Story Elfen Lied: Bonded Fates

[GojiBean]

Author's Note​

This will be an Alternate Universe short story of Elfen Lied, the central premise of which asks the question: "What if Lucy/Kaede's escape was not a premeditated effort by Professor Kakuzawa, and she never reunited with Kouta?"

Please not that this is officially a trigger warning. The original Elfen Lied is a very dark and violent manga/anime which features many sensitive topics including child abuse, gory murders, suggestions of rape/pedophelia, and more.

This written work will back off significantly from the extremity of the issues as presented in the source material. However, I realize that doing so may not be enough to prevent it from still being triggering at times to some readers.

Please proceed at your own discretion.​

Here's a summary for context of the lore, and some of the events which come before the short story begins:

The Diclonius are mutated humans resulting from a virus whose origins can be traced to the protagonist's (Lucy's) mother. They have vestigial horns on their heads, unusually bright red or pink tones in their hair, and have telekinetic abilities using 'arms' called Vectors. These arms vibrate at varying frequencies depending on the user's intention and are versatile enough to both harmlessly interact with objects in the world, tear human bodies limb from limb with little effort, and even deflect bullets making the Diclonii extremely dangerous if ever forced into defensive or combative situations.

Lucy, Queen of the Diclonius, was born to a normal human mother who was the true progenitor of the Diclonius race, and believed to be Patient 0 of the Diclonius Virus. Lucy was raised to believe that both her parents abandoned her to die as an infant. However, it was only her father who hated and tried to dispose of her. Lucy's mother spent the rest of her life searching for Lucy which, unfortunately, led her to being discovered and captured by Chief Kakuzawa of the Diclonius Research Institute once he learned of her ability to birth non-sterile Diclonius like Lucy. Her mother never reunited with Lucy as she took her own life after being forced to bear a Diclonius son to Chief Kakuzawa.

Lucy was neglected and largely ignored by the adults of her orphanage. But it was the horrible mistreatment and torment she received from the other children, who nicknamed her the 'Ox' thanks to the horns on her head, which drove her further and further into her hatred of humanity. She found and befriended a puppy who was later killed by the abusive children which caused Lucy to lash out with her Vectors for the first time painting the room red with their blood and littering it with the remains of their bodies. This traumatic event drove Lucy into an emotional breakdown before she ultimately ran away from the orphanage.

She later made a friend in a boy named Kouta whom she quickly fell in love with. Asking him to the upcoming festival she was dismayed to learn he was going with his cousin whom he said was a boy. She decided to go anyway in hopes of seeing and joining Kouta and his cousin, but found out that his cousin was, in fact, a girl. Feeling betrayed, and overwhelmed by the dense crowds and noise around her, she gave in to a mysterious voice inside her telling her if she didn't kill she would have no further reason left to live. She began a merciless killing spree of the festival goers before setting her sights on Kouta and his family as they departed. After killing his father and sister she promised to go after his cousin before Kouta tackled her to the ground and demanded she stopped killing. This reaction forced Lucy to realize that she was the reason the two of them could not be together now.

Following this event Lucy spent the next five years stealth killing the citizenry of Kamakura by using her Vectors to trigger heart attacks in some, and infecting young males with the Diclonius virus. Eventually the trail led authorities and the Diclonius Research Institute to put two and two together as they realized the rise in Diclonius birth rates ran parallel to the mysterious deaths which otherwise would normally be deemed as natural causes, and this eventually led to her capture by a man named Kurama. The reason for her capture was due to the only other friend she'd ever made, Aiko Takada, stepping in front of bullets to protect Lucy when they came for her. In exchange for Aiko receiving immediate medical treatment Lucy surrendered to Kurama. She later learned that Aiko had died of her wounds, and Kurama pushed the notion that it could have been avoided if Lucy had surrendered in the first place since humans only wanted to co-exist with them. Lucy refuted this claim and promised Kurama that he alone would live to suffer in the same way she did as she tore his world apart around him.

Lucy has spent the last three years in the Institute. Her body is strapped to a central metal pillar in the center of her chamber and wrapped in thick bindings similar to a straight jacket. She's also been forced to wear a special helmet in hopes that it would limit her Vector's effectiveness (it did/does not). With Vectors believed to be only 2 meters in length (6 and 1/2 feet), a cage was erected around the outer perimeter of her reach to protect any Staff who had to enter the room from her murderous intentions. Her violent nature prompted them to automate her feeding in order to keep Staff safe from her, as well as not to give her any chance to use the trays her food sat on as projectile weapons to kill them at range as she'd done in the past.

And so we come to the present day.

Lucy remains strapped to that pillar in the center of the room with no light, no activity, and no companionship. She is truly alone, and presumes that she will be forever in this hellish place. That is, until...

Part 1: The Meeting​

Knock, knock.

Lucy's head lifted but an inch as the intercom crackled to life.

"Lucy? Can you hear me?"

It was a male voice. Youthful and bright with an energy to it she hadn't heard in the other Staff who'd come into the room before. Probably another dumb newbie who thought she wasn't as dangerous as they claimed.

"Lucy?"

She lowered her head, but was surprised to hear him chuckle over the intercom.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk. I just wanted to let you know I'm coming in, okay? I'll be there in just a sec."

The intercom croaked and died before the sound of the heavy metal doors of her chamber opened, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the cage.

"Hi Lucy. I'm Takeshi. Takeshi Shirahama. I'm going to be your new caretaker starting today."

Once again she lifted her head about an inch, seeing him through the VR-like screen inside the helmet as it had no actual holes for her eyes to see through normally. This was an intentional design in an effort to limit her vision and throw off her depth perception.

He was young. But not overly so. Probably her age. Maybe a bit older. He had a nice face. Clean shaven with no marks. Black hair which was kept short and spiky. The only thing she couldn't really make out was the color of his eyes. They were hard enough to see through the screen. But the dim lighting wasn't helping either.

"I'm sure there's at least a small part of you wondering why someone would be your caretaker after they went through the trouble of automating your feeding and all that, right?"

She lowered her head.

"Well, I volunteered. It's nice to meet you."

Volunteered? He was either insane, stupid, or both. Surely he knew what she'd done to the others and why she was in a big empty cage like this?

"I know it probably sounds like a stupid thing to do. But I don't think it is."

... He was definitely stupid.

"You know, Lucy. They call you 'Diclonius.' But to I can't say that I see the difference between you and a normal girl your age."

Was he serious?

"You look human to me. Horns or no. Everyone's different in some way. That's part of the beauty of what it means to be human. You know?"

Human. If that word meant anything, it meant 'evil.'

"Don't call me that."

Her voice came out as little more than a muffled, hoarse whisper through the helmet.

"Hm? Oh, sorry. One moment. I have to turn on your helmet's microphone... Uh... One sec."

Was he serious?

He brought out a cell phone and frantically tapped its screen before finding what he was looking for.

"There we go. What was that, Lucy?"

"... I said, 'don't call me that.'"

"Call you what?"

"Human."

"Are you not?"

"I'm a Diclonius. And you humans are the reason that me and the other Diclonius kill like we do. We wanted to live in this world normally. But you hate us, and you're afraid of us. If you can't destroy us then you do this to us." She lifted her head and turned it, indicating the cage.

"If this is what it means to be human, I don't want it. I'd prefer to kill you and take my place in this world for myself." She growled.

Takeshi's face dropped, as did his voice which became much softer and less energetic.

"... You're right."

She blinked.

"Humans can be cruel, hateful, and destructive creatures. Many of us give in to our inner demons and choose violence and war over peace. And instead of accepting our differences, many of us instead push vilify each other and say awful things to try and justify when hateful words or actions are taken against others. It's honestly disgusting."

She couldn't argue. The Diclonius were either killed or imprisoned by humans at birth and given no chance to just live their lives. And it was all the fault of 'humanity.' If anything, he was just proving her point.

"If you know the evil of humanity, then why are you standing there trying to act nice?"

He lifted his head and tried to smile, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"I guess I'm just one of those weirdos who wants to be different, Lucy. When I came to work here I thought I was going to be an intern for a Children With Special Needs Development program. They didn't tell me that the children here were Diclonius, or that they have Vectors, or that they experiment on you all in vicious and cruel ways."

"Then why are you still here?"

"No choice." He chuckled.

No choice? Who was he trying to fool? These humans always had a choice. And the always made the wrong one.

"They wouldn't let me leave because by the time I asked to, I'd seen too much of the operation. After all, they have a reputation to protect back home. So, even though I reject what they're doing morally and don't want to participate in it, my only choices are to either do my job or sleep with the fishes. They even took me to the docks and threw me into the ocean at gunpoint as an example of how easy it would be to just drop my services and let me find my way back home across hundreds of miles of open water."

"This just proves my point more."

"To some degree, yes. I like to believe there are more people like me out there who know this is wrong and would never do anything like this to others. And I think, on some level, you do too. After all, I was briefed on the details of your capture. You'd made a friend who was killed by Kurama and his men, right? So you've seen the goodness in humanity at least once."

No reply.

"There are a lot more people like that girl out there, Lucy. People who would see you and think you're beautiful, and worth their time to interact with like anyone else. People who would be your friends, and show you respect and kindness without any thought of compensation. Humanity is full of good people trying to do the right thing. But for every good person out there, there's probably at least one bad one who don't care to do the right thing. And, unfortunately, they're usually the first to take action. And by the time we come around and say they're wrong they've already got a stranglehold on the issue and have brought more to their side than we can fight back against. And it's pretty much like that no matter where in the world you go."

His thinking was pathetic.

"If there were more like her than like here in this place, I wouldn't be here right now. And the Diclonius wouldn't be the subject of your experiments and cruelty. Honestly, I prefer just killing you and carving out a place in this world for myself and my Diclonius brethren. And once I get out of here I'll be able to do just that."

"Maybe this is me being dumb, but I honestly don't think you'll kill me, Lucy."

"Why not?"

"I think on some level or another all Diclonius want to live a normal life knowing kindness, respect, and all of the other good behaviors that we humans take for granted amongst ourselves."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, you're not the only Diclonius I'm the caretaker of. Granted, the others are younger than you. Still children, for the most part. The oldest is fourteen. But they're learning to trust me. The youngest even let me pat her on the head the other day after finishing the meal I prepped for her."

"You think That's a show of trust?"

"I do, Lucy. She used to flinch when I reached out to her. But she doesn't anymore."

"That doesn't mean she trusts you."

"Perhaps not yet. But it's a step in the right direction. They're learning what kindness is, little by little. And I'm hoping to be able to help you remember what kindness is too, Lucy. You deserve it."
... 'You deserve it.' After the things he obviously knew she'd done, he feels she deserves kindness? He truly was stupid. And insane. Nobody could ever think that she deserved kindness after all the mass murder she'd committed.

"I'll be back later with a proper meal for you. I'm not a fan of that slop they feed you through the automated system."

"Don't bother. I'll just kill you once the tray is close enough."

He chuckled.

"I see. Then I guess you don't want me to take off that helmet so you can eat properly?"

The helmet. They were dumb enough to think it could weaken her Vectors. But it was uncomfortable. And she'd never figured out how to remove the damn thing. It was resistant to her Vectors when she tired to destroy it, for some reason. Was that the true purpose of it? That it could resist and would force her to see the world through a distorted lens so she had a harder time killing than normal? She hadn't given it all that much thought before this. But if he could remove it... He'd be that much easier to kill once she could see properly.

"Fine. But like I said, don't be surprised when I kill you once the helmet's off."

"Not a problem, Lucy. I'll see you later."

With that he turned and left the room, leaving Lucy with the only companion she'd known for the last three years... Silence.

Hours passed. But it was nothing new. They promised regular feeding but would routinely make excuses for the automated feeder to "break down" so she'd go sometimes days without any food. Curiously the water always worked. Mechanical failures were rather selective in this place. And-

Creak.

The big metal doors opened.

"Good evening, Lucy. I brought dinner, as promised."

He carried a tray with quite a lot of food on it and stopped right outside the cage.

"I got a bit carried away and made too much. So, I hope you're hungry. If not I can help you finish whatever you can't eat. No sense wasting good food, you know?"

"Remember what I told you earlier, human."

"I remember. You said I shouldn't be surprised if you kill me when the helmet comes off."

"'When' I kill you."

"Ah, of course. My mistake."

No mistake. He was trying to save himself like the others did. They'd all begged for their lives in some way, even if it was just in their eyes.

Anyway, I thought we'd talk a bit before I give you your meal, if that's okay?"
And there it was. The promise of feeding, but conditionally. Always conditionally.

"What do you want now?"

"I'd like to do a trust exercise with you, Lucy."

"You can't be serious."

"I am. I did this with the other Diclonius as well. All I'd like to do is walk into the cage and be allowed to stand there for ten seconds without getting mangled. Will you allow me to?"

"Fine. Get it over with."

If he was actually going to take this blasted helmet off it'd be worth humoring him for ten measly seconds.

"You got it."

He opened the cage and walked inside. But what was strange to Lucy was that he was smiling at her. And not in a snarky or condescending way. He was smiling like... No. She shouldn't think about that. It was a long time ago. This was different. Completely different.

"There we go. Thanks, Lucy."

That went by faster than expected. Perhaps the memories had distorted her perception of time?

"So, that's it?"

"That was it!"

"And what purpose did that serve?"

... Wait. Why did she care to know?

"Just a little trust exercise. I trusted you not to kill me for the ten seconds I was allowed into the cage. And you didn't kill me. So, as far as I'm concerned, my trust in you was validated."

"And what am I supposed to get out of it?"

"Dinner, and the removal of your helmet, of course." He chuckled.

He picked up the dinner tray and walked inside the cage again.

Kill him.

The voice. It was back. She hadn't heard it in quite a long time while sitting in silence in this room. But now that she wasn't alone it had come back, like before.

Kill him, now. He's just toying with you like the others did. And he'll betray and hurt you just like the others did.

"I know." She muttered.

"Hm? Did you say something, Lucy?"

She hadn't even realized he was already in front of her and reaching up towards the helmet.

"Just give me one sec. This stupid thing is tricky since I can't see the mechanism."

He was so close. His face was so close. She could rip him in half, decapitate him, or whatever else she wanted right here, right now. He truly was the epitome of what it meant for a human to be stupid, wasn't he? And the moment that helmet came off...

"Hm... I can't feel the mechanism. I wonder if your helmet's modified compared to the others?"

Excuses.

"Mind turning your head a bit? I think it'll help if I can see it."

Lucy slowly turned her head, but kept him in the peripheral view of the screen inside her helmet.

"Hmmmm... Dammit. It is modified. But I think I know how to get around it. One moment. I have to get something."

He stepped away and started fiddling with his pants pockets before pulling out some kind of card.

"This oughta do it."

He came forward again and started tapping and swiping the card against the helmet.

"You're mocking me, human."

"Nope. Just-" BEEP. "There we go!"

The helmet suddenly loosened around her head, and he lifted it slowly off and took a step away while tucking it under his arm.

Her long deep pink hair flowed down around her shoulders and chest while her bangs hid most of her face from view.

"How's that, Lucy? Feel any better now that it's off?"

"... You're still standing there even after I told you I'd kill you."

"Trust, Lucy."

Lucy lifted her head, and her crimson red eyes peeked out from beneath her bangs.

"You're about as foolish a human as I've ever encountered to think you can trust me."

"I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"I can change that."

"I know you can. But even so, I trust you the same as I trust the other Diclonius who are under my care. None of you are monsters. And I don't believe you're inherently murderers either. You kill to protect yourselves, and to get back at the humans who've hurt you. But I don't want to hurt you, Lucy. All my life I've wanted to show others that there's someone out there who will care for them when the rest of the world turns its back. That's why I volunteered to come here, even if it was under false pretenses. I thought I'd be taking care of special needs children whose parents abandoned or gave up on them. And in a way, I think I'm still fulfilling that role. Almost all the Diclonius children here at the facility were willingly given up by their parents. And all of them need someone who's willing to step into the role their parents left behind. You know?"

What the hell was wrong with him? Diclonius needing someone to step into their parents' role? Ridiculous.

He tossed the helmet aside and turned to pick up her dinner plate, holding it up for her to see the spread. And she had to admit that it smelled really good... So much so that her mouth started watering, though she did everything she could to hide it and swallow the gathering saliva. Part of the meal looked familiar, too. Were those rice balls?

"You have to be starving. Go ahead. Eat up."

She wanted to...

"My meals have been poisoned before. How do I know this one isn't?"

He set the tray on his left hand and used his right to pick up one of the rice balls.

"Would it help if I took a bite first to prove it's safe?"

She said nothing. But her glare spoke volumes as he took a bite out of the rice ball, chewed, and swallowed.

"There. If it is poisoned them I'm going to suffer too. But if this sweet flavor is suffering, then I'd love to suffer more."

Damn this human! The rice ball was immediately lifted out of his hand and brought up to her mouth by one of her vectors. And she devoured it in short order. By the time she'd finished the last grain she stole a glance at him to see him smiling again.

"Is this funny to you?"

He shook his head.

"No, Lucy. I'm just happy that you've finally had the chance to eat real food again. Like I said before, I'm not a fan of the slop their automated feeder gives you. They say it's packed with everything you need. But it's just tasteless mush."

"How do you know what it tastes like?"

"Because I tried it myself. It was bland and had basically no taste to it whatsoever. It didn't even leave me feeling full when I was done, despite how much there was in the bowl."

He wasn't wrong. It was tasteless, and left them wanting more. Did he really eat it? Bah. Who cared anymore? She continued devouring bite after bite of the food on the tray until only a few scraps remained. Her belly was full for the first time in... She couldn't even remember when she was last full. But the satisfaction. The taste still on her tongue. There was a warm feeling flowing through her body as she let out a deep breath and looked up from beneath her bangs.

"Good?"

"... You have five seconds to leave the cage before I kill you."

"Message received."

He backed out of the cage and locked the door again.

"I'll have breakfast prepared for you tomorrow morning. Anything special you'd like?"

"No."

"Fair enough. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Lucy. Goodnight."

And with that, he was gone again leaving her, once again, in silence.

Why didn't you kill him?!

"I... Don't know."

You're letting that smile get to you, aren't you? He smiled at you like that too. And look where that got you.

"Leave me alone."

Don't start going soft on these humans. They don't deserve it. When he brings you your breakfast you need to kill him. Otherwise you're just going to get hurt again.

"Go. Away."

The voice ceased. It was the same as when she was a child after the puppy was killed. It urged her to kill and assured her it was justified. But part of her always knew it wasn't. But after everything she'd been through she couldn't be bothered to care anymore. The humans had hurt her enough. If they wanted mercy they should have given it to her when she asked for it. But now, it was too late. There was no mercy left in her to give.

He'd learn that tomorrow.

 

[GojiBean]

The heavy doors opened forcing Lucy to look away as the light assaulted her eyes.

"Good morning, Lucy!"

He was back. Great.

"I hope you slept well."

She looked up from under her bangs, but said nothing.

"That good, huh? Well, hopefully your breakfast cheers you up. Mind if I bring it in?"

"Set it down and get out." She growled.

"Seems someone's not a morning person, eh?"

He set her tray down with part of it just inside the bars of the cage and watched as it was pulled into the cage by her unseen Vectors before being lifted up so she could eat. Watching with a smile he waited patiently for her to finish before the trap was thrown at him.

"Whoa!" He gasped, just barely dodging the throw.

"Phew! That would've hurt. Thanks for giving me a chance, there."

"It won't happen again, human."

"Duly noted. Is there anything special you'd like for dinner tonight when I see you next?"

"Get out."

"I'll have to ask the chef about that one. I don't think 'get out' is normally on the menu."

Silence.

He left the room with a wave leaving Lucy alone in the darkness, when...

"Pffft."

Was that a laugh?

"Hm? No."

You can't lie to me, you know. You laughed.

"So?"

It wasn't funny.

"I thought it was."

A human made you laugh?

"Not the human. The joke."

Since when did you care for jokes?

"When I was younger."

With Kouta?

"... Just go to sleep."

Silence became her companion once more, along with a weight in her heart that she couldn't seem to relieve herself of.

Meanwhile, Takeshi strolled down the hall passing a few Staff who gave him wary looks as they passed.

"Oh! Hey Aaron!"

"Takeshi! Still alive, eh?"

"So far!"

Aaron was a tall man of African descent, and worked as one of the Leads in Staff Development. He handled Takeshi's training personally leading the two to have a friendly relationship.

"How're the wife and kids?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old. I'll be heading back to the mainland to see them pretty soon."

"Lucky you."

"Hey. Give it time, man. They'll let you go back to the mainland eventually."

"Under guard?"

"Probably at first, yeah."

"Heh. All right Aaron. I gotta go. Take care."

"You too, Tak."

The two clasped hands and shook before going their separate ways in the hall. Takeshi stopped in front of a pair of double doors with the number 12 on them. Taking a deep breath he swiped his card to open the door and walked inside.

Despite having met this Diclonius several times before, seeing the condition she was in still broke his heart. She was one of the more obedient Diclonius. Calm and passive. Whenever it was time for experiments she resigned herself to them and offered no resistance. She went wherever she was led. Kept her mouth shut. And always had a distant look in her eyes. Since she was so passive and obedient they let her wander the room freely with no chains. But she still always sat in the center of the room where the outline of anchor hooks used to be for the chains which bound her when she first was brought to the cell.

Takeshi took a breath and walked up to her, kneeling down and smiling as he spoke softly.

"Hey there, twelve. You feeling okay today?"

She nodded.

"I was just about to go to the kitchen for your breakfast. Same as before?"

Again, she nodded.

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."

He reached out a hand, palm up, and she reached out to briefly put her hand on his fingers before it fell limply to the floor almost as soon as contact was made.

Takeshi left the room and swallowed the lump in his throat before proceeding to fetch her meal and bring it back to her. Once in her room again he set the tray down and sat across from her while she slowly ate her meal one calculated bite at a time.

"You really don't say much still, huh?"

She shook her head.

"Is it because you don't want to talk?"

Again, she shook her head.

"Are you afraid I'll get mad at something you say?"

Hesitation. But a nod followed.

"I won't get mad, twelve. I promise."

She held her her food in front of her mouth for a long moment before finally taking another bite.

"I'm pretty sure I've asked before. But do you have a name, twelve? I'd like to address you by your name if you remember having one before you were brought here."

She shook her head.

"Hm. Would you like me to give you a name?"

No response. She only continued to eat her food.

"I'll do some thinking and see if I can come up with anything, okay? Everyone should have a name."

She shrugged and finished her meal, pushing the tray towards him and sitting back staring at the floor.

"You're a good girl, twelve. You finished everything. Well done."

He reached out and held his hand open again, and just like last time she reached out and patted his hand before letting her own fall to the floor.

He wanted desperately to give her a hug. But he knew she wasn't ready. He had to continue being patient, as she seemed to be one of the more extreme cases of this disassociative behavior.

"Okay. Take care, twelve. I'll be back with your dinner later tonight."

She nodded, and Takeshi left the room and leaned on the wall holding his stomach. He didn't want to think about how they'd treated her before he arrived and volunteered to be her caretaker. To have distanced herself from the world so completely at this young age... He shook his head. He could change things. He could bring the life back to her eyes. They both just needed time. That was all.

Walking down the hall, and a few turns later, and he was in front of a door that had the number 6 on them. Walking inside, this Diclonius was even younger. Only six years old, and less obedient than twelve was. However, she was calm enough that she was held only by one chain around her left ankle. She hadn't awoken her Vectors fully yet, either. So there wasn't any danger of him being torn apart... Yet. He took a breath and approached as she rubbed her eyes while she sat up.

"Morning, six. How'd you sleep?"

"Mmrmph."

"That good, huh?" He chuckled as he sat down in front of her.

"Here. Let me take a look at you."

She lifted her head, and Takeshi saw that a bruise under her jaw on the left was healing nicely. Apparently, shortly before he was assigned to her she'd "taken a fall" while being moved to one of the experiment rooms. He didn't buy it, as the angle of the bruise indicated something hitting her from above rather than below as it would if she fell on it. Still. It was doing much better. That was progress.

"I'm about to get your breakfast. Anything special you want?"

"Rice balls."

He smiled.

"You really like rice balls, don't you?"

She nodded.

"Okay. I'll go get you some rice balls and some other goodies, okay? Be right back."

She made no comments to his departure. And when he returned she'd shifted positions and was now sitting cross legged waiting for him.

"Here you go, six."

He sat down and handed her the tray, to which she immediately began stuffing her face with the rice balls first, ignoring all other food items. He couldn't help but laugh to himself.

"I think you have an experiment today in the afternoon, right six?"

She glanced at him and nodded while continuing to devour her meal.

"I see." He said more softly, looking over at the one-way window. "Well, I hope it goes by fast and doesn't hurt too much."

"It always hurts." She muttered.

His eyes and lips both closed and squeezed together as his jaw tightened.

"Sorry, six."

"I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't be."

She shrugged as she finished her meal and looked up at him.

"All done?"

She nodded.

"All right, then. Take care, six. I'll be back with your dinner later tonight, okay?"

She nodded and looked at his hand warily as he extended it to her. But after a moment she reached out and put her hand in his for a few seconds before retracting it.

Takeshi moved on to his next Diclonius. And it was this on that made him the most excited of the bunch, as well as gave him the most hope that he could succeed in his quest to make their lives better, and give them that taste of kindness that they'd been so sorely lacking for whoever knew how long. Number 40. Eight years old. But bright as a star and eager to socialize. From the moment the doors opened she was on her feet smiling as Takeshi walked inside. She also was free to roam without chains given her friendly and social nature compared to the others.

"Hey, forty. How're you doing today?"

"Hi Takeshi! I'm good!" She chirped.

"Glad to hear it."

He reached out and patted her head, which she seemed to happily accept as she closed her eyes and giggled at the gesture.

"Did you think about a name?"

"Yep! I came up with a good one, too!"

"Oh? Well, don't keep me in suspense. What name would you like me to call you?"

"My name is... Na na naaaa~!..." She twirled in place before coming to a stop and posing like a bird with its wings out. "Robin!"

"Ah, I see. Like the birds?"

"Yep!"

That's a good name, Robin." He gave her another pat on the head which she accepted the same as before.

"So, anything special for breakfast today?"

"Are there any burgers?"

"I can certainly ask. Just in case they don't have any, is there something else you'd like as a backup?"

"Mmmm... Waffles!"

He chuckled.

"Burgers or waffles, it is. I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

"Mkay!"

Robin started dancing and humming as Takeshi left. And as the doors closed he couldn't stop himself from smiling. That was what things were more supposed to be like. A cheerful, happy go lucky girl unafraid of him or what would happen when he reached out for her. She was the proof that he was doing the right thing. She was the proof that he could bring joy and kindness to their lives and give them reason to smile and hope for something better. And she was the proof that Diclonius, just like humans, truly were social beings who just needed the right person to welcome them with open arms before they could begin to blossom into who they were truly meant to be.

He returned with two burgers and a big waffle for Robin who was over the moon and hopping with joy when he set the tray down. She wolfed the meal and got up to continue dancing and humming while Takeshi soaked it all in with a smile. Come time to leave, Robin trotted in a circle around Takeshi before giving him a hi five and letting him leave.

As the hours passed, he kept watch on Lucy through the monitors in his office. She didn't do much of anything the entire time. Once or twice she used her Vectors to move her bangs. But that was about it. Otherwise, it was almost as if she was catatonic when she was left alone. But one thing which did catch his eye was when he saw her mouth moving. She wasn't talking loud enough to have it picked up by the microphones in the room. But she was muttering something. Chances of him learning what it was? Probably nil, for now. Best to leave it alone and focus on food.

Speaking of.

"Good evening, Lucy. I brought dinner for you."

He set the tray down at the edge of the cage and took a step back.

"More distance, this time?"

"Well, you did tell me get out of the cage this morning when I dropped off your breakfast. I figured you'd want me to do the same while you ate dinner."

"Hmph."

"Obviously, I couldn't find any 'get out' on the menu in the kitchen. But I think I found a suitable replacement."

She paused momentarily before taking her first bite.

"Good?"

She ignored him and ate in silence. Once finished, she tossed the tray at his feet, which he picked up and tucked under his arm.

"By the way. I know they call you 'Lucy' here. But that's not you real name, is it?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I've read your file. You were at an orphanage for a long time. They're legally obligated to provide you with a name if one isn't chosen by your parents for the sake of birth records. I'm just wondering if you'd-"

"Lucy is good enough for you."

"Oh."

"Leave. Now."

"... Okay."

"Stop trying to be nice to me, human. It doesn't suit you."

Takeshi smiled, albeit weakly.

"It's who I am, Lucy."

"We'll see."

Leaving the room felt like he was coming back from a tour in the alps. If anything, it felt like Lucy was getting colder. She at least spoke to him a bit more during their first couple meetings. But now she was trying to ignore him or end conversations as soon as they started.

"Patience, Takeshi. Patience. She'll come around. Eventually."

He just had to keep trying. So long as she wasn't killing him, he knew there was still a chance.

For now, it was time to bring dinner to the others.

 

[GojiBean]

Why do you refuse to kill this one?

"Go to sleep."

Why? You haven't hesitated to kill anyone since that one girl.

"Don't talk about her."

She died anyway since they didn't help her fast enough. And you know what? I think they did it on purpose.

"Just go to sleep!"

You can't silence me. I'm always here. Watching. Worrying.

"Worrying? You?"

Of course. You and I are one, much as you hate to admit it. What happens to you happens to me, too. I feel your pain every second of every day.

"Is that why you told me to go after Kouta's family?"

I was trying to protect you. He betrayed your feelings, after all.

"I don't believe that."

Yes, you do. I can feel it.

"Shut up and go to sleep already."

Next time that guy comes back you have to kill him. He won't stop this nice guy crap. He won't stop trying to hurt you. End it now. Or you'll regret it. Like everything else in your life.

"SHUT UP!!"

Her voice echoed through the empty room as the doors opened, forcing her to squint and look to the side.

"You say something, Lucy?"

No reply.

"I have dinner for you. Freshly grilled lamb chops with some eggs, a light salad, and a rice ball. I hope you like it!"

He set the tray down and sat next to it.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Hm? I'm having a seat. I've been on my feet a bit longer than usual today, and I could use a rest."

"You're not afraid of me killing you?"

"Well... I think I'll always be a little scared of that possibility. But right now, I think I'm okay."

"Presumptuous of you." She said as she raised the tray up to eat.

"Maybe a little." He chuckled.

As Lucy ate in silence Takeshi took note of the bags under her eyes and the greasy appearance of her hair.

"Lucy, when's the last time you bathed?"

Lucy paused mid-bite and looked at him rather aghast.

"Sorry. I don't mean to offend or embarrass you. It's just that you look really tired, for one. And your hair doesn't look like it's been washed in quite some time. Do they not bathe you?"

She finished her bite and swallowed. "No."

"Hm. Mind if I at least help wash your hair sometime?"

"I do mind, actually."

"You sure? It'll feel really good when it's all clean and soft and-"

"I said NO!"

The food zipped past his head at alarming speed causing Takeshi to flinch. Lucy's glare hardened as she slowly raised the next morsel up, but kept her eyes glued to him the entire time.

"Sorry, Lucy. I was just trying to help make you comfortable."

"Comfortable?" She practically spat the word at him. "What about this looks comfortable to you?"

"None of it. That's why I was hoping you'd let me wash your hair. It won't be much. But I promise it'd feel better if I washed it for you. Even a little extra comfort is better than nothing, right?"

The food she'd been holding suddenly burst.

"Stop! Trying! To be nice!!"

Her breathing sped up and grew deeper.

"Lucy? Calm down, okay?"

"Don't you tell me to calm down, human!!"

The bars on the front of the cage suddenly had human hand prints in them. And they were right beside his head which was much closer than he thought they were. He couldn't see the Vectors. But to know that they were that close this whole time...

"Okay, Lucy. Okay." He said softly.

"You read files. You hear things. But you don't know what I've been through. You don't know how much I hate you humans. You could never know."

He wanted to speak. But his vocal cords had frozen on him.

"I told you to stop being nice. But you keep trying anyway. You said you wanted to bring kindness. But how can you be kind if you keep ignoring my request?!"

For that, he had no answer. And she had a point. Kindness wasn't ignoring the requests of others. It meant respecting them. Takeshi slumped forward, elbows on his knees, and lowered his head.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I'll respect your wishes from now on."

"The next time you bring me a meal just set it down and leave. You can pick up the tray when you bring dinner. And vice versa. It's food in exchange for your life."

"Okay."

Takeshi felt his chest hollowing with every word she spoke. The others, especially Robin, were at least receptive to his efforts. Some in more subtle ways than others. But they all at least seemed to be wanting to trust him, even if they remained guarded. But Lucy... She wanted none of it. She was eighteen, according to the file. But despite still being young she showed no signs whatsoever of wanting to adjust her way of thinking. Was she already too far gone?

"Leave."

He nodded and left the room.

You still didn't kill him.

"Shut up."

You were right there. Your Vectors were inches away. One swipe and it would be over.

"Shut. Up."

You stupid girl! You insist on furthering your own pain by letting him live! I don't get it!

"No. You don't."

The voice went silent, as did Lucy. Her breathing slowly returned to normal. But as it did she realized she wasn't feeling how she thought she'd feel after finally telling him off.

"Why?" She muttered as her head slowly dipped.

The next few days were a bit of a blur. Takeshi did exactly as asked. He entered silently, set her tray down where she could reach it, and then promptly left the room. Lucy would eat and set the tray down, and that would be it. Just... That. For days.

Takeshi, meanwhile, had made more progress with the others. Twelve had finally seemed to wake up a bit and there was some actual life in her eyes. She still wasn't ready for more than the brief hi-five like touch as far as contact was concerned. But progress was progress. Six had also progressed, slightly. She was making more eye contact and speaking in full rather than partial or condensed sentences. Not much contact there, either. But again, progress was progress. And he was happy to see any improvement. But once again it was Robin who was his shining light in the darkness. She had, entirely on her own, come forward to give him a hug after finishing her latest dinner. It was such a sweet moment Takeshi nearly burst into tears on the spot, and had to fight to hold them back even as he left and walked down the hall.

Sitting in his office, Takeshi was caught off guard when Aaron knocked and entered the room.

"Hey, Tak. I'm about to take off for the mainland. Wanted to say "bye" while I had the chance."

"Oh, hey Aaron. Yeah. Take care, and enjoy your family time."

"Yeah... You okay, Tak? You seem a bit deflated."

"Oh, no. I'm fine."

"Ya sure? You really don't seem like yourself, man."

"Mm. Just issues with Lucy."

"Ooohh. You still tryin' ta play nice with her?"

"Yeah."

"Want some advice?"

"I'll take any I can get."

Aaron chuckled and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Give her time. Me and my wife've had a lot of fights, even before we got married. A lot of days where we just don't talk. But we always manage to find a way to break the ice and start talking again. And everything will be good until the next one. After all, life's about compromise, brother. As my wife says to me every time, trust the process. Even Lucy's gotta have some sliver in her heart that wants to be treated nicely and have a friend again. Cause nobody out there's actually a stone cold loner who doesn't need some kind of contact with others. Ya know?"

"I want to think so. Yeah."

"Then buck up, little man. Give her time, and keep bringing her good food. Eventually either she'll say somethin' to you, or she'll let you talk to her again. She might still be cold at first. But I'll say it again: trust the process."

The two clasped arms, and Aaron left to return home to the mainland.

"Trust the process, Takeshi. Trust the process."

He was still down. But he wasn't out. And he was lucky to have friends like Aaron who knew better and were here to let him know that things were okay. He just had to wait out Lucy's anger. Surely, in her heart of hearts, she did want a friend again. She did want to experience kindness again. And he'd be ready when that time came.

Like he'd told her before, she deserved that kindness.

 

[GojiBean]

The days continued to pass. Some things changed. Others stayed the same.

Lucy was as antisocial as ever. But something seemed to be going on with her. He noticed her talking to herself a lot on the cameras, though he could never quite hear what she was saying. He also had poured over the footage of his visits and he noticed that she was becoming a bit more fidgety when he showed up.

"Hm. What's going on there?" He wondered aloud.

But the others continued to progress, little by little. Twelve had finally said her first real sentences to Takeshi which weren't grunts, mumbles, or one-word responses. He gave her a smile and a little hi five for that which seemed to make her at least a little happy if the slight upturn in her lips was any indication. He wasn't exactly a good reader of faces. But he could swear he saw a smile.

Six was beginning to accept more contact, and had allowed Takeshi to pat her head. The first time he did she flinched. But once his hand gently rested on her head she relaxed and opened her eyes. He smiled and told her everything would be all right, and that this gesture was never meant to cause pain. She let out a sigh as she closed her eyes and leaned forward into his hand, which he thought was sweet and only reaffirmed what he'd believed all along.

These young Diclonius really were just kids who needed the same parental affection and supervision any other human child needed in order to become who they were truly meant to be.

Robin, as always, was chipper and welcoming of him from the moment he walked in the door. She would race forward and jump at him to give him a hug, and he'd hoist her up and carry her back to the center of the room to sit down in a new chair he'd managed to bring to the room for her so she didn't have to sit on the floor all the time. His requests to bring a mattress for her to sleep on were continually rejected, however. The reasoning was bullshit, too. "No budget." They had budget enough to build these massive chambers which were supposed to be strong enough to prevent them escaping despite the power of their Vectors. They had the budget for automated feeding dispensaries, big ass cages, high tech cameras and microphones, major office workstation controls, etc. But nothing for a stupid mattress?

Another day, another breakfast for Lucy. He walked in and said "hello," as per usual, and set the tray down before stepping back. But as he tried he was pulled back inside the cage and shoved against the door frame.

"Um, Lucy? Is everything all right?"

The grip on his shirt tightened.

"You said you wanted to show me kindness."

"Yes. And I do want to."

"Do you have any idea how many lives I've taken?"

"No."

"Did you know that nearly all of them were innocent of any crimes? That they died for no other reason than my anger or desire to replace humanity with Diclonius?"

"No."

"Then why? Why do you think I 'deserve' kindness?"

He was released somewhat forcefully but managed to keep his balance as he stood up straight.

"Nobody's perfect, Lucy. And even the worst criminal offenders have a chance to change their ways. But it's up to them to want to make that change. And some of them do and end up reworking themselves back into society and live happy and productive lives."

Her jaw tightened.

"Sometimes all anyone needs is a second chance, you know?"

One of her Vectors, almost unconsciously, reached towards his throat.

"I sure did."

Her Vector stopped short.

"What?" She asked.

"I needed a second chance, Lucy. Not because I necessarily did anything criminally bad, of course. But... In my mind I did something worse than that."

"... And what was that?"

"I gave up."

"On what?"

"Everything. Remember how I said I've wanted to show others that there's something willing to show them kindness when the rest of the world turns its back?"

"Yes."

"Well, there was a time, years ago, where I gave up on that. I stopped caring. I'd been trying so hard to be kind to everyone that I kept getting laughed at, ridiculed in public, beaten up, and told off by everyone that eventually I stopped seeing any reason to go on with it. I actually started to think that kindness was overrated, and that people didn't deserve it unless they were willing to give it first."

Her Vector was retracted, and Lucy lifted her head slightly.

"Those were dark days for me. Nothing like what you've experienced, I'm sure. But I was completely alone. No parents, as they died a long time ago. No siblings. No real friends outside of one or two work colleagues at the time who were more acquaintances who tolerated me rather than liked or cared about me. No pets. Nothing. Just me in a tiny apartment living day to day with nothing to do. No purpose. No passion. No future."

Her head drooped.

"Eventually I grew tired of it all and started lashing out. When I passed people who'd been mean to me before I literally spat in their faces and kept walking. If they came after me to fight, I would fight. I almost never won, since I've always been a bit on the scrawny side. But I fought anyway. Eventually they started ignoring me whenever we passed on the street. And to be honest, at the time, I preferred it that way. Better to be ignored than targeted, you know?"

"..."

"But you know what changed all that? What brought me out of that dark time and into what I consider to be the best days of my life?"

She looked up through her bangs.

"This place."

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. What could possibly be so great about this place?

"Granted, it was a lie to get me here so they'd have another body for their labor force. But the promise they made when they sent me a job proposal was that I'd be taking care of special needs kids abandoned by their parents. When I got that proposal it made me feel like someone out there cared as much as I used to. That they were going out of their way to try and make life better for these kids. It wasn't their fault their parents abandoned them. And it wasn't their fault that the rest of the world turned its back on them, either."

Why? She thought.

"For once I saw someone sharing the passion for kindness I always held onto before the darkness came for me. Someone out there wanted to make a difference in the lives of kids who, through no fault of their own, were abandoned and turned away by the rest of the world. That was the sort of kindness I always wanted to share with people. And as soon as I saw the proposal had a deadline I accepted it immediately."

"... Why?"

"When I got here, obviously things weren't as advertised. For a moment I thought I'd slip back into the darkness again. But when I saw a Diclonius child being painfully experimented on and screaming for it to stop, I knew I was in the right place. Even here, in this hellish prison, I could make the difference I always wanted to make. I could help these kids."

"Why?"

"And I think I can help you too, Lucy."

"Why?!?"

Her voice echoed throughout the room before all fell to silence. Her eyes were wide with a furrowed brow while his were calm and devoid of any confusion, anger, or fear.

"... Why did this place give you a second chance?"

"I don't know, Lucy. I only know that when I got that proposal to work here I knew I had to accept."

"Even after the experiments. Even after you saw what we can do to you humans?"

"Yes."

"You can't see them. But my Vectors are right in front of your throat. I could tear your head off at any time, and it'd be as easy as tearing a piece of paper."

"I know you can, Lucy."

"Then why aren't you afraid?"

"Because that's what kindness is, Lucy."

"Wha-... What does that even mean?"

"You have the power to kill me whenever you like. But you haven't, so far. That, in and of itself, is a form of kindness on your part. No matter your reasons for doing so, you've refused to kill me. And that makes me happy."

Lucy's chest started to tighten, and her breathing grew deeper.

"I don't understand. This doesn't make any sense! I'm NOT kind!"

"Yes, you are, Lucy. You've been kind to me and let me live even though you have every reason not to, given all that's happened to you."

"Shut up!"

One of her Vectors grabbed his shirt and pushed him against the cage again. But he didn't yell out. He didn't flinch. He didn't even grimace. He...reached for her.

Lucy's eyes widened as Takeshi's hand came to rest on what would be the wrist of the Vector that was holding him.

"It's okay, Lucy."

"What is-..."

"It's okay."

His thumb caressed the back of the Vector's hand, and she could feel it almost as if it was her own hand.

"... No." She whimpered.

Her head drooped, hiding her face behind her bangs as the Vector let go of him.

"It's not okay... I've-... I've killed so many people... Children..."

"It's okay." He whispered as he stepped towards her.

Drip...

Looking down, Takeshi saw a single drop of liquid on the floor. And when he looked up Lucy's eyes were brimming with tears as she spoke through a clenched jaw.

"Don't tell me 'it's okay.' It's NOT okay!" She screamed as she began squirming frantically in the straight jacket.

"You should hate me!! You should be afraid of me!! You should never have come inside this cage!! I could have killed you!! I SHOULD HAVE killed you!!!"

Do it, then. Kill him.

He knew it was a risk, but it was now or never. Consequences be damned.

"Just stay away from me!!!!"

Her Vectors flew out in all directions warping the cage and shaking the room. But suddenly... Silence.

Lucy's eyes opened wide as she felt something soft against her cheek. When she looked, it was his hand. But it wasn't just that. There was blood on the cage. His blood. Her Vectors had sliced his forehead, shoulder, and one of his legs, and they'd also gouged his stomach which he was now holding with his other hand while he smiled at her.

"It's okay, Lucy."

It was so soft. So warm. She hadn't felt anything like this since... The memories of her happiest days of life came flooding back to her. Playing with Kouta in the forest, petting and cuddling with her puppy, and Aiko's hands when she held Lucy's at night to help her keep them warm. They all felt the same. Takeshi's hand felt the same.

Takeshi staggered back a few steps and his hand slipped from her cheek, earning a gasp.

"Takeshi!!"

"I'm... Okay. It's okay, Lucy. I promise."

He was bleeding profusely from the stomach. And with every step he was smearing blood on the floor beneath his shoes.

"I'll be okay. I just need to call the medical team real quick. They'll fix me right up."

He reached for a small walkie talkie he kept on his belt and pushed the button.

"Hey. This is Shirahama... I'm in... Lucy's room. And I need the med team... Mind comin' over?"

10-4. Routing a Medical Team to your location now.

"Thanks."

The walkie slipped from his hand, covered in blood.

"Oops... Looks like I dropped it." He chuckled.

"Stop talking! Lay down on your back right now!!"

"Good idea."

He sat down and more fell back than laid back. But he made it.

"... I'm sorry." She whimpered with tears flowing freely once more.

"It's okay. I'll be all right."

The doors opened and a medical unit dashed into the room and dragged Takeshi away from her cage. They carefully lifted him onto a gurney and rushed him towards the doors.

"I'm sorry!!!"

The doors closed, and all fell quiet.

The scent of blood was in the air. And as Lucy looked down the volume of blood was greater than she'd originally thought.

If he's lucky he'll die from blood loss.

"..."

You should have done it when you had him by the lapel. One swipe and it would have been over. You wouldn't be in this pain right now.

"..."

Maybe now you'll listen to me?

"..."

You're hopeless. Every time you try to give someone a chance you end up hurt. What makes you think this time will be any different?

"Go away."

What?

"Go. Away."

I can't. We're one, you idiot.

"If you can't leave, then never speak to me again."

Not going to happen. I won't stop looking out for you. And I won't stop trying to protect you, even if it's from yourself.

"You're the reason I'm here."

What was that?!

"YOU'RE the reason I'm here! YOU'RE the reason Kouta's family is dead! And YOU'RE the reason why I can never face him again!"

You really believe that? Tch. Pathetic. He brought that upon himself by betraying your feelings.

"Stop... Just stop. I don't want to hear your voice anymore."

I'll never stop. We're stuck together for life.

Lucy's Vectors emerged and gathered around her throat, hovering just shy of getting a grip.

You can't kill yourself like that. Or have you forgotten?

The Vectors backed away an inch or two, but remained where they are.

"I couldn't back then... I can now."

Oh? Then why don't you try it?

Lucy's jaw clenched and the Vectors gripped her neck, making it hard to breathe.

Go ahead. If you can end it, then end it. End the suffering right here, right now. Go on! You're right there, just like you were when you had the cage doors next to his head. One swift motion and the deed is done! Do it!!

Lucy's grip tightened. Her heart rate skyrocketed as she choked and gasped for breath. But she couldn't stop now.

That's it! Conviction! Finally! It's all I've wanted from you! Some fucking conviction! Not quite where I wanted it to come from! But I'll take what I can get! Now we can die proudly instead of on a whimper while wallowing in self pity and self-made harm by letting humans fuck us over at every turn!!

Her Vectors released their grip. And Lucy coughed as her lungs finally filled with air again.

Are you fucking kidding me? This is your idea of conviction and backing up your mouth? It's no wonder the humans trample all over you time and time again. You're nothing without me. And that's why I'm not going to leave or stop looking out for you. You're too weak to survive on your own!

"Ta-cough..."

Hm?

"Ta... keshi... He promised..."

Oh, yes. Great. Takeshi promised he'd be kind to you. Big fucking deal. Why are you so fixated on that now, of all times?

"He said that he wanted... To show others that someone would care when the rest of the world turned its back."

And look where that got him.

She took a deep breath. And after letting it out on a long sigh she opened her eyes and stared at the wall ahead.

"You turned your back on me just then."

And how do you figure that?

"I was about to kill myself. And you encouraged me to do it."

Because I could feel your desire to do so was coming from your heart! You wanted to die in that moment! To put an end to the suffering you keep forcing upon yourself!

"Then you don't know my heart."

Is that what you're trying to convince yourself of?

"I don't need to convince myself. I do want this pain to stop. But I didn't want to die."

So, what then? Maybe I jumped to conclusions. It happens. Nobody's perfect.

"You're missing the point."

What point?

"Of course you'd have to ask."

... What was that?

"You don't know what I want or what I need. You're after what you want which is to kill any human I cross paths with just because they're human."

Because I live in the truth you're trying to convince yourself doesn't exist.

"The truth that 'all humans are evil and out to hurt me,' right?"

It's the truth. You've lived it.

"What I've lived through are hard and painful times. But if all humans were out to hurt me then why did Aiko die for me?"

...

"Why did Kouta, from the moment we met, never make fun of me?"

...

"Takeshi's the same. The moment he first walked through that door he's been nothing but kind to me. He's not out to hurt me. So I don't need you to protect me from him."

You'll get hurt if you trust him. You always do.

"Because bad things and bad people come for me. But you've twisted it to mean that it's their fault."

Kouta betrayed your feelings, you moron! It doesn't matter if he was nice from the start in every other way!

"He can't betray what he doesn't know exists."

I-... Oh forget it.

"The only thing I want to forget is the pain you've brought to my life ever since you convinced me to kill those people at the festival."

No response. Finally, her mind had some peace. But it was short-lived as she looked down at the blood once again before turning her attention to the doors.

Her eyes remained locked on them until she finally fell asleep.

 

[GojiBean]

Two weeks.

Two weeks of what used to be her normal. Silence. Automated feeding of mush in a bowl. More silence, sometimes interspersed with the pain of her kin scraping at the back of her brain as experiments were run on them. Another automated feeding of mush in a bowl. And then more silence before she fell asleep.

Was this was "normal" was meant to be?

Was she meant for nothing else in life?

Was the voice right all along?

Was this her reward for starting to trust and enjoy Takeshi's presence and his attempts to be kind to her?

Silence and pain?

Once, and only once, they tried sending in another human. They must have studied the footage of Takeshi's visits since they tried acting like him. "Hey Lucy. Time for breakfast!" But their eyes didn't lie. They were filled with fear and loathing. The instant the tray was in reach Lucy used it to decapitate the faker whose body was carefully removed by a large team backed by armed soldiers.

I killed him.

That thought was her only companion since the voice had gone silent. It wasn't even there to say "I told you so."

On several occasions Lucy felt tears running down her cheeks as the memories of all she'd come to love and lost throughout the years raced through her mind. The puppy. Kouta. Aiko. And now Takeshi. They all brought such warmth to her life. It was fleeting in how long it lasted. But the memories, and how they made her feel, were never far away.

But now they were gone. Possibly forever.

Until the doors opened for the first time in a good long while, followed by...

"Morning Lucy."

Her eyes snapped open as she glanced up to see Takeshi, with one crutch under his right arm and some kind of cardboard box under his left, walking slowly towards the cage.

"Takeshi."

"Hey. Sorry I've been gone for so long. Being scrawny and out of shape kinda sucks." He chuckled.

She could barely form a coherent thought as he opened the cage and walked inside.

"You doing okay? You look a bit more tired than usual."

"I-..."

He cocked his head to one side.

"I thought-"

"Oh! That reminds me." He patted the cardboard box.

"I've got a present for you."

"You what?"

"Close your eyes."

She closed them warily.

"Okay, one sec."

She could hear him fiddling with his crutch. Did it touch metal? And then something was... scratching? No. It had to be the cardboard box. He was opening it by tearing off the tape. Afterwards it sounded like the cardboard hit the floor.

"All right. Open your eyes."

Her eyes opened.

Takeshi was standing on his own with the crutch leaning on the side of the cage. And in his hands sat a wooden box of some kind.

"Ta daa~!"

"What is it?"

"It's a music box."

Lucy suddenly had a flashback of her first meeting with Kouta and his music box.

"I feel bad that you're always here in total silence. So I thought you'd like something like this to listen to from time to time. Just open it like so," he popped the lid, "and press the little button right here."

He pushed the button, and the music box began playing...

​

Lucy's eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Lucy? You okay?"

"It's... The same..." She sniffled.

"Hm?"

"The song. It's the same."

"Oh. You've heard it before?"

"Kouta."

"Who's Kouta?"

"He's... Someone I met a long time ago. He had a music box that played that song. And he sang it to me once or twice, too."

"Oh, I see. Do you like the song?"

"... Yes."

The music box was lifted from his hands and brought up to Lucy's head. The button was pressed and the song began again from the beginning. Lucy's eyes slowly closed and the box was pressed against her cheek. Seeing this, Takeshi smiled.

"I'm glad you like it, Lucy."

Lucy let the entire song play before opening her eyes and looking at Takeshi.

"I thought I'd killed you."

"Heh. I may be a bit on the scrawny side. And not in the best of shape. But I'm tougher than I look." He said while holding up his left arm in a flexing gesture.

Lucy's mouth curled into a smile, and Takeshi froze.

It was... beautiful.

Lucy, the Queen of the Diclonius. Murderer. Hater of human kind. And a force of utter destruction when her fury was unleashed. And yet when she smiled time stood still for Takeshi. He was spellbound. Her deep pink hair. The red in her eyes. The pale flesh accented by a light blush in her cheeks. And that smile on her perfectly bow-shaped lips.

She was truly beautiful when she smiled.

"Wow. Just-... Wow." He muttered.

Her smile faded.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh, no! I was just, um... I was admiring your smile. That's all."

"I was smiling?"

"Yeah, you were."

"Oh."

She dipped her head and turned it to the side.

"It was really pretty, you know? Your smile."

Lucy felt her face warming as she turned her head farther to the side.

"... I'm hungry."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I was excited to see you again and deliver your music box which finally came in. So I forgot to grab your food. I'll go get it for you now."

Takeshi left the room, and Lucy pressed the button to hear the song again. The music filled the entire space. And Lucy lost all perception of her confinement. It felt like she was back in that forest outside the city where she first met Kouta. The wind against her face. The sounds of the trees and leaves rustling. The faint sound of cars in the distance. And all topped by the sounds of nature and animals filling the gaps.

For a few brief minutes while the song played, Lucy was free.

It was almost overwhelming how much joy this one little box had suddenly injected into her existence. And it was hers. So, she could listen any time she wanted.

Takeshi came back a few minutes later pushing a cart with her meal on it, as well as his crutch laid out flat on the surface. He allowed her to eat in silence while he simply stood there and smiled, much to her chagrin as she couldn't maintain eye contact despite wanting to. Once finished, she set the tray down on the cart.

"... Thanks."

"Not a problem, Lucy."

Takeshi pulled the cart out of the cage and closed and locked the door.

"You know. It may sound crazy, stupid, or both. But I like being your caretaker."

Lucy felt her face warming again.

"I'll see you for dinner later. Anything special you want?"

"... Rice balls."

"Rice balls? Okay. Any filling?"

"No. Just normal rice balls."

"You got it. See you later, Lucy."

The doors closed, and Lucy was left alone and in silence until she played the song again.

Meanwhile, Takeshi stood in front of the doors to 6's room. He took a breath and walked inside. And as Six looked up at him her eyes widened.

"Hi Six. Sorry I was gone for so long."

"What's that?" She asked, pointing to his crutch.

"Oh, this thing? It's to help me walk. I kind of got hurt a little bit."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry."

"You were gone a long time."

"I know. I'm sorry about that. I have your breakfast. You hungry?"

Her eyes lit up and her mouth started literally watering as he wheeled the food up and set the tray down. She immediately started gobbling up the food, and Takeshi only then noticed how thin her neck and arms looked.

"Six... Have you been eating okay since I was gone?"

She paused just long enough to look up, mouth stuffed full of food, and shook her head.

"I know the mush isn't exactly tasty. But you did eat it at least, right?"

She shook her head while continuing to gobble up her food.

"Oh..."

He waited patiently for her to finish her meal, which didn't take long, before reaching his hand out to give her the little pat hi five they were used to sharing.

"Now that I'm back you'll have real food again. Are you happy about that?"

She nodded.

"Mush is gross."

He chuckled.

"I know. I tried it once too, remember?"

She nodded.

"All right then. I'll see you for dinner tonight, okay?"

She gave a firm and asked for crispy baguettes as part of dinner, and Takeshi gave her a thumbs up as he left the room.

On to Twelve's breakfast.

Her reaction to him was more subdued. But he recognized that glimmer in her eyes when she recognized him as he approached with her meal. Sitting down to eat with her, he decided to try something.

"Hey, Twelve. Has anyone ever rubbed your back?"

She paused mid-bite, and shook her head.

"Okay. Is it okay if I show you what that means?"

She hesitated, but nodded.

He smiled and reached a hand over and placed it on her back. The moment there was contact she froze and her eyes widened.

"It's okay, Twelve." He whispered as he slowly moved his hand in small circles.

"This is what it means to rub someone's back. It's supposed to be a gesture of affection and comfort."

It took a minute. But Twelve slowly returned to eating and her eyes returned to their normal size. She finished her meal as Takeshi continued to rub her back. And once finished he paused.

"Better?"

She nodded, avoiding eye contact.

"Okay. Then I should be going."

Before he could get up she grabbed his shirt and tugged it.

"Hm?"

She was still avoiding eye contact. But he smiled when he realized what she was asking for.

"You want me to rub your back some more?"

She nodded.

"Okay. A few more minutes, then."

Another nod, and she scooted a bit closer to him. Takeshi rubbed her back for three minutes and took note of what he felt... She hadn't been eating much either. Her ribs and spine were too easy to feel. There should have been more skin and muscle. He took a breath and finally stopped.

"All right, Twelve. I have to go now. There's another Diclonius I have to deliver breakfast for. But I promise I'll be back for your dinner. And if you want me to rub your back some more I can do it then, okay?"

She nodded and let go of his shirt. And as Takeshi stood up he heard a squeak.

"Hm? Was that you, Twelve?"

Her head lowered slightly, but he could just barely see her lips moving behind her bangs.

"Thank you... Taki." She whispered.

He froze.

Twelve was the most damaged, if that was the right word. She was always the quietest. The one who never really acknowledged the world around her. The one who never spoke. She never gave any indication, really, that she was enjoying anything despite his efforts to bring her good food. Even today, despite her obvious loss of weight, she ate at a normal speed unlike Six who devoured her meal with ravenous need.

But now, out of seemingly nowhere, she not only spoke. But she'd given him a nickname.

His chest tightened and his breath hitched.

"Taki." He repeated quietly with a teary smile.

He knelt down next to her and put his hand on her shoulder, earning a subtle flinch from her.

"Thank you, Twelve. I like the nickname you gave me. Taki is a nice name."

He gently rubbed her shoulder and leaned down to press his forehead against the top of her head.

"You're a very good girl, Twelve. I'm really happy. Thank you."

Drip. Drip.

Twelve was crying. Gasping and sniffling she reached out with both hands to grab his shirt, and he gently leaned forward to embrace her in a hug. She buried her face in his chest and cried for a long time. Much longer than he'd intended to remain for since he needed to bring Robin her meal. And, oh dear... Robin. If she tackle hugged him she'd probably knock him to the ground. And that might not end too well for him at this stage of his recovery. He'd have to be careful with that approach.

Eventually, Twelve calmed down and was able to stop crying while Takeshi cleaned her face and promised again to be back for dinner and that he'd rub her back any time she wanted. And at that promise, Twelve smiled for the first time.

That was two firsts for Takeshi today. Three if he counted the nickname. Lucy smiled for the first time. Now Twelve. And he couldn't stop himself from smiling the entire way to Robin's room to deliver her first real meal since he'd been gone. But when he opened the doors...

Hey Robin. How're yo-"

The room was empty.

"Robin?"

She wasn't scheduled for any experiments that he could see on the calendar before prepping her meal. Even taking into account the extra time he spent with Twelve it wouldn't have made a difference. Maybe an unscheduled experiment? He whipped out his phone and made a few calls. But nobody seemed to have any answers for him. They just kept reiterating to check his schedule. And, understandable, he was growing rather irritated with them for saying that after he confirmed his schedule showed she was clear and should be in her chamber.

Walking outside with the cart he pushed it against the wall and brought up the calendar again. Same thing. She was clear. She should be here. And nobody'd said anything when he came back about any big events or changes while he'd been away. So what the Hell was going on?

"Takeshi?"

It was Aaron.

"Hey, Aaron."

"You sure you should be on your feet already, man?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it. By chance, do you know what's up with Twelve? She's clear on the schedule, so she should be in her chamber."

Aaron's face fell.

"Oh, Tak. You... Nobody told you?"

"Told me what?"

Aaron rubbed the back of his head as he turned toward the doors.

"Tak... She killed herself."

Takeshi froze.

"Yeah. Sorry Tak. Someone was supposed to tell you the day it happened. But, looks like they didn't."

"...... What?"

"She uh... Well... She went nuts after they told her you were hurt and might not come back for a while."

"Robin?"

"Yeah. She even used her Vectors and lopped off some poor sap's arm when they tried to restrain her. Took a whole team to get a tranq in her and calm her down."

"Then what?"

"Well, I guess someone on the team told her you weren't gonna make it. And, well... Yeah."

"What did she do?"

"We're not sure, exactly. But we think she used her Vectors to stop her own heart cause the autopsy showed signs of blunt force trauma to the heart tissues. So, yeah."

Takeshi slumped against the wall and sat on the floor.

"Sorry Tak. I know she was kinda your favorite. And you definitely were hers. I'd never seen a Diclonius so happy to have a human around as when I saw the footage of you two together. It was almost like she thought of you as her pops. Ya know?"

"Robin."

Aaron gave Takeshi's shoulder a pat and a light shake.

"Hey. I'm here if you need to talk, man. Any time. You hear me?"

Takeshi nodded, and Aaron left to give him some space.

He couldn't even cry.

Robin. His shining light, and the most energetic and loving of all the Diclonius he was working with. Just... Gone. She took her own life? That couldn't have been it, could it? There had to be more to it.

Security footage. There must have been footage. Takeshi stood up and marched towards the security office. If he was going to figure out what really happened to Robin he'd find his answers there.