect, but it was eons better than the parallel world he had dreamed about.  He had his boyfriend and perfectly growing family, he wouldn’t do anything stupid by risking his own well-being.

 

That being said, there was some minimal risk associated with anything new.  Especially when it did connect directly to the brain.  But he would have Theia monitoring the entire thing, and he knew she would be overly cautious.  He fully expected her to shut down the Psync before the six minute time limit, but hopefully she wouldn’t do it before he got the answers he wanted.

 

He’d have to be precise.  There wouldn’t be time to explore and see what he could come across, no, he’d have to actively project what he wanted to see.  It should work though.  His calculations were always precise and he had been working on the update for months now.  There was no better time than the present to try it out.

 

“Are you ready Theia?”

 

“No.”

 

“Theia, please.”

 

“Fine,” she pouted, hands on her hips as she tried to look intimidating.  Instead she came across like a stubborn little pixie given her diminutive size.  “But I’m not happy about this.”

 

“I know you’re not.”

 

“And I’m going to give you a lecture later.”

 

“I know you are.”

 

“A stern one.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“And you’re going to watch the new dolphin documentary on WebPix with me.”

 

“I can do that.”

 

“And…and you’re going to start working on a new body for me so I can be mobile.  Maybe a lapel pin or a necklace I can detach from.”

 

“I will, I promise.”

 

“Then I’ll help, but I am absolutely stopping the Psync if your heart rate or breathing even remotely rise.”

 

“That sounds perfectly reasonable.”

 

“Then get down there before I change my mind.”

 

“Thank you Theia, I really do appreciate everything you’re doing.”

 

“I know you do, now get going.”

 

Pewter gave her a wink before heading through the doors and down to the Psync chamber.  This would be the ultimate test of the technology he had spent years of his life developing.  If it worked like it was suppose to, it could very well change everything.  For ABIS, and for himself.

 

 

 

Notes:

Iris with another new song! If I keep going at this rate, the girl will have an entire album. Hope everyone liked it along with the Date and Iris bonding. They deserved to have a nice moment together.

And Pewter is up to his antics again. The man has no self preservation. I like getting to showcase the “mad scientist” aspect of his personality because with everything else going on, there hasn’t been a lot of time to let that happen.

We got a little more Theia too. She adds a nice balance to Pewter and tries to make sure he doesn’t go too far off the deep end, with varying success rates.

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it was only two pov’s this time, but the chapter ended up getting much longer than I expected. This is now the longest one to date.

As always, thank you for reading and if you liked the chapter, please leave a comment!

Chapter 42

Pewter pulled the visor down over his eyes, the bright lights of the Psync chamber disappearing except for a thin sliver that crept in around the edges.  He prepared himself for the odd sensation that would be two completely different sets of wires slipping past his eyes and directly to his brain.  The Psyncer’s nanowire behind his left and the subject’s behind his right.  

 

Normally the subject’s wire would also go through the left eye, but it was impossible in this particular case where he was also the Psyncer.  So instead he fed the wire through the right side of the headgear, temporarily holding it in place with a few ties.  He’d find a more permanent solution in the future if it worked properly with no ill side effects.  And if it didn’t, he’d go back and reconfigure the update until it did what it was supposed to do.

 

He knew he was taking a substantial risk doing this without anyone besides Theia to supervise the Psync, but it couldn’t be helped.  Boss certainly wouldn’t let him do it if she knew, and there was no way in hell he was calling Naoki to help him.  Besides that, he trusted Theia infinitely more than the other engineer.  She knew the Psync machine and the Wadjet system as well as he did, perhaps even better.

 

And while she would be monitoring the Psync from where she was plugged directly into the computer system, she would also be present with him as well.  Working much in the same way as the Psync she had run with him as the subject.  She and Date had both appeared side by side in Somnium, as opposed to only her avatar being present.

 

Technically Theia didn’t need to be there, but he knew as soon as he entered the dream world, she’d be right beside him.  She was too worried for his safety to leave him alone.  It was sweet, but unnecessary.  

 

Pewter knew his machine, he knew what it was capable of and just how far he could push it.  And while he didn’t feel completely at ease letting someone else test it, he also wouldn’t try it on himself if he truly thought it wasn’t ready or dangerous in any way.

 

After all, he wasn’t going to risk hurting himself when he had Renju, and now Mizuki.  They were two of the most important people in his life and he wouldn’t put himself in danger.

 

“Theia, go ahead and start the Psync.”

 

“I don’t like this,” her voice reverberated through the chamber.

 

“I know you don’t, but I’m still doing it.  Start the Psync.”

 

He thought he heard a sigh, despite the fact that she didn’t need to breathe.  It wasn’t the first time she had done something like that.  As she continued to learn and develop, she began mimicking several human mannerisms. 

 

She made it a point to always go through the motions of breathing when she would project her human form.  Her chest would rise and fall and she would even take pauses, just like any other person would when inhaling before speaking.

 

She also learned to fidget.  Likely by watching him since he could never stay still for long.  She would shift her weight from one foot to the other or play with one of the curly tendrils of glowing green “hair” that framed her face.  

 

Perhaps the most human like thing she had picked up though was the simplest.  She learned to blink.  And did it surprisingly naturally.  She didn’t just blink once every thirty seconds on a loop or too much or too little.  It was just like watching a real person.  Completely random with no set pattern.

 

Theia had been quite proud when he noticed, smiling brightly and clapping her hands together.  She really did love to learn and improve her own system far beyond what he had programed her with.  It was incredible to think back on where she had started thirteen years ago to where she was now.  

 

“Let’s begin,” Theia’s soft English accent echoed once more before Pewter felt the pull of his mind leaving the real world.

 

It was always a strange sensation as the Psyncer to be present one moment and then appear somewhere strange and often times, fantastical, the next.  This time though, Pewter felt both the pull of entering Somnium and the push of his mind trying to project his dream.

 

He closed his eyes, the bright swirling colors too vivid.  His feet hit the ground with a hard thud and he stumbled forward, catching himself on his hands.  He kept steady for a moment, waiting for the world to stop spinning and then sat back on his haunches, slowly opening his eyes again.

 

A sea of black lay before him, causing Pewter to rapidly blink, thinking maybe that would help.  It didn’t.  In fact the only color he could see was Theia slowly coming into view beside him.  The bright green of her hair glowed against the overwhelming darkness and her long white dress contrasted even more against the blackest black he had ever seen.

 

“Why is it so…”

 

“Dark?” Theia supplied.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“‘It is said that the darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn.’”

 

“I really don’t need you to quote English theology to me right now.  What I need to know is why nothing is here?”

 

Theia shrugged as she made a show of spinning around, her dress flowing with the movements and briefly showing the green and silver grecian sandals beneath.  “Hmmmm, it appears it didn’t work.  We should probably end the Psync.”

 

“No, it should have worked.  I calculated everything perfectly, it’s…you’re stopping it somehow, aren’t you?”

 

Theia didn’t answer, instead staring off into the distance as if she could see anything in the void.

 

“Theia,” Pewter said, his annoyed tone breaking through.

 

“Yes?” she asked innocently.

 

“You’re blocking the Psync.  I know you are.”

 

She let out a sigh, shoulders drooping as she slowly brought her green eyes to meet his.  He knew she had to be actively projecting the expression, but he was still surprised to see just how easy it was to read the sadness and anxiety behind them.

 

“Fine, but it’s for your own good.  You’re trying to access the oldest memories you possess.  That’s draining in and of itself, but on top of all that, you’re also the Psyncer.  If I let the blockade go, you’re going to feel it all.”

 

“I already know that.”

 

“I don’t think you do.  I’ve done my own calculations and it’s not going to be good.  And I don’t think you’ll be able to stand staying here for much longer than two minutes, maybe three if you’re lucky.”

 

“Then that just means I need to move fast.  I’ve been thinking about what I want to see this whole time so if the update works like it’s supposed to, those should be the memories and images that come forward.”

 

“Futa, please it’s not too late to back out.  We can have Date Psync with you and I’ll help him through.  You know I won’t let either of you get hurt.”

 

“No.  I’m not having anyone else use the machine until I’m sure it’s safe.  And I’ve already asked too much of him anyway.  So lift the block.”

 

“Futa-“

 

“Please don’t make me use the override command.  I don’t want to, but I will.”

 

Theia let out a small noise of frustration before bowing her head.  She stilled for a few seconds, likely doing something at the terminal in the real world, before making eye contact once more.

 

Pewter opened his mouth, ready to ask if she was done.  But in that instance, it became obvious she was.  Suddenly hit with the worst nausea he had ever felt, his stomach churned violently and his throat burned as felt the bile rise up.  He knew it was impossible to vomit in Somnium, but it didn’t stop his body from dry heaving and collapsing down to the ground.

 

He felt the headache next, pressure building behind both eyes until they truly felt like they would burst.  His temples pulsed in time with the pain as he rolled on to his back to try to relieve even the tiniest bit discomfort.  Breathing steadily, he did his best to push past the sudden influx of sensations and concentrate on the world that was slowly coming in to focus.

 

“Futa,” Theia’s soft voice echoed beside him.  She reached forward and put a steady hand under his head, the other on his shoulder as she tried to guide him into a sitting position.  

 

“This is…I…”  He found himself nearly choking on his words, not able to get out a coherent thought.

 

“I know.  This is why I didn’t want to do this.  The machine isn’t meant to work this way.”

 

He wanted to argue back, tell her that she was wrong, but he couldn’t.  Both figuratively and literally.  She was right, the technology wasn’t made to handle a Psync like this.  And because it was his own invention, he could say that without a doubt.  But even still, he had pushed forward, always wanting to go beyond even his own expectations.

 

Now he could see that it was clearly a mistake.  He had let his own ego get in the way.  Again.  His constant need to always prove himself, to show his father that he made the right career choice, had once again come back to bite him in the ass.  Because while he believed wholeheartedly in his inventions, sometimes it was a little too much.  And that overconfidence now resulted in where he found himself.  Feeling like he was going to throw up his actual digestive tract while his brain was ready to leak out between his ears.

 

He sat up a little straighter, ready to tell Theia to stop the Psync, when he saw it.  Maybe about five feet away on the slowly materializing wooden floor, was a record.  The dust cover was old and worn, but Pewter could still make out a portion of the title.  “Tchaikovsky”.

 

And just like that, without ever moving an inch or touching the weathered cardboard, the room suddenly became complete.  It was the living room in their old house, the one he grew up in until he was ten.  He remembered the old navy blue sofa and matching chair, the low coffee table and the boxy television situated in the corner of the room.  Most clearly though, was the record player.

 

For it’s time, the player had been compact and sleek, but now Pewter could see how cumbersome it actually was.  There were several dials off to the lower right where the name “Danyo” stood out.

 

It had been years since he last heard anything on the player, his father eventually updating his system in the nineties and then finally opting for the virtual assistant that Smile sold and using that to listen to his classics.  He knew his father still had the record player, though it sat collecting dust in his home office.

 

Crawling forward ever so slightly, he watched as his younger self ran into view.  He was still extremely uncoordinated, nearly falling if not for the woman that quickly scooped him up.  She laughed lightly as she swung the giggling toddler around, her long blonde hair swaying with her movements.

 

Pewter felt his breath catch in his throat, focusing on her face.  She had the same green eyes and same shade of blonde that he had had as child.  They also shared the same delicate bone structure, though Pewter could now clearly see that his jaw line and nose came from his father.

 

“Futa, would you like to dance with mommy?”

 

He giggled and clapped his tiny hands together, clearly liking that idea.  Fumiyo smiled, her face lighting up with a love that only a mother could show.

 

“You’ll need some music then,” Kazuki said as he walked over to the Danyo.  He pulled the record from the sleeve and set it carefully, moving the needle to exactly where he wanted it.  The waltz from “Sleeping Beauty” came to life with a crackle and Fumiyo delicately navigated the floor, spinning with her laughing son.

 

“Fast mama, fast!”

 

“If mommy goes any faster I’ll get dizzy!”

 

And even as the words left her mouth, she spun faster still.  All the while, Futa’s happy squeals rang through the room.  Kazuki stood by the player, watching his wife and son with a content smile and warmth that was hard to find on his features now.

 

The two continued to dance until Kazuki finally walked over, placing one hand on Fumiyo’s lower back and the other against Futa, pulling them both close.  He attempted a hybrid waltz across their living room floor that was clumsy and awkward, but seemed to delight not only Futa, but Fumiyo as well.

 

“I love you Kaz,” she said softly as she looked up into his dark eyes.

 

Kazuki leaned forward, lowering his face to hers and placing a quick kiss against her lips.  “And I you.”

 

The memory faded just as quickly as it started, the music stopping abruptly as the image of his parents disappeared.

 

“No, why did it stop?  There had to be more!”

 

“Futa, you looked like you might not even quite be two there.  You’re lucky it was as clear as it was.  That’s probably all that was there,” Theia said gently, able to see how much this small snippet of his life was already effecting him.

 

“No, that can’t be all there was.  There had to be more, I…I don’t understand.  She looked happy.  With me and dad.  So then…why would she leave?  If she loved us, why would she go?”

 

“I don’t kno-“

 

Theia didn’t even finish her thought as the room came back into view again.  Dark shadows danced across the walls; clearly night had fallen.  

 

“Please Kaz, just come with me!” Fumiyo hissed quietly, desperation tinging her words.  “We can go wherever you want.  New York, Amsterdam, Paris, West Berlin, London.  It doesn’t matter.  As long as it’s far away from here.”

 

“We can’t just pack up and go.  Our lives are here.  Our families are here.  What about your brother and-“

 

“It doesn’t matter, we have to go!”

 

“You’re not making any sense.”

 

“Just get your suitcase ready.  I’ll explain once we’re in the air, but we need to go now.  I don’t know when it will happen, but it will.  And soon!  Please!”  She grabbed his hand in both of hers, holding it tight as she pleaded.  

 

“You need to explain now,” Kazuki said harshly, trying to pull his hand away but Fumiyo wouldn’t break her grip.

 

“I will if you come with me.  I’ll pack Futa’s things, you only need to worry about yours.  We’ll take the first plane out we can get and then worry about where we’re going after that.”

 

“Fumi please, start making sense.  You’re asking me to take our son and just abandon our lives here and run away.  Why?  I need to know.”

 

“Don’t you trust me?” she asked, stepping back.  Her expression was an odd mixture of hurt and fear, though she didn’t seem to be afraid of her husband.

 

“I…I really want to.  But what would you do if I woke you up at midnight and told you we needed to leave the country?”

 

“I’d trust my husband!” she yelled.

 

“How can I trust you when you won’t tell me anything?  If you want me to trust you, then how about you trust me enough to tell me why we’re fleeing in the middle of the night like a pair of criminals?”

 

Fumiyo stood there quietly, not saying a word.  The silence hung heavy in the air, the only sound their breathing and the hall clock ticking away.

 

“Kaz please…”

 

“Let’s go to bed.  We can talk about this in the morning after we’ve both had a good night’s sleep.  Things will be clearer then.”

 

“I’m not going to bed.”

 

“Surely you’re not going to stay up all night?  You need to get some rest.”

 

“No.  I’m not going to bed because I’m not staying.  I’m leaving Kaz, and I’m begging you to come with me,” she said softly, her voice taking on an almost dejected tone.  

 

It was clear she knew what the answer would be, but her eyes held just enough hope that maybe she was wrong.  Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t be leaving by herself.

 

Kazuki shook his head, rubbing a hand down his face with a sigh.  “I’m going to bed.  This conversation isn’t going anywhere and it’s clear you aren’t going to tell what the problem is.  If you need to leave, then leave.  Just try to be quiet when you come back, you don’t want to wake Futa.”

 

“You don’t get it!  I’m not coming back, Futa’s why I need to leave!  He’s going-“ she cut herself off, eyes wide.

 

“What Fumi?  He’s going to what?”

 

“Nothing, I…it’s nothing.”

 

“It’s obviously something if you’re going to this much trouble to leave the country.  Please tell me.”

 

Fumiyo shook her head.

 

“Please.  Just tell me.”

 

“I can’t.  You’ll think I’m crazy.  But, come with me and I will.”

 

“I’m not going to think you’re crazy, I promise.  But you know I can’t just pack a suitcase and take our son somewhere in the middle of the night without knowing why.  Now please, tell me.”

 

Fumiyo closed her eyes, a stray tear falling down her cheek as her brows furrowed together.  Her lips were trembling and a small, ragged breath escaped on the tail of a whimper.

 

“Fumi, what is it?”

 

“He’s…going to die.  If we stay, they’ll find me and hurt him.  But if we go…you don’t believe me,” she said, her voice cracking.

 

Kazuki stood there, watching his wife with growing concern.  Despite his earlier promises, his expression told her all she needed to know.  He didn’t believe her and worst than that, he worried about her mental stability.

 

“Let me call So and Sai.  I’ll tell them they need to watch Futa and you and I will go to the hospital-“

 

“I’m not crazy.”

 

“I know you’re not.  But we should just go and have you checked out as a precaution.”

 

“No!  I’m not-“

 

“Mama?”

 

Fumiyo and Kazuki whipped around, staring down the dark hall.  Futa crept forward slowly, clutching his Monchhichi stuffed monkey to his chest.  His eyes were wide and he didn’t look nearly as sleepy as he should have for just waking up.  He had to have been standing there for a while, but for how long they couldn’t be sure.

 

“I’ll put him back in his bed and then we’ll finish talking,” he said as scooped the small boy up.  He was a little over two, but looked even tinier in his father’s large arms.

 

“Wait,” Fumiyo said as she moved forward, stopping in front of Kazuki and Futa.  She tried to smile, but it came across as more of a grimace as she leaned in.  Her lips softly brushed against his forehead, both hands reaching up to hold his head steady.

 

She held the kiss for a few seconds before pulling away to nuzzle the top of her son’s blonde head.  “Mommy loves you.  I love you so much Futa.  Good night my sweet boy.”

 

“Mama,” Futa murmured sleepily as he snuggled deeper into Kazuki’s chest.  “Love you.”

 

Another tear fell down her cheek as she watched Kazuki carrying their young son to bed.  She lifted her hand to her lips and blew a kiss, finally letting the small, broken cry escape.

 

The image froze and dissolved into static with Pewter once again left sitting in the dark.  His eyes were wide and glazed with unshed tears.  At some point he had raised his hand, reaching forward as if he could touch the ghost memories of his parents.

 

“What was…ugh, I think I’m…”

 

Pewter lurched forward, hands going to his mouth as he dry heaved again.  His stomach was in knots, but he couldn’t tell if it was from the Psync itself or the memories he was experiencing.

 

“We should stop,” Theia said gently, still by his side.  She rubbed gentle circles on his back while his muscles continuously contracted beneath her glowing green fingertips.

 

“No, we can’t.  There has to be more!  I need to see-“

 

“Futa, it’s been almost four minutes.  And your body can’t take much more of this.”

 

“I’m fine, I need to see if there’s anything else. What if she came back.  There could be more!”

 

“She was saying good bye to you.  So said she left in the middle of the night and was aggravated, it all fits.  This was the night she left Futa, there isn’t anything else.”

 

“But there has to be!  There has to be something!  Why would she leave if she loved me?  Why?!” he cried out.

 

He’d never felt so desperate and helpless in his life .  It had been easy to believe that his mother didn’t love him, that she was selfish and unstable, a vile woman capable of murder.  But that wasn’t who he saw.

 

Instead, two small memories depicted a woman full of warmth and love for her family.  He saw someone that was clearly happy to be a mother.  She loved him.  She loved him and she didn’t want to leave without him and her husband.  But she did anyway.  Because her fear outweighed her love.  Her fear of him dying.  And of something else.

 

“What happened…urk…who was she-“

 

More gagging cut off anything else Pewter was going to say.   His chest tightened as his stomach muscles protested, clenching so hard he could feel his abs moving under his skin.

 

“I’m shutting down.  This is too much.  Your body can’t handle anymore.  If you stay under any longer you very well may give yourself another asthma attack.”

 

“No!  I’m not done!” he yelled and immediately regretted it, pain reverberating behind his eyes as another headache set it.  He groaned as he slowly slipped to the ground, clutching his head with one hand and stomach with the other.

 

“Too bad, shut down protocol initiated.  We will be leaving Somnium in approximately thirty seconds.”

 

“I said no!  Administrative override code 20…8591-“

 

“Denied,” Boss’ voice echoed all around.  “And you better have a damn good explanation for what is absolutely the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.”

 

“Oh, by the way, Boss got here about two minutes ago.”

 

Pewter just groaned, not even having the strength to lift his head up to look at Theia.  He supposed he better take the few seconds he had left in Somnium and prepare himself for the massive chewing out he was about to receive.  This was going to suck.

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter came back to the real world in a flash, hands reaching up to pry the headgear away from his eyes.  He let out a growl as the wires rubbed uncomfortably against the back of his eyes and popped out, slapping against his face before the visor slid up and away on it’s predetermined track.

 

The confusion, coupled with the pounding in his temples, clouded his mind.  Everything around him felt hazy and he couldn’t seem to make his eyes focus, the room one giant blur.  

 

His breathing picked up as the nausea from the Somnium set back in, except this time he could feel the bile rising in his throat.  He sat up quickly and tried to stand, but his body failed to cooperate, instead sending him painfully to the floor.  His knees took the brunt of the impact, with his hands slapping against the cold tile.

 

“Theia…” he managed to choke out, swallowing the bitter acid that threatened to burn up his esophagus.

 

There was a rustling beside him and a steady hand placed between his shoulder blades as one of the plain, metal trashcans from the control room was held in front of him.  Pewter didn’t even have a chance to think about it, his body going into a series of dry heaves that did nothing to alleviate the churning in his stomach.  It was no wonder though, he hadn’t had anything to eat since last night and even then, he had barely touched his soup.

 

There was nothing to bring up, but that didn’t stop the muscles from continuing to contract agonizingly over and over.  And all the while his head throbbed painfully, the beat of his rapid pulse echoing in his ears so loudly it almost blocked out all the other sound in the room.

 

“Here, you should drink this.”

 

The words swirled together and it took Pewter a moment to understand what was actually said.  He sat back, the person beside him gently guiding his movements so he wouldn’t over balance.  Once he was settled, he felt a bottle of water pushed into his hands, the cap already removed.

 

Realizing just how dry and raw his throat felt, Pewter took a long drink.  The water soothed the burning and helped settle his stomach ever so slightly.

 

“Easy, not so fast.  You don’t want to make yourself sick again.”

 

Pewter looked up, forcing his eyes to focus on the person next to him.  The blur was slowly sharpening, the crown of blonde hair the first thing he noticed.

 

“Date…?”

 

The man let out a snort.  “Not quite.”

 

“Wait…no…Saito?”

 

“Got it.  Give the man a prize.”

 

Pewter was immediately on guard, feeling his heart begin to race, banging out it’s staccato rhythm behind his ribs.  Why was he here?  He had no reason to be at the police station at all, let alone at ABIS.

 

“Get the…hell away from me.”

 

“Wow, some thanks I get for making sure you didn’t throw up all over the floor.  I even brought you some water.”

 

“You probably poisoned it.”

 

“Water?  Be kinda hard to do that when you could taste anything put in it.  Plus, poison’s not my style.”

 

“That’s right, you prefer strangulation and stabbing,” Pewter said as his hand subconsciously went to his side.

 

“Still think the worst of me, huh?”

 

“Kind of hard not to when you’re a literal serial killer.”

 

“And who’s fault is that?!” Saito snapped out harshly before clearing his throat and looking away.  “The tool?  Or the one that wields it?  Would you hold the gun solely responsible for the death it causes, or the person behind it?”

 

“You’re very different than a gun.  You’re a person with your own thoughts and feelings.  You know the difference between right and wrong.”

 

Saito rolled his eye as he let a bitter laugh escape his lips.  “I do now.  Situation’s a little different when you don’t have any free will.”

 

“And yet I still don’t see you showing any remorse for what you did then.  Or even what you did now.  All the lives you destroyed, people you hurt.”

 

“That’s simple enough.  Because I don’t have any.”

 

“That’s the first thing you’ve said that I actually believe.”

 

“Both of you get up here now.  Especially you Pewter, we need to talk,” Boss said as she spoke directly into the microphone in the control room, her tone sounding even more annoyed now that it was amplified.

 

“I think you’re in trouble cuzzo,” Saito smirked as he reached a hand forward.

 

Pewter stared in confusion for a moment before he realized what exactly Saito was trying to do.  With an agitated snarl he slapped it away, or tried to.  Still weak from the Psync, it was more of a tap, but it got his point across nonetheless.

 

“Whatever,” Saito breathed out, turning away and heading back through the door.

 

Pewter shoved himself to his feet with a groan, slowly following after.  He really wasn’t looking forward to getting reamed out by Boss, and even less so with his newfound and irritating cousin by his side.  But, there was no delaying it any further and the sooner he got it over with, the better.

 

After all, he still owed both his uncle and his father a visit.  He knew they had to have the answers to the growing list of questions he now had.

 

 

 

 

 

Boss was doing her absolute best to not start screaming immediately.  There were very few times she actually lost her temper to that point, but she was walking that thin line currently.  After everything that had happened with Kanna,  and Pewter still thought it was a good idea to try a risky Psync without another living person present.

 

No, that was wrong.  She was pretty sure that Pewter didn’t think it was a good idea, but that he also didn’t care.  Over the years she had had this particular conversation more times than she could even count.  He always tested his tech and inventions and even medication on himself first, regardless of how often she told him it was stupid and he needed to stop.

 

He was too hardheaded to listen, and while Boss knew she herself was often in that category, her own obstinate attitude rarely endangered her own life.  And yet, here Pewter was again, doing exactly that.

 

He definitely wasn’t ok, no matter how he tried to argue to the contrary.  His skin looked almost sallow and most of the color had drained from his lips.  When he finally entered the control room, he had all but collapsed into his chair.  His body was weak and he still seemed like he could get sick any second.

 

She honestly didn’t know what he would have done had she and Saito not shown up.  And the only reason she was there so early was because the younger man needed another dose of his medication.  It wore off much quicker when given as an injection as opposed to when Date had been the one receiving a constant stream from Aiba.

 

If not for that, she wouldn’t have even known what Pewter was up to.  There wouldn’t be any reason to watch the security footage and Pewter was smart enough to cover his tracks anyway.  He’d have it erased before he left the building, ensuring that she, or anyone else wouldn’t know what he was up to.

 

“You do realize how stupid this was, right?  I don’t have to go through the whole speech about how you’re smarter than this and you’re old enough to know better?”

 

“No, I’d prefer you get straight to the punishment.”

 

“Well in that case, I’m putting a stop to the Psyncs until we can get the whole AI Ball situation squared away.”

 

“What?  That’s ridiculous.  You know the machine is safe and everyone besides Date has been Psyncing for years without one.”

 

“Doesn’t matter.  The situation with Kanna scared the higher ups and they won’t budge.  No more Psyncing without an AI Ball, period.  No exceptions.”

 

“I have Theia so that’s not a prob-“

 

“Normally it wouldn’t be, no.  But I’m putting a stop to that too.  You clearly aren’t in a good state of mind and aren’t able to make rational and sound judgements.  So you’re done Psyncing until I feel like you’re able to do so.”

 

“Are you kidding me?!  You can’t do that!”

 

“I can and I did.  I’m your superior and you know I don’t like to pull that card, but you’re forcing my hand.  I can’t trust you Pewter.”

 

“How can you say that after everything we’ve been through?  Huh?  After everything I’ve told you and my Psyncs.  You were there!  You watched it all happen!”

 

“Don’t you see it’s because of that that I can’t trust you?  You’re too close to this entire situation and you can’t think clearly.  You’re too emotional.”

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?  He tried to murder my boyfriend!” Pewter yelled as he pointed at Saito.  The man in question was standing quietly by the railing, simply watching the exchange with a bored eye.

 

“You know that wasn’t his fault.”

 

“Right, right, it was my ‘mother’s’.  All the more reason for me to be involved.”

 

“Wrong.  All the more reason for you not to be.  You’re not thinking logically right now.”

 

“I agree,” Theia said as she projected herself from the forgotten visor that was still connected to the ABIS mainframe.  “You’ve been out of sorts for days.  Even before you discovered your familial connection to the Sejima line.”

 

“Et tu, Theia?”

 

Saito let out a mocking laugh, shaking his head from side to side.  “God, you really are related to Dad.  You two have a flair for the dramatic.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I mean, come on.  Shakespeare?  Calm down Julius Caesar, she didn’t knife you in the back.” 

 

“Unlike you that knifed me in front?”

 

“It was one time, just let it go.”

 

“I’m sorry, you’re right.  I’m being petty over the attempted murder, won’t happen again.”

 

“If I wanted to kill you, I would have moved more to the right and down slightly.  So again, you’re being dramatic over a scratch.”

 

“Let me stab you in the same spot and we can call it even then.”

 

Saito spread his arms wide, smirking while giving a one shouldered shrug.

 

“Enough!  Both of you are behaving like children.  You’re family and you should start acting like it.”

 

“The hell we are!” Pewter exclaimed.

 

While at the same time Saito yelled, “No fucking way!”

 

“You’re literally proving my point,” Boss mumbled before continuing.  “But that’s not important.  I need you to start working on something right now.  And it takes top priority over everything else.”

 

“What’s that?” Pewter asked, momentarily forgetting his fight with Saito as curiosity took over.

 

“I need you to make a new AI Ball.”

 

“For Ryuki?”

 

“No, but speaking of that.  I need you to give Naoki the schematics and data on how to make and program one.  I’ll have him work on Ryuki’s and one for Kanna as well.”

 

“But what if she doesn’t want to get her eye removed?  You know that’s a real possibility.”

 

“If she doesn’t, she doesn’t.  Nothing I can do about that, but I have a feeling that won’t be the case.  Worse comes to worse though, we have an extra ready to go for whoever else may decide to join.”

 

“Then who do you need one for?  Date has Aiba and once we can get his surgery scheduled, it will just be a matter of letting everything heal.  Did you talk to some of the others?”

 

“No.  I need a unit just like Aiba.  One capable of administering medication directly to the brain and monitoring the host for any abnormal changes.”

 

“Absolutely not!”  Pewter jumped to his feet, swaying momentarily as he reached out to steady himself against the upper level floor at his waist.  His eyes were burning as he glared at Saito.

 

“I’m not asking, I’m telling you.  I can’t keep coming here twice a day to give him a shot.  And even if I get permission to take home a bottle or two, it doesn’t change the fact that I still have to give him an injection every twelve hours.  I’d give him Aiba if I didn’t think she’d completely shut down.”

 

“I can’t believe you’re asking me to do this.”

 

“I’m asking because there’s no one else.  Something like this, I can’t ask Naoki.  He’s smart and maybe capable, but it’s too much of a risk if he screws up.”

 

“It’s not a risk for Ryuki and Kanna though?”

 

“No, because I’m not having him design something capable of administering mind altering medication on a set schedule and keeping track of any abnormalities in the brain on a constant basis,” Boss said as she slowly walked down the few stairs to stand directly before her friend.  “Please Pewter, I need you to do this.”

 

Pewter looked down, his face hard to read.  The anger was still there, though she could tell it wasn’t directed at her so much as the situation she was forcing him in to.  And she knew it was a lot to ask.  It wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair, but she hadn’t lied when she said there was no one  else capable of completing the task.  It had to be him.

 

“Fine.  I’ll do it.  For you, not him.”

 

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, reaching up to place a hand on his shoulder.  She squeezed gently, her own way of trying to comfort him for the monumental task ahead.  She wasn’t much of a hugger and she knew Pewter very rarely liked physical attention.  He’d tolerate it, much like a cat, but that was about it.

 

“You owe me.”

 

“I’m aware.”

 

“When everything is settled, I want a bigger budget.  Much bigger.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do.”

 

“You’ll have to do better than that.”

 

“Do I even want to know?  You’ve already got this imaginary money spent, don’t you?”

 

“Maybe?”

 

“Care to elaborate?”

 

“I’ve got a few ideas drawn up for some improvements.  One of them is to make a portable Psync machine.  Two visors a lot like mine and an app through Wadjet that can run on any phone or tablet.  That way in emergency situations, we wouldn’t have to bring the subject back to ABIS and the Psync could be done out in the field.”

 

“That sounds expensive.”

 

“Oh it will be.”

 

Boss sighed heavily.  “You know I can’t guarantee that I’ll get funding like that.”

 

“I’m confident you’ll find a way.”

 

“Classic manipulation tactics.  Dad would be so proud right now,” Saito said, wiping away a mock tear from his eye.

 

“You’re not helping the situa-“  Boss cut herself off when she heard the ringing of her cellphone sitting on the desk.  Or more accurately, the obnoxious chorus to some J-pop boy band repeating over and over.

 

“That’s awful,” Saito deadpanned.

 

Boss flipped him off as she grabbed her phone, accepting the call and bringing it to her ear.  “Hello?”

 

“It me,” Moma’s voice answered back.  “Are you busy right now?”

 

“A little, but I’m just wrapping things up.  Why?”

 

“I need to talk to you about something.  In person.  Can you come to my place?”

 

Boss didn’t like the sound of that.  An in-person meeting with a Yakuza boss, even one as laid back as Moma, didn’t bode well.  “Did something happen?”

 

“Sort of.  But I’d rather not get in to it over the phone.  When can you get here?”

 

Boss pulled her phone away from her ear temporarily to look at the time.  It was nearly ten.  “Where do you live?”

 

“Asakusa.”

 

“I’m at ABIS, but let me finish up here.  Give me an hour and text me your address.”

 

“Alright, see you then.”

 

The line went dead as Boss deposited the phone into her pocket.  Both Pewter and Saito were looking at her; the former curious while the latter didn’t seem like he cared at all.

 

“I’ve got to go meet with Moma.  I trust that you won’t do anything else stupid while I’m gone?”

 

“I won’t.”

 

“Seriously Pewter, don’t Psync again.  I’m not kidding.”

 

“I won’t.  In fact, I’m leaving.  I have to work on my plans for a new AI Ball and I’d rather do that at home.”

 

Boss let her shoulders sag in relief.  While she didn’t necessarily believe that he’d get started on the unit right away, at least he wouldn’t be around the Psync machine.  It was unlikely he’d perform another Psync after she expressly forbade him too, but he was also a loose cannon at the moment and she couldn’t take his normally obedient attitude for granted.

 

“Come on Saito, let’s get going.”

 

“I’ll drive.”

 

“The fuck you will,” she mumbled, pushing him forward towards the exit.  She was absolutely leaving him with Moma for the night, she needed a break.

 

 

 

Notes:

I know Pewter featured heavily during the last chapter and this one, but I promise more of the cast will be back soon. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter as well as a small look at Fumiyo in the past.

Also as a side note, I started writing this before AINI was released, so the timeline is based off of what we knew then with this being 2019. Therefor Pewter's memories as a child were in the mid 80's. Since he was two, it would have been 1985, which explains the large tv, record player, and his favorite toy monkey. Monchhichi was a popular stuffed animal in Japan in the 80's, so I figured baby Pewter would have one.

Normally this wouldn't be a big deal to go and edit to change the year, however a part of Iris' arc depends on her still technically being a minor at 18, which she would have been in 2019 as the age of adulthood was still 20. This didn't change until 04/01/22 in Japan. Since this is a time-travel AU anyway, hopefully this doesn't ruin the experience.

As always, thank you for reading and if you liked the chapter, please leave a comment!

Chapter 43

Moma gently laid the tray he had carried from the kitchen on the low table, three steaming cups of coffee sitting on top along with cream and sugar.  Despite the heavy topic he would soon be discussing, he was nothing if not a gracious host.  His mother made sure of that, though she had always preferred serving a pot of tea when she had guests.  

 

But times had changed and while he still enjoyed some of the old traditions, he realized that many were a thing of the past.  Relics of bygone years that no longer had a place in modern business.  And unfortunately tea ceremonies were one of those things.

 

“So, uh, how’d your night go?” Moma asked as he added a sugar cube to his own coffee, glancing briefly at Saito.  “Did you settle in well?”

 

Saito paused in his own preparations, having already dumped at least five sugar cubes and so much cream that his coffee was almost completely white.  “You’re kidding, right?”

 

“Why?  Did something happen?”

 

Saito turned his glare towards Shizue, stirring his concoction and finally taking a drink.  Moma didn’t know how he could even stomach something that sickeningly sweet.  He sure as hell wouldn’t be able to drink it without grimacing.

 

“What’s that look for?  You love calling everyone else dramatic when you’re the most dramatic damn bitch I’ve ever met.”

 

“Ex-excuse me!”

 

“Come on Shizue, don’t tease him.  He’s been through a lot.”

 

“Yeah.  Not that anyone cares.  Just drag me around all over Tokyo.  Take me from my home, force me to interact with people that hate me, and turn me into a walking punchline for your own amusement.”

 

Shizue’s mouth twitched up, trying her hardest to hold back a smirk as she continued on.  “I didn’t have anything else for you to wear.  If I did I would have given it to you, but I’m sorry.”

 

“No you’re not, if you were sorry you wouldn’t have taken pictures.”

 

“What the hell happened?” Moma asked as he looked from Shizue to Saito and back again.

 

“Nothing major.  I just had to give him some clothes to sleep in last night and he was pissed because they weren’t his style.”

 

“That’s because you basically turned me in to one of those stupid looking big headed dolls with the awful clothes that all clash.”

 

“Seriously, it wasn’t that bad,” Shizue said as she pulled out her cell phone and opened her photo album.  “See?”

 

“Those are definitely bright.  And uh, what’s that say on the back?”

 

“‘Juicy.’  It says fucking ‘Juicy’ right on the ass.  And I had to go home in front of my dad in that this morning so that I could get my own clothes because someone fell asleep last night before the washer was done.”

 

“It was an accident.  We were all tired after yesterday.  And So was fine.  He didn’t even bat an eye.  I’m guessing that’s not the strangest thing he’s caught you in before.”

 

“Am I just some sort of fucking joke to the both of you?”

 

“No, of course not-“ Moma began but was quickly cut off by Shizue.

 

“Kind of, yeah.  But, you get to spend the night with Moma tonight, so I’m sure you’ll have a much better time.”

 

“Wait, wait, you know he can’t stay here, not with Sho-“

 

“That’s your solution?  Just unload me on the man that tried to make me kill myself?”

 

“Kid, look, I’m sorry about that.  I had to come up with something on the fly that you wouldn’t be able to lie about if the mind control thing wasn’t real.”

 

“So the best you could come up with was, and I quote, ‘Shoot yourself in the head’?  Not the foot or the hand or anywhere else that wouldn’t have been fatal?”

 

“When you put it that way, those do seem like better choices, yes.”

 

Saito grabbed another sugar cube while glaring with his one good eye.  At some point Shizue must have gotten him an eyepatch for the other one.  It wasn’t anything special, just plain black with the elastic going around the back of his head.  He had pulled his long blonde hair up into a messy bun, probably easier to wear the patch that way and not have it slip.

 

He didn’t know Date well or for all that long in this body, but it was interesting to see the differences between him and Saito and how both men carried themselves.  Despite his attitude and general inability to cooperate, Saito still showed some of the rich upbringing his father instilled in him.  He didn’t slouch and sat straight up, unlike Date who tended to lounge much like a cat the few times he had seen the man.

 

Saito also sipped slowly from his coffee and never took too big of a drink.  He wasn’t sure how Date would have actually drank it, but if Shizue basically slamming her’s like a shot was any indication, he wouldn’t be nearly as polite and measured as the original owner of the body.

 

“Kid, er Saito, I am sorry.  I was stressed and had just talked to my brother right before I got to your house.  I didn’t plan as well as I could have.  And honestly, I should have taken your feelings into consideration considerin’ Rohan did all the same shit to you before.”

 

Saito nodded slowly and Moma figured that was probably going to be the most acknowledgement he got for his apology.  Which was still better than the sarcastic and biting remarks he had quickly come to associate with the younger Sejima.

 

“See look at that.  Both of you getting along, things will be fine tonight.”

 

“About that, it’s not a good idea.”

 

“Why not?” Shizue asked as she sat her empty cup on the table and began to fill it from the carafe.  

 

“Well, that’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.  There’s been a situation-“

 

Saito and Shizue both grimaced, the latter nearly dropping the coffee pot at the sound of a scream echoing down the hall.  Moma whipped around, having completely forgotten that Shoko was still asleep in the guest room.  Or had been since she was wide awake now. 

 

“Hey Shoko, calm down, it’s not what you think,” Moma began gently.

 

She screamed again and grabbed the closet thing she could find, the remote for the television sitting on one of the end tables, and threw it right at Saito.  The blonde moved ever so slightly to avoid getting hit and the remote bounced uselessly off the wall behind him.

 

“No, get out!  Moma, do something!”

 

“Shoko, it’s ok!”  

 

He rose from his seat and went to stand in front her, pulling her away from the living room and into the hall.  She could still see Saito, but she relaxed her stance having both the distance and Moma between them.

 

“What is he doing here?!  Are you crazy?!” she hissed.

 

“I shoulda told you yesterday, but everything got crazier and crazier.  Long story short, the kid was under some kind of mind control.  You were right, the German was used for keywords to set the orders in place.  And that gave Rohan his own personal assassin to carry out anything he wanted.  Kid’s ok for now and all the stuff Rohan did is gone, so he’s not a danger to you or anyone else.”

 

“What now?  You can’t be serious.”

 

“Come on, you were the one that suggested it back at ABIS.  I know it’s crazy, but it’s the truth.”

 

“But he…”

 

“I know, but I promise he’s not going to hurt you or Ren.  Nothing is going to happen to either of you.  It’s a messed up and pretty insane situation, but I’m handlin’ it.”

 

“I…guess it sounds slightly less crazy than me being in a coma for a year as a parasite in your brother’s body while So Sejima’s son was a parasite in mine.”

 

Moma let out a small laugh.  “When you put it that way, mind control almost sounds normal.”

 

“My definition of normal has drastically changed in the last two days.”

 

“You and me both.”

 

“I think I need a drink.”

 

“Just go easy.  You know Dokuta said you can’t overdo it with the medicine you’re on.”

 

“I know.  And I won’t.  But I need something after that little adrenaline rush.”

 

“Alright, go ahead.  Just stay out of the expensive stuff, ok?”

 

“No promises,” Shoko said as she turned into the kitchen, disappearing from view.

 

With a sigh, Moma went back over to the couch and sat down wearily.  At least that went about as smoothly as he thought it could go.

 

“Everything ok?” Shizue asked.

 

“Yeah, she’s fine now.  I explained the situation and she won’t be an issue.”

 

“You want to tell me what you wanted us to come over for then?”

 

“Wait, do I need to be here for this?” Saito asked.

 

Moma raised a brow at the question, caught a little off guard.  Technically, he supposed Saito really didn’t need to be involved in the conversation.  The whole thing concerned Shizue and the only reason Saito was even here was because there wasn’t anyone else to keep an eye on him.  And he certainly couldn’t be trusted to be completely on his own, despite what he had just told Shoko.

 

“I mean, no not really.”

 

“Ok, good,” Saito said as he rose to his feet, taking his coffee cup with him.  He slipped between Shizue and the table and started walking towards the hall.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“The kitchen’s this way, right?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Ok.  I want to talk to Shoko.”

 

Saito didn’t wait for a response, continuing on and sliding open the paper door to the kitchen area.

 

Moma waited a moment, listening closely to see if there would be any more screaming or even the sounds of a confrontation.  He didn’t hear anything besides the low sounds of talking, though he couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying.  It must not have been too bad since there weren’t any raised voices or yelling.

 

“Well, let’s get started then,” he said as he turned back to Shizue, already knowing this wouldn’t be an easy conversation.

 

 

 

 

Saito stepped into the kitchen, slowly sliding the door closed behind him.  Shoko stood at the center island, bottle of wine open and half a glass sitting in front of her.  She watched him with a critical eye, but didn’t cringe away.

 

“Hey.”

 

She raised a delicate blue brow.  “Hey.”

 

He stepped closer, sitting his cup of sugar and cream down on the island opposite her.  Standing awkwardly for a second, he watched as she took a slow sip of her wine, eyes never leaving his.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“How am I…feeling?”

 

“Yeah, after the, you know, the coma.”

 

Shoko thought about the question for a moment before giving a small smirk.  “Better than Rohan at any rate.”

 

Saito was surprised when a sharp laugh bubbled it’s way up from his throat, catching him off guard.  He supposed if anyone had a right to hate Rohan and make a joke at his expense, besides him anyway, it would be Shoko.  She suffered under his influence the same as he had.

 

“I’m uh, sorry about that.  I wasn’t exactly in my right mind, but it’s still no excuse.  You didn’t deserve to be trapped inside his mind.”

 

“Eh,” she answered with a shrug.  “I probably did.  There’d be a lot of people that would argue that anyway.”

 

“I still don’t think you did.”

 

“Mmmm.  Maybe so.  But you had it a lot worse than me.  Five years stuck in that mind and in a mental hospital to boot.  That really sucks.”

 

“It did.”  

 

“You know, before we get more into this conversation, I need something stronger.  And I think you do too.  Any preferences?”

 

She walked over to the cabinets against the wall and opened one, several bottles of liquor lined up neatly inside.  Grabbing a few, she brought them back over to the island, also sitting down two dark blue shot glasses engraved with dragons.

 

Saito picked up one of glasses and traced his finger over the carving, the intricate dragon wrapping all the way around the glass.

 

“Kind of on the nose, huh?” she said, inclining her head towards the shot glass. 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Yakuza chairman with dragon glasses.  Although, he does have those giant dragon statues in the office too.”

 

“Oh yeah, those.  Didn’t Rohan get them?”

 

“Maybe.  They’ve been there as long as I can remember.  I joined at sixteen and they were there then.” 

 

“You joined the Yakuza at sixteen?”

 

Shoko nodded as she looked through the bottles she had gathered.  They all had different labels and bottle designs, but there wasn’t anything that Saito thought he could actually recognize.  His father primarily stuck to saké when he drank and Saito never much cared for the stuff.

 

“Yeah, is that really such a surprise?”

 

“I mean, sort of.  You just don’t seem the type to join an organized crime family while in high school.”

 

“I guess ‘joined’ is the wrong word.  More like given away by my worthless parents because they couldn’t pay back the interest on the loan they took out from Rohan.”

 

“Given away?”

 

“Rohan gave them a choice.  Pay back the interest or he got me.  And since I was a monumental failure by daring to be born as a girl, it was an easy choice,” she said bitterly.

 

“Failure, huh?” Saito mumbled to himself as he looked at the glass once more.  The carving really was incredible.  It had a lot of detail for such a small surface.  Tiny scales covered the body and a long, forked tongue protruded from a mouth full of sharp teeth.

 

“You really like that dragon, don’t you?  You should tell Moma.  Probably make his day that someone likes his taste.”

 

“Isn’t he used to it?  Don’t all Yakuza like dragons?  They get tattoos of them, right?”

 

“Some do.  Rohan might have, but I honestly don’t know what his looked like.  Moma definitely didn’t though.  Only thing he ever did was incorporate the lotus into his like everyone else in the family.”

 

“You’ve seen his tattoo?”

 

“Mmhmm,” she said as she finally settled on a drink, pouring herself a shot of spiced rum before gesturing for his glass.

 

He sat it down and watched her pour his out perfectly, sitting the bottle off to the side.  “You like rum?”

 

“I don’t know, never had it before.”

 

“You’ve never had rum before?”

 

“I don’t think so.  If I did, I don’t really remember.  Nothing really tastes good to me unless it’s really sweet.  Otherwise, I don’t enjoy it.”

 

“Well, this is sweet, I think you’ll like it.”

 

Saito picked the glass up and gave it a hesitant sniff, smelling vanilla more than anything else.  Shoko raised her glass up, holding it steady and inclining her head in way that said he should do the same.  He followed suit, tapping his glass to hers and then against the countertop before bringing it to his lips and downing the contents.

 

It burned, but in a surprisingly good way.  The sweetness was there, but it wasn’t overwhelming.  He could definitely add this to the small list of things that he actually did enjoy.

 

“So, tell me more about this tattoo.  All I know is that Moma’s got flowers on him somewhere.”

 

“On his back,” she said as she looked through the other bottles for her next choice.  “And it’s not only flowers, they’re just a part of it.  He’s got a war horse with a skeletal rider in full samurai gear.  The horse is splashing through a pond with lotus flowers in it.  It’s actually pretty wicked.”

 

She finally settled on a clear bottle with a simple label, pouring out two more shots and sliding his over.  “Sambuca?”

 

Saito shook his head.  He’d never had that before either.

 

“This one’s more of an acquired taste.  It’s sweet like the rum, just in a different way.”

 

Saito took her word for it, raising his glass once more to clink against hers before knocking back the shot.  Just like the previous one, it burned it’s way down his throat.  That’s where the similarities ended however.  He coughed as the taste of black licorice finally caught up with him, spluttering as he grabbed for the lukewarm coffee still in his cup.

 

“I take it that one’s a no?”

 

“Ugh, it’s pretty bad.  You actually like that?”

 

“Like’s a strong word.  More that I have a few fun memories with someone that loved the stuff.”

 

Saito nodded as if he understood, but nothing could be further from the truth.  He could recall maybe a handful of times he had actually felt moderately satisfied to the point that he may describe it as fun, but none of those memories had any particular stimulus associated with them.  But he figured that this was normal for most people and that he himself was likely the odd one out.

 

“So, how’d you end up seeing Moma’s tattoo anyway?  I can’t picture him just randomly walking around without his shirt on.”

 

“Ha!  You got that right.  He’d never do that.  No, he actually took me and Ren when we were younger to his tattoo artist.  He wanted us to get something, even if it was small, so that we could be associated with him and the family.  He showed the guy his as a reference for the lotus flowers since we were getting those.”

 

“Why?”

 

“To keep us safe.”

 

“A Yakuza tattoo seems kind of counter-productive to that.  A lot of places and people won’t even have anything to do with you if you have a tattoo.”

 

“Yeah, but ours are hidden pretty well.  You wouldn’t actually see it unless we were at the beach or a bathhouse.  But it was meant as something we could basically show if we ever found ourselves in trouble, especially by a rival family.  Hard as it is to believe, the Kumakura name still demands respect in a lot of circles.”

 

“So, you and Renju both have tattoos?”

 

“Yeah, shocking that two people as upstanding and clean cut as us would have them, huh?”

 

Saito furrowed his brows, remembering the investment fraud schemes that he had to keep up with during his year of masquerading as her.  Upstanding and clean cut weren’t really the words he would use to describe her.

 

“Come on, it’s not that hard to believe,” she said as she grabbed his glass once again, pouring from a third bottle.

 

She didn’t wait this time for the toast, simply swallowing hers before slamming the glass back on the marble slab.  “Ooooo, that’s sour.”

 

Figuring it couldn’t be as bad as the last one, Saito took after her and quickly drank his.  The strong taste of lemon immediately hit his tastebuds along with the slight burn he had come to associate with the alcohol in general.  It was definitely sour as Shoko had described, but with a  slight sweetness that lingered afterwards.  He still preferred the rum over everything else though.

 

“Wanna see?”

 

“I’m sorry, what?” he asked, his words ever so slightly slurred as his head began to get a little fuzzy.

 

“My tattoo.  Wanna see it?”

 

Shoko seemed on her way to being drunk as well.  Her speech wasn’t impaired yet, but her eyes had taken on a slightly glassy look.  One he had seen in his father’s eyes more than once at the political dinners he forced Saito to attend.

 

This was a lot more entertaining than those stuffy events though.  And Shoko’s company was preferable to a bunch of middle-aged men and their wives, all competing to see who could suck up the most to his father and win his favor.

 

“Sure,” he said as he reached for the bottle of spiced rum, pouring himself another shot as he looking at the smiling face of the pirate on the label.

 

Shoko held her glass up next and he poured hers, watching her throw her head back before sitting the once again empty glass down.  She walked around the island and stood in front of him, just barely at the level of his chest.

 

He almost turned his eyes away as she started to pull the bottom of her shirt up, but she let it rest just below her ribs.  She grabbed the hem of her leggings pushed them slightly down her hips and then he saw the tattoo, just below her belly button.  Several small lotus flowers all grouped together on serene blue water.

 

“Why’d you want it there?” he asked as he quickly took his shot.  Not that he was any expert in tattoos and their placement, but it still seemed an odd spot for one.

 

“I wanted to cover up a scar.  And since we were getting them anyway, it seemed like a good idea.”

 

“A scar?”

 

“Yeah,” she said, not elaborating any further.  “But wait a minute, wouldn’t you have already seen this?  You were walking around as me for a year.”

 

“Ummm, well.  I tried to respect your privacy.”

 

“What?  You thought I was dead, but you were worried about my what?  My virtue?”

 

“I don’t know, it was weird.  I felt strange about looking at you, so when I had to take a shower or change my clothes, I kept my eyes closed.  I just didn’t feel right about it.”

 

“Saito, that’s kind of sweet.  A little strange when you consider the whole murder thing you were trying to carry out as me, but still sweet.”

 

“It’s not sweet.  I’m not sweet,” he mumbled as a red blush tinged his cheeks.  Strictly due to the alcohol and in no way embarrassment.  Not at all. 

 

“Awww, you’re so cute when blush.”

 

“Wait, are you flirting with me?”

 

Shoko let out a loud and obnoxious laugh, reaching her own limit with the alcohol and entering the giddy drunk stage.  “God no!  You’re incredibly attractive, but I know what Date did in that body, so no thank you.  Which is a shame, because I really do like sexually confused pretty blonde boys.  You don’t have a brother, do you?”

 

“Hold on!  What?”

 

“What?” she asked back, still giggling slightly.

 

“What did Date do?”

 

“What didn’t he do?”

 

“That sounds even worse and still doesn’t answer my question.”

 

“Ok, let’s see.  Hostesses, one night stands, cafe maids, blind dates, drunken bar bathroom escapades,” she said as she held up a finger to punctuate each point.  “I’m sure there’s more, but my head’s a little swimmy all of a sudden.”

 

“I thought Kuranushi was joking when she said that.  I can’t believe it’s actually true.”

 

“It’ll be fine.  I mean, you should probably get tested and avoid Shinjuku, but other than that, no worries.”

 

Saito let out a frustrated sigh as he poured yet another shot.  He’d lost count by now, but he didn’t care.  He honestly wanted to forget about the whole end of this conversation and maybe the alcohol would help.  Plus, drinking all of Moma’s booze was certainly one way to get back at him for the shooting incident.

 

 

 

 

 

“So this new guy, Han-jae, he sounds interesting.”

 

“That’s one way to look at it,” Moma replied.  He was surprised that Shizue was handling the information so well, but then again, she’d probably seen a lot worse in her line of work.  Same as him.

 

It’s why they got along so well despite only knowing each other for the last few days.  It was rare in his business to come across someone that could truly understand the dark world of syndicated crime without being a part of it themselves.  And even though she was on the opposite end of that, she was still trustworthy.  Likely only because he himself wasn’t out there committing murders or pushing drugs.  While fraud and money laundering were two of his specialties, it wasn’t enough to put him on the MPD’s radar.  Especially when they had the Ito family right in their district.

 

Lucky for him really that Yasha took all the pressure off his family.  Not that she made anything easy.  The city had gotten a break booking her father for tax evasion, giving him the maximum sentence available.  He’d still be out in ten years, probably sooner with good behavior and appeals.  But for now, Yasha was sure to keep the MPD and local government busy with her antics.

 

“What do the other chairmen make of him?  I mean he’s twenty-four, adopted, and Korean.  The deck is pretty stacked against him.”

 

“No one else has really spoken out, not after Jurou.”

 

“Ha!  I guess they wouldn’t.  Dumb asshole isn’t really a loss.  I’ll have to send Han-jae some flowers.  What kind do you think he would like?”

 

“This isn’t a joke you know.”

 

“I didn’t say it was.  I’m genuinely appreciative of him taking that son of a bitch out.  He killed two cops and got off on a technicality.  And he helped harbor a serial killer targeting first year university students.  Kids, Moma.  Actual kids.”

 

“You think I don’t know that?  He was fuckin’ scum and needed to be taken out, but Raiyu and Ryoichi always protected him.  Because he brought in a shit ton of cash.  But Han-jae didn’t even hesitate.”

 

“Probably because of what the little racist bastard said.”

 

“No, I get that.  But he worries me because there aren’t any second chances.  You fuck up once and you’re done.  And now he’s got you in his sights.”

 

“Thanks for the concern, but you know I can handle myself.”

 

“I know you can, but I can only offer you so much help.  You don’t want to cross him.”

 

“So what does he want?  No autopsy on his brother?  And no investigation done on Jurou?”

 

“Jurou’s gonna be taken care of internally.  Nothing to worry about there.  The new Kiyama chairman will probably announce that he left to go live abroad.  I doubt it will get investigated too deeply.”

 

“So then I just need to make sure Raiyu’s death isn’t investigated, right?”

 

“More or less.  He’ll have one of his doctors do the autopsy.  Results will show he died of a heart attack in his sleep.  We just need to make sure the MPD doesn’t decide to open up a case and demand their own autopsy.”

 

“I doubt that will happen.  Hate to say it, but they really don’t give a shit what happens to Yakuza.  Regardless of how high up they are.  And Raiyu and Jurou have been a pain in all of our asses for years.  No one is going to be sad either of them are gone.”

 

“Then I guess we have nothing to worry about.”

 

“Not so fast.  On the extremely rare chance that I do need to step in, I need a little incentive.”

 

“You mean besides your life?  Because you know Han-jae will kill you if you cross him.”

 

“He’ll try.  But yeah, I want something from you.”

 

Moma didn’t like the sound of that.  God only knew what this woman would ask for.  “Yeah?”

 

“A favor.  To be cashed in when I decide.”

 

“What kind of favor?”

 

“I don’t know.  I’ll let you know when I need it.  But I can’t think of anything better than having an IOU with no expiration and no limit from a Yakuza boss.”

 

“Should I be worried?”

 

Shizue shrugged, long brown hair slipping over her shoulders.  She had worn it down, letting it fall in soft waves down her back.  “I mean, maybe a little.  I promise I won’t do anything to put you in danger.  Well, that’s probably not completely true.  But, likely your life won’t be in danger.”

 

“That’s really not that reassuring.”

 

She didn’t get a chance to reply as a loud chorus of laughter drifted down the hall.  Moma furrowed his brows wondering what exactly was going on in his kitchen.  He heard Shoko’s laughter for sure, but there was no way that Saito was actually laughing too.  He hadn’t seen the younger man so much as crack a smile, unless it was done in a mocking way.  But the fact that he was actually amused enough to full body laugh and carry on with Shoko was not something he was prepared for.

 

Not that he didn’t want the two of them to get along.  It would make things easier in the long run if others would give Saito a chance instead of immediately shutting him out.  He knew it was a lot to ask, especially of some people.  Like Renju.

 

Sooner or later he’d have to have a talk with the man and see what he could possibly do to make that a reality.  Knowing what he did now about Iris’ mother and Renju’s best friend, it was clear why he felt the way he did about Saito.  Shoko too, since in a way she had been directly involved in the plot to keep it all hidden away.

 

But it wouldn’t help anyone to blame Saito for a past that he really couldn’t help.  The ones behind it all were Rohan and Pewter’s own mother, which would be an especially hard pill for Renju to swallow.  He knew the other man would never go against his boyfriend, not when he was so unequivocally in love with him.  And the way Pewter and Saito despised one another meant it would be a tough road to earn Renju’s forgiveness.

 

“Was that Saito?” Shizue asked, standing up from her seat.  Apparently she was just as curious as he was.

 

“I think so.  I mean, it has to be.  I didn’t think he ever laughed though.”

 

“Maybe it’s the medicine.  He had a dose before we left ABIS.  He’s sort of getting used to normal human emotions and what it all feels like.  I don’t think he knows how to handle it all.”

 

“So you think he’s actually happy right now?  With Shoko of all people?”

 

“You like her.  Maybe he does too.  Not everyone hates her, right?”

 

Another round of laughter echoed from the kitchen and now Moma stood, gathering up the tray from earlier.  “Better see what in the world they’re doing.”

 

“Yeah, never trust kids left alone for too long.  They always get into something.”

 

“That sounds like someone with experience.”

 

Shizue smirked, nodding ever so slightly.  “Well, you’ve seen the kids I have to wrangle at ABIS.”

 

Somehow, Moma thought there was a little more to it than that, but he didn’t say anything else.  It wasn’t his business anyway.

 

The two walked down the hall, Moma balancing the tray in one hand and opening the door to the kitchen with the other.  The sight that greeted him was honestly the last thing he expected.  

 

Shoko was sitting on top of the center island, legs dangling off the end as she finished whatever story she had been in the middle of.  “…and he never realized Renju and I replaced it!  I swear, every time that overgrown bear poured out shots of cheap, bottom shelf whiskey to his best ‘clientele’ I secretly smiled.  Especially when they all had to grin and pretend it was so good.”

 

Saito was leaning next to her, elbows on the counter and looking up, amusement all over his face.  His cheeks were red and splotchy and his lips were pulled back into a real smile.  He looked younger in that moment, free of all the burdens he’d had thrust on him since he was a child.

 

“Oh my God, are you two drunk?” Shizue asked as she crossed her arms across her chest.

 

And now that Moma looked at both of them, he could see it.  The same glassy stare and blotchy complexion.  Not to mention several liquor bottles spread out behind Shoko.

 

“Uh-oh busted.  How mad you think mom and dad are?” Shoko stage whispered.

 

“Oops?” Saito said simply, shrugging his shoulders.

 

“Seriously?  How are you two this wasted?  You were only in here for thirty minutes, if that.  And Shoko, didn’t I tell you to take it easy?”

 

“You did.”

 

“And?”

 

“And what?  I didn’t listen, obviously.”

 

Moma sat the tray down over by the sink, not knowing what else to say.  It’s not like it made a difference anymore.  They were both already drunk, telling them they shouldn’t be would just be a waste of breath.

 

“You realize this is why you can’t be left alone, right?”  Apparently Shizue didn’t feel the same way he did.

 

“I thought it was because you were afraid I’d try to leave the country.”

 

“That too, but you’re clearly not capable of making good decisions.”

 

“Because I decided to have a drink?”

 

“You’re drunk before noon.”

 

“So?  Are you trying to tell me you never went out on afternoon benders with Date and Pewter?”

 

“We’re not talking about me.”

 

“Maybe we should.”

 

Shizue took a deep breath and let it out slowly, doing her best not to lose her temper.  Moma could see she was trying to get her thoughts together and not say something she’d regret.

 

“Saito, I know the freedom to do-“

 

“What freedom?”

 

“I think I’m giving you a hell of a lot more freedom than Rohan did.”

 

“Ok, hey let’s not go there,” Moma said as he stepped away from the sink and effectively placed himself in the middle of everyone.  “It’s not going to do any good to bring up the past.”

 

“She started it,” Saito mumbled.

 

“It doesn’t matter.  You need to understand that me and Shizue here are pretty much the only ones that give a shit about you right now.  A lot of people don’t give a rat’s ass whether you’re rotting away in a jail cell or decomposing at the bottom of the Tokyo Bay.  So I’d suggest you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

 

“He’s right you know.  I can only fight so hard for you when you’re fighting me in turn every step of the way.  The little pissing contest you had with Pewter earlier?  Totally unnecessary.  You knew you were going to get him riled up and you did it anyway.  Why?  What was the point?”

 

Saito looked away, not saying anything.

 

“Suddenly quiet?  Usually you can’t wait to run that mouth of yours.”

 

“Come on kid, we can’t help you if you don’t talk to us.  If you don’t feel right or if there’s a problem with the medicine you’re on, we can’t fix it if we don’t know what the issue is.”

 

Saito still didn’t say anything, instead picking up the blue shot glass and gently running his thumb over the dragon.  He focused intently on that, making Moma wonder if he was listening at all.

 

“You know,” Shoko began softly.  “Sometimes when you’ve been the villain in everyone’s story for so long, it’s hard to see yourself as anything else.  You get numb to the pain and hatred, but when it’s gone and nothing’s left at all, that’s when it becomes unbearable.”

 

 

 

Notes:

I can't believe we are at 200k words now. I never expected it would be this long when I first started, but here we are.

Hope everyone enjoyed what is basically a Moma and Saito chapter. Last couple of chapters focused heavily on Pewter, but it was time to bring Moma back into the fold.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a comment and let me know!

Chapter 44

Ota took a seat across from Renju, settling in to the large chair in front of the desk.  He’d been to Lemniscate a bunch of times before, but he had never once been back to the owner’s office.  He’d never had any reason to.  He was usually there to pick up Tesa or Mizuki or both of them.  Most of time on their way to Sunfish Pocket, but sometimes he’d take them back to the diner.

 

It made him happy to have people to cook for again since it had been just him and his Mom for so long.  He still remembered the first time he heard Invincible Rainbow Arrow playing on the radio.  He’d been making some omelet rice in the kitchen, his Mom right beside him.  The song came on and her face lit up immediately.

 

She danced right there in the middle of helping him cook, just like she used to when his Dad was still alive.  The two of them loved dancing together, and since his death, his Mom hadn’t had many reasons to dance again.  Not that the dementia had helped either.

 

Some days were fine and there weren’t any issues at all.  And others were absolute hell.  Especially the days she would think his Dad was still alive and she would make dinner for the three of them, setting out a plate for Takero and insisting they wait to eat until he got home.  Sometimes Ota was able to play along, and sometimes he wasn’t.  

 

He wasn’t proud of how he acted in those low moments, but no one would ever be able to understand how watching his Mom slowly slipping away every day coupled with the fact that she thought her dead husband was still alive, was eating away at him.  He loved his Mom and Dad more than anything.  And he had already lost his Dad.  It hurt to know that he would lose his Mom too, sooner than he ever expected.

 

And of course one of the days that she actually had a little bit of clarity, had been when Tesa’s debut single had played.  She loved it and immediately asked Ota to download it to the “music thing” that she could talk to.  So he did.

 

They listened to that song all day long, his Mom dancing and happily singing along with the lyrics.  She even got Ota to sing along with her.

 

After that, Ota began to research Tesa and found out that she had a podcast and stream too.  He showed them to her and a lot of times they would sit together and listen, his Mom drawn to the bubbly pink haired girl.

 

It was good for a couple of months, until his Mom had taken a turn for the worst with her dementia.  Just as suddenly as she had loved Tesa, she hated her.  Saying all these terrible things about how she was taking Ota away and was using him.  Which was ridiculous because he didn’t even know the girl.

 

But that was when he was determined to get to know her.  He’d meet her and become friends with her and bring her to meet his Mom.  Once she met her, she’d see what a good person she was and maybe that would help.  Maybe his Mom would go back to the way she was before.

 

He knew there was no cure for her dementia.  But there was a lot of research that supported positive stimulus.  And what could be more positive than the girl that sang the song they both loved so much?

 

So Ota started looking up everything he could find about Tesa.  When she started streaming and when she decided she wanted to be singer.  Where she was signed at and when she would be doing public appearances.

 

She just so happened to be performing her song over at one of the local festivals that would be happening.  He made sure to go, pushing to the front of the audience.  He sang and danced along right there in the first row, making sure she saw him.

 

After her song, she hopped off the stage to talk to the small group gathered around.  She certainly didn’t have as many fans as the other performers that followed up, but there were still a fair amount for someone that was basically an unknown.  Ota waited his turn and managed to speak with her, telling her what a big fan he and his Mom were and how it would mean the world if she would consider coming by the diner one day to meet his Mom.

 

Tesa, in typical Tesa fashion, agreed right away.  And of course she did.  She was the kindest and most generous person he had ever seen.  She wrote her song for a kid dying of cancer after all.

 

So, the following weekend Tesa showed up.  Walking in and taking a seat.  Ota had smiled from behind the counter, yelling to his Mom that they had a customer he thought she’d be happy to see.

 

Mayumi had walked out from the back all smiles right up until she set eyes on Tesa.  Then her entire demeanor had changed.  She started yelling at the girl, calling her all sorts of names and accusing her of stealing Ota’s money.

 

Ota quickly took his Mom to the back, saying he’d handle it and went out to find Tesa staring down at the menu in front her.  He honestly didn’t know what to say or do.  His Mom had been unbelievably mean to her and yet she didn’t leave when she could have.  She stayed and waited for him to come back out.

 

He had started to apologize and Tesa just cut him off, saying it wasn’t necessary.  That she understood how having a brain disease could make you say things you didn’t mean or act out of sorts.

 

She was so forgiving and generous even when she was the one having insults thrown at her.  He just couldn’t believe it.

 

And even after all of that, she agreed to come back.  She said that maybe the next weekend would be better, and that she would come by as often as she needed to until Mayumi finally remembered how much she loved her music.

 

Over the next several months Tesa tried everything, but it didn’t work.  Mayumi sunk worse into her dementia and was meaner and meaner to Tesa.  But she took it all with a smile and said it was ok, they’d just have to do it again.

 

During that time, Ota started to develop a friendship with her and two of her best friends, Mizuki and Amame.  When they weren’t trying to help out Mayumi, the group hung out at Sunfish Pocket to be able to see Amame when she was working.

 

It was nice, suddenly having friends to be around.  They all enjoyed his company too and had started to invite him out on some of their excursions.  Usually involving ghosts or the occult or something else like that.  Not necessarily his thing, but he decided since the girls all liked it, he would do his best to learn too.

 

Although, Mizuki wasn’t into it that much either.  Sometimes she would hang back and make jokes that he would laugh at, understanding exactly what it was like for an outsider with this stuff.

 

“So Ota, Mizuki and Iris both told me a little bit about your situation.”

 

“My situation sir?”

 

Renju nodded.  “Mmhmm.  The diner and your Mom.  I’m really sorry to hear that she’s not doing well.  I never realized she had dementia.  That’s a terrible disease.”

 

“It is,” Ota said as he looked off to the side.

 

Renju’s office was decorated in lots of calm blues and grays, like a sea just before a storm.  There were a couple of pieces of modern art up on the walls that looked like they may have been completed by the same artist of the one out in the reception area.  But mixed in with those and seemingly out of place, was a painting of Saint Sebastian.  A real painting at that, as Ota could clearly see the brush strokes on the canvas.  It obviously wasn’t the original, Ota had learned about that in his art class before he dropped out of school.  Plus this one was a little different than the one in his textbook anyway.

 

It was almost intimidating to see how many pieces were in this room.  The artwork alone probably cost more than his entire house, but he supposed when you owned a company like Lemniscate, you could afford to have an artist come in and paint whatever you wanted.

 

Off to the side, almost as if it was purposely being kept away from everything else, was a miniature family shrine with the name Okiura engraved into a plate below it.  Nestled right in the middle was a small urn, decorated with a dolphin jumping out of a blue ocean with a bright full moon in the background.  And across the top in delicate script it read, “Where the Ocean Meets the Sea, That’s Where I’ll Be”.

 

“Is that…?” Ota trailed off, not really sure who the urn would be for.

 

“My Father,” Renju answered automatically, not even glancing back over his shoulder at the memorial.  

 

“Oh?  He’s not buried at your family shrine?”

 

“No.  He was an important part of my life and I like to have him here with me.  Watching over me.”

 

Ota nodded, understanding what he meant.  He felt the same way about his Dad.  It’s why he kept the family picture in the diner.  Even though they weren’t open for business any longer, it made him feel good to have his Dad there with him when he was cooking.  Especially on the few occasions Tesa, Amame, and Mizuki’s schedules all worked out so that they could be there too.  He really was his happiest when he was cooking for others or writing.

 

“But we’re not here to talk about that.”

 

“I’m sorry Mr. Okiura, but what did you want to talk to me about?”

 

“Like I said before, the girls told me about your situation and how things haven’t been going well.  I know you all had to close the diner a couple of years after the explosion at the chemical plant, but Iris said you’ve been trying to figure out a way to reopen it and bring some income in for your Mom.  Her medicine and hospital bills are starting to add up.”

 

“Yeah.  It’s not been easy.”

 

“So why don’t you tell me where you’re struggling at?  It can’t be the menu.  I remember going there myself a couple of times with Mizuki and Shoko and the food was delicious,” Renju said with a fond smile. 

 

“No, the food was never a problem.  When my Dad was alive, people would be lined up out the door just to get the lunch specials.  He always prided himself on having fast, delicious, and affordable meals for the working class.  And he made it a point to have everything done in less than ten minutes so it wouldn’t cut too much in to someone’s lunch hour.”

 

“Ok, so we know that isn’t the issue.  Is it because of the contamination zone?”

 

“I think that’s part of it.  Mom and Dad’s business really fell off after that.  Even though we weren’t technically inside, people still steered clear of us.  And once we started losing our customer base, it got harder for Mom and Dad.  They had to get second jobs just to stay afloat and send me to college.  But then I dropped out.  I told them it was because I wanted to focus on becoming a writer, but really I could see how much they were spending on me and I wanted them to save that for themselves.  It wasn’t fair for them to pay for me just because I wasn’t good enough to get scholarships.  I was determined to finish my first novel and get it published and make enough money selling it that I could go back to school and pay for it myself.  Then Mom and Dad could be proud of me and I could take care of them.”

 

“That’s a very noble sentiment.”

 

“I thought it was, but it just made them both upset that I dropped out.  And then…Dad died,” Ota said, lowering his eyes down to his lap, not wanting to get emotional in front of Renju.  “With it just being Mom, I really couldn’t go back to school and take her money.  She’d have to work three jobs just to make it happen and I wouldn’t do that to her.  It wasn’t too long after Dad died that Mom started having problems.  And then we found out that she had the beginning stages of dementia.”

 

“So, your real passion is writing.”

 

“Yeah, but that doesn’t pay the bills or put food on the table.  But if I can figure out a way to get the restaurant up and running again, then I know I’ll at least be able to take care of Mom.  That’s the most important thing.”

 

“Well, let me ask again, what are you struggling with?  You have the restaurant, all of the equipment, the recipes, the menus.  Why aren’t you able to open it?”

 

“I don’t know the first thing about running a restaurant.  Or how to promote it.  Mom and Dad always took care of that.  And most days Mom still thinks we’re open for business, so I can’t really ask her how to reopen.  It would only confuse her.”

 

“Now that I can help with.  I have a little experience with running a successful restaurant.”

 

“I appreciate it, but I don’t have the money to buy everything to reopen.  Food ingredients are expensive, and to be able to buy all the things on the menu to ensure we have enough for even a low weekly number of two hundred customers would cost more than I can afford.”

 

“Lucky for you I can help there too.  In fact, I have a good friend that’s always interested in investing in local businesses too.  He’d probably be happy to get you the collateral to start back up with a lower interest rate than the bank would give you.”

 

Ota was shocked.  He couldn’t believe Mizuki’s Dad was actually here offering him the answer to basically all of his prayers.  If he got the restaurant back up and running, he wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore at all.  He could make sure his Mom was taken care of and that she had whatever medicine she needed.  But it all sounded too good to be true.  People didn’t just give you things for free.

 

The friend that Renju was talking about made sense.  He’d give him a loan with interest.  He’d eventually have to pay that back and the man would end up with a little extra on top.  So it’d work out well there.  But Renju hadn’t mentioned anything he wanted.  He couldn’t believe that he would just provide lessons in business management and possibly money on top of that and ask for nothing in return.

 

“I’m sorry Mr. Okiura, but how would that benefit you?  You’re a businessman so I’m sure you’d want to make a profit somewhere.”

 

“I do, but not in the way you’re thinking.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Mizuki showed me that novel you’re working on.  The one about the twin prince and princess in a modern day kingdom that have their land attacked and invaded.”

 

“She let you see that, huh?”  Ota asked as he cast his eyes to ground, embarrassed.  “J-just so you know, it’s a very rough draft.  It still needs a lot of work.”

 

“If that’s your rough draft, I can’t wait to see what the finished product will be.  Ota, it’s really good.  Futa and I read part of it last night.  Well, he read it to me.  With the concussion I’m really not supposed to do a lot of reading or focus on a computer for too long.”

 

Ota thought that was ironic as the man currently had several forms spread out before him and had actively been working on his computer when he walked in, furiously typing away with one hand while the right was held firmly in place with the sling across his chest.

 

“We both loved it though,” Renju continued on.  “And if you knew Futa, you’d know that man doesn’t like anything that isn’t science or science fiction.  The fact that you made him interested in a fantasy story rooted in reality is incredible.  And the scene after the explosion in the ballroom with the two protagonists being separated and unable to find each other was gripping.  Their entire race through the skyscraper and almost getting caught had me on edge the whole time.”

 

“It’s just a little something I came up with.  I liked the idea of the two twins basically being Yin and Yang.  Light and Dark.  Opposites of each other, but always drawn together.  And now they have to work together after the sudden death of their Father, the King, to save their home from the invading Empire.”

 

“If you finish this, I guarantee people would want to read it.  You’ve got Futa and Mizuki’s seal of approval, and they are two of the hardest people in the world to get to like anything.  I’d like to see you finish it and maybe let me help you get it published.”

 

“I…I don’t know what to say.  You’re offering me so much and you’re still not getting anything back.”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong, because the next part of my proposition goes like this.  I’d like you to work part time for me.  Obviously first and foremost you would be focusing on the diner and your Mom’s health.  After that comes working on the novel.  But then, I’d like to get maybe a few hours a week of your time to help me with some of the songs I’m writing music for.”

 

“Songs?”

 

“Yes.  Didn’t you help Iris with ‘Free!’?”

 

“Sure, a little.  She wrote the basic premise of it though, I just helped her clean up some of the lyrics that weren’t as strong.”

 

“Well, here’s the thing.  I’m great at writing music, lyrics not so much though.  And then there’s you, with an overabundance of writing talent.  I have a lot of artists here that don’t write their own music.  I’ve always been fine on the accompaniment but when it comes time to add lyrics, I have to hire an outside lyricist to make it work.  Most of the bands have something in mind that they want to sing about, it’s just a matter of getting those thoughts on paper and having them work and make sense.”

 

“And that’s where I come in?”

 

“Exactly.  You’d work directly with me once or twice a week on songwriting, and then I’d give you some restaurant management lessons along with helping you get everything straight for your grand-reopening.”

 

“That sounds fair.  Like a bartering system.  I help you write the lyrics and you help me out with the diner.  That feels a lot better.”

 

“Barter?” Renju questioned with a shake of his head.   “No, I don’t think you understand.  You’d be a part-time employee of Lemniscate.  You’d be on my payroll Ota.  You’d be entitled to your own health benefits and we can get your Mom some better insurance too as a covered dependant for you.  I’m not having you work for free.”

 

“Mr. Okiura, I can’t do that.  It’s too much.  You’re willing to help me with the diner and Mom and my book, I can’t take more money from you on top of that.  It isn’t right.”

 

“Ota, I don’t think you understand how the music industry works.  I’ll be making a lot more money off of whatever songs we come up with together than what I’ll be paying you.  Which isn’t to say that I won’t be generous with your salary, because I will, but that’s just the way this business runs.  You’ll get paid your regular base pay for the hours you worked, along with royalties every time the song is purchased.  But Lemniscate would get eighty percent of that or so and I’d give you twenty.  Standard is usually between five and ten, but I don’t think that’s a fair number.”

 

Ota was reeling from all of the information.  Not only was there a very real chance that he could get the diner back up and running in the next couple of months, but he’d also be able to take the time to finally finish his novel and he’d have steady work to fall back on if either one of those things took longer than expected.  And on top of all of that, he could get his Mom better insurance than what she was currently eligible for on her own.  He’d be bringing in money while also cutting back on some of their largest expenses.

 

“Why are you doing all of this for me?”

 

“Because you deserve it.”

 

“Why?  I really don’t think I do.”

 

“You’ve been there for both my girls when I couldn’t be.  You’ve picked Mizuki up from school, given her someplace safe to go with a warm meal when Date has to work late.  You’ve been a good friend to Iris and have always encouraged her to keep getting better and better.  If there was ever an emergency, I could always depend on you to drop everything on a moments notice and help out.  So you really do deserve this Ota.  Honestly, I don’t think I’m doing enough for you to repay you for all of your kindness.  But I think this is a start.”

 

He really had no idea how to respond to that.  None of those things he thought were particularly worthy of recognition.  He’d just been helping out his friends.  They would have done the same for him if the roles had been reversed.  But to have his kindness be recognized and appreciated was a nice change of pace.  The fact that someone actually saw what he was doing and wanted to show him that it meant something, it was a lot.  He didn’t know what to say.  Well, that wasn’t necessarily true.  He knew one thing to say.

 

“Mr. Okiura, I’d like to accept your offer.”

 

 

 

 

 

“I figured it was only a matter of time before you’d be paying me a visit,” So said, back turned as he continued to feed the koi in the pond.

 

Pewter frowned slightly as he walked forward, eventually coming to a stop on the small stone bridge beside the man that until yesterday, had been nothing more than a politician to him.  But in a matter of twenty-four hours, he had discovered a familial link that he honestly could have gone the rest of his life without knowing.

 

And on that train of thought, if he had let the events of his dream play out like they did in that parallel world, he never would have known.  Saving Renju had been the catalyst, changing more things than he could have ever anticipated.

 

Not that he regretted it.  No, he wouldn’t change a single thing.  All of this had led him back to the man he loved and ensuring that he was safe.  Along with keeping countless others alive and well, he had been given a second chance to get things right.  And he even got a pretty amazing cousin in Iris out of it.

 

But along with that came the cancerous knowledge that he was also related to So and Saito Sejima.  For the last day, the connection had been eating away at him.  To the point where he knew he was no longer capable of making sensible decisions.  

 

His Psync that morning proved it if nothing else did.  It had been irrational and ill-advised, but regardless, he managed to get some answers that had previously eluded his overworked mind.  It might not be much, but it was enough that hopefully he could get a conversation started with So.  Especially since the two of them were alone in the garden and he believed the older man would be willing to speak more than he was yesterday in a room full of people.

 

“I don’t really have much choice, do I?  If I want to find out what really happened thirty-four years ago.”

 

“And here I thought you might want to bond as Uncle and nephew.”

 

Pewter scowled.  “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

 

So let out a small sigh and tossed a few more flakes from the can into the pond.  The fish gathered greedily around, mouths wide open as they all tried to get the food floating on the surface.  “You know, when you were a child, you loved coming to visit.  Love me and your Aunt.  We lived in Kabasaki back then. You used to cry so much when it was time to leave.”

 

“I don’t remember that.”

 

“No, I don’t suppose you would.  You weren’t even three the last time I saw you, much too young to remember anything.  Do you still like koi?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“The koi,” So said, gesturing to the pond.  “I think that was the real reason you liked visiting your Aunt Sai and I, you loved the fish.  She’d always walk you over to feed them.  The pond at the old house wasn’t nearly as nice as this, but it had it’s own charm.  We moved the fish from there you know.  Some of them are still alive.”

 

“That was thirty-four years ago.”

 

“And koi can live to be forty.  See that big one over there?  The white and orange one with big red spot on his head?  That’s Ushi, he’s the oldest one I have.  He’s about thirty-six now.”

 

“You named your fish Ushi?” Pewter asked, not quite sure what to make of the strange name.

 

So chuckled softly and handed the can of food over to Pewter, shaking his head.  “No, you named him that.  You couldn’t quite pronounce ‘sushi’ yet, so you called him Ushi.  And it stuck.  Why you wanted to name my fish ‘Sushi’ I have no idea.  Saito named a few as well, but he’s always been Ushi.  Why don’t you feed him?  See if he remembers his old friend.”

 

Pewter felt strange standing here next to the man that was blackmailing his boyfriend, and who also happened to be his long lost Uncle, just feeding the fish.  It was like he was in some weird alternate universe.  Nothing was like it was supposed to be and it didn’t make any sense.  And yet, in some weird way it almost felt comforting. 

 

Which was absolutely ridiculous.  He couldn’t trust So at all.  But even with that knowledge, there was this small part of him that did.  That knew he wouldn’t lie to him.  No, that didn’t make any sense.  So’s job was lying.  He made an entire career out of it.  So why would he tell him the truth about anything?

 

Looking down at the fish still circling the area closest to them, he felt a sense of calm wash over him.  They really were beautiful and mesmerizing to watch.  Their brilliant colors all melding together beneath the rippling water; a gorgeous display of the uniqueness nature had to offer.  He could truly see why people enjoyed having them as pets so much.

 

He threw out a few handfuls of food and watched as they all swarmed for it, including Ushi.  A small smile curved at the corner of his lips at that fish; he really was pretty.  He was one of the biggest fish in the pond and moved with a majestic grace of one that knew it all belonged to them.

 

“He does remember you.”

 

“He’s a fish getting fed, it’s not that deep.”

 

“You certainly take after your father with that cynical outlook of yours.  Must be the scientist in you.”

 

Pewter frowned at that.  “Wasn’t your sister a scientist?”

 

“Don’t you mean your mother?”

 

“No.  My mother was a violinist and then a music teacher.”

 

“Futa, it would break her heart to hear you speak that way.”

 

Pewter faltered.  He still had a lot of anger over the entire situation, but he had to wonder if what So said was true.  In his Somnium he saw her love.  How she cared and seemed like she didn’t want to leave without him and his father.  But she did anyway.  She said it was a dream, but there had to be more to it then that.  Unless…

 

“If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth…Uncle?”

 

So was taken aback by the address, but quickly collected himself.  He cleared his throat and turned away from the pond, facing Pewter fully.  “I will if I can.  It depends on what you ask.”

 

“Why did she leave?”

 

The silence hung heavy with those words.  So kept his gray eyes focused on Pewter’s green, his expression shifting ever so slightly.

 

“Figures the first question you ask would be such a loaded one.  Have you talked to Kaz about all of this?  Maybe he’d be the better one to answer that.”

 

“He hasn’t told me anything but vague, half-truths for thirty-four years.  And when I started asking questions about your son the other day, he told me to stay away from both of you.  There’s no way he’ll tell me anything now, even if I say that I know we’re related.  The only way I’ll get him to talk is if I go with evidence of what really happened.”

 

“I don’t really know all of the details myself.  The only one that knows everything is Fumi.”

 

“We’ll get answers from her soon enough,” Pewter said confidently.  “There’s a warrant out for her arrest and as soon as she’s brought in, I’ll be questioning her and using the Psync machine to get answers about the Cyclops serial killings.”

 

“They’re not going to be able to bring her in, you know.  She’s not in Japan anymore.  She hasn’t been for years.  After she tried to help Saito and it failed, she went back to Europe.  I talk to her a few times a year, but nothing substantial.  She’s gotten even more paranoid over the years.”

 

“Paranoid?  You said something yesterday too, about her being agitated when she left.  She called you from the airport and wasn’t making sense.”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

Pewter took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  He had to know.  “Did she ever mention any…dreams to you?  Dreams of the future?  Perhaps something she was afraid of?”

 

That one caught So off guard.  Even without having his visor on and Theia in his ear, he could tell those words meant something to the man before him.  It wasn’t the first time he had heard that.

 

“Dr-dreams?”

 

“Yes, did she even mention a dream to you where something happened?  Something so bad it scared her to even stay here?  I think I have a memory of the night she left, she was talking to my Dad about a dream she had.”

 

So crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side, brows knitting together in question.  “You think you have a memory from then?  Futa, you would have only been two.  How could you possibly remember anything at that age?  You don’t even remember me or your Aunt.”

 

It was Pewter’s turn to be silent.  How should he explain it?  So knew about Psyncing now.  Well, not everything, but he certainly knew more than he did in the past.  In fact, he pretty much knew as much as a brand new Psyncer would at this point.

 

“I did a Psync this morning.  Like the one you saw the footage of with your son.  Except I did this one with myself.”

 

“Yourself?  Don’t you need two people for that?”

 

“Usually yes, but I’ve been working on improvements to the machine.  I was able to come up with something that allows the Psyncer to Psync with themselves if there was ever a need.  Because of that, I unlocked two memories I have of my…mother.”

 

“What were they?” So asked quietly, voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the waterfall in the corner of the pond.

 

“It might be easier if I show you.”

 

With that, Pewter took his phone from his pocket and unlocked it.  Quickly scrolling through his folders, he pulled up the one he had saved his Psync footage to and tapped the video.  

 

“Who is that?” So asked when Theia materialized on the screen.

 

“That’s Theia.  She’s the AI I created thirteen years ago as my assistant.”

 

So smiled and nodded his head.  “Impressive.”

 

He was quiet after that, watching everything on the video Pewter showed him.  His younger sister dancing through her living room with her son and husband, happier times that even the older man probably had trouble remembering.  And then the night in question itself.  The change so drastic from the memory before.

 

So’s expression stayed flat throughout, impassively watching the footage as if it were something from a tv show as opposed to a long buried memory taken directly from the mind of his nephew.  It must be the politician in him, able to remain neutral despite the situation.

 

“That’s the end of it,” Pewter said as he closed out of the video and placed his phone back in the pocket of his plain gray joggers.

 

So remained silent, turning his attention back to the pond.  The fish had since dispersed, realizing they weren’t going to be fed anymore.

 

“Well?”

 

Another quiet beat and then, “That was very much how she was on the phone that night.  Scared and distressed.”

 

“Scared?  But why?  Was it the dream?  Did she have a dream of the future?  Did she see something that she shouldn’t have seen?  That she should have no way of knowing?  Is that why I-“ Pewter cut himself off quickly, realizing a little too late what he had been about to let slip.

 

He really wasn’t thinking straight, even close to an hour after he had finished the Psync.  It was messing with his mind more than he initially thought.

 

“Why you what?”

 

“Nothing.  It’s nothing.  We’re here to talk about Fumiyo, not me.”

 

So frowned at that, narrowing his eyes.  “Futa, did you have a dream too?”

 

“I…”

 

“You know, I’ve felt like something was off.  From the minute Saito came back almost two nights ago.  Obviously I knew about his amnesia, but for his memories to just suddenly come back after six years of running around with his new identity as a police officer, that’s strange.  Not to mention in that time I find out the daughter I thought died eighteen years ago is in fact alive and being raised by her mother’s best friends.  Then there’s the fact that both you and your father waltz back into my life and my sister might be next.”

 

Pewter didn’t know what to say.  His head was beginning throb, a dull ache starting just behind his eyes and blurring his vision.

 

“I’d like to think I’m a rational man,” So continued on.  “It’s entirely possible all of this is just one giant coincidence.  But I don’t think it is.  I’ve been around a long time and seen enough things to know that there is usually a reason behind it.  And if I’ve learned anything from the mind control, that reason may not be entirely logical.”

 

So was much smarter than Pewter had initially given him credit for.  Not to say that he thought the man was stupid, he obviously wasn’t or he wouldn’t have been able to achieve the things he had thus far in his life.  But at the same time, he didn’t think So would be the one to start drawing conclusions that may not be exactly analytical.

 

“Your mother had dreams before.  When we were younger.  We all used to take the train together to school.  Myself, her, Kaz, and a few other friends.  And one day, she said she had a dream that the train derailed.  Several people were hurt, but both Kaz and I died in her dream.”

 

“What?” Pewter breathed out.

 

“Now your Father, he’s much more shrewd in his thinking than even I am.  We’re all waiting at the station, Fumi begging us not to get on the train, and he’s trying to come up with every reason possible why she may have had that dream.  Asked her if she ate anything before bed, if she felt like she was starting to get a cold, maybe she had read something that subconsciously stuck with her.  The two of them argued so much that we actually had to step away.  Our other friend, Kari, he came with us too.  We’re all trying to calm her down and didn’t even realize we missed the train.”

 

“What happened after that?”

 

“As you can imagine, we were all upset with Fumi.  Missing that train meant we had to wait a half hour for the next one and that would make us all be late for school.  But then the next train never came.  I spoke with one of the attendants at the station to see where it was, and he told me there had been an accident on one of the lines and they weren’t sure when another train would be coming in to the station.  Four people died that day, but if your mother hadn’t had that dream, it would have been six.”

 

“If she didn’t tell you…”

 

“Yes, your father and I would have died that day, I’m sure of it.  Which means you wouldn’t be here now questioning me about any of this. Not that Kaz ever believed any of it.  He said it was just a coincidence and that we were looking too much into it.”

 

“But you believed her.”

 

“How could I not?” So asked as if it was the simplest thing in the world. 

 

“And the night she left?”

 

So slowly turned back around, facing Pewter once more.  He smiled wistfully, his eyes almost sad in a way.  “I believed her then too.  She was so desperate and earnest.  You have to understand, your mother would have never left you without a good reason.  She loved you more than anything, you were her entire reason for living.  I think that’s why she was so desperate for Kaz to agree to come with her.  But your Father didn’t believe her.”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“We spoke after she left.  He told me everything that happened, which pretty much matches with what you showed me.  Most people of my generation don’t believe in things like that.  I can’t say I fully believe in it, but I believe Fumi.  I know what happened when we were children and I heard the pain in her voice when she called me from the airport.  Even if it wouldn’t necessarily come true, she believed it with everything in her.”

 

“Have you ever had any dreams like that?”

 

“Me?”

 

Pewter nodded his head.

 

“No, I can’t say that I have.”

 

“What about…Saito?”

 

“Saito?  No.  If he did, he never told me.  Why are you…oh.  You want to know if it’s something hereditary.  Because you’ve had dreams too.  That’s what you were trying to say earlier.”

 

“It was just a theory.  But if it’s only Fumiyo and myself, it’s probably a coincidence.”

 

“Spoken just like your Father,” So said with a laugh.

 

“No, it’s not that…” Pewter trailed off as he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.

 

He pulled the device back out and the screen lit up, showing a Nile message from Renju.  He opened the app and the message, reading through it quickly.

 

Renju: Would you be able to meet me at Hitomi’s around 6 if I send you the address? I’m on my way to the hospital and Iris is getting discharged. Date, Hitomi, and I are going to talk to her tonight about everything, but I’d like you there too.

 

Pewter: I’m happy to go, but why do you want me there?  Shouldn’t this be between the three of you and Iris?

 

Renju: You’re her cousin. And you saved her life. She’s going to want you there once she finds everything out.

 

Pewter: Ok, but what about Mizuki?

 

Renju: I already messaged her and let her know what I was doing. She’s going to go with Ota after she gets out of school and then Date’s going to pick her when we’re finished at Hitomi’s.  That way Iris can have some time alone time with her Mom and Mizuki can have a night with Date.

 

Pewter: I’ll make sure I’m there.

 

Renju: Thank you, my love. See you soon.

 

“Everything all right?” So asked.

 

Pewter felt an sudden surge of anger, but pushed it down.  It wouldn’t do any good to lash out here.  Though he supposed it wouldn’t be completely unreasonable given the reason why they had to tell Iris what was happening.

 

“It’s fine,” Pewter said, his voice cold.  “I was speaking with Ren.  He’s letting me know that they’re telling Iris tonight, and he wants me there for support.”

 

“Well, that is good news then.”

 

“I’m sure it is for you.”

 

So sighed and crossed his arms.  “It’s good for everyone.  Manaka will finally get to rest, Iris will know the truth and have a father and brother in her life, and she’s also gaining a cousin with you.  It’s nothing but good things.”

 

“You do realize that your son is the reason Iris’ biological mother is dead, don’t you?  I don’t know how thrilled she’s going to be to have a brother when she finds out he murdered her mother.  And as far as a Father, Renju has been that for her all these years.  He’s helped take care of her and make sure she has everything she needed.  Not you.”

 

“Only because I didn’t know about her Futa.  It’s the same as I told them the other day.  It’s very easy for you all to judge me over this, but no matter how much you hate to admit it, I wasn’t given a choice in the matter.  I wasn’t told my daughter survived.  So how could I have ever helped with anything?”

 

“I think we’re done here,” Pewter said as he started to walk away.

 

“Futa, wait!  Let’s not leave this on a bad note.  Come have some tea with me.”

 

“No thank you.  I’m done.  I don’t have anything else to say.”

 

He heard So let out a huff behind him, but he didn’t turn around.  “I’ll be here whenever you decide to come back.”

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

 

 

 

 

Notes:

This chapter ended up turning out much long than I expected. I hope everyone enjoyed Ota's pov since we haven't done that before. Here's hoping I can take one of my least liked characters and try to redeem him and make him relevant in a way that makes sense.

And it gave Renju an excuse to swoop in and show just how good he is with managing his businesses. He obviously didn't get to where he was without being smart and able to think outside the box a little.

Then we have Pewter and So. I'm pretty sure everyone knew he would be headed there after the events of his last chapter. Poor guy just doesn't know when to take a break.

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and if you did, please leave me a comment and let me know! I love them all! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 45

Naoki let out a groan of pure frustration as he stared at his email.  He knew he shouldn’t have even come in to the office. What was the point?  Psyncing was out of the question for the foreseeable future.  No one was allowed to use the machine under any circumstances unless they had an AI Ball.  And currently, no one fit that bill.

 

Apparently Date had his surgery scheduled already and would have his left eye removed before the end of the week.  He was honestly a little surprised at how quickly Kuranushi worked to be able to get this done.  But at the same time he really shouldn’t be.  This was the same woman that had blackmail on almost every single person she had ever met.  Likely she cashed in a favor with a side of slightly veiled threats, that was her style after all.

 

It also looked like she was trying to get Ryuki’s surgery scheduled, from what her email said anyway.  How was this woman so incredibly annoying without even being present?  Not to mention the reply from Amanoma.

 

He really couldn’t stand either one, though now he had far more personal reasons to dislike Amanoma.  And even with everything that happened the day before, he was just as full of himself as ever. 

 

 

To: [email protected]; [email protected]

CC: [email protected]; [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject:  get your shit together

November 6 ^th , 2019 at 10:52am

 

 

Hello my lovely little indentured servants,

 

Since we are all taking a forced hiatus from Psyncing, I’ve got a few projects for everyone.  First and foremost, Date and Ryuki need to be able to get back to Psyncing as soon as possible.  So far, they are the only ones who have agreed to have their left eye removed in order to be fitted with an AI Ball.

 

I’m still waiting to hear back from the others, minus Kanna, but it’s not looking good.  I understand this is a huge and permanent decision, and on top of that, the MPD has offered detective positions to those that don’t want their eye removed.  Which means we’re screwed.

 

Right now, ABIS is pretty much a sinking ship.  And with a guaranteed job within the MPD, I’m not holding out hope of retaining anyone else. 

 

Meaning, I expect us to be in full recruit mode here shortly because we simply can’t function with only two active Psyncers.  It’s not feasible.

 

But that’s a problem for a different day.

 

Which brings me to my next point.  Date’s surgery is scheduled for Friday, November 8 ^th .  His left eye will be removed and the hardware for the AI Ball will be simultaneously implanted.  He will not be able to use Aiba for approximately three weeks since everything will need to heal.

 

Ryuki’s surgery isn’t scheduled yet, but we do have two dates next week that are available.  Once this is finalized, his time frame will be the same.  He won’t be able to Psync or have his AI Ball in use for three weeks while he heals.

 

Ryuki, I will email you separately with the dates and you can let me know which one works for you.

 

Moving on.  

 

Pewter is going to be working on an AI Ball for Saito.  Not for Psyncing(I need to clarify before all of you rage email me back since you’re the bitchiest little brats I’ve ever met), but strictly as a way to monitor him and make sure he is getting his medication on a set schedule.  

 

Naoki, I need you to take care of Ryuki’s AI Ball.  The original Tama unit is gone, so we need to start from scratch.  Pewter is going to forward you the schematics to make the shell and then you should be able to program it from there.  I need you to make this a top priority and have it done and ready to go in three weeks.  It’s absolutely imperative that we don’t lose any more time.

 

I’m also going to go under the presumption that when Kanna recovers, she will be agreeable to staying with ABIS.  Her reasons for joining in the first place are much more personal, so unless something drastic happens, I expect that she will continue on as a Psyncer.  Which means she will need an AI Ball too.  I want you working on her’s as well Naoki.  There’s not a rush on this one, but I’d still like to see it done before the end of the year.

 

While you two are working on the tech side of things, I’ve got something for Date and Ryuki to assist with.  You already know, but we are reopening the Cyclops killings case.  Saito and I have done a little preliminary research on the files we have here, but I’m still waiting on some things from archiving.  Including the evidence bags.  

 

Once we get everything, I need you both to come in on your regular schedule and help go over the case.  We need to find out whatever we can, what we missed.  And since all of our other cases have pretty much been dropped and handed back to the MPD at this point, you’ll have an abundance of time.

 

If you have any questions let me know, but otherwise, everything here is non-negotiable.  This is not a choice if you want to continue to be employed with ABIS.  We’re lucky that we even have a chance to continue running, and if any of you screw this up, I will personally hunt you down and pull your entrails out through your asshole. 

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

Boss

 

 

 

To: [email protected]; [email protected]

CC: [email protected]; [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: get your shit together

November 6 ^th , 2019 at 11:04am

Attachments: ai_supplemental_manual.html; ai_schematics.html; ai_systems_guide.html

 

 

The files for the AI Ball blueprints are attached.  They’re fairly simple and straightforward so even an idiot could understand them.  Though I suppose you still might have questions for me.

 

All of the hardware and tools are in the lab.  

 

I’ve also enabled your Wadjet login to view the AI programs available to sync with the shell.  Some of them haven’t exactly learned and evolved as I would hope, but it should be fairly easy for you to figure out before you program Ryuki’s unit.

 

Maybe you can prove your competence for once.  

 

 

 

Pewter

 

 

 

After reading both emails back to back, Naoki honestly wanted to take his keyboard and throw it against the wall.  He didn’t know which of the two was more frustrating; at the moment he was leaning towards Amanoma.

 

Though Kuranushi was almost as bad.  Demanding that he make two AI Balls without even consulting him.  Normally he would be flattered that his talent was being recognized and he had the chance to prove that he was just as good, if not better than his counterpart.  But that would imply his boss was actually giving him the project for that reason.  Which she wasn’t.

 

He was just the only other person even remotely capable of doing it.  And since she had Amanoma apparently working on a special AI Ball for Sejima, that left her little choice.

 

He’d have to make the best of it.  He was more than proficient enough to make the actual unit, the instructions were pretty straight forward and Naoki was always particularly skilled at the more practical side of engineering.  In some ways it was relaxing, just being completely in the zone on a project, making something out of nothing.  The end result was always pleasing, seeing what he was truly capable of when he put his mind to it.

 

Once he really thought about it though, he felt like he was being given the lesser project, the easier one.  Naturally Kuranushi would only trust Amanoma to make an AI Ball that would also function as a medical device of sorts.  

 

It would be insulting if the unit was for anyone else.  Which was why he couldn’t help but feel that maybe he dodged a bullet.

 

He couldn’t imagine having to actually work on one for Saito Sejima.  The man that killed his sister.  And put Kanna in a coma.

 

Of course he knew it was ridiculous to blame him for either, it wasn’t truly his fault.  The mind control was real, any doubts he may have had changed when he saw Sejima’s Somnium.  But even though he knew the truth, it was still hard to forget all the hurt he felt.  Not to mention forgiveness wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

 

“…God…so heavy…fucking lift…feet…”

 

Naoki’s head snapped up, his attention on the closed door to his office.  That almost sounded like Kuranushi out in the hall.  But what was she doing?

 

He languidly got up from his desk, walking over to the door and easing it open.  The sound was gone and he almost thought maybe he imagined it, before he heard a crash from the office at the end of the hallway.  Kuranushi’s office.

 

He really should just ignore it.  She was probably fine.  More than likely she finally tripped over one of the numerous hazards in her office.  But a small part of him knew that if she really did hurt herself and need help, he would feel bad once he found out.  A very small part.

 

With a resigned sigh, Naoki fully stepped out into the gray hall and jogged to the end.  He didn’t wait to hear anything and threw the door open, spying Kuranushi leaning Sejima back against one of the cabinets.  Several bags of stupid junk littered the floor where he had obviously barreled in to the display rack.

 

Kuranushi stood up quickly, whirling around to stare wide-eyed at the door that bounced off the wall.  She actually looked startled, which was surprising because that woman was made of nothing but steel and ice and sexual inappropriateness. 

 

“Jesus Christ Naoki, don’t you knock?!”

 

“Are you serious right now?  I heard a loud bang and didn’t know if you were a drunken lush laid out, bleeding from your ears,” he said as he crossed his arms.

 

“I’m not the one that’s drunk,” Kuranushi replied as she turned a cold glare towards Sejima before looking back at him.  “And what if I was having sex and you just barged in?”

 

“Here?  In your office?”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Should I list the numerous reasons why or just save myself the trouble and file the HR complaint now.”

 

“You’re all talk, you would never file one against your lovely boss.  Plus, I know you like it.”

 

“No, I really don’t,” he deadpanned.

 

“See? I told you it’s only Moma that’s interested in you,” Sejima spoke up, his words slightly slurred.  “You should take what you can get.”

 

Before Kuranushi could reply, and possibly get started on one of her ridiculous arguments, Naoki spoke up.  “What are you doing here?”

 

“Working, obviously.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

“I’m getting ready to.  Didn’t you read my email?”

 

Naoki gave a small nod.

 

“Well, that’s why I’m here.  I still have files to go through and I want to see if there’s anything I missed in the system.”

 

“And he’s here because…?”

 

“Because Moma can’t keep him since he’s got some Yakuza crisis or whatever.  And he can’t be trusted to be alone.  I need to make sure I walk him every couple of hours so he doesn’t have an accident.  We’re working on housebreaking but just not quite there yet.”

 

“I’m not a dog.  I can be left on my own,” Sejima grumbled. 

 

“Yeah, I don’t think so. Unless getting shitfaced with Shoko was supposed to prove to me how responsible you are.  Seriously, I thought my days of dragging around this drunk body were over.  But apparently you’re as much of a booze hound as he was.”

 

Sejima actually looked offended by that, pulling a face that was somewhere between and a grimace and a scowl.  “I don’t even drink.  Not usually.”

 

“Coulda fooled me.”

 

“As entertaining as this looks, I’m leaving.  You seem to have whatever this is,” Naoki gestured vaguely in Sejima’s direction, “handled, so I’m headed to the lab to take inventory for the project you graciously assigned me without any consultation.”

 

“Would you have actually agreed if I asked you and gave you a chance to say no?”

 

“Yes!  I would have.  I’ve been asking for his unit to be completed forever.  You’ve been the one holding up his surgery and putting Tama on the back burner.”

 

Kuranushi let out a sigh as she settled on the front of her desk.  He never understood why that woman preferred sitting on the desk instead of in her chair behind it.  “I know.  You’ve got to understand-“

 

“I do,” he cut her off.  “I know why, but now that it’s an emergency, you don’t really have a choice.  All I’m saying is you can actually come to me like a normal boss would and ask me to do something that not only benefits me, but my Psyncer as well.  I would have said yes.  You don’t need to treat me like a child and demand things.”

 

“Noted.  Who knew you’d grow a spine and stand up for yourself.  Your little girlfriend must be helping with that.”

 

“We’re not talking about that,” Naoki grumbled.  Reliving yesterday’s events with Kuranushi was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. He was still trying to wrap his head around Aya being Amanoma’s sister, despite the fact they talked about in detail when they got back to his apartment. 

 

It hasn’t necessarily been an easy conversation, but he did promise her he would try to get along with her brother for her sake. Though he supposed he wasn’t off to a great start. 

 

“How old’s your nephew?”

 

Naoki furrowed his brows and turned to face Sejima, caught off guard by the strange inquiry out of nowhere.  His question must have shown on his face, because the blonde immediately followed up.

 

“Or niece.  I don’t know.  But how old are they?”

 

“What are you talking about?  How drunk are you?”

 

“Not as bad as she’s making it out to be,” Sejima inclined his head towards Kuranushi.  “But your sister’s kid, how old are they?”

 

Naoki was at a loss for words.  He understood what the other man was asking him, but it still made no sense whatsoever.  His sister never married or had a child; she was too busy working herself to the bone to help provide for their mother and him.

 

“I don’t know why you’re asking me this, but Narumi never had a child.  I don’t have a niece or nephew.”

 

Kuranushi and Sejima shared a look at that.  

 

“What?”

 

“Are you sure she didn’t have a child?” she asked.  “Maybe she gave the baby up for adoption.  You’re ten years younger than her, right?  Maybe after she moved out, something happened.  She could have given the baby up and you all never knew.”

 

“That’s impossible.  She was always around.  She never had a baby and on top of that, she was working two jobs just to take care of mom and me.”

 

“What do you mean?” Kuranushi asked curiously.

 

Naoki realized just how much he let slip with those few words and let out a frustrated growl.  He purposely kept his personal life to himself, not wanting to divulge anything that could ever be used against him to his coworkers.  He didn’t need their false pity when it came to his life and family.  Kanna had been the only one he had even spoken to about it, and that had been the result of a heated argument between the two, ending with them both finding out their shared connection to the Cyclops killings.

 

“I’m leaving.”

 

“This could help with the case!  Don’t you want to find out what really happened to your sister?  Why she was targeted specifically?”

 

Kuranushi’s words gave him pause.  It was low, using his sister against him.  But, she never had a problem using dirty, underhanded tactics with others, so why would he be the exception?

 

“You know I do,” he said lowly.

 

“Then tell me why it’s so impossible for your sister to have had a child.”

 

“Why don’t you tell me why you’re so convinced she did have one?”

 

“I will.  But only after I hear what you have to say.”

 

Naoki let out a slow breath and glared at his superior, knowing that she wouldn’t budge.  If he wanted answers, if there was any chance of finding out what really happened to his sister, then he needed to tell her about his own past.

 

“You said your sister had to work two jobs to take care of you and your mom.  Why don’t you start there,” Kuranushi prompted when his silence went on for too long.

 

“Yeah, she did.”

 

“Why? Where was your dad?”

 

“He died…when I was seven.”

 

Kuranushi’s features softened at that.  “Naoki, I’m sor-“

 

“Save it.  I didn’t tell you for pity.  It was a car accident.  Mom was with him, they were hit by a drunk driver.  Dad died instantly, but mom was still alive.  Barely.  Her left leg was completely crushed, it ended up being amputated.  She was in the hospital for months, there were other injuries and broken bones and for a while the doctors didn’t even know if she would make it.  She did, but she wasn’t the same.”

 

“Your sister would have been seventeen then, right?”

 

“She was.  At first, she got a part time job after school.  But without the income mom and dad brought in, the bills piled up.  She ended up dropping out of high school and got two full time jobs.  During the day she worked at a machinery manufacturing plant.  She’d go in at seven and get off at three.  Come home for a few hours to sleep, eat, and shower, and then she’d be off to her second job from ten to three in the morning.”

 

“How was that even possible?  She wasn’t old enough to work that late.”

 

“I was a kid, so I didn’t really ask, but my guess is she lied about her age.  Or, they probably didn’t ask.  She was working down at the docks bringing overnight shipments in off of the boats.  I really don’t think they cared how old she was as long as she kept up and did her work.  It was all cash anyway.”

 

“How does any of this prove that she never had a baby?” Sejima asked, looking up from his spot on the floor.

 

“Saito!”

 

“I’m not being an asshole, I’m genuinely asking.”

 

“Because she was always home.  She never moved out.  I was a kid, and for a couple of months, it was just the two of us.  Mom eventually came home, but it wasn’t like she could work.  Narumi took care of the finances, and I took care of the house.  I cooked and cleaned, made sure she didn’t have to worry about that on top of everything else.  Over the years Mom has gotten a little better, she still can’t work, but she has a prosthetic and is able to get around fairly well and live on her own.”

 

“And she never moved out before her death?  She always lived with you and your mom?”

 

Naoki turned his attention back to Kuranushi.  Why were they so adamant that his sister had a child?  It made no sense at all.  “Yes.  She was alway there.  She never got to live her life or meet someone or settle down because she was always concerned about taking care of us.  Making sure we were provided for.  Once I graduated, I wanted to start working, take some of the burden off of her.  But she insisted that I go to university.  She said I was too smart not to get a better education, and that once I graduated from there and had a great job, I could take care of her and mom.”

 

“Your sister sounds like she was a selfless person.”

 

“You have no idea.  Because of my grades, I was able to get some scholarships, but it still didn’t pay for everything.  She had to help with that too because she didn’t want me to get a job.  She said that my focus should be completely on school and I didn’t need to worry about anything else.  She ended up getting promoted through the years at the manufacturing plant and had a decent management position there once I was through my first year.  She even had to go to Sapporo for a couple of months because they needed someone there to help out and train a new manager.”

 

That seemed to get Sejima’s attention as he sat up straighter against the cabinet.  “She left?  When?  And for how long?”

 

“When I was nineteen, so she would have been twenty-nine.  And it was only for three months.  It wasn’t that long.”

 

“And that didn’t seem odd to you?  If she left for three months, who took care of your mom?” Kuranushi asked, sharing a quick glance with Sejima before focusing her attention back on him.

 

“I did.  I still lived home, and my classes were during the day.  Mom could take care of herself by that point, but given the situation, I didn’t feel right leaving her to go live in the dorms.  And Narumi still sent money home.  In fact, she got a pretty large bonus for going away.  It was worth it just for that.”

 

“And you’re sure that’s true?”

 

Naoki was getting tired of this.  Kuranushi and Sejima obviously knew something, and it made it all the worse that he knew the information.  Her killer knew something, or thought he knew something, before her own family.  Her brother.

 

“Yes, I’m sure.  Why don’t you actually tell me what’s going on?  I did my part.”

 

“You don’t think there’s even the slightest chance that she left to go have a baby?  If you really didn’t know she was pregnant, she’d have to leave at some point in time to hide it,” Kuranushi stated. 

 

“I’m telling you there is no way my sister ever had a child.  She was never pregnant.  She came back after three months and looked just like she did when she left.  If she really was pregnant, she would have had to be six months along.  How would she hide that?”

 

“It wouldn’t be easy, but baggy clothes can hide a lot of things.  And maybe she didn’t get that big either.  Some women don’t.”

 

“This is absolutely crazy.  She would have told us if she were.”

 

“Even if she planned to give the baby up?”

 

“Yes…I’m sure she would have,” Naoki said, though there was a hint of doubt in his voice.

 

“Did you ever see her autopsy report?” Kuranushi asked so softly that he barely heard her.

 

He shook his head no.  It had been bad enough after her death that he was the one to go and identify her body.  He couldn’t put their mother through that, so the burden fell to him.  

 

It was honestly the worst thing he had ever gone through in his entire life.  She had been killed two weeks prior, her body left in a shallow grave in the woods.  He could still tell it was her, even with the start of decomposition.  

 

“Her report showed a very specific condition she had.  Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction.  Do you know what that is?”

 

“No.”

 

“It’s an abnormal widening of the left and right pubic bones.  A lot of women experience this during pregnancy, but it tends to go away after time.  But in some women, it doesn’t.  There could be a lot of reasons for that, but one of the most common is a traumatic birth.  Especially if forceps have to be used.”

 

“There has to be a mistake.  I’m telling you, Narumi was never pregnant.  She never gave birth.”

 

“Naoki, all four victims had this.  That’s a pretty big coincidence to just write off.  We’ve never been able to find a connection between them before.  And maybe this is just me looking for something where there’s nothing.  It’s not like this was a secret, it was on all of their reports.  But there’s just something that tells me this is the key.”

 

Naoki couldn’t speak.  What could he even say?  Still try to argue that they were wrong?  He supposed he could, but now there was doubt in his mind.  What if they weren’t wrong?  What if there was something to this?

 

“What can I do?”

 

Kuranushi gave a sad smile, he really wished she wouldn’t look at him that way.  “Since you and your mom are her next of kin, maybe you can try to get her medical records.  Especially during the time that you said she had to leave for three months.  But anything else you can get before and after might be helpful too.”

 

“Can’t you just get a warrant for that?”

 

“I can, and I’m planning to for the other victims.  But it takes time and I don’t know how quickly I’ll get one.  But you might be able to get them faster than I can.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do.”

 

“That’s all I ask.  Why don’t you head home?  You don’t need to start working on Tama today, it can wait until tomorrow.”

 

Naoki nodded and turned around, walking back out into the hall and starting towards his office.  He felt numb.  He hadn’t talked about himself or his sister this much, ever.  Even with Kanna.  She had learned bits and pieces, the same as he had about her cousin, but he still tended to keep most of his life private.  

 

He felt over-exposed and vulnerable, something he didn’t like at all.  But it didn’t matter, he could experience a little bit of discomfort if it meant finally having answers for Narumi’s senseless murder.  He’d do whatever it took, even if it meant working closer with Kuranushi and Sejima.

 

 

 

 

 

Iris stared in disbelief, looking between her two uncles, her mom, and her…cousin.  She must be dreaming, or still hallucinating from her brain tumor because this…all of this…it was…

 

She thought it was strange when Uncle Ren pulled in the driveway behind her mom and Uncle Falco…no Kaname.  Uncle Kaname?  Maybe?  She wasn’t even sure what to call him now.  He was still her uncle, but he wanted to go by his new name, Kaname Date.  The name of the blonde detective she had briefly met a few days prior.  Who was apparently her older brother.  Or the body of her older brother.

 

Her head hurt.  Body swapping and mind control and secret Yakuza deals.  This was something straight out of manga, not real life.

 

But yet she had to believe it.  Everyone was so earnest.  Her mom and Uncle Renju were crying, holding each other as if they were afraid to let go.  Uncle Kaname sat on the other side of her mom, holding her left hand and rubbing slow circles with his thumb.  He looked worried, for both her and her mom.

 

Or, she supposed she wasn’t really her mom.  Her real mom was a woman named Manaka who she was apparently the spitting image of.  While Hitomi was Manaka’s best friend, along with Uncle Renju.  They knew each other since grade school, the three of them becoming fast friends.  That friendship lasted up until Manaka’s death, beyond it really; her two best friends making sure Iris was taken care of no matter what.

 

Because she needed to be protected from her father, So Sejima.  And her older brother as well.  They’d both been involved in her biological mother’s death.  One hiding it and one actually committing the murder.

 

But, if what Uncle Kaname said was true, it wasn’t really her brother’s fault.  Not that anyone else had wanted to talk about that.  Including her new cousin, Pewter.

 

She wasn’t sure how having a cousin could surprise her after everything else she had learned, but somehow it had.  It was the oddest thing, she had felt something from the man previously, almost like an older brother.  But to find out that they really were related hadn’t been anything she expected.  Likely because all her life it had just been her and her mom.  And sometimes Uncle Renju.  But other than that, she had been used to being alone.  She never expected to find out she had family out there somewhere.

 

Which, in all honesty, she supposed was naive on her part.  She knew she obviously had a father out there somewhere, but Hitomi never talked about him.  And because of that, Iris had never asked.  Why would she when she had the most amazing mom in the whole world?  

 

It suddenly made sense why So Sejima had come to visit her while she was in the hospital.  She had believed his explanation that he had been there to see someone else and then “heard” the nurses talking about a sick young woman still in high school.  Was it really that hard to believe that he would want to visit a sick child in the hospital?  Politicians did that kind of stuff all the time.  Though usually they had camera crews following behind them.  What was the point of doing something good if it couldn’t be captured on film to further your political career?

 

He had been nice though, sitting with her and letting her talk about her school life and idol career.  Maybe he really was interested in getting to know her.  From what her mom and Uncle Renju said, he truly didn’t know she was still alive.  He believed she had died when his son killed Manaka.

 

His son…Saito Sejima.  Her older brother.  What an absolutely surreal feeling to finally have a sibling, after wanting one for years, only to find out that he was the one that murdered her biological mother.  She really didn’t know what to think or feel.  

 

If she was being completely honest with herself, part of her hated him.  Well, maybe hate was too strong of a word.  She didn’t know him, and she didn’t know her real mother.  It was hard to genuinely be upset and miss her when Hitomi was the one she considered her mother.

 

That didn’t mean she wasn’t the slightest bit curious though about how her life would have turned out if she had been raised by both her parents.  If her brother hadn’t been taken advantage of and forced to kill against his will.

 

Would So have married Manaka?  Would they have raised her together in a loving home with two parents and her older sibling?  Would Saito have loved her and been fiercely protective in the way that only a big brother could be?  

 

Or, more likely, would Manaka have been a single mother, raising her daughter with the same stigma that Hitomi did all these years.  Being young and unwed, constantly reminded of the fact in the stares from other parents at school or extra-curricular activities.  

 

It was pointless to think about the past and all the what-ifs.  She couldn’t change anything.  All she could do was move forward with the knowledge she now had.  She still had her mom and Uncle Ren.  And Uncle Fal-Kaname was back in her life.  Plus, she had her cousin.  

 

She knew at some point very soon she would be sitting down to talk with So.  He wanted to be a part of her life, at least that’s what he said.  Uncle Ren was adamant that he just wanted to use her as a way to garner sympathy and earn support for his run for Prime Minister.

 

Her uncle was pretty smart when it came to things like that.  He always was an intelligent man and she had no reason to doubt that.  It probably was a large part of why her father wanted to get to know her.  But, she thought there was still a small part of him that actually seemed interested in knowing her as a person.  At least he acted that way at the hospital.

 

And along with getting to know her father, would come the eventual meeting with her brother.  If nothing else, she knew that she wanted to see him at least once.  To talk to him and ask if he regretted killing her mother.  And most important of all, did he want to be in her life?  Because even though there were strong negative feelings for him lurking just beneath the surface, there was also the excitement of knowing she had a sibling.  

 

It was hard to even describe exactly what she was feeling.  Her brain was at war with her heart.  She knew it was a bad idea to get close to him, that he could possibly be dangerous.  But at the same time, her heart latched on to the fact that she had more family, that she could possibly have someone to share an unbreakable bond with.  It was silly and juvenile, but it didn’t change the fact that she wanted it.

 

All her life she had always been jealous of her friends at school.  Most of them had a mother and a father, along with at least one sibling.  Some were even lucky enough to have two or three.  Not to mention, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  She couldn’t help but feel a small tinge of sadness every time a classmate would mention a family reunion they had coming up.  

 

And while she loved her mom and Uncle Ren, it was still always the two of them.  Sure, she technically had her Aunt Shoko, but she rarely ever saw her.  And she thought of Mizuki more like a little sister than a cousin, but it wasn’t like she really got to see her all the time.  

 

“Iris honey, you’ve been quiet for a while.  Are you…ok?”

 

Iris smiled, not her usual bright and overly cheerful one, but something a little more subdued and real.  Her Uncle Kaname was concerned, they all were, even Pewter.  Though he hadn’t really said much during the story, leaving that mostly to the others, she could see the care in his eyes.

 

Even if she never achieved a good relationship with her father and brother, she knew that at least one person from that side of the family would be there for her.  And it made it even better that he was dating her uncle.  It just cemented their relationship even more.

 

“I’m alright.  It’s just…a lot.”

 

“You k-know you can ask us any questions y-you want sweetheart,” her mom stumbled over her words, her voice emotional from the crying.  “We’ll answer anything you w-want to know.”

 

Iris nodded.  She had questions, no doubt about it.  There were so many she lost count, but the one that was at the forefront of mind was simultaneously the most simple and hardest to answer.  “Why?  Why did you keep this from me?”

 

Her mom and uncle glanced at each other, eyes so full of sadness and regret.  She hung her head, not quite able to look at Iris in that moment.  “Because I was selfish.”

 

“Hitomi, stop-“

 

“No, it’s true Ren.  I’ve had plenty of time over the years to tell the truth, and I didn’t.  I kept justifying it in my head, saying it was to protect you.  First it was because of Rohan.  But, then he was gone.  After that, I used the excuse that you were still too young.  That I would tell you when you were older and could fully understand.  But even when that time came, I still couldn’t do it.  I didn’t want to lose you.  I wanted to hold on to you.  Because once I told you that I wasn’t your mom, it would be over.”

 

The tears came more freely now, Hitomi letting a sob escape her lips before she buried her head against Renju’s shoulder.  Her uncle wrapped her tightly in his left arm, letting her cry against him while he looked to be fighting back tears of his own.

 

“Iris, everything we did was from a place of love.  It may have been misguided, but it was still love.  We only ever wanted to keep you safe.”

 

“You could have told me,” Iris said softly, feeling her throat hitch.  “I would have understood.  Nothing would change how much I love you both.  Nothing.”

 

And she meant it.  Hitomi was her mother and Renju was her uncle.  No one in this world would ever make her look at either of them any differently.  They were the ones that loved her, raised her, protected her from a life of hurt and pain in the only way they knew how.  It may not have been the best decision, but even at eighteen Iris could see how hard it must have been.

 

They had only been a year older than her.  Could she say in a year’s time if she were in a similar situation, that she could make better choices?  No, she couldn’t.  She didn’t think that she would even make as smart of a choice as they did.  The two people closest to her had been forced by an unfair world to grow up in the blink of an eye and make a life changing decision in the span of a few hours.  It was unbelievably cruel.

 

“I love you both so much,” Iris said as she stood up from her end of the couch and walked closer to her mom.  

 

Uncle Kaname moved over, sliding down the couch and giving her his seat.  She sat back down and threw her arms out, engulfing Hitomi in a crushing hug.

 

That was all it took to finally open the floodgates.  Iris was openly crying along with her mom and uncle, the three of them wrapped in an embrace with Hitomi at the center.

 

Iris still had more questions.  A lot more.  But those could wait.  She had all night to ask them, but for now, she just wanted to sit here and hold her mom, listening to her uncle mutter words of love so softly under his breath that she could barely hear them.

 

There was time.  And thanks to Pewter, she had more of it than she even thought.  She had her life back.  She had her family.  She could afford to let her emotions out for a little longer.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

I hope everyone enjoyed getting a deeper look at Naoki and his backstory. He's really been through it over the years, huh?

And now Iris knows the truth! She's shocked, but still handling it in the typical Iris way. With love and forgiveness. I just can't imagine her ever being mad or holding a grudge against her mom and uncle. She loves them both so much and while she has questions, I don't think there is anything the two of them could do to ever make her hate them.

Even though Iris now knows everything, she would still very much consider Hitomi her mother. Much like Pewter does with his stepmom. The woman that raised her and loved her is her mom, regardless of being blood related.

Anyway, I really hope you all liked this chapter. If you did, please leave a comment and let me know. I love them all!

Chapter 46

Renju sat back, slowly loosening his left arm from around Hitomi and Iris.  The two women had calmed down and stopped crying, while his own tears had ceased long before.  Honestly, he wasn’t sure how he still had any tears left in his body.  Eighteen years ago had been the worst year in his entire life.  The things he had seen and gone through, it had been nothing short of hell.  He truly didn’t know how he made it.

 

But he had to.  Because if he let himself fall into the despair and depression that he so desperately wanted to, who would take care of Hitomi?  And Iris?  And Shoko?  And most importantly, Mizuki.  They all needed him.  They all depended on him.  

 

And now here he was, forced to relive that nightmare along with Hitomi.  Forced to tell Iris the truth.  Because if they didn’t, it would only be a matter of time before So did.  He supposed they were lucky in a sense that he was willing to grant them the time to do it.  He had every opportunity to tell Iris himself at the hospital and didn’t.  

 

Renju still didn’t trust the man.  He never would.  But he appreciated the fact that he seemed to care enough about Iris to know hearing the truth would be better from her mother and uncle.  It was a small mercy he had granted them.

 

And while he was grateful that they were the ones telling her, he also hated the fact.  He knew that Hitomi wrestled with their secret over the years, the same as he had, but if he had his way, Iris would have never found out.

 

She deserved to know the truth.  God knows she did.  But at the same time, he didn’t want to burden her with the knowledge that her mother, her real mother, had been murdered.  Murdered by her own brother.  And, her father hid that fact.  Collaborated with that monster Rohan to throw her away like trash.

 

Manaka deserved better than a shallow grave in the woods.  Hell, she deserved better than the fate he had sentenced her to.  Frozen inside of a forklift at the fishery.  Every single time he went to visit her body, with or without Hitomi, he felt a little bit more of himself die inside.  How there was even anything left at this point he didn’t know.  

 

Most days he felt himself barely able to hold it together.  Apparently even Mizuki had started to notice.  Who knew she actually saw his breakdowns at the office?  Moments he tried so hard to hide from her, from Futa, from Hitomi, from Iris, from them all.

 

And through everything, he pushed forward.  Desperately trying to be strong and in the end, failing everyone.  He’d been a terrible father to Mizuki, a terrible husband to Shoko, a terrible uncle to Iris, a terrible friend to Hitomi, and a terrible boyfriend to Futa.  All his secrets and lies through the years, all the horrible things he had seen and done, it took a toll on him.  One so deep he could never devote himself wholly to anyone.

 

But what could he do?  Really?  He had so many regrets through the years, they were overwhelming.  It didn’t matter though.  He was finally getting some of it out.  Perhaps the most important parts even.

 

There were still things Iris didn’t need to know.  The nightmares that woke him up in a cold sweat, screaming and crying and reaching…always reaching…but never…

 

“I…I’d like to see Manaka…my mom.  Do you have any pictures?” Iris asked softly, pulling Renju from his own destructive spiral.

 

He’d almost lost it there.  Once again he made it about himself instead of being concerned for Iris.  She should be his focus now.  She was the one that needed comfort and reassurance after everything, not him.

 

Hitomi smiled gently and nodded her head.  “I have several albums.  Pictures all through the years.  From when we were kids up until…we lost her.  I even have some home movies.  They weren’t until we were in high school, but you’d be able to see and hear her.  Remember that old camera Ren?  Renju?”

 

He looked up at that, concern now coloring Hitomi’s features.  Even Futa and Date were looking at him uneasily, the former leaning forward in his chair as if he meant to get up.  Renju waved them all off, plastering a fake smile on his face that never made it to his eyes.

 

“I’m fine.  Seriously.  I was just lost in thought, thinking about Manaka.  It’s been a long day.  But yes, I remember your camera.  You always had it with you.  It was like we were on a reality show as much as you filmed.”

 

Hitomi and Date seemed satisfied, but he could tell Futa didn’t buy his performance for a second.  And why would he?  He knew Renju in an intimate way that none of the others ever could.  If anyone would know he was putting on a front, it would be the man he loved irrevocably.

 

But he wouldn’t say anything.  No, not here.  He would save that for when they were back at the apartment.  In the privacy of their own home.  Which meant he had maybe another two or three hours to think of a convincing lie.  It shouldn’t be too hard, not for someone as practiced in the art of deception as he was.  Because what was one more lie on top of the numerous others he had told throughout his life?

 

“I’ll go get the albums and some of the DVDs.  I’ll show you a couple.  I think I even know exactly where the copy of our junior play is.”

 

Renju laughed, putting as much feeling as he could in to it and seeing the worry slightly fade from Futa’s face.  “No, you can’t be serious.  Don’t get that Hitomi.”

 

“Why?  What is it?” Iris asked, curiosity in her voice.

 

“We did ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.  Your uncle was the Phantom, your mom was Christine, and I was Meg.  You should have heard them sing together.  And the organ music.  We actually got permission to go to a church and record that part of the score there.  I’ve got a video of your uncle playing, it’s incredible.”

 

“Hitomi, you’re embarrassing me.  No one needs to see that.  Why don’t we just stick to Manaka for tonight?”

 

“No, I want to see you both too!  And I want to see you sing with my mom.  Please Uncle Ren?”

 

And how could he deny her anything at this point?  He honestly hated watching himself perform, it was why he preferred to be behind the scenes writing the music.  

 

He knew he was a good singer, it wasn’t something that he could exactly deny.  And maybe in another life, if he has actually pursued it, he could have made a career out of it.  But he never enjoyed performing in front of others.  In fact, the only reason he had even agreed to the musical that year, and unfortunately the year after that as well, was because of Manaka.  He could never say no to her.  Which seemed to be a trait her daughter now possessed as well.

 

“Fine.  But just that one today.  None of the others.  And we don’t need to watch the whole thing.”

 

“Yay!” Iris cheered and he thought for just a moment, he saw her normal happy self back.  He knew it was a lot to process, and she had done better than he thought she would, but it would still be a while before everything was back to how it was before.  If it even could be.

 

Hitomi stood up from the couch, her vacant spot quickly filled by Iris as she leaned into him, arms carefully circling around his back and stomach.  She made sure to avoid jostling his right arm on the other side, laying her head down on his left shoulder.

 

“I’m really happy you told me everything.  I can tell how much you and mom loved my real mother.  I wish I had known her.  I wouldn’t change being raised by mom for anything, but…I would have liked to know the woman that you two loved so much.”

 

“I wish you had known her too,” Renju replied back quietly, feeling his throat tighten.  How could he possibly have anything left inside him?  He had cried so much that there was no way his body could possibly produce even a single tear and yet, here he was.  Eyes watering and vision slowly clouding over.

 

“I love you Uncle Ren.”

 

“I…I love you…too.”  His voice cracked on the last word and he squeezed his eyes shut, desperately willing the tears to stop.

 

 

 

 

Hitomi leaned back, slowly sliding down the now closed door to her bedroom.  She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head, broken cries pushing their way out of her throat.  Her chest hitched as she tried to breathe in deeply, but all that did was make the sobbing worse.  

 

She had no idea how she kept it together as long as she did.  How on earth she sat there and didn’t dissolve into a hysterical mess.  Sure, she had cried right along with Renju, but it was still subdued.  She didn’t let it all out.

 

And she couldn’t.  Not when she needed to be strong for Iris.  Iris was the one that deserved to cry a river of tears.  She was the one that deserved to break down and let it all out if she needed to.  Not Hitomi.  Not after what she had done.  The secrets she had kept.

 

But now here she was.  A coward hiding away in her room and weeping like a child.  She didn’t have much time.  She needed to get herself together, but even as she thought that, a fresh wave of sorrow tore though her heart.  The tears came faster now as she did her best to quiet the sobs.  

 

She couldn’t risk Iris hearing.  Or any of them for that matter.  Renju was one step away from breaking himself, even with the little show he tried to put on.  And if Kaname came back, he’d do his best to comfort her, when he needed to make sure all of his focus and attention was on Iris.

 

She didn’t even want Futa to come looking for her.  Because while she really did like the man and thought the world of him, he should be there for Renju.  Not her.

 

There’d be time for her to grieve in private, just like she always did.  She’d wait till Iris was asleep or maybe one afternoon when she went out with her friends.  Or maybe she’d take one last drive out to the fishery, her final chance to see Manaka while the tears turned to ice on her cheeks.

 

How in the world was the pain still so deep and raw after eighteen years?  It felt like they had just found her yesterday, not nearly two decades ago.  

 

Perhaps if Manaka had just been a friend it would have gotten easier.  But she wasn’t.  She was so much more to both her and Renju.  She was family.  A sister that bound them all together.  She was the heart of their small group and neither herself or Ren had ever been the same after her death.

 

It just wasn’t fair.  Someone as bright and beautiful as Manaka should still be there with them.  She should have finished university, started a career, all while raising her equally strong and incredible daughter.  But she wasn’t.  She left them too soon and it had been up to Hitomi and Renju to pick up the pieces.

 

Well, mostly Hitomi.  Renju was there at times, and certainly provided enough financial support that neither of them ever wanted for anything.  But he wasn’t there every day.  He wasn’t there for the nightmares or late night fevers or tears from the bullies at school.

 

But she could never blame him.  It would have been dangerous for him to be around too much; increasing the risk of Rohan finding out.  Not to mention he had his hands full with Shoko and her delicate mental health.  Plus losing his father only a month after Manaka’s death.

 

She couldn’t burden him then, and she wouldn’t burden him now.  The years alone had hardened her heart and resolve, and even though she made room for Falco, it had been easy enough to bury the feelings once he was gone too.

 

But now he was back.  His memories returned along with the love he had for her.  She could see it in his eyes, feel it in his kiss.  And while nothing would make her happier than to pick up right where they left off, she didn’t know if she could realistically do that.

 

They had been ready to move in together.  A huge step after only three months, but yet nothing had ever felt more right.  Sure, people would talk, but what did that matter?  They did anyway.  She heard it all her life with Iris, being the unwed single mother with no father for her child in sight.  Would moving in with a man while not being married really be any worse than that?

 

Even now she’d be tempted to say yes if he asked, though she knew it wouldn’t be smart.  He had been gone for six years.  Of course that wasn’t his fault, but it was still a long time.

 

She didn’t want to give him up, she knew that much.  But it wasn’t as easy as pretending the last six years hadn’t happened either.  That she hadn’t reconciled the fact within herself that she would never be with him again. 

 

After her initial excitement at seeing him return to her life had faded, she was left with a cold fear in it’s place.  What if he decided he didn’t want to be with her?  What if this wasn’t the life he wanted?  To be tied down to her and Iris?

 

Right now he certainly seemed like he wanted to be there with the two of them, but would it last?  A year from now, would he be just as infatuated with her as he had been back then?

 

She wasn’t stupid.  She knew in those six years there had to be other women.  As Kaname Date, a man with no past and no ties, he would have certainly had a girlfriend or two.  Maybe not even girlfriends, perhaps just flings here and there.  And that didn’t bother her surprisingly, because she knew it wasn’t his fault.  

 

But what if he preferred that life now?  What if she wasn’t enough?  What did she really have to offer him?

 

Hitomi lifted her head and rubbed the back of hands against her eyes.  She really needed to get the albums and DVDs before someone came looking for her.  It wouldn’t do any good for them to see her as a sniveling mess on her bedroom floor.

 

She stood slowly and walked over to her closet, pushing aside some clothes and finding an old cardboard box.  It was fairly unassuming, the top piled up with a few schoolbooks and old papers.  Things that if Iris ever decided to go snooping would quickly turn her interest away.

 

Lifting the items off and gently setting them aside, she found what she was looking for.  She grabbed a couple of the albums and the copy of their junior year musical, along with another DVD of some footage she had shot on the camera.

 

While it would be hard to look through the pictures, and even harder still to watch the videos, there was a part of her that was happy.  She was finally sharing this with Iris, and it was like a little part of Manaka still lived.

 

Her memory would never be forgotten by her or Renju, and now her daughter would be a part of that too.  She’d get to see her mother at almost the same age she was, proving just how alike the two women were.

 

And not just in looks.  Manaka had been a ball of pure energy, her happiness contagious for anyone near.  To know Manaka, was to love her.  The same as Iris.

 

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Hitomi steeled herself as she walked back out of the bedroom, ready to finally share Manaka with her daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter glanced towards the back of the room as Hitomi re-entered.  She had a few photo albums held securely in her left arm, pressed against her chest. 

 

While she had been gone, Renju and Iris had shifted on the couch, giving Pewter a little space to sit next to his boyfriend on the end.

 

He had previously sat on the bench opposite the couch, not wanting to be a distraction to Renju while he and Hitomi spoke to Iris.  His role was mainly support, though he did speak when prompted about the Psync machine.  It only made sense for him to explain it, since he would be able to answer any questions Iris had.

 

But other than that, he tried to stay out of the conversation as much as possible.  This was about Renju and Hitomi.  They were the ones that deserved to speak on the situation, not him.  Even when it came to Saito, he kept quiet unless directly asked to contribute.

 

And it honestly scared him, especially with the look in Iris’ eyes.  He could see the anger there, just like everyone else that knew the truth.  But there was also curiosity.  And that could be a dangerous thing.

 

If he had his way, he would keep his newfound cousin away from that absolutely toxic side of their family.  For only knowing the girl for the last few days, he was fiercely protective of her.

 

Though some of that may have come from his dreams and seeing what could have become of her.  Depending on what fate had in store, she could have been a victim of her brother or involved in a kidnapping which he was sure would have had lasting effects on her psyche.

 

A wave of shame washed through him as he realized that would have been his fault.  All because he had believed Saito when he was masquerading around as Renju.  

 

It was still hard to wrap his head around the dream, and even harder still to reconcile the fact that his birth mother seemed to have dreams like that too.  What did it mean?

 

He’d think about it later, he was sure.  It would likely keep him up most of the night, but for now, he should focus on the photos Hitomi was showing Iris.

 

She had taken a seat back beside her daughter, squeezing next to her with Date on the other side.  He had wrapped an arm around Hitomi’s shoulders, hip and leg pressed firmly against hers as if he was trying to lend her as much of his strength as he could. 

 

Iris flipped through the pages of the album, fascinated by just how much she looked like Manaka.  Even Pewter had to admit the resemblance was uncanny.  If it weren’t for the fact that he clearly knew the other people in the pictures were younger versions of Renju and Hitomi, he would have sworn that the girl was Iris herself.

 

Iris certainly seemed like she got every single one of Manaka’s features, though maybe her nose was ever so slightly different.  Perhaps that was the only thing she had inherited from the Sejima’s.  

 

Not that it mattered one way or the other who she looked like.  So was still determined to push his way into her life and use her like a tool to further his own career.  It made Pewter wonder if there was perhaps any way he could take some of the pressure off of Iris.

 

He knew he stormed out of So’s mansion earlier in the day, vowing to never come back.  But it was obvious the man wanted to have some sort of relationship with him.  Maybe if he were to try to foster that, it would make him less interested in Iris.  It wasn’t a guarantee, but it was better than nothing.  And he could certainly suck it up and pretend to get along with the man if it meant keeping Iris safe and out of his reach.

 

He’d have to talk about it with Ren when they returned home for the evening.  He was sure his boyfriend would want to do whatever possible to keep So as far away as possible from Iris, but at the same time, he doubted he would be particularly pleased with the alternative.  Renju was quite aware of how painful the knowledge of being related to So and Saito was for Pewter.

 

The difference though, Pewter was a grown man.  He could handle himself and his feelings.  He wouldn’t let himself be used and manipulated by someone as vile as So Sejima.  While Iris, in all of the naivety that came with youth, wouldn’t recognize the subtle signs that she was being controlled and exploited.

 

That made his decision easy.  He had to do it.  For Renju who would do anything to protect those he loved.  And for Iris, who deserved better than to be a tool for So Sejima’s political aspirations.

 

“Wow, I can’t believe how young you were!  You look like babies!”

 

Renju chucked to himself and Pewter could feel the vibrations through his arm wrapped securely around the other man’s back.  “Well, we were in high school then.  These look like they’re from our junior year, so we all would have been younger than you.”

 

“Hard to imagine we were actually teenagers once, huh?” Hitomi asked with a smile.

 

“I mean, a little,” Iris said offhandedly before realizing how it sounded.  “I don’t mean you’re old!  I’ve just never seen any pictures of you all like this.  They’re all from after I was born.  But it makes sense now.  You couldn’t show me these pictures.  Because I look like…”

 

“Your mom,” Hitomi said softly.

 

“No.  Well, yes I guess, but I was going to say Manaka.  Because you’re my mom.”

 

“Sweetheart, it’s ok.  Manaka is your mother, you don’t have to be afraid to say it.  I know this is a lot to take in, but you won’t hurt my feelings.”

 

“But that’s not what I mean.  It’s just…”

 

“If I may,” Pewter began, stepping in when he noticed Iris faltering.  “It sounds like you’re trying to say that Hitomi is still your mother, regardless of the fact that you now know she isn’t your birth mother.  Your love for her hasn’t changed.”

 

“Exactly!” Iris exclaimed, her face lighting up.  “You’ll always be my mom, no matter what!”

 

Hitomi smiled sadly at that, looking for all the world like she wanted to burst into tears again.  It seemed she was barely holding it together, much like his boyfriend.

 

“I understand Iris, but if you ever want to call Manaka ‘Mom’, you should.  She is the one that gave birth to you.  And if she hadn’t been killed, she would be here with you now, raising you.”

 

“I know that.  And I know it sounds awful to say, but I’m glad things are the way that they are.  Not that I want her to be dead, but if she was alive, you wouldn’t have been the one to raise me.  I’m sure she did love me, but you do too.  And so does Uncle Renju.”

 

“I feel the same way about my own mother,” Pewter began, welding himself relate even more to Iris in that very moment.  “I’m grateful that she gave me life, but that’s where it ends.  And while I wasn’t an infant when Shion came into my life, she helped raise me and she is the woman I consider my mother.  I’m curious about how things might have been different if my birth mother didn’t leave, but I wouldn’t change being raised by Shion for anything.  She’s my mother and no one will ever take that away from her.”

 

Iris gave him that same, dazzling smile from before.  It was incredible how warm and happy it made him feel to have her look at him with such adoration.

 

“See mom!  Pewter gets it.  You’re still my mom no matter what.  I wish Manaka hadn’t died, but I wouldn’t change being raised by you.”

 

“You should listen to your daughter Hitomi,” Date said, somehow pulling the brunette even closer despite the fact that they were practically joined at the hip.  “She’s a smart girl and wise beyond her years.  Stop thinking you don’t deserve love because of your past.  If that were the case, I think all of us here would be in the same boat besides Iris.”

 

Hitomi let out a sigh, relaxing against Date and just letting him hold her.  “You’re right.  And somehow you always know what to say.”

 

“I’m so happy you’re both back together,” Iris said, smiling brightly.

 

“Honey, we’re not-“

 

“Your mom and I are just-“

 

“Deny it all you want, but I can tell you’re both really happy.  And Uncle Kaname wouldn’t have stayed the night in the hospital if he didn’t care about both of us.  But I won’t embarrass you any more today about that.  Let’s watch home movies of you and Uncle Ren in high school!”

 

“Are you sure Iris?” Renju spoke up immediately.  “There’s plenty of albums to go through.  We don’t want to overwhelm you too much.”

 

“I want to see you though!  Are you afraid you and mom were totally cringe back then?  I won’t make fun of you, I promise.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t promise though, I’m absolutely making fun of your loser ass,” Date said with a grin.

 

“Don’t listen to him.  I’m sure you were handsome and in no way embarrassing as a teenager.”

 

“Of course you’d say that.  That’s just because you like his di-“

 

“Date!” Renju exclaimed, cheeks flaming.

 

“Pewter likes Uncle Ren’s what?” Iris asked, turning her attention to Date.

 

The man had the good grace to look flustered, likely forgetting for a moment about the younger girl.  Especially since he always looked for any opportunity to tease his best friend.

 

“Uh…ummm…he likes his uh…di…diction!  Pewter just loves Ren’s diction!”

 

“My God, you’re an idiot.  I think I need to study your brain and see exactly how much damage all those swaps did.”

 

Iris started laughing immediately, looking around the room as her eyes glistened with tears of happiness.  “I’m so happy we’re all family.”

 

And Pewter found that he was too.  While he wasn’t thrilled at being related to either So or Saito, he wouldn’t change having Iris in his life for anything.  Having her as his cousin certainly made everything else more bearable.  Especially now that he would need to start nurturing his non-existent relationship with So in order to do his best to protect Iris.  

 

It wouldn’t be easy.  But if it meant taking even the tiniest bit of attention off of her, it would be worth it.  Because he would keep her safe from the Sejima’s no matter what it took.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m exhausted,” Renju said, finally collapsing onto the couch in the living room of their apartment.

 

Pewter followed in behind, closing and locking the door before depositing the keys in the little dish on side table.  They had driven his car home, leaving Renju’s at Hitomi’s for Date to be able to drive later.  The detective’s car still at the parking garage at the precinct.

 

It made the most sense for Date to take Renju’s car when he left for the evening.  He’d drive it over to the police station and leave it overnight, exchanging it for his own vehicle and then picking up Mizuki before finally heading home.

 

Then in the morning, Pewter would drive Renju over to retrieve the car before he had to head over to Lemniscate.  And while he wished that his boyfriend would just stay home and try to rest and recuperate, he knew it would never happen.

 

Renju was just as much of a workaholic as him.  It’s one of the reasons they lasted as long as they did.  They both understood how important the other’s work was and never tried to interfere or use guilt when projects took longer than expected or dates had to be cancelled.  It had been a welcome change from the men Pewter had dated previously, never quite able to find the perfect balance between work and his personal life.

 

But Renju was different.  He was just as happy with Pewter tinkering on some piece of machinery at the kitchen table or typing away on his laptop as he worked on a new program he was writing.  Usually during those moments, his boyfriend would either be answering the dozen of after hours emails he received or sitting in the corner of the living room trying out various tunes on the small keyboard he had.  It was nothing compared to the grand piano in one of the recording studios at Lemniscate, but it served it’s purpose.  Not that they could really fit a piano in their apartment, despite it being on the top floor and larger than most in their building.

 

And with his nonstop nature, for Renju to say he was exhausted, he knew the other man meant it.  Not only was he still dealing with all of the after effects of the attack from Saito, he had just recalled in graphic detail the worst day in his entire life.

 

He didn’t say anything while they were still at Hitomi’s, clearly able to see that neither she or Renju were doing particularly well.  Both of them were barely keeping it together and he had a feeling that the reason Hitomi took so long coming back with the photo albums and DVDs wasn’t because she had trouble finding them, but because she needed that moment to be able to grieve in private without an audience staring at her.

 

In all honesty, Renju probably needed that too.  Though according to what Mizuki said the other night, she had caught him more than once crying in his office.

 

It hurt him to know that he never noticed just how much pain Renju was in through the years.  How he felt so utterly alone that he had to get away from everyone just to be able to mourn his best friend.

 

He understood why Renju never told him, it would be dangerous to let anyone in on that secret, even the man he loved.  But it still broke his heart to know that his boyfriend had absolutely no one that he could confide in.

 

Sure, there was Hitomi, but if he knew Renju, the man probably never told her how bad it was for him.  How much pain he was in.  Because she had her own pain.  She had her own grief to deal with and he was too busy helping her through it to worry about his.

 

But now everything was out in the open.  There wasn’t a single thing that Pewter didn’t know about his lover’s past.  Or at least, he didn’t think there was.

 

Still though, something didn’t seem quite right.  There was a sadness to Ren that seemed more profound than just Manaka.  He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he had to wonder if there was something more he was hiding.

 

But what else could it be?  Surely there wasn’t anything else in the man’s life that could be a bigger secret than the fact that he hid the body of his best friend in a cold storage warehouse for the last eighteen years.

 

“Futa?  Why are you staring?”

 

That snapped Pewter out of his daze and he took a seat beside his boyfriend.  “Sorry, I was just thinking.  Today was a pretty long day, huh?”

 

“You’re telling me.  I don’t know how we made it through all of that.  Telling Iris was bad enough, but then watching almost two hours of home movies about killed me.”

 

“It meant a lot to Iris though.”

 

“I know it did,” Renju said with a sigh as he leaned his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes.  “And that’s why I didn’t say anything.  I know how important it was for her to see and hear her mother.  She needed that.  Even if it hurt to watch.”

 

“It’s amazing how much they look alike.  And even sound alike.  If I didn’t know that was Manaka, I’d be convinced she was Iris.”

 

“Yeah.  It wasn’t as noticeable when she was younger, but the older she got…”

 

“The harder it was for you and Hitomi to see her?”

 

Renju nodded.  “I know that sounds terrible.  And trust me, we never loved her any less, but just seeing her look and act so much like Manaka, being interested in the same things she was, God it was hard.”

 

Pewter couldn’t even imagine.  Every day, Iris looking just a little more like her dead mother.  Sounding a little more like her.  Acting a little more like her.  It was a constant reminder to the ones she left behind.  

 

“That doesn’t make you a bad person.  Either one of you.  It makes you human.  I can’t imagine having to look into the eyes of someone every single day that reminded me of one of the most important people I’d ever lost.  It would be heartbreaking.”

 

“It is, trust me,” Renju said, his voice gravely from overuse and…something else.  Pewter couldn’t quite tell what, but he knew he didn’t imagine that slight hitch.  What else could be bothering him?

 

“Ren, are you ok?”

 

Renju cracked his eyes open, but didn’t lift his head from the back of the couch.  The one was still bloodshot, though not as bad as it had been.  “I’m ok.  Just tired.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Futa, I know you’re worried, but I’ll be fine.  Today was a lot.  As I’m sure you can imagine.”

 

He could, but still, something seemed off.  There wouldn’t be any answers tonight though, that much he was certain of.  He knew when Renju closed himself off and this was definitely one of those times.

 

Plus, would it really be fair to continue questioning the man after everything he had been through?  He needed a good night’s sleep and to feel safe and protected in his boyfriend’s arms.  Not to be questioned and asked to drag up even more trauma.

 

Maybe in the morning if he seemed to be feeling better, he would try to talk then.  And if not, he would wait until Renju was ready.  There was no point in pushing the man past his breaking point.

 

Not to mention, in the next few days Manaka’s body would finally be laid to rest.  He knew he’d have to talk to Boss about it tomorrow.  Figure out exactly what kind of story they would be feeding the press and general public.  Because they would need to say something.

 

He already knew she wouldn’t put the blame on Saito, even if he deserved it all.  She was determined to find some sort of way to keep him out of jail, not that she gave a reason why.  And he knew that Renju and Hitomi wouldn’t be blamed or dragged into it.  The only thing they could possibly be accused of was tampering with the body, but the statute of limitations had long since passed on that.

 

Still, he really didn’t know how Boss was going to talk her way out of this one.  She was a smart woman, and definitely had enough dirt on pretty much everyone in the MPD to be able to get her way, but it didn’t change the fact that she would need to have a damn good story.  And it would have to be believable too.

 

If anyone would be able to spin something, it would be her.  Even if he himself couldn’t see any possible way to do it.

 

But he’d worry about that in the morning.  For now, the most important thing was helping Renju relax and get to sleep.

 

“Come on love, let’s get to bed.  I’ll get your medicine and some water.”

 

“It’s barely nine.  You don’t have to go to bed yet, I’ll be fine by myself.”

 

And while his words were sincere, his eyes told a different story.  He wasn’t ok and he certainly didn’t want to be alone.  Likely afraid that once he fell asleep there would be no stopping the dreams that came.

 

“I know, but I’m honestly pretty tired too.  It’s been a really long day.”

 

It was easy to tell Renju that because it wasn’t a lie.  Between his disastrous Psync with himself, having even more questions about his mother, meeting with So, and then the evening at Hitomi’s, he was worn out.

 

Not that he would let Ren know most of that.  It’d only serve to stress him out further and make him worry about things that he didn’t need to.  Because Pewter would be fine.  He wasn’t the one that just had to relive the death of his friend.  

 

“Now come on, let’s head to bed.  Things will look a little better in the morning.”

 

 

Notes:

Well, today's chapter was pretty emotional. No one is really doing all that well amongst the older cast.

Luckily Iris seems to be doing ok, but she always has a sunny outlook no matter the situation.

I thought after the last chapter and really seeing Iris' thought process after learning the truth, it only made sense to let Renju and Hitomi have the same. After all, they were the two closest people to Manaka, and for years, the only ones that knew the full truth besides Shoko. And they would have very different reactions to having to fully relive the past events of Manaka's death versus Iris.

Even though this was a fairly somber chapter full of feelings, I hope everyone enjoyed it. Please leave a comment if you liked, I love them all! And thank you for reading!

Chapter 47

Pewter supposed everything was going too good to be true.  Spending a slightly leisurely morning with his boyfriend, followed by a nice drive to ABIS, and a long goodbye in the parking lot before the other man finally got in his vehicle and drove off to Lemniscate.  He said there were a few things he needed to work on, but he had also texted Moma and asked the Yakuza head to meet him there.  Apparently he wanted to discuss some business venture he thought he might be interested in.

 

And that had left Pewter sitting in the lab, completely absorbed in his tech.  While he wasn’t thrilled at being forced to complete an AI Ball for Saito, the work itself was satisfying.  He always felt at peace when he was creating, there was just something about being in his own mind as he thought of ways to innovate and improve his inventions.

 

It had been a good thirty minutes before the door opened, a surprised Naoki staring back at him.  The brunette glared for a moment before steeling his features and nodding his head, walking over to the supply cabinet and rifling through it’s contents.

 

“What are you doing?” Pewter asked with a sigh, not really wanting to get into it today.  He needed to do his best to try to get along with his sister’s chosen suitor, though it killed him to think of Naoki in that way.  She could have picked anyone, and this man-child was the best she could come up with?

 

“None of your-“ Naoki cut himself off, tense shoulders shaking ever so slightly before he let them relax a little.  “I’m helping out Kuranushi.  She needs someone to give Sejima his injection and asked me.”

 

Well, that was oddly civil.  He supposed that maybe Naoki was also doing his best to get along for Aya’s sake.  He knew the two apparently were planning to have a conversation after the disastrous run-in at the hospital, but he didn’t know anything more than that.  It would be his turn soon enough, especially since he had put her off for the last two days.

 

But wait.  That wasn’t important.  He was so shocked by the uncharacteristic sincerity that he almost missed what was said.  Saito.  Saito was here.

 

He didn’t get it.  He was almost completely sure Boss had taken a few vials of the medication home with her.  For the express purpose that she wouldn’t need to keep dragging Saito back and forth twice a day to ABIS.  If that was the case, than why was she here?

 

“Did she call you to come out here?”

 

“Yeah,” Naoki answered simply as he lined up an unopened syringe, rubber band, pack of alcohol wipes, and a pair of latex gloves.

 

“Why?”

 

Naoki exhaled quickly and turned around, trying his best to keep a level head, but his frustration was clearly showing.  “I don’t know.  She said something about how she kept missing the vein and Sejima had enough.  He wanted someone else to do it.  So she called me.  And now I have to go give the asshole his medication.  I don’t get it, she’s administered the Psyncing drugs dozens of times, but she can’t help him?”

 

“Date’s veins are shit.  Or well, Saito’s,” Pewter corrected himself.

 

It was true enough.  He’d noticed it before on the rare occasions he’d given Date the oxytocin concoction intravenously.  Not that he understood at the time what it was.  Boss always managed to spin some lie that the man fell for, never questioning her true motives.

 

Naturally, he and Boss had wondered exactly why Saito’s vascular system was in such bad shape.  But given the limited information they’d known about him, both had figured it was likely drug use over the years.  It made sense, Saito wasn’t able to feel any form of happiness naturally, so maybe as a younger man he had taken to illicit drugs.

 

He certainly never would have guessed it was because of whatever his mother had come up with and injected into his body.  And why would he?  Who would have ever thought something like that was possible?

 

“Just because she can’t do it didn’t mean she had to call me out.  But I guess she couldn’t ask you, so…”  Naoki let the sentence trail off, moving to the fridge to get the medicine.

 

Pewter knew exactly why she asked Naoki, because there was no way in hell he would have said yes.  Although, thinking about it now, jabbing the annoying blonde prick numerous times in the arm as he “missed” the vein would probably make him feel better.  Vent some of his frustration in a way that he could easily feign ignorance.

 

“Why is there blood in the fridge?”

 

Pewter looked up quickly, concern showing clearly on his face.  He was about to ask Naoki to move when the man turned around, blood bag in hand.

 

“Oh,” Pewter said with a relived sigh.  “Those are mine.”

 

“I’m sorry, what?”

 

“It’s my blood.”

 

“What the hell does that mean?  Like from you?  Or for you Nosferatu?”

 

Pewter rolled his eyes.  “Don’t be an idiot.”

 

“Me?  I’m not the one who dresses like that,” he said as he gestured to the collar of his lab coat.  “And, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in direct sunlight.”

 

“It’s mine, from me.  I’m my own donor, simple as that.  It’s just in case something were to ever happen and I need it.  But once it gets closer to the expiration, I give it to the hospital.”

 

“You’re even weirder than I thought.”

 

“I have a rare blood type.  It makes sense.  They don’t exactly have it in supply at the hospital, but I’m a universal donor, so it can be used on everyone.”

 

“What are you talking about?  O negative is always available.”

 

“It is, but I’m not O negative.  I’m Rhnull.  It’s different.  And very rare.  I can only receive Rhnull, but I can donate to anyone.  Which is why I need to draw my own blood every two months.”

 

He could tell Naoki was wracking his brain, likely never hearing about that particular genetic mutation of cells.  And why would he?  Most people wouldn’t.  Hell, Pewter had never even run across anyone else that even had that blood type.  Well, he hadn’t.  Not anymore though. 

 

If there had been any doubt before that he and Saito were related, that pretty confirmed it.  Reviewing his Psync footage from the previous day, he had learned Saito shared the same blood type he did.  

 

Likely the younger Sejima inherited it from his father, much like Pewter assumed his had to come from his mother.  After all, Kazuki was O negative.  Certainly a rare blood type in it’s own right, but nothing compared to Pewter’s.

 

As a child, he couldn’t understand his father’s extremely overprotective nature.  Never wanting him to engage in close contact sports or anything too overtly physical that could run the risk of him getting hurt, despite the fact that the man had been a champion weightlifter himself in his younger years.  As well as the nearly obsessive doctor’s visits for physicals twice a year.

 

But as he got older and was able to grasp the seriousness of his medical situation, it all made sense.  If he needed a transfusion, the likelihood of finding a donor in time would be next to impossible.  Not to mention if he needed an organ transplant.  Usually family were the closest thing you could find to a match, but in his particular situation, that wouldn’t work.

 

Until now.  Not that if the worst ever happened he would take anything from So or Saito.  Being related to them was bad enough, he couldn’t imagine being forced to actually have a part of one of them merged with his own being for the rest of his life.

 

“Rhnull?  Golden blood, right?”

 

Apparently while he had been absorbed in his own mind, Naoki had questions of his own.  The other engineer was looking thoughtfully ahead, trying to grasp onto something he seemed to remember.

 

“Sejima’s Somnium had something about that. I guess it was your mother telling him.”

 

Pewter remembered that part of the Somnium well. He had watched the footage several times trying to find anything that would trigger his own memory of his mother.  But given the fact that she was nothing more than a glowing blue, vaguely human shape with a highly distorted voice, it was a useless exercise.

 

It was hard to tell, and Pewter very well might be wrong, but he thought the cadence and tone differed ever so slightly there.  Not that he was an expert by any means in what his mother actually sounded like, he didn’t remember anything about her at all before yesterday.  And the two small memories he did manage to unlock via his Psync weren’t exactly that telling.

 

Two small moments in time, one full happiness and one full of desperation.  Though he supposed it was more than what he had before.  Not that it made it any easier.  He was more confused than ever, even with having all of the previous day and night to think about it.

 

Ultimately he knew if he was going to get any more answers, and that was a big if, he’d have to talk to his father.  So had been somewhat of a dead end.  He thought the man might still be holding back some information, but it was clear that he wasn’t going to say anything else until Pewter had a conversation with Kazuki.

 

Maybe he thought if he didn’t let his nephew be privy to whatever else he knew, he’d gain some sort of leverage.  A way to worm back into both mens’ lives.  Honestly, trying to figure out So Sejima and the sheer number of secrets his family had was exhausting.  And headache inducing.

 

“Are you…ok?  Not that I care,” Naoki quickly followed up.  “But you’ve been staring at the table for about a minute.”

 

“I’m fine,” Pewter said as he pushed his chair back with a scrape across the tiled floor and quickly rose to his feet.  “In fact, why don’t you let me take care of that.”

 

“Take care of what?”

 

Pewter gestured towards the items still sitting on the counter, a new vial of medication now joining them.

 

“You’re kidding.  You want to be the one to give him his medicine.”

 

Pewter nodded his head, walking over and slowly gathering everything together.  It wasn’t that he really was that gung ho about the idea, but he knew he needed to talk to Boss.  It was one thing getting Saito an AI Ball.  As much as he hated it, he understood, and knowing that Saito was properly medicated and monitored twenty-four seven was safer for everyone.

 

What he didn’t understand, and he fully intended to find out, was her insistence on bringing him with her every single day.  If it was a matter of having someone else administer the drug, she could bring him and then take him back to her house.  But no, she’d been bringing him in, granting him access to confidential police and ABIS files, allowing him to work on a network enabled laptop.  All things that a civilian, and a notably dangerous one at that, shouldn’t be allowed to do.

 

“Whatever, have at it then.  Just don’t kill him before Kanna gets her chance to crush his balls.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Well, fuck.”

 

Saito looked up from the file he was currently reading, following Kuranushi’s line of sight straight to the door.  Her expletive made sense at least.  He could think of a few more to follow up, but he instead decided to just glare defiantly at his cousin.

 

It’s not like it would be helpful in any way to get involved in a verbal spat with the man.  They’d reach a stalemate and likely Kuranushi would once again treat him like a child or an animal or some sort of joke.

 

He knew he had to tread a very careful line and stay on her good side.  She was pretty much the only reason he wasn’t sitting in jail and likely awaiting a death sentence.  Because she had decided, along with Moma, that something about him was worth saving.

 

A man whose own father looked at him as worthless because he couldn’t be used as a political tool, but somehow these two idiots thought his life meant something.  Even his newfound family wanted nothing to do with him.  Amanoma was immediately and openly hostile, and while Saito admitted that much of it was deserved, there was a small part of him that knew it was unfair.

 

He was being held accountable for something he couldn’t help.  Something he never would have done if he had been in his right mind.  Something that was all brought on by his aunt, Amanoma’s own mother.  And yet, it was his fault.

 

“Pewter,” Kuranushi began, tone exhausted.  Seemed she was just as tired as he was of the fight that was bound to begin any moment.  “Why are you here?”

 

“I believe I was told to begin working on his AI Ball immediately.  So I was.”

 

“That’s not what I meant.  Why are you here right now, in my office?  I called Naoki, not you.  He should have been here to help with Saito’s medicine.”

 

“He was.  But I decided to take a break and do it instead.  He’s back in the lab working on Ryuki’s unit.”

 

“This isn’t a good idea.”

 

“It’s fine, I don’t care,” Saito spoke up.  And he didn’t.  He was sick of Kuranushi using him as a pin cushion.  Shrugging out of his jacket and letting it fall behind his back, he was left sitting in just a plain gray t-shirt.  

 

Amanoma walked over, unceremoniously dumping the contents in his hands on the obnoxiously sticker covered desk.  He really wasn’t sure why she thought decorating the piece of furniture like some pre-teen’s school notebook was the appropriate thing to do in a professional environment, but then again, from what he had seen, no one in this department was professional.  Not by a long shot.

 

“Are you really having him read over the Cyclops files?  Why would you think that’s even remotely a good idea?”

 

Kuranushi sighed, uncrossing and recrossing her legs in a show of agitation.  She tended to fidget a lot when she was caught off guard or nervous, something that hadn’t taken him long to figure out at all.

 

“Yes, he’s surprisingly good at paperwork and reading through endless, monotonous files.  He’s got a real knack for it.”

 

“You just don’t want to do it.”

 

“No!” Kuranushi said, immediately offended, before following up.  “Fine, yes.  But I’ve been doing it anyway.  He’s just helping.  So are Date and Ryuki.  Or they will be once they’ve had their surgeries and recover a bit.”

 

“How helpful can he actually be?” Amanoma asked as he tied the rubber band above Saito’s elbow, speaking as if he wasn’t there despite physically touching him.

 

“I’m good at this kind of stuff.  I did a lot of research and paperwork at the NPO I used to work at.”

 

Amanoma hesitated in his preparations, raising an eyebrow as he gave him a look of pure disbelief.  “You worked for a non profit?”

 

Saito nodded.  What was so weird about that?  Most people had jobs, it would be stranger if he had been a grown man and never once gone out into the workforce.  “Yeah.  It was an arctic research and preservation group.  They specialized in land restoration and conservation efforts for polar bears and walruses.  There was even a guy that wore a lifelike polar bear suit to some of our fundraisers.”

 

“This is the most bizarre thing I think I’ve heard about you,” he said as he gave the rubber band a snap, making sure it was firmly in place.

 

Saito winced ever so slightly, furrowing his brows together.  “You get this rough with Ren?”

 

“Don’t you call him that.”

 

“What?  Struck a nerve?  He seemed to like it when I-“ Saito hissed as Amanoma jammed the needle into his skin, effectively hitting the vein on the first try.

 

“Nothing else to say?  Why so quiet all of a sudden?”

 

Saito knew it was low blow.  He honestly wasn’t sure why he said it or constantly tried to rile up his cousin.  Was he really so determined to continue playing the part of the villain?  The evil, soulless demon the rest of the world saw him as?

 

Somehow, the only person that didn’t see him that way was the one that was just about as fucked up as he was.  Shoko Nadami.  Leave it to him to befriend the only other person hated nearly as much as him.

 

“Pewter, chill out.  That wasn’t necessary,” Kuranushi growled lowly before round on him.   “And Saito, stop with the self sabotage.  The two of you need to get along.”

 

“Why?” Saito asked, genuinely curious.  What did it matter to Kuranushi if they got along or not.  It’s not like she had anything to gain from it.

 

“Because we’re all working together to try to solve this case and figure out exactly what happened.  And you never know when the two of you may need to work directly together.  Besides getting fitted for the AI Ball.”

 

“Speaking of that, I’ve had a sudden stroke of inspiration,” Amanoma announced as he capped off the needle and disposed of it and the other trash in a red bag labeled “medical waste”.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Saito asked wearily. 

 

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.  I’ve just come up with the perfect design and personality for someone like you.  I’m sure you’ll love it.”

 

That certainly didn’t bode well.  Neither did the grin slowly spreading across his features.  In that moment, he looked more like a mad scientist than engineer, labcoat and visor easily completing the visage.

 

“Pewter, seriously.  Don’t be an ass.  This is supposed to help him.”

 

“It will, trust me.”

 

Kuranushi let out a long sigh, seeming like she wanted to say something else about it, but holding back.  Instead, she said “Send Naoki down here when you go back to the lab.  I needed his help with this, but I also called him here because I wanted to talk to him.”

 

“About what?”

 

“His sister.  So please just ask him to come here and don’t provoke him.”

 

“Fine.  If he’s still here, I’ll tell him.”

 

Kuranushi nodded and with that, Amanoma grabbed the trash bag and vial, turning on his heel and walking out the door without another word.  Saito felt genuinely relieved that he was gone.

 

He didn’t think they’d ever get along, not that he even wanted to.  Not really.  Getting along meant forgiveness, and forgiveness meant that the things he had done couldn’t hurt him anymore.  He wouldn’t need to feel the immense guilt and pain every single time he opened one the victims’ files.  That vice that gripped his chest and squeezed without mercy would just disappear.

 

And if that happened, what would be left behind?  Who even was Saito Sejima?  Truely?  He’d been forced to play the part of a killer for so long, he didn’t know where the real him even began.

 

Was he the dutiful officer at the NPO?  The man that went into work an hour early each day and stayed each night as long as it took to get his work completed?  Often volunteering unpaid when certain projects took more time than initially anticipated?

 

Was he the young and successful son of Congressman Sejima?  His public persona built up and overly bloated to make him look more noteworthy than he actually was.

 

Or was he the dull and emotionally dead child he had been before the brainwashing.  The boy that scared the other children with his lifeless eyes and sometimes toneless way of speaking.

 

If not for the medicine freely coursing through his veins at that very moment, he’d be right back to that now.  A shell just sitting and waiting for nothing.

 

At first, he had desperately wanted that back.  The nothingness that he had only ever known.  But the years spent in Rohan’s body, followed by Shoko’s, and now finally his own, had made him selfish.  

 

He liked feeling happy.  He liked stupid things that people took for granted like enjoying the taste of food or finding a song with a melody he couldn’t get out of his head.  As strange as it sounded, he even enjoyed the pain of Amanoma jabbing the needle into the fleshy crook of his arm.  Because all of that meant he was alive and feeling something.

 

Before the medication, all of his senses had been dulled to next to nothing.  Even his pain receptors.  And while he couldn’t say that the pain felt good and that he would like to continue experiencing it, he still felt content that he was able to have that sensation at all.

 

It would never make sense to anyone else.  There was no one that he could talk to that would ever know what he lived with, but one thing was for certain.  Shoko was right.  When everything was gone and stripped away, when there was no one left to hate him and remember the things he did, that’s when it would be unbearable.  That’s when he’d be forgotten and forced to walk alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It had been a long time since Moma had been to Renju’s office.  Probably close to six years if he was remembering correctly.  Not much had changed in that time.

 

Maybe a few extra paintings on the walls and a handful of music awards for composing.  Nothing major as of yet, but Moma knew in his heart with the vast amounts of talent Renju possessed, it would only be a matter of time before he really made it big.

 

Hell, within the last two years or so, several of his artists blew up and became overnight sensations.  They were still idols and not nearly on the same level as the big international stars, but it didn’t make the younger man’s achievements any less impressive to Moma.  He’d always be proud of Renju and the things he had accomplished in life.

 

Especially considering where he’d come from.  He could have just as easily gone down the same dark path as so many before him did.  The fact that he didn’t was all the more impressive when he thought about how Rohan had forced the boy along during the ill-fated inheritance fraud scheme.  

 

God he hated that.  Not that there had been anything he could do about it.  He used to justify to himself that because he wasn’t involved and never directly participated, he wasn’t the same as his brother.  But as the years went on, he came to realize his lack of involvement was just as bad.  He knew what was happening and turned a blind eye.

 

In the end, there was nothing he could do, not really.  Standing up to Rohan always ended badly, usually with a permanent injury or scar.  But he could have done something more for Renju.  Especially when he saw how sick it made the boy every single time he returned.  Because he had been a boy.  Still in high school and with no business being part of a Yakuza gang.

 

If there was one regret he had, amongst the dozens in all honesty, it was Renju ever stepping foot inside their office.  He had been young and stupid, as most kids were, going along with a friend who got a job making “easy money” simply because he was bored.  

 

That had always been Rohan’s sure fire way to recruit new members.  Sending one of the younger guys out to arcades or cafés or anywhere else high school students were sure to frequent.  Pitching the job as quick and easy, a fast way to earn cash for doing next to nothing. 

 

They were always the easiest mules to get.  Kids didn’t realize they were being used before it was too late and they were in too deep.  Not to mention they rarely got caught.

 

Cops were too busy looking for punks in their twenties or some of the older, grizzled guys walking the streets with their tattoos proudly on display.  They weren’t paying any attention to the hundreds of school age kids walking past in the various uniforms on their way to class.  It was only too easy for one of them to slip past and deliver a gun or drugs or whatever else a client wanted to one of thousands of lockers throughout the city.

 

Especially a kid like Renju.  Clean cut and handsome, exuding charisma and obviously coming from money.  Who would ever suspect someone like him?

 

Naturally when Rohan found out about the two new kids working as couriers, he had them brought in.  The friend hadn’t impressed him, but he immediately took an interest in Renju.  He saw the same things Moma did in that moment, a boy so sincere and beautiful that you immediately trusted him.  He’d be perfect for bigger jobs that required a certain level of finesse that most of their guys just couldn’t pull off.

 

As much as he cared about Renju, and really did consider the younger man family, he’d give all that up if it meant the blonde didn’t have to go through the hell he did over the years.  Though he supposed in the end, things had managed to work out. 

 

He shuddered to think what could have happened had Pewter’s dream actually come true.  Moma would be the first to admit that none of this prophetic dreams and alternate reality bullshit made any sense, at all.  And he had never believed in it either.  Sure, he enjoyed some science fiction stuff as much as the next guy, it was a fun little escape from the real world for a few hours, but he never in his wildest dreams would imagine it was real.

 

But now, knowing what he did and having seen definitive proof, he definitely had to re-evaluate his stance on certain things.  Particularly since if Pewter hadn’t dreamed what he did and then double checked it with his invention back at ABIS; Renju, Shoko, Saito, and Rohan would all be dead right now.

 

While in the grand scheme of things his brother wouldn’t be the biggest loss, the other three didn’t deserve that fate.  None of them were perfect by any means, but being varying degrees of assholes shouldn’t be a death sentence.

 

It was crazy to think that instead of standing here in Ren’s fancy office getting ready to discuss some business venture, he could be preparing to attend the funeral of the man that had become his little brother in every way but blood.  And that thought hurt more than he cared to admit.

 

“Thank you for coming here today, I know it was pretty short notice, so I really appreciate it,” Renju said as he stood up from his chair and walked around the desk.

 

Damn the kid still looked rough.  The bruises on his neck weren’t quite as bad, slowly starting to fade and being less angry black and purple and more sickly green and brown with a hint of yellow.  His eye looked a little better too, the blood from the burst vessel beginning to be reabsorbed.

 

He still had his arm in a sling, despite the cast, but he guessed Renju did that to avoid accidentally hitting it on anything and causing a burst of pain.  At least if nothing else, his voice sounded better, it wasn’t nearly as hoarse as before.  Though, if he wasn’t mistaken, the man did sound ever so slightly nasally.  And his eyes looked a little swollen.

 

“Yeah, of course, but uh…you ok kid?  Whatever this is, it can wait if you’re not feelin’ up to it.”

 

“I’m fine,” Renju waved him off, plastering that fake smile he hated with everything in him on his face.

 

Normally, he was a pretty decent liar.  So much so that there had been a few times even Moma had been tricked by him.  But the kid had a tell.  Especially when he was stressed and not sleeping well.

 

That too big grin, freezing his face in a way that it looked unnatural, was always what he went for when he was trying to convince the rest of the world that he was ok.  And in all honesty, for someone that hadn’t know Renju for over twenty years, it probably worked.  It was bright and cheery, welcoming in every way.  But the real Ren never smiled like that.  Not once.

 

“Kid…”

 

“Really Moma, I’m fine.  I promise.  I want to talk to you about a business deal I’ve come across.  One I think you’ll really be interested in.”

 

Moma stood there for a moment, trying to see if there was anything else Renju would give away, but there wasn’t.  He always seemed to close himself off the most whenever he got a little too close.  “Fine, but first, we’re lightin’ the incense.”

 

“What?”

 

Moma gestured over to the small shrine in the corner of the room, already making his way over.

 

“No, we don’t have to do that, really.”

 

“I know we don’t, but I want to.  Show my respect and all.”

 

“I…thank you…Moma,” Renju said softly, the former unnaturally happy air leaving him.  And in it’s place, the naïve young boy he remembered, in too deep but unable to do anything to get out.

 

Moma nodded his head, bowing before the altar and then quickly lighting the candle next to the shrine, holding it in his left hand.  He picked up an incense stick with his right, using the candle to light it before carefully placing it in the holder in the center, directly in front of the urn.  

 

Waving his hand back and forth quickly, he extinguished the flame on both the candle and incense, leaving the smokey tendrils to curl up towards the ceiling, the light scent of sandalwood in it’s wake.

 

He sat the candle back down on the side table as he noticed Renju struggling to get the sling off of his shoulder with one hand.  “Let me.”

 

Renju yielded and stopped his fiddling, allowing Moma to loosen the strap and help pull it over his head before finally removing it completely.  He laid it down on his desk, not wanting to clutter the area near the shrine.

 

“Be careful and mind your wrist.”

 

Renju let a small chuckle escape his lips.  “Always looking out for me.”

 

Moma smiled at that, closing his eyes and bringing his hands together in prayer.  He bowed his head and breathed in, letting the woodsy scent fill his lungs and then exhaling slowly.

 

He really should come by more often, six years was way too long to not check in and pay his respects.  Well, he supposed he did check in with Ren from time to time, but it was usually over the phone or back at his own office.  He’d have to start making it a priority to come here instead-

 

And that was when he heard it.  The shuddering inhale, followed by a sharp, forceful exhale.  He opened his eyes just in time to see Renju crumple to the floor, his legs giving out as his body was racked with sobs.

 

It was so hard to see him like this.  To watch the grief that he constantly tried to keep at bay overwhelm him.  

 

Moma felt bad that he had basically tricked him into giving in.  But as soon as he saw that smile, he knew the younger man needed to get it out.  That he was holding back a wave of pain and torment.  He didn’t know why Renju tortured himself constantly by keeping it all in.  Why he never let himself feel until it was too late and he literally couldn’t keep it back any more.

 

Crouching down on one knee beside the blonde, Moma put a reassuring hand on his back, letting him know that he was there and wasn’t going anywhere.  Words weren’t necessary in that moment, Renju just needed to know that there was someone that understood the pain he was feeling.  Someone that loved and cared for him and would always be there.

 

Moma might not be the best at dealing with his own feelings, but he could certainly be that anchor for Renju.  Keeping the man steady and grounded when everything else was spinning out of control.

 

He sincerely hoped that one day, Ren would truly let it out.  And in doing so, let others in.

 

 

 

Notes:

Now we finally have the biggest mystery of all solved, where the polar bear costume came from. As funny as it would be to have either Saito or So be a furry, I kept trying to think about what a legitimate reason would be that Saito would have access to it. And then I remembered his profile had his occupation listed as an NPO representative. I decided to combine the two, because Saito working for a non profit is just the most out there thing for his character. I'm sure So had to have gotten him that job.

And we also got a little bit of Moma being in big brother protective mode for Renju. God knows Renju needs someone right now to look out for him and let him know that it's ok to let his feelings out.

As always, I hope everyone enjoyed this week's chapter. If you did, please leave me a comment and let me know. I love them all!

Chapter 48

Notes:

I don't know what happened but somehow this chapter ended up being just over 7.9k words. Longest one to date, but I guess everyone had a lot to say.

Iris smiled as she looked down at the album in her lap, page after page of pictures featuring her mom, Uncle Renju, and…Manaka.  This woman that looked so much like her, or did she look like Manaka?  Either way, actually convincing her mind to to believe that she was her mother, her real mother, was next to impossible. 

 

Why was it so hard?  It was obvious at a glance that they were related.  In fact, they could most certainly pass for twins when she compared photos of a nineteen year old Manaka to herself now.  And if she had lived, aged right alongside her best friends, Iris was sure even someone passing them on the street would recognize that they were mother and daughter.

 

So then why couldn’t she come to terms with the truth?  Both Hitomi and Renju had answered any questions she asked, no matter how painful.  They told her all about Manaka growing up beside them, the things she loved, embarrassing stories, fun adventures.  All the things that best friends would know.  It gave her a very clear picture of the woman Manaka had been.

 

She was someone like her.  Full of life and energy.  Constantly happy and cheerful.  A real talent for singing and dancing.

 

Well, that was where the similarities ended she guessed.  Iris could carry a tune, but after listening to Manaka sing in their school musical, she felt completely and utterly inadequate.  And it made her realize even more how right her uncle had been.

 

Renju had been trying to get her to pay attention and attend her singing lessons for close to a year.  He pressed the importance of having a strong foundation for her voice and not just relying on the limited range she could sing well.  She had raw talent, or so he said anyway.

 

And she had believed that, which was part of the reason she didn’t take the lessons as seriously.  The other part being the tumor and not wanting take time away that she could spend with friends and family or just enjoying the moments she had left.

 

Not that she told him that.  She wanted to, but her mom worried how the news would effect her uncle.  She seemed more concerned than usual when it came to him.

 

Hitomi always had an oddly protective streak when it came to Renju, but by the same token, he was the same about her.  Iris thought it was because they were such close friends, but now she knew the truth.  The trauma of losing Manaka had brought them closer than ever, bonding them in such a way that they felt the constant need to protect the other, shielding them from the heartache and sadness the world had to offer.

 

It made so much more sense.  Why her mom wanted to hide Iris’ illness.  Why she swore Iris to secrecy.  The words Hitomi spoke when they first found out echoed in her mind.

 

“We can’t tell him.  Not right now.  This would just upset him needlessly.  And you’re going to be fine, so why worry him for nothing?  You know how much he loves you, you’re just as much his daughter as Mizuki is.  And thinking about possibly losing you…the pain of losing a child…I can’t let Ren go through that.  So, we’ll just keep this between us, ok?”

 

Iris had naturally agreed.  Why wouldn’t she?  Her mom was trusting her to keep a huge secret, and if she told, all that would do would in the end was hurt her uncle.  

 

At least, that’s what she thought at first.  Once her diagnosis had become more serious, her mind had quickly changed.  She knew from the way the doctor spoke to both her and her mom, it wasn’t good.  Especially when Hitomi would be pulled to the corner of the room and she couldn’t make out the whispers.

 

Nothing good ever came out of hushed conversations.  Not in Iris’ experience anyway.  

 

And when her mom told her that things weren’t going well as she hoped, but they would be once she got her surgery, Iris knew.  She knew she was going to die.  And her mom knew too.

 

Hitomi didn’t want to admit it, and maybe she had even managed to convince herself that it wasn’t true.  But in her heart, Iris was sure her mother knew she wouldn’t come out on the other side of this.

 

Yet, she still didn’t want her uncle to know.  It was the same as before,  saying the pain of losing her would destroy him.  But what about Hitomi?  Her mom had lost Manaka too, had gone through the same devastating grief.  Why did her mom have to suffer in silence while her uncle went on living his life?

 

It wasn’t even that she wanted Renju to be upset.  She didn’t.  But she wanted him to know so that maybe he could spend a little time with her and her mom before things got really bad.  So that they could have nice moments focused on family instead of being worried about when she was going to get in the studio and record her songs or attend her lessons or any of the other things that in the grand scheme of things weren’t important when you were dying.

 

Her mom was doing what she thought was right.  Trying to spare her uncle pain and taking it all on herself.  Just like he would do.  Because if the roles had been reversed, Renju would absolutely do the same thing Hitomi did.

 

Both of them had such gigantic savior complexes it was unreal.  And from what she had seen over the last several days, Pewter wasn’t that far behind them.  Everyone in her family seemed to suffer the same stupid disorder.

 

Well, everyone but her father.

 

If she thought it was hard to reconcile the fact that Manaka was her mother, it was nothing compared to trying to imagine So Sejima as her father.  Growing up, she never had anyone that she called “Dad”, but it didn’t mean she didn’t think of Renju in that way.  And later on, her immature twelve year old mind had even started to imagine Falco in that role.

 

But her actual father was a famous politician she had seen on tv and in magazines more times that she could count.  His face was everywhere.  He was extremely outspoken and constantly being brought up on that morning talkshow her mom watched before they had to leave for school.

 

And why wouldn’t he be?  Nearly twenty years ago he shifted parties, instantly becoming a hot topic in the political world.  He had once been a part of the most Conservative party in Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party.  Then without any warning or supposed consultation from his political advisor, he had switched to the Social Democratic Party.

 

Politicians could certainly change their views, just like anyone else, but for a man like So Sejima that had been so far right his entire life and career to just give that up and join the left, was nearly unheard of.  Over the years it would be brought up every once in a while, but it wasn’t until two years ago with the formation of the the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, that he would become front and center again.

 

So, along with many others, jumped to the new party.  A party that held many of the left wing beliefs of his former political association, but with one important difference.  They were fighting to legalize same sex unions.

 

She remembered watching that show with her mom and commenting on how amazing that was.  How glad it made her to see someone so much older realizing the importance of recognizing Japan’s LGBTQ community.

 

And her mom hadn’t said anything.  Not a word.  Which had been very strange at the time because both her mom and uncle were such staunch supporters of any bill or party that supported the LGBTQ.

 

It all made sense now though.  They hated So for getting involved with her mother at such a young age, and then promptly abandoning her once she was pregnant.  She had to wonder, if Manaka had actually gone through with the abortion at So’s behest, would the two of them have stayed together?  

 

It was hard to tell honestly.  They very well could have built a life together, falling more in love every single day.  Get married, possibly have a family in the future once they were ready.

 

Or Manaka could have been like any young woman her age and changed her mind a year or two into the the relationship.  Decided that being tied down and playing family wasn’t what she wanted.

 

Unfortunately, Iris would never know the outcome.  And luckily for her, Manaka had chosen to keep her.  Chosen to love her in the little time she actually got to have her daughter.

 

Even if she couldn’t think of Manaka in the same way she did Hitomi, she still loved the woman.  She was willing to give up everything for her, much like Hitomi did.  She would always love her, her birth mother, but she’d never regret having Hitomi be the one to raise her.  She was her mom, no matter what.

 

And while she was glad that she could rationalize that in her mind, she still needed answers that Hitomi couldn’t give her.  She wanted to know what it was about Manaka that caused So to enter in to a relationship with her.  That caused him to be willing to possibly lose his entire political career.

 

Because the one thing she couldn’t wrap her head around was Manaka’s age.  She had been nineteen when she had given birth to Iris.  And doing the math, she would have still been eighteen at the time she got pregnant.

 

Iris would be the first to admit that she didn’t know So Sejima at all.  She only knew what she had seen on tv and learned about him in her political science class, which was to say next to nothing.  She knew his political stance, bills that he supported, charities that he donated to, but as far as the man himself went, he was a literal stranger.

 

And with that being said, she still felt like it was strange for him to get involved with a minor.  It didn’t seem to fit his image or the person he portrayed himself as at all.  Not that politicians weren’t skilled liars and manipulators.  And of course it wouldn’t be the first time a person in power had abused their position to take advantage of someone much younger and more naïve.  Even with all that, it just didn’t make sense.

 

She supposed it was all relative though.  If this had happened in the US, her mom wouldn’t be a minor.  And she had learned in school that some other countries had even lower ages.  Scotland and Cuba set their age of majority at sixteen.  Then, there was a country like Singapore, that had their’s at twenty-one.  And in the next few years, Japan would drop their age of majority from twenty down to eighteen, like so many other countries in the world.

 

Not that she was defending So if he had known and actively pursued a relationship with a minor.  But it just felt like there had to be more to the story than she knew.  More than even her mom and uncle knew.

 

They had been clueless about Manaka’s relationship with So until she had come to them scared and pregnant.  She had apparently told her parents first, though she hadn’t told them the name of the father, and they had kicked her out.  Said she was an embarrassment and wouldn’t have anything to do with her unless she took care of the problem.

 

And while neither her mom or uncle suggested measures that extreme, Renju had shamefully admitted he told Manaka it may be best to give the baby up for adoption.  Iris reassured her uncle in that moment that she understood.  And she truly did.  Because she would have done the same thing if she had been in Manaka’s position.

 

Single and with very little support wasn’t the ideal situation to try to raise a baby in.  She knew plenty of women did it, but to also be almost nineteen years old and attending university full time, it would take a toll.

 

To be truthful, Iris would have understood if Manaka had made the choice to give her up for adoption, or if she had chosen to terminate her pregnancy.  She knew how strange that sounded, especially since she was very happy to have a new lease on life thanks to her genius cousin, but it didn’t change the fact that Manaka was young and scared.

 

But none of those things seemed to matter since she decided not only was she not going to terminate the pregnancy, but she was going to raise Iris too.  She would prove everyone wrong and give her daughter an amazing life.  At least that’s what she wanted to do.

 

“Hey, how you doing over there?  You’ve been awfully quiet,” Kaname said as he rounded the corner of the couch, depositing a fresh cup tea while picking up the old one.

 

Iris had honestly forgotten he was there.  He had stopped by early, right before her mom left for work.  She didn’t want to leave Iris by herself for the entire day and all Kaname needed to do was drop Mizuki off to school and then the rest of his morning was open.  So naturally, he decided to come by.

 

It was nice just having him around, it felt like it had six years ago when he had been a part of their lives.  He had started by making her a breakfast of eggs and toast, which honestly wasn’t that great.  His cooking hadn’t seemed to improve much, but the toast wasn’t burnt like it used to be when he made it, so that was something.  And she had asked for her eggs over easy, because she loved dipping her toast in the yoke, but unfortunately it was completely cooked through.

 

Her poor uncle had even offered to remake it, but she said no.  Even if it wasn’t exactly what she wanted, he still made it special for her and she’d eat every bite.  Along with the tea he had brewed which was actually good.  Maybe in the future he’d stick to letting her mom cook, or at the very least, ask for help if he wasn’t completely sure how to make something.

 

After that, he had busied himself in the kitchen again, cleaning up from breakfast, but also finding her mom’s crockpot in the cabinets.  He said that he was going to make dinner for everyone, including Mizuki.

 

That made Iris happy, wanting to just feel normal.  It would be like the nights they had shared with the younger girl before, but with the added bonus of having her uncle back too.

 

Now more than ever Iris wanted the people she loved around her.  Especially since her family seemed to be growing by the day.  First her uncle returned from out of nowhere, then she learned who her father really was, and that she had a brother.

 

It was complicated as hell, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t grateful.  And that she didn’t want to try to get to know them either.

 

“Iris, you ok?  Do you need anything?  You’re kind of zoning out.”

 

“Oh, sorry,” she said, realizing she hadn’t answered him the first time.  And with her brain surgery and the medication she was on for the pain, it probably worried him more than usual.  “I was just thinking about everything.  I’m ok though, I promise!”

 

“Alright,” he replied gently, warm eyes crinkling in the corners as he gave a small smile.  “I just want to make sure.  I know you’re strong, but it’s not like you’re completely out of the woods yet.  You need to take it easy.  And yesterday was pretty eventful.”

 

“It was.  But I’m really ok Uncle Kaname.  I’d tell you if something didn’t feel right.”

 

“I know.  And speaking of that, would you be ok if I ran out for a couple of hours?  I’ll still be back before your mom gets off of work, but I’ve got to swing by ABIS and fill out a few forms for my surgery tomorrow and then I’ve got to go by the hospital and have my blood drawn to run the pretests.  I don’t think I’ll back any later than four.  And I’ll have Mizuki with me then.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” Iris waved him off.  “Seriously, I have everything I need.  I’ve got my phone and a couple more albums to look at.  Maybe I’ll even watch a movie or something.  But you don’t need to worry.”

 

“Just promise you’ll call me if something happens.  I’ll be here as soon as I can and if I’m at the hospital, I can always call Ren or Pewter if they’re closer.”

 

“I can too.  You don’t have to worry, it’s only a few hours.”

 

“Look, I know I’m being a little overprotective, but I need to make sure you’re safe and taken care of.  That’s all.  I’ll be back in a couple of hours and you can reach me at anytime.”

 

“I know, now get going so you’re not late.”

 

“Alright, alright!  No need to be so pushy!” he laughed before leaning down and giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.  He ruffled her hair just like he did when she was younger, and then stood back up.  “I love you.”

 

“I love you too Uncle.”

 

She could swear she saw a glimmer of a tear before he blinked rapidly and turned back towards the door.  He slipped his shoes on with ease and then headed out, softly shutting the door behind him.

 

Iris waited until she heard the telltale sign of his engine starting and then the car slowly pulling out of the driveway, the sound getting softer and and softer until it finally disappeared.  Another thirty seconds, just to make sure he wouldn’t come back because he had forgotten something, and then she pulled out her phone.

 

She knew she shouldn’t go behind her uncle’s back.  Or her mother’s or even Uncle Renju’s for that matter, but she couldn’t help it.  She had the perfect opportunity to make the call, one she hadn’t expected.  And when would she get another chance?  Possibly tomorrow when her mom was at the hospital with Kaname waiting for his surgery to be over, if she got lucky.  But after that, he was staying the entire weekend with them.

 

It had been decided last night, right when Renju and Pewter were getting ready to leave.  They would have Mizuki stay with them, while Date would recover at the Sagan household.  He had protested, saying he would be fine on his own, but no one was willing to take that chance.

 

Pewter had explained that while he may have been used to having just one eye for the last six years, it had been supplemented by having Aiba.  Trying to readjust to that, while also dealing with the pain that would come from the eye removal, wouldn’t be easy.  At least not for the first several days.  Which was why he would now be taking residence in their guest room where her mom could keep an eye on him and make sure he was taken care of.  

 

And all of that meant that she wouldn’t get an opportunity to sneak away during the weekend.  So if she didn’t do it now, she might not get another chance until next week.  And that wouldn’t do at all.  She couldn’t wait that long for answers.

 

No, it had to be today.  She had to know.  And she had a feeling that if she called and explained her need to see him, he’d be more than happy to accommodate her request.

 

Taking a deep breath, she opened up her contacts and scrolled until she got to the most recent entry.  After her mom had gone to bed last night, she had grabbed her phone and looked through it, hoping that she would just happen to have his number.  And for some reason she did.  She didn’t question her good fortune or even why her mom would have that number, instead quickly saving the contact in her own phone. Afterwards, she made sure to exit out of the name, not wanting her mom to see that first thing in the morning.

 

No, Iris had to be smart.  If Hitomi even remotely suspected she wanted to contact that man, she’d never be left alone.  She wouldn’t want to take the risk that her daughter would possibly figure out some kind of way to call when she wasn’t being watched.  And now, that the absolute perfect moment had come, Iris couldn’t take it for granted.

 

She hit dial and listened as the phone rang.  Would he even answer?  He wouldn’t recognize the number calling.  He may just let it go straight to voicemail.  And if he did, would he listen to it in time?  She had a very limited window to enact her plan, and if he didn’t call her back pretty much immediately, the time would be wasted.  It had to be now or-

 

“Hello?”

 

He answered!  She couldn’t believe it.  He actually picked up the phone and she didn’t have to worry about leaving a message and-

 

“Hello?  Is anyone there?”

 

Crap, she needed to answer.  But suddenly, all of her bravery, along with her words left her.  “Ummm, Mr. S-sejima.  Uh, hello.”

 

Smooth Iris, real smooth.

 

“Who is this?”  His voice had taken on a harsh tone, obviously not recognizing her.  And why would he?  They had only talked for about a half hour in the hospital and she was pretty sure her stuttering and high pitch on the phone wasn’t helping.

 

“Th-this is Iris.  Iris Sagan, ummm…your daughter?”

 

Oh God, why did she say it like that?  Why was she so awkward?  Normally she was much more confidant, but now she could barely string a coherent sentence together.  It was the tumor.  Or former tumor.  Yep, she’d blame it on that.  If anyone asked, that was her story.

 

“Iris? I…well, this is a surprise.  I didn’t think I’d be hearing from you this soon.”  It was amazing the shift in tone after realizing who she was.  His voice was soft and the words gentle, like he was trying to coax a scared kitten out of a tree.  

 

And honestly, he kind of was.  Iris was fighting the urge to just hang up and forget her whole plan.  But she couldn’t, not when she wanted the answers she was pretty sure this man, her father, possessed.

 

“Mom and Uncle Ren told me everything last night.  Or, what they know anyway.  That you’re my dad and that I have a brother, and ummmm…everything that happened to Manaka.”

 

She heard a heavy sigh on the other line.  He was probably thinking of what to say next.  This couldn’t be that much of a surprise though.  Her mom and uncle told her that if they didn’t tell her, So would.  He was just giving them the opportunity to be the ones to break the news to her.

 

“I’d like the chance to be able to talk to you as well.  Tell you my side of things.  Give you the rest of the story.”

 

“That’s actually why I was calling.  I have some questions for you and…for my brother.  I really want to talk to you both in person.”

 

“I can arrange that.  When would you like to meet?”

 

“Today!  Now!” Iris blurted out before realizing that not only did she probably sound rude, but she had also just yelled quite loudly into the phone.  “Sorry!  I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to get so loud.  What I meant was, I would very much like to talk to you today, sir.  As soon as possible.”

 

So chuckled.  That certainly wasn’t the reaction she expected, but it was better than him admonishing her for her poor manners.

 

“Does your mother know about this?”

 

Iris was silent for a moment before letting out a quiet “No”.

 

“Iris, as much as I wanted you to know the truth, I don’t want to actually isolate your mother or your uncle.  They’re good people and have loved and raised you all your life.  I don’t think you should lie or hide this from them.”

 

“But if I ask, they’ll say no.  That I’m not well enough to talk to you yet or that they don’t want me to be alone with you or Saito.”

 

“And maybe until we can all sit down together and discuss how this family will interact, that’s for the best.”

 

“No!  That’s not fair!  I can make my own decisions about who I want in my life.  I should be the one to decide if I get to see you or my brother, no one else!”

 

Iris knew she sounded like a brat right now.  She was all but proving their point of why she shouldn’t decide by basically throwing a tantrum like a child, but she didn’t care.  She was the one that was affected the most by this.  So why shouldn’t she be the one to choose whom she let into her life and didn’t?

 

And, because she was still a minor, if her mother wanted to put her foot down and refuse to let her see So, she could.  There wouldn’t be anything she could really do about it until she was twenty.  Because if she really pressed the matter, that would end up causing trouble for her mother and uncle, and no matter how upset she was at the situation, she wouldn’t do that.

 

“How about a compromise then?”

 

Apparently So had been thinking just like she was.  Trying to figure out a way to make this work while also not deliberately lying to Hitomi.

 

“What kind of compromise?”

 

“I’ll have one of my cars sent to go pick up you, and one to pick up Saito.  You’ll both be brought here, we’ll sit down and have lunch and we can talk as a family.  But, I will be texting both your mother and your uncle once you are here.  If, they decide that they want to come by, I will not stop them.  Is this acceptable to you?”

 

Iris had to admit, it was pretty generous.  So could have said that he would just get in touch with them now, before ever sending a car for her.  Which would mean that both her mother and Uncle Ren would race home, likely Uncle Kaname would too because someone was sure to tell him, and then she’d never get to leave.

 

It was a good compromise, but there was one small thing she wanted to add.  Because even though it was admittedly good, it could be better.  “Would you wait maybe twenty minutes after I get there?  You can text them or call them, just not right away.  I really do want to talk to you both, and there are some things I can’t ask if they’re sitting there.  Please?”

 

And if the now second sigh she heard on the line was any indication, it seemed she had already found a weakness in the older man.  Though, when she really concentrated on turning up her charm, she found most people had a hard time saying no to her.

 

“I suppose that is acceptable.  But no longer than that.  Contrary to what they may have told you, I would ultimately like us all to be on good terms.  We will be in each other’s lives for a long time, and it makes things easier if we can manage to get along.”

 

“Yay!  Thank you!  I’ll text you my address and I’ll start getting ready now,” Iris said excitedly as she hopped off the couch and dashed to her room, phone still held next to her ear.

 

“I’ll have one of driver’s there shortly then.  They’ll text you when they arrive.”

 

“Thank you very much Mr. Sejima,” Iris said politely, trying to make up for her earlier rudeness and yelling.  “Bye bye!”

 

She hung up the phone, but quickly opened up the messenger, sending her address before finally setting the phone aside.  Now, she had to pick out what she was going to wear.  Because the sweatpants and t-shirt combo she was wearing now was fine for the house, but she needed to make sure she looked nice for her first official meeting with her father and brother.

 

She wanted to make a good impression after all.  A few moments of contemplation and she had an idea.  She didn’t have much time, maybe twenty minutes if she was lucky, but it should be more than enough to get dressed and fix her hair.

 

Taking a deep breath in and then letting it out slowly, Iris tried to will her nerves to get under control.  She’d get her answers, she’d find out everything in the next few hours.  And maybe, when it was all said and done, she’d have the beginnings of a relationship with both her father and her brother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saito wandered the halls, no destination really in mind, but it was better than having to listen to Naoki lament about his older sister.  He didn’t begrudge the other man his feelings or the need to talk about it, but he found that he could only hear so much before he was ready to shut down.  And he was afraid shutting down could mean disassociating and just staring at the wall, or completely losing his temper and saying horrible things that he would come to regret.

 

With him, the second was much more likely.  At least when his cousin was involved.  Maybe he wouldn’t be as bad with the other engineer, since that man hadn’t tried to openly antagonize him.  But still, he didn’t want to take his chances. 

 

Kuranushi was better equipped to deal with that part of it anyway.  For as frustrating and annoying as she could be, she was also able to be oddly comforting if the situation called for it.  He saw it first hand yesterday with how she handled Naoki with kid gloves.  A huge contrast to the spats the two had been involved in before.

 

But now that left him bored with nothing to do.  He certainly didn’t want to go towards the Psync chamber, the lab off the back was where Amanoma was set up for the day.  And even though Kuranushi had relaxed enough to unlock the elevator and stairwell access, what was the point of traveling to the other floors?  

 

The main floor was the precinct itself, somewhere he had absolutely no interest in going.  Below that, were five floors that still belonged exclusively to the police department.  Two floors of offices, one dedicated to the crime lab, one for the infirmary and sick bay, and the last consisting of a full gym.

 

He really didn’t feel like running into any police officers and either having to pretend to be Date  or act like he had never heard of him and that he just happened to look alike.  Because Kuranushi still hadn’t completely come up with exactly what she was going to say to explain the situation.

 

The best she had devised so far was that Rohan was the one responsible for the break-in at the Sagan household and subsequent shooting of Hitomi, with Officer Hayato Yagyu being framed for his murder.  That was all well and good, but then it got much more complicated and quite frankly, stupid, after that.

 

The next part of her plan involved her saying that he and Date were old friends, and because of that, he couldn’t bear to see the other man spend his life in prison.  So the two of them had life-like silicone masks commissioned in the other’s visage.  Saito took Hayato’s spot in prison, mask in place and hair dyed black.  While Hayato took on the role of Saito Sejima.  Or should have. 

 

Because then, in Kuranushi’s flair for the dramatic, the unthinkable happened.  Hayato was in an accident, losing his entire memory and taking on the name Kaname Date.  Which ultimately ended with him landing a job at ABIS.

 

Naturally Kuranushi thought this was just about the most genius thing anyone had ever come up with.  She truly couldn’t understand why Saito stared at her like she was an absolute moron.

 

He found himself wondering yet again, how this woman was in charge of such an important operation when this was the best idea she had come up with.  It was astounding.  And not in a good way.

 

His aimless trek had found him at the end of one of the interconnected hallways, a set of double doors directly ahead.  Apparently ABIS had it’s own gym.  It probably wasn’t as nice as whatever the MPD had, given that theirs took up an entire floor, but it still seemed like it would be a decent size.

 

And from what he could hear, it sounded like someone was taking advantage of the facility.  Muffled through the doors, he could still make out the sound of someone grunting, the dull and repetitive strikes of something being hit, and the strained jingling of a chain.

 

A punching bag.  It had to be.  Saito was familiar with them himself, having trained on them when he studied Tai Chi under his former master.  He liked the silence and solitude of being able to train by himself using either the dummies or the sand bag.  And it seemed like someone else at ABIS felt the same way.

 

Moving silently and doing his best to make as little noise as possible, Saito opened the door to the gym.  He saw a flash of black hair from behind and internally groaned.  

 

Of course it would be Date.  It was the perfect way to complete the trifecta of people that hated him.  Maybe if he was just as quiet as he had been coming in, he could sneak back out before the other man noticed him.  The last thing he wanted was to get involved in a conversation with…wait.

 

Though the hair was nearly the same shade of black, he was able to see that the body shape was all wrong.  This man was several inches shorter and had a much more lithe body than Date did.

 

Date was broad in the shoulders and fairly muscular.  And while this man before him was clearly in excellent shape, he was more wiry and lean.

 

The man let out one more loud cry, throwing a hard right hook and shaking the bag with more force than Saito would have guessed.  He lowered his arms, breathing hard and pulling at the velcro of his gloves.  That was when Saito noticed they weren’t traditional boxing gloves, but instead the fingerless variety preferred by MMA fighters.

 

The man turned around, likely planning to head over to the benches where Saito stood, a gym bag and large bottle of water sitting neatly next to him.  His gray eyes widened and that was when Saito finally recognized the man.

 

It was the same guy from the other night, one of the Psyncers that had believed he was still Kaname Date.  The man he had manipulated and used to his advantage, getting him to drive over to his father’s estate.

 

“Mr. S-sejima!” he stuttered out, quickly bowing.

 

It struck Saito as odd and completely out of place.  He knew he was older, but it wasn’t like he was actually his senior.  He wasn’t Date, he didn’t work here.  He didn’t outrank this man.

 

“Uh hey, knock that off.  Seriously.  Please don’t bow.”

 

“S-sorry Mr. Sejima.  I was just surprised to see you here.”

 

Saito groaned at the address.  That needed to stop right now.  There was no way he could stand being called that.  “Yeah, none of that either.  You can call me Saito.  And I’m guessing since you said ‘Mr. Sejima’, that means you know who I am?”

 

“I do,” he nodded.  “Boss told me the other day.  Which means, when…”

 

“Yeah.  Sorry about that.  I wasn’t exactly in my right mind.”

 

“It’s ok.  I mean, I really don’t understand everything, but I get why you’d want to be with your family.  After everything you went through, it must have been comforting to be around your dad.”

 

Saito nearly burst into laughter at that, but managed to hold it back.  The younger man wasn’t making a joke, he was being genuine and serious.  It wouldn’t do to laugh in his face.  Especially since there wasn’t a single hint of malice or disdain on his features.  It had been a long time since someone had looked at him like a person instead of a monster.

 

“I know things were pretty crazy for you, so in case you don’t remember, my name is Kuruto Ryuki.  Everyone around here just calls me Ryuki though.”

 

That’s right.  Now that he said it, he did remember.  He had introduced himself to his father as well, though Saito had been in the middle of his battle with Aiba and barely able to concentrate on what was being said around him.  He appreciated the reintroduction though, it seemed like Kuruto Ryuki was pretty perceptive.

 

“What do you prefer?”

 

“Hmmm?  What do you mean?”

 

“Well, I already told you that I want to be called Saito.  Not Mr. Sejima.  So what do you like better?  What makes you more comfortable?  If you like being called Ryuki, that’s what I’ll address you by.  But, if you prefer Kuruto, I’ll call you that.  If you’re willing to respect me by using my first name, then I’ll certainly do the same for you.”

 

“Oh…ummmm, no one’s really ever asked me before.  They just all call me Ryuki.  I kind of figured that’s just how things are here, we all use our last names most of time.  Except Boss.  But she told me if I didn’t call her that, I had to clean her boots with my tongue, and I’d rather not do that.”

 

“Seriously, what is wrong with that woman?”

 

“Huh?  N-nothing, I think she’s just joking.  Teasing me because I’m the rookie.  Probably.”

 

Saito wasn’t so sure about that.  While it was certainly possible this was just her weird attempt at humor, he had a feeling there was some truth behind her words.  This was the same woman that had no problem embarrassing the hell out of him with those gaudy sweatpants.  And then having the nerve to actually make him pose for pictures.  Yeah, she’d make Ryuki lick her boots, no questions asked.

 

And he was just innocent enough to take it as teasing.  God he hoped the guy ended up developing a backbone and actual common sense, otherwise these people would eat him alive.

 

Not that he cared one way or the other.  Just because Ryuki had been nice to him and helped him out when he needed it the most didn’t mean anything.  Hell, it wasn’t like he was actually helping him anyway.  He thought he had been helping Date the whole time.

 

“Yeah, well, Kuranushi’s weird kinks aside,” Saito said, trying to get back on track.  “Do you want me to call you Ryuki?  Or would you prefer Kuruto?”

 

The man actually blushed, averting his eyes and dipping his head down.  He shuffled his feet a little, probably didn’t even realize he was doing it, before looking back up.  “Umm…Kuruto is fine if you want.  We don’t work together, so you don’t have to use my last name like everyone else does.”

 

“Kuruto it is then.”

 

“Ok…Saito.”

 

“See, that’s not so bad.  And it’s a hell of a lot better than Mr. Sejima.  That gives me way too many vibes like my dad,” Saito shuddered.

 

Kuruto laughed at that and Saito found it was actually nice to have a conversation with someone his age where they weren’t judging him or terrified.  Or close to his age anyway.  He wasn’t exactly sure how old the black haired man was, younger than him definitely, but he had carried himself in such a way that spoke of maturity too.

 

Well, now it seemed like Saito had two people that he could count himself on somewhat friendly terms with.  Shoko Nadami and Kuruto Ryuki.  What odd people he attracted.  But, he supposed they would have to be a little strange to enjoy his company.

 

“If you’re going to be coming here with Boss sometimes, maybe we can see each other again.  Talk some more or grab lunch in the cafeteria upstairs.  The food isn’t anything special, but it’s not bad.  I could give you my number and you could text me next time you’re here.”

 

In his previous, completely unmedicated state, Saito had to admit he was pretty oblivious to flirting and any attempts others made to show an interest in him.  Not that it had stopped him from having his fair share of both girlfriends and boyfriends, but that had been more him trying to feel anything at all.  Doing whatever he could to see if he could trick his brain into having some sort of connection or chemical reaction to the right person.

 

But it never worked.  Holding hands, hugging, kissing, even sex.  His body went through the motions, but he never got that release of happy endorphins that every one else did.  That everyone else took for granted.

 

Now that he had a steady supply of serotonin and oxytocin coursing through his veins however, things were different.  He was picking up on things, cues, that he never would have before.  Or he thought he was.  

 

Apparently Shoko had not been flirting with him at all when she called him cute.  So likely, Kuruto wasn’t either when offering his phone number.  He was just being friendly, but because that had so rarely happened to him, he was making a bigger deal out of it than he should be.

 

“I-I mean, I don’t have to give you my number.  I can just see you if you happen to be here the next time I am.  Sorry, I didn’t mean to make this weird.”

 

“Huh?  What do you mean?” Saito asked, genuinely confused.  It took him a few seconds before he realized he had been silent for close to a minute, right after Kuruto offered to give him his contact information.  To the other man, it probably looked like Saito wasn’t interested at all and didn’t want to have a way to reach him.

 

“I shouldn’t have been so forward, that’s my fault.  I’m sorry.”

 

“No, it’s fine.  It’s not you.  I’m just not completely used to all of these feelings yet.  Sometimes I get lost in thought.  But, I’d like to have your number.  I’d like to talk to you again.  And I’ll give you mine.”

 

Kuruto’s face brightened at that.  It was fairly easy to tell that he thought he had made things strained between then before they really even had a chance to be friends.  The instant validation that Saito’s words had given him made all the difference now.

 

They exchanged numbers and Kuruto even sent off a quick text to start their Nile thread.  Saito replied back with a smirking emoji because…well, he really didn’t know why, but it just felt like something he would do.

 

He was just about to close out of the app altogether when a new message came through.  It was from a number he recognized immediately; his father.  Though he wasn’t sure how the man had his new number already.

 

So:  I’m sending a car to come pick you up.  Text me the address of where you are. 

 

Saito:  I’m at the police station.  And how did you get my number?

 

So:  Moma gave it to me.  He said he was able to get a phone for you and told me the number in case I needed it.  

 

So:  And why are you at the police station?  I thought that woman was supposed to be keeping you out of trouble, not getting you in it.

 

Saito:  Think about it, would I really be using a phone right now if I was in trouble?

 

So:  Don’t be snide.

 

Saito:  I’m not.  And I’m not in trouble.  It was “bring your child to work day” so I’m here.  

 

So:  Just be ready in fifteen minutes.

 

Saito:  Why?

 

So: Your sister called me.  She wants to sit down and talk to both of us.

 

Saito:  That sounds like a fucking disaster waiting to happen.

 

So:  I’ll only say this once.  You are going to be on your best behavior and treat her and I with respect.  Do you understand?

 

Saito:  Yeah, yeah.  I’ll be nice.

 

So:  Good.  Then be ready.  Mamoru is on his way.

 

Saito didn’t reply after that, closing the message with his father and quickly opening up one to Kuranushi.

 

Saito:  You may have already noticed, or knowing you, maybe you haven’t, but I’m no longer in the building.  First of all, just relax your face.  If you keep scrunching your eyebrows like that, you’re going to get more wrinkles than you already have.  And even Moma won’t be interested in you then.  Second, I’m on my way to Dad’s.  He needs to talk to me and Iris is on her way too.  After we all talk, I’ll have his driver take me back to your house.  I’m not trying anything funny, I’m not trying to escape.  I know you’re the only thing keeping me out of prison, since you find every way possible to continue bringing this up.  And if that isn’t enough to convince you, I really do want to have that AI Ball just so I can see and have normal depth perception again.  So what I’m trying to say is, I’m not fucking this up and I’ll be home for dinner!  Make something good.

 

Saito didn’t hit send and instead saved the massive wall of text.  Normally he wouldn’t send a giant block, but there was no other way to save it.  Hopefully that would be enough to keep Kuranushi from losing her mind and sending a team after him.

 

He’d say a quick goodbye to Kuruto and then head over to the stairs he saw near the gym.  It’d be easy enough to take those to the floor above and get on the elevator from there.  He didn’t want to risk going by Kuranushi’s office on his way to the elevator on this level, or possibly running in to either Amanoma or Naoki.  

 

Although, he had to wonder if that would be a better alternative to what he had waiting for him at his father’s estate.  What could Iris possibly want to talk to him about other than her mother’s murder?  Because if she knew about her relation to him and their father, she had to know what he did eighteen years ago.

 

He had been right in his message to his father.  There was no other way to say it.  This was absolutely going to be a fucking disaster.

 

 

 

Notes:

Nothing can possibly go wrong with Iris meeting So and Saito, right?

I couldn't resist giving Iris a little more screen time. She's been through so much in a little less than a week, and while she is taking a lot of the news fairly well, it only makes sense that she would still have questions. And I feel like for her character, while she would certainly understand that Manaka is her biological mother, she wouldn't be able to think of her in that role. At least not right away. This girl loves Hitomi so much and she will always consider her to be her real mother.

And now we have Saito making another friend. Look at him stepping outside his comfort zone and attracting other emotionally damaged people into his inner circle. Not that we know the extent of Ryuki's in Parallel Worlds, but there will be plenty of time to deep dive in the sequel.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and if you did, please leave a comment!

Also, quick personal note. I will be out of town visiting family starting on Thursday through the weekend, so there will not be an update next Sunday. Next update will 4/16/23.

Chapter 49

Iris took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to steady her nerves.  The luxury sedan pulled into the estate, parking off to the side and out of sight.  Wasting no time, the driver opened the door for her and she was greeted by a kind, middle aged woman as she exited the vehicle.  She introduced herself as Wakumi, bowing at the waist and saying it was a pleasure to meet her.

 

Not knowing what else to do, Iris bowed back.  She’d never been in this formal of a setting before and wasn’t sure what she should do.

 

“Young Miss, please stand up.  You certainly do not need to bow to me.”

 

“But…ummm, well you’re…”

 

Wakumi chuckled softly, her brown eyes full of warmth.  “Old?”

 

“No!  You’re not old!  Th-that’s not what I was going to say.”

 

“I’m just teasing dear.  And yes, I am older than you, but you’re the Master’s daughter, and with that comes a certain level of respect and reverence.”

 

“Respect and reverence…?”

 

“Yes.  Best to get used to it now.  Once your father runs and eventually becomes Prime Minister, you and the Young Master will have everyone bowing before you.”

 

Iris didn’t know what to think about that.  She was just an internet idol.  Only popular because she was somewhat good at games and managed to have her uncle market her singing and dancing.  Really, if not for Uncle Renju, she’d be nothing.

 

She still felt like nothing.  Her small fanbase and popularity could slip away at a moment’s notice.  The idol scene was highly competitive and a favorite one day could pretty much disappear overnight.  All it took was someone else with a winning gimmick popping up.

 

“Come along, your father and brother are waiting for you, and the rain is going to start any minute.”

 

Iris glanced at the sky and noticed that it was dark gray, with a few ominous black clouds hanging overhead.  It certainly fit the mood for today.

 

 “I’ve prepared some tea and snacks,” Wakumi continued on.  “I believe that chai and taiyaki are to your liking?”

 

Iris’ face immediately lit up at that.  Two of her favorite things and they just so happened to be what they were having?  But how did she know?  The question must have shown between her joy and surprise because Wakumi let out another light giggle before answering.

 

“There was an interview with you on the Lemniscate website.  It was quite informative, though I have to wonder, does your fanbase really have so many questions about what you like to eat?”

 

“You’d be surprised.”

 

“I suppose I’m just out of touch with the idols of today.  But, if there is anything else you wish to have, you need only ask.”

 

Iris nodded, following the woman into the main part of the estate and quickly slipping out of her shoes.  She toed them over next to a pair of brown loafers, the leather immaculate compared to her well worn, but still decent looking flats.  

 

Wanting to make the best impression possible, Iris wore her only dressy outfit that wasn’t her school uniform.  Her mother had bought it for her, knowing she would need it when they started touring universities.  Though her brain tumor had stopped that from happening.

 

So the outfit, consisting of a plain navy blue skirt, cream colored turtleneck, and matching navy suit jacket, took up space in the back of her closet.  The skirt sat just at her knees and she paired it with black stockings, the heavier material better suited for the cold November air.

 

She had taken her hair out of the low pigtails and brushed it fiercely, running her straightener through it to get out the bumps left from the elastic bands.  It was very rare that she wore her hair completely down, but she decided for this particular meeting, she wanted to come across as more mature.  Especially since she had managed to botch her phone call so gloriously.

 

And while the catlike headgear certainly helped detract from that sophisticated air she was going for, she found that she wasn’t quite ready to let go of it.  She knew that the tumor was gone and hopefully soon she would get the all clear that it didn’t appear to be growing back, but it didn’t make it any easier to let go of the headpiece.  

 

She’d worn it for close to a year now.  It pretty much was a part of her everyday style as well as a comfort item.  In time she’d be able to let go, but today was not that day.

 

“Are you ready?” Wakumi asked as she came to a stop outside a sliding paper door.

 

Iris took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, nodding her head yes.

 

“You’ll do just fine.”

 

And with that, she knocked softly, waiting for a muffled “You may enter” and then sliding the door open.  She moved to the side with the door, bowing once more to Iris and waiting for her to enter.

 

Iris took two small steps in, finding she couldn’t make her feet move any further.  They were there, both rising to greet her.

 

Her father looked just as impressive and regal as he had when he stopped by her hospital room.  That day he wore a suit, akin to what she was used to seeing him in during interviews and official Diet photographs.  But today, he looked like he had stepped right out of a story book.  The kind and gentle ruler of an ancient Japanese dynasty, complete with violet kinagagi kimono.

 

Her brother on the other hand didn’t look nearly as traditional.  He was still dressed well, but in modern clothing as compared to their father.  In fact, he wore navy slacks, a white turtleneck, and a navy suit jacket to complete his look.

 

“Oh my God!  We’re twins!” Iris squealed, unable to contain her excitement.

 

“Wh-what?” Saito stuttered, not sure where the outburst was coming from or what she was trying to say.

 

“Our clothes!  Look!  We’re totally twinning.  It looks like we have the same fashion sense, huh Big Bro?”

 

Saito nearly choked, eyes wide at the address.  She guessed she should have saved that for later and not within the first five seconds of actually meeting him.  She’d have to concentrate on doing better with her father for now, giving Saito the opportunity to try to get used to her.

 

So looked at her almost in awe, ignoring the way his son reacted.  “You look so much like her…”

 

Even Iris knew who he meant with that.  She could be dense at times, but there was no mistaking the slight hint of pain behind those words.  He was talking about Manaka.

 

Maybe wearing her hair down and dressing up had been a mistake.  She should have known this would make her resemblance to her birth mother even more pronounced.  And while she was here to talk about her and get the answers to her much needed questions, she didn’t immediately want to start off on a bad foot.

 

After all, So had cared enough about Manaka to enter into an actual relationship with her.  It hadn’t just been a one time thing.

 

And then there was Saito.  The man who killed her.  Or boy, given he had only been twelve at the time.  As well as under the influence of a drug that completely took away his autonomy.  Reminding him of that awful night probably wasn’t making the best first impression.

 

She really was off to an amazing start.  In her mind, she knew that she shouldn’t be the one to feel awkward.  She hadn’t done anything wrong.  She was the one that had been lied to, the one that had her birth mother taken away, but she still didn’t want to upset her new family.  Which was strange in and of itself because the entire reason she was even there, was to upset them.

 

She had several questions that she knew would hit the two men where it hurt.  They wouldn’t be easy to answer, and in spite of that, she still planned to ask them.  She’d find out the truth, no matter what it took.

 

“Saito, help your sister sit down.  We shouldn’t be rude.”

 

That seemed to snap her brother out of whatever stupor he’d been in.  He didn’t say a word, moving automatically to her side and offering his arm for support.

 

She was momentarily confused as to why he had to help her before she remembered the skirt she was wearing.  So was trying to make things easier for her, knowing that she may struggle slightly to sit down while holding it in place.

 

Taking the extended arm with a quiet “Thank you”, Iris lowered herself to the ground, tucking her legs to the side on the large cushion.  Making certain she was comfortable, Saito took his place to her left while So was to her right.

 

Once they were all seated at the chabudai, Wakumi entered with a tray.  She sat it off in the corner, not wanting to disturb the guests and quickly made up the various teas they all seemed to prefer.  

 

The spices in Iris’ chai immediately hit her nose, savoring the scent that always reminded her of home.  It was her mother’s favorite and she had come to like it as well, enjoying the warmth that seemed to linger long after she finished the beverage.

 

So’s tea was served next, the bright green color immediately letting Iris know it was matcha.  She shouldn’t be surprised given the traditionalist aura the man emanated that he would also prefer tea used during ceremonies.  Iris had to admit, she liked it herself.  Though she happened to prefer the iced latté variety as opposed to a warm cup of tea.  

 

She couldn’t imagine So drinking that however.  Especially out of a cup with a green mermaid mascot right on the front.  The image of this serious, upright man hanging out at a place frequented by teenagers and twenty-somethings brought a small grin to her face.  

 

Last up was Saito.  It didn’t escape her notice how Wakumi lingered just a little longer by the blonde.  She set his cup down, along with several extra sugar cubes on a small saucer.  Saito looked up at the older woman with a happy smile and she placed a gentle hand on his head, giving the long locks a quick, affectionate ruffle before standing and walking back over to organize the plate of snacks.

 

Iris glanced back over at her brother’s cup, noticing the almost rose color of his tea.  He added two sugar cubes to the pink beverage and stirred them in slowly, trying to not disturb what looked like slivered almonds floating on the surface.

 

Saito must have noticed her eyes on him, because he quickly removed the spoon and picked up the cup, depositing it just next to her left hand.  “It’s Kashmiri chai.  Try it, you’ll like it, I think.”

 

“Kashmiri chai?”

 

“The leaves are imported straight from India,” Wakumi said as she set the tray of assorted cookies, cakes, and crackers in the middle of the table.  “I made sure to get them as quickly as possible once I knew the young Master was back home.  They just arrived this morning as luck would have it.”

 

Iris took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of chai and a little something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on.  She brought the teacup to her lips, taking a small sip and savoring the rich and sugary taste.  Likely the extra sweetness came from what Saito added after the fact, but it was still quite good.  Honestly, she might even like it better than the regular chai she always drank.

 

Saito could see just how much she was enjoying it, reaching over and taking her own teacup and sitting it down in front of him.  She realized what he was doing after a few seconds and started to hand the cup back, but he raised a hand.

 

“It’s fine.  You clearly like it.  You can have that one and I’ll drink this.  If I want more later, there’s plenty left.”

 

Iris smiled as she took another sip, it really was good.  Not what she pictured Saito drinking, but honestly, she couldn’t really say what she thought he would prefer.  She knew absolutely nothing about him, the information she was able to dig up online very limited.

 

After her mom had gone to bed last night and she had accomplished her mission of obtaining So’s phone number, she had spent about an hour trying to research her older brother.  She knew a good amount about So, being that he was a fairly popular public figure.  But the same couldn’t be said for Saito.

 

Sure, he had a small biography on the official campaign website that So’s political advisor ran, but it wasn’t anything more than most other politicians had for their immediate family members.  It gave the bare minimum of information on her brother, stating in years past he had been involved with a non-profit and that he was currently off on a pilgrimage around the world, doing philanthropic work in third world countries.  There hadn’t even been a picture.

 

Well, that wasn’t strictly true.  There was a photo of a much younger Saito on the main page dedicated to So, but he had been a child there.  If she had to guess, he couldn’t have been much older than ten.  And children changed drastically, sometimes looking completely different from their adult counterparts.

 

In Saito’s case however, it wasn’t that noticeable.  He still looked much the same as he had as a child, just an adult version.  His hair was longer and the biggest difference happened to be the missing eye, but other than that, she could see the glimmer of the child he had been.  Before he had been completely destroyed and forced to carry out a violent murder against his will at twelve years old.

 

When she was twelve, she dreamed of singing and dancing, or what fun weekend trips she could take with her mom and uncle.  She didn’t have to worry about someone covering up a crime she didn’t even want to commit.

 

“Iris, how are you feeling?  I know you wanted to speak with us, but if it’s too much…”

 

She glanced over at So, the older man’s expression soft with concern.  It took her a minute to realize that she had just been staring at her tea, zoning out much like she had earlier in the morning with Uncle Kaname.  She really needed to stop doing that or people were going to think something was wrong with her.

 

It was just so hard to keep her thoughts to herself now that she could actually think clearly.  She didn’t have the tumor messing with and twisting everything in her mind until she didn’t know what was real anymore.  No one could understand that kind of relief.  Except maybe Saito.

 

“I’m ok, really.  I’m sorry I kind of spaced.  I was just thinking about everything.”

 

“There’s nothing you need to apologize for.  You must have a lot on your mind.”

 

Iris nodded.  She did.  More than she ever thought possible.  But it wouldn’t get any better until she could try to get some of it cleared up.  She figured her best bet was to start with her father.  Get him talking and maybe answering some questions she had before she started talking to Saito.  She had a feeling that he may need a few more minutes to warm up to the idea.

 

“Is it ok if I ask you a question?”

 

“That’s why you came, isn’t it?  Go ahead,” So encouraged.

 

“Ok,” Iris said as she took in a slow, calming breath and let it out.  “Did you love Manaka?”

 

She didn’t know what So thought she would ask first, but it wasn’t that.  He was clearly taken off guard by the way his body stiffened and his fingers holding the teacup twitched, the scraping of glass on glass as he nearly knocked the cup off of the saucer.

 

“I…well…”

 

“Congratulations Iris, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so lost for words,” Saito said with a small smirk.

 

“I’m sorry!  I just wanted to know how you felt, I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable!”

 

So held up a hand, bringing what was sure to be a spiral of apologies and awkwardness to a stop before it even began.  He was quiet, taking a long drink of his tea before sitting it back down.

 

“I did love your mother…Manaka.  She became important to me very quickly.  I hadn’t felt anything like this since Sai, Saito’s mother, passed.”

 

That information seemed to grab Saito’s attention, his one green eye intently focused on the older man.

 

“Did you know how old she was?  That she had to be only eighteen when she first got pregnant with me.”

 

So grimaced, turning his attention to the table.  “No, I didn’t.  Not at first.”

 

“But how?  Wasn’t she a first year at the University of Tokyo?”

 

“She was.  But she…she presented herself as someone older.  I knew she was a university student, the first time I met her was when she was with her class at one of my speeches.  But she was taking the most advanced classes in her major.  She was enrolled in political science classes that juniors or seniors usually took, not first year freshmen.  Not to mention after the first time I met her, I went out for dinner and drinks with everyone in her class that came to my speech, including the instructor.  Your mother drank right beside her older classmates.  I had no reason to question her age.  She had to be at least twenty if she was drinking.  And the way her other classmates would ask her questions, I figured she was the senior in the class, not the youngest one there.”

 

“But, you found out somehow.”

 

“I did, but it wasn’t until long after I had entered a relationship with her.  Your mother would come out to different political rallies I had or sometimes we would meet for lunch or dinner to discuss the ever changing atmosphere.  She was incredibly smart.  She had a grasp on the political landscape that some people three times her age couldn’t understand, let alone someone as young as she was.  It was refreshing.  To speak to someone so passionate about the betterment of Japan.  She even changed my views, made me see things that I never would have without her guidance.”

 

“Is that why you changed parties so suddenly?” Iris asked, remembering what a big deal that was on all the news shows.  Even though she hadn’t even been born when it happened, she learned about it in her own political science classes in school, and had seen footage over the years replayed on some of the morning shows.

 

“It was.  She made me realize that Japan could never truly move forward as a modern country until every single citizen, regardless of their sex or sexual orientation, had the same rights.  It was eye-opening for someone like me.  I had been set in my ways, I didn’t know how to change.  Or if the Social Democratic Party would even accept me.  I’d been outspoken against them for so long, it would only be natural for them to question my sudden desire to switch affiliations.”

 

“But if she was so important to you, why did you leave her when you found out about me?  Did you really not want me?”  Iris knew she probably shouldn’t have asked that question next, or in the way she did, especially when she saw So’s face fall, but she had to know.  She needed to understand everything that happened.

 

“Iris it…it wasn’t that simple.  Manaka and I met for the first time in the summer of two thousand.  I don’t remember the exact month, but it was either June or July.  We became close, seeing each other more and more, and finally started a relationship in the fall.  And then, right after my birthday that year, I announced my new party.  Your mother and I weren’t public yet, but she was by my side every step of the way.  I truly loved everything about her.  It was invigorating to feel love again, to feel alive.”

 

“If you loved her, why didn’t you stay with her?  Why didn’t you marry her?  Did I matter that much?”  She tried to keep her emotions in check, but she could feel the tiny pricks behind her eyes, rapidly blinking to try to stop the tears from forming.

 

“I wanted to marry her.  It was very quick and probably not the best idea after only a few months, but I planned to propose to her in the spring.  I had already arranged a small vacation during Golden Week for her, myself and Saito, and I was planning to ask her to marry me then.”

 

“That’s the first I’m hearing of this,” Saito spoke up.

 

“You didn’t need to know.  It didn’t end up happening, so what was the point in telling you something like that?  Especially when the few times you had been around Manaka, you seemed to take to her.  As much as you did to anyone back then.”

 

“I still would have liked to know.”

 

“Why?  What good would it have done?  After everything that happened, there was no reason to bring that up to you.  It wouldn’t have helped you in any way.  As much as you like to make me the villain of your story, I was trying to keep you safe.”

 

“You never asked her to marry you then?” Iris asked.

 

“No, I didn’t.”

 

“Because you found out she was pregnant?”

 

“No, because when she came to me and told me she was pregnant, right before her birthday, she also told me how old she really was.  That she would be turning nineteen at the end of the month, not twenty-two as she had led me to believe for months on end.  I couldn’t continue the relationship after I found that out.”

 

“Because she would have destroyed your career,” Saito said, the bitterness in his tone evident.

 

“You always think the worst of me, but yes, the scandal that could have come from that would have ruined everything I built.  I had just changed parties, I was already in a precarious spot to begin with, how would I look if the news broke that I had gotten an eighteen year old girl pregnant?  It wouldn’t make any difference if I knew or not.  So I did the only thing I could to make it right, I ended things with Manaka.”

 

“And you told her she should get an abortion,” Iris said quietly.

 

“I want you to understand one thing right now, before we go any further.  I’m so glad your mother didn’t listen to me.  That she kept you.  But at the time, I thought I was doing what was best for her.  She was eighteen, getting ready to turn nineteen.  She was entering her second year in university; having a child during that time would have been a huge struggle.  And it would give her the stigma of being an unwed mother in Japan.  You know how damaging that can be.”

 

And Iris did know.  She saw the way people treated Hitomi.  The barely concealed stares, the cruel words whispered by people just loud enough to make sure they were heard.  She grew up with that all her life, and her mother just took the abuse.  Never once blaming Iris for any of it.

 

“I was trying to give her the best chance to have a normal life.  I was trying to do the right thing.  But I’ll never regret the fact that she kept you.  Or that she didn’t tell me you had been born three weeks early.  I know that’s the only thing that probably kept you alive.  Now, that doesn’t mean I’m thrilled that your mother and uncle kept that information from me, especially after we all thought Rohan was dead, but there’s nothing I can do to change the past.”

 

It was a lot to take in.  She honestly didn’t know what she expected So to tell her, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t this.  The way her mom and uncle talked about the man, it was clear they despised him in every way possible.  But, in their defense, why wouldn’t they?

 

To them, they had watched their friend be taken advantage of by a much older man and then left without a second thought when she became pregnant with his child.  It was obvious from how So spoke though, that Manaka had a lot of secrets.  She kept her true age hidden from him for months, and only told him the truth when she absolutely had to.  Would it be such a stretch that she kept key information hidden from Hitomi and Renju too?

 

Yes, they were her best friends, but they had also all gone off to different universities to study.  She knew they had kept in touch despite not attending the same school, and would meet up once a week or so for dinner, but it wasn’t the same as seeing each other every single day in high school.  It would have been harder to keep her involvement with So secret then.

 

From what Hitomi and Renju had told her, they had met So before they realized he and Manaka had been dating.  She had taken then to a rally and afterwards, they all went to dinner together.  Renju said he suspected something was going on at the time, but kept quiet about it in case he had been wrong.  

 

“If Manaka had lived, after she had me, would you have tried to work it out?”

 

So let out a long sigh, slowly shaking his head.  “I don’t know Iris.  It wouldn’t change the fact that she was nineteen.  It was complicated.”

 

“But what about when she turned twenty?  Mom said that even though she couldn’t understand it, Manaka was really in love with you.”

 

So actually chuckled at the statement, though the sound was hollow.  “I don’t know why she loved me either honestly.  Your mother could have had anyone she wanted, and yet, she chose me.  But to answer your question, I still don’t know what I would have done.  Our relationship started on a lie.  If I knew her real age, I never would have gotten involved with her.  I did love Manaka very much, but sometimes that isn’t enough.”

 

Iris understood what he was saying, even if she didn’t necessarily agree with it all.  Maybe it was her age.  Maybe she would have felt different if she was her mom and uncle’s age, or So’s age, but at eighteen years old she wanted to believe in love and fairy tales and whatever made someone happy.  

 

If Manaka had lived just a few more months, she would have been twenty.  There wouldn’t have been anything to hold her and So back from being together.  And she had to wonder if So had never left Manaka to begin with, would she still have been killed?

 

From what Pewter explained from watching Saito’s Psync footage, everything occurred because So just happened to say the wrong thing at the exact wrong time.  If he and Manaka had been together then, he likely would have never made a call to Rohan Kumakura and Saito would have never overheard the words that damned him to a life of pain.

 

It just wasn’t fair.  So many people’s lives were destroyed all because of some stupid experiment that didn’t even make sense.

 

“Saito?” she asked, turning towards her brother.  “Is it ok if I ask you a few questions?”

 

“Isn’t that why you’re here?”

 

“Don’t be rude,” So immediately chastised.

 

“I’m not.  But go ahead.  Ask me whatever you want and I’ll try to answer.”

 

Iris was quiet for a moment, taking another sip of her tea as she thought about exactly what she should ask.  She had several questions, but she didn’t want to start out with the worst of them.  Though, none of them were easy.

 

“Do you remember anything when you were under the mind control?”

 

Saito nodded, letting out a quiet “Yes” but didn’t  expand further.

 

“How much do you remember?  Is it hazy?  Are any of them clear?”

 

Saito didn’t look at her when he answered, keeping his eye trained on the table.  “I remember everything.  Perfectly.”

 

“What was it like?”

 

“I guess, sort of like watching a movie?” he answered, though he sounded unsure of himself.  “I was there, but at the same time I wasn’t.  Even thinking about it now, it doesn’t feel like it was me.  I know it was, all of the memories are there, so I know it was me.  But it feels like someone else’s life.  Sorry, I know that doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“No it does.  Well, not totally, but I think I kind of get it,” Iris said as she unconsciously ran her fingers through her hair, lingering over the headgear.  

 

She paused a moment, knowing what she wanted to ask next.  There wasn’t going to be a good time to ask, no matter what else she might say to Saito.  She could sit there for the next two hours and talk about nothing and it wouldn’t make it any easier.  And on top of everything else, her time was running out.

 

So was the one that told her she’d only have twenty minutes before he sent a text to her mom and uncle, letting them know where she was.  And once that happened, she’d have maybe another half hour if she was lucky.  Not to mention, she sort of doubted she’d be allowed to come back and have time alone with either of the men.

 

Sure, her mom wouldn’t outright say no.  She knew even if she didn’t agree with it, if Iris was determined to get to know the other side of her family, Hitomi would allow it.  But there would be certain conditions.  And that would mean she wouldn’t be given the freedom to come alone.  She’d have to have a chaperone.  Likely her mom or one of her uncles.  Maybe even Pewter since this was his family too.

 

It wouldn’t necessarily bother her, because she truly hoped at some point in time everyone would be able to get along.  But before that would happen, she wouldn’t be able to speak freely like she was now.  Which was why it was so important to get everything out while she could.  Taking a deep breath, she resolved herself to ask the one question she absolutely had to know.

 

“Do you remember killing Manaka?”

 

The silence in the room was deafening.  No one said a word or dared breathe as the question hung heavy in the air.  A few light raindrops began to fall, the door to the garden open and letting the soft pattering sound drift in.

 

“…I do.”

 

Saito still didn’t look up when he answered.  His one eye stared resolutely ahead, though she wondered if he was even comprehending what he was seeing at the moment.  He barely blinked and his eye never once shifted.

 

“What happened after?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“What did you do?  Did you understand why you did it?  Did you feel anything?”

 

“Feel…anything?”

 

“Yes!  Like regret?  Or remorse?  Horror?  Sadness?  Anything at all?”

 

“I…I don’t know what you want me to say.”

 

“Please Saito, I have to know!  Do you regret killing my mom?  Do you regret killing anyone?  The Cyclops victims?  You do, don’t you?”

 

Iris knew she was pushing him, could see in the way his jaw tightened and he gripped the teacup even harder, causing it to rattle against the saucer as he hand shook with subtle tremors.  But none of that mattered, because she had to know.

 

She had to know that he wasn’t a monster like her mom and uncle and Pewter made him out to be.  That deep down inside, there was someone good. Someone worth saving.

 

He couldn’t help that he had a brain disorder.  And that he was used as a test subject for some sort of unethical experiment.  None of that was his fault.  Just like it wasn’t her fault that she had a tumor and it made her act like a different person, saying crazy things.

 

Because if he was a bad person for something that he was born with and never asked for, what did that make her?  Her situation really wasn’t so different.  Yes, she hadn’t killed anyone, but she could have just as easily ended up like he did.

 

“I can’t answer that.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I…just can’t.  Please drop it.”

 

“No!” she yelled, startling both So and Saito with her outburst.

 

“Iris, I think maybe now is a good time for me to get in touch with your mother-“

 

“No, you can’t!  Not yet.  Please!  I have to know!”

 

Saito finally turned his attention back to her, his expression unreadable.  He really was a master of the blank stare.  She wondered if he got that from years of watching So and how he presented himself before the Diet.

 

“I…I’m serious Iris, drop it,” Saito said lowly.

 

“Please just tell me.  Tell me that you regret killing everyone. That you didn’t want to kill my mom!”

 

“I can’t.”

 

“What?  Why not?  Just tell me-“

 

Saito slammed his hand on the table, knocking over his cup and the last few remnants of the tea left inside.  He quickly stood up, fingers on his left hand twitching a strange, agitated pattern.

 

“I didn’t care.  Don’t you see?  I can’t tell you that I regret killing any of them, because I don’t!” he growled out before storming off into the yard.

 

“Saito!  Stop, it’s raining!” Iris yelled, reaching out a hand but he didn’t listen.

 

“I’ll go get him,” So said, also rising to his feet.

 

“No, please.  Let me try to talk to him.”

 

“Iris, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

 

“Please So…Dad.”

 

So hesitated, his features softening ever so slightly.  He still stood by the door to the backyard, but he also made no move to stop her as she went to stand on the wooden landing.  The rain was coming down steady now, Saito standing by the pond and looking for all the world like he didn’t even notice.

 

He hadn’t bothered to grab his shoes, simply standing there in his socked feet, quickly getting soaked from head to toe.  His hair was already plastered to his head, darkening to a shade of dirty blonde, and looking darker still under the nearly black sky.

 

It wasn’t just a rain shower, a bad storm was coming if the roll of thunder she heard in the distance meant anything.  She needed to apologize for upsetting him and then convince him to come back inside.  She certainly didn’t want to leave things like this at any rate.

 

“Let me try to talk to him one more time.  I want to make things right.”

 

“You don’t need to make things right.  This is all very complicated, but you didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“And neither did Saito.  I want him to understand that.  Please.”

 

So looked at her, then out at Saito, and back again.  She could see that he didn’t necessarily like the idea, but he wasn’t going to stop her either.  If he wanted to do that, he would have already been outside, not standing in the doorway with her.

 

“Fine.  Get him to come back inside and dry off.  Get your shoes and take an umbrella, I’ll have Wakumi fetch some towels.  And, I will be calling your mother now.  She needs to know where you are.”

 

“Ok, thank you Dad!” Iris said, noticing the way his lips twitched into a smile at the address.

 

She may not think of him as her father in the same sense she did Uncle Renju or Uncle Kaname, but given time, maybe she could.  If nothing else, she did want to continue getting to know him.  And Saito too.  Though the latter was proving to be more complicated than even she thought.

 

Grabbing her shoes from the front entrance, along with an umbrella, Iris steeled herself for what was coming.  She might not know exactly how Saito was going to react in this state, but she had a feeling it wasn’t going to be good.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Originally this chapter was planned to start with Iris' pov and then end with Saito's, but 6k words later and his will have to wait until next chapter. I didn't want to shorten any of Iris' part just to fit in something with Saito, so she gets the whole chapter to herself. And honestly, she kind of deserves it.

I also took So and how he and Manaka met in the direction I felt could have been the most likely to actually happen in canon. We don't know what happened between the two of them, so I may be completely off base. But since I doubt in any future installments of the series it will ever be brought up, I get to kind make up my own version. Hopefully it feels true to the game and their characters.

If you enjoyed it, please let me know and leave a comment! I love them all!

Chapter 50

Notes:

Tags have been updated, but there is a reference and mild description of past self-harm in the later part of the chapter. It's not a lot of detail, but I still wanted to put it out there.

And also, here we are at Chapter 50! How did this happen?

Saito stared at the edge of the pond, watching as the raindrops hit the surface and rippled across the water.  The koi swam around, a kaleidoscope of color in orange, red, yellow, black, and white, popping their heads up for a moment before diving back down.  They always became more active with the rain.

 

Normally watching the fish calmed him down, giving him a sense of peace and serenity.  Or as much as they could.  It wasn’t so much happiness he felt observing them as it was his brain going numb with the mindless activity.

 

There certainly wasn’t any temporary reprieve now though.  He felt anxious and on edge, unable to stay in that stifling room any longer with Iris and her questions.  It had been a bad idea from the start.  She should have just talked with their father, get to know him first.  That would have been better than what had actually transpired.

 

He knew it wasn’t going to be easy.  The entire ride over from ABIS had left him alone with his thoughts, Mamoru not much for conversation.  He didn’t know what Iris wanted to talk about, but he had a feeling it would revolve around her mother.  Why else would she want to talk to them?  She finally learned the truth about her family connections, of course she would want to know more about the woman that gave her life.  And since she was no longer around, she would have to get those answers from the people that knew her.

 

Not that Saito could really provide much detail.  He had only met Manaka a handful of times.   And while she had always been nice to him, bringing different sweets each time she came to visit, he never truly knew her. 

 

Wakumi had always liked her though, saying how much her visits brightened up the home.  And if someone as overprotective as Wakumi liked her, she was worthy of his time.

 

But because Saito’s life was nothing but one series of unfortunate events after the other, it all came to an end.  What could have been a happy home with his father, Manaka, himself, and Iris, had turned into a nightmare.

 

His father could barely look at him after that, coming up with excuse after excuse to not have to interact with him.  He couldn’t remember anything from the time that Fumiyo treated him, those memories either gone or locked so far behind the mind control that they may never be retrievable.  

 

From what he had learned since, she hadn’t even stuck around that long.  Barely longer than a month, and then disappearing just as suddenly as she had surfaced.  He was sure there was some kind of story behind it all, but his father hadn’t been willing to share.

 

He couldn’t fully blame him for that though.  They didn’t have much time together before Iris arrived, and it wasn’t something either man particularly wanted to discuss in front of her.  Unfortunately for Saito, his father only seemed willing to discuss the topic further if his stuck-up cousin was involved.

 

Futa Amanoma.  He really was coming to despise the man.  Admittedly Amanoma had a lot of reasons to hold a grudge against him, but at the same time it wasn’t like he had been in his right mind during their initial meetings. Surely now the other man would have to see that he wouldn’t abduct and try to murder his own cousin or cause bodily harm to Okiura.  

 

Granted the fallout afterwards at ABIS where he had goaded Amanoma was likely his fault, but he had tried to make up for it later.  He was the one down in the Psync chamber helping Amanoma after his disastrous and self-absorbed Psync, no one else.  And he was still shoved aside like he didn’t matter.

 

Not that he let it bother him.  Why would it?  Amanoma was nothing to him.  Blood meant nothing.  Why would it when he had a father like So?  And an aunt like Fumiyo.  One ignored him and another experimented on him.  If that’s the best his family had to offer, he certainly didn’t plan on letting Amanoma get any closer.

 

But then there was Iris.  For all intents and purposes, she seemed different.  Besides her extremely painful questions, she genuinely did act like she wanted to be around him.  Which kept bringing him back to the question of why?  Why would she want to be around him?  Why would she want to get to know him?  He murdered her mother.  It was unforgivable.  He was unforgivable. 

 

And if that wasn’t enough, everyone had still believed Manaka to be pregnant with Iris.  Hell, even he had believed it at the time.  But the pain of taking a life, the guilt of living with her death and the death of his unborn sister, never came.  His already dulled emotions then became completely numb.  It was like he stopped existing altogether.

 

In a way he had.  Whatever it was that made him him, was pushed to the back of his mind.  His body acted on autopilot all while he watched.  He only got a few precious moments of true consciousness when years later Rohan would pull him out of his fog briefly, enjoying with a sick satisfaction the horror that would take over at the dead body by his feet.  Dead by his hand.

 

His deficiency left him without much in the way of emotions, but somehow being brought out of the mind control mere seconds after killing a human being was one way to feel something.  His body couldn’t process any true form of happiness, but disgust and pure, unadulterated fear were something else entirely.

 

A shiver went down his spine as he thought back to all those times in the mountains, Rohan laughing in the distance as Saito fell into a panic.  He had tried to save every single one of them, their bodies still warm and looking for all the world like they were sleeping.  Well, not Yui Sugimoto.  Her skull had been bashed completely in on the left side, making her barely recognizable.

 

Not that it mattered to Rohan in the slightest.  All he cared about was making sure the right eye was preserved.  He treated them with such care, examining them much in the same way a jeweler would a diamond.  Looking for any flaws before dropping it into a bag to ensure no damage would come to it.  What he did with them afterwards, he didn’t even want to know.

 

But yet, it still somehow wasn’t enough for the older man.  His viciousness truly knew no bounds.  Before he would free Saito from the terror he was forced to endure, he always made him dig the graves.  He’d take pictures, ensuring that both Saito and the body were fully visible, and let him know that the evidence would be turned over to the police if he ever found some way to betray him.

 

So Saito dug.  Crying and muttering “I’m sorry” under his breath like some bizarre mantra.  Naturally that only amused Rohan more, enjoying every single second of his suffering.  It was always the same.  Every.  Single.  Time.

 

“Saito?”

 

He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Iris standing several feet away from him with an umbrella shielding her from the worst of the rain.  She looked even smaller than she had sitting at the table, her free arm held against her body in an attempt to fight off the chill of the cold November air.  The rain wasn’t helping matters, but somehow she looked even more miserable than he did, and he was the one currently soaking wet due to his poor coping skills.

 

“Go back inside Iris.”

 

“I want to apologize.”

 

Saito let out a heavy sigh as he turned around to fully face her.  She wore a look of fierce determination, the same look he had seen countless times on his father’s own face.  He was sure she didn’t realize it, likely just something she had always done, but it was still strange for him to see that expression echoed on her features.

 

“That’s not necessary.  You didn’t do anything wrong.”  He meant those words.  Because in truth, she hadn’t done anything wrong.  She wanted answers that she deserved to have more than anything.  Answers to the same questions that he would have if he had been in her shoes.

 

Hell, he still wanted answers to everything that had happened to him.  Not that he would ever get them.  He doubted his aunt would come back to the country anytime soon, despite Kuranushi having an active warrant for her arrest.  A warrant could only do so much, especially when they had no idea where the woman was except that she was likely somewhere in Europe.  That really didn’t narrow it down.

 

“I know I wasn’t wrong,” Iris said as she took a few steps forward.  “But I should have taken your feelings into account too.  It wasn’t fair to put you on the spot like that.”

 

“I already told you it’s fine.  Now go back inside, you’re clearly freezing.”

 

“So are you,” she said, vaguely gesturing at him.

 

He looked down and saw he hadn’t even realized he had wrapped his arms around himself, slight tremors moving through his entire body.  It was odd to finally feel the cold after being trapped in the dark world of nothing for so long.

 

“I’ll be ok.  I need some time alone.”

 

Iris rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated noise that only teenagers seemed capable of.  She was tapping her foot in an agitated manner that he wasn’t even sure she knew she was doing, water splashing up and onto her shoes.

 

“What?  What’s that look for?” he asked.

 

“You’re lying.”

 

Well, that caught him off guard.  He couldn’t tell if she was trying to joke or not, but based on the look she was currently giving him, he guessed she wasn’t.  What was this all about?  Who was she to accuse him of lying?

 

“What?”

 

“You’re not ok.  And the last thing you need is to be left alone.”

 

Now it was Saito’s turn to make incomprehensible noises of frustration.  This was ridiculous.  Just because this girl happened to be related him by blood, all because his father couldn’t keep it in his pants when a pretty face looked his way, didn’t mean she suddenly got to come in and turn his life upside down.  He was dealing with enough as it was, he didn’t need Iris’ eery way of reading him like a book.

 

“Seriously, go back in the house.”

 

“No.  Not until you come with me.  You’re completely soaked, you need to come inside.”

 

“Iris, please just leave me alone.  I don’t want to…I just…”

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“You’re lying again.”

 

“And so what if I am?” he snapped.  “What difference does it make?”

 

“I want to help you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you’re my brother.  Isn’t that enough of a reason?”

 

“You should get that nonsense out of your head right now.  You’re better off without me in your life.  Dad too.  There’s nothing to gain by having either of us in your life.”

 

“That’s not true and you know it!  It’s always been me and mom.  Sometimes Uncle Ren and Mizuki, but mostly just mom.  I always wanted a big family.  Brothers and sisters, a dad, aunts, uncles, cousins.  I wanted to have fun family reunions where there’s so many people, you don’t even know all of them.  Go to big family weddings, have Christmas celebrations every year.  And now I finally have the chance for that and you’re pushing me away.”

 

“How do you think any of that is going to change with Dad and I?  We’re not hiding some secret huge family away.  It’d just be us.  And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but your mom and uncle aren’t exactly fond of either one of us.”

 

“But that can all change.  Once they get to know you, they’ll realize that you aren’t bad people.”

 

“You’re living in a goddamn fantasy if you think that’s true.”

 

“Why do you keep trying to push me away?”

 

“Because you remind me of-“ Saito cut himself off, not willing to go there.  He was rapidly losing his control as it was, so many conflicting emotions swirling altogether, ready to bubble out at a moment’s notice.

 

“I remind you of what?”

 

“Nothing, forget it.”

 

And Iris, true to form, couldn’t let it go.  “Manaka?”

 

Saito was silent.  He couldn’t say anything even if he wanted to.  

 

“I remind you of my mom, don’t I?”

 

“Please stop, I don’t want to think about this.”  If he kept thinking about her, he’d-

 

“Why?  You said you didn’t care about her.  Or any of the others.  You said you didn’t feel anything when you killed any of them and that you still don’t.  So why don’t you want to think about it?  Huh?”

 

Saito looked down at the ground, no longer able to keep up the eye contact with the girl that looked so much like Manaka in that moment.  It was disconcerting how nearly identical they were when Iris wore her hair like that.

 

“Why won’t you answer me?  If their deaths don’t bother you, why are you out here all by yourself?  It’s freezing and pouring down rain and you’re completely drenched.  You don’t even have shoes on.  Normal people don’t just run outside in the rain with no shoes.”

 

“I…”

 

“Please answer me.”

 

“Because I lied ok!  Is that what you want to hear?  Of course I feel guilty!  Of course I hate what I did!  It’s all I’ve been able to think about since they brought me back and injected me with this shit!” he screamed out, finally losing what little control he had.

 

He had been doing so well.  Doing his best to keep everything together, playing the aloof, emotionless asshole to perfection.  But Iris just had to keep pushing, had to keep digging into his already delicate psyche until he couldn’t hold back.  And now, it was too late.

 

“Saito…” she said softly, the pity evident in her voice.

 

“They’re all I think about.  When I close my eyes and go to sleep, I see their faces, I hear their screams.  It’s nightmare after nightmare.  I watch them all die by my hand and there’s nothing I can do.  And then the morning comes and I have to go with Kurnanushi to dig through the case files and read about it over and over again.  It never stops!  They’re haunting me and they won’t go away!  I want the feelings to stop.  I want everything to stop!”

 

Iris reached out a shaking hand, trying to offer some form of comfort, but Saito simply collapsed to his knees.  It was too much.  The thoughts.  The emotions.  All mixing together into something he had been desperately trying to bury deep down inside over the last few days.

 

“I wish I had died,” he muttered softly.

 

Iris’ eyes widened in shock, hearing him despite the rain and thunder and in the distance.  “You don’t mean that…”

 

“I do!  I wish the mind control had never been found out.  I wish that someone stopped me before all of this.  Or even when I was Rohan in that mental hospital.  I was inside the mind of one of the worst Yakuza bosses around, why couldn’t they just execute me?  Why?!  Why?!”

 

Saito was crying at this point, arms wrapped tightly around his torso and head hanging so low it almost touched the ground.  He was hyperventilating and gasping, no longer able to even form coherent words.  

 

The rain suddenly stopped pounding at his back and he felt the light presence of a hand instead, rubbing slow circles.  Iris had crouched beside him, holding the large umbrella over them both and trying to offer what little comfort she could.

 

After everything he had just confessed, after his numerous attempts to drive her away, she was still there.  She wasn’t leaving him behind.  She wasn’t ignoring him or writing him off.  She was still there.  Maybe, just maybe, that meant she would stay.

 

 

 

 

 

So watched as Iris walked outside, the rain suddenly picking up in intensity.  The thunder was rolling in the distance and the sky had darkened considerably, lightning flashing every so often.  The storm was fast approaching, but it wasn’t close enough yet that he needed to worry about his children.

 

His children.  It was never a word he thought he would use in relation to himself, that was certain.  Well, he supposed that wasn’t entirely true.  He had gotten somewhat used to the idea right before Manaka’s death.  

 

While he never planned to be a part of Iris’ life at that point in time, he was still going to support Manaka and his daughter in whatever way they needed.  It was why he called her out that night.  He wanted to explain his reasoning and how things would have to work between the two of them.  Unfortunately Manaka had mistaken his eagerness to meet for a reconciliation and had been heartbroken to find that So was only willing to provide financial support.

 

It was one of the biggest regrets he carried to this day, that in her final moments, Manaka thought he didn’t love or care about her.  And that couldn’t be further from the truth.  He loved her enough to let her go, to do the right thing for once in his life because God knew he didn’t do it often.  He certainly hadn’t done right by Saito through the years.

 

Sai had always been the mothering sort, even before she had ever become pregnant with Saito.  The way she took to Futa and doted on the boy was proof enough of that.  He knew she’d be an excellent mother when the time came, but unfortunately that was never meant to be.

 

And what was he supposed to?  He had no idea how to raise a child.  He was a widower at thirty with a newborn baby.  Fumiyo had been long gone, only reaching out when she felt it was safe to do so.  He had no way of contacting her since she always used public phones.  And the only other person that could have remotely helped had walked out of his life not too long after his sister.

 

Kazuki wasn’t completely without sympathy though.  After Sai’s death, he had contacted him, helped him through the absolute worst first week, but then he was gone again too.

 

And that left him alone with an infant that never cried, never made a single noise.  He didn’t react to sound and for the first two months of Saito’s life, doctors thought he might have been deaf.  

 

Unfortunately the answer he would receive well into Saito’s teenage years was far worse.

 

But with no answers at the time, that left So to do what he did best, try to ignore the problem and put himself and his still fledgling political career first.  He hired extra maids to care for Saito, figuring a woman’s touch was ultimately what was needed anyway.

 

There were a million things he would have done differently now that he knew what it led to.  But no matter how much he wished he could, he couldn’t change the past.  Maybe if he had gotten his sister’s gift of foresight, he could have actually seen how damaging his actions were.  The only thing he could do now was push forward.  

 

He had a chance to bond and have a relationship with the daughter he thought had died eighteen years ago.  And he had the opportunity to make things right with Saito as well.  If it wasn’t too late.  Or so he hoped. 

 

“Master So?”

 

So turned away from Iris and Saito as Wakumi entered, bowing at the waist before rising again.  “Yes?”

 

“I’ve called Miss Sagan and Mr. Okiura, they both are on their way now.”

 

“I figured as much.  I hope they didn’t give you too much trouble.”

 

“None at all,” she said with a shake of her head.  “Miss Sagan didn’t sound too surprised at her daughter’s whereabouts, but wanted me to pass along her thanks that you were willing to contact her.”

 

“It was the right thing to do.”

 

“That it was.”  Wakumi smiled softly and So could swear he saw just the barest hint of amusement in her eyes.  “I’ll go lay out some fresh clothing for the young master and get some towels as well.”

 

“Yes, thank you Wakumi.”

 

She nodded and bowed once more, backing out of the room and then disappearing down the hall.  So honestly didn’t know what he would have done had he not found her.  She had pretty much raised Saito herself since the time he was eight until well into his twenties.

 

Even after everything that happened with Manaka, she didn’t flinch away.  He imagined most people would have immediately called the police, or at the very least, ran out of the house at the sight of a blood-soaked twelve year old.  But she didn’t.

 

She prepared a bath and asked him to sit his clothing out in the hall for her to take care of.  He watched this woman take them all, walk into his personal quarters where a fire was currently burning in the fireplace, and throw Saito clothes straight in.  She never said a word, watching silently until there was nothing but ash.

 

The next morning, long after the fire had gone out, she thoroughly cleaned every single ash out, leaving nothing behind.  Her loyalty to him and his son was astounding.  But he supposed in a way, she had pretty much become a mother to Saito.  She cared for him in a way he never had, and when he was threatened, she did whatever it took to keep him safe.

 

During those dark times where he grieved not only Manaka’s death, but the death of his unborn child, he truly didn’t know what became of Saito.  He went through those days in a fugue like state, barely remembering anything in the immediate aftermath.

 

He was sure a doctor would tell him it was his own mind protecting him from the trauma he had witnessed, telling him his reaction was perfectly normal.  And maybe it was.  But it didn’t alleviate the guilt he felt over doing nothing for Saito.  Especially now that he realized this entire mess was his fault.

 

No, he wasn’t stupid enough to believe that the mind control was, that had all been his sister for reasons only known to her.  But he had been the one that had brought her back into the country.  Snuck her in under the radar so that her ex-husband and son would have no idea she was there, not that Futa even had any clue that she existed in the first place, all while promising he would keep her safe from what ever imaginary demons still haunted her dreams.

 

If he had just left well enough alone, or finally gone to a real doctor and had Saito treated by a psychiatrist, none of this would have happened.  But as it always did, his own ego got in the way.  He still couldn’t run the risk of anyone finding out there was something wrong with Saito.  Not when he had just switched political parties and was doing his best to maintain his seat in the Diet.

 

And because of his own hubris, Saito and Manaka both had paid the ultimate price.  How could he possibly hope to ever repair the damage he had done to either of his children?

 

It wouldn’t be easy, but he’d have to find some way.  Maybe once he had Iris on his side, it would be easier to try to bring Saito around.  For all of his bravado earlier, he could tell that Saito was genuinely interested in her.  If he hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have agreed to the meeting in the first place.

 

“Why?!”

 

The scream from the garden drew So’s attention immediately.  He turned back around, watching Iris crouch down next to her brother’s huddled figure, Saito’s muffled cries somehow managing to carry over the rain and thunder to the main house.

 

“Here,” Wakumi said simply, materializing seemingly out of nowhere.  She laid his geta by his feet and handed him an umbrella.  This woman always knew the right thing to do, no matter the situation.

 

So slipped his feet into the sandals and took the umbrella, walking quickly outside to where his children were.  As he drew closer, he could see just how soaked Saito was.  His hair was completely plastered to his head and his suit clung to his body like a second skin.  His shivering was even more pronounced when he arrived by his side, and no wonder with winter fast approaching.

 

The sobs were painful to hear, nothing like they were the first night he was back.  Those had been muffled and Saito did his best to keep quiet.  Had So not been awake trying to piece together exactly why he had suddenly shown up, he never would have heard him.

 

But now, these were the cries of someone truly and completely broken.  His breath rattled in his lungs as he gasped between each agonized wail, all but screaming into the grass that was mere inches from his face.

 

Iris sat by his side, shielding her older brother from the rain and keeping a steady hand in the middle of his back as if trying to keep him grounded.  He couldn’t quite make out the words, but he could tell she was singing softly by his ear.

 

At this point, he had to wonder if Saito even knew where he was.  When he had been younger, there were several times he had episodes where he disassociated.  Usually they had been brought on by stress or anxiety.  Even though Saito had been unable to feel much in the way of emotions, somehow he was able to experience that.  But because of the way his imbalance worked, he never realized it was happening until it was too late.  Those moments would cause him to act out in ways that he never would before, either trying to harm himself or sometimes small animals.

 

Once he came back to himself, he often didn’t remember.  Most of the time So was able to control the situation, but the few times he hadn’t been around his son, the screaming would alert him immediately that something was wrong.

 

There had been one particularly terrifying incident when Saito had arrived home from school before So did.  He had been quiet in the car according to the driver, but it hadn’t been too out of the ordinary.  

 

Saito went in to the house, set out his things to do his homework and walked into the kitchen.  The driver had left him alone at that point, likely thinking he was getting a snack before sitting down to complete his work.  He hadn’t thought to alert one of the maids to the child’s arrival, as Saito usually sought them out after he had changed out of his school uniform. 

 

So arrived home close to forty minutes later, entering the home and immediately hearing the light sounds of crying from the kitchen.  Of all the things that he thought it could have been, Saito sitting on the floor holding a paring knife with his lower legs a mishmash of intersecting cuts wasn’t it.  He had only been eight at the time and rightfully horrified.

 

So did his best to calm the boy and clean him up, keeping him home from school the rest of the week while looking for a full time maid that could also be his nanny.  He wasn’t willing to let something like this happen again.

 

And though it wasn’t to that degree, it unfortunately wasn’t the last time.  At least not until the mind control was in place.  Then Saito was even more of a shell than he had been before, but at least he didn’t have to worry about self-harm or dead animals showing up.

 

He really should have figured it was only a matter of time with the mind control gone and Saito’s body getting flooded with artificial chemicals and hormones, that he’d finally break.  As much as he hated seeing his son in pain, it was plain to see he needed the release.  He’d held in years worth of anger, resentment, grief, and pain, and now he was finally able to let it out.

 

But sitting on the ground, completely soaked from head to toe, probably wasn’t the best place for it.  He needed to get both Saito and Iris inside and out of the rain, especially with the storm drawing closer.

 

“Come on Saito, up you go,” he said as he gently put his right arm around the younger man’s shoulders, guiding him to stand.

 

Saito immediately melted into his side, the cries quieting down, but not completely disappearing.  He leaned heavily against his father, though once again So had to wonder if he truly was aware of where he was.  If he had been, So didn’t think he would be quite so clingy.

 

They walked together slowly, So awkwardly trying to hold Saito up and the umbrella before Iris took it from his grip.  She held one over herself and the other over the two men, giving the barest of smiles as she nodded for him to start walking again.

 

So noticed that she had been crying too, though if it was from seeing Saito hurting or the conversation they had prior to his arrival, he didn’t know.  He felt a painful tug at his heart knowing that both of his children were suffering and in agony, and once again, it all came back to him and the decisions he had made.

 

He needed to do better by both of them, but he wasn’t even sure where to begin.  How did one suddenly make up for decades of neglect and alienation?  He had no idea, but he supposed he had to start somewhere.

 

Iris had extended an olive branch that afternoon, willing to get to know him and her brother in spite of the things they had done.  If she could do that, he could certainly figure out a way to make things right for two children that certainly deserved better than what fate had dealt them.

 

He may not be able to fix the past, but he could do his best to ensure their futures would be bright.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

More feelings to round out all the fun that has surrounded Iris and her family over the last day. They've all really been through it, but at least the secrets and lies are finally out in the open, giving everyone the chance to heal.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I still can't believe we're here, 50 chapters later and the sequel well in sight. We're drawing ever closer to the ending of PW and then all bets are off for the sequel with full AINI spoilers.

As a personal note, I'm sorry to do this again, but I will be taking next Sunday off. I'm actually going to my local convention and will be finishing up the cosplay for my daughter and I this week, so not much time for writing.

Thank you all for reading and sticking with me for 50 chapters!

Chapter 51

“Please calm down-”

 

“I won’t!  That’s my niece in there and you’re going to let me through!”

 

Moma sighed loudly as moved forward, grabbing Renju by the left arm and stopping him in his tracks.  The two had still been together when the younger man received the call and all but ran out of Lemniscate.  Knowing he was in no condition to drive in his agitated state, Moma took the wheel and drove them both to the Sejima mansion, listening all the while as Renju spoke on the phone to Iris’ mother.

 

He knew that Renju had every right to be upset, Iris had snuck out and instead of So alerting him and Hitomi right away, he had waited.  He also understood the blonde’s reasoning for wanting to keep Iris away from Saito, unfounded as it was.  Saito wouldn’t hurt anyone now, not with the mind control gone and his body finally medicated the way it should be.  But even with that knowledge, it would be hard for anyone in his position to be willing to forgive a murder attempt.

 

“Wakumi, it’s fine.  I’m with him and I won’t let him cause any trouble, you have my word.”

 

“Please just let us in,” Hitomi spoke up from behind Renju.  She had arrived at pretty much the same time they did, sprinting up the path to the front door to where they stood now.

 

Wakumi looked between the three people gathered and finally moved out of the way with a small bow.  “Master So is with the children in the sitting room off of the garden.”

 

“Thank you Wakumi, I know the way,” Moma said with a bow of his own, slipping off his shoes by the front door and hanging his jacket on the hook.  He ran a hand through his wet hair, pushing it out of his face.  

 

The rain had really started pouring on their way over and of course he didn’t have an umbrella in the truck.  He always kept one in the car he used for more formal business, but he so rarely got to drive his truck anymore, he didn’t think to keep much of anything in it.  It had honestly been an impulse to even take it out when Renju called, but he figured he wasn’t trying to impress anyone that day, so why not?

 

Hitomi had more sense than him it seemed, slipping off her shoes and handing her umbrella over to Wakumi with a small “Thank you”.  Renju stepped out of his shoes as well and immediately started off down the hall…in the wrong direction.

 

“Ren,” Moma called, waiting for the younger man to stop and turn around.  He cocked his head to the side and pointed the opposite direction.  “It’s this way.”

 

Renju didn’t say anything, simply moving back down the hall with a single minded determination.  That was going to have to stop right now.  Moma reached out when he was back to them once again, grabbing the back of his shirt and stopping him completely.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“You’re going to calm down before you go in there.”

 

“Let go Moma, I am calm.”

 

And from the outside, he did look calm and collected.  But if there was one thing Moma knew without a shadow of a doubt, it was that Renju was a skilled actor and a well practiced liar.  How else would he keep up with all of the faces he wore on a daily basis?  He had a feeling that he might be the only person in the world that knew all of Renju’s secrets, besides maybe Hitomi who had known him even longer than he did.

 

But with that comprehension, came the insight of who the true Renju really was.  A man full of fear of losing the ones closest to him, always holding them at arms length to protect himself in the only way he knew how.

 

“Please let go, we need to get Iris.”

 

“Iris is fine Ren.  She’s about as safe here as she would be anywhere, they won’t hurt her.”

 

“But Saito-“

 

“Isn’t an issue anymore,” Moma finished.

 

“You don’t know that.”

 

“You have every reason in the world to hate the kid, I’m not tryin’ to tell ya what to feel, but he’s not a danger, not anymore.”

 

“He’s a serial killer.”

 

“And that’s not his fault.”

 

“So?  He still did it.  He still killed those women!  Killed Manaka!” Renju hissed out, at least being mindful of the volume of his voice.  “It doesn’t matter if he was told to do it or not, he’s still the one that did it.  He’s dangerous if someone ever tries to use him against us.”

 

“And what about you?”

 

“What about me?”

 

Moma knew it was wrong to go where he was about to, especially after the breakdown Renju had back at his office.  But it didn’t matter, he had to do it.  It was the only way to make him see reason.  “What about all the people you indirectly killed?  The ones you lured in with your pretty boy looks, gaining their trust all to let the other guys in, huh?  Then just standing by while they did the dirty work, being the perfect little lookout.”

 

Renju looked sick at the reminder, his face going pale and fingers of his right hand, held tightly against his chest in the sling, trembling slightly.  He regretted the words almost instantly, but it didn’t change the fact that it needed to be said.

 

“Th-that was…Rohan…he…”

 

“Yeah, it was,” Moma said softly, moving to stand directly in front of Renju.  “He’s the one that came up with the plan, forced you into it.  Same as Saito.  Neither of you had a way out.  The only difference was, I didn’t know about Saito.  I couldn’t look out for him like I did you and Shoko.  Things were a lot worse for him.”

 

Renju stared down the hall, unable to look Moma directly in the eyes.  Hitomi stepped closer, placing a small hand on his right arm, offering her support as well.  Normally Moma wouldn’t have let something so delicate slip in front of someone that wasn’t family, but he had a feeling that Renju’s oldest friend knew far more than most.  Hell, she had been Falco’s girlfriend and come to find out knew Dokuta for damn near twenty years as well.  She was about as close to a member of the family as you could get.

 

“Ren, I know you don’t like Saito.  And I get it.  I really do.  But maybe cut the kid a break and try to understand that he didn’t want any of this.  He didn’t ask to be born with a brain dysfunction.  He didn’t ask to have an absent father or be used as a guinea pig in experiments or get manipulated by Rohan.  I know you don’t want to hear it, but he really is a victim in all of this.”

 

“But he…”

 

“I know he killed your friend,” Moma said as he took the chance to look at both Renju and Hitomi.  “I can only imagine what you two went through, and havin’ to raise her daughter on top of that.  But Saito was twelve, he was a kid.  You get that right?”

 

“He was Mizuki’s age Ren,” Hitomi said softly.

 

Not what he was expecting, but it seemed Moma had at least slightly won over Hitomi.  Though he really shouldn’t be surprised.  From what he knew of the woman, she was an elementary school teacher and actually taught Renju’s daughter.  She would see twelve year olds every single day, and the knowledge of Saito’s age when he murdered Manaka likely weighed on her mind for years.  Because what twelve year old child would actually kill someone in such a horrific way?

 

And then there was Renju, someone who had seen the worst in humanity since he joined the family at sixteen.  Moma had done what he could to protect him, but with Rohan in charge back then, it hadn’t always been enough.  Especially when he moved him off of being a simple courier and directly involved him in his inheritance fraud scheme.  He hated that there was nothing he could really do about it, not without risking Rohan taking it out on Renju anyway.

 

“I know he was.  But still…I…”

 

“Is something the matter Mr. Kumakura?” Wakumi asked as she appeared back in the hall, tray full of snacks and what looked like a cup of coffee held in her hands.

 

“No, we’re fine, just having a talk.  Sorry for standing in the middle of the hall.”

 

“No need to apologize.  You are guests after all.  Please follow me and make yourselves comfortable.  I’d be happy to prepare something for you as well after I’ve finished serving our other guest.”

 

“Other guest?”

 

Wakumi nodded and started down the long hallway.  “Yes, she arrived only a few minutes before you did in fact.  I believe you are acquainted with her as well.  Miss Kuranushi.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Should have known you three would show up,” Boss said as she watched Wakumi enter the room followed by Moma, Renju, and Hitomi.

 

“What are you doin’ here?” Moma asked, clearly confused by her presence.

 

“Same as you all, here to pick up my kid.”

 

So let out a loud sigh as he lit a cigarette, breathing in deeply before letting it out.  “You seem to forget that they’re both actually my children.”

 

“Considering it’s everyone else taking care of your kids, I think you’re the one that seems to forget, not us.”

 

Before So could reply, Renju stepped forward clearly looking around for Iris.  “Where-“

 

“They’re not here,” Boss said.

 

“What?  Did they leave?”

 

“She means they’re not in here anymore.  They’re still on the premises.”

 

“Please So, where are they?” Hitomi asked quietly.

 

Boss could tell she was doing her best to keep calm, but the nervousness radiated all around from the way she held herself to the subtle way she tried to look everywhere at once.  Not that there was much to see in the room besides the garden outside.  And with the now torrential rain and darkened sky, there wasn’t much there either.

 

“They’re in the music room,” So said offhandedly.  “Saito goes there when he needs to try to calm down and Iris wished to accompany him.  They’re both perfectly fine.”

 

“What do you mean when he needs to calm down?  What happened?”

 

Boss had to admit after already seeing how high strung Hitomi and Renju were, So’s choice of words wasn’t the best.  Not that he probably cared one way or the other about sparing either of their feelings.  Though he tried his best not to show it, he was still pretty bitter about everything that had come out in the last few days.

 

Feeling the tension from all involved, Wakumi gently set the cup of coffee and small plate of cookies in front of Boss and then turned to face the newcomers.  “Ever since Master Saito was a young boy, he hasn’t handled stress particularly well.  It can cause him to disassociate.  When he was a child it was much worse, but we found that music helps to ground him and bring him back to himself.”

 

“Music?” Renju asked, interest peaked even as he tried to hide it from everyone else.

 

Boss obviously knew of his company and from the little Pewter had divulged, his musical talent.  It was no wonder of all things, that would be what would cause the scowl to momentarily leave his face.

 

“Yes, the young master loves music, and is quite talented with it too.  He’s an excellent pianist and plays the cello as well.  We also had him take ballroom dancing lessons up until his late teens in addition to his Tai Chi practice.  They all helped him focus his mind and energy elsewhere.”

 

Boss couldn’t help but comment on that, even knowing she was likely being petty.  For whatever reason, in the past few days she had become oddly protective of the little weirdo.  “Did you ever spend time with Saito?  Take him fishing or play catch or even go to a goddamn movie?  Or did you just throw him in activities so you never had to deal with him?”

 

“I took him to every single practice he had and always waited-“

 

“Not you,” Boss interrupted the woman and turned her glare towards So.  “You.  Did you ever do anything with your son besides push him off on other people?”

 

“I went to the little concerts he did and the dance recitals he had.  Isn’t that enough?”

 

“Hardly.  What’s his favorite food?”

 

“What?”

 

“What does he like to eat?  I’ll even make it easy for you, you don’t have to drill down on the type, just tell me in general what he likes to eat.”

 

“He doesn’t care about things like that.  He eats whatever you put in front of him.”

 

“Wrong.  He likes sushi.  Specifically, futomaki rolls.  He likes them because of all the extra filling.  What kind of music does he like?”

 

“I-I don’t know the specifics,” So stumbled.  “Whatever is popular at the time and the louder the better.”

 

“Wrong again, he likes techno.  EDM and trance are his favorite, and yes, they’re awful but he likes it.  I’ve also heard him listening to a handful of classical songs, but he only seems to like the more dramatic pieces.  How about his favorite color?”

 

“What is the point of all of this?”

 

“The point is, Saito and I have been together for two days and I’ve managed to learn more about him in that time than you have in thirty years.”

 

“Hardly fair to say when you came here six years ago and demanded I hand him over to you and your care when he lost his memory.”

 

“Really?  You want to argue over six years?  Fine.  You had twenty-four years with him and the best you managed to do was hand him over to a nanny and do whatever you could to occupy his time so you had to spend as little of yours with him as possible.”

 

“That’s not true.  When he was in high school he would attend political rallies and dinners with me.  He even used to dance with the daughters of some of my highest supporters.”

 

“Of course, every teenage boys’ dream is to be paraded around like some prized show dog and forced to perform tricks for the masses.  It’s a wonder he isn’t even more screwed up than he already is.”

 

So rose to his feet, anger finally showing on his face.  “I don’t know who the hell you think you are-“

 

Boss stood to meet him, not backing down in the least.  “I’m the one that’s taking care of him and keeping him out of prison.  And honestly, I think I’m the only one here that genuinely cares about his well being.”

 

“It’s real easy for you to come in here and judge when you don’t know me.”

 

“Of course it is. I don’t need to know you personally to know you did a shitty job raising your son.”

 

“Hey, I think maybe we should all settle down a bit.”  Moma, always the peacemaker, stepped in between the two.  “Seriously, this isn’t helping anything.  Why don’t we go and see what they’re up to, and then we can go from there.”

 

“I think that sounds like an excellent idea,” Wakumi agreed quickly, stepping out of the room and into the hall.  “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to the music room.”

 

Moma was the next one out, followed by Renju and Hitomi.

 

“After you,” So said, the malice still present in his tone.

 

“Why thank you,” Boss replied sweetly, overly fake smile plastered to her face.  “And it’s navy by the way.”

 

“What?”

 

“Saito’s favorite color is navy.  Since you didn’t know,” Boss said and then quickly followed the others into the hall, determined to get the last word.

 

She thought she heard So mumble something under his breath about an “insufferable woman”, but she couldn’t be sure.

 

 

 

 

Renju didn’t know what he expected when So’s maid led them to what he called the music room, but Saito sitting at a grand piano and playing one of the most intricate pieces he had ever heard wasn’t it.  For someone that was supposedly classically trained, he had the strangest way of playing he had ever seen.

 

The younger blonde threw his whole body into the music, fingers slamming down on the keys with so much force Renju could hear the hammers reverberating inside.  He played the instrument with not only his hands, but arms, shoulders, and even his torso rotating back and forth more than needed, looking more akin to a drummer than a pianist.

 

It was very different from how Renju himself played, but he wondered if it was due to the agitated state Saito had been in before more than anything else.  Otherwise he would quickly exhaust himself playing the way he was.

 

For what it was worth, Iris at least seemed to be enjoying it, leaning over the side of the piano and watching everything he was doing.  Her eyes followed the staccato movements of his fingers, trying to keep up with the fast pace.  He knew she didn’t understand anything her brother was doing, instruments not being her foray, but Renju had to admit to himself it was impressive Saito was playing completely on his own.  There wasn’t any sheet music in front of him and at times, he wasn’t even looking at the keys at all.

 

He tended to keep his focus straight ahead, where the music usually would have been sitting, or to Iris.  It was almost like he was watching for her approval, the way he would subtly change the tempo or tone evident when it appeared she wasn’t enjoying a certain section as much.  

 

For his part, Renju had no idea what Saito was playing.  It wasn’t anything he had ever heard before.  Not that that necessarily meant anything.  There were plenty of songs he’d never heard, but he was a little surprised that he didn’t recognize the melody currently streaming from the piano at all.  

 

Renju was familiar with most classical music, having also taken lessons from a young age.  He was trained on all of the classics, from Beethoven to Chopin and everything in between.  He even prided himself on being able to play some of the harder pieces like “Flight of the Bumblebee” by memory.

 

But whatever Saito was currently playing, still didn’t evoke any sort of familiarity to him.  It was in the style of classical music, feeling very dark and ethereal like Bach or Mussorgsky, but there was something more there.  Almost twisted.  It was like he was getting a glimpse into Saito’s very psyche per musical expression.

 

And he wasn’t sure he liked it.  Not because of the tone of the music, but because he could feel similarities between himself and the man sitting before him and that was absolutely something he didn’t want.  He didn’t want to feel a connection to Manaka’s killer with the one thing that had always been his crutch to fall back on; music.  And he certainly didn’t want to feel any sort of pity or compassion for a murderer.

 

Especially since it looked like Hitomi was halfway there.  He should have realized that it was probably years in the making that she would try to understand and maybe even sympathize with Saito’s plight.  They’d spent more nights than he could recall going over everything that happened, how they could have done things differently, and somehow it always came back to Saito’s age.

 

Hitomi just couldn’t believe that a child could do something so horrific.  It became even harder for her once she finished university and started at one of the local elementary schools, teaching children the same age Saito had been when he killed Manaka.  The boys and girls she saw every single day were kids and acted like kids, playing games and telling jokes and just having fun with their friends.  They weren’t secretly killers that had no remorse.

 

But Saito was different.  Granted, at the time they didn’t know about his brain disorder, but it didn’t change the fact that Renju knew there was something very wrong with the kid.  Because even with his very limited experience with children, he knew that a normal child wouldn’t commit such an atrocious crime.

 

And now here he was questioning everything simply because Moma had to hit him where it hurt.  Rohan.  He knew what bringing up that monster would do to him, and he did it anyway.

 

He couldn’t blame Moma though.  That man had been there for him ever since he was stupid enough to get involved with the Yakuza.  He had stuck his neck out for him over and over again, and even managed to save Shoko from a horrific fate.  There was nothing Moma wouldn’t do for him.  

 

The bad thing was, he knew the older man was right.  He was being completely unreasonable when he truly looked at the facts.  Saito had been used just like he had.  Worse if he was really being honest with himself.  Because it was just like Moma had said, while Renju had his pseudo older brother protecting him and constantly looking out for him, Saito had no one.

 

All he had was Rohan behind the scenes taking full advantage of the science experiment performed on him against his will.  And the one person that should have there for him all along, his father, was no where to be found.  

 

Of course he wasn’t.  Why would he be?  He thought Saito had once again given in to his murderous instincts and with him being an adult, there wasn’t much that he could do.

 

So what was the best solution he could come up with?  Turning his son over completely to the Yakuza and letting them deal with the fallout.  Because if he couldn’t prevent the murders, he could at least make sure they weren’t connected to his child and then ultimately back to him.  

 

Renju knew he himself wasn’t a great father, not by any stretch of the imagination.  He had done wrong by Mizuki and Iris for years, but even he had never completely abandoned them.  From the outside looking in, he was sure it seemed that way, but he was there when it counted.  He still attended important school functions for both girls, spent time with them when he could.  Granted, he knew it wasn’t nearly enough and he would go to his grave regretting his lack of involvement until now, but at least he was trying.

 

The same couldn’t be said for So Sejima.  Sure, at the moment it looked like he was trying, and maybe in some ways he was.  He didn’t necessarily think the man was evil, but he had to wonder if all of this was completely sincere.  

 

He knew the politician ultimately wanted to use both Iris and Saito in his bid for Prime Minister.  Hell, So all but told he and Hitomi that himself.  And because of that knowledge, he took everything the man said with a grain of salt.  

 

Did Renju think So regretted his actions through the years much like he did?  Yes.  He honestly did.  But, he also thought there was more to it and that was where the problem lied.  So could never fully be trusted.  He would end up using both his children, not that he really cared about Saito, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let him use Iris as some sort of pawn.  Not when she seemed so happy.  

 

Iris had always wanted a big family.  Wanted to see Hitomi find love again after her disastrous relationship several years prior.  She’d told him numerous times that she wanted her mom to fall in love and get married and maybe have another child, give her a younger brother or sister.  And it made sense, especially with how bonded she was with Mizuki.

 

The two of them had been thick as thieves growing up, Renju honestly surprised that Iris had any interest in playing with a child six years younger than her.  But she did.  She loved Mizuki and would always include her, coloring at the kitchen table or taking her in the backyard to play tag.  She was even the one that gave Mizuki her love of video games, for better or worse.

 

“Oh, uh hi mom,” Iris said sheepishly, finally looking away from the piano to see the small group gathered.

 

Her words immediately put a stop to the music, Saito slamming his fingers down on the keys in a cacophony of notes that were little more than noise.  Renju winced at the sound, as did most of the others.

 

“Saito, don’t be that way,” Iris chided softly.

 

“How long have you been here?” he asked, turning around fully on the bench and facing his impromptu audience.

 

“Long enough to hear that you’ve got some talent,” Boss answered.

 

Renju watched as Saito blushed at that, looking towards the ground and letting his bangs fall over his face.  It was strange to see a reaction like that on the face of the man he had associated with his best friend over the last five years.  Because if there was one thing Kaname Date was not, was easily embarrassed.

 

“I don’t like playing for others.  My music is for me and me alone, so please forget what you heard.”

 

“You let Iris in.”

 

“She followed me.  And…she doesn’t bother me quite as much as you do.”

 

“Awww, is that your little tsundere way of saying you actually like your little sister?” Boss asked with a grin.

 

“What?  I’m not tsundere!”

 

“You totally are,” Iris replied.  “I mean, you’re like classic tsundere.  You could be the protag in a shoujo manga.”

 

“I am not!”

 

“Nuh-uh, you are.  Better admit it now.”

 

Saito crossed his arms and looked away, realizing he wouldn’t win this fight.  Not that many people going up against Iris and her charm coupled with odd logic could hope to best her.

 

“Iris honey,” Hitomi said, bringing the focus of the room on her.  “You know you shouldn’t have snuck out.”

 

The smile Iris had from teasing her brother quickly faded away, replaced by a look that meant she knew she was in trouble.  Not that Renju thought Hitomi would go too hard on the girl, but she at least needed to understand she couldn’t just do whatever she wanted.

 

“I’m sorry mom.  I know I shouldn’t have, but I had to meet them.  I wanted to talk to them and ask about…Manaka.”

 

Hitomi let out a small sigh, trying to choose her words carefully.  After all, they were still in So’s home.  And being in the belly of the beast wasn’t exactly the place to try to start a family argument.

 

“I would have answered any questions you had, you didn’t need to try to leave and go behind our backs to get them.”

 

“But this wasn’t anything you could have answered.  And I didn’t want to ask you and Uncle Ren any more questions either.  You both were so sad last night.  I didn’t want to make it worse.”

 

Saito made an involuntary noise at that, fingers on his right hand twitching almost as if he was still playing the piano.  Iris seemed to realize immediately what she said and sat down on the bench next to her brother, taking the tremoring hand in hers and giving it a squeeze.

 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said it like that.  It’s not your fault.”

 

It took everything in Renju not to bite out a scathing reply, but he had enough sense to know it wouldn’t do any good.  It would simply make Iris upset, which was the last thing he wanted to do.  

 

“And mom, Uncle Ren…I am really sorry for sneaking out.  I know it was wrong, but you wouldn’t have let me come here if I asked.”

 

“You’re right,” Hitomi said.  “I wouldn’t.”

 

“You seem to forget she’s my daughter, I have a right to see her,” So said as he crossed his arms across his chest, cigarette dangling from his lips.

 

“I know that and I wouldn’t have kept her from you.  But considering she just had brain surgery and is supposed to be resting, no, I wouldn’t have let her come over here today.  Perhaps I would have asked you to come visit in the evening after I got home, but I wouldn’t have let her go out on her own.”

 

“I’m sorry mom, I wasn’t thinking.  But, I needed answers and didn’t want to ask some of my questions in front of you.”

 

“Iris, I do understand, but you need to see where I’m coming from.  You’re still a child and you can’t just sneak out whenever you want to.  If you have questions or want to see your…father and brother, you need to let me know.  Just ask.  I’ll do my best to be accommodating towards them.”

 

Iris nodded.  “Do you think, maybe I could come back this weekend?  Saito was going to help me with my song.”

 

“Your song?” Renju asked, wondering exactly what she could be talking about.

 

“Mmhmm!  The one I wrote in the hospital.  I sang it to him when we were outside and he thought it was pretty.  And when we came back here and he started playing, I asked if he could help me with writing the music.”

 

“I never said yes.”

 

“You sort of did.  I mean, you didn’t say no and that pretty much means yes.  I’d like both of you to help with it.  It’d be amazing to have the music written by both my uncle and my brother.”

 

Renju couldn’t think of something he would actually enjoy less than working with Saito on composing.  While he’d never deny his talent, it was clear as day, he absolutely had no interest in spending any more time with the younger Sejima than he needed to.  And even if for some reason he was agreeable, Futa would most certainly not be.  Not after Saito had taken it upon himself to impersonate his boyfriend and kiss him.

 

Granted, Renju had been the one to actually initiate it, but that was because he had to know without a shadow of a doubt that the man sitting before him hadn’t been his Futa.  And there was no better way for him to figure that out quickly.

 

Had it been left at that, it might not have been as big of an issue.  But Saito had felt it necessary to bring it up multiple times since, using the knowledge as cannon fodder against his cousin.

 

“Wait, since you’re my uncle and Saito is my brother, wouldn’t that make you his uncle too?”

 

“Absolutely not!” Renju exclaimed, while at the same time Saito sat up ramrod straight and yelled, “Fuck no!”

 

Iris couldn’t help but giggle at their reactions, followed quickly by Hitomi’s own laughter.  Of all people, how could she find this funny?  She was supposed to be his best friend. 

 

“I’m sorry Ren,” she quickly whispered.  “But your face was priceless.”

 

“So glad I’m here to amuse you.”

 

“All of you are giving me a headache,” So grumbled as he took a long drag from his cigarette.

 

“I think it’s kind of nice,” Wakumi said, looking around the room.  “It’s been a long time since this home was filled with people and laughter.”

 

“Both of which are overrated.”

 

“Christmas!” Iris suddenly blurted out, jumping up from the bench and leaving a startled Saito in her wake.

 

“What?  Are you ok?” Renju asked, worried that maybe this had all been too much for her.  Hitomi was right, Iris should be home resting after major brain surgery, not out and about.  And if she was suddenly saying words that made no sense, that wasn’t a good sign.

 

“I’m fine, but Christmas is coming soon.”

 

“It is, but I don’t quite follow.”

 

“We should all celebrate it together!  Have one big happy family Christmas.  You, mom, Uncle Kaname, Mizuki, Pewter, Saito, and…dad.”

 

So looked momentarily startled being addressed like that, but didn’t have much of a chance to process it as Iris continued on.

 

“Aya and Miss Kuranushi and ummmm, should I call you Mr. Kumakura or Moma?  You’re kind of like Uncle Ren’s big brother so maybe I should just call you Uncle Moma.”

 

“Uhhhh, Moma’s fine,” he answered, not really sure how to handle the abundance of energy.

 

Renju had to admit, the idea of Iris calling Moma “Uncle”, was pretty funny.  Especially with how much of a fan he was of her music.  It’d be like any of the other idols he loved calling him that, it was probably pretty strange for him.

 

“So, we have Moma and Miss Kuranushi, oh!  We can’t forget Pewter and Aya’s parents.  They should definitely be here.  Maybe we could even invite Ota and Miss Mayumi, they don’t really have anyone during the holidays so I bet they would like to be part of a big family Christmas.”

 

“Iris, I really don’t think this is a good idea.”

 

“I agree with your uncle,” So began.  “All of us together, so many big and explosive personalities, it’s not a great idea.”

 

“Can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I think they’re right,” Saito agreed.

 

“But what if we have sushi and light fireworks after?”

 

Saito shrugged one shoulder, quickly backpedaling.  “I mean, maybe it could be ok then.”

 

“See?  Big brother is in.  Please dad!  Can’t we have Christmas dinner here?  Please?”

 

And in that moment, Renju saw first hand what happened when you got caught in Iris’ web.  Not even the great So Sejima was immune to her big eyes and pouty expression.  Besides singing and dancing, Iris’ talents definitely lied in manipulation.  

 

“I suppose I can look in to it.”

 

“I think that’s a wonderful idea Master So.  Think of what a marvelous opportunity this will be to mend so many broken bridges.  Not to mention the pictures taken of you as a family man would certainly help when you announce your run.”

 

If he didn’t know any better, he’d have to wonder if Wakumi was somehow related to Iris.  Her tactics to control So were subtle, but no less effective.  

 

“My head is spinning,” Boss said from the side, standing next to Moma with a perplexed look on her face.

 

“Same here,” he answered back.

 

The two of them were certainly an odd match, but it hadn’t escaped his notice how every time they were together, they seemed to gravitate towards each other.  He didn’t know Boss all that well, not like Futa did, but he’d never seen Moma warm up to someone so quickly that he normally would have been extra weary of.

 

It likely had to do with how they were introduced in the beginning.  He was certain if it hadn’t been for him calling last week to bring Dokuta to check on Futa, that Moma wouldn’t have been nearly on as friendly of terms with the head of ABIS.  He never was one to trust cops, and with good reason.  But somehow he had forged a sort of alliance with the woman.  

 

He could worry about them later though.  Right now the most important thing was getting Iris home.  She needed to rest and recuperate.  And Hitomi needed to get their home prepared for Date since he would be staying over the weekend to heal from his own surgery.

 

“Iris, let’s get going.  You and your mom need to head home.  Date’s probably almost done with his pre-op at the hospital.”

 

“Oh right!  I completely forgot!  I’ll come back and see you soon!”

 

And with that, she leaned down and gave Saito a giant hug, squeezing him tight enough to elicit a cough before letting go.  She bounded over to So next, throwing her arms around his chest and bringing him in for probably the most awkward hug of his life.  Renju guessed that So wasn’t really the type to show affection.  Saito sure as hell looked like he’d never been hugged a day in his life.

 

“Right, of course.  Next time ask your mother for permission though.  I won’t cover for you again.”

 

“I will, I promise!”

 

She let go of So and moved over to Hitomi next.  “Ok, I’m ready to go.”

 

Renju nodded, following her out of the room and still trying to wrap his head around everything that happened in the last few minutes.  Somehow they all just agreed to spending Christmas at the Sejima estate.  Futa was absolutely going to love that bit of information.  Surely nothing could go wrong with everyone spending one of the most stressful holidays together.

 

 

 

Notes:

A little bit of a lighter chapter this time around. I had to give these guys a break on all the feelings, they've certainly been through it. Not that they're done by any means, but they deserve a small reprieve every now and then.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always, please leave a comment if you did, I love them all!

Also a quick note with updates going forward. I'm going to an every two weeks update schedule. I've had some things happen irl that were unexpected and it has cut my writing time down significantly. Unless I state otherwise in the notes or on discord, updates should still be every two weeks. Writing is my escape and I love doing it, so there will still be consistent updates, I just won't be able to get a chapter out every single week.

Thank you all for understanding and sticking with this fic for over a year! Seriously, I can't believe it's been this long.

Chapter 52

“I just…I don’t know what I should do,” Hitomi said as she cored the head of cabbage and started chopping the remainder on her cutting board.  She had gotten surprisingly good at doing simple things that people took for granted with one hand, including preparing dinner.

 

And said dinner that night was okonomyaki.  It was both as a celebration of their reunion and a favorite comfort meal in the home, being not just Iris’ go-to, but Haya- no, Kaname’s too.  

 

It was still taking some getting used to, but Hitomi was proud of herself that she hadn’t actually screwed up his name anywhere but in her head at this point.  She knew Kaname wouldn’t hold it against her, but she still wanted to respect his wishes and not use a name that he associated with so many bad things in his life.  He deserved the chance to start over.

 

And what a hypocrite she was with that thought.  She could forgive her…well, she wasn’t exactly sure what Kaname was.  Hayato had been her boyfriend, they had been serious and exclusive despite the short amount of time they knew each other.  But Kaname was different.  He was the same man and yet he wasn’t.  Those six years without his memories and living another life had drastically changed him.  

 

The change wasn’t all bad either.  He smiled more easily and had a softness that hadn’t been present before.  He still kept the same sense of humor she had always loved and was just as doting on Iris as ever.  The only downfall was his increased paranoia, something that had been present six years prior, but was now more pronounced.

 

Not that any of that mattered to Hitomi.  She had the man she loved back.  The man who’s loss she grieved all this time.  Because even though he had been in prison and she had visited him from time to time, his drastic change in personality had been startling.  It really was like he had died, despite still being very much alive.  It wasn’t like his death wasn’t something she was prepared for in some small way, it was a very real fear of hers with how he had been involved with the Kumakura’s. 

 

But that part of their lives was in the past.  He was home, back where he belonged, with her and Iris.  They might not be anything official at this point, but they were moving back towards it.  Who knew, maybe even his weekend spent recuperating in her home would lead them back to where they had been.

 

Even if that didn’t happen right away, she was fine with it.  She had waited six years for him to come back, a few more days or weeks or months wouldn’t change that.  He needed to take time to adjust to this new life he had and Hitomi wasn’t going to rush it.  Because right now, the most important thing was letting him heal and come to terms with his past and his new future.

 

Hitomi felt the shame of her thoughts wash over her again.  Kaname, a man who has caused his fair share of death, who’s own hands were soaked in the blood of others, was forgivable.  But Saito Sejima was not.  Not completely anyway. 

 

She wasn’t stupid, she knew what the difference was, why she could forgive one man so easily and not the other.  Manaka.  Kaname had never killed anyone she knew, anyone she was close to.  And all the people he had killed had been criminals in one way or the other.  They weren’t innocent lives.  Not that it made it right, but it was easier to look past those crimes knowing the ones he killed had been murderers or rapists or drug dealers.  Individuals with a lot more blood on their hands than him.

 

But Saito… he had killed her best friend.  A good person that would never hurt a fly.  And there were the other victims too.  Four women that did nothing wrong, that didn’t deserve to die.

 

“Hitomi?  You in there?” Kaname asked with a slight laugh, tapping her on the side of the head with a finger.

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“I think that cabbage is done.  Unless your plan is to try to make it a powder.”

 

Hitomi glanced down at the cutting board, the head of cabbage reduced to finely chopped pieces, much finer than she would normally do.  She gave a small chuckle as she pushed it away, laying the knife next to it.  “I guess I got a little carried away.”

 

“Are you sure you’re ok?” he asked as he took Hitomi’s left hand in his, lacing their fingers together and giving her a gentle squeeze.

 

She felt her heart melt in that moment, transported back six years to where they stood in this very kitchen, covered in flour and batter, Iris running between the kitchen and dining area, laughing all the while.  Despite the mess, Hayato had leaned in, pulling her flush against his body all the while keeping their fingers interlocked.  He had kissed her, right then and there.  It was nothing like the passionate and earth-shattering kisses they had shared before then. No, this was simple and sweet and somehow so much more.  

 

But that in and of itself was what made it different from the others.  He had never kissed her like that before, full of love and longing.  It may have been quick and ended far too soon, but in that moment she knew the truth she had been denying herself all that time.  She was hopelessly in love with this man that had so seamlessly integrated himself into her life.  And if she wasn’t mistaken, that may have been the moment he fell for her too.

 

Taking the initiative like he had several years before, Kaname leaned down, nose barely touching hers.  He hesitated, as if seeking her permission, and she ever so slightly nodded.  How odd that now of all times he would be unsure of himself.  He hadn’t thought at all when they had been in the hospital, kissing her right there in the hall.  And he certainly hadn’t waited for her to object when he grabbed her at the shrine and kissed her like she was the very air he breathed.  

 

Her thoughts short-circuited as his lips met hers and his free hand threaded through her hair, cupping the back of her head and holding her in place.  It all felt so right, so normal.  This is what her life was supposed to be, this is where she belonged.  Here, in the arms of the man she loved, cooking a meal together for their family and feeling his love and adoration for her.  There was nothing that could ruin this moment.

 

“Are you serious?!  Right over the food!  Come on we have to eat that!”

 

Hitomi jerked back in surprise, Kaname doing much the same and awkwardly stumbling away, picking up the knife she had previously been using on the cabbage and trying to pretend that he hadn’t just been caught in a passionate embrace.

 

“Wh-what are you doing?” 

 

Mizuki let out a huff and crossed her arms, glaring at Kaname from the other side of the counter.  “I came out here to see how much longer dinner is gonna be.  Iris is teaching me this new dungeon crawler about Greek gods she got the beta code for and we wanted to know if we had time to get through a run or two.”

 

“You need to learn to knock next time.”

 

“On what?  The hallway door?” Mizuki deadpanned.

 

“Yes.”

 

“I wouldn’t have to knock if you weren’t such a perverted old man.”

 

“Hey!  Watch your mouth.”

 

“Whatever.  When’s dinner gonna be ready?”

 

Hitomi, seeing that if she didn’t do something to diffuse the situation it would only get worse, stepped in.  “It will probably be another twenty minutes.  We’re almost done with the prep and I just have to mix the cabbage in to the batter, then we can start frying them in the pan.”

 

“Ok!  Thanks Aunt Hitomi!” Mizuki smiled brightly and headed back towards Iris’ room, tone completely changing when not speaking to Kaname directly.  She could vaguely hear her announce “Let’s make it out this time for sure!” before the door closed.

 

“Sorry about that.  She needs to learn to be a little more respectful around you.”

 

“It’s fine,” she waved off.  “I’ve known Mizuki most of her life.  She’s been through a lot, so just be patient with her and give her a little leeway.”

 

“I know, but she still should be a little more respectful to you.  We’re guests in your home after all.  And you’re her teacher.”

 

“She is Kaname.  I think for some reason she just saves all of that hostility for you.  But it’s like how sometimes younger children can be mean to each other when they really do like the other person.  I think she’s afraid to express how much she truly cares about you because of all of the loss she’s had in her life.  Her parents filed for divorce and not too long after that, she was sent to live with you.  She barely saw Shoko and even Renju wasn’t consistently there.  It was a lot for her to process at such a young age.  She’s likely afraid if she shows too much attachement to you, you’ll leave her.  It’s irrational, but aren’t most fears?”

 

“I get it.  And I know she cares, she actually told me I was family the other day.  Of course she did call me ‘stupid’ right after, but I think it was meant with love.”

 

Hitomi laughed without meaning to, just imagining how that conversation had to play out.  “I’m sorry, it’s not funny, but that’s definitely her way of showing she cares.”

 

“You’re right on that.  The only way she knows how to express her feelings is by calling me names or yelling.  It’s like she’s trying to push me away, but not so much that I actually leave.”

 

“I wonder where she gets that from?”

 

Kaname let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.  “Yeah, he’s like that too.  You’re not wrong.”

 

“Enough talk about this,” Hitomi began as she opened the fridge and retrieved the bowl of batter.  “If we don’t get dinner started soon, we’ll have a pair of hungry teenagers on our hands.  Well, a teenager and a preteen, but Mizuki can eat just as much as any teenager can.  Did you finish slicing the pork?”

 

“Right here,” Kaname gestured to the pork belly neatly stacked on the plate.  “But seriously Hitomi, are you sure you’re ok?  I know you’re worried about everything with Saito and So.”

 

“I’ll be fine.  I know I’ll figure it out.”

 

“You just said you don’t know what to do.  How are you going to figure it out?”

 

“I don’t know yet, but I will.  I have to.  They’re both going to be a part of our lives and wishing they weren’t isn’t going to help anything.  And for Iris’ sake, I’m going to have to try to get along with them both.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Hitomi paused in mixing the batter and cabbage together, letting the wooden spoon balance on top of the bowl.  “She’s already attached to both of them, but Saito especially.  It’s not even that surprising honestly.  She asked me for a sibling for years and now she finally has one.  It makes sense that she would want to get to know him.”

 

“I guess, but maybe after everything finally sinks in, she’ll change her mind.  She got a lot of information all at once yesterday, it’s likely she hasn’t really had the chance to absorb it all.  Especially the part where he killed Manaka.  When she actually wraps her head around it, she probably won’t be quite so eager to get to know him.”

 

“I don’t know about that.  Iris has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.  There isn’t anything she wouldn’t forgive.  Look how she was last night.  Renju and I lied to her her entire life, and she still forgave us.  Didn’t yell or scream, didn’t tell us she hated us.  She was more worried about our feelings than her own.”

 

“She’s still only eighteen.  You can always forbid her to go over there.  She’s smart enough to know she shouldn’t have snuck out.”

 

“I can’t do that.  That would be a guaranteed way to push her away from me.  And even if I still tried, that would push So’s buttons.  He’s already threatened charges before, and I think he’d follow through on it.”

 

“From here on out then, one of us will just have to go with her if she wants to see him then.  Between me, you, Renju, and Pewter, I’m sure one of us will be free and can make it work.”

 

“I can’t ask you to do that Kaname,” Hitomi said as she turned back to her bowl.  She gave it one final mix, making sure all of the cabbage was coated, and then grabbed the plate with the pork.  

 

She laid a few pieces down in the frying pan, hot oil immediately sizzling.  Grabbing her ladel next, she scooped up the batter and gently poured it over the pork, creating a nice circular pancake over the meat.

 

“You’re not asking,” he said as he walked behind her, circling his arms around her waist and propping his chin against her right shoulder.  It didn’t escape her notice how he gave the back of the shoulder blade a quick nuzzle before relaxing on top.

 

Her heart swelled at the contact and she leaned into the embrace, cherishing every moment she had with the man she loved.  He was finally back and she wasn’t going to wasn’t going to waste a single second.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mizuki watched as Date and Hitomi and Iris all happily chatted and ate their meals, reminiscing about some food fight they had six years ago.  It was pretty funny to imagine the old man running around with batter on his head and covered in flour, too bad there weren’t any pictures.  Well, besides Iris’ drawing, but she really wanted evidence to embarrass him with in the future.  Especially now that he wore a different face and any prior blackmail photos she had accumulated over the years were now useless.

 

She supposed she had them to use against Saito, but she didn’t know the guy at all and she wasn’t sure how seeing the face of the man she always knew as Date would go.  At some point in time she’d have to meet him, he was Iris’ brother after all, but she still didn’t know how to feel about that.  

 

Her dad had told her everything.  Who Saito really was and the things he had done.  It had been a lot to take in, especially all the body swapping, but she had done it.  And she had the last several days to really think about what it all meant.

 

Not that it helped.  She was confused and couldn’t quite wrap her head around everything, but she didn’t dare tell him that.  He trusted her with this information, trusted that she was old enough and mature enough to handle the situation, and if she gave him any indication that she wasn’t, that would be it.  He wouldn’t trust her with anything else again.

 

She supposed the one good thing that had come out of all of this was the fact that she was spending more time with her dad.  And Pewter too.  He was pretty cool.  Definitely dorky and a little out there with his fashion sometimes, but a good guy all around.  And her dad needed someone like that in his life.

 

Her mom and dad were a disaster together, they always fought over her which would then lead to other fights and hushed whispers and her mom locking herself away in her room crying.  And of course Mizuki didn’t understand why when she was little.  Not that she really understood now.

 

She knew her mom was bipolar, dad had told her one day after a particularly bad episode where he ended up taking her to the doctor to get her medication changed.  It explained a lot, but at the same time Mizuki just wanted her mom to be better.  Because when she was doing good and feeling happy, she really was caring.

 

She wasn’t super hands on and she had a lot of issues with hugging too much, but it didn’t matter.  Her mom would make up for it in other ways by taking her to the park or for ice cream or sometimes just a nice walk around the neighborhood.  It wasn’t always bad.  It’s just, when it was bad, it was really bad.

 

She knew that was the biggest reason she had to go and live with Date.  Her dad had tried what he could, which wasn’t as much as he probably should have, before finally giving up.  He always tried to please everyone, but when it wasn’t immediately possible, he would shut down.

 

Now that she knew the truth about both her parents being involved with the Yakuza as teenagers, it made a lot more sense.  They both had probably seen some things and been through more than what she could imagine.  But still, wasn’t it up to adults to step up and mature when they had kids?  A shitty childhood didn’t excuse abuse and neglect.

 

And that’s what it was.  As much as she loved her mom and dad, they weren’t good parents.  Not then at least.  Her dad was trying now and with Pewter and Date’s help, he’d actually been pretty good lately.

 

She knew a lot of it probably came from the fact that the had been told he had actually died in some alternate future, but Mizuki certainly wasn’t going to complain.  She didn’t care what his reasons for changing were, just that he had.

 

And it also explained why her mom had been so strange and distant over the last year.  The body swapping thing had been weird, but it also made sense now that she knew the whole truth.  Her mom hadn’t been her mom.  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see her anymore and had decided to give up altogether, but because the person walking around was only pretending to be her. She didn’t want to dwell too much on the strangeness that it was actually Iris’ brother, but now she had an actual reason that wasn’t just her mom was a bigger asshole than even she thought, she felt a little better.

 

But while that was all well and good to find out, it didn’t help her to understand why her mom hadn’t reached out to her yet.  She’d been back for several days and she hadn’t so much as called or even sent her a text.  It had been oddly quiet.

 

Mizuki had almost called her close to a dozen times by this point, but every time she hesitated on the call button and finally chickened out.  She was scared that her mom wouldn’t answer.  Or worse still, she would answer and she’d tell her that she didn’t want anything to do with her.  Because why else wouldn’t she try to reach out or see her own daughter?

 

A fresh wave of sadness hit Mizuki as Iris laughed at some stupid joke the old pervert told.  She was so lucky to grow up with a mom like her Aunt Hitomi.  Iris never had moments of doubt that she was loved and cared for.  Hitomi did everything possible to show her everyday.

 

And she did the same thing for Mizuki.  It was why she loved going to their house so much.  For a couple of hours she could pretend that Iris was her sister and Hitomi was her mom.  She’d sit down and have meals with them and watch tv and talk about her day.

 

Date would do that when he could, but with his job he worked all sorts of odd hours.  She had gone days at a time without seeing him, with his schedule sometimes forcing him to work all night and then sleep during the day while she was at school.

 

She couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to have something like this everyday like Iris did.  And now she finally had a dad and a brother so she’d have even more people that loved her.  Not to mention that Date and Hitomi were dating again and it would only be a matter of time before he probably moved in with them.

 

She’d live with her dad and Pewter, which would be fine, they already wanted her there anyway.  But for once, she wished someone would just choose her first.  Her mom gave up on her, her dad gave up on her, and eventually Date would give up on her.  He was getting his real family back, there wasn’t going to be room for her too.

 

“Hey, you all done with dinner?  Did you want any more?” Date asked.

 

Mizuki looked down at her plate, not even realizing she had finished both of her okonomyaki.  She must have been eating on autopilot while being lost in her thoughts of family.  “No, I’m good.”

 

“Hope you saved room for dessert then.”

 

“Dessert?”

 

“Mmhmm.  It’s your favorite.”

 

Mizuki sat up quickly, worry crossing over her features.  She vividly remembered the purin custard disaster.  The consistency of the flan like dessert had been more like snot…and it didn’t taste much better.

 

“Wipe that look off your face.  I didn’t make anything.  Geez you cook one bad thing and suddenly that’s all you want to remember for the next two years.”

 

“Well, it was awful.  I still think you were trying to poison me.”

 

“If I had tried to poison you, would I have ate it too?”

 

She didn’t want to admit it, but his logic was sound.

 

“Anyway, remember that little dessert shop we went to after that?  The place with the dango that you said was the best you ever had?”

 

“Yeah…” she answered hesitantly.

 

“Well, after I finished my tests at the hospital this afternoon, I went there and got some.  All your favorites, red bean paste, matcha, soy sauce, and mango.”

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean why?  Because I knew you’d like it.  Do I need a reason to show you I care?”

 

Mizuki looked away, feeling the tears prick the back of her eyes.  She wouldn’t let him see her cry.  And why was she ready to cry anyway?  Just because stupid, perverted Date got her something she loved?

 

“You didn’t have to get those.”

 

“I know I didn’t.  But I wanted to.  Mizuki, I’m not great at all of this, but I wanted to do something for you.  To show you I care.  I won’t be home all weekend and I know you’ll have a great time with your dad, but I still want you to know how I feel.  And, you can come over any time.  If you want to stay the night you can, I know Hitomi would love it and so would Iris.  But, if you’re having fun with your dad and Pewter, I want you to enjoy that too.”

 

Why was Date being so sentimental all of a sudden?  And not only that, why did he seem to know exactly what she needed to hear?  Did his weird pervert powers grant him psychic abilities too?

 

“You ok?  You look kinda sad.  Or constipated.”

 

“God, shut up stupid!  I’m fine!  Where’s the dango?”

 

Date smiled that obnoxious smile of his as he walked into the kitchen, grabbing a box off the counter.  He walked the few steps back over to the kitchen table and sat it down, opening it up and letting Mizuki get a look at the colorful rice dumplings.  They were perfectly round and three to a stick.

 

“Go ahead, dig in.”

 

Mizuki turned her gaze towards the kitchen where Hitomi was washing the dishes and handing them off to Iris to dry.  She carefully wiped each one with a dish towel and stacked them off to the side.  The physical therapist at the hospital had apparently told Hitomi that a simple activity like drying dishes was one of the best ways to make sure Iris’ motor skills weren’t effected by the surgery.  

 

“It’s ok.  There’s plenty to go around and they wanted you to pick yours.  Now go on, I know you love these things.”

 

Mizuki reached a hesitant hand in and grabbed one of the tri-colored ones.  It was red bean, matcha, and mango, which was her absolute favorite way to eat them.  She loved the soy sauce ones too, but liked savoring those last.

 

“Thanks Date, I… just… thanks.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date sat next to Hitomi, the brunette snuggling against his side as they relaxed on the couch.  Dinner had been cleaned up, the girls were asleep, and they finally had a few moments of peace to just be with each other.  The TV played mindlessly in the background, Date not even sure what they was watching.  It didn’t matter, all he could concentrate on was the beautiful woman next to him that smelled faintly of limes.

 

He breathed in, savoring the scent that was uniquely her as he let a small chuckle escape.  “You still have that bottle, after all these years?”

 

“Hmmm?” Hitomi asked as she turned her attention away from the TV, an overly animated comedian dressed in a far too bright suit throwing his arms up in the air for emphasis.  The audience laughed at whatever joke Date missed, prompting the man to yell out what he could only guess was the other’s catchphrase.

 

“The perfume.  It’s the same one, isn’t it?”

 

Hitomi almost looked embarrassed by that, looking down at her lap as a light blush creeped along her cheeks.  “I should have figured you’d notice.  You’ve got a nose like a bloodhound.  I wore it for you, I thought it might be nice to have something familiar.”

 

“My favorite meal and you’re wearing the perfume I bought you.  You’re really making me feel wanted.”

 

He still remembered the day he gave the gift to her.  It hadn’t been too long since they had gotten back from their weekend getaway to the water park with Iris and he found himself falling for the gorgeous woman and her daughter more and more every single day.  They hadn’t been official for that long, but he still wanted to give her something, to really feel like he was just a normal guy in a normal relationship for once.

 

It didn’t hurt that Rohan had given him a pretty big bonus for his last job.  It had been a messy affair.  The target had been a Kumakura at one point in time, but ended up leaving the family and joining a rival one that had serious issues with the Ujisaki’s as a whole.  That in and of itself wouldn’t necessarily be a death sentence, even with the way Rohan ran things, but the man had stolen several documents for key clients and that was a problem.

 

Rohan might have been batshit crazy, but the man still prided himself on how he handled his clients’ business with secrecy and discretion.  It was why he managed to obtain a pretty decent list, despite not being a huge Yakuza operation.

 

That job had sucked though.  He found the guy, brought him in, and then was forced to stick around while Rohan tortured his prey.  God he hated that fucking potato peeler.

 

But once the job was done and the body disposed of, Rohan had clapped him the back and praised his skills, slipping him a large wad of yen and telling him to have a good time.  Oddly enough, it was moments like that where Rohan was at his best.  Torture and murder really did bring out his softer side it seemed.

 

Cash in hand, the only thing he could honestly think of was getting something for the two girls in his life.  Normally when Rohan had given him extra he would just hide it away in case of an emergency, having a pretty good fund started on the chance he ever had to up and leave quickly.  Sometimes he’d even keep a little extra and get a good bottle of liquor, doing his best to drown out the memories of how he earned it.

 

That night had been different though.  For once he had someone in his life that he could actually buy something for and it was a nice feeling.  He’d had girlfriends in the past, but no one that he felt a connection like he did with Hitomi.

 

Even the girl he dated fresh out the academy didn’t compare to her.  Though in Shizue’s own words, the blonde had been a “bitch of epic proportions” so that was likely why it hadn’t lasted more than a couple of years.  

 

In barely two months though, Hitomi had managed to completely capture and ensnare his heart, she was all he could think about.  And he had never been the type of guy to want or even like kids, but somehow he found himself instantly drawn to Iris.  She was smart and quirky and all around just an amazing girl that he loved spending time with as much as her mother.  

 

He’d never admit it out loud, but his heart had melted the first time she called him “Uncle”.  He didn’t know such a simple term could make him feel anything, but somehow it did.  It made him feel love and happiness and a satisfaction that had never once been present in his life.

 

And he knew why.  He never had that growing up.  There wasn’t any family for him.  No loving mother and father waiting for him when he came home from school, no family dinners and discussion about how everyone’s day went.  There weren’t plans for big family gatherings during the holidays where he would see aunts and uncles and cousins, reminiscing over the past year with food and drink.  

 

In the orphanage he never felt anything even close to happiness.  It had all been fear and sadness, a dark void that seemed impossible to escape from.  The idea of family was a foreign concept for one of the poorest facilities in the city, no one ever coming by to even look at the kids unless by some chance they were given a baby.  And if that were the case, they usually were adopted out almost immediately.

 

Hope for family and a better life was something that was quickly sucked out of the children in that godforsaken place.  He could still remember the joy he felt when the city finally shut that place down, once the abuse allegations became too loud to ignore.  It wouldn’t help the ones that suffered there, but it at least prevented future generations of kids from sharing his horrible fate.

 

It was no wonder that years later he would finally let his guard down enough to fall for a woman like Hitomi.  She was the epitome of everything a parent should be.  She was loving and doted on Iris every chance she got.  She was always telling her how much she loved her, how special she was, giving her hugs several times a day for no reason other than she cared.  It made him realize there was some good left in the world, despite the things he had seen.

 

And because of that, for the first time in his life he had felt moved enough to actually buy a gift for a woman he was dating.  He hadn’t been sure what to get her, but finally settled on a nice bottle of perfume.  Most women liked things like that and he knew for sure that Hitomi did wear it, she had a bottle in the medicine cabinet in her bathroom.  It was something he had seen before in drug stores and he knew it wasn’t overly expensive, but it still had a nice citrusy smell to it.

 

With his goal in mind, he went to one of the department stores in the city and headed straight to the perfume counter.  While he didn’t know what to get, he explained to the girl working that he was looking for a gift for his girlfriend and what she liked to wear.

 

Giving her very little to go on, the girl still managed to pull an unassuming white bottle from behind the counter and spray a small piece of paper.  She handed it off to Date and he immediately caught a whiff of lime along with something he would describe as woodsy but he was sure the perfume girl would give a much better explanation.

 

The scent was light but appealing and he just knew Hitomi would like it as well. He paid for the bottle, the most expensive thing he had bought for anyone ever, and headed back to her place after that.

 

And all these years later, not only did she still have it, but she purposely wore it, for him.  She was without a doubt the most incredible woman he had ever met.  He still couldn’t believe she waited six years for him, never giving up hope that they would be together again.  It was all the more phenomenal since Rohan had been the one piloting his body while in prison.  God only knew what the man said to Hitomi during that time, but it couldn’t have been that bad since she still stuck around.

 

Six years and she had been nothing but loyal.  While he on the other hand…

 

He supposed it wasn’t his fault.  Not really.  He had no memory of his life as Hayato, didn’t know he was in a relationship, didn’t know that they were pretty much ready to move in together.  If he knew all of that, he certainly wouldn’t have slept his way through half of Tokyo just trying to feel something other than the emptiness of everyday life.

 

As odd as it sounded to his own mind, Mizuki had really been the one to save him.  He hadn’t wanted to take her in at first, thinking the idea presented to him by a drunken Renju was one of the worst things he had ever heard.  Even worse than his drunk confession of being a Kumakura lackey that played lookout during murders.  No wonder the two of them were friends, they both were disasters in all aspects of their lives.

 

But even though Mizuki moving in was supposed to be temporary, somehow she just ended up staying with him.  And she managed to brighten up his days and make him happy to come home.  Sure they had their fights and Mizuki was no different than any other child that felt abandoned by her parents by choosing to act out, but he’d be damned if he didn’t come to love the little menace. 

 

For someone that absolutely was not a kid person, he really had been charmed by two incredible young women.  Both girls had managed to save him during some of the worst times of his life and while he would never biologically be either girls father, it didn’t stop him from thinking of them as his daughters.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Hitomi asked as she snuggled closer into Date’s embrace.

 

“Just you and the girls.  Our family.”

 

“Our family?”

 

“Yeah, our family.”

 

“You think of us as family?”

 

Date smiled gently, turning to face Hitomi fully.  He took her left hand in her right and cupped her face with the opposite hand.  “You know I do.  Don’t you feel the same way?”

 

Hitomi nodded, leaning into his touch.  “Yes.”

 

“Look, I know I just got back and things have been crazy.  Really crazy.  You’ve got a lot on your plate with Iris recovering and having to deal with So and Saito and everything Pewter said could have happened with Renju, but…”

 

“But what?”

 

Date swallowed, suddenly finding himself lost for words.  Was he really about to confess his feelings to her after everything she had been through?  It was both way too soon and incredibly overdue, but for whatever reason, it felt right.  Maybe it was because he was getting surgery tomorrow.  He was nervous, despite the fact it was a fairly simple procedure.

 

Nothing would go wrong, and he’d get to spend the weekend recuperating with Hitomi while she helped him with whatever he needed.  He didn’t think he’d have too many issues, it wasn’t like he hadn’t gotten used to life with just one eye.  But considering Mizuki was spending the weekend with Renju and Pewter, that would leave him all alone if he really did run into trouble on his own.

 

A weekend with the woman he loved should fill him with joy, and it did.  But there was that undercurrent of nervous energy from the surgery and also what he knew would end up defining their relationship.  Unless he got that part over with right here and now.

 

“Hitomi…I…you know I care about you.”

 

“I know.  I care about you too.  Iris and I both do.”

 

“I never got the chance to say it before everything went to hell and I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”

 

“Kaname…”

 

“I…I love you Hitomi.  I loved you then and I love you now.  I should have told you before, but…feelings have never been my strong suit.  Not then anyway.  But I’m telling you now because I don’t want to risk the chance of anything happening to us.  I want to be completely transparent and honest with you.  I love you.  I love you Hitomi.”

 

“I…love you…too.”  Hitomi barely got the words out before Date leaned forward, crushing his lips to hers and effectively cutting off anything else she might have said.  He kissed her with everything in him, showing her just how much he loved and cared for her, wanting her to feel it in every way possible.

 

She kissed back just as eagerly, unlinking their hands to circle her arm around his back.  He pulled her forward, depositing her slight frame in his lap all without breaking the kiss.  He really was the luckiest man alive to have this incredible goddess of a woman here with him now, in his arms and loving only him.  Nothing could ever destroy the happiness he felt in that very moment-

 

“Seriously?  Again?  Why are you always such a pervert?”

 

Date groaned as he pulled away from Hitomi and glared back over the couch.  The Great Stonewall of China stood there with her arms crossed, returning an equally angry stare.

 

“You were supposed to be asleep.  Why are you up?”

 

“I wanted some water.”

 

“You could have gone to the bathroom for that.”

 

“I didn’t want bathroom water, I wanted kitchen water.”

 

“It’s the same thing!”

 

“No it’s not, it tastes different.”

 

“It all comes from the same pipes Mizuki.”

 

“Well actually,” Hitomi began softly.  “We have well water so the kitchen faucet has a filter on it for drinking, but the bathroom doesn’t.”

 

“See!”

 

“Not helping me plead our case here for her to stay in that part of the house,” Date mumbled out of the side of his mouth. 

 

Hitomi giggled softly and looked away.  “Sorry dear.”

 

“God, I should have just stayed with dad and Pewter.”

 

“Yeah, like Pewter isn’t balls deep-“

 

“Kaname!” Hitomi exclaimed.

 

“Oh uh, never mind.”

 

“Ugh, you’re seriously gross and deranged.  And why are you thinking of my dad like that anyway pervert?”

 

“Stop calling me a pervert!”

 

“Then stop acting like one.”

 

“Just get your water and go to bed.”

 

“Gladly,” Mizuki mumbled as she stomped into the kitchen.

 

“That’s your daughter.”

 

“Not the time,” Date said quickly under his breath.  It was going to be a long night.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

After the last several chapters being focused on Iris and the aftermath of her finding out the truth, I thought it would be a nice change to bring in some Datomi love. They definitely needed this time together and to finally be able to confess their feelings for each other.

And we got a Mizuki POV as well. It felt like the perfect time to bring her viewpoint back in. She’s got a lot of complicated feelings when it comes to her parents, as most kids would in her situation.

I also know a lot of people will probably disagree with me on how Shoko is here, but the way she is presented in canon is only a small glimpse of her. I don’t think that every single day was an absolute nightmare and that there were probably days that were good. The best example being Mizuki’s memory of Bloom Park with her parents.

I’m just doing my best to try to make Shoko a real person with real problems while also acknowledging that. She isn’t getting forgiven and she has a lot to answer for, but as the story goes on, we find out a little more about her each time.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and if you did, please leave a comment!

Chapter 53

“Rise and shine sleepy head.  Time to wake up.”

 

Saito groaned and rolled over, cracking open his right eye to see Kuranushi hovering over him, bright smile plastered on her face.  Why was she what he had to see first thing in the morning?

 

“What are you doing?” he mumbled, sleepiness still present in his voice.

 

“Waking you up.”

 

“Obviously,” he said as he sat up in bed, swinging his long legs over the edge.  “Why are you being so nice?  Yesterday you threw an orange at my head and said that was breakfast.”

 

The smile on her face faltered ever so slightly as she glanced around the guest room.  It was as much of an eyesore as her office.  Posters packed every inch of space on the wall to the point where Saito wasn’t even sure what the actual paint color was.  There was an assortment of random junk throughout the room too; a treadmill, pair of tennis rackets, a cat tree(though he had yet to see a cat or litter box or anything else that goes along with owning an actual cat), a box of about a dozen masks that ranged intricate masquerade style to full face masks, hockey gear including a set of goalie padding, and so many other things he could barely keep track.  He truly had no idea why she had all of this stuff or what she could possibly do with even half of it.

 

“Maybe I just wanted to be nice.  You ever think of that?  I’m capable of it you know.”

 

Saito raised a brow at the statement.

 

“Fine.  Whatever.  Your dad’s a piece of shit.”

 

“And?  Did you think I was unaware or something?”

 

“No, but… ugh.  I still can’t believe he just left you by yourself your whole childhood.  That sucks.”

 

Saito shrugged his shoulders, not really all that concerned with Kuranushi’s revelation.  That’s just how things worked.  Especially for people with money.  The fancy private school he went to all his life taught him that.  None of his fellow students ever had their parents drop them off or pick them up from school.  It was always a chauffeur or nanny in their place.  Maybe some of the senior students would drive themselves if they had a license, but even that was unusual.  

 

When you were rich and a public figure or in charge of a company, you didn’t have time for such mundane things like seeing your child off to school everyday or attending extracurricular activities.  Saito knew that, but apparently those of the middle class like Kuranushi had no idea how it worked.

 

“It’s fine.  I had Wakumi so it’s not like I was completely alone.”

 

“That still doesn’t make up for not having a parent.”

 

“I mean, she was a better parent than he was.  She was always good to me.”

 

“That’s it, get dressed.  We’re going to the zoo.”

 

“I’m sorry, what?”  Saito stated at her like she grew another head, because she might as well have.  What was she on about?

 

“The zoo.  I’m going to take you to see the animals.  What’s your favorite?”

 

“I’m thirty.  I’m not a child.”

 

“You’re right.  How about the amusement park?  I know one that Date takes Mizuki to sometimes.  It’s small, but they have a couple of rides and they sell balloons and ice cream.  I bet you want a blue balloon.”

 

“Seriously, I’m thirty years old.  I’m a grown man.  Why would you think I’d want to go to the zoo or an amusement park?”

 

“How about a strip club then?”

 

“That just escalated quickly and no.”

 

“A bar?”

 

“It’s not even nine.”

 

“So?”

 

“Don’t you have case stuff to work on?”

 

“Yeah, but we can take a few hours to go and have some fun.”

 

Saito’s idea of fun definitely did not include hanging out with Kuranushi and doing whatever it was she was trying to do.  But he did have to admit, it was nice in a way that she seemed to care.  She was all over the place with how she showed it, but as she liked to remind him constantly, she was the one keeping him out of prison.  Speaking of…

 

“Hey, I’ve got a question for you,” he said as he got up from the bed and went over to the closet to grab an outfit.  He had brought a few more things from his father’s, not really sure how much longer he would be staying with Kuranushi.  He knew it would at least be until his AI Ball was ready, because then there wouldn’t be the constant need to go back and forth to ABIS for the oxytocin supplement.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“What excuse did you end up giving everyone for the whole body swap thing?  The few people in the police department that knew Date didn’t seem to have any problem switching to calling me Sejima.  And I noticed there haven’t been any guards from Fuchu swarming ABIS to take him back to prison or arrest me.”

 

“Oh yeah, I just went with the mask story I told you about.”

 

“Are you serious?  That stupid thing where I was best friends with Date and dressed up as him so he wouldn’t get arrested?”

 

“Yeah.  It was the best I could come up with.  It was either that or a plot line about evil twins, but then we’d have to constantly pretend like we were still searching for yours, so that would be a waste.”

 

“That’s your problem with the evil twin thing?  Not the fact that it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

 

“You said the same thing about the masks and look at you, now you think it’s great.”

 

“No I don’t, that’s idiotic too.  I can’t believe people aren’t questioning it.”

 

“Well they did at first.  Mostly because that still didn’t explain who committed the crime that Date was arrested for anyway.  But I fixed that too.”

 

“How?”

 

“I pinned it on Rohan.  He’s dead, so it’s not like he’s going to talk.  Well, he’s dead according to the government, but he’s not going to talk in a coma either.”

 

“I seriously can’t believe this.”

 

“It helps when you have friends in high places to help forge documents.  And if they’re not my friends that owe me a favor, blackmail works pretty well too.”

 

“Aren’t you a police officer?”

 

“Technically yes.”

 

“No wonder you and Moma get along.  You sound more like a family head than an officer of the law.”

 

Kuranushi smiled brightly, seemingly happy with the observation.  What an absolutely strange thing to be proud of.  

 

“That’s a nice way to think of ABIS.  My own little family with all my underlings to do my duty.  Maybe I’ll have them all start calling me Madam.  I could be a ‘Madam’.”

 

Saito huffed as he grabbed a plain blue long-sleeved shirt and jeans from the closet and tossed them on the bed.  “That doesn’t mean what you think it means.”

 

“What are you talking about?  Isn’t that what they call a female head?”

 

“Not at all.  That’s what they call a woman who runs a prostitute ring.”

 

“Good call.  I wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about what we do at ABIS.”

 

“Right, this one thing will certainly preserve your sparkling reputation.  Now get out so I can get dressed.”

 

Kuranushi nodded and walked over to the door, opening it and stepping out.  “I’ve got breakfast in the kitchen if you’re hungry.  Oh and there’s some hemorrhoid cream on the counter in the bathroom for you too.”

 

“Excuse me?” Saito asked, completely confused.

 

“For your eyes,” Kuranushi said as she lightly tapped under both of hers.

 

Saito turned away with a hiss, refusing to let her see his face.  He hated looking weak in front of others, especially someone like Kuranushi that would use any knowledge to her advantage.

 

“You’re not fooling anyone.  I know what that puffiness means.  Your eyes were starting to get puffy on the ride home, which means whatever happened yesterday with your dad upset you enough to cry.  And considering they’re still this puffy a whole day later, I’d say you did a little crying last night too.  I’m not gonna make you talk about it because well, I don’t think you would.  But if for some reason you feel like getting anything off your chest, I’m here.  And I’m not a half bad listener.”

 

“Why do you even care?” he asked over his shoulder.

 

“I really don’t know.  But there’s something about you… I… you remind me of someone I guess.  And I want to be able to help you and do more for you than the ones that failed you.”

 

“I don’t need anyone’s help.  I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

 

“Just get yourself together and come on out for breakfast when you’re ready.  Wakumi gave me some of that tea you like and told me exactly how to brew it to make sure it turns out pink.  Which was a pain in the ass by the way.  Adding baking soda, stupidest thing ever…” she was mumbling to herself as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

 

Saito let out a small sigh of relief now that she was gone.  He was starting to feel uncomfortable with how much she seemed to care.  Between her and Iris, and even his own father being surprisingly caring yesterday, he really didn’t know how to react.

 

Besides Wakumi, he was used to being ignored and forgotten about.  And in some ways he preferred it.  He didn’t have to pretend to be anything he wasn’t when he was left alone.  He wasn’t forced into awkward situations where he had to make small talk with very important people and make a good impression immediately in order to boost his father’s relationships.  It was endlessly exhausting to be the son of a politician.

 

It had been somewhat of a relief when he had worked for the non-profit, though that had been So’s doing as well.  He thought his son doing good work for an organization, with plenty of photo ops, would showcase him in a positive light.  Because obviously Saito’s actions would be a direct result of how well he was raised by his father.  Just more ways to get the family voters to support his political aspirations.

 

Of course it all backfired on So when Saito specifically chose to work on projects that were almost exclusively research or endless phone calls or tons of paperwork.  Kind of hard to get a photo op when you were stuck at a desk on hold while also typing up a report.

 

Those types of jobs had been perfect for Saito though.  It gave him the opportunity to perform mindless tasks and pass the day away with minimal interaction with anyone else.  He hated being the center of attention, hated being forced to those stuffy dinners his father always attended and insisted he go to as well.  Being made to wear designer suits that cost more than what most of So’s own constituents made in half a year and then having to feign interest in some daughter of whatever rich sucker So was trying reel in to support his campaign.

 

It was so dull and monotonous and of course just about every girl was immediately taken by his looks.  And why wouldn’t they be?  Saito wasn’t vain by any means, but he knew he was attractive.  And that attractiveness was played up even more by the crisp, custom tailored outfit he would be wearing and his perfectly styled hair.  

 

The girls were always the same, regardless of how different they may have seemed at first glance.  The same conversations no matter the venue or event, talking about how jealous their friends would be at the exclusive private girls school they attended.  How they could only dream of getting a boyfriend as handsome as Saito.  That they’d be beside themselves that their friend was at a party like this and rubbing elbows with so many children of influential politicians or actors or businessmen. 

 

Even without his emotions back then it made him sick.  But it also made him realize that in the eyes of most people, he would never be anything more than a tool.  A tool to help win elections, a tool used to make others jealous, a tool that likely would have been used in some arranged marriage when the perfect situation came along.  And now, a tool used by a sketchy government operation that didn’t always operate in the most legal ways.

 

For all of her talk, he still didn’t trust Kuranushi.  It wasn’t that he didn’t believe what she stood there and told him, because he did.  He could read people fairly well, but at the same time there was something that she seemed to be hiding.  What exactly was she hoping to gain by keeping him around and digging in to the Cyclops killings?

 

Did she think he would suddenly remember something?  Some long forgotten conversation with Rohan locked away in the deepest recesses of his mind that would be triggered by a completely mundane action?  That was unlikely.

 

Most of his memories under the mind control were fairly clear.  Some were fuzzier than others, and he still couldn’t remember anything from his time with Fumiyo, but other than that, he could distinctly remember the murders.  

 

What Kuranushi didn’t seem to realize was how damn secretive Rohan was.  He didn’t let him in on why they were killing those women.  And why would he?  Saito was a tool to him too.  Just another one of his grunts ordered to do something.  He didn’t tell most of them anything more than the bare minimum, and he told Saito even less because all he had to do was give an order and he was powerless to do anything but follow it.

 

Whatever Rohan’s reasons for the murders were something known only to him.  And what could they do now that the man was in a coma?  He supposed they could Psync with him, but that didn’t guarantee they would find out anything of value.  

 

The key to Psyncing after all was speaking with the subject first.  Asking them questions about what you actually wanted to know.  Even if the subject happened to be difficult and give nothing away, it put them in the frame of mind to be thinking about whatever they seemed to be hiding.  Which then opened the door to a higher likelihood of having a successful Psync finding out exactly what that was.

 

But in Rohan’s case it wouldn’t work.  Sure, it could be argued that people in comas could hear and even comprehend, but it wasn’t a guarantee that said person would be coherent in that one particular moment.  They could Psync with him a dozen times and likely wouldn’t get anything they were looking for.

 

Saito had to wonder if Rohan would give anything away even if he was fully conscious.  That man never let anything out that he didn’t want to, always three steps ahead of everyone else.  Hell, he’d probably have so many mental blocks up that it would be next to impossible to navigate a Psync in his mind. 

 

No, the only way they’d find out anything about Rohan’s involvement was by pure, dumb luck.  Maybe he’d ask Moma later if his brother had any sort of files anywhere.  It was a long shot, he really didn’t think Rohan would be so careless as to keep anything like that around in plain sight, but it was worth trying he supposed.

 

And Moma seemed the sentimental type not to throw anything out.  Not that he would want to get rid of any of their business records, legal or otherwise, but if there was anything that wasn’t official Kumakura business, he likely kept that too.  Maybe he even still had Rohan’s computer.  Knowing the older Kumakura though, they’d need an experienced cracker to even access the data.

 

Not that she liked him very much, and the feeling was certainly mutual, but he had to wonder if that was something Aiba would be capable of.  If anyone should be able to bypass whatever security an overly paranoid Rohan had installed, it should be an AI of her level.

 

Of course this all depended on the fact that something even existed in the first place.  And if it did, Moma knowing where it was.  

 

It was a shot in the dark, but maybe he’d bring his idea up to Kuranushi at some point during the day.  But before any of that, he’d eat breakfast with her and hope she was back to her normal annoying self instead of this new awkward and caring persona she was putting on.  His stomach instantly let out a gurgle at the idea of food and he quickly dressed himself for the day.  

 

Giving himself a quick once over in the mirror, he pulled his hair up and away with an elastic tie he found, seeing the tell tail puffiness on his face that Kuranushi had mentioned.  He didn’t know why he was letting the case get to him so much.  He certainly wasn’t interested in truly helping these people out and yet, he couldn’t help but feel like he had to do it.  

 

It wasn’t for them though, it couldn’t be.  He was doing this for the ones he killed.  They deserved justice for his actions, not that they were truly his own, but someone had to help.  And that someone was him apparently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boss glanced over at Saito in the passenger seat, the blonde watching as the scenery flew by, though he didn’t seem to really be focusing on anything.  He had been quiet throughout breakfast, more so than usual, but it did seem like he had taken her advice and used the cream under his eyes.  The puffiness was no longer as prominent and looked to gradually be going down as well.

 

She had no idea what the cause of the breakdown at So’s and the subsequent episode at her home was, but it couldn’t have been anything good.  Especially because he hadn’t been nearly as quiet as he thought he was.  She could hear Saito’s muffled cries when she walked down the hall to her own bedroom, exhausted from the day and finally done consuming enough mindless tv.  That comedy special had been pretty good though…

 

Saito still wasn’t loud by any means, but she had to guess that being in So’s home was probably different than hers.  There were so many rooms and sections of that place it was likely he was far enough away from his father’s living area, and therefor didn’t need to worry about being overheard if he did need to let it all out.

 

She had hovered outside the door, listening to the strangled sounds of him trying his best to hold back the cries.  Her hand was raised to knock, but she had hesitated.  It wouldn’t do any good, and she knew that.  All that would happen would be a large scene between the two, Saito going back to that snotty brat of a rich kid personality that he seemed to favor so much.

 

It was obviously some inane way he had come up with to protect himself, there was no other reason for it.  If there was any sort of dissent at all, he made it his goal to make it worse.  Which was why she now had Pewter rage designing an AI Ball for him.

 

She could only imagine what kind of personality he’d come up with.  It didn’t matter though, if it was too bad, she’d make him change it.  But the more important thing was, they needed that unit as soon as possible.  Pewter wouldn’t screw up the medical portion of the design, no matter how much he couldn’t stand Saito.  And even if the AI personality wasn’t exactly what she or Saito wanted, it would likely only annoy him, not hurt him.

 

Pewter could be ruled by his emotions, she had witnessed that first hand in the past with how he all but lived at ABIS following the breakup with his then boyfriend.  The man did nothing but work until he was so exhausted he could barely stand, return home for a few hours to sleep, shower, and hopefully eat something, before returning bright and early the next day.  And while he had definitely been stressed and emotional during that time, he hadn’t done anything stupid.  Above all else, Pewter was a man of science.  He knew his limits and wouldn’t put himself or anyone else in danger by doing something needlessly reckless.

 

Except for the self Psync.  That was pretty bad.  And now that she thought about it, if his dreams were to be believed in full, letting a violent inmate serving a life sentence escape from police custody all because his “boyfriend” asked wasn’t his shining moment either.  Not to mention how he later tried to destroy Aiba’s core programming on their servers.

 

On second thought, maybe she should check in with Pewter in the next couple of days.  Just as a precaution.

 

She looked at Saito once more, he still hadn’t moved, right eye just as unfocused as before on the buildings going past.  He had opted for the eye patch over his left again, not that she blamed him.  For all his false bravado about not caring about anything at all, he did take a certain pride in his appearance.  Even casually dressed in jeans and a plain long sleeved shirt, he still had himself put together.  His long hair was pulled up in a ponytail, all the flyaways smoothed down with what Boss had to assume was her hair gel.

 

It was strange to see the face that she associated for so long with Date belonging to someone else.  Not that she didn’t know who the original owner of the body was, but for whatever reason, her mind never truly associated that face with Saito, despite knowing the truth.

 

It was an adjustment for everyone though, to go from goofy, smiling Kaname Date to brooding, always scowling Saito Sejima.  It was jarring to say the very least.  Not to mention some of the other members of the MPD that were more or less liaisons between the two groups had avoided coming down to ABIS during the last few days.  At least the ones that were told the mask story.

 

But that could be because of he rumors of a possible shut down as well she reasoned.  The MPD was already well aware that most of the Psyncers would be joining them on the force in some way, shape or form.  The only ones that had officially been kept on were Date and Ryuki.  Kanna was still in a coma, which had it’s own rumors of what could have happened to land her there.  

 

Despite being technically part of the  MPD and even housed in their own building, most members of the force knew nothing about ABIS or what they did.  They were just the weirdos in the basement.  In fact, Kagami and that other annoying detective that constantly accused her of sleeping with her subordinates were the only ones that ventured down to sub-floor six with any regularity.  Not even the Chief came down if he needed something, always making Boss come to him.

 

“Hey, we’re almost to the station.  You feeling ok?”

 

“Mmmm.”

 

Boss could tell the medicine was almost completely out of his system.  He had been gradually becoming more stoic as the morning went on and now he barely responded to anything.  It was such a night and day difference.  She almost wondered if after the night he had it would be better to leave him in this emotionless state just so he didn’t have to feel anything, but she soon thought better of it.  While he might feel good in the moment by actually not being able to feel anything at all, it would just delay the inevitable.

 

Especially when Pewter finished his AI Ball in the coming week.  He’d finally have a steady supply of the supplement and it would be delivered with regularity so he wouldn’t have to continuously suffer the highs and lows of it wearing off.  At that point he’d have to learn to live with the constant feelings, not have a means to push them off.  And she had a feeling it would make it worse in the long run anyway if she gave him the chance to go a few days without any supplement.  Once he started the medication back up, it would hit him full force.  And after days of feeling nothing, that would be overwhelming.

 

“Naoki should be there this morning, so I’ll have him give you the injection.  Unless you want to go up to the medical lab.”

 

“With the red-headed nurse?”

 

That caught Boss’ attention.  Did she detect a little something in his voice that wasn’t there before?  “Oh?  Do you like her?  She is pretty hot.   And single from what I hear.  We can definitely go see her, maybe she’ll cheer you up.”

 

Saito shook his head, still staring out the window.  “I met her the other day.  She asked why I was wandering around on ‘her’ floor and when I said I was just looking around, that was the wrong answer.  She slapped me, called me an asshole for not even coming to apologize, and yelled at me to get off her floor and not come back, even if I was injured.”

 

“Damn it Date,” Boss mumbled to herself, good mood suddenly evaporating.  She had told him not to screw anyone they had to work with anymore, it always made things awkward and now they had to avoid that particular nurse’s shift.  And of course he wouldn’t tell her about it, because even he knew he shouldn’t be fucking around with co-workers.  Joking was one thing, but it never ended well actually getting involved.  Not that having a conversation now would actually work, she had a feeling that Date was long gone now that he had his memories as Hayato back.

 

“Is there anywhere or anyone else in the precinct I should avoid?”

 

Well that was a loaded question.  He might as well of asked if there was anyone in Tokyo he should avoid because likely yes, there would be others in the MPD that Date had slept with and held contempt for the man.  Especially because she hadn’t given the story of the Saito and Date prison swap face mask operation to every single department, just the ones she thought really needed to know.

 

“I could send out an email to the entire building, just to cover our bases.”

 

That did cause Saito to finally turn his stare in her direction. A look of pure confusion coupled incredulity present on his features.  “And say what?  Please reply back if you had sex with Kaname Date and he was a prick?”

 

“More or less, yeah.”

 

“That’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard.  Just forget it.  I’m not worried about visiting other floors, I’ll stay in ABIS.  We’re going through files again anyway, right?”

 

Boss didn’t miss the way his shoulders drooped at that.  He looked like a kicked dog.  She had a feeling some of his depression was coming from the case, but this pretty much confirmed it.

 

“No, actually we’re doing something else today.”

 

“I already told you I don’t want to go to the park or a strip club.”

 

“We’re not.  Unless you’re saying you don’t want to because you really do, in which case-“

 

“I don’t.  I really don’t.  I don’t play games and say the opposite of what I really mean.”

 

“Fine, fine.  Be a spoilsport,” she waved him off with one hand.  “Anyway, we’re going out in the field today.”

 

“The field?”

 

“Yeah, we’ll get your dose in you and then I’m going upstairs to grab our warrants.  They’re ready.”

 

“Warrants for what?”

 

“We’re going to visit a few doctors today.  And get copies of the medical records for the victims.  Better to get them now before anyone changes their minds and takes the warrants back.”

 

“You think that could actually happen?”

 

“Maybe.  I got a little pushback for even reopening the case, I just don’t want to risk sitting on this for too long.  Something is off, but I don’t know what.”

 

“You’re hoping this all leads to Fumiyo somehow, aren’t you?”

 

Saito didn’t miss a beat, that was for sure.  If things were different, he’d make a hell of a good detective, unless she managed to scoop him up for ABIS first.  But as things stood, she was lucky to even be allowed to take a civilian with her, despite being the one in charge of her division.

 

“That would be ideal, but I doubt there’s going to be a smoking gun pointed right to her location.  We know that she has moved around Europe throughout the years, never staying anywhere for more than two or three at a time.  And that’s only because your dad gave us that information.  As far as actually tracking her through any official means, we’ve got nothing.  She might as well not exist.  The only reason I believe she’s even still alive is because So said she is.  I don’t think he would lie about something like that, not when he has absolutely nothing to gain.”

 

“That’s true.  Dad doesn’t lie just for the sake of it.  There has to be something he’s trying to achieve or he wouldn’t bother.”

 

“Exactly.  She’s out there somewhere, it’s just a matter of where.  And what we can do to lure her back here.”

 

“If she’s as paranoid as dad says, I’ve got a feeling there won’t be much of anything that you can do.  Family wasn’t enough for her to stay, so I doubt she’d come back.”

 

“She came back for you, didn’t she?  When So asked her to.”

 

“I think she was just looking for an easy guinea pig that wouldn’t fight back.  I couldn’t be more perfect for her to test that abomination she came up with on.  But if you think she’d come back for me, I doubt it.  Once I…” Saito cut himself off with a grimace and Boss had to resist the urge to say something comforting.

 

One thing she had learned about Saito was that he retreated further into himself when he was shown any kindness whatsoever.  At least when she tried it.  Someone like Wakumi would likely have more success, but she also built that trust up over the course of twenty some odd years.

 

“…anyway, she left as soon as she could.  I wouldn’t be enough of a reason to bring her back.”

 

“Pewter might though.”

 

“And how do you figure that’s going to work?  Even if you could convince her that he’s in trouble, you’d still have to find her.”

 

“I’ve got a plan.”

 

Saito rolled his one eye and shook his head, muttering “This should be good” under his breath.  Why was this the go-to reaction for all of her plans now?  She had come up with some pretty good ones lately but for some reason this little prick doubted her.

 

“It wouldn’t hold much ground coming from me, but if you went to your father and told him you happened to ‘overhear’ one of my conversations concerning Pewter, he might try to contact his sister and tell her.”

 

“And what should I happen to ‘overhear’?”

 

“The fact that I think Pewter has been in on the Cyclops killings from the start.  That he found out about his mom’s mind control technique six years ago and wanted to test how far it could go.  So he got Rohan Kumakura involved to do the face to face with you, but he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes all along.”

 

“And you think this is what is going bring her out of hiding?  That plan has so many holes it’s ridiculous.  Dad won’t fall for it, let alone tell her.”

 

“I think it will bring her out of hiding once she realizes the son she was so desperate to protect could be tried and possibly sentenced to death for her crimes.”

 

“Fine, maybe she would come back if she really thought his life was in danger.  It doesn’t change the fact that nothing else makes any sense.  Pewter doesn’t know Rohan.  And how would he have found out about the mind control?  If my aunt is anything like my dad, she’ll tear this story apart.”

 

“We’ll have to hone it a little, but Rohan is easy enough to explain.  He could have been introduced by Renju.  He’s been with the Kumakura’s for years, so if Pewter was looking for a way to get involved with the Yakuza, he’d just ask his boyfriend.”

 

“I’m pretty sure they didn’t know each other six years ago.  And Renju was still married to Shoko.”

 

“Maybe he cheated.”

 

“You’re really going all out with this, aren’t you?”

 

“Well I’ve got to do something to get her back on Japanese soil.  I can’t arrest her out of the country, and without definitive proof that she was actually involved in the murders, I can’t even get Interpol involved.”

 

“Not like they can make an arrest anyway.”

 

“No, but if we could narrow down the country she was in currently, they could facilitate communications on our behalf and possibly help with getting her arrested and expedited here.  It’s a long shot, but unless So is ready to trust me and try to get her here, that’s all I’ve got.  And you’re the one I need to help do it.”

 

“You really think I’ll help you out, huh?”

 

“I do.”

 

“I think your faith in me is grossly misguided.”

 

Boss smiled at that.  Saito really had been beaten down and abused so much throughout his life that he couldn’t see how truly valuable he could be.  He was smart and possessed excellent timing and judgment.  She had witnessed that first hand when he snuck up and took out Rohan while everyone else had been helpless.  And if that wasn’t enough, in a matter of an hour he had found a link between all four Cyclops victims that no one else had ever noticed.  He was more vital than he realized.

 

“I think my faith in you is perfectly placed actually.  And I think you’ll continue to help me going forward.”

 

“And why is that?”

 

“Because, you want to know the truth as much as anyone else.  Hell, I think you probably want to know it more than anyone else.  And I’m the only one that’s been willing to help you find it out so far.”

 

Saito was silent at that, likely mulling over the words inside his head.  She knew all the right things to say, years of being part of the MPD really honing her manipulation tactics.  But at the same time, she didn’t necessarily feel like this was true manipulation.  She wanted the answers as much as he did.  Especially now when it pretty much affected her entire department.

 

With the other Psyncers gone, the only person that wasn’t somehow involved in the case was Ryuki.  Even with that, he’d been more than willing to help out with interviews or research or gathering evidence.  Despite the odd pairing they made, the younger man really wanted to help Naoki get justice for his sister.  And after hearing the other engineer’s story the day before, she couldn’t say that she was without sympathy for his plight.

 

She’d get the answers she needed and she’d finally put the case to rest.  It was still a long shot to get Fumiyo to come out of hiding, but if she could spin a convincing enough story that Saito could then relay to So, she had a shot.

 

“What’s the plan today then?  You said we were going to visit a few doctor’s offices and pick up medical files.”

 

“Yeah.  After we do that, I have the names and addresses of where they all worked too.  We might not get to all of them today, but that’s the next step.  Talking to their bosses and seeing if we can find any other connections.”

 

“And the warrants are ready?  So all we have to do is pick them up and head out?”

 

“Pretty much.  I’ve got to pick something else up while we’re there though.  We’ve got to stop by the third basement floor and visit Tech.”

 

“Tech?”

 

“He’s…well he’s our tech guy.  Works with Pewter on a couple of things.  But I’ve got to pick up my Evolver from him and he was working on a little something else for me too.”

 

“Why does that worry me?”

 

“It’s fine, seriously.  You’ll love the guy, just wait.”

 

Boss made the turn into the parking garage and watched as Saito continued to stare at her out of the corner of her eye.  He was always so suspicious of everything.  Not that he didn’t have a right to be she supposed, but here she was trying to do something nice and he couldn’t even appreciate it.  Plus, she knew he would like Tech.  Probably.  Everyone loved Tech.  It’s not like the guy was that strange.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Another chapter down and we got a double dose of Saito and Boss feelings. I love writing their dynamic so much, I just can't help it.

Also, I hope everyone enjoyed the little mentions of side characters from AINI in this chapter as well as the previous one. While this fic is still spoiler free for the second game, it's fun to give them a little nod for when the sequel happens.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you back next time for when Saito's little adventure continues. What will he think of Tech? If Boss says the guy is fine, surely that means Saito will get along with him too.

As always, please leave a comment if you liked the chapter, I love them all!

Chapter 54

Tech was absolutely the strangest person he had ever laid eyes on, and after seeing his cousin and the way he dressed, the bar was set pretty high on that front.  Saito didn’t even know what to make of the man, he had so much going on at once it was hard to focus.

 

He wore a body suit very similar to the one he’d seen Pewter in, except the piping throughout was bright and colorful.  It started off yellow at the top and went on a gradient to orange before finally fading to red at the bottom, disappearing into a pair of heeled ankle boots that were definitely not commissioned by the police department.

 

Instead of topping off the body suit with a lab coat, he wore a flowy open kimono decorated with bright and colorful flowers, all in the same warm color scheme of yellows, oranges, and reds.  Fingerless red leather gloves covered his hands, exposing his light orange nails that he tapped lazily against the counter.

 

His head was practically shaved bald on the right side, barely showing the natural brown color of his hair while the left was shoulder length and dyed rose gold.  It was an odd aesthetic to be sure, especially with what looked like a tattoo of ivy leaves and some sort of orange and yellow flowers showing beneath the stubble on the shaved side.

 

And if all of that wasn’t enough, he had a delicate gold chain that extended from his nose ring to his right earlobe.  It moved slightly against his cheek as he greeted Kuranushi with a smile.

 

“Here for the goods then?” he asked.

 

“Is everything ready?” Kuranushi responded back as she walked right up to the counter, leaning her elbows against the worn wood.

 

“Of course.  Do I ever miss a deadline or fail to deliver quality merchandise?”

 

“Easy, I’m not doubting you.  I know you always come through.”

 

“Damn straight I do.  And don’t forget it.  I even designed you a couple new bullets.  Test ‘em out today and let me know what you think.  I can make more if you like them.”

 

Kuranushi let out a sigh and shook her head, seemingly on the same train of thought that Saito was himself.  This was beginning to seem less and less like a normal transaction at the MPD weapons depot and more like organized crime by the minute.

 

“We’re going to a few offices, I doubt I’ll be able to test them out.”

 

“You never know.  Give’re a whirl if you get a chance.  I think you’ll like them.  I’ve got one called ‘Strobe’, which is basically what it sounds like.  You fire it into the air and it immediately releases a bright light that then starts flashing.  First it half blinds your target and then it disorients them.  Make sure you close your eyes or wear sunglasses with that one,” he said as he reached below the counter and grabbed a handful pearlescent bullets and laid them on the counter.

 

Not waiting for a reaction, he put a second type down next to the first.  They were bright green with a tiny skull and crossbones painted on them.  “And these lovelies right here are poison rounds.”

 

“Tech seriously, besides actual live rounds, these aren’t supposed to kill people.  We’re not using these.”

 

“It’s not that type of poison.  It won’t kill anyone.  Just shoot it anywhere on the body and it releases a serum into the system that’s not much worse than a bit of food poisoning.  It works like the rounds loaded with anesthesia.  Near instant vomiting and your perp is pretty much incapacitated.  Works like a charm.”

 

“Except the part where we’ve got to haul a puking suspect back here.  That’s awful and I’m not testing it.”

 

“Fiiiiiine.  Can I interest you in a tear gas round?”

 

“Are you sure this is legal?” Saito asked, wondering not for the first time how so many strange individuals seemed to get hired at ABIS.

 

“Course it is.  I mean, more legal than when I did it on my own anyway.”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Kuranushi began.  “He was creating and selling illegal weapons out of a book store front and we picked him up as part of a different case.  Had to Psync with him and then figured he could do us some good designing weapons that the MPD just weren’t capable of.”

 

“And you just went along with working for the police?”

 

“Better than jail.”

 

Saito couldn’t argue with that.  But it was still strange to have someone with a record like that working for the police department.  Though he supposed technically Date had a record.  It was bogus considering Rohan had actually been the one to pull the trigger, but it wasn’t like the former detective didn’t have a whole slew of crimes that he actually committed.

 

“Anyway, here’s yours,” Tech said as he laid Kuranushi’s gun on the counter, safely away from the poison bullets that Saito wasn’t completely sure were actually safe to touch.  Even so, the other man hadn’t thrown up yet and his long fingers were exposed, but he wasn’t taking the chance.

 

“And one for you too.”

 

Saito looked down as a second gun was placed next to Kuranushi’s.  It was pretty much identical except hers had a red grip whereas the other was plain gray.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“Your Evolver?” Tech answered, slowly saying the words with a question behind his tone, as if he were speaking to someone particularly slow.

 

“Why?” Saito asked, ignoring the other man and turning his question towards Kuranushi.  It didn’t make any sense.  Why were they trying to give him a weapon?

 

“It’s just in case something happens.  I want to make sure you have a way to protect yourself.  I’m not giving you live rounds, but a few knockout ones should do the trick.”

 

“But you said we were going to medical offices.  I don’t need this.”

 

“It’s just a precaution.  You won’t need it, but if for some reason you do, you’ll have it.”

 

Saito stared at the gun, suddenly feeling sick as the image of Naoki’s older sister invaded his thoughts.  Tears streaming down her face, hands clasped tightly together in prayer as she begged for her life on her knees in those secluded and lonely woods.  

 

A small whimper escaped his lips as he shoved the weapon away, nearly sliding off the counter if not for Tech’s quick reflexes.  Saito brought the palm of his hand to his right eye, pushing down hard until he saw stars, trying to block out the mental image of the girl infecting his brain.

 

“Saito?”

 

“Please, I don’t want it.  I don’t want a gun.”

 

Kuranushi at least seemed to understand without him saying anything further.  “Hey Tech, you got anything else?”

 

The man in question let out a loud huff and Saito opened his eye in time to see him take the gun and put it under the counter.  “Sure whatever, it’s not like I didn’t drop everything else I was working on to custom make this on short notice.  Guess Date or Ryuki could use it as a spare.”

 

“See?  Look at you always looking on the bright side of things.”

 

Tech chose to ignore her comment and walked over to the wall behind him, heels clicking across the cement floor.  “Any preferences?”

 

“No knives.”

 

“Anything else?”

 

“Nothing like a rock either.”

 

Tech raised a brow in question and Saito finally noticed that was pierced as well, gold barbell matching the other jewelry adorning his face.  “My weapons are basically art, each beautiful in their own way and you think I’d give you something as crude as a rock?”

 

Saito shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the slew of weapons on the shelves.  There was pretty much anything he could possibly want, but at the same time, having a weapon in his hands just felt wrong.  He’d been forced to hurt so many people against his will, how could he possibly do it now?

 

“If you don’t want something, speak up.  I can’t read your mind.”

 

“I don’t,” Saito answered simply.  What else could he really say?  The idea of having anything near him capable of taking a human life made a shiver run down his spine.  Not that he wasn’t capable of death all on his own.  He didn’t need a weapon to strangle someone.  

 

His fingers twitched, convulsively playing out a song in his head.  Focusing on the music only he could hear, he tried to calm down.

 

“Do you have anything good for defense?  I just don’t want him out there completely on his own,” Kuranushi sighed dejectedly, seemingly accepting the fact that the gun would not be used.

 

“You know,” Tech began as he brought his hand up to rest below his chin, looking deep in thought.  “This is highly unorthodox.  Assigning a weapon to a civilian.”

 

“It’s fine.  I take full responsibility.”

 

“And if he ends up hurting someone?”

 

“I take responsibility.”

 

“And what if someone hurts him?  What if he ends up injured or in the hospital?  What then?  Last I checked, filing reports wasn’t your strong suit.”

 

“Eh, I’ll have someone else do it.  Pewter, Naoki, Date, whichever one pisses me off most that day,” she said with a laugh.

 

Tech shook his head, turning back to the shelf and observing it with a watchful eye.  Saito was about to say something when the other man spoke up once again.  

 

“A defensive weapon is ok with you then?”

 

Saito had a feeling Kuranushi wouldn’t let this go until he took something, even if he had absolutely no intention of using it whatsoever.  He wouldn’t purposely hurt another human being ever again.  Except maybe Rohan, but he figured he more than earned that right.  “I suppose that will be alright.”

 

“What is with you bringing in all these proper kids in here lately?”

 

“I’m not a kid,” Saito replied before Kuranushi could answer.

 

“Sure you’re not.  I’m at least fifteen years older than you, which makes you a kid.  Now, how do you feel about a bo staff?  You ever used one before?”

 

Tech turned around with a small cylindrical object is his hand, not much longer than a can of soda.  Saito shook his head, he had never used one before, but he had certainly seen them.  Whatever this was, it definitely was not a staff.

 

Clearly picking up on his unasked question, Tech held the object out in front of his body, thumb moving ever so slightly to press a button in the middle.  It glowed blue and then sprung to life, extending in a matter of seconds until he now held a staff nearly as tall as he was.  He gave it a quick twirl, the blue light leaving a mesmerizing trail behind.

 

“It’s simple and lightweight, and compresses down to make it easy to hold on your person.  When you’re ready to use it, press the button and now you’ve got your weapon.  Push this other button here,” he said as he did just that.  “And as you can see, the end emits an electric charge like a stun gun.  Now you can easily incapacitate someone if you need to.”

 

“I don’t know if that’s the weapon for me.  It’s a little…flashy.”

 

“Like you aren’t?” Kuranushi replied.  “You do that little dancing martial arts thing, that’s as flashy as it gets.”

 

“Capoeira?”

 

Saito rolled his eye and let out a huff.  Why did she have to say it that way?  He didn’t dance around.  In fact, he was the one that saved her ass while everyone stood around like a bunch of idiots.  He could have just let Rohan take them all out while he escaped out the back, but no, he had to have a moral compass now that for some reason compelled him to do the right thing.

 

“I don’t do Capoeira.  I practice Tai Chi.”

 

Tech looked thoughtful for a moment as he pressed the button on the staff once more, the weapon contracting until it was back to it’s original size and fit in the palm of his hand.  He sat it down on the counter before turning back to the wall and grabbing what looked like a set of sticks.

 

“You ever play video games?”

 

“No…”

 

“Ok, well these are tonfas.  Real weapons, but also fairly popular in RPGs.”

 

“RPGs?”

 

“Role playing games,” Kuranushi supplied.  “Seriously even I know that.  You’ve really never played a video game before?”

 

Saito just shrugged.  “Why would I?  There was nothing to gain from it.  Dad viewed it as a waste of time.”

 

“You poor deprived child.  That’s it, I’m getting you a system.  You need games.”

 

“Once again, not a child.  And I think I’ll live.”

 

Tech cleared his throat loudly, impatiently tapping his fingers against the countertop.  “You know I’ve got other stuff to do today.  And I was hoping to actually finish on time instead of working late like I had to last night.  I’d like to be able to go see my girlfriend at work before she closes up for the night.”

 

“You have a girlfriend?” Kuranushi deadpanned.

 

Tech immediately looked offended.   “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Oh my God, stop.  You know I didn’t mean it that way.  You’re always here, I didn’t think you had time for a social life.”

 

“And who’s fault is that?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Mmhmm, anyway moving on-”

 

“Wait, who is she?  You can’t just leave it like that.”

 

“I can and I did.”

 

“If you’re going to see her after work, then she must work nights.  Oh my God, does she work as Sunfish Pocket?  Are you dating one of them too?”

 

Tech rolled his eyes, likely realizing that if he didn’t at least answer this question, he’d never get rid of her.  If only it was that easy for Saito.

 

“No.  She doesn’t work there.  She owns her place.  Nice little bar that’s quiet with a good atmosphere and pretty much just locals and a handful of regulars.”

 

“Where is it?  I want to go.”

 

“Absolutely not.  So, the tonfas, you like them or not?”

 

Saito looked down at the weapons on the counter.  He’d seen them before at the dojo he practiced at, but had never used them himself as it wasn’t a weapon generally associated with Tai Chi.  He grabbed one experimentally, holding the grip in his right hand as the longer part of the baton-like weapon laid against his forearm.  It was a little heavier than he expected, but nothing that he still couldn’t easily move with.

 

“There’s a button on the end of the grip, if you hit that, it electrifies the outer edge.  That way if someone comes at you, you can quickly block and give them a nasty shock as well.  You can still use it for offense, but you have to practically be on top of them.  This is pretty much the closest thing I have to an almost exclusively defensive weapon though.”

 

“It’s kind of bulky.”

 

“Which is why I recommended the bo staff.  You can put it in your pocket and no one will ever know what it is.  And Tai Chi uses a staff in training, so you should have some vague familiarity with it.”

 

“Do you have anything else?” Saito asked as he sat the tonfas down next to the staff.

 

Tech ran a gloved hand down his face, muffling the sigh that escaped his lips.  “A taser.  I can give you a taser.  That’s it.  You don’t want a gun or a knife or anything that can use deadly force.  This is what I have, unless you want me to try to make you a shield like you’re going to a renaissance fair.”

 

“We’ll take the staff.  It’ll be fine.”

 

“But I don’t want-”

 

“It will be fine,” Kuranushi said firmly, the joking edge she had before suddenly absent.  “Anything else we should know about it?”

 

Tech nodded, grabbing the staff once again and walking in front of the counter.  He almost glided over to the empty area off to the side, kimono flowing gently behind him.  Extending his arm out, he hit the button to bring the staff to life.  He gave it a quick twirl and that was when Saito really noticed how he moved.  It was with a practiced skill that spoke of years of training, the muscles contracting beneath the odd suit he wore.

 

It became increasingly clear to Saito that not only did Tech design the weapons, he was also quite proficient with them.  Just who was this guy anyway?  With the not so subtle tattoo on the side of his head, Saito had to wonder if the man was former yakuza.  He had both pinkies which meant if he was, he at least parted on good terms.  Or was part of Moma’s family which meant it didn’t matter how he left.

 

“So, if you take the staff and place end on the ground like and hold the button that extends it for five seconds and let go, it will adhere to the ground like this,” Tech said as he demonstrated and let go of the staff, the weapon standing up on it’s own.  “Now you can use it as-”

 

“A stripper pole?  That’s amazing!” Kuranushi exclaimed, looking far too excited over the idea.

 

“What? No!” Tech answered back, his expression clearing showing how stupid he thought that idea was.  “You can use it for leverage.”

 

“Leverage?”

 

“Yeah, you can grab on to it and lift your body up to kick or spin around to reach someone.”

 

“If you’re spinning on it then it is a stripper pole.”

 

“No it’s not,” Tech said with an exasperated sigh.  “Like this.”

 

The man placed his left hand near the middle and right above it and then lifted his body almost completely parallel.  Quicker than Saito thought possible, especially with no momentum, Tech swung his legs around, heeled foot just inches from Kuranushi’s face as he landed on the other side.  

 

“See?  Not a stripper pole.”

 

Kuranushi grinned, not the least bit fazed.  The woman was made of ice, that was the only explanation for it.  Though Saito supposed she would have to be tough to go through the ranks like she did and then get placed in charge of her own division.  A division of misfits it seemed, but still in charge nonetheless.

 

She walked forward, reaching her hand down the front of her dress and pulling a 1000 yen bill from her bra.  Saito rolled his eye, that fucking tracked.

 

“Not the best I’ve seen, but you’ve got potential,” she said as she handed the bill to the lanky weapons master.

 

“God you’re cheap,” he mumbled as he pocketed the bill.  

 

“Take the suit off next time and you’ll get a better tip.”

 

“You wish,” he replied with a wink, reaching for the staff and pushing the button to detract the device again.  He tossed it over to Saito, who caught it easily enough.

 

In the grand scheme of things, he had to admit the weapon wouldn’t be that bad.  It was actually fairly practical, gave him some reach if he needed it and would incapacitate someone if it came to that.  And while it could technically be used to kill another person, it wouldn’t be easy to accidentally do it, so that lessened his worries.

 

Plus, what was the likelihood that he would ever have to use it against another human being?  He wasn’t an officer, he wasn’t a member of ABIS.  He was barely a consultant and once the case was solved, Saito would be able to put this place and all these people behind him.

 

With a determination he hadn’t felt before, he pocketed the weapon.  He had a purpose for once, and he had to admit, he liked it.  Not that he would ever tell Kuranushi that, but it didn’t hurt to think it.

 

“Come on Saito, let’s go.”

 

Kuranushi was standing in the doorway, seemingly waiting for him to come over.  He gave one last glance to Tech who had already busied himself behind the counter once again.  He had a pair of dark googles on and was welding something together, already forgetting about his visitors.  

 

With that cue, Saito followed his sort of keeper/guardian out into the hall.  Hopefully they’d get something worthwhile today so it wouldn’t be a total waste of time. 

 

 

 

“Shoko?”

 

Renju watched as Shoko glanced up from her computer, for all intents and purposes looking completely normal and like she was back in the swing of things.  But he had known her long enough to see that that wasn’t the case.

 

She had bags under her eyes, the polish on her nails was slightly chipped, and the back of her hair had a strange indent that made it obvious she hadn’t been as thorough with her straightener as she usually was.  For someone that was always put together, that never left her home looking anything less than perfect, it was odd.

 

He probably should have checked on her sooner, considering the last time he saw her was a few days ago when Moma agreed to let her stay with him.  The relief had been paramount, he knew she would be safe with Moma and that one of his oldest friends and confidants could handle whatever his ex-wife threw at him.  After all, he’d known Shoko nearly as long as him.  And Moma also had the patience of a saint when dealing with her bullshit.  His too honestly, it’s not like he was always the easiest to get along with.

 

Unfortunately, the knowledge that she had been with Moma had driven all other thoughts out of his mind.  He had been concentrating on Futa, his own recovery, Iris’ surgery, and trying to make up for years of neglect with Mizuki.  The last several days had been a whirlwind of emotions and as much as he hated to admit it, Shoko had been the last thing on his mind.

 

At least she had been until he overheard Mizuki mumbling to herself the other night.  He had given her privacy at the apartment, the guest room now affectionately known as hers.  It made his heart swell that he had finally combined his two worlds together, allowing Futa to be a part of Mizuki’s life and Mizuki to be a part of Futa’s.  He had been negligent far too long and it shouldn’t have taken almost dying for him to finally get it together.  But he couldn’t change the past, no matter how much he wanted to.  He’d have to keep moving forward and make a better future for all of them, but especially Mizuki.

 

While he hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, he couldn’t help hearing his daughter trying to psych herself up to call Shoko through the door of her bedroom.  He had been walking through the hall towards his own bedroom when he heard her.  She was muttering “Just call mom.  Call mom, call her, call her” over and over again.  

 

He didn’t want to intrude any longer, finally walking into his own room and getting dressed for bed.  He’d talk to her after school before she went with Date and Hitomi for the evening and then if he had to intervene he would.

 

Of course that all blew up in his face when he had an emotional breakdown with Moma followed by tracking down his runaway niece at the Sejima mansion.  His mind had been so thoroughly fried that he didn’t even think about Mizuki’s dilemma until well after she had left to stay with Hitomi and Date.

 

He really was off to a great start when it came to making up for years of neglect.  He supposed he had an excuse this time around, but it still didn’t sit well with him.  Which is why he decided to show up at Shoko’s office to try to have a conversation with her in person.  Maybe he could resolve it this way. 

 

Well, first he had gone to Moma’s, but no one had been home.  He called the older man then, figuring he had to be over at the Kumakura office and maybe Shoko had gone there too.  It would be unusual considering she avoided that place at all costs, even with Moma in charge now, but it’s not like anything that had happened over the last week made sense anyway. 

 

The phone call had been brief, Moma explaining that Shoko had suddenly decided to return home last night, having him drive her there.  He waited until she was settled in and completely sure she wanted to be back home before he left himself.

 

Moma figured since she realized Saito wasn’t a threat, there was no reason for her not to go home.  She seemed well enough and he didn’t think anything would happen, so he let her go.

 

“What are you doing here Ren?” Shoko asked, inclining her head towards him even as her fingers still flew across the keyboard.  He couldn’t see what she was typing from his vantage point, but whatever it was, she seemed equally able to concentrate on him and that at the same time.

 

“I wanted to talk.”

 

“Here?  I’m at work.”

 

“I tried Moma’s, I thought you would still be there.  I didn’t think you’d be back to work this soon.”

 

“Well, technically I’ve been gone a year.  Not that anyone would ever know.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

She let out a sigh and finally stopped typing.  “Saito literally came in to work every single day and didn’t let any of my projects fail.  He did my reports, called clients, and even brokered a few new deals.  I think he might have done a better job than I did.”

 

“No one noticed that you acted differently?”

 

“Pfft, why would they?” she asked flippantly.  “It’s not like I speak to most of these plebs.  They’re beneath me.”

 

Renju rolled his eyes.  Shoko always acted like such a bitch when she was uncomfortable or trying to fight off her feelings.  He’d seen it for years, but the sad part was she hadn’t always been like that.  She used to be quiet and soft spoken, but incredibly kind.  The years spent under Rohan and other events of the time had slowly killed that part of her.

 

“Surely someone had to notice you were acting different.”

 

“Did you?”

 

Renju opened his mouth to argue, to say something, anything, but the words wouldn’t come.  Because she was right.  He didn’t notice.  For an entire year he had conversed with Saito under the guise of Shoko and he didn’t notice a damn thing.  He knew Shoko.  He knew more about her than she even did about herself at times and yet he couldn’t tell that something was drastically wrong.

 

Not that Saito had paraded himself around and acted out of sorts.  He hadn’t.  His impression of Shoko had been spot on.  He did try to start arguments more often than she normally would, but that kept Renju from wanting to converse with her unless he absolutely needed to.  And likely that was Saito’s plan all along.  He must have known that he wouldn’t be able to keep up the act for long around someone that knew Shoko as well as he did, so he did the next best thing.  Pushing away anyone that could call him out.

 

Which naturally meant that Renju, Mizuki, and even Date himself spent little time with her over the last year.  Even Moma wasn’t spared from her wrath, Saito distancing the man just like he did the others.  It was a perfect plan really, and not so far out there that Shoko would really go off the rails.  All the struggles she had with her mental health and medications over the years almost perfectly ensured that no one would think anything was out of sorts.

 

“Seriously Ren, don’t make that face.  You know I hate it when you get all pouty.”

 

“I’m not pouty.”

 

“You are.  You have your ‘existential guilt’ face on which means you’re making this entire thing about you and how you failed everyone.  Am I right?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Don’t waste any more time worrying over it.  I’m serious.  I brought this all on myself anyway, so you shouldn’t feel guilty.  If I’d been a better person and all that…” she said, waving her hand dismissively as she let the sentence hang in the air.

 

“Come on Shoko, it’s not like that.”

 

“It really is.  I know it.  I’ve had a lot of time to think you know.  A whole year, held at bay in a body that wouldn’t move or wake up.  I couldn’t do anything except be trapped in that broken prison.  I wasn’t always coherent, but when I was, all I could do was think.  I have a lot that I need to do to set things right.”

 

“We both do.”

 

“Oh please,” she said as she stood up and walked around her desk, leaning against the front of it.  “You’re a saint compared to me.”

 

“We both did terrible things, just in different ways.  But we’ve been given a second chance at life.  We can change.”

 

She shook her head sadly, eyes drawn to a small framed photo on her desk.  Renju recognized it immediately, he had a copy of his own back in his office.  It was the two of them with Mizuki at Bloom Park.  A happy memory of a happier time.  

 

“Shoko?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“You ok?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Shoko was a lot of things, but “fine” definitely wasn’t it.  They certainly weren’t as close as they once had been, but he’d known Shoko all of his adult life.  He knew what made her tick, what she was feeling at any given moment.  And right now it was a good bet that she was feeling some of the same things he was.  And thinking about the past.  Their past.

 

“You should talk to Mizuki.”

 

“What?”

 

“You haven’t seen her for over a year.  And she knows what happened.  She wants to talk to you, but she’s afraid to reach out first.  You should talk to her, let her know that you love her.”

 

“I can’t.”

 

Renju was surprised by that answer.  What did she mean she couldn’t?  He knew she had a hard time expressing her feelings, between her awful parents and everything that happened during their teens and early twenties, it was a wonder she could feel anything at all.  But still, for her to say that she couldn’t tell Mizuki she loved her…

 

“Shoko, come on.  You can’t mean that.  Things haven’t been the best, but I know you love her.”

 

“What are you talking about?  Of course I love her.  You know I do, but I can’t…I just can’t.  I need time.”

 

“For what?”

 

“To think, to get ready.  To prepare myself.”

 

“Prepare for what?  Talking to our daughter?  You said yourself that you had nothing but time to think for a year, so how could you possibly need more?”

 

Shoko angrily crossed her arms over her chest, holding herself tightly as if she were cold.  Her face was a mask, upper lip curled back in a sneer.  “I had time to think about the things I’ve done, what a fucking awful parent I’ve been.  That doesn’t mean I’m ready to talk to Mikzuki.  What would I even say to her?”

 

“Try apologizing.  I did.”

 

“You think just saying ‘I’m sorry’ will make up for everything?”

 

“No.  But it’s a start.  Sorry isn’t nearly enough for me either, but I’m trying.”

 

“You didn’t screw up like I did.  And what’s to say I won’t keep screwing up, huh?  Mizuki’s better off without me.”

 

“She needs her mother.”

 

Shoko let out a bitter laugh.  “No she doesn’t.  She has you and Date.  And Hitomi has always been there for her.  Hell, your boyfriend is probably better with her than I am.”

 

“I mean, he is,” Renju admitted, knowing that lying in this moment wouldn’t help the situation.  And it wasn’t like Shoko wasn’t intimately aware of that fact anyway.  “But it doesn’t mean you can’t change and make a conscious decision to be a better mother.  It’s not too late.”

 

“You make it sound like it’s so easy.”

 

“It’s not.  Just because I’m moving towards something and trying to make it better doesn’t mean it’s easy.  It’s going to be a long time before Mizuki fully trusts me, if she ever does.  And if she doesn’t, I deserve it.  But I’m trying and you should too.  Moma said you’re back on your medication, that’s a start.”

 

“This again…”

 

“Yes, this again.  You know you can’t just stop taking it and expect everything is going to be ok.”

 

“Do you think I actually had a choice for the last year?”

 

“No, but it was your choice before that.”

 

“I hated how it made me feel.  Nothing works long term.  I’m either a zombie or overly emotional or gaining so much weight I don’t even recognize myself.  And you remember that one medication that gave me hallucinations.  It was bad.”

 

Bad was an understatement.  Shoko had gone after both Renju and a much younger Mizuki, screaming at them not to touch her and lashing out if they got close.  It had been awful to see her that way, especially when he knew how terrified Mizuki had been.

 

“If we can just get you on the right combination of medications, then-”

 

“We’ve been saying that for years and nothing has worked long term.  Face it Ren, I’m more fucked up than we realized,” she said with a slight smile, as if attempting to lighten the mood.

 

“Then maybe we should try therapy.  All of us.  You, me, and Mizuki.  Get everything out in the open.  No more secrets.  Maybe freeing us both of everything would finally help us heal so that we can actually be better parents to Mizuki.”

 

Shoko shook her head and looked down at her feet, suddenly finding her shoes to be the most interesting thing in the room.  “Please don’t.  Don’t talk about that.  I can’t.”

 

“Maybe we should Shoko.  We’ve never talked about it before, not really.  It’s always been pushed away, but we need to come to terms with-”

 

“No!  I’m not doing this.  Not here, maybe not ever.  But absolutely, not now.”

 

“Why not?  All these years we’ve spent hiding, trying not to think, not to feel.  It’s not healthy.  We haven’t been able to raise our daughter and care for her like we should because we-”

 

“Enough!  I told you I’m not talking about it!  I’m not ready,” she snapped, head whipping back up.

 

“You’ll never be ready.”

 

“You don’t know that.”

 

“I think I do.  We’re the same, we always have been.  I know I’m not ready, but it doesn’t change the fact that we need to.  This destroyed both of us.  It’s not going to get better until we can actually face the truth and move on with-”

 

“Please leave.”

 

“What?”

 

“Leave Ren.  I’m not doing this today.  I’m not.”

 

“But we need-”

 

“I’m not.”

 

“Shoko-”

 

“Stop.  Just leave Ren.”

 

Renju opened his mouth once more, but the dark look on Shoko’s face stopped him cold.  Her eyes burned with an intense fire while tears slowly welled within, if she so much as blinked the glassy surface would break.  She clenched her hands tightly into fists, the pointed tips of her nails digging into the fleshy meat of her palm.  He knew he had pushed too far and wouldn’t get anything else out of her today.

 

He honestly couldn’t even blame her, not when his go to was to shut down when presented with an unpleasant truth.  He’d leave her alone for the time being, give her a day or two to calm down, because what else could he do?  

 

With a dejected sigh, Renju nodded his head and turned towards the door.  “If you need me, call me.  Or Moma.  Anyone you can trust, just don’t do this alone.”

 

Knowing she wouldn’t reply, he disappeared through the door, leaving Shoko standing in the middle of her office, once again alone.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

I hope everyone enjoyed Tech as well as the rest of the chapter. And did I just give Mama a boyfriend? Yes, yes I did. She deserves all the happiness in the world, so why not give her a good hearted but slightly strange man with a questionable past?

A perspective for Renju and Shoko as well since they haven't really interacted that much. Though as Renju points out, he had a lot going on the past few days.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a comment and let me know! I love them all!

Chapter 55

The first thing Date was aware of when he woke up was a throbbing pain on the left side of his skull.  He knew the surgery would hurt, despite the pain medication coursing its way through his bloodstream.  Though without it, he imagined it would probably be much worse.

 

The second was the gentle scent of limes.  He breathed in deeply, letting the fragrance permeate his lungs before letting it out slowly.  

 

He didn’t have to open his remaining eye to know Hitomi was there, watching over him like a guardian angel.  How he got so lucky to have someone like her he didn’t know, but he would be damned if he ever let her go.  She waited six years for him, never wavering in her loyalty.  And here she was, waiting yet again for him.  Only this time it was for him to wake up from his surgery so she could take him home.

 

Home.  It was strange how quickly he fell into that mindset.  Six years ago, back when he was still Falco, he had started to think of her modest home as his too.  They were planning to move in together, so why wouldn’t he?

 

“Hitomi,” he mumbled softly, smiling to himself.

 

A gentle laugh sounded to his left and he felt a small hand reach out and grip his.  “How did you know?  You haven’t even opened your eye.”

 

“Limes.  I’d recognize it anywhere.  I still can’t believe you kept it.”

 

“Why wouldn’t I?  It was the first gift you ever gave me.  When you…left, I didn’t wear it.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  I’d put it on one day a year to think about you, but other than that, I saved it.  I didn’t want to use it all up.”

 

“Which day?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“Which day did you wear the perfume?” he asked, finally cracking open his eye and watching Hitomi slowly come in to focus.

 

She looked down at the blanket covering his legs, a light blush coloring her cheeks.  “It was on our anniversary.  It’s silly, we weren’t even together, but I never stopped loving you.”

 

Six years.  Six years this absolute saint of a woman waited for him, always loving him, never giving up.  She didn’t date or try to move on with her life, she simply stood by and bided her time.  And for all people, someone like him that had continuously lied to her and didn’t even tell her his real name until a couple of days before he disappeared from her life completely.  But she never blamed him, even when she absolutely should have.

 

It was easy to see why now, Hitomi had her own dark secrets she’d been keeping.  To her, a lie about his name probably meant nothing.  Of course she also knew his entire sordid history and here she was, ever by his side.

 

“Even when I didn’t remember you, I still knew there was something, someone, missing from my life.  I never stopped loving you either, not really,” Date softly replied.

 

“Well good,” she said as a light giggle escaped.  “Because you won’t be rid of me that easily.  You’re stuck with me.”

 

With that she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to his.  The kiss was soft and barely there, Hitomi likely worried about hurting him accidentally.  But it didn’t matter, to him it was perfect.  It was the first one she had initiated since they’d been back together and any lingering doubts he may have had about her true feelings vanished in an instant.

 

How could he have doubted her?  She wasn’t holding on to a memory of what had been, she loved him for him.  It didn’t matter if he was Hayato Yagyu or Falco or Kaname Date, he was still him at his core.  His name may have changed, but who he was inside never did, not truly.

 

“Am I interrupting something?” a gravelly voice asked, amusement present in the tone.

 

Hitomi sat up immediately, freeing up his line of vision.  Renju stood in the doorway, smirking mischievously as he watched his two friends’ embarrassment.  Well, Hitomi’s embarrassment anyway.  Date wasn’t sure if he was capable of feeling embarrassment in this type of situation anymore.  He supposed that was one key difference from the man he had been six years ago and who he was now.

 

“Like father like daughter.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked as he stepped further into the hospital room.

 

Hitomi let out a laugh as she remembered the events of the previous night.  “Nothing, he’s just joking around.  Every time we had a moment together last night, Mizuki appeared out of nowhere to interrupt.  Just like you did.”

 

“Yeah, your kid’s a damn cockblock.”

 

“Kaname!”

 

“Hey, that’s my daughter you’re talking about,” Renju said, but there was no harshness behind the words.  In fact, it almost seemed like he was trying not to laugh.

 

“And?  Apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree.  But I bet you had a perfectly enjoyable night, didn’t you?”

 

The smirk was back as Renju turned his gaze away.  “Maybe I did.”

 

“Try getting away with that this weekend then.”

 

“Contrary to what you constantly try to imply, Futa and I are not a pair of horny teenagers that can’t keep our hormones in check.  We’ll be fine.  And we’re looking forward to having Mizuki with us.”

 

“I think it’s sweet that the two of you can’t keep your hands off each other,” Hitomi said, smiling warmly at her oldest friend.

 

“I think that sounds like the two of you are that way more than we are.  Unsuccessful as it may be.”

 

“We haven’t been!”

 

“Not for lack of trying though,” Date answered.

 

“Kaname!”  

 

That blush was back again, even redder than before if it was possible.  He couldn’t stop the thought of how cute she looked in that moment, completely embarrassed and trying to hide her face away from the two most important men in her life.  God he had it bad.

 

“What?  You think Renju doesn’t know we had sex?”

 

“W-we haven’t recently.  Not since you’ve come back.  And he doesn’t want to hear you talk about it.”

 

“Better than him constantly bringing up my sex life,” Renju quipped.

 

“You’re not helping.”

 

“I’m not trying to.  I like seeing you this way.  Happy and free, you haven’t been like that since…”

 

Renju didn’t have to finish his sentence for Date to know what he meant.  Since Manaka.  Both of them had suffered so much since her death, but having Saito back and thrust into their lives was bringing a slew of old feelings to the surface.  Especially when Renju still bore the visible marks from his own run-in with the man.

 

But he had to admit, Renju was right about Hitomi.  The brief time he spent with her before his memories returned, there had been a sadness to her, even when she smiled.  But now, despite the heavy topics of the last few days and everything else that came with it, she seemed lighter.  Her eyes shown just a bit brighter, her smile a little wider.

 

“I think we both deserve some happiness in our lives.  Especially you Ren.”

 

Renju shook his head quickly, a look that Date wasn’t quite able to place passing over his features before the mask was back.  It was barely noticeable, and if Date hadn’t been looking directly at the man, he would have missed it.  

 

“I don’t know about that, but we don’t need to discuss it any further.”

 

Huh, that was a bit odd.  Why did he seem like he was closed off all of a sudden?  What exactly was Renju hiding?

 

“Well, let’s talk about the holidays then.  I know it’s a bit early to bring it up, but Iris is dead set on doing something with So and Saito for Christmas and…”

 

“Yeah…”

 

They both stared glumly at the floor, neither wanting to continue on with the conversation, though Date knew they needed too.  It was a shitty situation, but it certainly wouldn’t get better by ignoring it.  And it would just lead to more issues down the road.  Iris had already snuck out once, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be alone and leave.  Who’s to say she wouldn’t try again?  Likely not right away, but give her a few months and if things were still the same, Date had no doubt she’d be at it again.

 

Not to mention, she wouldn’t be a child forever.  Just two more years and then she could make whatever decisions she wanted, regardless of what Hitomi’s own wishes were.  

 

“You know you have to let her go, right?”

 

“Yes,” Hitomi said softly.

 

Renju remained silent, nodding stiffly after Hitomi spoke, but adding nothing to the conversation.  It wasn’t surprising, for the years that he had known him, the man tended to shut down when things got too hard.  It’s how Date ended up with Mizuki after all, but at least he was moving in the right direction on that front.

 

“It’s not going to be easy for anyone, but didn’t Iris tell you she wants everyone there?” Date asked, recalling the conversation he and Hitomi had last night.  She divulged everything that had happened at the Sejima manor, from the tiniest little details to Iris’ announcement of a big family Christmas dinner.

 

Hitomi nodded this time, cutting her eyes to Renju before looking back at Date.  He could see how at war with herself she was, both trying to protect her daughter but also wanting to make her happy.

 

“Ok then.  We’ll all be there, and I’m sure Pewter will too.  And if his sister and Mizuki go as well, that’s six of us, not including Iris, and two of them.  It’s going to be a lot more awkward for So and Saito then us.”

 

“But how can we sit there with him?  He’s the one that killed Manaka,” Renju muttered.

 

“I agree with Ren.  I’m trying to my best to look past it and see him for who he really is, but I just can’t.”

 

Date hated the idea of even bringing it up, dwelling on his past was not something he wanted to do in the least, but in this situation he didn’t see any other way.  He certainly wasn’t the biggest fan of Saito, especially knowing how reality would have played out had it not been for Pewter’s dream and his insistence on Psyncing, but that didn’t matter.  This wasn’t about him.  This was about someone that was being unfairly treated as a villain when in reality his worst crimes were being an annoyance and dressing like he was headed to a book signing.

 

“You know,” Date began, pushing himself up into a sitting position.  Or as much as he could sit up in the bed comfortably.  “I’ve killed a lot more people than he has.”

 

Hitomi looked away, suddenly unable to meet his eyes, while Renju was poised and ready to argue.  Date held up a hand, silencing the words that never had a chance to leave the other man’s lips.

 

“I’m not proud of the things I’ve done, but I can’t go back and change it.  And I’m going to be completely honest with you, even if I could go back, I don’t think I would.  The ones I killed of my own accord, they were the lowest scum imaginable.  If I hadn’t taken them out, there would be a lot more people dead.  I know there would be.  I wish I hadn’t gotten onto Rohan’s radar, but I still don’t regret taking out murderers and rapists and pedophiles.  I did what the police couldn’t.”

 

“But that’s the difference, can’t you see that?  You killed horrible criminals that managed to escape justice.  He killed innocent women that did nothing wrong,” Renju stated, oblivious to what Date was actually trying to say.  Or maybe not so oblivious, maybe he could comprehend, but just didn’t want to.

 

“No, the difference is, I killed because I wanted to.  It doesn’t matter if the person deserved it, I still decided in that moment that they were no longer worth keeping alive and killed them.  It doesn’t matter that the system failed, some of them probably would have gotten life in prison, not the death sentence I carried out.”

 

“They still weren’t innocent people.”

 

“No they weren’t.  But Saito was.”

 

“I’d hardly call him inno-”

 

“Ren seriously, I love you like a brother and I would do anything for you, but you’re being an asshole right now.”

 

“Just because I can’t forgive the man that murdered my best friend and left Iris without her mother?”

 

“He was a kid Ren, twelve years old.  An actual child.  And he was used in some sort of unethical experiment that left him vulnerable and under the control of others for almost two decades.  He didn’t kill people because he liked it or because he wanted to, he had no choice.  And now, he has to live with the fact that it was his own hands that took someone’s life away.  Do you honestly think he’s not going through some of the worst shit imaginable right now?”

 

“What do you mean?” Hitomi asked, curiosity and maybe even a hint of fear behind her words.

 

“His memory is spotty in some places, but from what Boss told me, the worst of it is still pretty clear.  Which means he remembers the kidnappings, the begging and pleading, the feeling of life slipping away by his own actions.  Not to mention Rohan was one of the sickest, cruelest men I’ve ever meant.  He likely made a bad situation that much worse.”

 

“So what are you trying to say?”

 

“There’s a very good chance that Saito is suffering even more than we know.  He hasn’t been in control for almost twenty years and has to deal with everything he did.  It’s a miracle he’s been able to function up to this point.”

 

 

 

 

Saito’s mind was bored to fucking tears.  He didn’t even know who’s file he was reading anymore, pages after pages of medical jargon laid out before him.  Apparently when Kuranushi had requested the medical records of the four Cyclops victims, she mistakenly requested everything.  From birth right up until their last appointments before their deaths.  Years and years of files.

 

It wouldn’t have been so bad if two of the victims hadn’t gone to the same practice.  They saw different doctors, but their records were in the same office.  Should have been easy.  But no, the receptionist sent to retrieve them came back with her arms absolutely loaded with folders.  And because his luck was absolute shit lately, she tripped over her own two feet, inches away from being able to hand off the folders to Saito.

 

The papers flew all over the floor, completely out of order and mixing together.  This of course meant that what would have maybe taken a couple of days to go through, would now likely take upwards of week just to get everything sorted back out. 

 

Not that he didn’t have anything but time on his hands anyway.  What would he do if he wasn’t helping Kuranushi out?  He had no way to go anywhere, not easily.  She wouldn’t let him borrow his car, and asking one of his father’s drivers was out of the question, there’s no way she’d trust him to go off with them.  And now all of a sudden she didn’t want to leave him alone, so he didn’t even have the option of staying at her house while she came in to work.  

 

His choices were pretty much limited to reading mind-numbing files or wandering the halls aimlessly while trying to avoid Amanoma, Naoki, or anyone Date had sex with.  Either option sucked, but at least he was being somewhat helpful if he continued his research.  And it was less likely he’d have to hear sarcastic commentary or get slapped again.

 

There was also the added benefit that reading through all of the files and trying to put them back in order kept his mind completely occupied.  As odd as it seemed to be reading through page after page of medical histories for the women he killed with his own two hands, the monotonous nature of the exercise kept the intrusive thoughts at bay.

 

Naturally he was under no misconception that he wouldn’t have another restless night filled with nightmares of the things he had done, but it was no different than the last several nights.  Ever since coming back to himself, there was no quiet respite before falling asleep.  As soon as he closed his eyes, it was nothing but a world of blood and violence, heartbreaking screams and cries for those that would never come.

 

If he wasn’t afraid of being trapped in those dreams even further, he’d ask Kuranushi to take him to Yogano.  He knew the man would prescribe him sleeping pills with little hesitation, especially if he explained just how bad the nightmares were.  But his fear was it wouldn’t keep the horrific scenes at bay, it would only hinder his ability to wake up.

 

As awful as it was now, his body would force him to regain consciousness throughout the night.  But if he were under the influence of powerful drugs, would he be trapped in a never ending cycle until the morning came and it was out of his system?  He didn’t know the answer to that and quite frankly, he didn’t want to find out.  He’d rather deal with his current reality then face the possibility of being paralyzed and unable to do anything but watch the horrors unfold.

 

“You figure anything out yet?” Kuranushi asked as she walked back into the room, door closing loudly behind her.

 

Saito flinched and spun around, nearly upending the papers he had already painstakingly organized.

 

“Easy there, I didn’t know you were so skittish.”

 

“I’m not, I just didn’t hear you in hall.  You didn’t need to make so much noise coming in here.”

 

“I came in here like I normally do, you must have really been out of it.  Do you need another dose?”

 

“No, I’m fine.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes.  I won’t need one for another couple of hours.”

 

“Ok, but you’re getting one before we leave.  You don’t want it to wearing off.”

 

Saito honestly didn’t care if it did.  He’d probably get some precious relief and maybe if he was lucky, a temporary reprieve from the nightmares.  Not that he thought Kuranushi would ever go for the idea.  And even if she did, he knew his cousin would veto it.  

 

It wouldn’t matter if he thought it would actually help or not, Amanoma hated him enough that he would prolong his suffering as much as he could.  He didn’t think the other man would do anything to actually hurt him, but he sure wouldn’t help either.  And speaking of…

 

“What did Amanoma have to say?”

 

“Nothing much, just that he thought he’d have your AI Ball ready in a couple more days.  He’s really pushing himself to get it done.”

 

“And that’s all he said?”

 

“More or less,” she shrugged.

 

“More or less?”

 

She let out a deeply aggravated sigh as she walked behind her desk and all but flopped into the chair.  It was plain to see the stress and workload of the last week was finally getting to her.  Kuranushi didn’t look like she was sleeping any better than he was, and on top of all of that, she still had to deal with all of her subordinates at ABIS. 

 

For most people that probably wouldn’t be much of an issue, but with so many big and conflicting personalities, her job wasn’t easy.  He also had to factor himself into the equation, knowing that he wasn’t making things any easier.  He had his cousin that flat out despised him, Naoki who tolerated him but made his dislike clear nonetheless, and Date who he had minimal interactions with but was kind of ambivalent to him in general.  

 

Besides Kuranushi, he was pretty sure the only one that actually liked him was Kuruto.  Maybe like was too strong of a word, but at the very least he wasn’t openly hostile and would speak to him whenever he saw him.  In a genuine way at that, like he actually wanted to carry on a conversation with him and wasn’t just being polite.

 

Saito had to admit it was a welcome change, but he still didn’t let his guard completely down.  In his experience, letting people in was a guaranteed way to end up disappointed.  In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to take whatever kindness he could.  As long as he didn’t get attached to anyone, he’d be fine.

 

“He may have used the word bastard once or twice, but other than that, I’d say it was a good conversation.  Much better than the last one.”

 

That sounded about right.  Not that he really blamed the guy, he didn’t like him either and made that fact clearly known.  The one time he had tried to help him after the disastrous self Psync didn’t pan out well.  In the back of his mind, he really didn’t think it would, but there was something about him being woken from a nightmare of his own making, looking so lost and vulnerable in that moment, that reminded Saito of himself.

 

And that was crazy.  There was absolutely nothing about Amanoma that was like him.  They were about as opposite as could be.  Even their taste in men was different, not that it stopped Saito from rubbing the kiss with Renju in the other’s face every chance he got.  It was the one sure fired way to get under his cousin’s skin immediately and Saito sure enough used it to his advantage.

 

Normally he wouldn’t go for such a low blow, but he couldn’t help it.  Amanoma brought something out in him he’d never felt before.  Which all things considered was fairly easy given the fact he’d never felt anything before this past week.  He was sure a therapist would tell him it was latent jealously for Amanoma growing up with things he didn’t have. 

 

A loving family that was so close to his own in terms of familial relationships but yet so far away.  A life full of experiences and emotions so foreign to him but normal for Amanoma.  And most importantly, his father’s love.  Not Kazuki’s, but So’s.  It was so blatantly obvious in the minuscule amount of time the two spent together in the conference room at ABIS.  

 

So had a softness to his features that Saito had never once seen before in his life.  And it was all when the older man looked at his cousin.  Possibly a sense of longing for what might have been had Fumiyo not completely destroyed both families.  Would things have been different if she stayed?

 

His own mother dying wouldn’t have changed, but maybe if Fumiyo had never left, So and Kazuki wouldn’t have had their falling out.  Both his aunt and uncle could have helped his father out in raising him.  He would have grown up around Amanoma and actually viewed him as family instead of the utter annoyance he actually was.

 

Most importantly though, the signs of his brain disorder would have likely been noticed early on in his life by the two doctors.  There’s no way they would have watched Saito grow up day in and day out, spending ample amounts of time with both him and his father, and not noticed that something was abhorrently wrong with their nephew.

 

How different life would have been had Fumiyo made a different choice.  But she didn’t.  She chose to abandon her husband and son, leave her brother behind, and flee in the middle of the night like some fugitive.  Which ironically enough, she turned out to be.

 

But then, back when she first left, she hadn’t been.  She had been a scared young woman.  His cousin hadn’t quite turned two yet, which meant she was still in her early twenties.  She wasn’t a child by any means, but at the same time, it wasn’t like she had a whole lot of life experience.  

 

Watching the barely there memory play out on the screens in the Psync room, her fear was evident.  She had been panicked, hardly making sense.  Of course he realized these were also some of the very first memories his cousin happened to possess and they were buried in the deep recesses of his mind at that, but still.  Traumatic experiences, even if the subject themselves didn’t realize that’s what they were in the moment, tended to stick with a person.  He had little reason to doubt that Amanoma’s memory of the situation wasn’t fairly accurate.  And from the little his father had divulged, it sounded like it was pretty spot on.

 

Which begged the question, why had she come back?  If she was so frightened that something would happen to her only son if she stayed in this country, why would she risk everything to come back?  He understood that his father had been in contact with her for years and had asked her for help with his condition, but still, he was nothing to her.  She hadn’t even met him at that point.  So why come back for a child she had no emotional attachment to?

 

Was it some sort of misguided family duty?  Her brother, technically patriarch of their small family, had summoned her so she had no choice but to obey?  That didn’t seem likely.  Not only because despite So’s many faults he didn’t seem the type to order his obviously mentally unwell and frightened sister back, but also because Fumiyo seemed independent enough to not be held down by the traditions of their country.

 

There had to be something more he wasn’t seeing.  Or maybe it still had to do with Amanoma.  Maybe she agreed to come back so she could check up on her son and the husband she left behind.  Neither obviously knew she was ever back on Japanese soil, no matter how briefly, but maybe she had been able to watch from a distance.

 

In the end though, would the answers really matter all that much?  Would he be satisfied with whatever explanation she may be able to provide?  It wouldn’t change anything.  He still would have went through nearly twenty years of hell all because his aunt decided to pump some unknown chemical into his system that made him into a living weapon should the wrong person discover the keywords.

 

And what an absolutely horrifying thought that was.  At the moment there were already too many people that knew, but for the most part he could trust them.  Even his cousin as strange as it sounded.  He still didn’t like the man, and the feeling was definitely mutual on the other’s part, but he knew Amanoma wouldn’t use the mind control to make him hurt anyone.

 

It gave him little comfort in the end because there was one person that knew and wouldn’t hesitate to use those words if given the chance.  Rohan.

 

He may have been in a coma for the time being, but would that last?  What if he woke up?  What then?  Saito could see no version of this where Rohan wouldn’t use those words and activate the mind control.  It’d be his chance to carry out his revenge against all those that wronged him.

 

Likely the original list of victims Saito had been given would still be accurate.  Shoko, Renju, Date, Hitomi, and Iris.  There was no way he’d stop there though.  No, he’d definitely be adding several names to it.  Moma, Kuranushi, Amanoma.  Hell, even Yogano probably wouldn’t escape his wrath for the part he played in the swap.

 

Saito would likely be kept alive for one reason and one reason alone, he was the perfect killing machine.  As long as Rohan kept him under the influence of the mind control, he’d never have to worry about a betrayal.  It would be impossible.

 

“Saito?”

 

“Hmmmm?”

 

“Your hands are shaking.”

 

Saito looked down, watching the papers tremble in his grasp as the tremors worked their way through his hands.  He sat them down quickly, lowering his hands to his lap and just out of Kuranushi’s line of sight.

 

“Maybe that’s enough for today.”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“We’ve been at it all day, there’s no need to burn yourself out over this.  We’ll come back tomorrow refreshed and ready to go through all the records, ok?”

 

There was that kindness again.  So out of place and at the same time, so welcoming.  It was hard to believe this perverted and crass woman could give anyone comfort, and yet here she was.

 

Maybe it was her background in dealing with those that had been thrown away by society before.  It wasn’t like he was the first one to ever be wronged and abandoned to cross her path.  There had been Date and seemingly Tech as well.  

 

And then there were even Amanoma, Kuruto, Naoki, and Kanna.  While they weren’t necessarily abandoned and left by the wayside, they certainly didn’t have the happiest of lives or circumstances.  Not that he knew exactly what Kuruto had going on, but there was something…something about him that spoke to him.  He felt like he could almost understand him, or maybe he could understand Saito instead.  Either way, there was something behind those eyes that was familiar.

 

Maybe one day he would trust Saito enough to let him in.  Not that Saito was great on that front his own self.  He’d yet to trust anyone that much.  Iris was the closest he came to, and even then the only reason he let her in on his true feelings was because he was in the middle of a breakdown and she just so happened to be there.  He wouldn’t have sought her out on his own, that’s for sure.

 

It was strange, it had felt good to confide in her, to let her in on the demons currently plaguing his thoughts, his dreams, his every waking moment.  The was an odd sense of relief to divulging the information.  But at the same time, he had never felt more vulnerable.  There was someone in the world that could use that information against him.  She could let out his secrets if she so chose, and by doing so, make things that much harder for him.

 

He’d be under even more constant scrutiny if Kuranushi had so much as an inkling that death would be a welcome relief for him.  A release from all the pain.  He’d never been suicidal before, and he didn’t think that’s what this was now.  Not really.  He wasn’t a danger to himself, he wasn’t thinking about ending his own life.  But he had to admit, the appeal of falling asleep and never again waking up was right there.

 

“For in that sleep of death…” Saito mumbled under his breath, shuffling the newly organized papers together and sitting them off to the side.

 

“What was that?” Kuranushi asked, quizzical look on her features.  “Did you just quote Shakespeare?”

 

“You know Shakespeare?”

 

“What?  That surprised?  Do you think I’m not smart enough to know Shakespeare?”

 

“No,” Saito shook his head.  “It’s because you grew up poor and went to public school.”

 

“Wow.  Way to be a dick.”

 

“I wasn’t trying to be.  I really thought you did grow up poor.”

 

“Saying it over and over again isn’t making it better.”

 

“What?  Lots of people grow up poor, it’s not that big-” he cut himself off as his cellphone buzzed loudly, the device vibrating slightly across the desk with the notification.  That was odd, who would be texting him?  Barely anyone had his number, and of the ones that did, he really wasn’t expecting any of them to be texting him at the moment.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“I don’t…oh.  It’s Shoko.”

 

“Shoko?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What does she want?”

 

“Nothing,” Saito said, putting the phone back down without answering her back.

 

“What, she just text you to say ‘Hi’?”

 

“No.”

 

Kuranushi crossed her arms and continued to stare him down, obviously waiting for him to elaborate.  He sighed and looked back down at the phone, though he made no move to pick it back up.

 

“It’s not even that big of a deal.  She wanted to go out to some club tonight.  Apparently she had a rough afternoon and wanted a drink and someone to talk to.  I’ll tell her no later.”

 

“Hmmm,” Kuranushi said, bringing her hand to rest under her chin and looking thoughtful.  “You should go.”

 

“What?  Are you being serious right now?”

 

“Yeah.  You should go and let loose a little.  Not too much, but have a good time.  You could use a friend.  It’s sad if I’m the only one you’ve got.”

 

“That’s rude.”

 

“And your poor comments weren’t?  Just text her back and tell her to come pick you up.  Take a break from all of this.  It’s not like we’re going to get a break anytime soon.  You’ll have plenty more chances to dwell on the past and things you can’t change.”

 

“It’s not like that.”

 

“I kind of think it is.  But text her back.  Maybe take Ryuki with you too.  He enjoys your company well enough and he could probably use one last night out with both his eyes.”

 

That’s right, Kuruto was having his left eye removed next week.  In a matter of days he’d be down to one, having to wait a couple of weeks to heal from the surgery before he could be fitted with the actual AI Ball.

 

There was a small part of Saito, a deeply selfish part, that liked the idea of getting closer to both Shoko and Kuruto.  Shoko for obvious reasons, because of everyone in his life, she understood him the most.  Damaged and destroyed people seemed to gravitate towards one another for some reason.

 

Kuruto was less apparent, but there was just something about him.  Some hidden darkness beneath the surface that felt wholly familiar to Saito.  Like it almost mirrored his own.

 

Reaching forward, he picked the phone back up and opened NILE.  He’d text Shoko first and then Kuruto.  Maybe he’d actually have fun for once, whatever that was like.

 

 

 

Notes:

A little bit of Datomi, Renju having a moment with his two best friends, and some Saito drama. A lot of feeling and emotions were packed into this chapter for sure.

And Saito is making friends. How wonderful for him to be able to have completely normal and in no way damaged people around him.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave me a comment and let me know! I love them all so much!

Chapter 56

Moma kept a careful eye on Han-jae, the man lounging on one of the couches as if he owned the place.  Which, if Moma was technical about it, he did.  As the new Ujisaki head he had partial ownership in everything the other families did.  Buildings, businesses, land.  If Moma owned it, well, now so did Han-jae.

 

And maybe that knowledge was why he seemed perfectly relaxed and collected in the moment.  He was completely different from the young man of a few nights ago, full of deceitful tricks, power plays, and ultimatums.  

 

To be fair though, besides getting Shizue involved to cover up his brother’s death, he hadn’t asked for anything else.  Not yet anyway.  But it was only a matter of time before that happened.

 

Moma knew the relative peace wouldn’t last.  It didn’t last with either of Han-jae’s two brothers, so why would it last with the third?  Old man Ujisaki had been strict, but fair.  He was old school Yakuza through and through.  It was how he inspired such undying loyalty in the families he surrounded himself with. 

 

When he died and Ryoichi took over, it had been the same at first.  Moma figured it was because initially he had been too afraid to change anything, wanting to test the waters before rocking the boat too much.  The calm before the storm lasted about a year before all hell broke loose.

 

Then all bets were off.  The eldest son did whatever he wanted, the families having no choice but to comply.  Moma pretty much kept to himself during that time, letting Rohan lead the charge and keeping their family in fairly good standing.  Which was easy enough considering the two men were cut from the same cloth. 

 

At least it had been until his brother’s “death”.  Then it was up to Moma to do his best to avoid Ryoichi’s wrath.  As strange as it was to think it, the mass exodus of more than half their members and the new formation of the Kiyama family under Jurou helped.  Moma had never expected his brother’s Captain to stick around, but even he had been surprised that he actually broke away in the way he did.

 

Ryoichi hadn’t expected it either, likely thinking that Jurou would have joined one of the other families and taken a few that were loyal to him.  Most people in Moma’s position would have had major problems with how things went down, but he really couldn’t be bothered to care.  Those that were loyal to his brother had no place with him.  He would never be Rohan, he wouldn’t run things the way he had, he wouldn’t do things the way he did, and he sure as hell wouldn’t destroy people’s lives like he did.  Especially not kids.

 

Moma almost let out a laugh at the thought.  Somehow it always came back to Renju and Shoko.  Not that he could blame himself for going there.  Rohan had thoroughly destroyed and fucked those two up to the point that Moma didn’t even know how they functioned.

 

If he was being honest with himself though, they really didn’t.  Not well anyway.  Those two had changed, and not for the better.  God he really wished he could go back in time and get them out.  If he had known what would happen to them, he-

 

“Shit, it smells like an ashtray in here.  Don’t you have any candles or incense?”

 

“Nope, sorry,” Moma replied simply, though he really wanted to ask him why he thought he had fucking candles in this place.  

 

Ryoichi had been bad, Raiyu had been worse, but he still wasn’t sure what to make of Han-jae.  He was young, honestly way too young for this type of responsibility, but what could be done about it?  Everyone else in the Ujisaki family was dead.  Ryoichi and Raiyu had no children, or if they did, no one knew about them.  But even if that had been the case, they would be even younger than Han-jae.

 

At least he kept his brother’s Captain around.  Shinobu had actually started with Ryoichi, but his loyalty to the family in general had never been questioned.  Someone like that would be able to help out with the things Han-jae didn’t know, or couldn’t be bothered to find out.

 

“And why does it look like 1982 in here?  Was that the last time you updated the place?  Who has tiger rugs anymore?”

 

“It’s fake,” Moma sighed out, ready to bang his head into the keyboard.

 

“Seriously?  You can’t even afford the real thing?”

 

“I can afford it, just didn’t see the point in killin’ something for decoration.”

 

“Aren’t these couches leather?”

 

This kid had some fucking smart ass thing to say about everything.  Christ he wished Dokuta was here instead of out with his girl for the night.  He was always better at dealing with people like this.  Probably came with the territory of being a doctor, bedside manner and all that shit.

 

“Is there any particular reason you summoned me out to the slums?  It can’t be for me to critique your interior decorating I’m sure.”

 

Han-jae leaned back with loud sigh, stretching his body out like a cat and throwing one long leg over the back of the couch.  He really didn’t care in the least about being rude or offending someone.  In fact, it almost seemed like that was exactly what he was trying to do.  

 

If that were the case, it honestly wouldn’t surprise Moma.  The unrest within the other families was surely being felt by Han-jae most of all.  They all may have renewed their pledges to the new head, but it didn’t mean they were happy.  At this point in time though, no one else was stupid enough to speak up like Jurou was.

 

But at least Moma knew how far the youngest Ujisaki was willing to go.  He was cunning and willing to use his age and looks to his advantage, not to mention the acting skills of a well practiced liar.  But the thing that interested Moma the most were his connections.

 

He knew without a doubt he had been careful when meeting with Shizue previously.  It wasn’t like he was all that welcome at the police station, despite the fact he kept his nose as clean as possible for a Yakuza chairman.  But somehow, Han-jae had found out about their mutually beneficial working relationship.

 

Not only had he found out, but it was before Raiyu had died.  Which meant Han-jae had some power and influence before stepping into the role of family head.  And now that he was actually the man in charge, that had to mean he had even more.

 

There had been similar stories with the other chairman over the last few days.  Moma slowly reached out to them all, gauging their feelings and opinions of the new head, but also trying to see what he used to gain their loyalty.  Every single one of them had some sort of secret the little master manipulator had figured out, not that they were willing to share with Moma.

 

The most he had gotten out of any of the conversations was that there was some form of blackmail involved.  That Han-jae found out information that he should have had no way of knowing.  Moma supposed all things considered, his relationship with Shizue wasn’t the worst thing he could have used.  Not that it gave him much comfort regardless.  He was pretty sure Han-jae knew a lot more than that.

 

And that particular skill was what Moma needed now more than anything.  Han-jae had eyes and ears everywhere, and he needed those now.  

 

“I’d like to formally request your help.”

 

“Oh?” Han-jae asked, surprise clearly in his tone.  “And with what pray-tell?”

 

“I’d like you to try to find someone for me.  A sort of missing person.”

 

“Wouldn’t your lady cop friend be more helpful in that area than me?”

 

“She’s trying, believe me.  But no luck so far.  And considerin’ she did you a hell of a favor with Raiyu, it’d be appreciated if you could help out.”

 

Han-jae propped himself up on an elbow, still not willing to sit up and hold a normal conversation.  His gray eyes gave nothing away, staring down Moma as he contemplated what was asked of him.  

 

“Hmmmm.  I’ll do it.”

 

“What?  Just like that?”

 

“You don’t like my answer?  I certainly don’t have to help if you’d prefer.”

 

“No!  No, I appreciate the help, I’m just surprised.  I didn’t expect you’d agree so quickly.”

 

“I don’t like being in someone’s debt.  But I also like the idea of you and her being in mine.”

 

“This isn’t her asking.”

 

“I’m aware.  But I also know that if I find whomever this person is that has eluded both you and the police, she’ll be willing to look the other way again, should the need arise.”

 

Moma honestly felt like he was making a deal with the devil, but what choice did he have?  Every avenue he had turned up nothing.  And if Shizue couldn’t find one single person with all of her resources, he needed to go to someone who could.  Or someone he hoped could.

 

“So, who is this mystery person I should be looking for?”

 

Moma took a deep breath.  “Fumiyo Amanoma.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saito had to admit, he was having a good time.  He didn’t think it would actually be possible to go out and have fun, all things considered, but here he was.  It seemed Kuruto and Shoko were too, the two laughing as they came back to their table, having just finished a dance out in the crowd.

 

Despite Shoko saying they would be going to a club, this certainly wasn’t what he pictured.  From his memories of her, she seemed to prefer quieter places.  Marble being her go-to choice, usually with Date.  He had even gone there once with the man while pretending to be her, unable to get himself out of the engagement.

 

But this place was about as different from Marble as it could be.  Colorful lights were all around, some blinking, some shining brightly.  The place was full of people, almost every single table occupied and multiple bodies dancing in the center of the room.  The music was loud and upbeat, Saito recognizing the language as Spanish even if he didn’t understand a word of it.

 

It was to be expected though at a place called Club Bogotá.  Saito wasn’t even sure how Shoko knew about this place, he himself had never heard of it and he was pretty familiar with the more popular business in Tokyo.  Not that he ever had much reason to go to Roppongi, but he figured he would have heard something about a place like this.  Especially one that seemed like it had been in business for years and was host to quite the turnout.

 

“It’s your turn next,” Shoko said breathlessly as she downed a shot of something and followed it up with half a glass of water.

 

“I’m ok.”

 

“Nuh-uh, you owe me a dance since I was nice enough to get you out of an evening at home.”

 

“I would have been perfectly happy there.”

 

“And miss out on all this?  Please, this is way more fun than staying stuck in your room and starting at the wall.”

 

“That’s not what I do.”

 

Shoko didn’t necessarily look like she believed him, but she also didn’t push the issue either.  Likely not wanting to rock the boat considering it was an achievement to actually get him out in the first place.

 

Even after Kuranushi all but insisted he go, he still wasn’t too keen on the idea.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like Shoko or Kuruto, he just wasn’t sure how he felt going to a place that was bound to be crowded.  He knew that no one present would know the keywords, but the fear was still present in the back of his mind about the damage someone could force him to do around so many people.

 

Saito had to get out of that mindset though.  If he didn’t, he’d live the rest of his life in fear.  And if he was completely honest with himself, he knew that if someone really wanted to use him to hurt others, there wouldn’t be anything he could do to stop it.

 

“I’ll go grab us another round.  Anything in particular?’ Kuruto asked after chugging the remainder of his water down.  It didn’t escape Saito’s notice that he wasn’t nearly keeping up the pace that he and Shoko were.

 

He was drinking water like he’d been lost in the desert for days, but not much of anything else.  Not that Saito particularly blamed him.  He and Shoko worked up quite a sweat dancing like they had been.  And who would have thought the lanky man would be quite so good?

 

He and Shoko flowed naturally together, their height and style complimentary to one another.  And speaking of style, what a strange thing it was to see Shoko so dressed down in an off the shoulder shirt and skinny jeans.  He knew the woman had casual clothes, but they had all been designated to boxes shoved in the closet of her guest room.  Most of which still had tags on them to show she had never even worn the garments.

 

When pretending to be her, he had stuck with the power suits or dress and blazer combos that took up the majority of the real estate in her actual wardrobe.  And those design choices had seemed to do the trick as no one ever questioned him on what he wore on any given day. 

 

Relaxing at home had been something different altogether.  He had gone out and bought a few pairs of sweatpants and t-shirts, along with mens slacks and shirts.  It was strange seeing Shoko’s face staring back at him while dressed like that, but he certainly wasn’t going to lounge around in tights and pencil skirts all day either.

 

He had to wonder what Shoko thought of those few outfits once she actually went home.  It wasn’t like he had a chance to go back to her place and get rid of them.  She would have seen the clothing as soon as she opened the drawers of her dresser.  Would she wonder if he had gotten a boyfriend during his year as her?

 

“What are you grinning about?” Shoko asked as she leaned further onto the table, face close to his as if she were trying to look deep inside to read his thoughts.

 

“Nothing,” he replied quickly before, “Where’s Kuruto?”

 

“Huh?  Over at the bar?  He asked what we wanted and since you were too busy zoning out again, I told him to grab a round of Midori Sours.  It’ll be sweet enough that you’ll like it.”

 

“I zoned out…again?”

 

“Mmhmm.  You’ve got a real bad habit of that.  I mean, I think you do anyway.  Not like I’ve been around you all that much, but every time I am, you’re lost in space for half of it.”

 

Damn.  He didn’t realize it was that bad.  He knew he did it a lot as a child, it was part of the issues he had with his brain disorder,  but he thought things had gotten slightly better since he started taking whatever the hell it was Kuranushi pumped into his veins twice a day.

 

Apparently not though if even Shoko was noticing something.  Of course the woman was fairly observant, more than most people, so it might not be as bad as she was making it out to be.

 

“Things should be better once I get this,” he said as he pointed to the patch covering his empty eye socket.  “It will be able to regulate my medication as I need it instead of all this guesswork on dosages.”

 

“I’d say that’s almost unbelievable but after all the shit I’ve seen the last few days, that’s probably the least weird thing.  Futa’s making it for you, right?”

 

“Yeah, but…you call him Futa?”

 

“Why wouldn’t I?”

 

“I don’t know.  I didn’t think you knew him that well.”

 

“I don’t know him at all.  But I’m not calling the man dating my ex-husband Mr. Amanoma.  And I’m definitely not calling him Pewter.  That’s way more familiar.”

 

“I guess.  You could just call him Amanoma though.”

 

Shoko snorted at that and shook her head.  “No thanks.  I know you’ve got this weird thing for calling certain people by their last names, but I’m not doing that.  Plus I…”

 

“What?”

 

“I guess I feel grateful to him.  I know it wasn’t really his intention, but he’s part of the reason why I’m back here and not stuck in that stupid coma.  Not like he really had a choice, but still.  And he’s helping out with Mizuki and Ren too.”  She said the last part so softly that Saito wasn’t completely sure he heard her right over the loud music.

 

When she didn’t elaborate any further, he let it go.  She was respectful enough not to push him and make him talk about things he didn’t want to, he certainly wasn’t going to do the same to her.

 

“Who’s ready for another drink?”  Kuruto was all smiles when he returned to the table, drinks in hand.  

 

He sat one down in front of each of his new friends, leaving the last one for himself.  Saito didn’t fail to observe the little sword sitting across the top of the black haired man’s drink had several more cherries and orange slices than his or Shoko’s did.

 

Shoko didn’t seem to care or notice, happily taking a drink of hers while simultaneously giving Kuruto a thumbs up.  Guess that meant it was good.  Saito gave his own bright green concoction a tentative sip, not nearly as trusting of drinks after the nausea inducing rollercoaster ride Shoko brought him on in Moma’s kitchen.

 

Reading the atmosphere at their table, Kuruto took a drink himself and even gave a small grimace like it was strong.  Saito fought the urge to chuckle at that, while internally praising the other man’s acting.  He was pretty good.  Just not good enough to tell the bartender not to load his virgin cocktail up with fruit to differentiate it from the real thing.  If he really wanted to hide that he wasn’t drinking alcohol, he should have added a straw to his, or drank enough at the bar to see the difference in liquid.

 

But that brought on a new round of questions, why wasn’t he drinking?  It couldn’t be because he was going to be their designated driver, Shoko had solved that problem when she picked them up by using a car service.  

 

He was honestly glad that she had the foresight to be smart about going out while also not using a regular taxi.  He knew it was stuck up and probably showed off how out of touch he really was with most people, but he didn’t care.  Growing up with drivers and private cars was something he was so used to by now, there was no way he could just use the same taxi the general public did. 

 

And because that worry was taken care of and no one had to dwell on how they’d make it home later, Kuruto should be more than happy to let loose with the two of them.  Even Saito was feeling a pleasant buzz in his system from the drinks he’d already consumed, but Kuruto was playing the part of someone intoxicated while eyes were on him, and then instantly being sober when they weren’t.  Or at least when he thought Saito wasn’t looking.

 

Much like with Shoko’s business, it wasn’t Saito’s place to ask, but he did have to admit, he was intrigued.  There was just something about Kuruto that drew him in and he didn’t know what it was.  An understanding that maybe, just maybe, he could relate to the desperation and isolation Saito felt on a near daily basis.  Admittidly though, Kuruto seemed better at keeping it together than Saito.

 

“Ok, you’ve had enough for now.  Come dance with me!” Shoko half whined as she finished her drink off.  She was happily buzzing and well on her way to drunk, much like Saito himself.

 

“When you said you wanted to go out, I thought you just wanted to commiserate on our shitty lives, not actually dance.”

 

“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked seriously.  “I never get the chance to go out like this and let loose.  Especially with people that actually know how to dance.”

 

“What about Renju?”

 

Shoko made a face like she just bit into a lemon.  “That’s sounds like a terrible idea.  Asking my ex-husband to go dancing while he’s in a happy and committed relationship.”

 

“It wouldn’t bother me, I’d do it.  Plus Amanoma’s a prick, so ask away.”

 

“Eh, Renju’s more strictly ballroom anyway.  I like this place because it’s fun and loud and you can feel the music when you’re out there.  No one is judging you, telling you you’re doing it wrong, that there’s only one way and that’s it.  I like being able to feel free to do what I want.”

 

Saito had a feeling she wasn’t just talking about dancing with those words, trying to read between the lines in his slightly inebriated state.  He supposed if dancing made Shoko feel a little better, especially after she had been the one to reach out and try to extend the hand of friendship to him, he could give her one little dance.  It wasn’t like people were lining up around the block to befriend him anyway.  And if they were, Saito would have to question their sanity immediately.

 

“One dance.  But don’t be disappointed when I’m not that great.”  Saito knew it was a lie, but at the same time, he didn’t know these dances that seemed immensely popular and based more in feeling the music than any sort of regulated steps.

 

To Shoko’s point of Renju being “strictly ballroom”, he felt that was pretty much what he was too.  After all, ballroom dancing along with his instrumental lessons had been a part of his very regulated, and very lonely childhood.

 

It made him wonder how different things would have been if So had made more of an effort to put him in to group activities growing up as opposed to the things he did.  Not that it likely would have made a huge difference given the fact that Saito still wouldn’t have been medicated, but maybe it would have helped a little.  

 

Even dance lesson had been a lonely affair, despite the little girl that was his partner.  She was the daughter of his instructor, a strict and to the point Russian dancer.  She knew her craft and knew it well, but could barely speak Japanese.  And naturally Saito knew no Russian at all.  Well, that wasn’t strictly true.  He had picked up on a few colorful swears, but that wasn’t likely to help him out when communicating. 

 

They had managed to find a common middle ground in English, not that it made it much better.  He was still learning and his teacher and her daughter spoke the language in a very broken way, making anything other than basic communication hard.

 

Which once again meant Saito was on his own.  He could dance beautifully, but the chief complaint of his instructor was the lack of facial expression.  As important as footwork and body movements were, feelings were right up there too.  After all, how could one really perform the desperation and drama of the Paso Doble while keeping a blank face?

 

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.”

 

Saito looked up at the same moment Shoko did, seeing the tall and strange looking woman hovering near their table.  She had long black hair with streaks of bright red throughout and her unnatural purple eyes felt like they were staring straight through him into his soul.

 

“Hey there Yasha, long time no see,” Shoko greeted her, seemingly on good enough terms to use what Saito figured was her first name, odd as it was.

 

The other woman, Yasha, grinned widely and enveloped the much shorter Shoko into a hug.  Shoko hugged her back with a laugh and a light pat on the back, all while Kuruto watched the scene play out with just as much confusion as Saito did.

 

“How the hell have you been?  I haven’t seen you here in forever!”

 

“It’s a long story, but I’ve been taking some time to myself for the last year.  Kind of a break from everything.  But, I wanted to get out tonight and have a good time.”

 

“Oh?” Yasha asked coyly as she fiddled with the ring on her finger.  “Just say the word and I’ll have one of my guys hook you up.  Your friends too.”

 

Shoko shook her head and let out a slightly nervous laugh at the suggestion.  One Saito was pretty sure he understood given what that ring looked like it could hold perfectly, and the club’s name.

 

“We’re ok, the drinks have been excellent.  We don’t need anything else.”

 

“If you change your mind, come find me.  I’ll get you whatever you need, or maybe you’re already getting it, hmmmm?”  Yasha cut her eyes first to him and then Kuruto, nodding approvingly to herself. 

 

“Absolutely not,” Shoko said, the tiniest hint of disgust in her voice.

 

Who was that aimed at?  It couldn’t be him, right?  No.  Definitely not.  It had to be Kuruto, though why she would be disgusted with him he had no idea.  Unless it was the age thing.  He was over ten years younger than her, and while age wasn’t always a huge deal, maybe she didn’t like them that young.

 

“Ha!  You don’t hold back, I always did like that about you.  Too bad though, what’s the point in surrounding yourself with pretty boys if you don’t have some fun?”

 

“I’m having plenty of fun.”

 

“Not enough.  Why don’t we do some body shots off of this one for old time’s sake?”  Yasha was eyeing Kuruto up like a predator while the latter stepped back, doing his best imitation of prey.

 

“Yasha…”

 

“I’m just teasing the kid.  Come on baby cop, don’t look so scared.  I don’t bite…hard.”

 

Kuruto swallowed audibly.  “Y-you know I’m a cop.”

 

Saito moved ever so closer to the shorter man, not necessarily thinking Yasha was a threat, but still trying to be cautious.  She had the look of someone that was borderline unhinged, and he certainly didn’t want to rock the boat.

 

“You think I don’t know every single time a cop or investigator steps into my place?  Plus, I’ve watched you scope out the floor and exits at least four times since you got here.  Only people here to cause trouble or expecting it do that.  Which means you’re either a cop or rival gang.  And you kind of look like a sopping wet cat with a high moral compass, so definitely not Yakuza.”

 

Kuruto looked even more pale if it was possible, but he couldn’t exactly blame him.  Yasha was intimidating and had a good few inches in height over him to boot.  She was likely also riding a high from whatever she wanted to “hook” them up with earlier.  

 

From the way she spoke, it was pretty obvious she was Yakuza herself, but from where Saito had no idea.  He didn’t know a lot about the other families under the Ujisaki name, but he was pretty sure he didn’t remember any of them having a woman as a prominent leader.  Not that a lot couldn’t have changed since he was in it with Rohan, but if he was being truthful, it could have changed back then too and he wouldn’t have noticed.  Not with how deep he was under the mind control.

 

“I swear I’m not here to cause any trouble.”

 

“Didn’t think you were.  You mind your business and just have fun, and we’re golden.  Your money’s good here, just like everyone else.”

 

“He’s fine Yasha, trust me,” Shoko interjected firmly.  “We all needed a night out, nothing more.”

 

“That’s all I needed to hear!”  Yasha was all smiles again, flipping open the top of her ring and scooping out a small bit of white powder onto her pinky nail.  She brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply, eyes fluttering shut for just a second. 

 

Kuruto chose that moment to look away, likely at war with himself because as an officer of the law, he had a duty to stop things like this.  But also, he was in a Yakuza owned club that was likely filled with gang members throughout.  Causing any sort of scene wasn’t in his best interest.

 

“You all have a good time and the next round is on me!” she yelled as she walked away, waving to the bartender and holding up three fingers before gesturing back to the table.  The man behind the counter nodded and set three glasses on the counter, likely making the same drinks from last time.

 

“I’ll go grab them,” Kuruto muttered under his breath, walking away from the table without another word.  He probably wanted to make sure that his drink was still of the non-alcoholic variety, even more so now that he knew he was being watched in the club.  It wouldn’t do well for him to end up inebriated.

 

“And now it’s time for us to dance!”

 

Without any hesitation Shoko grabbed his hand, nearly pulling him over.  She had some strength despite her petite frame and used it to her advantage to keep him unbalanced as she all but dragged him out to the center of the dance floor.

 

He stood there awkwardly for a moment before attempting to follow Shoko’s movements in some semblance of dancing.  If Kuruto could go out here and have fun without making a fool of himself, Saito could too.  It seemed to do the trick, Shoko giving him a genuinely happy smile as she continued to sway to the fast paced song.

 

It wasn’t quite techno like he preferred, but there was enough bass that he could feel the vibrations through his whole body.  Now that he could actually enjoy songs or anything else in life for that matter, he probably didn’t need to depend so much on something bass heavy, but he supposed old habit died hard.

 

In some ways, it was an oddly comforting thing.  A memento of his old life that wasn’t completely bad.  While he never felt happy in those moments in his room listening to his music as loud as he dared without disturbing his father, he still was able to feel almost satisfaction.  Likely because he associated the music with the pleasant thrumming in his chest.

 

And it was the same now, Shoko moving with him, both totally in sync with each other and the music.  He caught Kuruto staring from the table, offering a small smile as he watched them.  

 

What a strange feeling, having two people actually care about him and enjoy his company.  And on top of that, Kuruto and Shoko seemed to get along as well.  As standoffish as the woman was, and Saito knew first hand from the memories he still retained, this was a big step for her.  But maybe it helped that Kuruto was someone brand new to her circle with no preconceived notions or prior knowledge of her relationships or life.  It was a fresh start.  Saito was all too aware how valuable that could be. 

 

The song ended, blending seamlessly into another one.  This one faster than the last, the lights blinking in time to the beat, with an almost strobe like effect.  Saito felt himself getting entranced by it all, not wanting to leave the floor.  When had he ever felt this free before?

 

Shoko, likely seeing him actually enjoy himself, made no effort to walk away.  Saito closed his right eye and just let himself feel, allowing his other senses to take over for a moment.  

 

He could sense Shoko in front of him as well as other bodies all around.  The music sounded clearer, without the distraction his sight provided.  He could feel the heat surrounding him, smell the odd mixture of alcohol and perfume and strong cologne.

 

Growing up he obviously had all of his senses intact.  His vision was perfect as was his hearing, he could taste, could smell, could physically feel.  But because of how his brain was wired, everything was dull and next to non-existant.  How strange it was now to feel everything like he did, so pure and raw.

 

“Finally having fun?”

 

Saito nodded.  As much as he hated to answer, afraid that admitting to having a good time would make him vulnerable, he did.  

 

“We should do this again then.  Maybe make it a weekly thing.  I don’t think it would take much convincing to bring Kuruto out.  And I think you like spending time with him too,” she said, a hint of mischief behind her voice.

 

Saito opened his eye finally, ready to disagree and tell her it wasn’t like that, but the words died on his lips.  He stood frozen to the spot, shock clearly visible as he looked at the woman before him.

 

Shoko was gone, and a quick scan through the crowd didn’t yield any results.  Where had she gone?  And more importantly, why was he staring down at the raven haired, gray eyed woman before him?  

 

Yui.  Yui Sugimoto.  The second Cyclops victim.

 

But that was impossible.  Yui was dead.  Had been dead for six years.  Strangled by his own two hands in the middle of the woods on a chilly, moonless night.

 

“Don’t make that face.  Like it isn’t perfectly obvious you enjoy being around him.”

 

“I…”  He couldn’t get anything else out.  And even if he could, what would he say?  This was crazy, he was crazy.  A dead woman didn’t just come back like nothing ever happened and dance with her killer in a club.  It had to be someone else.  Someone that looked like her.

 

Looked exactly like her.  With the same wavy hair and sharp eyes, those damn eyes that he would never forget.  Especially the one Rohan removed and examined like some sort of priceless jewel with worth beyond measure.

 

“A slow song, this could be fun,” she said as she invaded his space even more.  She wrapped her arms around him, pushing her body flush against his and lightly swaying to the music.

 

On instinct he wrapped his arms around her, feeling the warm flesh of an exposed shoulder and the heat radiating through the shirt covering her back.  She was real, it wasn’t some delusion his brain had conjured up.

 

But why?  It didn’t make sense.  He had killed her.  He watched her struggled to breathe, felt her nails claw into his skin, scratching enough to draw blood.  She kicked and writhed beneath him, unable to get any leverage with Saito’s weight pressing her firmly into the ground.

 

Rohan stood off to the side, greedily watching the life fade from her eyes with each passing moment.  It had been an eternity before she finally stopped fighting, and even longer before Rohan gave him the go ahead to release his grip.

 

Apparently strangulation was a hard thing to time, if you let go too early, the victim’s automatic bodily response would kick in and draw air of it’s own accord.  The best way to ensure that didn’t happen was to continue to wait long after the struggling stopped.  And so he did.

 

She had been dead, there was no way she wasn’t.  She hadn’t so much as flinched when 

Rohan removed her eye.  And when her body had been placed in that shallow grave, tears streaming down Saito’s face as he shoveled the dirt over her body, she still hadn’t moved.

 

Rohan releasing his mind to bury the victims was a special kind of hell.  Even someone like Saito that couldn’t feel much of anything else, felt that.  The emptiness and despair in those moments, it was a welcome relief when he put him back under.  Back to the empty void that had been his life for close to twelve years at that point.

 

But back to the matter at hand.  If Yui was truly dead and gone, then who was this woman?  And where in the hell had Shoko gone?  He had closed his eye for a minute tops, and she was suddenly gone and vanished without a trace.

 

He really was going crazy then.  What other explanation could there be?  This didn’t make any sense.  Between the mind control and body swapping and Psyncs, his brain had finally had enough.  What else could it be but a hallucination?

 

Unless…

 

The nightmares were becoming more real and tangible.  Because that’s what this had to be.  A nightmare.  He never went out anywhere with Kuruto and Shoko.  He was back at Kuranushi’s house, tossing and turning through another terrible dream in her vastly uncomfortable guest bed.  

 

He’d wake up soon enough.  He always did once they were dead.  

 

And maybe that was the key.  The sooner Yui was dead, the sooner he could come back to the land of the living and leave this awful hell scape behind.

 

Softly, almost like a lover’s caress, he trailed his right hand up her bare shoulder and across her collarbone.  The fingers rested gently against her neck, the fluttering pulse like a hummingbird’s wings beneath the tips.

 

“I’m sorry Yui,” he whispered.

 

“Yui?”  Her expression was one of utter confusion but it didn’t matter to Saito.  His dreams rarely made any sort of sense, but they always ended the same way.  Once whichever victim it focused on was dead, he’d wake up drenched in a cold sweat, a scream caught in his throat.

 

He smiled sadly down at the woman, the oldest of all the victims, and squeezed tightly.  It was strange how familiar it felt, how his body was almost on autopilot with the muscle memory.

 

Yui’s eyes went wide and she managed to get out “Sai-” before her voice was cut short.

 

It would be over soon, and then… he would finally wake up.

 

 

Notes:

Saito just wanted to have a little fun, poor guy. He really just can't have any good in his life.

And Moma is back and up to scheming. He's always at his best when he's scheming.

Plus Han-jae and Yasha got to come back briefly, always fun to have these two around.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and if you did, please leave a comment and let me know!

 

Also, a little update on the pic schedule. I plan on doing everything I can to keep the regular update schedule at two weeks, but the next chapter may have to be pushed to three weeks. I am working on the family week prompts and attempting to do all seven. Which means seven fics over seven days and I've only got my first four written.

That being said, I don't know that I'll have the time to devote to the next PW chapter to have it ready to go in two weeks while working and editing the other fics. I still might, which is why it's possible the update schedule won't change at all. But if I know for sure that there won't be a chapter in two weeks, I'll be sure to put it in the discord.

Thanks again for all the support and I'll see you back here soon!

Chapter 57

It happened in an instant.  They had been fine, having fun, something that Shoko thought they’d both spent a long time without.  And it was nice having Kuruto tag along too.  He was a lot younger than her and she initially thought they wouldn’t have that much in common, but he had been surprisingly enjoyable company.

 

Up until that point, everything had been fine.  She had good company, good drinks, good music, the perfect recipe for a night out.  And just like that, everything was great, until it wasn’t.

 

Confusion had set in first.  He pulled her tight into an embrace, flush against his body.  His fingers slowly traced their way over her shoulder to rest lightly against her neck.  It was much more tender than Shoko would have ever thought he was capable of and she worried momentarily that he was attempting something more than what she wanted out of him.

 

She thought she had made herself perfectly clear in Moma’s kitchen that she was absolutely not interested in anything physical with him.  There was the obvious that when Date’s mind had taken residence in that body, he had slept with anything that had a pulse.  And while Shoko wasn’t a prude, she didn’t feel like testing the waters on if he actually had something or not.

 

Then there was also the fact that Saito definitely had a little thing for their other companion.  What it was she couldn’t be sure, but there was some sort of mutual interest, she knew that much.  And if there was anything her disastrous marriage had taught her, it was to stay away from emotionally unavailable men.

 

She was about to call him out, make some joke out of the situation to save them each a little embarrassment when he suddenly told her how sorry he was.  No, not her.  Yui?

 

Why had Saito just called her by another woman’s name?  And more importantly, why did he seem almost frightened in a way?  He looked at her like he had just seen a ghost.

 

She said the name, a question clearly in her tone as she gave him a look of pure bewilderment.  It didn’t make any sense.  Who was Yui?  Why was he calling her that?

 

And that’s when the fear set in.  His fingers wrapped tightly around her throat and squeezed.  She barely managed to get the first syllable of his name out before her oxygen supply was thoroughly cut off.  She reached up to grab his hand, trying to break his iron like grip, but it was useless.  His fingers held her neck in place like a vice and she couldn’t get the leverage she needed to pry them off.

 

It felt like an eternity, but in reality barely ten seconds had passed.  His hand suddenly fell away and Shoko drew in a sharp breath.  Around them, everyone kept dancing, not noticing what had just happened barely a few feet away.

 

Saito nearly fell back and then Kuruto came into view.  He had one arm wrapped firmly around Saito waist, taking the full force of his weight against his side.  In his free hand he held what looked like a taser before he pocketed it quickly.

 

“Can you help me with him?”

 

She looked at him dumbly, her mind trying to catch up to what was going on.  Saito had just tried to strangle her and Kuruto must have seen it from their table and rushed over, stunning the taller man.  But why would he do that?  Was he actually trying to kill her?

 

“Shoko, please, can you help me?  We need to get him off of the dance floor.”

 

She snapped out of her daze and nodded, throwing Saito’s other arm over her shoulder and trying to take some of the weight from Kuruto.  Even with her help, it still wasn’t easy, but at least they were no longer in the way.

 

“We’ve got to get him to a booth or something.”

 

Shoko looked around the crowded club, not seeing anything like that available.  They had been lucky to get the small high top with bar stools that they had, let alone anything bigger.  But there was one thing she could think of.

 

“There’s a VIP room back there,” she said as she inclined her head slightly to the right.  

 

Kuruto looked in the direction and saw the door, Yasha making small talk with what looked like a security guard beside it.  Besides calling the car back and laying Saito against the back seat, that was going to be their best option.

 

“You think she’ll let us use it?”

 

Shoko nodded.  “She’s been my friend for a long time.  She’ll help us out, just uh…try not to arrest anyone back there.”

 

She heard Kuruto let out a sigh but he said nothing else.  She supposed he couldn’t be too picky in this situation, but he definitely understood what she was trying to tell him.  He’d see drug use, maybe worse, and he’d have to turn the other cheek when he did.

 

They walked over and Kuruto briefly explained that Saito wasn’t feeling good and they really needed to get him somewhere quiet for a moment.  Yasha listened to the story but kept her focus on Shoko, trying to gauge what was really going on.

 

For a few agonizingly long seconds, she thought her friend would say no, but then she turned away and opened the door.  She held it and made a gesture with her free hand for them to go inside.  

 

There was a long hallway with several doors, but only one was open at the moment.  They all but dragged Saito to the room, the man completely out of it and unable to help.

 

Immediate relief flooded Shoko once Saito’s weight was finally off of her and he was deposited unceremoniously onto the couch.  His body slumped over, slowly sliding down the back until he half rested sideways against it.

 

“You ok?” Kuruto asked quietly.

 

“He was a little heavy, but I’m fine.”

 

“That’s not what I meant,” he said as he moved to stand right next to her.  “Are you ok after that?”

 

Was she?  She wasn’t sure.  It had all happened so fast and then they were presented with the problem of getting him out of the way, she had really processed any of it.  But now that she was, could she honestly say that she was ok?  She didn’t know.

 

And that’s what she told him.  “I don’t really know if I am or not.”

 

“Why don’t you sit down in that chair then.  Have one of those bottles of water.  I’m going to call Boss.”

 

She followed his direction, not sure what else to do but sitting down seemed like a good idea.  Especially when as soon as she did, her legs and arms immediately started shaking.  It was like she was cold, shivers running through her body despite the oppressive heat that clung to the very air she breathed. 

 

Before the tremors could get any worse, she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket, opening up the NILE app.  Kuruto was busy on the phone and talking in a hushed whisper to his boss, aptly called Boss.  She pulled up the name she was looking for after briefly scrolling and sent off a quick message.

 

I need your help.  Come to Club Bogotá and ask for Yasha.  She’ll let you back.

 

She closed the app after that and let the phone drop to the floor, her shaking hands no longer able to hold the device.   

 

 

 

 

 

One night.  Couldn’t he just have one damn night to himself where someone wasn’t having a crisis?  Apparently not this week, that was for sure.

 

He’d had to drag Rohan’s comatose body all over Tokyo multiple times, give Shoko a thorough physical exam complete with bloodwork, perform CPR and an emergency intubation on a cop of all people, and deal with the actual Rohan briefly as he threatened a second cop while in Yagyu’s body.  Not to mentioned the fucked up disaster at the Ujisaki compound.

 

All he wanted was to take his gorgeous fiancé out to dinner and maybe a movie, typical Friday night stuff.  Instead he was staring down at a passed out Saito while Shoko sat quietly in a chair, shaking like a leaf.  And of course it had to be in Yasha’s club of all places.

 

Luckily Moma had arrived right before he did.  The cop kid, Ryuki he thought, had called the Boss lady Shizue and of course she called Moma.  None of that would necessarily be too bad on it’s own, but Moma had been in a meeting with Han-jae at the time, and the young head had decided to follow after him.

 

Dokuta really was having a shitty week.  And Hanayo didn’t look much happier as she stood off to the side.  Luckily they had just finished dinner and he was settling the bill when he got the text, but still, she wasn’t happy.  Not that he would be in her position either.  They had precious little time together with both of their jobs, so the fact that they had a free Friday night to go out and feel like any other couple was a rarity.

 

This really wasn’t going to help his situation with her hating his underground job.  She put up with it, but barely.  He supposed he’d just have to ask Moma for a weekend off, maybe take her to Atami for a little vacation to make up for their date night.

 

“My, my Moma, you certainly have some interesting friends,” Han-jae, ever willing to make a situation even more uncomfortable, stated.

 

Not ready to get into whatever the young Ujisaki was trying to start, Dokuta took the lead.  “What happened here, exactly?  Shoko wouldn’t have called me out if something wasn’t really wrong.”

 

“I don’t know what happened, everything seemed fine for the most part and then he suddenly started strangling Shoko.  It didn’t make any sense at all, we were all having a good time.”

 

“How did you even let it get this far Ryuki?  I thought I told you to keep an eye on both of them and not to drink,” Shizue said as she brought a hand to her face in frustration.

 

“I didn’t!  I swear!  I was just drinking juice or soda all night, whatever I could make look like a real drink so they didn’t get suspicious.  I didn’t think anything would happen when they were dancing.”

 

“They were just dancing and he attacked her?  For no reason?  He hasn’t been violent at all since we…” Shizue trailed off.

 

“Oh please don’t stop on my account, this is very interesting.”  Han-jae was smiling broadly, hoping for some sort of valuable information that he could use in the future.

 

Moma swallowed hard.  “I mean…well he’s-”

 

Yasha made her presence known in that moment, putting a hand on Moma’s arm and cutting him off before stepping forward.  It happened in an instant, so quickly Dokuta was sure he was the only one that noticed the small action.

 

“Han-jae love, would you mind coming back to my office?  I just got in some real high quality stuff and I want your opinion on the pricing.  I think we can stand to lower it a bit, but Raiyu always made me keep it so high we were pricing some people out.  But I’m pretty sure you’ve got much better business sense than he did,” she said slyly, Dokuta not missing the way she dropped the deceased Ujisaki’s name.

 

“Just price it however you want.”

 

“I can’t do that.  Any change I make to one of our deals has to be signed off by the Ujisaki head, but I’m sure you knew that.”

 

“And it has to be now?” he almost whined.  Damn, he really was showing how much of a kid he was.

 

“You’re here, aren’t you?  This is the perfect time.  And you can look over the club books too.  Raiyu always made sure to check them very thoroughly when he would stop by.  And I know you’ll be just as thorough, if not more so than him.”

 

Now Dokuta knew that was a damn lie.  No way in hell Raiyu was wasting time going over Yasha’s books for the club.  He didn’t care about the day to day operations, he would have only been concerned with the bottom line.  And considering Club Bogotá was always packed, he knew there would be no complaints from the former head.

 

But Han-jae didn’t know that.  His age and inexperience were being used against him, without him even knowing.  And since he had been so quick to prove he was a worthy successor to the Ujisaki legacy, he wasn’t about to ask for help or act like he didn’t understand what was going on.  It made him the perfect mark for whatever Yasha was plotting.

 

He didn’t necessarily have a problem the head of the Ito family, she’d never done anything to him or Moma, so they could even be considered allies within the family.  But, she herself was also fairly new to the role of head and he just hoped she knew what she was doing.

 

Her father, Yudai Ito, had been a great head.  With a keen sense for business and penchant for being very hands on with everything he did, he’d seen a lot of success.  Unfortunately that didn’t help him when the feds finally got enough on him to charge him for tax evasion.  It wasn’t much, but considering they couldn’t make anything else stick, it was the best they had.  And now he was sitting in a prison cell almost two years in to his ten year sentence.

 

Which all meant Yasha had to take over years before anyone expected.  Naturally not everyone in the Ito family was happy when wild child Kiyoko, who spent most of her time jet-setting through South America, was named the new head.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if she didn’t immediately insist everyone call her “Yasha” and drastically change her appearance in an attempt to be intimidating.

 

He understood why she did it, in the yakuza world where the heads were mostly men, she needed to set herself apart.  It made sense, mostly.  The bright purple contacts less so, but if she felt better with them who was he to judge?

 

“Are you coming or not?”  She stood by the door, tapping one heeled boot impatiently.  “I can always ask Shinobu if you aren’t up to it.”

 

Bringing up Han-jae’s captain was low, and a little desperate.  Lucky for them that once again his age worked in their favor.

 

“Fine, let’s go.  I can handle this.”

 

She held the door open for the obviously irritated younger man, letting him go first as she followed out behind him.  She glanced over her shoulder quickly, making eye contact with Moma and muttering a quiet “Don’t forget this.”

 

So she did it for a favor.  Made sense.  Not like anyone in their business did things out of the goodness of their hearts.  Well, besides Moma.  Half the time it was like they ran a fucking charity instead of a gang, but it was still infinitely better than when Rohan was in charge so he wasn’t going to complain.

 

“His heart rate is really fast.”

 

Hanayo’s words shook him from his thoughts.  He honestly almost forgot she was there, which probably wasn’t the best thing.  Especially when he knew how much she really hated this aspect of his life.  But what could he do?  He had to bring her with him.  He’d be sleeping on the couch at the office for the next week if he didn’t.

 

But she seemed to be taking it all pretty well at the moment, crouched down next to Saito with two fingers held to his wrist as she kept her eyes glued to the second hand on her watch.

 

“What is it?”

 

“One twenty bpm.”

 

Damn, that was fast.  A lot faster than it should be considering he was passed out on the couch.  Something wasn’t right.  It may have been years since he treated the kid, but he didn’t remember Saito ever having tachycardia.

 

“Is that bad?” Moma asked, turning a concerned gaze towards Saito.

 

He knew exactly where the other man was going.  The guilt was clear as day all over his face.  It was the same look he got whenever something happened with Renju or Shoko.  Despite having his hands tied and being on Rohan’s short leash like everyone else, Moma truly thought he could have done something.  And maybe he could have, but it’d be the last thing he ever did.  The scar on his forehead was proof enough of that.  Something that could have been a lot worse had he himself not stepped in and advocated for the unconscious man.

 

“It’s not good,” Hanayo spoke after his own prolonged silence.  “His heart rate should be much slower in a state of no activity like this.”

 

“So what caused it?”

 

“That’s what I need to find out,” Dokuta answered.  “Someone start from the beginning again.  What exactly happened?”

 

“I mean, there isn’t much to tell.  We all came out here.  Shoko and Saito had a few drinks, but not enough to make him lose complete control like that.  And then Shoko finally convinced Saito to dance with her and after a couple of songs, he tried to strangle her.  I was keeping an eye on them, so I saw it all happen.  There wasn’t any warning, he didn’t look aggressive or angry, not even while he was doing it.  As soon as I saw what was happening, I ran out there and used my stun gun on him.  And he’s been out since.”

 

“This is a yakuza club, you don’t think she spiked the drinks, do you?” Shizue asked.

 

Moma shook his head.  “No way.  Whatever happens back here is one thing, but the actual business itself is legit.  Yasha wouldn’t risk ruining the clubs reputation by spikin’ drinks.”

 

“How can you be so sure though?  She’s not you Moma.”

 

“She wouldn’t,” Shoko said softly, speaking up for the first time since they arrived.  “She’s not like that.”

 

“That aside, it still doesn’t explain why he would just attack you like that.  Especially if he wasn’t drinking that much to begin with.”  Dokuta was wracking his brain to try to figure this out, especially because with alcohol and drugs off the table, what was there?

 

Moma had told him all about the mind control, and while he did believe his boss and friend about it, it still didn’t make a lot of sense.  But neither did the body swapping he’d seen first hand just a few days ago, so who was he to comment on anything else?

 

“He didn’t attack me,” Shoko began and then quickly corrected herself after seeing the confused looks on the faces of those around her.  “I mean, he didn’t think he was attacking me.  He called me Yui.”

 

“Yui?  Are you sure?”  Shizui’s eyes went wide at the name, but Dokuta couldn’t say it immediately rang any bells.  Moma had a similar look of confusion on his face, but Ryuki clearly knew the name, mimicking Shizue’s shocked expression.

 

“Yes, that’s what he called me.  He said ‘I’m sorry Yui’ and that’s when he tried to choke me.”

 

“Are you sure he couldn’t have said ‘You’?  It’s loud in here, maybe you misheard him?”

 

“No, he called me Yui, I’m sure of it.”

 

“Who’s Yui then?” Dokuta asked, trying to get to the bottom of this before it got any stranger.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“I do,” Shizue answered.  “Yui Sugimoto.”

 

Dokuta felt a chill go down his spine as soon as the words left Shizue’s mouth.  Hearing the full name, he knew exactly who that was.  And he was pretty sure Moma did too.  After all, they may never have had definitive proof until just recently, but they both knew Rohan had been involved in the murders.  It was why Dokuta nearly hadn’t hired Haruka as his receptionist, with her being the younger sister of the fourth victim.

 

“That name sounds familiar,” Hanayo said as she looked thoughtful for a moment.

 

Shit.  How was he going to explain this to her?  He already walked a delicate line as it was, never quite getting into the exact details of everything he did, but his fiancé wasn’t stupid.  Not by a long shot.  It was left unspoken between the two of them, but she knew what he did, and she wasn’t pleased by it.

 

He didn’t blame her, it would be a lot for anyone to take it, but he’d done his best to shield her from the worst of it.  But now he couldn’t very well do that.  If he asked her to leave the room while he had a private discussion with everyone else, it’d do nothing but cause more issues.  She wasn’t the type to cause a huge scene and would likely do as he asked for the moment, but it wouldn’t be good when they got home.

 

Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for what could likely be the start of a very bad conversation, Dokuta turned to face his fiancé.  “There’s a few things I need to tell you.”

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter banged a frustrated fist against his desk, deleting the program once again as it just wasn’t quite right.  The shell for the AI Ball was done and sitting uselessly off to the side.  That had taken him no time at all to construct, not that he thought it would.  It was the programing that was the issue.

 

He had several AIs that were pretty much ready to go.  A few adjustments here and there and he could probably have it ready by the morning if he pushed himself.  But those weren’t the ones he wanted, this one needed to be-

 

“You’re becoming obsessive with this you know,” Theia said as she projected herself from his discarded visor, standing slightly behind him and looking over his shoulder.  

 

Normally when she did this, she’d stick to her miniature, almost pixie-like form, but for whatever reason today she decided on her full Somnium height.  In this state he usually had several inches on her, but while he remained seated she had the upper hand.  It was likely why she chose that particular form now of all times, she wanted to use that to her advantage and knew he’d be too tired to get up and argue with her.

 

The past week had been nothing but exhausting and he had no idea how he was honestly functioning now.  He was lucky to get five hours of sleep a night and even that wasn’t restful.

 

His mind was constantly plagued by either visions of Renju dead or brief fleeting memories of his mother.  If those were even real, which he had no way of knowing unless he did another Psync.  And while he wanted more answers, even he was smart enough to realize he shouldn’t attempt anything that risky at the moment.

 

Plus if he did, he’d never hear the end of it from Boss or Theia.  And he certainly couldn’t have Naoki manage the Psyncs while he would likely be placed on some sort of suspension.

 

“Are you even listening to me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Sure didn’t seem like it.”

 

“Just because I didn’t reply, doesn’t mean I’m not listening.”

 

“Ignoring me then I take it.  I know you don’t like it, but it doesn’t make it any less true.”

 

“I’m not obsessed with this.”

 

“Oh but I think you are,” Theia replied with an exasperated sigh.  “Why else would you be so dead set on making him miserable?”

 

“Because he deserves it.”

 

“Does he really though?”

 

“Yes!”  

 

How could Theia of all people doubt him?  She may not be able to read his mind, but she knew him.  Knew his thoughts and secrets, knew things that he had only ever confided to her.  They’d been together for over thirteen years, she shouldn’t be questioning his methods, she should be supporting him.

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean why?  He killed Renju!”

 

“No he didn’t.  Not here, not in this reality.”

 

“But he would have if I didn’t interfere.  He would have killed him and used my love against me to betray some of my closest friends.”

 

“Futa, I know that dream seemed real, and I believe that somehow that could have happened.  But it didn’t.  You changed your future and everyone else’s by stopping what happened.  Renju is still alive.  You can’t hold that against Saito.  He didn’t kill him.”

 

Pewter couldn’t believe what she was saying.  She knew how important Renju was, how much he loved him.  And yet, she was trying to argue for that bastard’s sake?

 

“Even if he didn’t kill Renju here, he would have if I didn’t interfere.  But, that doesn’t change the fact that he killed Manaka.  And Kanna’s cousin and Naoki’s sister.  And two other women that didn’t deserve to die.  And Kanna’s still in a coma because of him.”

 

Another loud sigh sounded behind him.  For someone that didn’t need to breathe, she was laying it on thick.  “You saw what happened with Manaka, we watched the playback of the Psync together.  He was already under the mind control then.  The mind control your mother somehow found a way to create.  He couldn’t help what happened there.  The same as he couldn’t help what happened with the Cyclops victims.  That was Rohan Kumakura behind it all, not him.  And Kanna was a tragic accident.  No one knew the Psync machine would react the way it did to his memories.”

 

“What’s your point?”

 

“My point is, you’re blaming the wrong person for all of this.  If you want to be mad at someone, you should be mad at your mother and Rohan Kumakura and whoever else might be behind this pulling all the strings, not Saito Sejima.”

 

“And what makes you think I’m not mad at any of them for this?  Especially my mother.”

 

“Then be mad at them, but you shouldn’t take it out on your cousin.”

 

Pewter cringed physically at the word, hating above all else that the two them shared any similarities in their DNA.  “Don’t call him that.”

 

“Me not saying that doesn’t make it any less true.  And maybe the sooner you get over whatever this is, the sooner you can accept it.”

 

“I’ll never accept him as family.  He’s nothing to me.”

 

“Be that as it may, you can’t change the fact that you are related.  You might not accept him, which is ridiculous, but he’s still your blood whether you like him or not.”

 

“You can keep saying it all you want, it’s not going to work,” Pewter huffed as he focused his attention back on the computer screen.  “I will never like him and I’ll never treat him as family.”

 

“You’re so dramatic sometimes I swear.”

 

“How am I being dramatic?  He’s the one that’s never once shown a single shred of remorse.  You want to say it’s not his fault that he’s a murderer, fine.  But has he given even the slightest bit of empathy towards Naoki or Kanna?  No.  Has he shown anything other than cold indifference towards Renju or Iris or Hitomi for what he did to Manaka?  No.”

 

“You don’t know that.  You’re not around him all the time.”

 

“And I wouldn’t want to be.”

 

“He tried helping you after your Psync.  Don’t you remember that?”

 

“No.”

 

“Futa…”

 

Pewter slapped his hand against the desk, rattling the monitor as he pushed his chair back.  He stood up and crossed his arms angrily, beginning to pace across the floor of his office as Theia watched on with her almost glowing green eyes.

 

“You want to know what I remember?  I remember being stabbed in the side at the warehouse district after being kidnapped.  I remember being forced into Shoko’s body while my own looked down at me on an ice cutting machine.  I remember that son of a bitch taking my place, manipulating my boyfriend, pretending to be me while he kissed him in my own home, and then daring to put his hands on him.  He broke his wrist and tried to strangle him to death.  That’s what I remember.”

 

“But that wasn’t his-”

 

“Don’t you dare tell me it wasn’t his fault again!  His orders were to kill Renju, not kill me and then manipulate Ren.  If he hadn’t realized it wasn’t me, how far do you think Saito would have gone?  Hmmm?”

 

“Be reasonable about this.”

 

“Is he being reasonable?  Every single time I’ve seen him, he’s made some sort of crack at Renju’s expense.  Maybe if I thought he was sorry for anything he ever did in life I’d be in a more forgiving mood.  But he isn’t.  He’s dangerous and shouldn’t even be here everyday, let alone getting an AI Ball.  He needs to be in prison.”

 

“That’s not your decision to make.”

 

“I know that!  And if Boss wants to keep him as her pet, fine.  I can’t help that.  But I shouldn’t have to be forced to work side by side with the man that assaulted my boyfriend.”

 

Pewter was seething.  And why shouldn’t he be?  Everyone just expected him to forget the atrocities Saito had committed, forget the things he had done to him and the man he loved.  Pewter wasn’t an unreasonable person by any means and he honestly thought he was usually pretty levelheaded, but it was completely unfair that no one took his feelings into consideration during all of this.

 

Saito was the center of attention at the moment, but everyone seemed to forget that his entire world had been turned upside in the span of a week too.  He suddenly had family that he never knew about, found out the true secret behind his mother’s disappearance when he was a child, and had to deal with the fallout of doing everything he possibly could to keep the love of his life alive.

 

And because he complained about making a murderer’s life easier, he was suddenly the bad guy.  Boss was on his ass about getting the damn AI Ball done, but yet Naoki could take his time with Ryuki’s.  It made no sense.  Ryuki was a Psyncer, his AI Ball should be top priority so that when he had his surgery and healed he could immediately get back to work.  

 

If his wasn’t done by then, they would only have Date, and there was no way he could handle everything by himself.  Especially since Pewter still wasn’t allowed to Psync as things were.  And maybe never would be able to again.  Not unless he…

 

“Boss just sent you a NILE message.”

 

Pewter glanced Theia, still standing where she had been the entire time, not feeling the need to move anywhere else.  She looked at him expectantly.

 

“What did she say?”

 

“She wants to know exactly what’s in the medicine for Saito.”

 

Of all the things he would have expected from Boss at this time of night, that wasn’t it.  Another drunken rant about how she’d die alone?  Absolutely.  An equally drunk and ever increasingly more thirsty stream of messages about whatever boy band had grabbed her attention?  That was just her normal Friday night.  But asking him about what the exact mixture of the medication he originally developed for Date was?  That was strange.

 

“Why does she want to know?”

 

“She didn’t say, she just said she needs to know what it is and how much you give him.”

 

“Ask her why.”

 

Theia’s projection froze momentarily as she concentrated on messaging Boss back.  That was one thing Aiba had over her, likely because her projection was mental and not physical like Theia’s.  Because of that, she could multitask and still keep her projection moving.

 

“She said there’s been a small situation, but nothing you need to worry about.  But she’s got Dokuta there with her checking on Saito and he needs to know what Saito’s on.”

 

A situation bad enough to warrant a doctor but not bad enough to tell him what was going on?  That didn’t make sense.  And from what Boss had said before she left for the evening, Saito was supposed to be out with Ryuki and Shoko, odd as that trio was.  So what could have happened?

 

“Ask her what’s going on?  And don’t let her brush it off.”

 

Theia froze again, a little longer this time.  What in the world could have happened in the span of a few hours?

 

“Futa…”

 

“What?  What did she say?”

 

Theia didn’t continue, her expression almost hesitant.  When did she pick up on something like that?  She’d definitely become more human over the years, but he’d never known her to actually seem like she was truly nervous about something.  She was still an AI after all and that should be well outside her scope.

 

“It’s a little more complicated than what we thought.”

 

“How much more complicated?”

 

Theia wrung her hands together, the green veins glowing in agitation.  “Saito tried to strangle Shoko.  Ryuki stepped in and she doesn’t seem to be hurt, but Saito is currently unconscious and Boss is working with Dokuta to figure out what caused it.”

 

“What caused it?  How about the fact that I was right?  He’s dangerous.  He’s a murderer and I told her from the beginning that giving him all this freedom was a bad idea.  I knew he’d turn on us the first chance he got.”

 

“No, there’s more.  Shoko said he called her ‘Yui’.  Dokuta is pretty sure he was hallucinating, but he’s not sure what could have caused it.  That’s why they want to know exactly what’s in the medication.”

 

That gave Pewter a moment of pause.  Saito was on a powerful combination that included a mixture of synthetic oxytocin and serotonin, both of which had a whole slew of possible side effects.  He had looked those side effects up before coming up with the drug for Date, but that had been years ago and he certainly didn’t remember them all now.

 

Not to mention Date never had a reaction to the cocktail, so why would Saito?  It was the same body, the only difference was the mind.  No, it was just one more reason to think that maybe Saito was actually the person he believed him to be.  The man was an excellent actor, able to switch between different bodies and assume the role of the previous owner with near perfection.  It wouldn’t be that far outside the realm of possibilities that he was trying to trick everyone still.

 

Which meant there was only one thing he could do to prove it.  He needed to get the AI Ball completed as soon as possible.  If he could get that done then they would know exactly what Saito was thinking and doing.  

 

“What do you want me to tell Boss?”

 

Pewter thought for a moment before answering.  “Just tell her what’s in it.  Get the exact dosage and measurements off the system and send it to her.  That should be exactly what Dokuta’s looking for.”

 

“You’re being cooperative all of a sudden.”

 

“There’s no point keeping the information from her.  It has nothing to do with helping him out.”

 

If he had to pretend to be cooperative for a while, so be it.  He’d do whatever he had to do to get Saito Sejima out of their lives for good.  It wasn’t just about him or even Renju now.  He had to look out for Mizuki and Iris too.  They were his family and he had to make sure he could protect them, no matter what.

 

 

 

Notes:

After three weeks we are back! Thanks for being patient and sticking with me everyone! Hopefully this chapter with a few povs I've never done before makes up for it.

We've got Shoko and Dokuta and then Pewter to round it out. No one is having a good time right now.

Thank you for reading and if you like this chapter, please let me know! I love all the comments!

Chapter 58

Moma had to admit he was pleasantly surprised at just how well Hanayo was taking everything Dokuta told her.  Especially since he was keeping it as brief as he possibly could.  He supposed that with both of them being in the medical field they didn’t need to sugarcoat anything.  Which is why Dokuta’s factual and very to the point explanation that otherwise would have come off as cold and insincere had Hanayo nodding along every so often.

 

Honestly he was happy for his lieutenant that his partner seemed to be understanding and willing to listen.  At least for the moment.  While others in Moma’s position may have been a little less inclined to let their subordinates basically spill family secrets, he approved of open and honest relationships like this.  

 

It’s not like it was a secret that despite the best laid plans and intentions, sometimes blood family got involved.  And he believed it was every single person’s choice, whether they were actually Kumakura’s or not, to have the right to consent to this lifestyle.  

 

Now it would be up to Hanayo, knowing everything there was to know about Dokuta, if she wanted to stay.  He truly hoped she did, Dokuta had never been happier and he didn’t want to see his friend lose someone else in life.  They’d all lost so much over the years.

 

Of course from what Dokuta had told him about his fiancé, he didn’t expect her to make a decision here and cause a scene, she’d wait till they were somewhere a little more private.  Maybe if she did stay and Moma played his cards right, he could even count on having a nurse among his numbers.  Having an actual doctor was great for him and his business, but if he could have Hanayo too, well he wouldn’t say no, that was for sure.

 

“Pewter’s plotting something,” Shizue mumbled from beside him, staring at her phone with an accusatory glare as if said recipient could actually see it.

 

“What do you mean?” Ryuki asked, not quite as close as Moma was, but still within ear shot.

 

She looked between the both of them before letting out a long, exaggerated sigh.  “He’s being too cooperative.  And he’s not even the one texting me back, I can tell it’s Theia doing it.”

 

“Theia?  Wait, she’s the one that called me when Ren got hurt.  She’s the eye thing, right?” Moma asked as he tapped a finger just below his own eye.

 

Shizue nodded.  “Yeah.  But his isn’t implanted in his socket, she’s in that visor he wears.  But still, he can’t even text me back?  He’s up to something.”

 

“Don’t you think he might be busy?  You did send out that long email telling all of us to ‘get our shit together’.  He’s probably working on Saito’s AI Ball right now.”

 

“Ryuki, I don’t pay you to be right,” Shizue grumbled.

 

“Sorry Boss.”  Ryuki cast his eyes down, looking all the world like a kicked dog.

 

“Oh come on, don’t…don’t do the sad thing.”

 

Straightening up and forcing an incredibly fake and completely unnatural smile on his face, Ryuki stood there like some sort of over exaggerated caricature.  It was the strangest dynamic Moma had ever seen, and that included his various guys and gals throughout the years.  ABIS made his gang seem normal by comparison.  Hell, some days it even made Yasha and her eccentric bunch…well not normal, but definitely less weird.

 

“So that was Han-jae huh?” Shizue asked, turning her attention towards Moma.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Damn, that sucks.”

 

“I tried to ditch him, but he saw my phone light up when you texted me, so I didn’t have much choice.”

 

“No, not that, he’s hot,” she whined.

 

“Seriously?”

 

Shizue gazed wistfully at the door Yasha and Han-jae had left though, a sigh escaping her throat almost involuntarily.  “God I’d destroy that boy’s cervix.”

 

Moma almost choked, thinking he must have misheard, while Ryuki just shook his head In secondhand embarrassment.

 

“Boss, come on…”

 

“What?  Kanna says this kind of stuff all the time, but when I do it, it’s a problem?”

 

“It’s weird when you do it.”

 

“And why is that Ryuki?”

 

“Because you’re so much old-”

 

“You sure you want to finish that sentence?”

 

Ryuki squeaked, realizing exactly what he was about to say.  “Sorry ma’am.”

 

“Did you get an answer from Ren’s boy?” Dokuta asked, apparently done with his conversation with Hanayo and thankfully interrupting one of the most awkward ones Moma ever had the unfortunate privilege of  being involved in.

 

Hanayo stood by her fiancé’s side, expression neutral, but at least she didn’t seem upset.  Whatever Dokuta told her must have appeased her, at least for the moment anyway.  

 

“Yeah, here’s what he said,” Shizue said as she held out her phone, opened to the NILE message between her and Pewter.

 

Dokuta took the phone and scrolled through the conversation, Hanayo reading over his shoulder with a slight frown on her face.  His old friend was slightly harder to decipher, though he could at the very least tell he didn’t look happy.

 

“You’ve got two problems with this,” Dokuta began with a long exhale.  “First, Saito doesn’t react well to high doses of serotonin.  It causes him to have hallucinations, or it did when he was a kid at any rate.”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“I was helping care for him back then.  I wasn’t his doctor obviously, but I was going to school and studying under Hashimoto.  He was technically the kid’s doctor, but most of the time I was the one handling his appointments and all.”

 

“Hashimoto?”

 

“Our old doctor.  He retired years ago which, is why he had Dokuta study under him, gave ‘im the clinic and everything,” Moma supplied, answering Shizue’s question.

 

“Problem was, Hashimoto was busy as shit back then and with So refusing almost every test he suggested, his hands were tied.  He had to basically guess what would work and tried artificial serotonin after a few other things didn’t do anything.  Problem with that was it caused the kid to self harm and even start killing small animals.  He didn’t really know what he was doing since he was hallucinating, but it wasn’t a good look for someone like So with higher political aspirations.”

 

“I don’t understand, if someone that had a very…similar condition to Saito, had the same medication and no side effects, why did he lose it like that?” Shizue asked, cautiously eyeing but Hanayo.

 

Her worries were unfounded though as the nurse shrugged her shoulders.  “I know about the body swapping science experiment thing you’ve got going on, no need to mince words.”

 

Shizue huffed in frustration.  “So we’re just telling everyone now?”

 

“Hey, I didn’t ask to be dragged into this shit.  But if I gotta involve my fiancé now, I’m sure as hell not hiding it from her.  Plus anything said here doesn’t leave this room.  She takes her job seriously and so do I, and right now we’re looking at the kid like a patient.”

 

That seemed to alleviate some of the tension in Shizue and she nodded once.  “Ok, just make sure it does stay between you two.  I don’t think I need to tell you just how dangerous this information could be if it got into the wrong hands.”

 

“Noted.”

 

“You said there were two problems,” Ryuki spoke up after the silence dragged on for several seconds.  “What else is there besides Saito not being compatible with serotonin?”

 

Dokuta’s shoulders sank and he looked over at the still unconscious young man, seeming for all the world like he was sleeping peacefully on the couch.  “I know this probably wasn’t your intention, but the amount of medicine you’re giving him, twice a day at that, you’ve been overdosing him.”

 

“What…?”  Shizue looked like she’d been punched in the gut.

 

“Part of the problem is his sensitivity to the serotonin, but even without that, you’ve got oxytocin and a few other things mixed in there too, it’s a lot to be given all at once.”

 

“I don’t understand, it’s the same mix we gave Date and he never had that kind of issue.  We have the records.  Pewter and Naoki both looked it over and based the dosage off his age and body mass, I know they did right.  It’s the same body, it’s not like that would change.”

 

“Here’s the thing, that uh fake eye Date had, it fed it directly into his brain, right?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Ok, so here’s a brief lesson, injecting medicine into the brain and injecting medicine into the veins are two totally different things.  Date was receiving what he needed exactly when he needed it in a precise measurement injected right into the problem area, the brain.  And the issue with the brain is…it’s incredibly hard to get medication there.  There’s this little thing called the blood-brain barrier, and that sucker doesn’t want anything passing through it.  You’ve been giving him this cocktail twice a day intravenously, and at a pretty high dose.

 

“There’s a problem though, it won’t pass through the blood-brain barrier.  And all this stuff has a pretty good half life.  So not only are you giving him more serotonin than his body can safely handle, you’re also letting it build up in his system because it’s not getting where it needs to go.”

 

“But we…Pewter…”

 

“Before you start placing blame, I don’t think he would have known.  I’m not saying it’s impossible, but the last I checked his doctorate isn’t as an MD, so I wouldn’t expect him to know all of this.  Yeah, he came up with the solution that worked great when delivered to the brain itself, so why wouldn’t it work when injected into the veins?  And the thing is, if we were dealing with any other organ in the body, it would be the right call.  The brain is unique though.  The only way you’re getting something there is by going directly to the brain or by using the spine.”

 

Dokuta continued on with Hanayo nodding along, completely understanding everything he was saying.  Ryuki, while this was all new information to him, seemed able to keep up with the conversation.  Shizue on the other hand looked just as lost as he felt, especially when Dokuta went on to explain that the injection wouldn’t have been delivered to the spine itself, but to the thermal sac that surrounds the spine and goes directly to the brain.

 

It wasn’t the first time he found himself wondering why a man as smart as Dokuta Yogano stick by his side and didn’t try to achieve greater things.  Don’t get him wrong, he was grateful to have someone as loyal and steadfast as his friend by his side, but he knew Dokuta could do a lot more with his life if he wasn’t shackled to the yakuza.

 

And Moma had told him just as much more than once through the years.  It fell on deaf ears though, Dokuta dismissing his concerns with that casual air of his.  But it was moments like this that he was reminded exactly how smart and incredibly capable the man that stood by his side through thick and thin was.  He had far too much brains and talent to stick it out with him.

 

“What can we do then?” Ryuki’s soft voice broke through Moma’s thoughts, bringing him back to the matter at hand.

 

“Not much we can do other than let the drugs get out of his system.  You’ve got to let him go the next two days without anything at all.  And then my suggestion would be to use that fake eye Date had and give him the medicine that way.  Then it’s a precise dose for exactly what he needs in the moment.”

 

“That’s not possible at the moment.  She really doesn’t like Saito.  But I’ve got Pewter working on one for him, it’s just not done yet.”

 

“Only other thing you can do is bring him to me in two days and I can inject it intrathecally.  It’s painful and he’d have to have it done twice a day, but at least he’d be getting the medicine.”

 

“And he has to go two days with nothing?  He can’t have a half dose or something?” Shizue asked, the concern on her features clear as she kept her dark eyes trained on Saito.

 

“No, nothing.  What’s already in his system needs to leave and he’s got to try to rest.  I don’t think that will be too much of problem, honestly you’ll probably have a harder time trying to get him up and moving then you will getting him to sleep.  He’s going to be lethargic and very out of it, but the most important things to keep in mind are that he needs to keep his fluid intake up and he needs to eat.  You don’t want him getting dehydrated on top of everything else.  And if you need me, just call.  Kid was one of us once, I owe him that much.”

 

Moma watched Shizue, seeing the emotions play across her face as she continued to stare at Saito, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest the only thing to show that he was even alive.  In the short time he’d known her, he didn’t think he’d ever seen something so genuine in her features, the woman usually all jokes or completely made of stone, no in-between.

 

Now though, there was a vulnerability that if he called her out on it, he was pretty sure would earn him a swift punch to the gut.  He could tell she was the type that didn’t like to let her emotions show, much more comfortable hiding behind a mask of inappropriate humor than letting someone in.  But somehow, despite all that, she had let Saito in.  And because of that, the guilt she felt at seemingly failing him was immeasurable.  

 

It was going to be a long weekend, he knew that much.  Between her guilty conscience and taking care of Saito full time, she was going to have her work cut out for her.  Bringing that up now in a room full people, with one of them being her subordinate, wouldn’t be a good idea.  He’d offer to take Saito for the weekend and give her a break, but he had a feeling she’d refuse his generosity.  

 

She may have wanted to pass him off before, but now that there was actually a problem, he could tell she wouldn’t let him out of her sight.  The only thing he could do at this point was the same thing Dokuta did and offer her his support if she needed it.

 

He sincerely hoped the next few days would be kind to Saito, God knows the kid had been through enough as it was.

 

 

 

 

Pewter’s eyes fluttered opened, only the darkness to greet him.  So it was still late, or early depending on how he looked at it.  He rolled to his side to glance at the clock on the table, the glowing red numbers displaying that it was almost quarter to four.  

 

Exhausted as he was, he knew sleep was out of reach for the remainder of the night.  He wasn’t sure what actually woke him up, not that it mattered.  He hadn’t had a restful night’s sleep for a week now, and that probably wasn’t about to change any time soon.

 

Sitting up, he spared a glance at Renju, his back to him as he slept soundly on his side.  The pain medication he took every night just before bed left him blissfully unaware of his boyfriend’s nightly insomnia, waking up in the morning none the wiser.

 

Stretching as he stood, Pewter winced as his stitches pulled, a painful reminder of the stab wound courtesy of his dear cousin.  He wasn’t going to let himself dwell on it though, not again.  He’d done enough of that earlier and it had gotten him nowhere.

 

Well, not necessarily nowhere.  He did start the AI program like he finally wanted, but he would have to wait a few days for the system to fully finish.  Had he not let his frustrations get to him time and time again, he probably could have been done by now.

 

With one last look at Ren and an unintended yawn escaping his lips, he lightly crept out of the bedroom and closed the door soundlessly behind him.  Even with the other man sleeping peacefully, he didn’t want to risk waking him by making too much noise.

 

He’d brew himself a pot of coffee, using the caffeine to hopefully stave off the last of his tiredness to get through the day.  It might be Saturday, but he still had plenty to do at ABIS.  Which would be all well and good since Mizuki was spending the weekend with them.  Renju could have some desperately needed one on one time with his daughter, using the day to try to reconnect.

 

While she would normally have school on Saturday, with Hitomi being out and caring for Date, Renju decided to let Mizuki have the day off too.  The substitute wouldn’t be going over anything new and Hitomi had already confirmed that she hadn’t prepared any assignments that would be due that day.  With that information in mind, Renju made the decision to let Mizuki stay with him, opening up their day completely. 

 

He knew that neither of them would have minded him tagging along, and while he appreciated that, the most important thing right now was Mizuki feeling like she was number one in her dad’s life.  Plus, there would be plenty of time for Pewter to have family outings with the two of them, no need to rush it all at once.

 

Not to mention he needed to put aside some time to try to get to know Iris, the only good thing to come out of his newly discovered familial relationship with the Sejima’s.  She had already reached out to him once, but given the fact her surgery was only a few days ago and she had had several revelations in that time, he thought it best to let her relax and get through the weekend.  As he told her, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to see her, but despite the fact that her surgery was non-invasive, it was still brain surgery.  And brain surgery had an extensive recovery process.  She’d been lucky that going out like she did to the Sejima mansion didn’t set her back.

 

At least now she was home and under Hitomi’s care.  There was no better place that she could be.  And he knew she would be plenty entertained having Date stay the weekend, also taking advantage of Hitomi’s kind and caring nature.  Maybe after work he’d have to stop by and check in on them, see if there was anything they needed before he headed home.

 

After all, he now shared two very important connections with Hitomi; Renju and Iris.  Blood relation or not, she was family.  And because of that, he should do his best to get to know her.  Not that that would be hard to do, she was a genuinely good person and he liked her already.

 

Yeah, he’d definitely have to help her out once he finished for the day.  A yawn interrupted his thoughts, his body still tired despite his mind being wide awake.  It was going to be a long day, even longer now that he’d made this unspoken promise to go visit with Hitomi, Iris, and Date.

 

He shuffled to the end of the hall, pausing near his visor as it charged on a thin table that ran between the doors of the bathroom and Mizuki’s room.  A framed photo of Renju and a much younger Mizuki sat on one end, while a second frame held a photo of himself and Renju smiling brightly.  It had been taken in the spring, during the weekend of Renju’s birthday when the two of them had gone away to Kyoto for a few nights.  It was just a simple selfie, but they looked so happy and at peace with a beautiful Shinto shrine behind them.  

 

He’d love to go there again, but this time, with both Renju and Mizuki.  He didn’t know how much she was in to history, but she seemed like the type to at least appreciate the beauty of the structure if nothing else.  Though if she really didn’t like it, he’d be just as happy going anywhere as long as it was the three of them.

 

What a funny thought.  Pewter couldn’t imagine himself a year ago being so open to the idea of family vacations, but now the thought brought a gentle warmth to his chest.  Sure he had known about Mizuki for pretty much the entire time he had dated Renju, but considering he was never involved in her life, it was easy to separate her from his thoughts and feelings.  Not to mention he was never really big on kids anyway.  Besides his sister, but that was a little bit different.

 

Another yawn managed to catch him off guard and he quickly shook his head from side to side, doing his best to try to clear the exhaustion from his body.  Stepping back away from the table and deciding to leave Theia charging for the time being, Pewter made his way to the kitchen.  Maybe he’d try that fancy espresso maker Renju bought at the beginning of September, convinced that they would both love it.  And while Renju did enjoy his fancy drinks, complete with loads of cream and sugar, Pewter usually stuck with plain black coffee.  Maybe he’d add some agave nectar to it if he really wanted something sweet, but usually he’d just drink it black.

 

This morning though, his mind had even more of a haze surrounding it than it usually did.  A stronger drink was in order to try to lift the fog hovering over him, otherwise he’d never make it all day through work.

 

He rounded the corner to the little breakfast nook that held their dining table and froze, the air leaving his lungs in a harsh rasp that he was unable to control.  His eyes widened and he felt his legs go weak, barely able to keep standing as he looked at the woman before him.

 

“Hello Futa, it’s been a long time,” she said, blonde hair falling is soft waves around her shoulders.

 

He couldn’t speak, the best he was able to do was utter something akin to a squeak as his mouth opened and closed rapidly.

 

“Please, why don’t you sit down.  I didn’t mean to startle you, but I had to see you.”

 

Almost as if being pulled along like a puppet, Pewter took one stilted step after another, reaching the chair directly across from her and pulling it out to sit down.  His body all but collapsed as he continued to stare in awe, eyes unable to leave her for even a second.

 

“I’m sure you have questions for-”

 

“M-mom…?”

 

Her green eyes softened, corners crinkling ever so slightly as a gentle smile crossed her features.  She nodded her head, starting to reach out a delicate hand across the table before hesitating and pulling it back.

 

That seemed to snap Pewter out of his stupor, the questions rolling off his tongue one after the other without pause.  “Why are you here?  How did you get in?  Why did you even leave in the first place?  Why didn’t you ever try to contact me?  Not even once.  Why did you come back for Saito and not me?  Why-”

 

“Please Futa, I know you want answers but I don’t have much time.  I need you to listen to me.”

 

“What are you talking about?  Are you going to leave again?”

 

“Yes,” she answered without pause.

 

Pewter felt his hands begin to tremble in his lap, his emotions all over the place as he stared down the woman that gave him life.  The woman that he should love unconditionally but was instead a complete stranger.

 

The only reason he even recognized her was because she changed very little from the memories of his past that he had dug up through his Psync.  She had the same blonde hair, the same unblemished skin, her facial features relatively untouched by the passage of time, though she did look older than the young twenty-something she had been.

 

“Why bother to come back now then?  Huh?  What’s the point?  To disrupt my life when things are finally going good for me?”

 

“I never wanted to hurt you Futa.  You or your father, but I had no choice.”

 

“You had a choice.  And you chose to leave.  Just like you chose to come back and help your nephew but didn’t bother to come and check on the son you abandoned.  It’s easy to see I never meant anything to you.”

 

“That’s not true,” she replied, her voice shaking ever so slightly.  She looked hurt in that moment and Pewter wondered how she had the audacity to feel that way when she was the one that caused nothing but pain.

 

“The police are looking for you, you know.  Tell me one good reason why I shouldn’t call them right now and turn you in.”

 

“Because you want answers.”

 

Pewter slapped his hand on the table, grimacing as the sound echoed throughout the otherwise silent apartment.  He waited a moment to make sure he hadn’t disturbed Renju or Mizuki, not wanting to wake either of them quite so early.  He really needed to be more mindful of the hour and his anger, the latter being almost uncontrollable lately.

 

“And you’re going to give me those answers?  You’re the one that said you didn’t have much time.”

 

“I’ll tell you what I can and then I need to go.  I may not be able to answer all of your questions, but I’ll do what I can.”

 

“Are you serious?  You’re going to leave again?  What was the point of coming back then?”

 

“I had to see you.  I wanted to know that you’re ok.”

 

“I’m fine.  I’ve done pretty well for myself without you here.  Dad did the best he could and when he met my mom it was even better.”

 

“Y-you call her ‘mom’?”

 

Pewter didn’t know why of all things, that made him want to walk away.  To make her leave his home and never come back.  What right did she have to express any sort of hurt or sadness over his mother stepping up and raising him like her own?  Shion didn’t have to love him, didn’t have to care, but she did.  Even after she had Aya, she still loved him as her first child.  This woman chose him when his own biological mother abandoned him completely, her love didn’t get any more real than that.

 

“She’s my mom after all, why wouldn’t I?”

 

“I see.”

 

“Why are you back?  You disappeared thirty-four years ago and then come back to help Saito just because So asked you to, but you can’t let dad and I know you’re alive?  And now you’re back again?  Right when you’re the number one suspect in a string of murders.  Why are you here?”

 

“Futa…sweetheart-”

 

“Don’t call me that like you know me.  You’re a complete stranger, no need to act so familiar.”

 

“You’re right, I’m sorry.  But Futa, I need you to understand, I didn’t kill anyone.”

 

“And I should believe you why?  Because you’ve been so open and honest up until this point?  Why are you here?”

 

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, shoulders slumping as she looked like the weight of the entire world came crashing down on her.  He couldn’t give in now though, he couldn’t feel sorry for her, not when this could all be an act.

 

“There was a dream…no, it was more of a nightmare.”

 

That caught Pewter’s interest.  He knew from his self Psync that his mother had some sort of dream that scared her enough to flee in the middle of the night and never look back, but to apparently hear that she had another one?  And right after he had one too.  But what could be bad enough to make her come back again?

 

“It’s a lot to try to explain, but all you need to know is that I’m trying to set things right.  And once I do, I’ll talk to you and the police and whoever else you need me to so that I can explain everything.”

 

“Why am I not surprised?  It’d be too easy for you to just tell me, wouldn’t it?”

 

“I already told you I can’t right now, but I will soon.”

 

“Then why even come here?”

 

“Because I wanted to see you.”

 

“And breaking into my home was the best way to do that?  Just sitting around and hoping I would wake up?  What if Renju or Mizuki woke up first?  How would you explain to them?”

 

“I knew they wouldn’t wake up.”

 

“How could you possibly know that?”

 

Her face took on a strange expression, staring down the hallway and looking at nothing.  “I just knew they wouldn’t.”

 

Something wasn’t right.  Her tone changed drastically and her voice didn’t even sound the same anymore.  But maybe that was because the blood was suddenly rushing through his ears at the absolute feeling of wrongness that was snaking it’s way down his spine.

 

He pushed back from the table, the chair legs scraping loudly across the wooden floor.  Bolting out of the seat, he didn’t care that the chair toppled over, the noise reverberating everywhere at once.

 

He ran down the hall, which seemed to stretch on forever.  Why now of all times when his heart felt like it was beating out of his chest did time seem to stand completely still?  It was like no matter how fast he moved through the apartment, he never got closer to their bedroom.  Like in a dream where no matter what you did, you never seemed to reach your goal.

 

But he did, almost slamming into the bedroom door as he twisted the handle so hard he was surprised it didn’t snap off in his hand.  He pushed the door with a ferocity that made it bounce off the wall, vibrating strangely and swinging back towards him.

 

He was out of the way in an instant and staring at the bed, Renju still in the same position he was when he first woke up.  Curled on his side, back facing him, perfectly still.  Too still.

 

Pewter slowly inched his way forward, the moonlight painting a thin, silver ray directly across the smaller man.  His back didn’t move.  Not once.  There was no rise and fall, no subtle shake of his shoulders, no movement at all.  Renju wasn’t breathing.

 

The realization snapped him out of whatever stupor his mind had briefly entered, his body propelling forward of it’s own will.  He grabbed Renju firmly by the shoulder, not caring about jostling his broken wrist in the least, and rolled him quickly onto his back.

 

The scream that sprung unrestrained from his throat was raw and heart wrenching.  

 

Even in the low light from the window, the black and purple bruising around Renju’s neck evident, wrapped fully around on either side.  But worst of all was his left eye…or lack thereof.  The blood trickled slowly from the empty socket, trailing down the side of his head and disappearing into his hair, staining the blonde locks dark.

 

Knees giving out, Pewter collapsed to the ground, his vision going dark.

 

 

 

Notes:

I really don't have much to say after that last chapter other than don't hate me for the cliffhanger!

Things are starting to pick up a little and I hope everyone is enjoying it! As always, if you liked the chapter, please leave me a comment and let me know.

Chapter 59

Notes:

We hit 300k words. How did this even happen?

A pain-filled groan followed by the sounds of someone coughing and then almost gasping roused Renju from the deep sleep he’d been in.  The unsteady breathing continued on and for a moment, his mind, still muddied by exhaustion and medication, was transported back six years prior.

 

It sounded just like Mizuki when she had come down with a serious case of bronchitis, the coughing and wheezing seeming like it would never stop.  It had gotten so bad she had been prescribed nebulizer treatments every four hours, which meant for several days, either Renju or Shoko would remain camped out in her room.  Usually the duty fell to Shoko, a fact he wasn’t especially proud of.

 

But what was happening now?  He wasn’t on the floor of Mizuki’s room, he was in his own bed, the coughing right beside him.  

 

Trying to shake off sleep in the middle of the night was hard enough without his pain medicine playing a part in it.  He had two different pills he took, one during the day to manage the pain, and a stronger one that he took at night to help him sleep through the worst of the aches.

 

By the time he would normally wake up, it had long worn off and his wrist would be throbbing.  But at the moment there was just the dullest of throbs, signaling it still had to be fairly early.

 

A harsh rasp made his eyes fly open, finally recognizing what was happening.  Futa was next to him, caught in the throws of a nightmare.  The erratic breaths he drew well on the way to forcing his body into an asthma attack.

 

“Futa!” Renju hissed, shaking his shoulder with his left hand.  “Wake up!”

 

It was like his touch contained a bolt of electricity, Futa shooting straight up as his eyes wildly moved from side to side.  The breaths came much faster now, his boyfriend nearly on the verge of hyperventilating.

 

“Hey, take it easy, slow steady breaths.  Come on, deep breath in and slowly let it out.”

 

His low and calm voice seemed to break through whatever residual nightmare still plagued his love, Futa heeding the words and trying to slow his breathing down as best he could.  Renju could hear the painful rattle deep within his lungs and knew he needed his inhaler.  If he didn’t use it, it would only get worse as time went on.

 

As he scooted across the bed, Futa grabbed on to his upper arm tightly, unwilling to let him move away.  He could see that sleep hadn’t completely faded away yet and there was genuine fear behind those green eyes.

 

“Darling please, it’s ok, just let me get up.  You need your inhaler.  I’ll be right back.”

 

The long fingers tightened even more, Futa pulling Renju towards him and enveloping the smaller man in a crushing embrace.  He could feel the staccato breaths as he tried to keep his emotions under control, a few burning hot tears hitting the crook of his neck as Futa buried his face against him.

 

“Dad?  Are you ok?”

 

He looked up at his closed door, Mizuki’s tired voice barely audible from the other side.  With her room right next to theirs, it was no surprise she probably heard them.

 

“Mizuki, come here for a minute please,” he said, trying to keep his tone low enough not to further upset Futa, but also loud enough that Mizuki would actually hear him.

 

The door opened slowly and Mizuki stepped in, her Adorabbit slippers shuffling across the floor.  She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, looking so much younger than twelve in that moment.  

 

“Are you ok?” she asked again.

 

“I’m fine,” he replied gently, not wanting to scare her either.  “But Futa needs his inhaler.  Can you go in our bathroom and get it out of the medicine cabinet?”

 

Mizuki nodded, slippered feet still dragging against the carpet.  She stepped into the bathroom and turned on the light, the harsh brightness causing her to squint as she opened the cabinet he indicated.

 

“Which one do you want?” she called out.  “The red one or purple?”

 

“Red.”

 

She grabbed the one he indicated and closed the mirrored door, quickly coming back into the room and standing next to the bed.

 

“Can you give it a few good shakes for me?”

 

Mizuki did as she was asked, holding the inhaler in her hand and shaking it thoroughly.  Renju could hear the albuterol housed inside the small metal canister.  A few more shakes and Mizuki handed it over, removing the white cap from the mouth piece and sitting it on the beside table.

 

Renju did his best to maneuver his one good hand, but he was at too awkward of an angle to get the inhaler to Futa’s mouth.  And every time he tried to move, his boyfriend held on tight, pretty much keeping him trapped by his side.

 

“Futa, Mizuki brought your inhaler, come on, you need to take it.”

 

Whatever nightmare that still clutched despairingly to his mind seemed to dissipate enough for him to at least understand what Renju was saying.  Without loosening his hold, Futa reached forward and took his inhaler, bringing it to his lip and pressing down on the top.  

 

Renju heard the small puff of the dose being administered and felt Futa’s chest extend rapidly against his side as he inhaled deeply.  He held it for about ten seconds, letting the air out slowly and then taking one more dose before placing the plastic applicator back in Renju’s left hand.

 

The wheezing that had been present before was starting to fade away, his breaths becoming much more even.  Without even having to ask, Mizuki plucked the inhaler from his hand and placed the cap back on, returning it to it’s proper place in the medicine cabinet.

 

She was so responsible for someone her age.  Much more responsible than he had been at twelve.  The thought caught Renju off guard as he watched her walk back into his bedroom.

 

She wasn’t even a teenager and yet she’d basically had to take care of herself for the last several years.  Date had provided a roof over her head and food on the table, but from his own admission, he hadn’t known how to be a father.  The younger man had tried his best, but in the scarce time Renju had been able to spare for his daughter, it was painfully obvious she was yearning for her parents and their love.

 

And that was just something Renju wasn’t capable of.  At least not until Futa had come into his life and changed him for the better.  The eccentric engineer loved him unconditionally, showing him exactly how a relationship should be, how family should be.

 

He’d helped him get past his many issues with intimacy and commitment, despite the fact that Futa had been the one that was more hesitant in the beginning to pursue a relationship.  But if it weren’t for him, he wouldn’t be here now getting a second chance to finally make things right with his daughter.  

 

Hell, he wouldn’t be here at all.  He should have died a week ago, would have if not for his lover’s dream.  And seeing the man now, seemingly so small as he desperately clung to his side, he had to wonder if that was what the dream entailed.

 

Was it another vision of the future?  Or just his overworked mind playing out the nightmare from before?  Renju was more inclined to believe the latter, but on the off chance it was the other, he’d have to talk to him about it.

 

But that could come later.  For now he just needed to be here for Futa.  Hold him close and let him cry against his shoulder, comfort him by simply being there.  It wasn’t much, but for the moment, it would be enough.

 

 

 

 

“I don’t know what to do,” Boss sighed out as she laid her head down against the meeting room table, Naoki to her left and Ryuki to her right.  

 

In the center of the table sat a laptop with Date’s impassive face staring back.  He looked worn out, though it had barely been twenty-four hours since his surgery.  Aiba was perched comfortably on his shoulder, looking at the group currently showing on their laptop screen.

 

“That’s got to be a first for you,” Naoki answered, though not with as much snark as his words usually held.  It seemed the events of the last week had mellowed everyone out, even him.

 

“I’m certainly open to suggestions,” Boss replied, voice muffled as she spoke directly into the wood.

 

At the start of the meeting she had explained as briefly as possible the disaster of the previous night.  What was supposed to be an enjoyable evening out for Saito and how it ended with him being tasered and dragged into a back room of the club.  Finding out that unbeknownst to them, they had been slowly overdosing Saito until his body could take no more and brought on hallucinations.

 

And if all of that wasn’t bad enough, she received a call from Renju in the early hours of the morning stating that he was forcing Pewter to stay home and rest.  That he was too overworked and not getting enough sleep and had a nightmare bad enough that it almost brought on an asthma attack.

 

She knew her head engineer was suffering, but there wasn’t much she could do when he wouldn’t say anything.  And while she did her best to keep him as separated as she could from Saito, it obviously wasn’t good enough.

 

Which now had her in the mess she was currently in.  She needed the AI Ball to be finished as quickly as possible so that Saito would have a safe and reliable way to receive his medication, but at the same time, she was forcing Pewter to take the next couple of days off to try to recuperate.  

 

She should have put her foot down when he tried to self Psync, but had taken him at his word that he was fine. She knew better than that, especially after all the years they’d worked together.  Pewter was nothing if not a complete workaholic.  Sure he liked to joke around that she was a slave driver, but when she actually tried to give him time off, he’d very rarely take it.

 

Lucky for her he seemed to listen to Renju.  Or maybe Renju had actually drugged him until he was unconscious and he had no choice but to sleep.  She really didn’t ask questions because if that ended up being the case, she approved of the blonde’s methods.  Pewter needed a break both mentally and physically and she wasn’t above forcing the issue if she had to.  

 

If Saito’s own precarious health wasn’t center stage at the moment, she’d make Pewter take the whole week off.  Get him to go to Atami or some other resort where he would have no choice but to relax and have a good time.

 

“Where is Saito now?” Ryuki asked, the concern evident in his tone even though he did his best to try to sound as natural as possible.  It was almost cute how he thought he was hiding his little crush.

 

Not that she blamed him, Saito was very attractive, objectively speaking.  If it wasn’t for the fact that she knew exactly how many people Date had slept with while taking up residence in that body, she would have encouraged the younger man to give him a test ride.  Maybe it’d even bring Ryuki out of his shell a bit.  A good romp did wonders for people.  And while she was on that train of thought, she really did need to get Dokuta to arrange a few tests, just to be safe.

 

“He’s back at my house.  It was easier to leave him zoned out on the couch than to try to get him motivated to go anywhere.  I left him some water and a bowl of sesame sticks if he gets hungry.  And I put that ice skating anime on for him, he’ll be entertained for hours.”

 

“You left him alone?”  Naoki leaned forward, eyebrow raised in question.  “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

 

“He’s not alone.  I’ve got someone there watching him that I trust.”

 

Naoki and Ryuki both nodded, but Boss watched as Date just stared at her through the screen, that one gray eye narrowed in suspicion.  Naoki obviously didn’t care enough to ask anymore and Ryuki was too polite to go after an answer that wasn’t provided, but Date, one of her oldest friends, wasn’t quite so easy.  He wouldn’t say anything now, but she could tell this would be a conversation they would have later.

 

“Saito’s medical issues aren’t the only reason I wanted to meet with you all, we’ve got something bigger going on.”

 

That certainly seemed to grab their attention, the three men and Aiba staring at her intently.  She almost wished she had sent out an email, but honestly, that wouldn’t have been fair, not with knowing everything she was about to say would directly affect both Naoki and Date.

 

“On Monday, the MPD is going to make a press announcement.  That a fifth body tied to the Cyclops killer has been located.  It’s going to put the case right back in the headlines.”

 

Naoki had several different emotions flicker across his features in a matter of seconds, but the most prevalent of all was anger.  Not that she could truly blame him, his sister’s story would be all over the news again.  It would be hard to ignore.

 

“A fifth body?” Ryuki asked quietly.

 

Boss nodded solemnly, letting her breath out slowly and staring directly ahead.  She kept eye contact with Date alone as the words left her lips.  “Manaka Iwai.”

 

Despite none of the men knowing the woman personally, she could feel the tension radiating throughout the room.  They may have never met Manaka, herself included, but they all had heard the story by now of Saito’s first victim.

 

“You’re putting this on the news?  Have you lost your mind?!” Date hissed as she watched him grab a set of earbuds, fumbling for a moment as he tried to sync them to the laptop.

 

Hitomi and/or Iris had to be somewhat near by then.  He must not want them to know, at least not at the moment anyway.

 

“I get a lot of leeway, but you’ve got to know there’s a limit to how many strings I can pull.  And covering up a murder isn’t something I can do.  Or am willing to do for that matter.”

 

“Obviously,” Date snarked back, rolling his one good eye.  “I wasn’t suggesting that.  But you know if you link this to the Cyclops killings it’s going to involve…them.”

 

Boss smiled sadly at one of her oldest friends.  She knew he was just trying to protect his girlfriend and the young woman he viewed as a daughter.  She understood, she really did.  But none of that changed the fact that her hands were basically tied.  If she wanted to save Saito and keep him out of all of this, she had very little choice.

 

“I know that.  But the alternative is having Saito rot away in a jail cell for the rest of his life and bringing in your girlfriend and your best friend for tampering with a corpse and hiding a murder.”

 

“You know the statute of limitations is up on that.”

 

“It very well may be, but think about their images.  Renju is in the public eye and Hitomi is a school teacher.  Do you think either of their careers would remain in tact if this got out?”

 

Date was quiet, staring her down for several moments before finally looking away.  

 

“I’m not threatening them, but you know it would ruin Renju.  And if Lemniscate goes under, what’s going to happen to Iris’ idol career?  And do you think any school would be willing to hire Hitomi if she’s linked to a murder?”

 

“They had nothing to do with it.”

 

“I know that.  But the general public sees things just a bit differently.”

 

“So what’s your plan then?  Why in the hell do you think it’s beneficial to link this to the Cyclops killings and drag all this trauma back up?  Do you think all the families deserve to relive the most horrific thing that ever happened to them?”

 

“Naoki-”

 

“I don’t give a shit about me,” the engineer continued, effectively cutting his superior off.  “But I do care about my mom having to go through this all over again.  And Kanna.  When she wakes up, do you really think this is something she needs?”

 

“I’m sorry.”  And Boss was.  She was sorry that anyone had to hurt from this.  That she was reopening the case at all to try to find out who the true mastermind really was and why those four women had to be killed in the first place.  

 

“Answer his question Shizue.”  Date again.  “What’s your plan?”

 

A heavy sigh filled the otherwise silent room, Boss trying to think of the best way to word all of this.  But there really was no good answer, not when everything she was doing was sketchy at best and illegal at worst.

 

“I had a very long conversation with So this morning.  One that included Moma and So’s campaign manager-”

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?  Don’t tell me you’re even remotely thinking about protecting So,” Date ground out.

 

“Just listen to me for a min-”

 

“No, because if your solution to all of this is doing some sort of quid pro quo for So it’s bullshit.  Let him suffer the consequences of his actions for once.  Why are you trying to protect him?”

 

“I’m not-”

 

“Sure doesn’t seem like it from here.”

 

“Hayato!  Shut up for two damn minutes and let me speak!  You’re the one that wanted to hear what I had to say, but you won’t even give me a chance to get it out.”

 

Date stared coldly ahead at her address, not amused in the slightest about being called by that name, but it seemed to do the trick.  He pressed his lips together in a tight line, silent for the moment.

 

“I know how it seems, but if we don’t cooperate on this with So, then he’s going to make all of our lives hell.  First and foremost, he will go after Iris.  No, shut your mouth,” she said in the middle, noticing Date already taking exception.  She knew why and definitely understood, but the entire conversation was going to be hard and uncomfortable and if Date didn’t let her continue on, they’d be there all day.

 

“Like I said, if we don’t cooperate he will go after Iris.  He’ll go to the courts and petition to get custody of her.  And it doesn’t matter that she’s eighteen and technically old enough to decide who she wants to live with because at the end of the day she was kidnapped.  Stop making that face, I don’t like using the word either, but it’s the truth.  Renju and Hitomi both knew that Iris was So’s child and they went to great lengths to forge documents and hide that fact. They will go to jail, there won’t be any question of that.”

 

She could see the agony on Date’s face, there was no way he would let the woman he loved or his best friend go to jail.  He might have nothing but ill feelings towards So, but that didn’t outweigh his need to protect Hitomi and Renju.  And Iris too for that matter.  If she was exclusively under So’s care, there wouldn’t be anything he could do to help her.

 

“What’s his plan then?”

 

“It was a group effort, Moma’s going to help too, for a considerable amount of money that So will be paying of course.  But the plan is to have the Okiura Fishery ownership changed over to a shell account that can be traced back to Rohan.  The documents are going to be backdated nineteen years which should fall into place nicely with the time that Renju’s father became seriously ill.”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“I didn’t.  Not until this morning anyway.  Moma told us.  Figured it would make the most sense since the name stayed.  And it keeps Renju’s hands clean because it would be his father that signed over ownership, not him.  He would have been in high school still.”

 

“That’s all well and good, but how do you even think this is going to work?  Documents like that have to be filed and registered.  It wouldn’t hold up to just say ‘Oh hey, look at what we found.’  It won’t work.”

 

“I know that.  But one of the other family’s under the Ujisaki’s has a woman that works at City Hall.  They might be a smaller family, but Moma said he can cash in a favor and get everything on file and have it look like it was always there.  Which brings me to the next part and you’re not going to like it.”

 

“Just tell me and get it over with,” Date huffed.

 

“So is having Manaka’s birth certificate altered so that she is two years older than she actually was.”

 

“Are you serious?”

 

“Yes.  You have to understand that everything is going to come out.  Who Manaka was and how she was connected to So.  It would ruin his career if it gets found out he had an affair with an eighteen year old girl, whether he knew her age or not.”

 

“Like it would be such a bad thing if So was removed from politics.”

 

“I didn’t say it wouldn’t be, but if we don’t agree to let this all go through, then you know the outcome.”

 

“I can’t believe you’re agreeing to this.”

 

“I’m agreeing to this because it effects you and Pewter and the people you love.  I’m doing this for both of you and to try and find out who was pulling all the strings.”

 

“We already know it was Amanoma’s mother though.  What more evidence do you need?” Naoki spoke up.

 

“We know for sure that she is the one that came up with the mind control.  But Manaka’s death was an accident and wasn’t given as an actual command.  And we still have no idea about the others.  Rohan gave the commands, but how did he find out about the mind control in the first place?  I have serious doubts that he just stumbled across it.  Which then leads me to, what if Saito isn’t the only one this was done to?  There could be countless other people out there, all with the same control lurking just beneath the surface.  We would have no idea.”

 

“Like sleeper agents?” Ryuki asked, cocking his head to the side.

 

“Maybe.  It wouldn’t be that far of a stretch.  We have no idea though.  But if we get the Cyclops killer back in the public eye, they might just tip their hand.  And we’re trying to lure Fumiyo back out in the open too.  She knows something, I’d bet everything on it.  But the only person she has been in contact with over the years is So and he won’t say a word.”

 

“You’re delusional if you think helping him out with this is going to endear him in any way to you.  He won’t do anything to help us out,” Date said.

 

“I know that.  You think I don’t?  I’m not going into this thinking that it would help, but I also know calling his bluff won’t end well.”

 

“If he really wants to have a relationship with Iris and get to know her, do you think he’ll have the only mother she’s ever known thrown in jail?  Or the first father figure she’s had?”

 

“Is that something you’re willing to risk?  I’m not.”

 

“Why do you care so much?” Naoki asked, genuinely confused as opposed to accusatory like he normally was.  “It’s not like you even know them.”

 

“Because Pewter’s already in a delicate mental state.  Having his boyfriend locked up could be just the thing to push him over the edge.”

 

“Yeah, I think he went over the edge a few days ago.”

 

“Whether he did or didn’t, I’m not pushing him any further.  Which is why he’s taking a few days off.  He doesn’t need to be here the day the case is officially reopened.  Same goes for you Naoki.  Take Monday off.  Spend time with your girlfriend or go see your mom or anything else you want.”

 

“Why?”

 

“You’re an insufferable prick most of the time, but you don’t need to go through this.  It’s going to be a circus here.  I can handle it myself.  And it’s not like we have any Psyncs we’re doing.  Do whatever you need to do today and tomorrow and then just stay away from the precinct on Monday.”

 

“I…thank you.”

 

Boss simply nodded, knowing saying anything else would get Naoki’s hackles back up.  He only had so much niceness in him and it was likely close to exhausted at this point.

 

“I need you to back up a minute because you’ve only given us pieces of the story,” Date said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, flinching slightly when he came in to contact with the swollen tissue near his left socket.  “I get that Manaka’s body is going to be ‘discovered’ and then linked to the killings on Monday, but how is this happening?  And who are you blaming the actual killings on?  Rohan?  That’s not going to help you find the mastermind if you present it as a basically closed case while reopening it.”

 

Date was right, as usual.  For all of his goofing off and innuendos, he was an incredibly capable officer.  It made sense why he had been a detective in the first place and now that his memories were back in full, Boss would be lying if she said she wasn’t worried about losing him back to the police force.  Not at the moment, for now he seemed happy in his current position, but things could certainly change.  And she had to wonder once this case was over and done with, if how she handled it would play a role in where he ultimately ended up.

 

“The press conference is going to be a joint venture by the commissioner and myself.  We’re going to say we received an anonymous tip that led us to the fishery building.  And a thorough search revealed a corpse that was left much in the same manner as the victims six years ago.  The conference is taking place on Monday, but the actual timeline of when the body was discovered will be about a week ago.  The public will be told that though the body found was in perfect condition due to being frozen, she had actually died eighteen years prior.”

 

“How are you going to explain the fact that there was never a missing persons report done for her?”

 

“That’s actually a little easier.  Besides Hitomi and Renju, the only people that would have reported Manaka missing were her parents.  And they had been estranged from her once they found out she was pregnant out of wedlock.  They both died within the last ten years, so there’s no one else that would have reported her missing.”

 

“How are you explaining Iris then?”

 

“Believe it or not, So’s the one that came up with a story to spare both Hitomi and Renju.  We’ll say that Manaka never told either of them who the father was and had arranged for Hitomi to adopt Iris as her own child because she was her best friend.  Given that Manaka wasn’t married and she never named a father, this was set up before she ever gave birth.  Once Iris was born, she was handed over to Hitomi, the papers were signed, and she was officially her mother.  As far as Renju and Hitomi know, Manaka left the country after that.  They never heard from her again.”

 

“Ok, but if anyone does the slightest bit of digging, they’re going to find Iris’ birth certificate that lists Hitomi as her mother.  And Hitomi’s koseki isn’t going to list an adoption.”

 

“All being altered on So’s yen by the gal at City Hall.”

 

“Ummm,” Ryuki muttered under his breath.  “Are we…uh really sure we should being doing this?  It seems a little illegal.”

 

Naoki bit back a laugh.  “That’s an understatement.  It’s a lot illegal.  Not to mention completely unethical.”

 

“Then what would you have me do?!” Boss ground out, her frustration finally taking over.  She had spent the early hours of the morning dealing with an upset Renju as she listened to Pewter quietly crying somewhere near him.  And from what Renju had described, his boyfriend wasn’t willing to let him out of his sight.

 

Not able to get back to sleep after that, she had checked on Saito who was all but comatose, despite his one eye being wide open.  Every once in a while, he would slowly blink, the only movement besides the shallow rise and fall of his chest to indicate he was breathing.  

 

If she spoke to him, he’d look at her and either nod or shake his head, but that was the extent he was willing to communicate.  Or could communicate.  That was the more likely answer.  After nearly a week of having fairly regulated emotions, having them taken away in an instant was likely more devastating than never having the medication period.

 

Seeing him like that, so lost and broken, had done something to Boss.  Made her feel something she wasn’t quite sure how to describe.  Pity wasn’t quite the right word, but it was certainly a small part of it.  That coupled with a fierce protectiveness that made no sense when she really thought about it.  She had known Saito less than a week.  She shouldn’t really care what happened to him, and yet she did.

 

But of course her morning couldn’t have been complete without dealing with So Sejima, the indirect cause of just about everything that had gone wrong for the people connected to her for the last two decades.  Of all the things she thought he could have been calling about, a conference call with her new friend who happened to be a yakuza boss and some high powered lawyer spinning the most outrageous timelines she had heard wasn’t it.

 

“If you’re not in this completely, now is your one and only opportunity to walk away.  You don’t have to be a part of this, but if you stay, you’re doing things my way.”

 

Ryuki looked conflicted by that statement, a war happening just behind those gray eyes as he weighed her words heavily.  He was still young, the youngest person in their department by several years.  It was easy to see why he would have a problem with the plan.  He was still green and full of hope that the justice system would always be fair and true, he hadn’t lived long enough to know that was nothing but wishful thinking.

 

Date knew she was right, she could see it in the hard line of his jaw, teeth clenched so tightly together it was a wonder she didn’t hear them grinding through the tiny speakers of the laptop.  He might not like what they had to do, but he’d still do it.  He’d seen first hand just how badly the judicial system had failed.

 

Naoki was another wildcard, but she had a feeling he’d help.  As closed off and prickly as the man could be, his moral compass was decidedly gray.  He gave no false pretenses of righteousness and he wouldn’t have the same struggles in making a decision that Ryuki did.

 

“Here’s the deal.  If we don’t do things So’s way, Hitomi and Renju are going to jail.  Iris is getting ripped away from her family and forced to live the next two years under his roof.  I don’t think he would hurt her, but a completely unchecked So Sejima could do a lot in that time frame.  And I don’t have any doubt he’d use her as some sort of pawn in his campaign for Prime Minister.”

 

“I have a hard time believing you’re doing all this just to protect Renju, Hitomi, and Iris.  Sorry Boss, not that I’m not grateful for that, but there’s got to be more to it.”

 

“There is.  And it’s what I tried to explain to So if he ended up going through with it, but in typical So fashion, he thinks he’s invincible and that nothing could ever effect him or his family.  If all of this comes out, at some point, the investigation is going to turn to Saito.  I won’t be able to step in then.  And if he gets tried and convicted, he will receive the death sentence.  There’s no way around it.  I might be a lot of things, but I’m not cold enough yet that I’m ok with sending an innocent man to die.”

 

“You’re protecting Saito then.”

 

“No, I’m protecting everyone, including you.”

 

Date looked confused by that, tilting his head to the side.  “Me?”

 

“Yes, you.  Do you think if all these investigations start happening, that someone won’t go sniffing around you too?  Dig up your past?  And I can guarantee So will drop a tip or two to the MPD if anything happens to Saito.  I’ve got some dirt on him, but not nearly as much as he has on everyone else to ruin our lives tenfold.  So what’s it going to be?  You with me or not?”

 

Date was the first to answer, nodding his head.  “Damn it all Shizue, you know I am.  Just don’t make me regret it.”

 

She smiled, knowing that it was purely Hayato speaking to her in that moment.  It was funny how even with his old body back, for the most part he was distinctly Kaname Date.  But when things got serious, there were times when her oldest friend shown through.

 

“I want to find out what happened to my sister and why she had to die.  I need to know…and Kanna’s going to want answers when she wakes up.”

 

“You’re in?”

 

Naoki nodded slowly.  “Yeah…”

 

That just left Ryuki.  The man in question was staring at the table, running the tip of his finger across the polished wood as his eyes remained unfocused.  It was strange to think that this would probably be one of the last times she would see him with both eyes intact.  He’d be getting his surgery on Tuesday, unless he decided to back out now that the stakes were so high.

 

She wished that things had moved a little faster and he had his partner now, surely have a reassuring voice in the back of his mind would have been a comfort for him.  Especially when he looked so uneasy with the choice currently presented.

 

After several more moments of silence, Boss was ready to say something when Ryuki’s soft voice finally spoke up.  “I’ll do it.  He shouldn’t have to die, not for something that isn’t his fault.”

 

Boss let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.  It was a lot to ask of all the men currently gathered, but she was glad to see they had agreed to it.  

 

Though they would be easy in comparison to Pewter.  Not that she was planning on telling him anything at the moment.  She’d let Date take care of telling Renju and Renju in turn could give information he deemed pertinent at the time to Pewter.  Hopefully that would stave off the worst of the engineer’s anger at the situation, even if she was absolutely sure it wouldn’t completely dispel it.

 

She just had to put all of her hopes in Renju Okiura and the love that Pewter had for the other man.  Considering in that parallel world he had thrown away his freedom and betrayed everyone else he held dear for that love, it was likely Renju would be the only one capable of convincing Pewter to back off.  But that was all contingent on how well Date was able to get Renju over to their side in the first place.

 

She sincerely hoped he could do it.

Notes:

Taking it back to the beginning with a little Renju and Pewter moment. The boys have been through so much and Pewter definitely needs a hug and a chance to just cry it out.

And poor Boss has the weight of the world on her right now, doing everything she can to try to help her friends and keep everyone safe and out of jail. She definitely has her work cut out for her.

As always, thanks for reading and if you liked the chapter, please leave me a comment. I love them all!

Chapter 60

Notes:

60 chapters. I can't believe how far we've come.

The weekend went by in flash and before Date knew it, it was Monday morning.  He sat on the couch with Hitomi on his right, fingers on her left hand intertwined with his.  He rubbed his thumb in gentle circles across the top of her hand, trying to give her comfort where he could.

 

Iris was to his left nervously playing with the hem of her long shirt, eyes glued to the television.  Due to her surgery, she was still out of school, but Hitomi had opted to stay home as well.  There was no way she would be able to work with thoughts of Manaka weighing heavily on her mind.  Not just that, but she wanted to be home and support her daughter during the press conference as well.  It was the same reason he knew Renju himself wasn’t going in to work and was keeping Mizuki home.  

 

Mizuki may not have been directly connected to any of the previous Cyclops victims or Manaka, but she still would have had a hard time focusing on class while thinking about Iris and her dad.  And with Hitomi’s absence, it’s not like there would be much in the way of class going on anyway.  The lessons would be filler and anything truly important she would possibly miss outside of homeroom could be made up.

 

“I hope Ren’s ok,” Hitomi said softly, leaning more into Date’s side.

 

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, not needing to say anything else.  Hitomi had told both Renju and Pewter to come over and bring Mizuki with them, that they should all be together as a family during this time.  But in typical Renju fashion, he had politely refused, stating that they would be ok at home.

 

In the years Date had known Renju, the man had always closed himself off when something got too hard, or too personal.  But this time, he had a feeling it had more to do with Pewter than his best friend.  

 

Even with the last several days off, the engineer had been struggling.  He wouldn’t let Renju out of his sight and his dreams had been plagued by nightmares.  Renju even let it slip last night during a phone conversation that he was taking half the dose of his prescribed pain medication, all in a bid to make sure he could wake up and be coherent if Pewter needed him.

 

That would be all well and fine if Renju himself was in a good enough mental state to actually care for someone.  But Date knew his friend all too well.  And he was suffering the same, if not more than Pewter.

 

Moma had noticed it too, calling Date out of the blue yesterday afternoon.  It was an odd conversation to say the least, the two not really speaking like that one on one since his “Falco” days.  And at that, Rohan always kept him as far away from the others as he could, making his interactions with Moma usually five words or less.  But Moma had always been a good guy, even back then when directly dealing with all of his brother’s bullshit.

 

And if Moma was worried about Renju, that said something.  He wouldn’t get into the exact details as to why, but he had asked Date to keep an eye on the younger man.  Check in on him from time to time and make sure he was doing ok.

 

There was definitely something more to the story, something besides Manaka that was bringing up memories of the past for Ren, but he was as tightlipped as ever.  Date would probably die of shock if his friend actually came to him for help and told him what was wrong instead of hiding behind a mask like he always did.

 

So for now the best he could do were daily phone calls, letting him talk if he wanted to, or simply just carrying the conversation about nothing in particular to keep his mind off whatever was weighing him down.  He had also offered to take Mizuki with him, planning on returning to his apartment later that evening but she had steadfastly refused.

 

Date didn’t take offense though.  She might have called him “stupid” and a “perverted old man”, but it lacked her usual bite.  Mizuki wanted to see him, that much he knew, but she wasn’t willing to leave her dad alone.

 

He understood why, she might be a child but Mizuki had always been exceptionally bright and good at reading people.  She may not have all the intuition of an adult, but she absolutely sensed something wrong.  And because of that, she didn’t want to leave her father alone to shoulder the burden completely by himself.

 

But still, it was an awful lot to ask of someone her age.  She should be hanging out with her friends or watching the new season of her favorite anime or playing that video game he had just bought her that was part of such a long series he couldn’t even pretend to know what the hell was going on but still watched her play anyway because it made her happy.  She should be doing anything right now but what she was, taking care of another adult in her life that was more than capable of taking care of themselves.

 

Not that he had any room to talk.  Before receiving his memories back, he’d not been much better than Renju in the parenting department.  Mizuki was often left to her own devices due to his work schedule or just general inability to connect to a child.  Sure he had tried, but he mostly had to rely on Aiba for guidance and support, not having a clue what to do himself.

 

Once things calmed down a bit, he’d have to get Renju and Shoko together, maybe Pewter too.  There were four of them for Christ’s sake, they should be able to figure out a way to parent a twelve year old child.  Maybe he could ask Hitomi for some advice on that, she’d raised Iris in a loving home despite all the hardships she faced through the years.  If she could do it, there was no reason they couldn’t either.

 

“It’s starting,” Iris whispered, her voice so soft he barely heard it.

 

He watched as the news footage switched over to a live feed, the commissioner front and center and Boss standing just behind him and off to the right.  She had forgone her normal plunging dresses and ankle boots, trading her casual and definitely not standard dress code look in for something much more conservative.

 

She wore a maroon pantsuit with a cream colored blouse buttoned up to the neck.  The suit was obviously tailored and fit her perfectly, not too tight or loose anywhere.  Her hair had been pulled tight into an almost military style bun, any flyaways slicked back and unable to move under the immense amount of hair gel.  She wore minimal makeup, which wasn’t that unusual for her, but instead of the harsh black eyeliner that was typically present, she had forgone it entirely.

 

It was funny how she almost looked more the part of the Commissioner than the man himself did.  Leave it to Boss to outdo anyone she was forced to share the stage with.  But considering she was the head of her own division and would be introduced as such during her time, she needed to look the part.

 

“Good afternoon…” the commissioner began.

 

 

 

 

 

Moma swallowed harshly as the bourbon burned it’s way down his throat, normally enjoying the expensive bottle more than he currently was at the moment.  He played idly with the stopper, the metal horse and rider always the most appealing part of opening a new bottle.  Hell, he had even gotten Ren hooked on the stuff, the younger man always getting his on ice whenever they went out.

 

He laughed bitterly, swirling the brown liquid around in the glass before sitting it back down on his desk with a dull thud.  Here lately his thoughts always seemed to center on Renju.  He knew the younger man didn’t blame him for the atrocities his brother had committed against both him and Shoko, but it didn’t stop the guilt from piling up, even now.

 

Seeing just how broken he was at Lemniscate, the gasping cries and that one single sentence, his voice cracking throughout.  “Why… did she have —to die?”

 

Even after eighteen years he still carried his grief just like it was yesterday.  In some ways, Moma thought it probably was.  It’s not like he was ever offered a true opportunity to let it out, to just feel.  Not with Rohan around anyway.

 

And now today he’d have to suffer that crippling pain once more.  His name wouldn’t be released right away, but once So made his announcement about his “long lost” daughter, Renju would be thrust into the public eye more than he ever was.

 

Sure, he was already a well known figure in the Japanese media, several of his artists hitting it pretty big.  He’d done tv interviews and been published in magazines, he’d even written the opening theme for the last several seasons of the Milky Moon anime.

 

He could distinctly remember how happy Renju had been then.  He’d all but done backflips in the office, bringing a bottle of champagne and sharing it with him and the guys.  There’d been a joy he hadn’t seen in a long time, not since he told him he was going to be a father.

 

God that seemed like a lifetime ago.

 

A clap of thunder broke Moma out of the past, the weather doing nothing to improve the already foul mood he was in.  The rain and storms had been something over the last couple of days and he had to wonder if it was an omen of things to come.  He didn’t believe in all that occult bullshit, that was thoroughly the territory of the Watanabe family.

 

But with the things he had seen and experienced over the past week, it was no wonder he felt himself treading dangerously close to the mindset of Ginjiro.  The man himself was only a few years younger than Moma, but several facelifts later had made him look barely thirty.  He was as narcissistic as they came and when he wasn’t admiring the absolute perfection that was him (his words, definitely not Moma’s), he was spouting off complete nonsense about conspiracy theories and paranormal garbage.

 

Moma couldn’t stand the man and though he wasn’t nearly as bad as Jurou had been, he was a close second.  There was only so much he could take and he was glad that even when Rohan ran the show, he had little to do with the Watanabe’s.  That little blessing in disguise made it possible to only have to associate with the family during the annual golf tournament or if any other special events or meetings came up.

 

Of course now Moma had to wonder if there was at least a little merit to some of the crazy that Ginjiro spewed.  Granted, the man was still batshit, but there could be something more to it.

 

Downing the rest of his shot in one gulp, Moma slowly refilled the glass.  He was going to need to have a lot more in him to listen to this press conference.

 

“Thought I’d find you here.”

 

Moma glanced up, hearing the main door to the office open at the same time he heard the voice.  The hinges creaked, something he’d been meaning to fix for ages but just had never gotten around to.  His uninvited guest let out a chuckle, sitting a black umbrella by the door and shrugging out of an equally black raincoat.  A subtle shake of his head and Moma gathered up the bottle of bourbon and his glass as well as an extra.  He gestured to the set of couches by the window, already making his way over.

 

The dull thud of the glasses reverberated against the table as Shoko took a seat directly across from him, looking unusually somber in a simple black dress that fell to her knees.  She seemed in better spirits than she had on Friday night, but she still wasn’t completely back to her old self.

 

But who was Moma kidding, she hadn’t truly been her old self for over eighteen years.  She never was what Moma would call happy, but there had been moments of joy he had been privy to in the past.

 

For as much shit as his brother put her through, she somehow still managed to trust him.  Maybe it was because of Renju.  The boy was certainly why Moma had developed a soft spot for her.  In all honesty though, even if Renju hadn’t influenced him, he still would have wanted to help Shoko.  She didn’t deserve being dragged into the hell that was working for Rohan.  Especially at sixteen.

 

Which begged the question, why was she here now?  She hated this place and hadn’t willingly stepped inside the building since…well, ever.  Even after Rohan’s “death”, she always insisted on any meetings taking place at her office or some sort of neutral ground, like Matsushita Diner before they closed up shop.

 

And yet here she was, sitting across from him looking for all the world like she belonged there, slowing taking a drink of the bourbon in the glass he recently filled and staring past him.  Her eyes focused on the window behind him, the rain pinging off of the glass and distorting the view through the many streams of water that cascaded down.

 

Despite it being the early afternoon, the sky was nearly black with storm clouds, the ominous feeling even heavier.  He hated that he was looking at things in a supernatural light now, unconsciously wondering if everything was a sign.  Oh what he wouldn’t give to go back in time a week and never get involved with any of this bullshit.

 

“Not that you’re not always welcome Shoko, but what are you doing here?  I thought you hated this place.”

 

She tapped a freshly manicured nail against the glass and let out a low hum.  “I do.”

 

Moma would have laughed at that had he not feared upsetting her by it.  Why he worried about that he really didn’t know.  Shoko had turned her feelings off and went pretty much numb to everything around her eighteen years ago.  Nearly two decades later and it still made his blood boil to think of that bastard Ebiru.  

 

And he knew it was just as sore a subject for Shoko and Renju too.  They were all too stubborn to talk about it, preferring to push it down and let it fester and grow into something worse.  Like Renju’s breakdown the other day.  Or the numerous breakdowns he knew Shoko had throughout the years, her grief turning into anger and getting unleashed on the one person least deserving of her ire, her daughter.

 

It had been over four years since Moma last saw Mizuki, not that the child had any idea who he even was.  He’d only met her a handful of times, usually when he was meeting with Ren and Shoko about some business or the other that they needed his help with.  She had been a quiet child and very well behaved, or Moma thought so anyway.  It’s not like he had any experience with kids himself.

 

“You know, if you needed to see me, I would have come to you.”

 

“I know, but I was out anyway.  Thought I’d come by.  I figured you’d be in here holed up by yourself for the press conference.”

 

Was he really that transparent?  “Is that why you’re dressed like that?”

 

“I…hmmm…it just felt like I should.  I won’t pretend like we were the best of friends, but…we had our moments.  And she was nice to me, so…”

 

Moma got it.  If there was anyone that would get it, the respect that Shoko was trying to pay, it was him.  After all, she and especially Ren had been denied the right to grieve openly all these years.  He knew of all the people that knew Manaka Iwai and were touched by her life, Shoko was truly not much more than an acquaintance.  But she wore black out of a sign of respect for her, and for Renju most of all.

 

Maybe there was still a bit of the old Shoko in there somewhere.  It’s not like she could completely disappear, no matter how much she tried to harden her heart and portray the shrewd and moralless businesswoman.  

 

“You didn’t want to be alone, did you?”

 

She didn’t speak, taking another sip of her drink and watching the rain continue to fall.

 

“If you want me to put the press conference on, just say so.  Chinpei installed the flatscreen over there just the other day.  This’d be as good of an excuse as any to test it out,” he said as he gestured with the hand holding his own glass to the wall behind her.

 

A smirk crossed her lips so quickly that Moma possibly could have imagined it.  “You hang a tv in here but kept everything else exactly the same?  Rohan would be rolling over in his grave, well…if he was actually dead.”

 

Moma couldn’t help the bark of laughter, blaming it mostly on the alcohol.  She was right.  Rohan would have hated the tv.  Would have said it wasn’t needed because everyone was there to work, not be entertained.  

 

Picking up the remote with the hand that wasn’t holding the drink, Moma turned the tv on.  He searched through the channels until he came across the one that would be playing the press conference, though it was still a little too early.  Right now the news was focused on some fluff piece about a bunch of kittens that were found abandoned and currently up for adoption at a local rescue.

 

“You worried about any of the blame coming back on you?” Shoko asked as she shifted slightly, turning her body towards the wall with the tiger statues to better see the tv.  

 

“No, not really.  It’s all getting pinned on Rohan, no way for it to come back on me or on Sai—sorry.”

 

She slowly brought a hand up to her neck, gently brushing her fingers against the skin before lowering it.  Moma didn’t see any discoloration at all, which meant either the Ryuki kid had gotten involved quickly enough that there wasn’t any damage, or that Shoko had applied a serious amount of make-up to cover any bruises that may have been there.

 

“It’s ok,” she said after a moment.  “He wasn’t in his right mind.  I’m not scared of him, not like I was before.  You can say his name.  And for the record, I’m glad he isn’t getting blamed.  It wasn’t his fault.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that.  He’s not a bad kid and all that shit Rohan put him through, and you and Ren too, it’s-”

 

“Don’t,” she said simply, keeping her eyes glued to the tv.

 

Moma let the words die on his lips.  The ice queen was back with one simple word.  It was a front, just like everyone that was yakuza long enough wore, but somehow it stung just a little more with her and Ren.  Maybe because they were kids when they were forced in.

 

Although he was starting to feel the same way about Chinpei too.  He hadn’t been in so long that he created a mask to hide behind, but it was only a matter of time.  The kid had seen enough shit that one day it would all hit him, just like Ren and Shoko.

 

“Good afternoon ladies and gentleman…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Renju smiled contently as he looked at two of the most important people in his life sitting next to him.  Futa was finally sleeping, having laid his head down in Renju’s lap while watching tv, the monotonous lull of the news causing him to lose the battle with consciousness.  It also didn’t hurt that Renju had been rhythmically rubbing his fingers through the short gray locks, the motion relaxing and causing Futa’s eyes to become heavy and lidded, eventually closing and not opening again.

 

Mizuki was off to his right, curled into his side and mindful of his wrist.  She was still wide awake, despite the darkening sky and soothing sounds of rain and distant thunder.  Her attention was fully absorbed by the colorful kittens featured on the news.

 

Two weeks ago he never would have thought a moment like this possible, due in no small part to Renju still having kept both of his lives separate up until that point.  Of course he had been planning on introducing Mizuki to Futa in the near future, but even he couldn’t have imagined it would go quite as well as it had.  Though considering she knew absolutely everything, it really was no surprise that she had grown quite attached to the man that saved the lives of both of her parents.

 

Not that Shoko had been involved in the least since coming back to herself, but he had to continue to be patient and give her space.  She had a lot to absorb in very little time and if Renju was being truthful with himself, he probably would have handled it a lot worse than she did.  And if anyone could understand simply shutting down and ignoring a problem, it was him.

 

But at the moment, retreating into himself further wasn’t a luxury he could afford.  Futa was doing better than he had been, but was still in no shape to take on the full burden of everyone else’s trauma.  So naturally, it fell to Renju once again.

 

It was an odd thing really.  He hated having his feelings out in the open, being vulnerable, but at the same time, he wanted to be that rock for others.  He had been for years for Shoko and Hitomi, and now he was doing the same for Futa and Mizuki.  Not that he shouldn’t have already been doing that for Mizuki for a while, but he hand’t been strong enough before now.

 

To be honest, he still wasn’t strong enough.  If he thought too long and hard about it all, he knew he would break.  Just like Shoko was.

 

She may have changed drastically through the years but at her core she was still the same scared and timid girl pulled in to the Kumakura office.  He had to wonder how differently her life, and his for that matter, would have been had neither of them been involved with that family.

 

Mizuki’s soft laugh gave him a brief respite from the ever darkening thoughts of the worst days of his life under Rohan Kumakura.  Nothing good ever came from that spiral of self-loathing and pain.

 

He looked at the tv to see the kittens were still on, all playing together and generally being adorable in the way that almost all baby animals were.  The news anchor was talking over the footage, saying they would be ready for adoption at the shelter in the next couple of days.

 

That gave him an idea.  “Mizuki, what do you think about going to look at the kittens when they’re ready to be adopted?  It might be nice to have one around the apartment, don’t you think?”

 

She turned her head to look up, eyes bright and a large grin across her lips before fading in a matter of seconds.  She shook her head slowly, as if she didn’t really want to say no, but had no other choice.

 

“Why not?  I thought you liked cats.”

 

“I do, but…”

 

“But what?”

 

She let out a soft sigh, her eyes briefly cutting to Futa before focusing back on him.  “I know he doesn’t like cats.”

 

Well that was news to him.  He didn’t think Futa loved cats by any means, but he’d never heard the man say he dislikes them either.  He figured his boyfriend was pretty neutral on the idea of any pets, not having a strong desire one way or the other.

 

“What makes you say that?  Did Futa tell you he doesn’t like cats?”

 

“No.  Date did.”

 

That was…odd.  Why would Date know whether Futa liked cats or not.  He certainly wasn’t the slightest bit jealous that his best friend knew a fact about his lover that he didn’t know.

 

“Yeah, when I was staying with him and Aunt Hitomi the other night, they were talking about cats I guess.  I didn’t hear the beginning because I was playing video games with Iris in her room.  But when I went into the kitchen he was telling Aunt Hitomi that Pewter doesn’t like cats.”

 

What a strange conversation for the two of them to be having.  How in the hell would that even come up?  “That’s all he said?”

 

“Yeah.  He told her that Pewter hates cats and wouldn’t touch one if his life depended on it.  And then he said even if he did, he wouldn’t know what to do with it.  It was weird and then Aunt Hitomi plucked his ear and told him to stop talking about it.”

 

Oh…God.  He wasn’t…why?  Or more accurately, why wasn’t he surprised?

 

He supposed in some way he should be grateful that Date had the common sense to use the word cat, but why in the world was that a topic he thought the need to bring up to Hitomi?  Especially when Mizuki was within earshot apparently.

 

“I’ll talk it over with Futa, but I’m fairly certain he doesn’t hate cats.  I think there must be some misunderstanding on Date’s part, but we’ll get it figured out.”

 

Her face lit up again and it did his heart good to see such happiness on her features.  A happiness he put there.  

 

“So we can go get a kitten?”

 

“I don’t see why not.  I think it would be good for you to have a pet, for all of us really.”

 

He knew buying Mizuki’s love and affection was the easy way out, that he shouldn’t do something this big right off the bat considering he was still in the very early stages of mending their relationship, but he couldn’t help it.  He liked seeing her happy like this, knowing that he was the reason why.  He’d been the cause of her sadness for so long, it was only right that he start making up for it now.

 

And he wasn’t under any delusions that a kitten would make up for the years of neglect on his part, but he had to start somewhere.  One day he would get it right.

 

 

 

 

So stared pensively at the television in one of several living areas inside the old mansion.  He was in his private quarters, wanting to be alone and specifically telling Wakumi he was not to be disturbed unless there was a true emergency.

 

He had spent the better part of his weekend planning, revising, and finalizing exactly how things would be going down from here on out.  This press conference was just the tip of the iceberg.

 

He’d wait a couple of days for things to settle and then he’d release his own perfectly curated statement to the press.  It would be brief and focus on how he would be stepping away for several weeks to deal with Manaka’s tragedy as it was deeply personal and effected him and his family.  

 

After those few weeks, he’d be ready to introduce Iris to the country as his long-long daughter, reunited after nearly two decades.  And he’d have Saito, freshly back from saving orphaned baby seals and working in war-torn nations to help the local population, by his side.  It would be an epic home-coming with his two highly photogenic children alongside him.  

 

The press and the country would eat it up.  He’d always managed to do well milking his status as a widower and now add to the story him finally finding love again after years of loneliness, only to have her ripped away by a cruel twist of fate.  It was exactly the kind of story that would make bored housewives all over the nation fall in love with his family.

 

And that meant votes.  While personally So hated sympathy, he wasn’t so proud that he wouldn’t use whatever tool he had in his arsenal to make sure he won the election.  He’d focus on the family vote while his children would win over the younger college crowd.

 

“…the body of Manaka Iwai was discovered in the warehouse district in a cold storage facility.  It was perfectly preserved, having been there for over eighteen years…”

 

So watched as a picture of Manaka was shown on the screen.  She was happy and smiling, outside and clearly enjoying the summer sun if her tank top and shorts were any indication of the season.  He had no doubt this particular photograph was likely taken by either Renju or Hitomi, her friends probably with her at whatever park this was taken at.

 

She looked exactly as she had when they were together, carefree and full of life.  She had been a breath of fresh air in both his and Saito’s lives, and then she was gone.

 

He had to wonder how differently life would have turned out had he not ended things with her.  Would she still be alive?  Likely.  There would have been no reason for him to have that simple, yet life changing phone call with Rohan, the catalyst for everything.

 

Manaka would still be alive, they’d be celebrating eighteen years of marriage, and would have raised two bright and exceptional children together.  Even knowing that things would have been better, So still couldn’t say he would have done things any differently.  How could he?  She still would have lied about her age, letting him believe that she was ready to graduate college for months on end instead of being freshly out of high school.

 

Had he known from the beginning, he never would have gotten involved with her.  And then Iris would have never existed.  Which brought him to his current conundrum.  So many things that he would have done differently but if he had, he would have either sacrificed his values or his daughter.

 

He knew how absolutely ridiculous it sounded in his own head, he had been the one that wanted Manaka to terminate the pregnancy after all.  But time had a funny way of creeping up and things that had once been so important suddenly paled in comparison. 

 

It was easy to look back on the life he could have had, imagining everything to be picture perfect.  But would it have been?  Had he stayed with Manaka, actually proposed to her and married her, would they even still be together today?  He didn’t know.

 

Their entire relationship started on a lie, and a pretty significant one at that.  How hypocritical of him as a politician to call someone out for lying too.  Especially given the great lengths he was going to now and the lies being told all to protect Saito.

 

No, as much as he had loved Manaka, they wouldn’t have worked out long term.  They would have divorced after five years, maybe sooner, and then Iris would be stuck being raised in two households.  As sad as it was for her to have never known her birth mother, at least he could take solace in the fact that she was raised by an incredible woman that loved her unconditionally.

 

If only the same could have been said for Saito.  He did have Wakumi, the woman being an absolute godsend, but it still didn’t change the fact that he could have done with a mother’s love during those formative years developing.  

 

He wasn’t a good father, he knew it and there was no point denying it.  Sai’s death had destroyed him.  And quite frankly, he didn’t think he ever truly recovered from it.

 

Seeing Saito day in and day out constantly reminded him of what he had lost and before he knew it, he was pushing the boy away.  It had been surprisingly easy to do since Saito never cried or yearned for attention, he was perfectly happy to spend all of his time alone.

 

Even when Wakumi came in to the picture and tried to do things with him, he still remained withdrawn.  It wasn’t as bad as it had been, but nothing really changed.

 

And the doctors all wanted him to send Saito to a treatment facility, but there was no way he could have ever risked that.  How could he take the chance of a political rival coming across that incriminating bit of information?  It could possibly ruin him if stories circulated about his mentally unwell son.  How long would it be before people questioned his own wellbeing?

 

Every decision he made from the time Saito had been a baby up until recently had been wrong.  And because of that, his son had been used and forced to commit unspeakable acts that he never would have done on his own.  His child suffered because of his own hubris.

 

Even now, knowing all this, he was still willing to use not just him, but Iris too.

 

So took a long drag of his cigarette, the smoke filling his lungs while the sweet taste of tobacco lingered on his tongue.  He let it out slowly, the cloud momentarily blurring the tv before it came back into focus.

 

He was already going to Hell anyway, might as well make it count.

 

 

 

Notes:

A little skip of a few days to move things along and probably a few more here and there as we get closer to the end of this fic. I can't say for certain how many more chapters we have to go, but the end draws nearer as some of the plot points are getting wrapped up before the sequel can start.

I know there are some inconsistencies with canon and Moma knowing of Falco, but I like the idea that he did have brief interactions with him years ago but obviously didn't know the whole story.

And I know it's implied that Shoko didn't know Hitomi or Manaka pretty much at all, but this is also coming from Hitomi when she was still hiding things from Date, so who knows. She could have bent the truth then too. If you've read my ongoing prequel fic, you know that they knew each other and met back when all of them were in high school.

Hopefully this doesn't take too much away and adds a little dimension to characters that never got the chance to be fully explored.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter, please leave me a comment and feed my soul. And thank you for sticking with me through 60 chapters!

Chapter 61

Hitomi couldn’t believe she was there, standing in Shizue’s living room while Saito sat on her couch, staring straight ahead.  It had been three days since the press conference and things had been oddly quiet.  She hadn’t heard anything else from So, but she supposed it wasn’t that unusual.  Once he was ready, she had no doubt he would make his presence known.  There was absolutely no way he’d just forget about his plan to use Iris to garner sympathy and votes.

 

Knowing that, and how Iris would be thrust into the Sejima family, she had decided to pay Saito a visit.  She wanted to talk to him, really talk to him, and see what his intentions were as well.  Trusting him around her daughter was asking an awful lot and she needed to make absolutely certain Iris was safe.

 

She had told Kaname where she was going, but obviously kept the information secret from Iris.  Given the fact he was still recovering from his eye surgery and in no position to be out in the field, (not that there was any field work to do at the moment) he had come over to spend the day with Iris while she returned to work.  The two of them would be picking Mizuki up after school and then headed out for ice cream, giving her the perfect excuse to head over to see Saito.

 

Kaname had helped clear things with Shizue, making sure it would be a good time to visit and she said it was fine, though now Hitomi had her doubts.  She certainly hadn’t wanted to walk in right before Saito was set to receive his twice daily spinal injection.

 

Shizue had met her at the door, walking her through the short hall into the living room.  The back of the couch greeted her along with a shirtless Saito, Dokuta preparing one of the largest needles Hitomi had ever seen while the blonde was hunched over.  His back was a sickly pattern of black, purple, and brown, the bruises spread out along his spine.

 

Dokuta must have been taking care not continuously inject him in the same place, but by doing that he had made the other man’s back a canvas of splotchy contusions.  It was hard to look at and Hitomi averted her eyes, but not before she noticed the way his shoulders started to shake, anticipating what was to come.

 

“It’s very painful,” Shizue said simply.

 

“I could have come at a better time.”

 

“I think you came at the perfect time.”

 

Hitomi frowned slightly at that comment.  She wasn’t stupid, not by a long shot, but she had a feeling that she had been not so subtly used.  Was Shizue trying to garner sympathy from her for Saito?  It wasn’t that she didn’t feel bad about the things he had gone through, she did, but it was going to take a long more than him being scared of a needle for her to just forget everything that had happened.  

 

Even now, she knew it sounded ridiculous.  She was well educated and a teacher, she could rationalize the situation and she knew in her heart that it wasn’t his fault.  But hatred wasn’t something so easily dismissed.  She had spent nearly twenty years despising Saito and So, wishing them dead on more than one occasion.  Those feelings weren’t just something she could turn off and forget, as much as she wished she could.

 

Which was all the more reason she actually needed to get to know Saito and speak to the man himself.  Maybe if she could see with her own eyes that he was a good person deep down, she could take those first steps towards forgiveness and begin to heal herself.  

 

Otherwise she would be stuck in this perpetual cycle of hatred for the rest of her life and that was something she absolutely did not want.  Especially with the fact that Manaka would finally be given a funeral and a real resting place.  Her feelings had come full force back to the surface and she needed to do what she could to quell them.

 

But more important than her own feelings on the matter was Iris.  Iris wanted to get to know her brother and father, wanted to spend time with them.  And Hitomi would never be able to feel any sense of peace until she came to terms with her own feelings once and for all.

 

“Saito, are you ready?” Dokuta asked as he finished wiping an area of his back with alcohol.

 

The answer was a small sound that could only be described as a whimper, making him seem so much younger in that moment.  Hitomi swallowed hard as she walked around the front of the couch, getting a good look at the blonde.

 

She hadn’t had any time to get to know Kaname in this body, so while others were still having a hard time reconciling the new (original?) owner, she didn’t have those issues.  But at the same time, she didn’t think that the person sitting before her was the true Saito.

 

His remaining eye was bloodshot and heavy, the skin underneath puffy and dark.  His hair hung limply around his face, even the blonde looking like it had lost some of it’s color and shine.  Everything about him radiated an aura of simply being done.

 

She had seen that look before, too many times to count on Renju and sometimes on herself when she looked in the mirror.  Was it because of his current situation or the pain he knew was coming in a matter of moments?  Or was it something else entirely?

 

Dokuta placed on gloved hand on his back, holding him steady as he readied the needle just above his skin.  Saito flinched at the contact and closed his eye tight, his shivering increasing even more.

 

Hitomi didn’t know what possessed her to move, what thoughts were going through her head as she sat down next to him and took his right  hand in her left.  His eye shot back open and he was just on the verge of maybe saying something when Dokuta pushed the needle into his spine.

 

The words died on his lips and a harsh growl was her only answer as he gripped her hand firmly.  The shaking never stopped and she could tell the moment the medication was injected, the pressure on her hand increasing as he held on progressively tighter.

 

For some reason it didn’t bother her like it should.  She squeezed back in what she hoped was a reassuring way and whispered, “Shhh.  It’s almost over.”

 

And just like that, Dokuta withdrew.  He capped the needle and disposed of it in a thick red plastic bag, his carefully removed gloves following suit.  He dropped that bag into another and then finally gathered it all up into a well-worn leather case.

 

“I’ll be by in the morning, just remember he needs to stay upright for the next few hours and if there are any headaches or pain that seems worse than usual, call me immediately.”

 

“I will,” Shizue answered, the exhaustion evident now that she really looked at the woman.

 

How many hours had she even slept over the past few days?  From what Kaname had told her, she knew his superior was working herself to the bone.  Between her department being all but shutdown, her head engineer taking an unprecedented amount of time off to deal with his own mental health crisis, and the events surrounding Manaka, it was any wonder she was still standing.  And after all of that, she still had to take care of Saito in her spare time, precious little that it was.

 

“Lovely to see you as always Hitomi,” Dokuta said with a dip of his head. 

 

“You too Dr. Yagano.”

 

“You let me know if you need anything.  For you, your girl, or that washed up old man you’re hanging around,” he replied with the slightest smirk to his lips.

 

Hitomi chuckled lightly, knowing that was his way of checking in on her.  She appreciated the man more than he could ever possibly know, and she knew Renju did as well.  After all, he had stuck his neck out for them twice, and had his disloyalty ever been discovered by Rohan, she didn’t even want to think about what could have happened.

 

He left without much fanfare, leaving behind Shizue, Hitomi, and Saito, the latter two’s hands still interlinked.  Seeming to realize at the exact same moment, Saito withdrew his hand as if he had been burned, hissing as his back protested to the sudden movement.

 

“Easy Saito, you know you aren’t supposed to jerk around like that right after,” Shizue’s voice answered from somewhere behind them. 

 

He didn’t say anything, turning his focus towards the wall once more.  Hitomi just couldn’t get a read on him at all.

 

“I’ll give you some privacy, but don’t expect too much.  He hasn’t spoken a word since Saturday.”

 

“Why?  Is the medicine not working?”

 

“Don’t know.  It should be, but he’s acting like nothing’s getting through.  He was cleared to start getting those shots on Tuesday, so it should have worked by now.  But he doesn’t do anything but stare off into space.  I have to force him to get out of bed, eat, take a shower, brush his teeth, all of that.  If I didn’t, I don’t think he’d move except to go use the bathroom.”

 

“If that’s the case, why’d you agree to let me come over?  I told you on the phone I wanted to talk to him.”

 

“I know.  I thought maybe you might be able to get through to him.”

 

“Why me?” Hitomi asked, genuinely confused by the statement.  “I don’t know him.  Wouldn’t it be more meaningful to have someone close to him try to get him to open up?”

 

“And who would that be?  So?  We both know he’s not the warm and fuzzy type, and certainly not someone to offer comfort in any way.”

 

“But why me?  I still don’t get it.”

 

“I don’t know.  Maybe he’ll feel at ease around you.  After all, you have that wholesome teacher vibe that just makes people want to trust you.”

 

“I am a teacher.”

 

“See?  Already perfect.  But I’ll leave you to it.”

 

And then she was gone, disappearing down the hall and into one of the rooms.  Hitomi let out a sigh, not sure what to think.  This woman was Kaname’s oldest friend, and she could definitely see the similarities between the two.  No wonder they were able to pick their friendship right back up, despite the six year gap.

 

Now that she was alone and able to ask anything she wanted, she was suddenly at a loss for words.  What did she hope to accomplish here anyway?  What did she want to say?  She didn’t know.

 

She supposed the most important thing was her original intention, making sure it was safe for Iris to get to know her older brother.  She had asked nearly every day since sneaking out to see him again and Hitomi had continued to give excuses.  It was easy at the moment to use her surgery and that she needed to take it easy, but that wouldn’t last forever.  And Iris already had her first check up with the surgeon who said that besides a little residual swelling, everything looked to be healing nicely.

 

Iris wasn’t having any trouble walking or articulating her words and her fine motor skills didn’t seem to be compromised in any way either.  All that meant she was strong enough to go and visit with Saito if she wanted, and she knew that.  Hitomi knew she was lucky that Iris hadn’t tried to sneak out again, but it would only be a matter of time before she did if she continued to keep making up excuses.

 

She had had a long talk with Kaname the other night, expressing her worries and fears over Iris’ well being if she continued down this path.  As much as he agreed with her about So and how the man didn’t deserve to be in Iris’ life, he didn’t have the same feelings towards Saito.

 

It was odd considering Saito was the one that swapped bodies and forced Kaname into his, causing a six year long bout with amnesia and his dependence on the medication that kept his mind clear and coherent.  But yet he was the one that was able to look at everything in the most impartial way possible.

 

He made her realize that if she did everything she could to keep Iris away from her brother and father, she would only grow to resent her for that.  And So would do everything he could to make her life miserable for keeping his daughter away.

 

Which brought her to now, trying to think of anyway she could to broach the silence.  She needed to speak up, obviously he wouldn’t be doing anything.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

He kept his eye trained ahead, giving no indication that he heard the question at all.  Even if he did, he would likely ignore it.  She couldn’t believe she had asked something so stupid.  How was he feeling?  Obviously not good.  He just been given a twenty gauge needle directly in his spine, why would he be feeling anything but awful?

 

She unintentionally stole another glance at his back and quickly looked away.  She couldn’t imagine how much pain he must be in, all because a regular injection wouldn’t work.

 

“I hope it feels better soon.”

 

That wasn’t much better.  It wasn’t as bad as asking how he felt, but it still wasn’t great.  And once again, no reaction.

 

She knew Shizue said that she wasn’t sure if he was aware of everything going on around him or if he could even feel, but he had to.  He was definitely scared and anticipating the pain from the needle, she wasn’t imagining that.  And he absolutely felt the moment the needle broke through his skin, the way he clenched his hand tightly in hers was proof enough of that.

 

Now that she thought about it, he had to be aware of where he was and who was around him.  He knew who she was and that was why he suddenly withdrew from her touch.  Sure he was ignoring her and everything else now, but he was still completely cognizant and taking it all in.  For whatever reason he just didn’t want to interact.

 

“You know,” she sighed heavily, leaning back against the couch and turning her focus to the same wall that seemed to captivate Saito so.  “I’ve hated you for the last eighteen years.  Hated you with everything in me.”

 

No reaction.  No surprised gasp, no sudden stiffening of his shoulders, even his eye didn’t so much as cut to the side to look at her.

 

“You were twelve years old, a child, and if someone had told me you died, I would have felt relief,” she continued on.  “I’ve never wished for anyone’s death before like I did yours.  And I held on to that hate for all these years.  Renju too.  How couldn’t we?  Manaka was our best friend and not only that, she just gave birth to Iris.  She was so happy about being a mother.  It wasn’t ideal with her age and still being in school and having to do it on her own, but for those two days she was happier than I’ve ever seen her.  She would have been an amazing mother and you took that away from her.  You took away Iris’ chance to be loved and raised by her.  It killed me every single day that I looked at her and saw Manaka.  I never thought I could forgive you.”

 

She paused for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts, but also looking to Saito.  Searching for something, anything, to tell her that her words had an impact.  Nothing.

 

“I still don’t think I can forgive you.  But that’s because I’ve realized you don’t deserve it.  You haven’t done anything to need forgiveness, so how could I possibly give it?  You were as much a victim as Manaka was, maybe more so.  I pity you Saito.”

 

He flinched at that, the first reaction he’d had since Dokuta and Shizue had left.  She had to be getting somewhere.

 

“Maybe pity isn’t the right word.  But I feel bad for you.  As a mother, my heart hurts for how you were abused as a child and no one stepped in to help you.  And as the brother to my daughter, I feel oddly connected to you.  I just want to know that you won’t hurt her.”

 

He let out a shaky huff, but still no words came out.  Maybe that was the best she could hope for.

 

“I have a lot of prejudice to get over when it comes to you.  Several people do.  It’s not going to be easy, but I have to do it for Iris.  From the moment she found out about you, she loved you.  She wants to know you, wants to bond with you and be your sister.  She wants to be a family.  And I know she doesn’t just want it for the two of you, she wants all the people in her life to get along and love each other.  So please, don’t disappoint her.”

 

Saito slowly hung his head, wrapping his arms around his stomach and leaning forward.  She heard him take a deep breath, let it out, and draw in one more.

 

“…You should leave…”  Barely a whisper but she still heard it.

 

“Why?”

 

He didn’t speak again.  She just didn’t understand what was going through his head.  Not that she understood what was going through her own head either.

 

“I’d like to try to get to know you.  Maybe you, Iris, and I can do something when you’re feeling a little better.  We could get lunch somewhere or maybe go to the park and get some crepes.”

 

“Please go…”

 

“Saito, I want-”

 

“No.  Leave me alone.  And keep Iris away.”

 

“What?  Why would you say that.”

 

Saito kept his eye trained on the ground, looking for all the world like a lost little boy.  “Because I’m dangerous.  And I’ll end up hurting her and you.  So please, just leave me alone.”

 

 

 

 

 

The last several days had been some of the most relaxing Pewter had ever experienced, and he knew it was all because of his incredible boyfriend.  Renju did everything he possibly could to keep Pewter’s nightmares at bay, filling his days with love and care, planning outings for their small family despite going through his own crisis.

 

He shouldn’t be surprised that Renju put Pewter’s feelings before his own.  The man did whatever he could to push his traumas to the wayside, like he was afraid to dwell too long on them.

 

Pewter’s thoughts had gone there before and he realized it still held true now after over two years together.  Something had happened to Renju.  There was some remnant of his past, though Pewter didn’t know how distant, that had irrevocably changed his lover to the man he was today.

 

It wasn’t as if Pewter didn’t absolutely love and adore that man he had become, it was the only version of Renju he had known, but he still had to wonder what he may have been like without the scars of the past.  Would he be more free and readily able to feel?  Would the guilt that consumed him day in and day out dissipate completely?

 

Maybe one day Renju would finally trust him enough to fully let him in, to share the things that only he knew.  Though if Pewter were being completely honest with himself, he had a feeling that Hitomi and Shoko knew as well.  

 

As hotheaded and emotional as Pewter could be at times, this bit of prospective insight didn’t bother him.  His boyfriend had lived a life well before he himself had ever come in to the picture and it made sense that the ones that knew Ren the longest would know facets of his lover’s being that he did not.

 

Still, he wished Renju would let him in instead of keeping everything bottled up.  It wasn’t healthy for one, but other than that, it was easy to see how much it was bothering him.  The press conference a few days ago didn’t help matters either.

 

If only Pewter had been stronger, he would have been able to offer some modicum of comfort to the man he wanted to live out his days with.  But no, his own weakness had gotten the better of him and it was all he could do to hold on and fight his own demons away.

 

Pewter was a rational man.  He knew he was overworked, that the secrets and lies coming out over the last week had worn him down even more.  His mind was already over the edge due to his dream, he didn’t need anything else to break it.

 

And yet it wasn’t broken.  At least he didn’t think it was.  He was still in control of his own thoughts and the night terrors he’d been forced to endure finally settled down.

 

He could still feel the ghost of his grief clutching his heart when he remembered that other life.  He’d be in prison now, the uncomfortable bare bones mattress and too flat pillow doing nothing to ease his sleep.  His dreams would be haunted much like they had been now by Renju, always Renju.  Though then they had been full of regrets at not seeing past Saito’s charade.

 

Even now with that reality growing ever more distant in his mind, he had to wonder how he had fallen for the other man’s tricks.  He and Renju had been together for two and a half years, he knew the man more intimately than most anyone else in his life and yet, he fell for Saito’s gilded words and pretty lies.

 

Believed him when he talked of their love, had leaned into his touch when he cupped his face outside of the fishery.  He could still feel the light sensation of Renju’s thumb brushing against his cheek, the warmth of his forehead pressed against his.  He could see the pain from his injuries just beyond those honey brown eyes.

 

And it had all been a lie.  Saito had looked deep into the residual memories Renju had and used whatever he could to keep Pewter hanging on.  In his heart he knew it wasn’t his fault, Saito played the role to perfection, and Pewter had no reason to suspect the prototype Psync machine was back in play.  Even armed with this knowledge, he still hated himself as he sat in that lonely cell, his thoughts the only company he had for the majority of each day.

 

It was almost no wonder in that other reality he saw, the one where Saito took out nearly everyone dear to him, that he chose the path he did.  He’d never been one for suicidal ideation, but when one lost so much in no time at all, it made an odd sort of sense.

 

Two different paths, two incredibly different ways his life could have turned out and yet he was here now, comfortable on the couch in his own living room with his sweet and loving boyfriend curled up next to him.  If he hadn’t had that dream, if he hadn’t been shown that glimpse of the future, this reality would be all but lost to him.

 

By all accounts Renju and Shoko should be dead.  Saito should be dead.  Mizuki should be an orphan, trying to make a life with Date as her newly adopted father.  And he should be rotting away in a jail cell while Boss fought to get him released.

 

Instead he was given this second chance at life and he wasn’t any closer to knowing why.  If anything, he had more questions.  Questions that he’d likely have to get answers from both his father and newfound uncle.

 

He still hadn’t gathered the nerve to say anything to his dad, not that he knew what to say anyway.  How does one begin to even broach the subject of being lied to and misled their entire life?  It wouldn’t be an easy conversation, not in the least.  And for now, all he wanted to do was focus on this brief lull in their lives.

 

A playful meow took his attention from the thoughts that plagued his mind for the last several days, glancing down at the newest member of their little family.  The orange and white kitten bouncing along and making a lunge for Renju’s sock clad feet.  With a small smirk, his boyfriend moved his foot out of the way at the last minute, stopping the kitten for only a moment before she batted at his ankle four times in rapid succession.

 

Pewter couldn’t help but laugh at the antics, feeling his stress melt away for something so ordinary and mundane.  He never thought of himself as an animal person, though he’d grown up with dogs due to his father’s love for them, but somehow in the matter of two days that had all changed.  Their little kitten was just so adorably cute he couldn’t help but love her right away.

 

To say he had been surprised when Renju took both him and Mizuki to the rescue had been an understatement.  Much like himself, Renju never seemed to show any interest in having a pet.  They both led such busy lives and worked long hours, it wouldn’t be fair to keep an animal alone all day.

 

But now they had Mizuki with them half the time, making it much more realistic to have a pet.  And a cat was the perfect choice, given that she had a litter box and wouldn’t need to be taken out several times a day.  Considering they also lived on the top floor of their apartment building, a dog definitely wouldn’t have been practical.

 

Mizuki had been thrilled about having a cat though, wanting to take every single one of them home as soon as she saw them.  Lucky for them, there were plenty of others interested in adopting, making it that much easier to convince the girl that they would all have homes by the end of the week.

 

After playing with several of them, she finally decided on the littlest one there, likely the runt of the litter.  What the kitten lacked in size, she more than made up for in personality, instantly charming all three of them.

 

They had taken her home that afternoon, Pewter assuring Renju that he didn’t mind having their new pet in his car and that she couldn’t possibly shed that much.  And even if she did, the seats were leather and easy enough to clean.

 

“Owww, Stella quit that,” Renju reprimanded with absolutely no authority behind his voice.  The kitten paid him no mind, lunging again for his ankles, swiping both front paws and then giving him a bite for good measure.

 

Mizuki had picked her name, the cat from the Milky Moon anime being her inspiration.  Though Stella looked nothing at all like that cat, he could see the appeal of the name.  The anime had been popular when his sister was Mizuki’s age and it hadn’t waned since.  He was pretty sure at least one, if not more, of the kittens left at the shelter would likely carry the same name.

 

It truly warmed his heart to see how happy Renju was in that moment, content to watch a movie and just enjoy being together.  No looming deadlines, no crisis of epic proportions.  Just the two of them, perfectly in love and moving forward despite the bumps in the road.

 

Which made it the perfect time to finally do what he had wanted to do nearly two weeks ago.  It wasn’t what he planned, there was no fancy dinner in an expensive restaurant with a breathtaking view of Tokyo Bay.  No, it was just the two of them relaxed for the day in cotton pants and t-shirts, an old American romance movie about the Catskills and dancing playing.  Despite Pewter’s English being only slightly better than conversational, he was able to enjoy the film simply for the music itself, but the subtitles didn’t hurt either.

 

Until this moment, with the upbeat final song playing and Renju’s rapt attention focused on the lift, he hadn’t even thought of his original plans. Perhaps he should be disappointed that it didn’t all come to fruition, but somehow this was even more perfect.  This was them at their core.  They had no reason to put on airs and pretend to be something they weren’t.  A crowd of strangers and a four course meal wouldn’t make this moment any more special, any more magical.

 

No it didn’t matter where it was, this would be something they both remembered for the rest of their lives.

 

“Ren,” Pewter breathed out, voice slightly husky as he tried to swallow the sudden lump in his throat.

 

“Hmmm?” he hummed in reply, turning his head to give his full attention to his boyfriend, who would hopefully be so much more soon.

 

“I love you.”

 

Renju laughed quietly, lips tugging up in a smile.  “I love you too.”

 

“No Ren, I really, truly love you.  More than I ever thought I could.  I almost lost you…” his voice caught, the emotions already getting to him before he even started.

 

“But you didn’t.  I’m right here and I’m fine.  I’m not going anywhere, you won’t lose me.  I love you too much to ever let you go.”

 

Pewter leaned forward and kissed him sweetly but firmly, Renju melting against him as he eagerly returned it.  Gently threading their fingers together, he moved off of the couch, keeping their lips locked as long as he could until he had no choice but to pull away.

 

He saw the confusion in Renju’s half lidded eyes and then the shock as they widened behind his glasses, seeing the man he loved kneeling before him.  Not wanting to miss a single thing, Pewter kept his own green eyes locked on Ren’s face as his left hand reached into his pocket.

 

He pulled the small and unassuming velvet box out, long fingers flipping the top open and holding it in front of his chest.  “There was so much more I wanted to say, I had a whole speech you know.  But I don’t think I could get through it even if I remembered half of what I’d written.  Somehow I’m always at a loss for words when it comes to you.  There’s one thing I do remember though and that’s that I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you Ren, if you’ll let me.  Will you marry me?”

 

 

 

Notes:

This chapter fought me so hard, it was honestly one of the first times I almost didn't get updated on time. I wrote about half of the first scene, from Boss' POV and then ended up scrapping it and starting completely over. As much as I love Boss and the relationship she has with Saito, Hitomi's POV was the one needed here. Her thoughts needed to be heard, not Boss' observations on what she thought Hitomi might be thinking. Or that's my intent anyway, hopefully I made the right choice.

Also, does everyone remember the ring Pewter had way back in Chapter 1? It took us 61 chapters but we're finally here! He proposed and all is right in the Jupewter world.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, especially since it was such a struggle for this one. Please leave me a comment if you did, I love them all!

 

Edit: This chapter really fought me and the next one isn’t much better. Taking a bit of a break so I don’t rush one out just for the sake of getting a chapter out. I know where it all ends, but I need to get a little of my inspiration back to get there.

Chapter 62

Two days.  It had been two days since Futa had proposed and Renju still couldn’t believe it.  He was going to marry the love of his life, the one person that made him feel complete.

 

It was strange in a way, it’s not like this was his first marriage, but it would certainly be the first time he married someone he was actually in love with.  As much as he did love Shoko, most of the time anyway, he had never been in love with her.  It hadn’t been anything against her and he honestly did try to love her the way she wanted, but he couldn’t change who he was.

 

And sadly enough, Shoko had accepted that.  She never thought she was deserving of anyone’s love, and she certainly didn’t know how to return that love even when it was offered to her.  Just like he was, she had been irrevocably broken by Rohan Kumakura.

 

It was a wonder he had been able to land someone as good and kind and noble as Futa.  Futa who could have had anyone he wanted and still chose him.  Perhaps he truly loved broken things he could fix.

 

“Come on honey, let me see that ring!  I still can’t believe I wasn’t the first one you rushed to see, but I’ll forgive you this time,” Mama said from behind the bar, placing a fresh drink in front of both him and Date.

 

Date, who needless to say, looked completely different from the last time the two men had frequented their favorite drinking spot.  But in typical Mama fashion, she didn’t question it at all, simply took the exceedingly weak explanation that Shizue had come up with at face value and moved on.  He still didn’t understand how so many people believed that idiotic story about silicon masks and Saito and Date swapping places in prison for a sting operation that made little to no sense.  

 

Perhaps it was because in Mama’s line of work she simply did not seek out answers that weren’t readily given.  It would make sense, especially how she was a pretty in demand source for all things underground.  Hell, it was how Renju met her in the first place.

 

Mama and Moma went way back, at least fifteen years, maybe more.  Moma had been the one to introduce Renju not just to Marble as a nice hole in the wall drinking spot, but also to Mama as a first rate fount of information.

 

And that of course led to meeting Date.  What a strange way everything all tied together.

 

“Here you go,” Renju said, holding out his left hand with the band of diamonds and green amethysts.

 

Mama made a big show of leaning forward and gasping, one hand going to cover her mouth and the other lifting Ren’s hand a little higher.  “Ooooo, would you look at that!  He’s got amazing taste.  So, when’s the wedding?”

 

Renju chuckled at that, reaching for his bourbon and taking a slow drink as Mama released his left hand.  “It’s only been two days Mama, we haven’t gotten quite that far yet.”

 

“Well, it won’t be here, right?” Date asked, reaching over the bar to grab one of the orange slices sitting neatly in the tray.

 

Mama moved to whack his hand, but Date was too quick, slipping away with his prize just in time.  He grinned from ear to ear as he took a bite, Mama shaking her head with a huff.

 

“How many times have I told you to stay out of the fruit?  If you want a piece, just ask, don’t stick your grubby hands in the dish.  I have other people to serve you know.”

 

“Who?  No one else is here and you know they won’t be.  Not until tonight anyway.”

 

“Precisely.  And if you eat it all, what will I use then?”

 

Date finished the orange slice and laid the peel down on his napkin.  “That’s at least five hours from now, maybe more.  You can’t feed people stuff that’s sat out all day.”

 

“Why not?  You’re fine.”

 

Renju couldn’t help but laugh, knowing Mama was teasing but still enjoying the shocked look that briefly flashed across Date’s face.  It was nice that with all the changes in the last couple of weeks, some things still remained the same.

 

“Anyway Ren,” Date said, still keeping his one eye on Mama for a moment before turning his attention back to his best friend.  “Where are you thinking of having the wedding?  I know you don’t have the date picked out, but you guys have had to talk about a location at least, right?”

 

“Sort of.  We’ve talked about a couple of countries where we could go, but we haven’t narrowed anything down yet.”

 

“Any top contenders?”

 

“Since we both know a little English, we could go to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.  But I’ve always liked France and Spain too, so they’re options.”

 

“Let me guess, Pewter doesn’t care where you go as long as he gets to marry you, right?”

 

“Don’t say it like it’s such a bad thing.  I asked him, but he’s just not as wrapped up in stuff like that.  Maybe once we pick two or three options I’ll try to get him to choose then.”

 

“He probably doesn’t care about the ceremony then either, right?”

 

Renju shook his head.  “Not really.  We’ll probably get married in court wherever we go and then have a small family vacation.  We can throw a party to celebrate when we get back.”

 

“Huh.  I would have thought you’d want a big Catholic wedding.  Some old church with a lot history and an old priest chanting in Latin.”

 

“Date honey,” Mama groaned.  “Are you ever not offensive?”

 

“What?  He’s Catholic, isn’t he?  That’s why he gave you that,” Date said as he pointed out the painting on the wall.

 

“Most churches don’t do full masses in Latin anymore, maybe a few prayers here and there, but not the entire service.  And no, we won’t be getting married in a Catholic Church.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“For one,” Renju began.  “They wouldn’t marry Futa and I.  The church doesn’t recognize or support gay marriage.  But even if they did, I’ve been married before and I never annulled that marriage with Shoko, so that’s strike two.”

 

“What about Episcopal sweetie?  I know it’s not exactly the same, but I heard you can get married in that church,” Mama stated gently.

 

“We could, but it’s ok.  I’d rather just go to the court and get married and then have a party here for everyone that couldn’t travel.”

 

“If you’re worried about Pewter, don’t be.  I don’t think he’s religious but he’d still get married in a church for you.”

 

Renju knew Date’s words were meant to be a comfort, his friend was only trying to be helpful.  But the idea of going to a church, any church, and falsely praying didn’t sit right with him.

 

“I’m sure he would, but I’m the one that doesn’t want to go, not him.  I…don’t believe in God.  Not anymore.  I haven’t for a long time.”

 

The silence save for the radio playing some non descriptive tune rang out.  Renju gripped his glass tightly and downed the rest of his bourbon, the harsh burn refreshing in it’s own way.

 

“Sorry Ren, I didn’t…well, I just always thought since you still took Mizuki to church sometimes that you did.”

 

What a loaded statement that was.  How did one explain no longer believing in religion but yet having it be so engrained in his every day life that he still followed it?  Perhaps it was a reminder of times he spent with his parents before everything changed so drastically.  They had always gone to mass every single Sunday as a family, Renju never realizing that one day it would be the last time for the three of them.

 

A heart attack due to an underlying condition had taken Renju’s mother young.  Had her doctor’s even known to look for it and test her, maybe she’d still be here with him today, but why would any doctor think to look for that in a completely healthy young woman?

 

And the church and members of the congregation did what they did best; pray.  Renju’s father was left a grieving widower while he himself was still a child now without a mother.  No one came to check on them, to offer to help with meals for a time or even provide companionship.

 

The priest asked the members of the church to pray and that was that, as if a few words to a deity he couldn’t see offered him comfort when all he wanted was his mother’s arms to hold him tight and her voice to whisper how much she loved him.  His father wasn’t much better off, his grief overwhelming and changing who he was drastically.  A depression so deep set in that the man could barely function, having to rely on his teenage son and the maid he had hired to even keep the house running.

 

A few years after that would leave his father nothing but a shell after a series of mini strokes followed by a singular severe one.  And that was when Renju was all alone.  Sure he still lived in the too large family home, but it was just him, his father, and a single maid that would come by for a few hours each day to clean and prepare dinner before leaving for the night.

 

The loneliness of those days was staggering.  He probably would have never made it through if it wasn’t for Hitomi and Manaka.  His best friends were the only bright spot in his otherwise depressive life.

 

And yet, losing both his parents in some form did nothing to prepare him for the dark days that were yet to come.

 

“I did believe at one point in time but…what kind of God takes away a child’s mother when they’re barely fourteen?  I still needed her.  Dad needed her.  His health didn’t last long after that,” Renju quietly spoke as he downed the last of his drink in one gulp, the warmth of the bourbon settling deep in his chest.

 

“Ren…”

 

“Do you have any idea what it’s like to watch the one person you always looked up to, who was so strong and untouchable, simply fail?  It may be a cliché, but my dad was my hero.  He was everything I wanted to grow up to be and more.  And then one day, that man was simply gone.  First he couldn’t walk.  Then he couldn’t talk without slurring his words.  After that his fine motor skills went.  By the end, he couldn’t feed himself or even use the bathroom on his own.  He was completely bedridden.”

 

Renju paused for a moment, idly circling his finger around the edge of his glass.  The large ball of ice was starting to melt, leaving a vaguely cloudy water behind, the result of the remaining liquor residue.

 

“Through it all I still went to church you know.  Prayed with the priest, continued the tithing dad always did.  And when the end finally came and the priest came out to our home to do the last rights, he told me that my dad would be at peace soon because he’d get his final reward by the Lord’s side.  

 

“And all I can remember thinking in that moment is, what kind of selfish god takes away both parents within a couple of years?  And all before I’d turned twenty.”

 

“You’d just lost Manaka too, hadn’t you?”

 

“Yes, one month before dad died.  And…it was a hard year.  The worst year I think I ever lived through.  A lot of things happened that made me feel the way I do now.  And that’s how I know God doesn’t exist.  Because a merciful and kind God wouldn’t have allowed these things to happen.”

 

“Here honey, have a water.  You know Futa will have my pretty little head if I send you home drunk and dehydrated from all the tears.”

 

Renju reached up clumsily at that, touching his face with his left hand.  It was wet.  He hadn’t even noticed he had been crying, hadn’t felt the tears as they ran down his face.  Maybe he’d had too much to drink already.

 

“Don’t worry Mama, I’ll make sure he gets home ok.”

 

“That’s not as comforting as you seem to think it is.  You’ve had as much to drink as he has.”

 

“I’ll be fine, you know I’ve got that special car.  We’ll both get home safe and sound.”

 

“You better.  I won’t give either of you a moments peace otherwise.”

 

Date laughed, wobbling slightly on his bar stool.  “Won’t matter if we’re dead.”

 

“I have my ways honey.”

 

It might have been the copious amounts of alcohol currently passing through his bloodstream at the moment, but Renju was almost certain there was a little something extra behind that mischievous glint.  Just as quickly as the thought entered his head it vanished, Mama giggling demurely as she took the glass away briefly to fill it up with water once again.

 

“Finish that one and then we’ll head out, sound good?”

 

Renju nodded, taking a sip of the cool liquid.  It soothed the residual scratchiness still present from Saito’s attack, luckily only noticing it now when he spoke for any lengthy amount of time.

 

He was happy that at least one of his injuries was getting back to normal.  His wrist would certainly take longer to heal and while technically one of the more delicate bones in his neck had been fractured, it didn’t impede him like the other break did.  Maybe he could talk to Dokuta about some higher strength pain medication, anything to make it easier to do his job.

 

Because unfortunately, the break was starting to vastly interfere with his work.  He was way behind on several pieces he needed to record, the cast coupled with the pain making it all but impossible to play the piano.  

 

“Did you want Mizuki to come home with you tonight?  We can stop by Hitomi’s and pick her up if you want.”

 

“No, it’s ok.  She hasn’t called or texted me to say she wants to come home, so I don’t want to interrupt her fun.  And it’s good for her to be around Hitomi and Iris.  You too.”

 

“What do you mean?  She’s around me all the time.”

 

“No, I mean it’s good for you to be around them too.  You seem…happier…freer.  Like you don’t have the entire world weighing you down.”

 

Date grinned dopily, the bourbon clearly doing it’s job.  “Guess I am.”

 

Renju smiled back widely, the two glasses of water doing nothing to counteract his own drunkenness.  Despite the heavy topic earlier, he was having a good time just being out with his best friend and celebrating his engagement.  It had been a long time since he had been this at peace in his life, if ever, and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

 

 

 

 

 

“So, I can pick any one of these?” Ryuki asked from his seat in front of the computer.

 

It was hard to read, much harder than he thought it would be with one eye, but he managed to focus on each of the files neatly lined up on the screen.  The names were just a series of numbers, nothing to uniquely identify any of them.

 

“Yes, you can open the file and talk to them, get a feel for personality and compatibility and then when you find the one you like, we can program them to your AI Ball,” Naoki said as he gestured to the currently gray and lifeless ball sitting off to the side.

 

He had just finished the shell that afternoon, calling Ryuki to let him know that whenever he felt up to it, he could stop by and start checking out the different AIs.  Ryuki, who had marveled at Aiba since he met her, couldn’t wait to meet his own partner.  He had rushed to the precinct, barely able to contain his own excitement.

 

It had been a while since he truly looked forward to something.  Most of his days were just a repeat of the last; wake up, get ready for the day, eat breakfast, head to work, go home, order mediocre take-out for dinner, watch a few hours of tv or read for the night, and then go off to sleep.  He didn’t really have any friends that he could hang out with, which was why he had been so happy to be invited out with Saito and Shoko.  But after what had happened over the previous weekend, who knew when that would happen again, if ever.

 

Now though, he’d at least get to finally meet his partner, his companion.  Some of the loneliness he felt day in and day out would be relieved.  He felt a warmth spread through his chest at the thought.  It had been a long time since he had someone he could talk to and confide in.

 

“Do the numbers mean anything?”

 

“That’s the day they were first created.”

 

“First created?”

 

“Amanoma starts them all with the same basic program and then let’s it run independently through Wadjet.  They all develop distinct personalities from there as they learn and grow.”

 

“Oh, I thought he would actually create the personality.”

 

Naoki shook his head.  “No, he only did that with Aiba and Theia.  Even then, from what I understand, they developed far beyond anything he had programmed them with.  All of these though, he had no hand in how they developed, it was all them.  Just like every single person is unique and no two are the same, that’s how it is here.”

 

“Wow!  He really is a genius.”

 

“So I’ve been told,” Naoki snorted.

 

“I think you’re a genius too Mr. Endo,” Ryuki quickly retorted, knowing how sensitive the man was about the head engineer.

 

Ryuki wasn’t sure what reaction he was expecting, but it wasn’t for Naoki to let out a long sigh and simply hang his head.  Naoki was always outspoken and brash, but it seemed like the events of the last couple of weeks had even calmed down his agitated nature.

 

“Ryuki, please just call me Naoki.  Or even Endo is fine.  Mr. Endo is just too much.”

 

“But it wouldn’t be proper for me to call you that.  You’re my superior and-”

 

“And you call Amanoma and Kuranushi ‘Pewter’ and ‘Boss’, don’t you?”

 

Ryuki deflated at that.  It was true, he did call his other superiors in the organization by their nicknames, but it wasn’t that he wanted to.  Above all else he hated being disrespectful, even if he was the only one that perceived it in that way.

 

“It’s only because they insisted on it.”

 

“Then I insist too.  I’m only a couple of years older than you anyway, please just think of me as your equal.”

 

This was by far the most confusing conversation he had ever had with Naoki.  “Equal” wouldn’t be a word he would ever use to describe Naoki’s feelings of those around him.  The man had always made it known that he felt far superior to his colleagues, and as Ryuki often times felt inferior when in a crowd, he never questioned it.

 

Everyone had been on edge since the beginning of the week, since they had announced Manaka Iwai’s death and all the subsequent fallout that had wrought.  Even on a Saturday evening, news crews still surrounded the precinct, all attempting to get any additional information first and put them ahead of their competition.  

 

Since the press conference, little information had come out on their end.  As part of the deal that Boss had discussed with everyone exactly a week ago, they were now waiting for So Sejima to give his own statement, one carefully written and curated to ensure he came out in the best possible light.

 

The stage was set, all that was left was for So to make his grand entrance so to speak.  And in typical fashion, typical for a politician anyway, So held back to ensure there would be significant interest by the time he did speak.

 

Ryuki wasn’t wholly unfamiliar with the world of political intrigue, minoring in political science at his university.  And oddly enough, he had written a paper on So and his rapid change of affiliations during his junior year.  His research and dedication had earned him the highest grade in the class, and now he was using that knowledge first hand as he watched everything play out in real time.  Who would have thought that one day it would all eventually lead to a friendship with the son of his research?

 

During all of this, he had tried several times to contact Saito, but had been mostly unsuccessful.  He was his friend after all, despite the fact that they hadn’t known each other that long.  And because of that, he worried about the other man, more now than ever with all the news coverage.  All he wanted was to make sure he was ok. 

 

He’d at least gotten that much reassurance.  Saito wouldn’t answer any phone calls, but he would reply to about one out of every five texts that Ryuki sent.  It wasn’t much, but it was something at least.

 

He knew Saito was doing as well as he could.  He wouldn’t answer anything directly, wouldn’t tell Ryuki what he had been up to, how he was feeling, anything that would give too much away.  But for the time being he at least knew his friend was alive and being taken care of by Boss.

 

Ryuki did have to admit it stung a little when he asked if he could come see the other man and Saito’s reply had been a simple “No”.  He probably could have pushed the matter, someone with more backbone than Ryuki possessed surely would have, but he didn’t.  He wouldn’t force Saito into anything he didn’t want to do.  From what he had been told, that was the story of Saito’s life, and he would be damned if he contributed to that in any way, shape, or form.  

 

“Hey, Ryuki?  You doing alright?”

 

Ryuki shook the thoughts from his head and looked up at Naoki, a worried expression behind those normally intense brown eyes.  

 

“I’m fine Mis…ummmm…Naoki,” he replied awkwardly.

 

Naoki didn’t look like he felt any better as he continued to watch Ryuki closely.  It was slightly unnerving with this new and more caring personality of his.  “You were zoning out…again.   Are you sure you’re ok?”

 

Ryuki put his best and most reassuring smile on, one that he had honed and perfected over the years.  “I’m fine, I was just thinking about some things.  Nothing to worry about!”

 

He still didn’t look overly confident in Ryuki’s act, but it seemed Naoki was willing to drop the matter for the time being.  It wouldn’t always work, but for now he was thankful his senior wasn’t one to pry too much into his affairs.

 

“Why don’t you start checking out your potential partners?  If you pick one tonight, I can start the calibrations and you may be able to take them home tomorrow.”

 

That was earlier than he expected.  He had just had his left eye removed on Tuesday, a mere four days ago, and now he was able to possibly have his unit after what would then be five days?

 

“But I thought I needed to heal for at least two weeks?”

 

“You do, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take them with you.  You can start to get to know each other, start bonding.  Then, after two weeks, we can actually install the unit in your socket and turn on the link so you can communicate internally.”

 

Ryuki didn’t know what to say.  He was happy about the fact that he would have someone with him now, someone that would always be there and could help stave off the loneliness he felt on a daily basis.  But at the same time, it was nerve-racking.  What if the personality he picked out didn’t like him?  What if they were so vastly different that they just couldn’t get along?  What if they refused to work with him?  Could they even do that?

 

“Ryuki, relax.  I can see you getting in your head again.  Just open up one of the files and start talking to them.  Engage in a conversation and see where it goes.  You’d be surprised, it’s just like talking to another person.  Not all of them are quite as advanced as Aiba, but they’re still leagues ahead of any other AI out there.”

 

“Ok, what about this one?” Ryuki said as he moved the cursor to hover over file “08102019”.

 

“Of course that would be the one you would pick first.  I’m not trying to dissuade you from choosing any of them, but that one actually doesn’t talk.  At all.  We aren’t sure why.  Amanoma has tried everything and it doesn’t matter, they won’t engage.  It isn’t that they aren’t learning either, Amanoma’s checked the logs and the unit is definitely absorbing information, they just won’t speak.  You’re welcome to try, but I think you’d do better with a unit that will respond to you and that you can have a conversation with.”

 

Ryuki had to silently agree.  As much as he wanted to pick the underdog, the unit that would probably be looked over by everyone else, he needed to do what was best for him.  And having a partner that he couldn’t speak to wouldn’t help him in the least.

 

“Wait, what’s this one?”

 

Ryuki hovered next over a file that read “11232019Sejima”.  “Is that…?”

 

“Mmmhmm,” Naoki nodded.  “Sejima’s unit.  Amanoma finished it up this afternoon and it’s going through the final calibrations overnight.  It should be ready in the morning.”

 

“So he’ll get his AI Ball tomorrow?”

 

“If everything goes well tonight with the Wadjet sync, then yeah, he should.”

 

“But wait, did Pewter make the personality for this one?  I thought he was letting them develop and learn organically.”

 

“Well, this is sort of a special case.  We needed one for him right away and it needed to have special orders programmed into it given his medical history.  Sort of like how Aiba was for Date.”

 

That made sense.  Saito’s needs were vastly different from the average Psyncer, even if he wasn’t actually a Psyncer.  He needed to have a partner that could pick up on even the slightest changes in his health or brain wave patterns, one that could administer precise doses of medication and keep a close watch on any changes.  

 

And while one of the many files displayed before him could likely fill that role, there would still have to be a lot of changes done to their basic functions.  It was probably easier to start from scratch than to try to reprogram a mostly free thinking AI.

 

“So, Saito will be here tomorrow then?”

 

“He should be.  Kuranushi wants to have him fitted and the AI Ball installed as soon as it’s ready.”

 

“And if I pick one tonight, mine would be ready tomorrow too?”

 

“Yes, it would get calibrated overnight and then would…really?  Are you for real right now?”

 

“What?” Ryuki asked innocently.

 

“Please be serious about this.”

 

“I don’t understand.  I am being serious.”

 

“All I’m saying is, don’t rush the process and just pick one because you want to see your crush tomorrow.”

 

Ryuki blushed furiously, bowing his head and looking anywhere but at Naoki.  “I d-don’t have a-”

 

“Yes you do.  It’s painfully obvious to anyone that’s been within three feet of the two of you when you’re together.  You’re an adult and certainly more than capable of making your own decisions, but I’d advise you to at least be cautious when it comes to trying to pursue any sort of relationship with him.”

 

Ryuki’s shoulders slumped further, if that were even possible.  “Because he’s a technically a murderer?”

 

Taking pity on the younger man, Naoki laid a hand on his shoulder, the weight oddly reassuring.  “No.  Regardless of how I personally feel about him, I’m able to rationalize that he didn’t commit those crimes of his own free will.”

 

“Then why should I avoid him?”

 

“I didn’t say avoid, I just said be cautious.  And that’s only because we still know next to nothing about his mind control.  We know a few words that trigger it, but what if that isn’t the only thing?  He could be a ticking time bomb.  Not only that, you seem to have a fairly decent relationship with Amanoma.  Being overly flirtatious with the one person he openly despises may not endear you to him.”

 

“But it’s not Saito’s fault!  He didn’t want to do any of those things.”

 

“I understand that, and I think somewhere deep down, Amanoma does too.  But, have you seen the way they act around each other?  It’s not just one way.  Sejima is just as antagonistic, if not more so.  Every single time they’ve been in the same room together, he makes a show out of saying exactly the right thing to get under Amanoma’s skin.”

 

“And if I’m friendly with Saito, Pewter might take it the wrong way.  Is that what you’re saying?”

 

Naoki sighed and moved to lean against his desk.  “I don’t know him that well.  And we haven’t had the best relationship, but all things considered, we have little choice but to try to get along now.  He’s usually not someone that’s unfair, and from what I’ve seen, he can be loyal to a fault.  He’s reliable and dependable when it comes to work and his projects.  But he’s had one shock after the other and it’s obvious he hasn’t handled it the best.  I don’t know what happened last weekend, but I’m fairly certain he had some sort of breakdown.  There’s only so much the human mind can take, and Amanoma has reached that point.”

 

“So he’d normally be able to rationalize all of this with Saito, but because of everything that’s happened, he can’t?”

 

“Likely.  I could be wrong though, who knows.  I don’t know him well enough to make that observation, but I do know Aya is pretty worried for him.  She’s been going over to his apartment every single night this week and spending a couple of hours with him and Renju.”

 

“You haven’t gone?”

 

Naoki grimaced.  “I can’t think of anything less I’d want to do.”

 

“But he’ll be your brother-in-law eventually, right?”

 

Ryuki wasn’t sure how Naoki could actually choke on nothing, but somehow he was.  The man spluttered as he stood up straight, coughing to try to relieve his spasming throat.  “We-we’ve only been together a couple of months!  It’s way too early to even think of that.”

 

“Don’t you love her?”

 

Now Naoki’s face was flushing a deep crimson and he turned away, shaking his head back and forth.  “I like her, but we’re not there yet.  It’s like I said, we haven’t been together that long.”

 

“But if you love someone, you need to tell them!  You never know when it could your last chance.”

 

With a huff Naoki started walking away, reaching the door to his office and opening it swiftly.  “Just pick one of the AIs so I can go home.”

 

And then he was gone, leaving Ryuki all alone in the other man’s office.  He wasn’t sure why Naoki got so embarrassed all of a sudden.  When they were talking about Ryuki’s lack of a love life he hadn’t gotten nearly as nervous as his superior.  

 

Maybe it was because Naoki didn’t like to talk about himself or his personal life.  He had noticed that before, but he figured since the door had sort of been opened already, he must not have cared all that much.  Apparently he was wrong.

 

Sighing heavily to himself, Ryuki turned his full attention back to the files currently in front of him.  He’d never get anywhere if he just stared at the computer screen and didn’t try to at least interact with some of them.  

 

It was hard to pick one though when all the file names were basically just birthdays.  It didn’t tell him anything about who he would be speaking to.  Would they be a man, woman, or maybe nonbinary?  Would they perceive themselves as someone young or old?  What would they like?  Dislike?

 

If he kept that train of thought going, he’d never pick one at this rate.  And sooner rather than later, he was sure Naoki would be back wanting an answer.

 

None of the dates particularly stood out to him, but he had to start somewhere.  He hovered over the file named “04302019” and double clicked it.

 

“Ummm, hello.  My name is Kuruto Ryuki…”

 

 

Notes:

Well, it's been a minute since I last updated. Some irl stuff along with a pretty good case of writer's block has thrown me off my regular schedule. I'm still not going to be back to that at the moment because unfortunately things are still a little hectic and this chapter definitely made me struggle a little.

I think because the end is so near, I'm having a harder time because I want to make sure everything lines up perfectly for the sequel. That being said, I'll try not to have the next chapter take over a month.

Hopefully it was worth the weight though and everyone enjoys this one. In the official timeline, we are now three weeks post the start of the game. Things are moving along and we even got to have a Ryuki pov this chapter.

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoyed the chapter. I love them all and they truly do help give me motivation!

Chapter 63

Saito sat calmly in the conference room waiting for Kuranushi to come back with his idiotic cousin.  He wished he could have just picked up the AI Ball without having to see Amanoma at all, but apparently that wasn’t possible.  Calibrations needed to be done once it was actually in his socket all in order to make sure it delivered his medication effectively.

 

At least that meant an end to the incredibly painful spinal taps.  How ironic that without the medication he felt nothing, emotionally or physically, but with it, that opened up new levels of suffering he didn’t think were possible.

 

As a child, he walked through life with little enjoyment.  But as someone that hadn’t experienced the typical delights that most did, it was hard to miss something he never had.  When those stares full of pity would meet his eyes, it meant nothing.  

 

It hadn’t been until he reached early adulthood that he learned the one thing he could feel with next to no limitations was fear.  Once Rohan would deem it necessary to release him from that prison in his mind, that was the only thing left to him.  His heart would beat erratically, his breaths would be harsh and shallow, his body would shake uncontrollably as he observed the carnage reaped by his own hands.

 

During those moments when every single nerve in his body felt like it was on fire, he could feel pain.  Could feel his own fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his palm, could feel the sharp sting of teeth on his tongue as his jaw clamped shut of it’s own accord.

 

He didn’t know what exactly caused it, but if he had to guess it was likely the high levels of stress and anxiety flooding his brain all at once.  Adrenaline wasn’t a substitute for the lack of oxytocin, but significant amounts produced a reaction nonetheless.

 

Then there were the phantom emotions he felt.  Happiness, excitement, exhilaration.  The things he was told to feel while killing.  He could only imagine the monster his victims saw moments before their death.

 

The wide eyes and manic grin must have been nothing short of horrifying.  He could still hear his own hollow laugh echoing in his ears.  

 

It was strange how some memories during his time under Rohan’s control were more clear than others.  Maybe it was simply the more graphic memories, the ones that would be impossible for anyone to forget.  Those seemed to shine the brightest through the fog in his mind.

 

He wondered if this AI that he was about to receive would be able to provide anymore insight to his condition.  The Psync machine offered a small piece of the puzzle but not nearly enough for him.  He wanted to know how it worked besides the keywords.  Would he be able to retrieve any of his missing memories?  And most important of all, was there any way to get rid of it?

 

Because without that hope, without the possibility that his condition could be cured, what kind of life could he possibly have?  He’d be in a constant state of anxiety waiting for someone to use the keywords against him.  Too many people knew now, and while he didn’t think any of them would use it against, he couldn’t be too careful. 

 

Amanoma and Endo both knew them, and they both hated him.  He didn’t think that hatred, no matter how deep it ran, was enough to try to control him, but the possibility was always there.  

 

No, the one he worried about more than anything was Rohan.  The former Kumakura head may currently be in a coma with a slim likelihood of ever waking up, but it wasn’t impossible.  And if he ever did regain consciousness, Saito was afraid he would be the first on his list for revenge.

 

“Oh hey Saito!  Fancy seeing you here this morning,” an overly cheery voice sounded from the door.

 

Saito turned ever so slightly, his right eye roaming towards the door and watching Kuruto enter.  The younger man wore a welcoming smile, looking casual in his orange and yellow argyle sweater and jeans.  He couldn’t be working, which begged the question, why was he here?

 

His query must have shown because that was all it took for Kuruto to claim the chair beside him.  “My unit was finished today too!  What a coincidence, huh?”

 

Saito had a feeling it was anything but.  He knew how desperately his…friend?…wanted to see him, the several attempts he had made to reach out and try to initiate more contact than simple texts all the proof he needed.  And all the while Saito did his best to push him away.  

 

It wasn’t fair to Kuruto to draw him into his darkness, not when Saito could feel something similar lingering just beneath the surface for him as well.  Whatever demons his new friend was fighting, thrusting his own on to him wouldn’t help the situation.

 

So he did what he tried to do with Hitomi and by proxy Iris, separate himself as much as possible.  He was a danger to anyone that got too close, Shoko was evidence of that.

 

What if the next time it was Kuruto?  What if there was no one else around to save him?  He did seem strong despite his lithe frame, but Saito had the height and reach the other man lacked, giving him more of an advantage.  

 

It was better to keep him and anyone else that tried to get close to him at arms length.  He didn’t need friends and family anyway, already used to the isolation and loneliness of growing up the way he did.

 

But even with his brusque answers to Kuruto and lack of response throughout the last week, his friend was still here.  Smiling contentedly before him and looking for all the world like he was actually happy to be there.

 

“Did you want to meet her?”

 

“What?”

 

“My AI.  I’ve got her with me.  I can’t put her in just yet,” he said as he gestured to the eyepatch he wore over his left socket.  “But, she gets to come home with me starting today.”

 

“Oh, sure I guess.  What’s her name?”

 

Maybe meeting Kuruto’s unit would give him some idea of how his own would be.  He imagined she was probably similar to Aiba and while the two of them absolutely did not get along, he had to admit that he could see her personality being a calming presence to someone not on her shit list.  

 

“Right, this is Tama.”  Kuruto placed the artificial eye on the table, the iris glowing red.

 

“Tama?”  What an odd choice of name.

 

“Yeah, my first unit was called Tama as kind of a placeholder name, but then when we found out about Iris’ tumor, Pewter changed up the function to be able to do nano surgery.  It was just the shell anyway and it wasn’t completely done, so it made sense to use that one and retrofit it instead of starting all over.  When I was talking to her last night, I told that story and she said she liked the name Tama, so it stuck!”

 

“That’s right!  It’s such a perfect name and Ryuki seems to like it too, so all the better!”

 

Saito watched as the eye slowly secreted some sort of jelly-like substance, starting as a blob and then beginning to take shape.  While he hadn’t actually seen it first hand, Kuranushi had mentioned once that Aiba vaguely resembled a hamster.  

 

Would Tama look like that too?  Or his own unit?  Or would they pick a different type of animal to represent their physical body?

 

Or maybe it would be a voluptuous woman standing with a hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side.  Sure, that made sense in absolutely no way at all.

 

“Ummm, Tama actually picked that form,” Kuruto answered nervously, a light blush starting on his cheeks.  There he went again answering a question he hadn’t actually asked.

 

“That I did.  I chose something I thought Ryuki would find pleasing to look at.  Looks like I made the right choice.”

 

Saito wasn’t so sure about that, but he wasn’t going to be the one to voice it out loud.  He was pretty sure Kuruto’s new partner would get the scoop once they were actually linked up and she could see into his head a little better, no pun intended.

 

And while Saito couldn’t say with an absolutely certainly that Kuruto wasn’t attracted to women, he knew without a doubt he was definitely attracted to men.  At least to him anyway.  Though he did have to wonder if Kuruto was actually drawn to him as Saito, or if that was a carry over from when Date was a parasite in his body.

 

It had been a conversation he likely wasn’t supposed to hear, but he was pretty sure Kuranushi had gotten complacent when he had been in that strange state of being conscious but not really being fully aware.  She had been on the phone with Date, speaking to him in the kitchen while preparing some meal that he didn’t end up eating.  She had her phone on speaker to free up her hands and at some point, the conversation had drifted over to Kuruto.

 

Kuranushi was aware of his attempts at contact, telling Date that she had seen the messages in his phone.  They spoke about how they both believed the newest ABIS Psyncer harbored a crush on Saito, worrying that it may not end well for either of them.

 

Part of that had to do with Saito’s state in general and if he was even capable of forming the type of bond that Kuruto hoped for.  But surprisingly enough, the other form of concern came from Date himself.  He remembered everything from his time in Saito’s body, including the physical attraction that Kuruto harbored for him.

 

Hr never acted on it, and never let Kuruto know that he was aware of his feelings.  But now he had to wonder if the black haired man’s affection was purely for Saito, or if it was some weird combination of the two.  

 

And now that Saito knew, he wanted to do his best not to lead Kuruto on in any way.  It wasn’t fair to Kuruto nor to him.  Kuruto deserved better than a discount version of the person he truly wanted to be with and while Saito didn’t think he deserved much, he still felt like he should at least be someone’s first choice instead of second best.

 

Not that Saito truly knew how to be in a relationship anyway.  He had had a handful of girlfriends and boyfriends throughout high school and college, but it wasn’t like he honestly liked any of them.  It had more or less been to either try to fit in or see if he could possibly feel anything besides the pure emptiness that greeted him day in and day out.

 

But now through the help of the drug coursing it’s way through his system, he had the ability to feel the things that had been denied to him all his life.  He may not feel love or anything close to it yet, but he had developed a fondness for a few people in his life.

 

At the very least Iris, Kuruto, and Shoko didn’t annoy him nearly as much as Amanoma and Kuranushi, so that was something.

 

“So you must be Saito Sejima huh?  Definitely hot,” Tama said as she walked around the long table, looking him up and down.

 

He wasn’t sure why he suddenly felt uncomfortable from an AI, it wasn’t like she was actually checking him out.  She had to be running scans of some sort, probably sizing him up in case he ever became a threat.  

 

“Uh thank you I guess,” he said anyway, not wanting to get on her bad side.  He couldn’t imagine having both her and Aiba against him.

 

“I gotta say, yours is a lucky girl to have such a pretty boy host like you.”

 

So his unit was a woman.  Not that it was all that surprising considering Aiba, Tama, and that unit Amanoma used were all female.  It still gave him no information about what his would be like at all, but it was something he supposed.  

 

Unless…wait.  Tama clearly knew his unit in some capacity, otherwise she wouldn’t have made that comment.  Maybe he could get a little bit of insight from her, if she was willing to share.

 

“I’m sorry Tama,” Kuruto said, hanging his head and focusing on the woodgrain.  “You’d probably like having someone more like Saito being your partner, huh?  Maybe I could talk to Pewter and he’d be willing to switch so you could have someone better than-”

 

“Hey!  Knock it off!” she snapped loudly, her entire demeanor changing in a matter of seconds.  “I’m not going to take any of that self loathing crap from you.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“What?” she ground out.

 

“I’m sorry ma’am.”

 

Tama immediately switched back, looking as satisfied as he supposed an AI in this form was capable of.  “Much better.”

 

After seeing that odd and uncomfortable display, Saito had to wonder exactly what his would be like now.  Tama was certainly very different from Aiba, which meant that likely his would have it’s own unique and distinct personality too.  He just hoped she wouldn’t be anything like Tama because there was no way he’d be able to handle that.  He’d rather take his chances with Aiba.

 

“Tama?”

 

“Yes?” she replied sweetly.

 

“Did you get to meet my AI?  Do you know what she’s like?”

 

“Hmmm?  Oh yes, we can all interact as much or as little as we please.  We all have our own space, but if we want to talk we can.  You know Aiba really doesn’t like you.”

 

“I’m aware.”

 

“At all.”

 

“Thank you Tama, that’s helpful,” he muttered sarcastically.  “Now, tell me about my unit.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

Uh-oh, seems like he was incurring her wrath just like Kuruto had moments prior.  What had he done to correct to it?

 

“I’m sorry Tama,” Saito began, resisting with everything in him the urge to roll his right eye.  “Would you please tell me about my unit?”

 

“Better.  Not perfect, but better.  And I don’t know her that well.  Pewter only brought her online yesterday afternoon so I haven’t spent as much time with her as I have with the others, but she seemed nice.”

 

Saito waited a few moments for her to continue, but she never did.  Seemed that was everything she was going to say unless he kept the conversation going.  “Nice?  That’s it?  You can’t tell me anything else about her?”

 

“I just told you I met her yesterday.  What more was I supposed to do?”

 

Saito was saved anymore conversation with Kuruto’s irritable partner as the door opened once again, three people filing in.  Endo was the first in the room, followed by Kuranushi and then finally Amanoma.

 

His cousin looked just about as pleased to be there as he was, scowl etched into his features.  He really couldn’t stand the man.  Everything about him irritated Saito to no end.  His holier than thou attitude, the way Saito’s own father was so protective of the other man and his feelings, how he had everything in life handed to him and never had to struggle.  He had two loving parents, a sister that looked up to him, a devoted fiancé, friends that would do anything for him.  He had people that loved him unconditionally, had his health, a normal childhood, all things that had been denied to Saito.

 

It made him sick.

 

“Hello there Amanoma.  You look well.”

 

He really didn’t.  He looked like he hadn’t been sleeping well for the last several days and Saito couldn’t be certain, but maybe he had lost a little weight too.  

 

Amanoma didn’t reply, continuing to glare at Saito from behind that ridiculous green visor he wore.  He really didn’t understand the appeal in dressing like an absolute idiot, though he supposed the green sweater and slacks were a slight step up from the usual trash he wore.  At least Saito’s sense of fashion was one thing he had a leg up on.

 

“Not in the mood to talk?  Too bad Renju isn’t here, I’m sure he’d be more than willing to speak.”

 

“Not to you,” Amanoma sneered.

 

“You know, you’re right,” Saito continued on, grinning in a way that he knew would get under his cousin’s skin.  “We really didn’t talk at all.  He preferred to be more physical with me.”

 

“Shut up!”

 

Amanoma lunged forward, snarling as he reached across the table.  He would have managed to grab Saito by the front of his shirt if it wasn’t for Endo’s quick reaction, holding him back by his upper arms.

 

And yet, even with all the strife he had already caused, Saito couldn’t help but to make things worse still.  “Ren really does know how to kiss, doesn’t he?”

 

“You son of a bitch!”

 

“Enough!  Both of you!” Kuranushi yelled out, slamming both of her hands down on the table.

 

“Are you kidding me?  He started it, what was I supposed to do?  Just stand here and take it?”

 

“Can’t you see that he was just trying to get you riled up?  You’re supposed to be so smart but you walked right into it.”

 

“How could I not get upset?!  He’s talking about assaulting my fiancé!”

 

“You know, he’s the one that kissed me.  With no hesitation and quite passionately might I add.”  

 

Saito didn’t know why he said it, why he felt the need to be so petty.  Maybe because Amanoma had never given him a fair shot, even with the knowledge of what happened to him.  He held things against him that were completely out of Saito’s control.  And while Saito certainly could have been the bigger person, where was the fun in that?

 

“Should I let him go?” Endo asked indifferently, his grip on Amanoma surprisingly strong.

 

“No.  Not yet anyway.  But if you make one more smart ass remark, I’ll let Pewter kick you right in the dick, so watch your mouth.”

 

Saito shrugged, knowing he could probably take the older man in a fight but not willing to rock the boat any further.  Especially with Kuruto looking at him with a mixture of shock and hurt.

 

Well shit, he fucked that up.

 

“Hey Kuruto, I was just-”

 

“What?” he asked, raising his hands and moving them back in forth quickly.  “Don’t worry about it!  That’s your personal business.”

 

Saito wanted to say something else, knew he probably should at the expression on Kuruto’s face, but he didn’t.  This was the opportunity he was waiting for after all.  He wanted to push his friend away, get him to stop thinking about him and any sort of romantic possibilities between the two.  And by setting the stage and making it seem like there could be something going on with Renju, that was sure to drive Kuruto away.

 

After all, Kuruto wasn’t the type to go after a man that was interested in someone else.  In all honestly, Saito didn’t think Kuruto would make the first move to begin with, even if presented with someone very much interested in him.  But as long as he kept his act up and Kuruto at arms length, then maybe he could still be friends with him.  He’d hate to lose one of the only friends he had actually been able to make.

 

“Naoki, let him go, I think he’s fine.”

 

Endo didn’t look like he quite trusted Kuranushi’s word for it and turned to his colleague.  “You sure you’re good?”

 

“Yes, you can let go.  I’m not going to try anything.”

 

A few more seconds and Endo nodded his head, releasing his grip on Amanoma’s bicep.  It was a surprisingly amicable display, especially for two people that Saito thought despised each other.  Maybe their mutual hatred of him had brought them closer together.  The thought made Saito let out a small snicker, ridiculous as it was.

 

Amanoma didn’t look amused in the least, shooting him a dagger like glare before placing a small, circular object in the middle of the table.  His AI Ball.  At the moment it seemed to be powered down, the iris nearly as dark as the pupil.

 

“Pick it up and put it in.  I need to make sure everything connects properly to the hardware already in your socket and I don’t have all day.”

 

“Funny because I do.”

 

“I’m done,” Amanoma said as he turned towards Kuranushi.  “I have to go back home and get ready.  I’m not dealing with his bullshit.”

 

“You’re staying just stop.  And you, I suggest if you want to stop getting giant needles in your back everyday, you at least act somewhat grateful.  Do you know how many hoops I had to jump through to even get this commissioned for someone that’s not a member of this department?  It’s not like we can just hand out this technology to regular civilians.  I had to cash in several juicy tidbits of blackmail and if you made me waste them then-”

 

“Alright alright, I get it.  The quicker I do this the quicker everyone leaves me alone, right?”

 

“Absolutely,” Amanoma answered sweetly, a drastic departure from his earlier mood.  “Nothing would be please me more than to get this over with as soon as possible.”

 

Saito didn’t trust that glint in his eye and had to wonder if the second he put the thing in if it would self destruct and blow his head to pieces.  A slight shiver ran down his spine at the thought and he pushed the unprovoked image out of his mind.

 

No, there’s no way that it could do something like that.  Sure Aiba was able to psychologically torture him and bend him to her will, but to have the ability to cause actual physical harm and death was definitely outside the realm of their programing.  It was crazy to even think like that.

 

With a deep sigh Saito leaned forward in his chair and stretched hand out toward the middle of the table, long fingers closing around the AI Ball.  As soon as the warmth from his body connected with the cool device it came to life.  The eye glowed a soft pink letting him know that it on and ready to connect.

 

Pink, really?  He supposed that was Amanoma’s way at getting revenge, sticking him with a color he thought he would hate.  And it sort of worked.  Saito wasn’t necessarily thrilled with the idea of having an eye the color of cotton candy, he would have much preferred just matching it to his own eye color so it would be less noticeable.

 

Or he could have at least made it yellow like Aiba or red like Kuruto’s.  Blue would have been nice as well, really any color other than pink.  

 

Despite the annoyance it caused, Saito refused to let it show on his face.  He wouldn’t give Amanoma the satisfaction of knowing that he had gotten to him.  

 

“Pink huh?  I like it.”

 

And with that, Saito pushed the AI Ball into his empty socket until he heard it click into place.  Though he couldn’t feel the cables he knew existed, he could hear the low whirring of something happening.  

 

A few moments later and his vision doubled, causing him to blink rapidly several times.  After the last several weeks of getting used to his lack of depth perception and mono vision, to suddenly have it back was a little jarring.

 

“I take it you can see?  How does everything look?  Is it clear?  Are the colors registering the same way they do for your real eye.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Close your right eye and see how it looks.”

 

Saito did as he was told.

 

“Any change to your vision now?”

 

“No.”

 

“Keep your right eye closed and move your left eye.  Look side to side and up and down.”

 

Once again Saito did as he was told, looking in each direction and finding that it surprisingly felt very natural.  Obviously he knew it wasn’t his real eye, but after just those few minutes it already felt like an extension of his actual body.

 

“Any trouble moving the eye or focusing?”

 

“No.”

 

“Take a look at this then.”  Amanoma slid the day’s paper across the table.  “The font is small.  Make sure you are able to focus with both eyes and read without any issues.  The AI Ball should focus automatically.”

 

Saito did as he was told, picking up the paper and reading the headline article.  Normally Saito would think it was a coincidence, but given Amanoma’s animosity towards him, he really wasn’t surprised that it focused on the reopened Cyclops Serial Killings case.  Photos of the four original victims were pictured along with one of Manaka Iwai.  

 

So that was the game he wanted to play.  Fine.  Saito wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of reacting.

 

“It looks good.  I can read this with no problem.”

 

“Perfect.  Are you ready to meet her?”

 

Amanoma’s tone was perfectly normal, nothing that should cause any sort of worry and yet it did.  Because it was too normal.  He was trying too hard to put Saito at ease by not lacing his words with sarcasm and resorting to name calling or veiled threats of violence.  If Saito didn’t know better, he’d say that his cousin was almost acting as though he liked him, or at the very least tolerated his presence.

 

But maybe he was looking into it too much.  He had to be.  Amanoma had said himself he needed to leave and head home to get ready.  That was likely the reason for his now easygoing nature.  He had something he needed to attend to and the sooner he got Saito squared away, the sooner he could leave.

 

This almost kindness wasn’t for him, not really.  It was all to prevent further arguments and to move things along.  And while Saito did enjoy getting under his older cousin’s skin much more than he should, even he was tired of this song and dance they seemed to be playing.  

 

It would be good for everyone involved to get this over and done with.  And if Saito played his part well enough, maybe his new companion would be willing to give a good report to Kuranushi and finally get him out of her house.  He wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of living with his father, but given the size of the estate, they could easily avoid each other if they wanted.  Plus his current situation with Kuranushi was starting to get a little cramped now that-

 

“I’m switching the AI on.  You should see her out of your left eye in just a moment.”

 

Saito stared straight ahead blinking once, twice, three times before a female figure came into view.  Her long hair hung around her shoulders; white with glowing tendrils of pink throughout. Her pink eyes held a warmth he hadn’t seen for years, a gentle smile pulling at the edges of her lips.

 

“Hello Saito.”

 

Saito sucked in a breath, his heart thundering in his chest.  He tried to expel it but he couldn’t, tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come.  All he could do was stare in shock at the young woman before him, features forever frozen at nineteen.

 

It was impossible.  How had Amanoma even done this?  How did he make her look so real?  And her voice…

 

“Well?  Everything working out?”  Amanoma leaned forward, fingers steepled together and resting his chin against his knuckles.  His actions showed nothing but bored indifference, but there was a malice behind that stupid visor that was clear for all to see.  He was enjoying every moment of this.

 

“S-she…”

 

“Hmmm?  What of her?  I thought she would be the perfect companion all things considered.  Someone that you are familiar with and have a history.  It should be like greeting an old friend.”

 

“Pewter,” Kuranushi hissed.  “What did you do?”

 

“Nothing more than what I was asked.  You told me to make him an AI Ball that would function like Aiba.  One that could deliver his medication and keep an eye on his condition.  Along with a personality that would be soothing and non confrontational.  And that’s what I did.”

 

“But why her?” Saito whispered, physically unable to stop looking at the woman before him, not that he would be able to tear himself away if he could.

 

“Because, it’s what you deserve.”

 

What he deserved?  Did he deserve this?  Did he deserve to be haunted by this ghost?  By her memory?

 

“I should introduce myself,” she began, either ignoring or not quite registering the tension in the room.  “My name is Manaka and I’ll be your new companion.  I’m very happy to be working alongside you Saito.  I truly hope we get along.”

 

 

 

Notes:

Now we finally have Saito's AI Ball. It's been a while to get here, but everything is slowly coming together. The date in the fic is 11/24/19, so we're a little over 3 weeks in past the start of the game. And everyone is still alive, yay!

Also, I know I mentioned it before probably 30 notes ago, but I am sticking with the original year and not the aini year. Especially considering I started this before aini came out and we knew about the year change.

And I know she didn't get to say much this chapter, but Tama is finally here! Ryuki now gets to know his future best friend and all is mostly right in the world.

As always, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. I know it's a little shorter than usual, but since it's all one scene instead of multiple, it felt like this was the perfect way to end it. If you liked it, please leave me a comment and let me know. They help so much with my motivation and I love reading them all!

Chapter 64

Boss took in the scene before her with a critical eye.  From the outside looking in, the meeting appeared to be relatively calm.  And it was, truth be told.  More easy going than she had anticipated with both Saito and Pewter in the same room.  

 

The two of them together were a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.  They disagreed and argued over anything and everything and couldn’t resist whatever opportunity came along to try to one up the other.

 

The jealously radiating between the two was migraine inducing, Boss finding herself in the middle of their arguments only too often now.  And while they had been true to form in the first few minutes, an almost peaceful atmosphere had washed over the room once Pewter started his calibrations.  Ever the perfectionist, concentrating on his work likely did the trick to keep his anger at bay.

 

What was more astonishing was the fact that Saito backed off once she had gotten involved.  He usually didn’t care to listen to anything she said but over the last few days he’d let his stubbornness go.  She wondered if he was actually warming up to her or if he was just so sick of the daily spinal injections that he would do anything to get them to stop.  Probably the latter.

 

But all things considered, Boss should have known whatever little silent agreement that had come to pass between the two wouldn’t last.  And while they still weren’t at each other’s throats like they had been initially, something had happened.  

 

Someone that didn’t know either of them wouldn’t have picked up on it, but Boss and Pewter had been friends for close to a decade, making it easy for her to tell when something was off.  And Saito may not have been in her life for long, but sharing the same living space for the last few weeks had taught her a thing or two about her impromptu house guest.

 

“Pewter, I’m not going to ask you again, what did you do?”

 

Pewter stared at her for a moment, green eyes nearly the same shade as Saito’s boring into her.  “I already told you.  Exactly what you asked me to do.  You’ll find all the specs and functions perfectly aligned with the list you gave me.”

 

She couldn’t argue with him there.  She wasn’t good at this science stuff and he knew that.  He could explain for hours all the ins and outs of what he had programmed and she would be lucky if she understood a quarter of it.  And normally she would take him at his word as he had never done anything to betray her trust in him.  But this time she couldn’t.  

 

Ever since he had stormed into ABIS with his panicked story of body swapping and murder plots, he hadn’t been ok.  His mental state slowly but surely deteriorated over the last several weeks.  Being a victim of Saito himself, having his boyfriend turned fiancé nearly killed after doing everything in his power to save him, finding out his relationship to Saito and So Sejima, the role his own mother had played in orchestrating this tragedy from the beginning; it had taken a serious toll on her friend.

 

The physical altercation with Naoki should have been her first clue.  Pewter could be hotheaded, but he had never once gotten physical with anyone before.  And it was true Naoki could push anyone’s buttons and usually did on a daily basis, it still shouldn’t have been enough for Pewter to snap like he did and break the other man’s nose.

 

Maybe if it had stopped there, Boss could have written it off as extreme stress due to a very unusual and trying set of circumstances, but it didn’t end there.  The self Psync…that had gone too far.

 

Perhaps if he had taken adequate safety precautions and gone through the appropriate channels to schedule it, she would have let it happen.  But to sneak in after hours when he knew for a fact not another soul would there; it was a level of stupidity and danger she never would have associated with the brightest man she had ever met.

 

If something had gone wrong, if Theia had malfunctioned and not been able to call for help, he could have been trapped within his own mind until morning.  And that was if he survived to begin with.

 

And yet Boss still allowed him to work, had believed him when he said he was fine.  When had he ever lied to her?  Why would he lie to her? 

 

Same reason he lied to Renju about being ok.  He didn’t want anyone else to know how far he was slipping away, if he even realized it himself.  

 

The nightmare or vision of his mother, whatever it truly was, had finally forced her to take action.  She put him on leave and rightfully so.  Renju kept her up to date with how he was handling things and the first few days had been rough.  But once he had gathered the wherewithal to actually propose to his boyfriend, Boss figured he must be back in track.

 

If he was still having episodes and breakdowns, would he have actually done that?  Would he have possessed the clarity of mind to go through with a proposal?  Maybe so considering it was Pewter.

 

The man in question stood up from the table, looking down at Saito with indifference before sliding the chair back under the table.  “As everything seems to be functioning as it should, I’ll be leaving now.”

 

“Wait a second.  You can’t just leave when there’s clearly something wrong.”

 

“I can and I will.  I already told you I had a strict timeline and I’ve stayed well past when I should have left.”

 

“What’s so important that you need to leave now?  He’s not ok and I need to know what’s going on.  Is something wrong with the unit?  Is that why he’s acting this way?  Did it already give him his medication?  Is the dose off?” Boss asked, her frustration clearly evident as she watched Saito continue to sit like a statue.

 

“Manaka’s funeral is today.  And I’m not leaving Renju alone for that,” Pewter replied in clipped tones.  “Naoki can handle anything else in my absence.”

 

Boss was silent as she watched Pewter leave through the meeting room door.  What could she say?  She had completely forgotten about the funeral arranged by Hitomi and Renju for Manaka.  Her body had finally been released from police custody and she was going to be laid to rest.  Of course Pewter would want to be there for that.

 

“Sejima?  Can you hear me?”

 

It seemed Naoki was taking the lead now that Pewter was gone.  He wasn’t Saito’s biggest fan either, but despite sitting across the table from his sister’s murderer, he somehow grasped the fact that he was a victim too.  Saito hadn’t murdered her and the other women because he wanted to.  He was forced into it by some unknown force pulling all the strings.  A force that may very well prove to be Fumiyo Amanoma.

 

Thus far it wasn’t looking good for Pewter’s mother, though the “why” of it all made little sense.  She was the only lead they had, little as it was.  Maybe now that Boss possessed all of the medical records of the Cyclops victims she could dig something up, but she wasn’t super confident in that being their smoking gun as it were.

 

But at the moment she had more important things to focus on.  She needed to help Saito and figure out exactly what Pewter had done to sabotage his AI Ball.

 

“Saito?  Hey can you hear me?”

 

He stared ahead blinking slowly, but making no other move.  Just when she was about to say his name again, he turned his head towards her.

 

“Sorry…she was talking.”

 

“Are you ok?”

 

“I…yes.”

 

Somehow Boss didn’t believe that.  Saito looked less like the man she had associated with Kaname Date all these years and more like a little boy haunted by some inexplicable demon.  It wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge and send him back into the depressive spiral he had just escaped.

 

“Saito, take the AI Ball out.”

 

“Is that a good idea?” Naoki asked.

 

“For the moment yes.  We need to know what’s happening.”

 

She couldn’t tell if Saito’s AI Ball was listening because she heard the conversation going on around her or if her host had used his newly activated link to communicate mentally.  Not that it really mattered in the long run, but Boss would certainly feel better knowing she had the slightest modicum of control over this disastrous situation.

 

With little fanfare, the innocuous eye landed on the table and rolled a few inches before coming to a stop.  As she had seen Aiba do many times in the past, a jelly like substance began to form around the sphere.  It slowly took shape as if testing the waters to see what appearance it would like to be.

 

For a moment Boss thought maybe it would simply be a blob like creature housing a singular eye in the middle, but then several tendrils quickly extended to form legs, a tail, and an oversized head.  Two triangular ears popped out last and the cat-like animal gave a shake. 

 

“Hello everyone,” the polite and serene voice began, bowing her head in respect.  “My name is Manaka and I will be Saito’s companion from here on out.”

 

Boss felt the blood drain from her face in an instant.  If there had been any doubt on her part about exactly who “Manaka” was, she didn’t have it now.  It was impossible to miss the way Saito visibly cringed at the name, fingernails digging into the wood of the conference room table.

 

“Pewter, what the fuck were you thinking?” Boss hissed to herself.

 

“What’s going on?” Ryuki asked as he glanced from Boss to Saito to Naoki and back to her again.  “Tama said she met her in the system and she seemed nice.  Which she does to me too.  Is something wrong?”

 

Boss swallowed harshly, trying to think of the best way to answer the question without upsetting Saito further.  The last thing she wanted to do was push him further away.  And considering the obvious feelings Ryuki continued to display for the blonde, it wouldn’t be advisable to give him a reason to turn against Pewter too.  They were limited as it was with staff and she couldn’t afford to create a hostile environment between her lead engineer and one of only two Psyncers left.

 

And while Ryuki was pretty easy going for the most part, there was a side to him that Boss just couldn’t get a read on.  Some sort of darkness that lingered just beneath the surface.  She didn’t want to risk this being the trigger to set him off.

 

“Seems like she’s modeled after Manaka Iwai, technically the first Cyclops victim from eighteen years ago.  Sejima here killed her when he was only twelve himself and to make matters worse, she’s the mother of his half sister.  Kinda screwed up if you ask me.”

 

Or she could simply hesitate long enough to give Naoki the opportunity to open his big mouth.  The man truly had no filter when it came to revealing anything of a sensitive nature.

 

“Do you have some sort of condition that prevents you from showing any sort of empathy or are you truly this much of an asshole?”

 

“Neither,” he shrugged.  “But I could tell by the smoke coming out of your ears that we were going to be here forever waiting for you to come up with a delicate way of saying it.  Better to just rip the bandage off and get it out in the open.”

 

“B-but why would Pewter do something like that?  He’s never been anything but kind to me.  It doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“Because he actually is an asshole, you just haven’t seen that side of him.”

 

“Even if he is, to do something like this is…”

 

“Unhinged?” Naoki supplied.  “Yeah, tell me about it.  I tried to tell you something was off about him when he broke my nose but you said that was my fault.”

 

Boss closed her eyes momentarily and pinched the bridge of her nose.  She was losing control of everything and fast.  “Because that was your fault.  You knew he was in a delicate mental state that day and you goaded him into a fight.”

 

“And that gave him the right to attack me?”

 

“No, I didn’t say it did, but he also didn’t just sucker punch you out of nowhere either.  Don’t try to twist the narrative.”

 

“Ok, what about the self Psync then?  If I had done that, I would have been suspended and sent for a psych evaluation.  He simply showed up to work the next day.”

 

Why was Naoki voicing all the doubts she had now of all times?  “I…may have let my feelings get in the way of my better judgment then.  But I—”

 

“Still needed to use him, yeah I know.”

 

“That’s not it and you know it,” Boss growled out.

 

“Could of fooled me.  Seems like Amanoma and Date always end up getting special treatment whereas the rest of us actually have to answer for our actions.”

 

“Naoki come on, I don’t think it’s like that,” Ryuki said as he tried to defuse the situation.

 

“I’ve been here a little longer than you have kid, you haven’t seen everything ABIS is capable of.”

 

Boss crossed her arms and glared down the table.  “You act like we’re above the law.”

 

“Because we are.  You may have to answer to the Commissioner after you’ve done something, but it sure as hell doesn’t stop you.”

 

“Sometimes you have to step outside the law in order to uphold it.  If we didn’t do the things we do here, there would be countless victims that never received justice.”

 

Naoki sighed heavily.  “I don’t necessarily disagree, but still—”

 

“There you all are!”

 

Boss snapped towards the door, startled by the interruption.  She was usually more alert than this and not in the habit of letting someone sneak up behind her, but after the last few weeks of mediocre sleep she had started to let her guard down.

 

“Tech?” Ryuki asked, brows furrowed together in confusion.

 

The tall man swept into the room in, lace duster flowing around his legs.  The sweet smell of jasmine immediately assaulted Boss’ senses.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

It was extremely unusual for their weapons specialist to step foot outside the depot.  He didn’t like interacting with most of the police force despite providing their weapons and maintenance as well.

 

“This,” he held up a large manilla envelope in his hand, “was dropped off to me.  The officer supposedly didn’t have time to try to track you down and it somehow became my responsibility.”

 

“What is it?” Boss asked as she took the offered envelope in her hand.

 

“Dunno.  I didn’t open it.  All the guy said was that some nurse lady from a private doctor’s office dropped it off for a case you’re working on.”

 

“Wait?  Are those…?” Naoki didn’t even finish his thought before snatching the envelope away from Boss.

 

Not waiting for a response, he tore open the flap and pulled out a small stack of papers.  Boss knew what they were without even reading them.  Medical records.  It was just a matter of who they belonged to.

 

Though whoever it was likely made little sense.  She had the records of all four victims, had been combing through them on her own and with Saito.  Date even helped out a few times trying to see if there was anything he caught that the two of them didn’t.

 

But there was nothing.  The women were all relatively healthy, only going for routine yearly physicals or the odd cold or flu here and there.  There were no records of pregnancy or childbirth or hospitalizations.  It was endlessly frustrating knowing without a doubt that these four women had not only been pregnant at some point in time, but had absolutely given birth as well.

 

“What does it say?”

 

“It’s for…Yui Sugimoto.”  Naoki’s disappointment was palpable.  He was hoping for something more about his sister, that much was obvious.

 

“Here,” he slid the papers across the table.  “It looks like they detail her pregnancy.”

 

Boss grabbed them quickly, not daring to hope this would be the evidence she finally needed to get somewhere but unable to stop her thoughts from wandering to that outcome.  The file was much thinner than anything else she had received, making her wonder if it had been purposely left out the first time she requested the records.

 

 That wouldn’t have made sense though.  She had a warrant and had gone about getting access to the information legally and by the book.  All the offices were required to hand over everything she had asked for.

 

She glanced at the first page, seeing Yui’s name and address, but then something else caught her attention.  It was small and barely noticeable, something that under normal circumstances she wouldn’t have paid any attention to.  But she had stared at those files for days upon days, reading every single word three times over.  And in the upper right hand corner was the name of a medical office.  A medical office that was not the same one Yui had gone to up until her death. 

 

Ai Women’s Clinic and Fertility Centre

 

What did that mean?

 

 

 

 

 

Pewter stood silently throughout the service, Renju’s left hand held firmly in his right.  He ran his thumb in slow circles, giving support the only way he could in the moment.  Hitomi was to Renju’s right, head leaning against his shoulder and careful not to disturb his wrist.  While he may have been out of the sling he still had to wear a brace to keep it steady.

 

Date, having the presence of mind to sense that Hitomi and Renju needed this moment to themselves, was a few steps behind.  He wrapped his arm firmly around Iris’ shoulder while Mizuki was on her opposite side, hugging the girl around her waist.

 

It honestly made Pewter happy to see Date adjusting so well back in to his old life.  No one would have blamed him if the memories coupled with the last few weeks of nonstop drama and emotion had been too much to handle, but he took it all in stride.  He held on to the promise he said he made years ago to keep both Hitomi and Iris safe, and now extended that same promise to Mizuki too.

 

What a strange and somehow surprisingly perfect family they all made.  And here he was, just as much a part of it.  He would eventually be a stepfather to Mizuki, a role he was nervous about but at the same time looking forward too.  

 

Fatherhood was never something he pictured for himself, whether biologically or through adoption, and yet he could not imagine things turning out any other way now.  In the few weeks he had gotten to know her, his heart easily began to love her.

 

And how could he not?  She was exceptionally bright and enjoyed listening to him talk about his inventions or whatever study had recently caught his interest.  She liked trying new things and had been very receptive to his vegan cooking, going so far as to help him in the kitchen with preparing meals.  Of course her crowning achievement was how she constantly teased Date to no end.  After years of being on the receiving end of his jokes, it was kind of nice to see him being bullied into submission by a twelve year old.

 

Still, it was a lot to wrap his head around.  Pewter had always been sort of self absorbed.  It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it had cost him a relationship several years ago.  He had a hard time keeping a normal work-life balance and as such, found it hard to keep a partner willing to put up with it.

 

But then Renju came along, someone just as devoted, if not more so, to his own work.  If anyone could understand the need to sit for hours on end in silence absorbed in work, it was him.

 

They went together so well because neither needed constant attention or coddling from the other.  They could do their own thing and not feel ignored.  But how would a child ever fit into that picture?  Pewter certainly didn’t know, but at the time it wasn’t anything he needed to worry about.  

 

Renju’s relationship with Mizuki was rocky, despite the fact he loved her more than anything.  It was strange, she was his pride and joy, the one thing he talked about more than anything and yet, he pushed her away at nearly every opportunity.

 

Pewter could understand in some ways as his own relationship with his father had been strained up until several years ago.  It was nothing for the two of them to go months without speaking and when they finally did call a truce, get right back to where they started in the first place.  Between Pewter’s sexuality(which really should not have come as a shock to anyone, least of all his father) and refusing to follow in his old man’s footsteps, the gap grew wider by the day.  Granted it wasn’t that his father didn’t approve of Pewter’s choice in romantic partners, it was more his way to try to protect his son from the cruelties that existed in the world.  

 

And yet the two of them always managed to make up and come together as a family, never able to stay mad for long.  It was this that made it so hard to believe Renju’s own actions.  Mizuki was a child, not some adult settled with years of baggage.  So why in the world did her own father keep her at arms length most of the time?  

 

Even now, at a funeral of all things, Renju leaned on him and Hitomi for support.  He spared a brief glance over his shoulder at Mizuki, the girl still holding on to Date and Iris like she had been before.  At least she didn’t seem to notice the distance, though to her it was probably normal.  

 

Neither Renju or Shoko showed love in typical ways when it came to their daughter, not that Pewter was an expert on the matter.  With no children of his own, he couldn’t really say how he would react as a father.  But for some reason he couldn’t help the nagging at the back of his mind that he wouldn’t be like the two of them.

 

At least Renju was making an effort to change and become closer to Mizuki, unlike Shoko who hadn’t even tried to speak to her daughter.  She stood several feet away with Moma by her side.  He wasn’t sure what either of them were doing there honestly.  To his knowledge Moma didn’t know Manaka at all and Shoko wasn’t much more than an acquaintance.  But maybe they were both there to show their support to Renju.  That would make the most sense he supposed.

 

The priest finished his reading and asked the few gathered to bow their heads in prayer.  It was strange, having a Catholic priest presiding over the ceremony and doing a reading from the Bible.  He didn’t know whether Manaka was Catholic or not but presumed she must have been.  Or since Renju had been the main one to arrange the service, maybe he just went with what was the most familiar to him.

 

Despite not regularly attending mass over the last couple of years, Renju hadn’t forgotten a thing.  He quietly whispered the prayers along with the officiant and then awkwardly moved his right hand to make the sign of the cross.

 

Pewter followed suite, figuring it was the right thing to do.  He himself might not be religious, but it was a sign of respect to Manaka and Renju as well.  Unfortunately he was pretty sure he messed up and went the wrong direction, but since no one was paying attention to him, it was fine.

 

A few more words and then it was over.  The priest left with little fanfare and Hitomi and Renju took that time to move forward towards the coffin.  The lid was closed, the white lacquer shining brightly against the dull blacks and grey all around them.  The top was covered in a beautiful arrangement of pink roses, something Hitomi had picked out for her friend.

 

They had been lucky the rain held off, though the cold bit through Pewter’s suit jacket every time the wind picked up.  The last several days had been washouts and the ground was saturated with standing water in a few of the lower lying areas of the cemetery.

 

Date moved forward, urging the girls along with him and placing a reassuring hand on Hitomi’s back.  It was good to see him like this, happy and free for the first time since Pewter had known him.  

 

“Hello Futa.”

 

Pewter glanced to his right, Shoko had quietly come up beside him while Moma went to offer support and a few prayers near Renju.

 

“Hello,” he answered back.

 

She shifted uncomfortably, looking at the ground as she quickly said the next few words.  “Congratulations on your engagement, I know you’ll make Renju very happy.”

 

Pewter nodded and tried to reply in a way that wasn’t completely laced with awkwardness.  “Uh, thank you Shoko.  I appreciate it.”

 

There didn’t appear to be any ill intent behind her words, in fact, the Shoko he had heard about from Renju all but disappeared.  Or maybe she was closer to what she had been in the past.

 

He remembered exactly how upset his fiancé had been at the sudden and drastic change in his ex-wife.  At the time he couldn’t work out what had happened, the daily arguments and cancelled plans going far beyond anything he had experienced with her before.  Of course now they knew it was because Saito had taken residence in her body for a year, going out of his way to play the part of Shoko all so he could get close to his real targets.

 

So maybe this woman standing before him, looking for all the world like a lost child, was the real Shoko Nadami.  But that couldn’t be quite right either.  By all accounts she was a shrewd business woman with a spine of steel, not a scared mouse ready to bolt at any instance.

 

“Shoko, how have you been feeling?”

 

“Hmmm?  What do you mean?” she asked, confusion playing across her features.

 

“Its been a couple of weeks now since you’ve come back to your original body.  And that’s after being in a coma for a year.  It must have been disorienting.”

 

She nodded slowly, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again.  He could see the dark circles just beneath even with the foundation she tried to cover it with.  She looked tired and worn out, but a lot of that could be from her experience with Saito too.

 

“It’s been an…adjustment.  I’ve been working with Dokuta though and I’m on a new antidepressant.  Things are going slowly, but they’re going.  I think that’s all I can really ask for at this point.”

 

“It might not be my place to say this, but if you need help, or if you’d like me to set up a Psync to see if there is any unresolved trauma, I can arrange that.”

 

“No,” she said a little too sharply.  “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.  I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I’d be comfortable with that.  Not for a while anyway.”

 

Pewter could certainly understand.  The route of her current problems very well may lie in some ways with the Psync machine.  It stood to reason she would be uncomfortable with the idea of being hooked up to it any time soon.  He wouldn’t push the issue.

 

“The offer is here if you change your mind in the future.  We also have a therapist on staff, one that understands the inner workings of the machine and what we do.  If you think it would benefit you to talk to someone like that, I can have Boss arrange an appointment.”

 

Even Pewter could feel the hypocrisy behind his words as he gave advice he absolutely should be heeding.  He’d probably benefit the most from a sit-down, but his stubbornness would always win out.  It didn’t matter how much he should do it, he knew he wouldn’t.  

 

“I’ll think about it.  But…why are you being so nice to me?”

 

“Should I not be?”

 

“Well, I am your fiancé’s ex, typically that’s enough of a reason for most people.”

 

“I mean if you were trying to get back with him it would bother me, but it’s clear that’s not the case.  And you’re also Mizuki’s mother, so we should get along for her sake if nothing else.”

 

It didn’t escape Pewter’s notice the slight twitch Shoko did at the mention of Mizuki.  He didn’t think she even noticed she did it considering it was so small.  

 

“Perhaps one evening we could all get together and have dinner.  I think it might be good for Mizuki to see us all making an effort.”

 

“No.  That won’t be happening,” she said in a tone that broached no argument.  “I should go.”

 

“Wait,” he called out while grabbing her gloved hand in his to stop her.  She ceased her movement, making no effort to pull away though she could have easily.  

 

“What is it?”

 

“Why do you seem like you don’t want to spend time with Mizuki?  She’s your daughter.  I know you and Renju both haven’t had the easiest time being parents, but that’s not her fault.  You should make an effort to try and bridge the gap like Renju is.  It’s not too late for you either and Mizuki deserves—”

 

“Just stop!” Shoko hissed, snatching her hand from his grasp.  “You don’t know anything about me or us.  It isn’t your place to tell me anything.”

 

“I’m not trying to overstep my bounds—”

 

“Well you are.”

 

“Regardless, something needs to change.  Maybe hearing that from someone you’re not close to instead of Renju and Date will help make it sink in.”

 

“You should worry about your own relationship and stay out of my life.  It’s quite frankly none of your business how I choose to parent.”

 

“But you don’t parent, that’s the problem.”

 

“Have you ever stopped to think that maybe Mizuki’s better off that way?”

 

“What?  Better off without her mother?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You can’t mean that.”

 

She sighed heavily, the brief burst of anger leaving as quickly as it came.  Now she just looked tired and dejected.  “I don’t know what I mean.  But I do know that the way I am now with everything that’s happened, I can’t be what she needs.  She’s better off having you and Renju.  And she has Date and Hitomi, that’s more than enough people to love her.”

 

“More people to love a child isn’t a bad thing.”

 

“It is when the love is toxic.”

 

“Shoko…”

 

“I know, I know.  There’s help and resources.  I just…I need time.  I need to be alone and deal with the things I never did.  Please tell Moma I left.  I’ll get a taxi.”

 

She didn’t say anything further, throwing one last look towards the group gathered around the grave and then leaving.

 

Pewter briefly thought he should try to stop her, somehow convince her to stay, but he didn’t know how to even go about that.  Or if he should.  He had already been accused of interfering once and a funeral of all things wasn’t the place to start a fight with Shoko.  He’d let it go for the moment because right now he needed to be there for Renju.

 

Nothing else mattered besides making sure he was ok.  He could tell Renju about his conversation with Shoko later on, once the two of them were back home and away from the cemetery.

 

Pewter stood a few minutes longer, watching Shoko disappear until she was nothing more than a blue blur in the distance.  The gray sky loomed overhead, the rain held at bay on the dreary day.  

 

Slowly walking back towards the group, he wondered how the weather managed to perfectly capture his mood for the last couple of weeks.  A few bright spots here and there, but otherwise his life had filled with intense events and troubling revelations.

 

Hopefully now that Saito was taken care of he’d get some manner of reprieve.  With Manaka able to monitor his health and vitals, provide medication, and just overall be a presence in his life that had been lacking previously, he could see things finally changing for the better.  He’d be able to limit his interactions to the occasional maintenance and he might be able to push that to Naoki if he was lucky.

 

He was sure in the coming days he would get an earful from Boss, but he didn’t care.  Making Manaka his AI Ball was petty, he was fully aware and accepted that.  And maybe if Saito hadn’t been so determined to push Pewter’s buttons with Renju every step of the way, he would have relented and given him one of the many other programs stored on the ABIS mainframe.

 

But the constant cheating allocations and innuendos that he could have Renju any time he wanted were too much to take.  Boss had tried to intervene and get Saito to stop and sure, he’d listen to her for maybe a day, but then he would be right back at it.  

 

It took a lot for this side of Pewter to come out, but someone messing with his family was a sure fire way to do it.  He needed to protect Renju at all costs, and if that meant teaching Saito a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget, so be it.  Boss could trust the man, but he certainly didn’t.  The murders may not have truly been Saito’s fault, but there was still something lurking in the deepest recesses of his mind that put Pewter on edge.  A danger that he couldn’t explain.

 

And until he got the all clear from Manaka that there was nothing to worry about, he’d be vigilant in his monitoring.  He wasn’t willing to take the risk of letting his guard down for Saito to turn around and stab him in the back.  Metaphorically or physically.

 

“Ren,” Pewter whispered fondly, walking up behind his fiancé and wrapping his arms around his torso.  He leaned down to rest his chin against his shoulder, Renju relaxing in his embrace immediately.

 

“Where were you?  You could have come over with us.”

 

“It’s ok, I was speaking to Shoko.”

 

Renju stiffened ever so slightly.  “Oh?  How was that?”

 

“It was fine.  We didn’t have a long conversation at all.  But,” he said, turning to face Moma.  “She did ask me to let you know she was getting a taxi and leaving.  She didn’t want to bother you.”

 

Moma shook his head and let out a huff.  “Seriously?  Why’d she go and do something like that?  I would’ve taken her back.”

 

“She said she wanted to be alone for a bit.”

 

“Course she did.”

 

“She hasn’t changed at all,” Renju replied solemnly.

 

Moma clapped his hand against Renju’s other shoulder, giving it a fond squeeze and a few quick taps before letting go.  “Neither have you.  You’re both too damn stubborn to reach out for help when it counts.”

 

“I’ve gotten a little better.”

 

Pewter didn’t miss the way Renju tilted his head in his direction.  Something so small and yet it spoke volumes for how much he truly loved him.

 

“Well keep workin’ on it kid, relyin’ on others ain’t the end of the world you know.  Especially when you have so many that care about you.”

 

“I know.”

 

Moma seemed satisfied with the answer, nodding his head as his lips twitched up in a half smile.  “I’m gonna go pay my respects to your old man while I’m here, it’s been a while since I said hi.”

 

“Your father?” Pewter asked.

 

This time there was absolutely no mistaking the way his fiancé froze in his arms.  His muscles locked up and his breath exhaled in a harsh gasp as if he had just been punched in the gut.

 

“Ren?  Are you ok?”

 

“I’m fine, it was a chill is all.”

 

While it was cold, Pewter had a hard time believing the flimsy excuse.  He had reacted to Moma’s words in a way that made little sense.  “I thought you kept your dad’s ashes in your office.”

 

“I do, but…you see…”

 

“It’s just a headstone,” Moma answered without hesitation.  “You know, since his mom is buried here.  He might not actually be there, but I figure the dead can hear ya no matter where you talk to them, right?”

 

“Ex-exactly.”

 

All the years they had been together and this was the first Pewter was hearing about a family grave.  He had never been to visit Renju’s mother’s grave, but he had been to Lemniscate countless times and seen the shrine in the corner of the large office.  It was hard to miss even though it wasn’t an overly large display.  And when Pewter had gone there for the first time and asked, Renju had stated it was for his father, pointing out the urn in the center.

 

The explanation from Moma made sense, many people would still have a physical plot even if they kept an urn somewhere else.  And in the case of Renju’s parents, with his mother predeceasing her husband many years before and not being cremated, having a stone with both their names carved into it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

 

But if that was the case, why was Renju acting so nervous about the whole thing?  He definitely didn’t imagine his reaction.  Something wasn’t adding up, but what?  There was no reason to hide any of this, unless that urn didn’t belong to his father.

 

And if that truly was the case…then who was it?

 

 

Notes:

Ooof, it's been a while for sure. Sorry for the lack of updates recently but the writer's block has been real coupled with some irl things that have made it hard for me to really focus on the fic.

But we're back with a nice long chapter and a little resolution from the last cliff hanger. A little Boss pov to start it off and then some Pewter introspection and Manaka's funeral which has been a long time coming.

I decided to go with a very small affair because the last thing Renju and Hitomi would want for their friend or for Iris is a huge media circus surrounding the funeral of the first Cyclops victim.

As always, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Please leave me a comment and let me know, I love them all!

Chapter 65

“What would actually possess you to do something like this?”

 

Pewter let his breath out slowly as he watched Renju pace back and forth in their living room.  They had been home for about twenty minutes, fifteen of them spent with Renju on the phone with Hitomi.  She had found out from Date who had found out from Boss about Saito’s new AI Ball.  Needless to say, no one was happy.

 

He didn’t expect Renju to fully be on board with his idea, but he also didn’t think he’d be this upset.  He hated Saito as much as Pewter did, maybe more so.  Saito was the one that murdered his best friend and stole Iris’ mother away from her.  And now, despite the danger he still presented, Iris wanted to be involved in his life.

 

Iris was a sweet girl and even Pewter wasn’t immune to the charms of his cousin, but she was still a teenager with no real world experience to speak of.  She could be easily manipulated by both her brother and father if she wasn’t adequately protected.  Sneaking away without telling anyone her plans had already proven just how risky her mindset was.  Date and Hitomi may be keeping a better watch on her at present, but if Iris really was determined she would find a way.

 

And while Renju and the others did their best to protect her, who would step up and protect them?  Saito could snap at any moment, but having an AI Ball to monitor and neutralize him if necessary would at least keep them safe.  And if that made him the bad guy, so be it.

 

“I did what I was told to do.  That’s all there is to it.”

 

“What you were told to do?  What does that even mean?”

 

“Boss needed an AI Ball for her little pet project.  It had to be just as capable if not more so than Aiba.  This particular AI has to deliver medication, keep an eye on his mental well being, monitor brain activity, and be a source of comfort and compassion when he becomes overwhelmed.  I created a personality that can do all that.”

 

“I…I don’t necessarily disagree that Manaka would be bad to base that off of, but you’re not an idiot Futa.  You know exactly why you chose her of all people.  You wanted him to suffer.”

 

“And you don’t?”

 

Renju was silent, casting his gaze towards the coffee table with his laptop and a notebook full of handwritten music.  He didn’t want to answer the question, but he didn’t need to.  Even without Theia whispering above his ear that his partner’s pulse had suddenly picked up, he could see it in the way his breath hitched.  Renju wanted it the same as he did.

 

“She won’t hurt him.  She truly is there to help him and to make sure he isn’t a danger to anyone else.  And if he ever were to try to hurt someone, she has a reserve of sedatives within her body that she can deliver safely to subdue him.”

 

“It’s not right Futa.  It doesn’t matter how we feel, how I feel…it’s…”

 

“I need someone that can keep him in check.  And that’s Manaka.”

 

“But why?”

 

“Because he’s still unpredictable.  Boss wants to pretend like he’s a good little boy now that the leash is tightened, but that won’t last forever.  I’m worried about his mental state deteriorating even further than it already has.”

 

“And you think making him see and hear his first victim is the way to achieve that?  Won’t that make it worse?”

 

“Not necessarily.  He’s in shock now, but that won’t last forever.  Once he’s past that, I think Manaka will be more helpful than harmful.”

 

“How do you figure?”

 

“If he truly regrets his actions, he won’t want to disappoint her.  She will do more good than a randomly programmed AI would.  She will help keep him in check that way.”

 

“Then by that theory, why not use one of the other victims?  It didn’t have to be Manaka.  You chose her because she would be the most personal.”

 

“Exactly.  She is the mother of his sister.  His connection to her is deeper than any of the others.  She will do the best job of keeping him grounded if he has another episode like he did with Shoko.”

 

Renju shuddered at the mention.  They both knew if it hadn’t been for Ryuki, things could have ended up a lot worse.  Shoko was lucky to walk away from that night with only a slight amount of bruising.  And Renju, having been on the receiving end of Saito’s wrath and scarce being able to walk away, knew better than anyone.

 

Pewter could barely think about what could have happened had Saito been in his original body.  The love he had for his fiancé was the only thing that saved Renju that night.  If Saito hadn’t been so overwhelmed by emotion it would have gone very differently, of that Pewter had no doubt.

 

“I don’t disagree, but still…Do you have any idea how upset Hitomi is?”

 

Pewter could venture a guess.  “About as upset as you?”

 

“Is now really the time to be contentious?”

 

“No.  It’s time to air out the truth.”

 

“Exactly!  This shouldn’t—”

 

“Which is why I want to talk to you about what happened at the cemetery.”

 

Renju stopped, eyes widening quickly before schooling his features back into place.  It happened within a second, hardly noticeable for most, but there were few people that knew him better than Pewter.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Your dad’s plot.  You acted like you didn’t want me to find out.”

 

Renju let out a high pitched laugh, pure nervousness bubbling up from his chest.  “And what wouldn’t I want you to find out?  It’s not a secret that my parents are dead.  Naturally they’d have burial plots.”

 

“Yes, they would.  But you had your father cremated and since you’re Catholic—”

 

“Catholics can be cremated now,” Renju interjected harshly, trying to prove his point with facts.  “The Vatican approved it back in the sixties.  I was perfectly fine to have my father cremated.”

 

“Hey,” Pewter said raising his hands.  “I’m not saying you were wrong.  I’m not going to tell you what you can or can’t do, but doesn’t the church has strict guidelines about cremated remains?”

 

Renju looked on edge, eyes darting to the ground and then meeting Pewter’s once more.  “What?”

 

“If I’m not mistaken, the church allows for cremation but only if the ashes are buried in a cemetery, same as a body.  They can’t be scattered, can’t be kept at home, or separated.”

 

“You know I don’t follow the church anymore.  I won’t let them decide how I handle my father’s remains.”

 

“I know that.  But at the time, you still had your faith didn’t you?  Enough to have a stone for your father at a Catholic cemetery.”

 

“The stone was already there.  When my mother died, my father had a double stone made with his name and date of birth next to hers.  All I had to do was contact the headstone company and have them come out to add his death date to the stone.  I don’t know what you’re looking for in this and why you’re suddenly grilling me about my father’s death, but I wish you would stop.”

 

“I’m sorry.”  And Pewter meant it.  He could see how agitated Renju was getting by the questions, how nervous he was for this line of conversation to continue.  He didn’t want to keep upsetting his fiancé but he wasn’t sure why the man was lying about something that should be so insignificant.  There was no reason for it.

 

“I’m going to bed.  It was a long day and I have a headache.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Renju took a step forward, hugging Pewter tightly and laying his head against his chest.  “I love you Futa.  I just wish you would have come to me first about this AI before you went behind our backs.”

 

So he was dropping the conversation then, moving back to the original topic.  Pewter wouldn’t push any further, there was no need.  He wouldn’t get anything else out of Renju at this point and he really didn’t fancy having his fiancé go to bed angry with him.  He could keep his emotions in check for the time being.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said again.  “I should have, you’re right.  I won’t keep you in the dark anymore.  You’re always honest with me, you deserve the same in return.”

 

Renju nodded against his chest, purposely keeping his face hidden from view.  It was a low blow, but he couldn’t help it.  It hurt more than he wanted to admit that Renju didn’t trust him with whatever he was hiding.  And while Pewter knew he wasn’t entitled to every aspect of his fiancé’s past, he thought that the life they were building together would have earned him a little more trust than this.

 

“I love you too Ren.  Get some sleep.”

 

Another hug and a quick kiss on the lips and Renju was gone, disappearing down the hall and into their bedroom.  The door closed with a soft click.

 

“He was lying,” Theia’s voice echoed quietly above his ear.

 

“I know.  I could tell without you reading his vitals.”

 

“Hmmm.  What would you like me to do?”

 

“Search the local funeral homes for Minato Okiura’s records.”

 

“And what am I looking for?”

 

“His death certificate.  And method of disposition.”

 

“On it.”

 

Pewter sat back on the couch and closed his eyes.  He could feel the beginnings of his own headache coming on, though whether it was from stress or being lied to or perhaps a combination of both, he couldn’t tell.

 

But why would Renju lie?  His father’s death wasn’t questionable, the man had been sick for a very long time.  In Pewter’s opinion, it was a wonder his father had lived as long as he did after the first serious stroke, not to mention the several smaller ones after.

 

And yet Renju was acting like it was some big secret.  A secret that Moma was privy to no less.  And if Moma could know, why couldn’t he?  They were getting married, they shared everything with each other.  Except for this.

 

“Found it.”

 

“What does it say?”

 

“Date of death, November 28, 2001.  Cause of death, Cerebral Vascular Accident.  That’s a stroke.”

 

“I know what a stroke is Theia.  Does it say anything about the method of disposition?”

 

“It does.”

 

“Are you going to tell me?”

 

“Are you sure you want to know?” Theia countered.

 

Well, that pretty much confirmed his suspicions right there.  Renju was lying about his father.

 

“Yes.  Tell me.”

 

“Burial.  At Fuchu Cemetery.”

 

And there it was.  But why would Renju lie?  It still didn’t make any sense.  And if Renju’s father was buried, who was in that urn in his office?

 

“There’s more…”

 

More?  What more could there possibly be?  “What is it?”

 

“I found the obituary and the record of the service.  He had a full Catholic funeral and there was an open casket.”

 

“Theia, is Renju asleep?”

 

She was quiet a moment, running a quick scan through the watch Renju always wore.  “He is.  For the last several minutes.  Should I remote start the car?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

 

“No.  But I need to find out what he’s hiding.”

 

 

 

 

Pewter knew he shouldn’t be doing this, shouldn’t be betraying Renju’s trust in this way, but what choice did he have?  The man he loved more than anyone, the man he would do and had done anything for, was lying to him.  And for what?

 

Whatever was going on involved the Kumakura’s in some way.  It was apparent Moma knew what was going on at the very least.  Otherwise why would he have jumped into the conversation immediately and given Renju a fairly easy out?

 

A seemingly innocent comment about Minato was all it took.  Moma knew for a fact that Renju’s father was buried at the cemetery, the same cemetery where his mother was buried and now Manaka as well.  But he also knew he screwed up when Pewter started to question it.  So he backpedaled pretty quick.

 

Anyone else probably would have let it slide.  But Pewter saw how Renju reacted, felt his back go rigid, heard his sharp intake of breath.  Renju had been scared about something slipping, but what?

 

Was it some secret from long ago when he was an active member of Kumakura’s?  If that was the case, what could be worse than the things Renju had already told him?  He had been involved in multiple schemes that ultimately ended in murder, had been forced to help move bodies, could there be anything worse?

 

It would have been under Rohan, Pewter knew that much.  Moma might be a yakuza, but he was also a decent human being with a high moral code.  And even if that wasn’t the case, the older man cared about Renju like a younger brother.  He couldn’t imagine him doing anything sinister to someone that had become family over the last twenty years.

 

Which brought him right back to the beginning?  What was it?  What secret was so bad, so incriminating that he wouldn’t tell his own fiancé?

 

Initially Pewter thought it was something to do with Manaka, but Renju had let those secrets spill out easily enough.  It had almost been like a relief to him and Hitomi as well.  He could see years of stress, anxiety, and grief melt away within minutes.

 

Could whatever Renju was hiding now be worse than covering up the murder of his best friend and forging documents to ensure his other best friend could raise Manaka’s baby as her own?  Renju obviously had a good reason for doing both of those things and Pewter would never fault him for it, but it was scary just how manipulative his mind worked at times.  

 

“Pewter?  What are you doing here?”

 

Pewter turned his head swiftly to the right, never noticing Iris until she was practically on top of him.  He had been too pre-occupied by his own thoughts that her footsteps hadn’t registered.  And what could he say?  What reason could he give for his presence at Lemniscate?  Especially since he was by himself.

 

“Ren asked me to stop by.  He needed me to check on something for him so here I am.”

 

“Oh?” Iris tilted her head to the side.  “Is it anything I can help you with then?  I know this place like the back of my hand.  I wonder why he didn’t ask me?”

 

“You know he wouldn’t want to bother you.  You both had a really long day and you should still be resting.”

 

“But I feel fine,” she pouted.  “You all are worried about nothing.  The doctor even said that I’m recovering ahead of schedule.”

 

“That may be so, but you shouldn’t overdo it.  The last thing you want to do is jeopardize your health when you’ve come so far.”

 

“You sound like mom.”

 

“She’s right.”

 

“I know.  But I can’t just keep sitting around doing nothing.  I’m not going to break.”

 

Pewter gave a small smile, gently placing a hand on his cousin’s shoulder.  “Your mom’s scared.  She could have lost you.  If it wasn’t for the technology we have now, we would have.  But, I think the next time you have a follow-up and they do another scan and some tests, that will do a lot of good to ease her mind.”

 

“I guess.  But I miss going out on being in school and hanging out with my friends.  I want to be able to leave the house when I want and not plan out an errand days in advance.”

 

Pewter nodded his head, though he had a feeling a big part of that had to do with Iris sneaking out to see So and Saito as opposed to being completely about her health.  Iris was still young and impressionable, it wouldn’t take much for So to step into the role of long lost father and play on her sympathies.

 

“I get where you’re coming from, I really do, but your mom isn’t doing this from a bad place.  She’s worried about you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Iris, I hate to ask this, but does your mom know you’re here?”

 

“Mmhmm,” she said with a slight nod.  “I asked her to drop me off.  I wanted to try to record the vocals to the new song I came up with so Uncle Ren can hear the tone and rhythm I’m going for.”

 

“Oh?  Is he writing the music for it?”

 

“Yeah.  He pretty much writes all my music.  Except for that song I played for you guys at Sunfish Pocket.  But that was because I really wanted to surprise him with something I did all on my own.  So he knows I’m really serious about my album.”

 

Renju’s boundless talent never failed to impress Pewter.  The man was a musical genius and deserved far more credit for his contributions to Japanese music than he received.

 

“I’m sure he knows.  Just don’t overdo it.  Like I said, you don’t want any sort of setback now that you’ve come so far.”

 

“I won’t.  I’m done for the night anyway and mom will be here soon.  But…ummmm…Pewter, can I ask you something?”

 

“Sure, what is it?”

 

Iris fidgeted nervously with the bottom of her shirt, suddenly very interested in the plain fabric.  “It’s kind of personal, if that’s ok.”

 

Pewter had to admit, he was intrigued.  What sort of personal question could his eighteen year old cousin who had come in to his life only a few weeks ago possibly have?  “Go ahead.  But if it’s too personal I reserve the right not to answer.  Is that agreeable?”

 

“Yeah,” she said and then quickly blurted out, “How did you know you were gay?”

 

Of all the things he thought she could possibly ask, this was the least expected.  He stood there silently for a few moments as he tried to figure out the best way to answer before Iris continued on.

 

“I mean, did you always know?  Or did you find out later?  Did you ever date women and then realize you only liked men?  Oh!  I’m sorry!  I just assumed you were gay and never asked if you were bi.  Maybe you like women too.”

 

Pewter laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, covering his mouth with his hand to try to stifle the sound.  “I assure you that I absolutely am not attracted to women.  I am very, very gay.”

 

Iris chuckled, it was slightly nervous but his relaxed demeanor seemed to do the trick in calming her down.

 

“As for your other questions, no I’ve never dated a woman.  I never had a desire to and I didn’t want to pretend to be something I’m not.”

 

“So were you always out?”

 

“Oh God no.  I didn’t tell my parents until after I graduated.  My mother was accepting right away, but for a time it was very trying with my father.”

 

Iris looked crestfallen.  “So he didn’t accept you.”

 

“No, it wasn’t that.  He knew the hardships I would face as a gay man in this country and he didn’t want me to go through that.  His solutions just weren’t the best and we both said some harsh things to each other.  We didn’t speak for a while, but eventually we made up.  In fact, my father is quite fond of Renju.  Between you and me, I think he likes him better.”

 

The corners of Iris’ lips quirked up for a moment, but she didn’t fully smile.  “So how did you know though?  Did you fall in love with a man or did you know before then?”

 

“Do you remember the movie ‘His Motorbike, Her Island’?”

 

“Yeah, it’s one of mom’s favorites.  We’ve watched it a bunch of times, why?”

 

“I think the first time I saw it, I was about nine or ten.  I was way too young to truly understand love, but I remember thinking I could see why Miyoko fell in love with Koh.  He was handsome and exciting and he rode a motorcycle, what more could you want?” Pewter asked as he spread his arms wide.

 

Iris laughed at the gesture, clearly understanding his priorities as a child.  “Should I tell Uncle Ren he needs to learn to ride a motorcycle so he can take you out?”

 

“Please no.  I think I have more than enough excitement in my life without my very nearsighted fiancé trying to learn to ride a bike.”

 

“He’d be terrible, wouldn’t he?”

 

“I think terrible is an understatement,” Pewter replied.  “But, what brought this on?  I have a feeling this wasn’t a completely random question.”

 

“No.  I wanted to talk to you for a while now, but I know you’re so busy all the time and I didn’t want annoy you or anything.”

 

“Iris, you’re hardly an annoyance.  I’d like to get to know you better.  I’m marrying your uncle and we’re cousins…whiiiiiich sounds a lot weirder out loud than it did in my head, but my point still stands.  You’re family and I’m happy to spend time with you whenever you’d like.”

 

“Thanks Pewter.  I’m really glad I have someone like you to talk about this kind of stuff.”

 

“You know you can talk to Ren too.  His experience is vastly different from mine, but he’d understand.  Whatever you’re thinking and feeling, whatever questions you have, you’re not alone.”

 

“I know,” she sighed.  “But if I went to him, he’d know right away.”

 

Pewter chuckled.  “Iris, I don’t know if you thought you were being subtle or not, but I get it too.  You weren’t exactly hiding it.”

 

“Yeah, but you won’t tell everyone.  If I went to Uncle Ren, I’m sure he’d say something to mom.  It’s not that I don’t want them to know, but I’m not ready for a bunch of people to know yet.  I haven’t even told the girl I like.  And she might not like girls, I don’t know.  It’s really complicated.”

 

“Well you have my word that I won’t tell anyone.  You tell your mom and Ren when you’re ready.  It’s the same for this girl.  Tell her when you’re ready.  But before you do that, you can always just ask if she has a boyfriend or a girlfriend.  Depending on how she answers should clue you in.”

 

“She’s one of my best friends though.  I already know she isn’t dating someone so I can’t just ask her.  I could just tell her how I feel but what if she doesn’t feel the same way?  What if she doesn’t want to be friends anymore?”

 

Pewter understood her concerns.  It was hard enough to date without adding in the complications of having a crush on your best friend.  

 

“Unfortunately that’s a risk you may have to take.  You have two choices, tell her how you feel and risk being shot down and possibly ruining your friendship or say nothing and pine away for her.”

 

“I thought you were supposed to say something motivational?”

 

“If this girl is as good of a friend as you say, I don’t think she would end the friendship over something like this if she doesn’t feel the same way.  But what if she likes you too?  Maybe she’s just as scared as you are to say something because she doesn’t want to ruin what you have.  It’s not an easy spot to be in and there’s no good answer I can give you.  But if things don’t work out with this girl, it’s not the end of the world.  She’s not only one out there and you will find someone that is worthy of your time and effort because any girl would be lucky to have you.”

 

Iris smiled warmly at his words.  “Thanks Pewter.  I think Uncle Ren is pretty lucky to have someone as kind and caring as you too.  You’re a really good person.”

 

Pewter was surprised at just how much those words meant to him at the moment.  After the disaster at ABIS and then having Renju question his motives on top of everything else, it was nice to hear Iris be so supportive of him.

 

“Thank you Iris, I—”

 

Iris’ cell phone cut through the otherwise quiet hall, the sound slightly louder than normal as it vibrated against something inside her cat bag.  

 

“Oh, it’s mom,” she said, her voice taking on a disappointed tone.  “She’s here to pick me up.”

 

“Well, I won’t hold you up any longer.  But remember, you don’t need to say anything you aren’t comfortable with.  That being said, I do think your mom would be more than supportive and understanding.”

 

“I know I…I’ll think about it.  But umm…if I want to talk again, is it ok if I call you?”

 

Pewter smiled.  “Of course.  You can call me any time.”

 

“Ok!  See ya later cuzzo!”

 

And with a final wave she gone in a whirl of pink down the hallway.  

 

Pewter chuckled to himself as he watched her disappear around the corner.  How strange that the same word Saito used to antagonize him about their familial relationship made him feel oddly at ease when Iris said it.  Her youthful optimism gave him hope that maybe the Sejima line wasn’t as cursed as he originally thought.  And maybe that meant there was hope for him as well.

 

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind, refocusing on the task at hand.  While meeting up with Iris had been a surprising and not altogether unwelcome distraction, it didn’t change what he was here for.

 

Following the familiar hall, he found himself outside Renju’s office.  He knew it nearly as well as he did the path to his own office at ABIS, having spent countless evenings in the warm and inviting space.  Pewter lost track of the amount of times the two men had enjoyed cheap takeout on the oversized desk, listening to one of his fiancé’s current compositions. 

 

And in all the times he had come by, the innumerable hours spent in that very room, nothing had ever seemed off.  Renju never once acted ill-at-ease or out of sorts, never seemed as if he were trying to rush Pewter off before he discovered something he shouldn’t.  

 

Then why was he acting strange now?  What was he hiding?

 

“Theia, can you do a quick scan and make sure no one else is in the building?”

 

“Of course.”

 

She was silent for the next few moments as she ran the scan.  “Iris has just left through the main entrance.  She was the last person here besides the security guard, but he’s on the other side of the building.  I’ve also taken the liberty of hacking the security footage and playing a loop wherever we are.  He’ll have no reason to come and check up on you.”

 

“Good,” Pewter muttered as he placed his hand on Renju’s office door and turned the handle.  It was a serious breach of trust, one that he was sure would eat away at him in the days to come, but it didn’t matter.  The nagging feeling at the back of his mind wouldn’t be quieted, not until he found out the truth.  

 

The door was unlocked and swung open easily, not that Pewter expected anything less.  Renju was decidedly forgetful when it came to things like that, no matter how many times he was reminded.  He supposed his fiancé felt comfort in the fact that no one could gain entrance to the building after hours unless they had a key.  And while that much was true, Renju made certain his signed talent all had easy access if they needed it.  After all, what was the alternative?  Renju couldn’t be available twenty-four hours a day if someone had a sudden desire to record at three in the morning. 

 

And now here Pewter was, using it all to his advantage.  It made him feel terrible, though not terrible enough to stop.  He had to know what Renju was hiding.

 

Was he in trouble?  Was this some dark secret from nearly twenty years ago that he was keeping for Rohan out of fear?  But if that was the case, he would have come clean long before Pewter had met him.

 

Rohan had been institutionalized and Moma put in charge, so what would Renju have had to fear?

 

Maybe he was keeping some sort of secret to spare Moma’s feelings?  But that didn’t seem quite right either.  Moma definitely knew something with the way he quickly stepped in and didn’t miss a beat.  He lied without hesitation to protect Renju, not the other way around.

 

He walked forward, the lingering scent of Renju’s cologne making him falter ever so slightly.  “Ugh, why am I doing this?”

 

“I’m afraid you’re asking me to find logic and reasoning in anything you have done of late and there is none.”

 

“Thank you Theia that was helpful,” Pewter bit out.

 

“Your sarcasm doesn’t work on me.”

 

“Just keep your judgement to yourself…please.”

 

His visor glowed briefly, as if Theia was trying to offer him some sort of comfort.  “I’m not judging Futa, I’m simply worried.”

 

“There’s no need to be,” he answered as he walked slowly towards the shrine in the corner of the office.

 

There was nothing that immediately struck him as odd.  It looked like any other family shrine he had seen.  Most didn’t have urns in the center but it wasn’t wholly unheard of either.

 

The design was ordinary and a small plaque at the bottom reading “Okiura” was the only thing that personalized it.  Even the urn with it’s painted seascape and the words “From the Ocean to the Sea” didn’t give any indication to whom’s ashes were inside.

 

Carefully, as though he were afraid it could shatter at a moment’s notice, Pewter picked up the urn.  The weight settled in his hand as he gently moved it side to side.  He could hear the ashes shifting inside, the sound slightly unnerving.

 

“Theia, how much does this weigh?”

 

“5.6 kilograms.”

 

“How much of that is the remains?”

 

“Based on the size of the urn and the thickness of the glass, the ashes would weigh approximately 3.8 kilograms.”

 

“Does that seem a little light to you?”

 

“On the contrary.  Cremated remains weigh significantly less than the individual they came from. An average adult male’s cremated remains would weigh approximately 2.7 kilograms.”

 

“That’s a little over a kilogram difference.  Do you think there is any way his ashes could have weighed more?”

 

“It’s unlikely.  Considering how sick Renju’s father was in his later years and the fact that he was completely immobile towards the end, he probably weighed less than the average adult male.  That would make his remains lighter, not heavier.”

 

“Scan the urn.  Is there anything else inside besides the ashes?  Something that could account for the difference.”

 

His visor glowed again and Pewter saw the subtle shift in the world around him.  The green intensified and when he turned his gaze down towards his hand, he could clearly see the center of the urn without limitation.  Nothing was out of the ordinary, just a sealed bag within the container, like it should be.

 

“I don’t understand.  If there’s nothing inside besides ash, why does it weigh so much?”

 

“…”

 

“Theia?”

 

“…It may not be ashes…”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“It’s a standard size bag within the urn.  It’s filled as it ought be, but it weighs more than it should.   If there is nothing else inside the urn, the only reasonable explanation is that the contents are not ashes, but something else.”

 

Pewter squinted his eyes, as if it would help to see the x-rayed image better.  And while the technology he had designed was far superior to most, it still didn’t allow him to actually analyze what was inside without physically being able to see it.

 

“I’m going to hell for this.”

 

“I thought you didn’t believe.”

 

“I don’t, but if anything is going to earn me a one way ticket to suffering after this life it’s desecrating the possible remains of my future husband’s father.”

 

“If they are actual remains.  Remember, his death certificate said burial.”

 

“Maybe that was fake.  I don’t know why, it doesn’t make sense, but neither does any of this.”

 

He needed to stop talking.  The longer he stalled, the easier it would be to lose his nerve.  He had to do this, had to see what was inside and what Renju was hiding.  What was so important that he had to lie to the man he loved about it?

 

Pewter took a deep breath, steeling his nerves for what he was about to do.  Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the small tool he always carried with him.  As gently as he could, he turned the urn upside down, once again hearing the almost slithering sound as the ashes shifted to the top of the urn.

 

His hand trembled as he unscrewed the bottom, setting the stopper aside on Renju’s desk.  He peered into the small opening, Theia glowing brighter to provide more light.  With only the slightest hesitation he reached in with his thumb and pointer finger, grasping the edge of the bag and pulling it out.

 

The sickly green light reflected against it’s contents, the pale, nearly colorless granules now sage.  Moving the bag between his hands, Pewter was surprised to see no powdery residue against the sides.  Ashes should have long since left the plastic gray, but that wasn’t the case.

 

Confusion ran through his mind the longer he stared at the bag.  It wasn’t ashes, of that much he was certain.  The color, consistency, and weight were all off.  But if it wasn’t ashes, what was it?

 

“Theia, confirm the contents,” Pewter whispered, his voice barely audible.

 

“On it.”

 

A series of numbers scrolled across his visor, far too fast for him to comprehend as she ran her scan.  

 

“Contents confirmed as a silica-based substance, more commonly known as sand.”

 

Sand.

 

Not ashes, but sand.

 

Why?

 

This was no simple mistake, someone had deliberately filled the urn with sand.  But who?  And why?

 

If these weren’t Renju’s father’s ashes, if they weren’t ashes to begin with, then why was an urn even here?  Why would Renju have a shrine set up in his office with a fake urn to mourn his dead father when he wasn’t there?  When he was buried several miles away in the plot next to his mother.

 

None of this made any sense.  And now, standing here in Renju’s office with Theia’s verdant glow the only source of light, he had more questions than before.  

 

He let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, replacing the bag back in the urn with the utmost care and screwing the bottom back in place.  His body moved as if on auto-pilot, setting the urn in it’s rightful spot and making sure nothing else in the office was disturbed.

 

Sparing one last look he closed the door, the latch clicking heavily into place.  He slowly walked down the hall once more, hardening his resolve.  He would figure this out, find the answers to what Renju was hiding. 

 

They’d get through it together.  If Renju was in trouble, if something had happened, he’d do whatever it took to make sure the man he loved was safe.

 

As Pewter made his way out of the building, he couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that this was the start of something that would change everything.

 

 

Notes:

Well it's been a minute. I'm sorry for the lack of updates as of late but motivation has been seriously lacking. Half of this chapter has been sitting unfinished since February and has gone through several revisions and rewrites along with the end that I finally completed a few days ago.

Hopefully it was worth the wait.

Chapter 66

Notes:

Just a quick note that the very end of this chapter contains NI spoilers. At this point I'm sure most people reading this have finished the game, but if you haven't, here's your warning.

Otherwise, please enjoy!

Pewter sat quietly in his office, the lights dimmed and the glow of the computer screen casting long shadows across the room.  The last week and a half had gone by in a blur and somehow it was already December.

 

Despite the discoveries he made at Lemniscate, he hadn’t found the courage to broach the subject with Renju yet.  The urn and it’s contents weighed heavily on his mind but he had no idea how to begin to bring it up to his fiancé.

 

The conversation would be accusatory no matter how he looked at it.  Either Renju knew it was a fake and held nothing but sand, or he didn’t, and believed it contained the ashes of someone he refused to tell the truth about.  And unfortunately one option was just as bad as the other.

 

It all circled back to same thing—it didn’t make sense.  Why make up the lie in the first place?  Why say it was his father when a little research unveiled the truth?  What could Renju possibly have to gain from any of this?

 

Pewter leaned back in his chair, the seat squeaking slightly as he stared at the ceiling.  The more he thought about it, the harder it was to say anything at all.  Telling Renju what he knew would reveal that he went behind his back and lied.  And while Renju had done the same thing, he didn’t think the blonde would quite see it that way.  Trust was a fragile thing, and not so easily mended once broken.

 

Then there was also the selfish part of Pewter that didn’t want to cause anymore strife.  They had gone through so much, all that suffering and pain, he didn’t want to add more to that.  Not when his life was finally looking up.

 

Renju was alive.  He hadn’t died at Saito’s hands, Pewter hadn’t gone to jail for unknowingly assisting his murderer, and the two of them were finally engaged and making a beautiful life together along with Mizuki.  The nightmares of a future that never came to fruition no longer plagued his every waking moment, fading away to dreams of a happy home filled with love.

 

He couldn’t give that up…wouldn’t give that up.  

 

And while he had never pictured himself in any sort of parental role, it readily became apparent that he couldn’t imagine his life without Mizuki in it.  Her presence at their apartment was welcoming and wanted, reminding Pewter so much of days spent with his younger sister.

 

If he went to Renju and asked him about the urn in his office, would that be enough for him to end things?  To pack up and leave and take Mizuki with him?  Pewter didn’t think their relationship was so flimsy that it couldn’t withstand a little hardship, but his faith in Pewter would certainly be tested.  And rightfully so.

 

Pewter had gone behind his back, snuck into his office without any hesitation and opened an urn that very well could have contained the remains of a human being.  All because he had to know why Renju was lying, why he told everyone that the urn contained his father when in reality he was buried next to his mother at Fuchu cemetery.

 

Close to two weeks of contemplation didn’t make it any clearer.  He had to assume that Renju didn’t know the urn contained sand, otherwise there would be no reason to lie about it.  But whomever he thought was in the urn certainly wasn’t there.

 

He knew he should stop torturing himself, should just talk to him and get it over with instead of making it harder on himself.  Theia had said basically the same thing to him a few days ago.  But every time he halfway worked up the courage to say anything he stopped in his tracks.  Once the words left his mouth, there was no taking them back.  No second chance, no way to start over.

 

Telling Renju now would assuredly make things worse.  And until Pewter had all the pieces and understood what was going on, he’d have to keep it to himself.

 

A quick knock followed by the door opening drew Pewter’s attention away from his thoughts.  Date entered, Aiba securely nestled in his left socket where she belonged.  He leaned against the doorframe, his whole demeanor lighter and more at ease than Pewter had seen in a long time.

 

“Been a while, huh?  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were avoiding me.”

 

Pewter forced a smile.  “Not at all.  I’ve just…been busy lately.”

 

“Yeah?  Wouldn’t have thought there would be much to do around here with Psyncs still being out of the question.”

 

“You realize I do more around here than just run Psyncs.  There’s maintenance, reports, data analysis…”

 

“Can’t be that much to do since we’re not Psyncing.”

 

“No, but I’ve also been reconfiguring the prototype machine since we got it back.  It’s not done and there’s still a lot of work needed, but eventually we’ll have a true backup that will function just like the current one.”

 

“Lot of good that does us when we haven’t gotten permission to continue Psyncing.”

 

“It’s only a matter of time.  You’re fully healed and ready to go and Ryuki should be ready to install Tama in another few days.  The chief will see that we have two fully capable Psyncers and have no choice but to let us resume operations.”

 

Date raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical.  “You really think they’ll just let us go back to the way we were with only two Psyncers?  We had six before, we’re not even working at fifty percent capacity.”

 

“The deal was that no more Psyncs would be allowed without an AI Ball.  We’ve taken care of that problem.  Unless the chief goes back on his word, we’ll be allowed to Psync again shortly.”

 

“Maybe…”

 

Pewter sighed heavily as Date spaced out.  He was having an internal conversation with Aiba, nodding ever so slightly a few times to answer whatever questions Pewter couldn’t hear.  It must have been a relief after the last several weeks without her to have that comforting presence once again.

 

“Date, just go ahead and say what it is you wanted to say.”

 

“And what is it you think I want to say?”

 

With a roll of his eyes, Pewter let out a groan of frustration.  “I know you’re not here for small talk about the Psync machine.  You’re upset about the AI Ball.  You want to give me an earful about what a terrible decision it was and how I should have known better.”

 

“Well, maybe I should let you say it then since you seem to have it down.”

 

“Just get on with it so I can get back to work.”

 

Date stepped further into the room, slowly making his way over until he stopped next to Pewter’s desk.  He leaned forward, hands planted firmly on the wood.  “Contrary to what you think, I’m not here to berate you.  I’m sure you’ve gotten enough of that from Boss and probably a little from Renju too.  I think what you did was stupid, but I can’t say that I don’t see where you’re coming from.”

 

Pewter stared up in disbelief.  “You do?”

 

“Yeah, I do.  If I remembered a parallel world where everything had been taken from me, where Hitomi had died and her murderer walked around pretending to be her to use me, I’d be furious.  Especially if I managed to save her from that very fate only to almost have it happen again, except by my own hands.  It’s a lot to expect anyone to just forgive and forget.”

 

“Then if you understand…”

 

“I do understand, but I also understand that Saito wasn’t truly in control when he did all of those things.  He was acting on Rohan’s orders.  He couldn’t disobey no matter how much he wanted to.  And I know what that’s like.”

 

“But you were being threatened, it’s completely different—”

 

“It is.  I still had my mind and I chose to kill for him.  Yeah, he was threatening me but I could have said no.”

 

“And how would that have gone?  Rohan would have killed you on the spot.”

 

“Yeah probably,  but at least I wouldn’t have been in a yakuza boss’ pocket.  I made the choice that saved my own ass.  And the only thing I regret is that I was working for him, I certainly don’t regret taking out other pieces of shit.  I was doing it anyway, but this way I got their protection and I got paid.  So you tell me given what you know, who’s the bigger piece of shit?  Me or Saito?”

 

“That’s hardly a fair comparison—”

 

“Why?  Because I’m your friend and he’s the man that murdered Renju in a different timeline?  You can’t hold him responsible for crimes he never committed.”

 

“But he could!”

 

Date slammed his hand down on the desk, the vibration shaking the monitor.  “And you could betray ABIS and aid in a kidnapping!  You did it once before didn’t you?  All because Renju asked?”

 

“I…”  Pewter didn’t know what to say.  Date was right, he couldn’t argue the pure hypocrisy of anything he was saying right now.  

 

“Look, you have a right to feel the way you.  Saito isn’t innocent in all this either; I’ve heard the things he’s said to you about Ren.  He’s baiting you to get a reaction.  It’s childish and immature, but what can you really expect from him?  He’s been under a constant stream of mind control since he was twelve.  He said his own self that a lot of the time it felt like he was in a weird fog and that’s not including the disorder.  He didn’t have a loving childhood and then his teenage and adult years were spent half under Rohan.  It’s no wonder he acts like a spoiled, bratty kid.  Plus, have you ever considered the fact that he’s jealous of you?”

 

“Jealous?  Why?”

 

“Because you have everything he never did.  Two loving parents, a younger sister you got to grow up with, a stable, happy relationship.  And on top of that, So has made more effort to get to know you than he has his own son.  That’s got to weigh on him.”

 

Pewter let his breath out slowly, listening to Date’s words.  He was right.  Of course he was right, Pewter wasn’t an idiot.  It was completely irrational to hate someone for a crime that never happened.  It would be no different than treating an offense committed in a dream as truth and despising the culprit for an action that wasn’t real.

 

But rational thought had no place in Pewter’s feelings towards Saito.  He couldn’t explain the hate if he tried, not in a way that made any sense.  He hated Saito for killing Renju.  He hated Saito for using his feelings and impersonating the man he loved.  He hated Saito for the betrayal he committed against his friends.  He hated Saito for things that had never happened and never would, at least not in the way they had previously.

 

And maybe he could move past that if that’s all there was.  But Saito had drugged him, stabbed him, taken over his body, nearly gotten him killed in Shoko’s, kissed Ren while pretending to be him, strangled and beat his fiancé to within an inch of his life, and had his essence transferred to a comatose Rohan.  

 

The mind control could still be blamed even here, Saito so desperate to carry out those final orders from Rohan that he was willing to do anything to achieve it.  But the vague threats about going after Renju again, making a move on the man he loved, that was all Saito.

 

Boss tried to play it off as Saito being petty and maybe he was.  Like Date said, his actions were childish in nature and likely due to the fact he never learned how to regulate emotions.  For almost his entire life he couldn’t feel them and now he was flooded with them almost instantly.  If it were anyone else, Pewter would feel sympathy.  But when it came to Saito, he just couldn’t.

 

“I think you should talk to him.”

 

“What for?” Pewter bit out a little more harshly than he intended.

 

“Because I think the two of you need to air this all out.  Boss and I can be there to regulate.  She’s figured out how to control Saito with her magical booba powers or whatever she’s got going on and I can pluck you on the ear every time you get mouthy.”

 

“We’re not children; we don’t need—owww!” Pewter yelled and clutched his ear.

 

“See?  Mouthy.”

 

“What the hell?  You said pluck!  Not grab and twist it!”

 

“Yeah, but that worked better.”

 

Rubbing his now bright red ear, Pewter relented.  “Fine.  But what makes you think anything would be accomplished by us talking anyway?  Or that either of us would be agreeable?”

 

“Boss would just use her booba power on you until you agree.”

 

“I don’t think that would work as well on me as you think it would.”

 

“Sure it would.  She could knock you out with one of those suckers, no problem,” Date said as he rotated his body quickly left to right, miming hitting Pewter in the head with his imaginary chest.

 

Despite the subject matter, Pewter couldn’t help but laugh.  It was only for a second, but he smiled for the first time in what felt like forever.  “You’re an idiot.”

 

“Don’t think you’re getting out of this conversation because you used Hitomi’s pet name for me.  I’m not going to let this go until you talk to Saito.”

 

“You make it sound so easy.”

 

“Who knows,” Date shrugged.  “Maybe it could be.  I get that he’s an asshole, that’s not going to change.  But if you two can find some sort of common ground, you might not be friends but anything is better than this animosity you both have.”

 

“I’ll think about it, ok?  For right now, that’s the best I can offer.”

 

“That’s all I’m asking.”

 

Date started towards the door, pausing halfway there and looking over his shoulder.  “I want you to know, I’m here if you need me.  You’re my friend and just because you did something really stupid doesn’t mean I’m gonna walk away.  Just…if it gets to be too much, talk to me.  I’ll listen, ok?”

 

“I…thank you Date.”

 

“Anytime,” Date nodded, reaching for the door.  “Oh yeah, I almost forgot.  The whole reason I came here in the first place was because Boss wanted me to find you.  She’s holding a meeting in the conference room in twenty, all hands on deck kind of deal.  Said it’s crucial but wouldn’t say anything more than that.”

 

“Do you have any idea what it could be about?”

 

“No clue, but considering she didn’t just send out an email like last time it’s got to be pretty important.  I’ll see you there?”

 

Pewter nodded, watching Date finally step through the doorway and out of sight.  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the cool wood.  What could Boss possibly want?  The last meeting had ended in disaster and Pewter wasn’t particularly looking forward to a repeat of that.  Though he supposed it had more to do with Saito being there and the inability of both of them to keep things civil when in each other’s presence.  

 

If this was as important as Boss was making it out to be, it would be for ABIS only.  He wouldn’t have to worry about Saito stirring up more trouble.

 

Whatever it was, he would find out soon enough.

 

 

 

 

Boss looked around the conference room, her gaze falling over each of the men present.  Naoki and Ryuki sat on one side of the table while Date and Pewter were on the other.  She was pleasantly surprised to see her lead engineer there, half expecting he wouldn’t show up on principle.

 

The last week and a half had been rough, the two of them barely speaking unless absolutely necessary.  She felt bad about the situation, especially since she had known Pewter for close to ten years.  And maybe that was why she was being so hard on him.  She had known him all that time, knew exactly what kind of person he was.

 

In all the years they had been friends, he had never been malicious or cruel like he was with Saito.  Was some of it deserved?  Yes, undoubtedly.  Saito was an asshole at the best of times and he had taken his fair share of digs at Pewter, doing whatever he could to undermine his relationship with Renju.  But it still didn’t make it right to implant the personality of his first victim in his AI Ball.

 

Things had settled down a great deal since then, but the first few days had been precarious.  Saito had started to withdraw into himself again and if it hadn’t been for the well-timed help she received, Boss didn’t know what she would do.

 

And now here she was, about to rock the boat again.

 

“I’m going to keep this brief,” Boss began, purposely making eye contact with everyone seated.  “The commissioner is willing to let us start up Psyncs effective immediately, but only if we have at least four Psyncers on staff.  And since we only have two at present…”

 

“We have three.  Kanna’s still on the roster,” Naoki replied.

 

Pewter nodded his head.  “And I can be listed as the fourth.  I’m more than capable of stepping in if needed to perform a Psync.”

 

“Not gonna work,” Boss sighed.  “Kanna’s on medical leave and not active in the system.  And since she’s still in a coma, she can’t consent to her continued employment to be considered one of our Psyncers.”

 

“I can still be the third and then we’d only need to find one more.”

 

“Unless you’re willing to part with your left eye the answer is no.  Actually the answer is no anyway because you are the last person that needs to be participating in Psyncs.”

 

“That’s hardly fair—”

 

“Really?  If Date snuck in here after hours and set up his own Psync without anyone present and risked permanent brain damage or worse, would you think that’s unfair?”

 

“My situation was a little different.”

 

“Why?” Boss bit back, her tone agitated.  “Because you created the machine and technology?  Because you know it better than anyone else?  Because you were in control?”

 

Boss knew she was pushing it too far, she shouldn’t have brought up his Psync, but that was part of the problem.  Pewter was given too much grace by her and everyone else because of his genius.  And if Date or anyone else had been the one to pull that kind of stunt, they would have likely been fired on the spot.  Pewter was lucky he got away with nothing more than a few days off to cool his head.

 

“Look, I don’t want to argue,” she said, voice softening quite a bit.  “There will be no exceptions to the rule; all Psyncers from here on out will be required to have an AI Ball.  If any future candidates aren’t willing to have the surgery and have their left eye removed, then they’re not eligible for employment.  It’s as simple as that.”

 

Naoki tapped his fingers against the table, the sound dull.  “Kanna will agree.”

 

“I’m sure she will when she wakes up.  But when that happens she might not be strong enough for the surgery right away.  It could be another couple of months before we have her back as a full fledged Psyncer and we need to do something now.”

 

“What about Saito?”

 

Ryuki’s simple question set off a chain reaction amongst the group.

 

Naoki barked out a bitter laugh, shaking his head from side to side.  “Yeah, that’ll go over well.”

 

Date ran a hand down his down his face and muttered under his breath.  “That’s a bad fucking idea.”

 

Unsurprisingly Pewter was the most vocal of all.  He attempted to stand up but Date reacted quickly and grabbed his arm, pulling him back in the seat.  “Absolutely not!  It’d be far too dangerous to give him access as a Psyncer.  We have no idea how his mind could react, look what happened to Kanna!”

 

“But wasn’t that because Kanna was the Psyncer and she didn’t have an AI Ball to protect her?  Hasn’t Saito performed Psyncs before?” Ryuki asked, trying his best to calm his colleagues.

 

Boss let out a huff.  Bringing up Saito and his previous Psyncs definitely wasn’t the best idea.  He’d never performed one without being under the influence of the mind control and every single one had ended in a body swap.  None of which would be helpful information at the moment.

 

“Let’s all stop and take a breath.  Arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

 

“And neither is bringing on someone completely unstable and dangerous!  We don’t know what could set him off.”

 

“Boss, Pewter’s right.  I’m all for getting him the help he needs but it’s a huge risk letting him Psync.  Too many things could go wrong,” Date said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

 

“He’ll be under constant watch from the moment he steps foot on the premises.  And I’ll be there for every Psync he participates in until we’re confident he’s not a threat.”

 

“Which will be never,” Pewter muttered.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Boss shrugged.  “The commissioner has already given me the go ahead to bring him on.  This wasn’t how I wanted to tell you initially, but it’s done and he’s one of our new Psyncers.”

 

Boss turned towards the door.  “Saito!  Get in here!”

 

The door swung open a second later, Saito breezing into the room as if it was the most natural thing in the world.  Boss had to admit, he looked better than he had in a long time.  She knew it was mostly due to stubbornness and his refusal to show any kind of weakness to Pewter.

 

The moment she told him about his new job he’d been preparing himself.  It started small, just the simple act of getting up each morning and taking care of himself.  Little by little over the course of a week he improved.  He was talking more, which meant arguing more with her over the smallest details, but it was better than the nearly comatose version of himself he had been.

 

Spite was a powerful motivator and it apparently ran strong in the Sejima-Amanoma family.

 

Saito let his eyes drift over the room, taking it all in at once.  His hair was slicked back neatly and pulled into a low ponytail, forehead free from his overly long bangs.  A fitted gray suit, custom tailored and impeccably pressed, completed his look.

 

Boss had let him go back home a few days ago to grab some things and she was glad she did.  Seeing him put this much effort into anything, no matter what the true motivator was, was a relief.  His intrinsic desire to one up Pewter and his thirst for answers would keep him going.

 

“Sooooo,” he sneered, eyes landing on Pewter.  Boss didn’t miss the way Manaka glowed bright pink for a moment before going back to her normal shade.  “Did you miss me?”

 

Pewter’s jaw tightened and he clenched his fists under the table.  He was nearly shaking with effort to control himself and not rise to Saito’s bait.  

 

“This isn’t a game,” Pewter breathed out, his voice cold and measured.  “People could get hurt.”

 

“Oh I’m aware.”

 

“Are you really?”

 

Saito shrugged a shoulder in response.  “Considering I’m one of the ones you tried to hurt?  I’d say I’m pretty intimately acquainted.”

 

“You hurt Renju first.”

 

“I don’t know about that.  From where I was sitting he seemed to like it.”

 

Saito stepped back with a laugh as Pewter attempted to lunge across the table, Date once again stepping in and keeping him in check.  His grip was firm, not giving Pewter a chance to pull away.

 

“Calm down,” Date hissed out quietly, Boss barely able to hear.  “This isn’t helping the situation.”

 

Boss let out a loud groan as she raised her fingers to her temples and began to rub in circles.  That idiot couldn’t go two damn minutes without running his mouth and trying to agitate Pewter.  She should have known it would happen but she put too much faith in the fact that Saito had been doing better for the first time in a while.

 

“Enough!” Boss’ voice cut through the air like a knife, bringing a swift end to the squabbling.  “This petty arguing is getting us no where.  The two of you are going to learn to work together, you don’t have a choice!”

 

“But he’s a liability—”

 

“And from where I’m standing Pewter so are you.”  The words were more savage than she intended, but it couldn’t be helped.  Pewter needed a harsh dose of reality.  “After the stunt you pulled it took everything for me to not have you placed on a six month leave pending a mental health evaluation.  This department is constantly walking a thin line as it is and you want to do something so pigheadedly stupid?  I barely kept us from getting shut down when Kanna was hurt.  The only thing that saved your ass was your brain and I still had to grovel to keep you here.”

 

“No blackmail this time?”

 

“Shut up Naoki!  And no, I used it all up already so I don’t have any more cards to play.  Hence the begging.”

 

Saito, for his part, seemed to revel in the chaos he was causing.  A smug smile played at the corner of his lips as he leaned up against the wall.  “Don’t worry cuzzo, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

 

“This isn’t happening,” Pewter crossed his arms.  “I’m not working with him.”

 

“You don’t have a choice!  You—”

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

Boss whipped her head around staring at Naoki like he’d just grown another head.  She must have imagined it; he would never say anything like that.  There was no way Naoki would voluntarily work with Saito, not when he hated him nearly as much as Pewter did.

 

“What?” Saito asked, clearly as confused as Boss in the moment.

 

“I’ll be the engineer for his Psyncs.  All of them.  That way Amanoma doesn’t have to work with him and he doesn’t have to work with Amanoma.  Problem solved.”

 

“And you’re fine with this?” Boss questioned.

 

“I didn’t say I was, but I’ll do it.  We’ll make it work.  And he and Ryuki get along so it makes more sense for him to be with me anyway.”

 

“Hmmm,” Boss hummed, cupping her chin.  “This actually works out better than I expected.”

 

“What do you mean?” Date asked.

 

“Wait,” Ryuki interrupted before Boss had a chance to continue.  “You said ‘one of our new Psyncers’ earlier.”

 

Boss nodded.  “I did.”

 

“So you have someone else?  Another person to round it out and make it four so we can start Psyncing again?”

 

Another nod.  “I do.”

 

“But who?” Pewter asked, momentarily calmed down.  “Besides Kanna, the others took the detective positions the department offered.  We don’t have anyone else with the compatibility to be able to Psync.”

 

“I found someone.  Passed all the tests and had the same high aptitude like Ryuki.  A perfect fit for the position.”

 

Ryuki tilted his head to side inquisitively.  “Is it someone we know?”

 

“Let me get a good spot for this,” Saito grinned as he grabbed a chair and sat down, propping his feet up on the conference table.  “I don’t want to miss the show.”

 

Date looked from Boss to Saito and back again.  “Who is it?”

 

It was now or never.  Better to get it over with, face the fallout, and then get things back on track.  The sooner they could get the department up and running like normal again, the sooner they could really get to work.  Tracking down Pewter’s mother, figuring out the reason behind Saito’s mind control, and getting to the bottom of the Cyclops murders.

 

“Come on in!”

 

The door opened once more, slowly this time as if to make the entrance as dramatic as possible.  Which considering who was on the other side, Boss knew that was likely the reason behind it.

 

Date stood up instantly, eyes widening as he stared forward unblinking.  He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

 

Pewter was frozen in place, watching the door in growing dread as realization set in on the likely identity of their new arrival.

 

For a moment there was only silence as a tense stillness clung to air.  It was stifling and Boss could see the varying levels of shock playing across the faces of her colleagues.

 

The figure stepped forward, features strikingly familiar in a way that couldn’t be mere coincidence.

 

“Wh-what?” Date stammered.  “Mizu—no…you…”

 

“Who are you?” Pewter whispered, his eyes widening behind the visor.

 

A quick glance towards Boss and then she spoke.  “I’m Bibi.”

 

 

 

Notes:

We've made it to the end. Two years of writing and this monster of a fic is finally done.

And while I've gone as far as I can with PW and what I can tell without delving fully into NI, the story will continue on in the sequel.

I truly hope everyone has enjoyed this ride.

Thank you for reading!

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of (for in that sleep of death) What Dreams May Come