THE GIFT
HanDJ
Chapter 18
“Old Mac Donald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o!” The happy, high note sound of Arika Yumemiya's voice echoed inside the car
“And on his farm he has some pigs, e-i-e-i-o!” which was followed by Nina Wang's low and sultry voice
“With an oink-oink here and an oink-oink there, here an oink there an oink everywhere an oink-oink!” The two sung together, “Old Mac Donald had a farm E-I-E-I-OOOOOO!”
SCREEEEEECH
Nina and Arika's eyes were wide as the dark haired girl stepped on the car's break with full force, “Oh my God! Nina, you hit someone! You hit someone!” Arika screamed trying to get out of the passenger seat but was unable to due to the seatbelt that held her firm, “You killed someone NINA!”
“SHUT UP!” Nina shouted panting, her eyes focused on the road ahead,
“What are we going to do Nina, we killed someone?!” Arika asked as she starts to sob
“Will you stop saying that?” Nina said looking at the girl beside her, “…and stop crying!” Nina shouted again
“But why will I not cry? I don't want to go to jail. I still have lots of dreams unfulfilled yet NINA!” Arika wailed
Silence on Nina's part
“We have to get out and dump the body on a nearby sea then!” Nina said with determined eyes and Arika's eyes widened, not in shock but in fear
“Nina…isn’t this were the one we killed rise up from the dead to exact its revenge on us?” Arika asked her eyes almost red from crying
Nina’s brows twitched as she desperately try not to strangle her girlfriend to death, “This isn’t a movie Arika…”
“But someone will know what we did last summer!” Arika shouted and she followed it with a loud crying
Nina turned sideways and put her hand on Arika’s shoulder and then shook that shoulders hard, “Quit it Arika! Quit it!”
And as Nina and Arika were busy pacifying each other, a sudden banging at the front car’s hood caused the two to scream their lungs out, “AHHHHHHHHH!” and the sight of a bloody arm hooked on the front and was trying hard to grasp on something that caused the hood to be tainted with blood made the sound louder, “AHHHHHHHHHH x 2!”, the two Fuuka students has their face attached to each other as their eyes widened more at the sight before them, their hands that were both in front of them were grasping each other. The horror did not end there though as a bloodied, naked form of a man suddenly assaulted them, the form was attached to the bloody arm now pounding on the car’s windshield
“GGGGHHHOOOOSSSSTTTTTTT!!” Arika screamed in the highest pitch her voice could reach
“HHHEEELLLPPP…” the man said in his trembling voice before he suddenly collapsed on the car
Silence
Arika looked at the panting dark haired girl beside her, “Did I hear him say help?” she asked nervously and then swallowed a large pool of saliva on her throat. Nina answered by nodding her head slowly, “Do you think he’s really in need of help or was he just tricking us to coming out then he’ll kill us once we get out…”
“ARIKA!” Nina screamed, “This is no time for jokes like that…” the dark haired girl said then she took a deep breath and with a determined look in her eyes, she unhooked her seatbelt and reached something at the back of her seat
“What are you doing?” Arika asked before she unhooked her own seatbelt. She looked awed at her girlfriend when Nina brought out a metal bar from behind her seat
“It won’t hurt to be cautious,” Nina said before she unlocked her side of the door and slowly slid out of the car. Arika mirrored her action, but she found a rolled out felt paper at the back and that was what she’s holding on to as she slid out of the car, “Don’t get near him yet Arika…” Nina said and the dark brunette haired girl nodded.
With quite a distance between her and the unconscious man on her car, Nina used the metal bar to poke his side and the two were startled causing them to jerked away from him a bit when the man groaned in pain
“Nina! He’s alive!” Arika said loudly
“Yeah, and we need to help him if…” and that’s the time when it hits Nina, the face of the man was suddenly illuminated by the light from the street light post when Arika moved to get closer to the man, “Kami…Kanzaki-san!” Nina shouted then she bolted fast towards the man after discarding her metal bar
Arika frowned, “Kanzaki-san…” she focused her eyes on the bloodied face and her eyes widened when realization dawned on her “It is Kanzaki-san! Nina, we need to help him!” Arika shouted as she threw the rolled up felt paper and stepped closer to the bloodied man
10 minutes of struggling to put the ex-vice Kaichou inside their car caused the two lit form girls to pant from exhaustion. Their arms and their clothes were soaked with blood from the man’s gushing wounds. Once the two were sure that Reito was secured at the back passenger seat, they boarded the car and Nina started driving, but not after instructing Arika to call Erstin. Fuuka University’s acting kaichou.
XXX
“Okay!” Mikoto was standing on a table and she was surrounded by all the HiMEs. It was Wednesday evening and there were no homework for them so they decided to spend the evening playing when Mikoto suddenly thought of something for them to do. The cat girl wore a very excited face as her arms waved on the air to call for everyone’s attention
“Ara, Mikoto-chan is very enthusiastic, what could have been inside her head now? I do hope she doesn’t have to run out of this gathering again.” Shizuru said loudly for everyone to hear, especially by one fiery haired girl who was looking happily at the lit-formed girl
“Mou Shizuru, you think Mikoto would do something nasty again? I don’t think there’s anyone here willing to run after her again.” Natsuki said smiling, “Even Nao will not rise up on the occasion, just looking at her bloated abdomen…” she wasn’t able to finish her sentence as she received a death glare not only from her partner, but from every pregnant woman in the room excluding Fumi Himeno. Natsuki stood up abruptly and scratched her nape, “Gomen mina! Gomen!”
“Okay hear me out!” Mikoto shouted
“Stop shouting Mikoto, tell us what you’re driving at now!” Haruka yelled at the young girl
“Okay…I was just thinking, aren’t you on your sixth month of pregnancy?” Mikoto asked pertaining to the pregnant women. She smiled when every head nodded in agreement, “So, I think before, Shizuru-san said that it was still early to give the babies inside your tummies name, but now I guess it is alright to give them names right?” Mikoto asked
“Oi!” Nao shouted, “How come you’re the one who’s so eager to give our babies a name? You don’t even have your own baby!” Nao said frowning
The comment brought Mikoto to stop speaking, she suddenly had a pout on her face and her eyes were starting to get sad and wet. Mai who was watching her partner glared at the red headed spider
“Oi Nao, that was mean.” Chie was the one who broke the silence, “Me and Aoi wouldn’t be having our own babies too, and we are already jealous of almost everyone so you don’t have to shove that information on Mikoto’s face.” She added
Silence again
Mikoto’s pout intensified and she suddenly jumped and landed in front of Nao in a crouch, “When I receive Mai’s baby, I’m not even going to let you see her.” The cat girl said like a child who lost in a game, “And I won’t even hold your baby even if I’m the only one available to take care of your baby! You won’t have alone time with Miyu ever again!” Mikoto said sadly, “Besides, I’m sure your baby looks ugly!” Mikoto finally said before standing and turning to leave
“Oi take that back! My baby will not be ugly!” Nao shouted at Mikoto’s retreating form. Mikoto stopped and turned her face towards Nao
“She’ll be ugly because you’re always frowning and you’re always angry and you’re always mean!” Mikoto shouted back
Nao pouted and looked at Miyu, she then softly asked, “Was I all that?” and she frowned when Miyu nodded her head in agreement. Nao then started crying as she buried her face on Miyu’s shoulder and mumbled things no one could understand except Miyu of course
“I didn’t get a thing she’d said.” Midori said, “But Mikoto-chan has a point, if you don’t want your baby to look ugly, then you should always look at beautiful things, you should always smile and be happy.”
“My mother told me that when I was pregnant with Migami and I was thankful that I did follow her advise,” Yukariko said as she wiped her daughter’s face from chocolate stains
“Migami is cute.” Alyssa said taking the toddler’s hand in hers, “…and pretty too.” She then looked at Mikoto, “I’ll like to think of names for the babies too!”
“BABIES!” Migami shouted
“Aren’t we supposed to think of our babies own name?” Haruka said huffing, “I’m not sure, but if I let anyone think of a name for my child, someone might voltage it.” She added
Everyone’s brows furrowed and the crying Nao snickered while her face was still buried on Miyu’s shoulder
“I believe Suzushiro-san has the best cure for crying people.” Miyu said, her eyes smiling as she looks down at the woman inside her embrace
Yukino shook her head, “I think Haruka-chan meant sabotage.” She explained
“Ara, just imagine how we conduct our meetings every week during our year as the council representatives.” The chestnut haired woman said smiling at Haruka
“Oi Bubuzeke, at least I get my points across well!” Haruka huffed and then looked at Mikoto, “Okay Mikoto, if you are given the chance to give our babies’ name, what will they be?”
At the question, Mikoto’s face lit up, “Okay!” she said enthusiastically, “First, I’ll name Natsuki’s and Shizuru-san’s children as Duran and Kiyohime! Then Nao will have Julia or Juliet, then Fumi-chan will have Mashiro and Yukino must name her child Diana. Midori…” A white hanky was thrown her way by Midori
“There is no way I’m going to call my daughter Gakotenou!” Midori yelled
“And there’s no way I’m going to call mine Ytagarasu,” Shiho said calmly
“And Harry is a boy’s name.” Kazuya added
“And so is Gennai!” Takumi agreed with Kazuya
Silence
“Oi Mikoto, I told you we’re not going to name our daughters after our CHILDS.” Natsuki said sternly
“Ara, but I like our child be called Kiyohime and Duran.” Shizuru said
Natsuki frowned and looked at Shizuru, “No, I can’t let you name our children Kiyohime and Duran.” Natsuki said with finality
“Okay if my Natsuki said so…for now, but the next time I got pregnant again, I’m going to be the one to choose what name to give them.” The older woman said smiling
“What? You mean…you plan on…” stuttered Natsuki
“Oi! We haven’t even had one and you’re planning on another pregnancy already? That’s unfair!” Chie said shaking her head which was mirrored by Mikoto
“Yeah! We need to go to America still so Mai and I can have babies!” Mikoto blurted out all of a sudden
The information brought about Mai’s eyes to widen, “What are you saying Mikoto?”
Mikoto’s wide eyes told everyone that the information was not to be said out loud…yet
“BUSTED!” Midori said snickering
Mikoto grinned at Mai, “What do you mean?” Mikoto asked her fiery haired partner who was glaring dagger at her. The amber-eyed HiME grinned nervously towards Mai
Mai stood up and looked at Mikoto menacingly, “I think you know what I mean Mikoto…where did you get that idea to go to America to have babies?” Mai asked. Mikoto thought she’d seen smoke coming out of Mai’s ears
The cat-girl pouted and it was evident that the little girl was nervous, “Mai…” she wailed
“Ara, I think that idea must have come from Dr. Possible’s wife Shego-san?” the ex-kaichou said to help out the almost crying cat-girl, “Really, it was fascinating that they beget a daughter without having to go through that sperm donation thing that is so rampant in any medical facilities nowadays.” Shizuru said causing the others around them to look at her in surprise
“Kaichou-san, you mean Shego-san and Dr. Possible’s daughter Kish was the product of them both? They were able to make babies out of two females?” Aoi’s eyes twinkled with that information and then she looked at Chie who mirrored her expression
“…and to think that the green woman or the doctor weren’t even HiMEs!” Natsuki said while she shakes her head sideways she then looked at Mikoto, “How did you know?”
Pouting, Mikoto replied “I asked her?”
“That makes sense.” Yukino said smiling at the young HiME on top of the table then looked at Mai who has her head bowed down, “I don’t see anything wrong with what Mikoto did Mai-san…except maybe for the fact that she didn’t probably tell you this so she could surprise you…” she eyed the amber-eyed girl once again, “…am I right Mikoto-chan?” at the explanation Mikoto nodded her head
“Well…how I wish Mikoto would have just come to me and tell me about it.” Mai said sadly and looked at her partner, “I always tell you everything so I expect you to…” Mai’s explanation was interrupted by Mr. Benford’s sudden appearance. The old butler looked haggard and he has fear in his eyes, and these caught everyone’s attention
“Kikukawa-san? Suzushiro-san?” the butler called out the two women’s attention, “Telephone call from Ho-san, she said it is important, but she actually instructed me to give the phone to you…” Mr. Benford looked at Haruka and handed her the phone
The room suddenly fell into an uncomfortable silence as Haruka took the phone and put the ear piece next to her right ear. Everyone was waiting for her to say something but the blond haired woman didn’t even speak one single word, she just kept on nodding her head…then she hurriedly stood up before she replaced the receiver to the machine
“What was that all about?” It was Fumi who broke the silence; something tells her that this should concern her more than the other HiMEs
Haruka sighed deeply and looked at each and everyone’s expectant eyes, “I can’t tell right now, I need to go to Fuuka University to see this myself and then I’ll tell you when I come back.” Haruka said sternly, she then looked at Miyu and Mikoto, “You two will be coming with me.” She said before she turned her back against the others and left the room.
Inquisitive eyes found Mr. Benford but all they got was a shrugged of his shoulders before he bowed down and leave with the telephone machine.
“This feels freaky for me.” Shiho said. The others looked at her, “What are you two looking at?”
No one replied until Mikoto and Miyu got out of ear shot
“I can always astral project to where they are going.” Chie said grinning
Shiho frowned, “Yeah you can, but the astral projection has a limit, it cannot worked when you and I are here and they are there at the University!” the octopus-haired girl explained
Then Nao grinned, “We can always use the computer Miyu installed here, there were only three sets of coordinates entered there right now, so we can enter another… the coordinate where they are going?”
“And where could that be in Fuuka University?” Akira asked
“The satellite could scan you know…” Nao said smiling
“Sometimes I envy Nao-san for being so street-smart.” Yukino said and Fumi agreed by nodding her head
Silence
“So who knows what to do to the computer?” Himeko asked
And multiple sets of eyes looked at Alyssa Searrs. The small blond girl smiled at them and hid behind Himeko’s back. The others looked at Himeko with pleading eyes
“Will Alyssa-chan do it?” The older Yuuki asked the girl sweetly and she felt Alyssa nods her head in agreement. She then nodded her head to let the others know that they have a deal which made the others smile in gratitude
XXX
Fuuka Special Medical Bay has never really been used. The bay’s existence was actually to served the Fuuka’s professor’s medical bay, but it seemed that no one has used it yet…until Fuuka’s ex-Kaichou Shizuru Fujino and now the ex- Vice Kaichou, Reito Kanzaki. Dr. Iphreeta Makoto, Yohko Sagisawa’s replacement doctor was the one in charge at his condition The good doctor was glad that the wounds were not so deep, though from the blood that dried up from his battered body, and from the blood stains that were acquired by Yumemiya and Wang, she suspects that the wound was actually far lethal than what she’d seen…so if that’s the case, how did this happened? How did the wounds closed up without further intervention…she hasn’t interviewed the patient yet and she got nothing from the two students except that Reito suddenly appeared before them asking for help and help they did…what miracle is this?
Her musing was cut short when there was a sudden loud knocking on her office door, so she deduced that it must be one of the school’s OIC for the executive head, but her eyes widened when it was another woman…she barely know who came in from the outside
“Are you Yohko-sensei’s replacement doctor?” the huge, blond woman asked the doctor
“Yes I am, my name is dr. Iphreeta Makoto, how may I be of help?”
Haruka smiled, “Suzushiro Haruka, I am the school’s Executive Head and I’m here to see Kanzaki Reito.” Haruka said in her usual intimidating voice
“Haruka-chan? We are here to see Ani-ue?” Mikoto’s eyes twinkled with the thought of her seeing her brother again after so long. Haruka nodded but did not smile. But unlike Mikoto, Miyu wasn’t happy about it, she could tell from Haruka’s movement that something’s wrong
“How did…” Dr Makoto’s inquiry was halted by Erstin, Arika and Nina’s presence
“I called her Makoto-sensei,” Erstin said smiling at the taller blond, “Gokegenyou Suzushiro-sama.” Erstin greeted which was followed by Arika and Nina’s greeting with dreamy eyes
Haruka bowed her head to acknowledge the greeting and even smiled at the two OIC for her. The doctor and Erstin can’t help but laugh when the two swooned at the gesture from Haruka
“So can we see Kanzaki?” Haruka asked the doctor
“Actually…” The doctor was interrupted once again by a hoarse, male voice. The women turned their head to see Kanzaki coming in
Mikoto’s eyes widened at the sight of her Ani-ue
Kanzaki was wearing a plain white shirt over blue denim pants. He has a pair of dirty sneakers on his feet. His right arm was casts and he had it hanging and was supported by a blue arm sling. A bandage was rolled on his head, the front bandage even has some dried blood stains, and an elastic bandage was rolled around his torso as the very thin material of his shirt made it visible. He was limping and he’s putting more weight on his left leg. His eyes were red and the area around his right eye was swollen, an eye patch covered that same eye. His left hand was bleeding which the doctor and Miyu suspects to be the result of Kanzaki pulling off the IV in it.
“Ani-ue!” Mikoto cried out and run towards her brother, embracing the man lightly to be careful
Kanzaki smiled, “I’m glad to see you Mikoto.”
“What happened to you?” Mikoto asked in her muffled voice
“First of all, you should sit down Kanzaki-san,” Iphreeta said standing up to offer the man her chair, “You should still be lying down on your bed as you’re still recuperating…”
Kanzaki smiled, “Someone actually stabbed my abdomen with a razor-sharp sword…through and through, I shouldn’t have been here talking and walking and yet…all you’ve seen are light wounds” he said politely, “I have a mission to do and this…” he pointed to his condition, “…will not stop me.”
“Then tell us what happened, we want to help.” Erstin said while she looked at the man with pleading eyes
“Very well then…”
XXX
The only light that illuminates the darkened room was coming from the opened computer screen and the only sounds that can be heard was from the occasional clicking sound of the computer’s key board. It has been 48 hours since the man she only knew as Reito Kanzaki escaped the warehouse were they imprisoned, tortured and killed him…alive
What power does a HiME have to be able to save you from the clutch of death? She thought.
This idea was engraved inside her brain ever since the day she’ve met her ‘salvation’, the man fondly called Mr. Smith. Yes, to everybody, he was not a trustworthy man, he wasn’t a man you can trust to help you without anything in return…and that she have already witnessed.
Dr. Cynthia Mariano was a foreigner to Fuuka, a woman from a nearby country who was lured by the promise of love and success in life. Married a man she thought loves her…but in the end, she became a battered wife, her only happiness in life her daughter was taken from him at an early age by no other than her husband…the father of her daughter.
The man he used to call a husband was a drunkard and wasn’t content in beating her up, so one day after a night of binge drinking , he came home to find not his wife but his sleeping child, in anger he beat his daughter that ended up in a brutal parricide. The sight of her bloodied, lifeless body drove the doctor into insanity.
Two years inside a private asylum, Dr. Cynthia Mariano was given free pass and was declared cured…but it wasn’t the truth…she faked being normal, because she is a doctor and she knows what are the probable questions to be asked. So a clean bill of health and ‘adios’ asylum, hello freedom. One year of scouring the city for her useless husband for revenge brought her nothing but grief and hardship…and that’s when ‘Mr. Smith’ entered her life. He gave her everything she needs but of course…for a price.
I really did sold my soul to the devil…but what’s there to lose?
Her musing was cut by the ringing of her mobile phone, “Cynthia,” she said
“I see that you’re still up. Can’t sleep or wouldn’t sleep?”
“I don’t know if I still need to answer your question. It seemed to me you already knew.” Cynthia said sarcastically
“Now, now dear, there’ no need to be hostile you know that I’m just concern about you.” Mr. Smith’s voice seems to be snickering’ “Besides, I can’t sleep either and I need your service…”
Silence
“You’ll answer my questions first…”
“You know my head won’t clear when I’m bothered and hot like this.”
Cynthia grinned, “You know only animals do that-“
“Aren’t we both?” Smith replied sarcastically, “You know Cynthia, I hate waiting…so I’ll expect you here in 5 minutes…”
The doctor turned off her computer and mobile phone, stood up and turned to leave her room you can kiss my ass when this HiME power is already in my hands…Smith-san… she thought and grinned
XXX
The HiMEs were all inside the library watching the video feed from the computer. Kanzaki Reito was relaying what happened to him, from the time he found out about SEARRS real identity and who were behind the making of he beasts they have fought months ago, though he wasn’t able to dig up what was the real reason behind it, up to the day he escaped with the help of Mashiro…Fumi’s unborn child
“Oh my God, that was the night you had a very bad dream!” Shiho said with wide eyes as she looked at the serious looking Fumi Himeno,
“Who the hell is this Dr. Mariano that is teaming up with that Smith?” Natsuki growled
“I don’t think Kanzaki-san was able to get much,” Midori said, “Which means this is time for HiME Sentai II to take action!” she said excitedly
All HiMEs eyes turned to her, a large sweat dropped on their forehead, “Where did the II came from?” Mai asked
Midori frowned, “Since in our state, we cannot invoked our power, our protectors will and they will be the one to investigate!”
“WHAT?!” Takumi and Kazuya shouted the question
Midori looked at them evilly, “Do you have anything to say?!”
“Yeah!” Kazuya said, “Why the hell us?”
Silence
“Maybe because Mr. Smith doesn’t recognize you? He knew who are the HiMEs, what they look like, what are their powers…we don’t even know if he has this machine that can detect traceable amount of our powers!” Midori explained
Silence
“Ara, aren’t we supposed to wait for Kanzaki-san to come here and tell us what he has in mind?” Shizuru asked which earned her a nod of agreement from the others
“Plus, if we need to investigate, we need to be discreet about it…” Nao said and looked at Chie and Aoi, then at Takumi and Kazuya, “If we wan that, it means only the four of you will go out to search for the truth…what are their plans, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.”
“I think I get Nao and Midori’s point.” Yukariko said, “We have faced Smith before, that was before the carnival happened and he was one of those who have identified us along with our Childs during the carnival.” The ex-nun added
“How about Miyu?” Yohko asked
“Miyu-chan is from SEARRS, and so am I. We have close contact with him so it’ll be dead give away who we are.” Alyssa said
“Let us wait for them to be back here…then that’s when we plan our action.” Fumi Himeno said, “From what I can tell, and it seemed my daughter is reacting deep inside me, however Mashiro-chan helped Kanzaki was now known to Smith…”
HiMEs eyes looked at her, “Does that mean he already knows about the HiME powers being revived again?” Mai asked
Silence
“Probably…but if he learns about the power being transferred…then that would be…” Yukariko
“Unacceptable…I will kill anyone who lays a finger on my daughters…and Shizuru.” Natsuki said evilly
Silence
“We have worked together before…we can do it again.” Chie said and was seconded by Mai
“We need to know our opponents first…then the strategy…” Midori said which earned a nod from Yohko
“No one’s going to hurt our babies…” Nao whispered
“I’m dying to use Kagutsuchi again.” Mai grinned…unusually for her
-end chapter 18-
Short…and serious….hehehehe
Next chapter would be a bit longer since I will have the HiME protectors look on to the case, it’ll be not as serious as this too since after next chapter…the protectors will have to face a lunatic woman and a bunch of SEARRS experiments! Hahahaha (Ah…I’m not the lunatic woman mind you.)
The doctor is my own creation…although it was derived from my lunatic teacher’s name and the name of a movie actress she looks like, in medicine who hates my guts so much and to think I didn’t do anything to her…they said that I was too good that’s why she hates me…she likes those who say bad things when she’s not around actually.
The movie Arika mentioned was I know what you did last summer…and it’s not mine
And I already got a list of names for the babies…