Vol 9 Chapter 3.1 (1/2)
CHAPTER 3
What a piece of work is a man, how n.o.ble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a G.o.d – the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me . . .
He had also once invited s.h.i.+on to specialize in medicine and work at his clinic.
”You'd have no problem with picking up the necessary specialized knowledge and technique. I recommend taking the certification exam if you're interested.”
It was an attractive offer, but s.h.i.+on did not take it up. There was no way someone like him, who had been stripped of all his privileges and exiled from Chronos, would be able to pa.s.s the exam. But he was happy that the doctor had looked out for him―a stranger and a mere baker's son―and offered him a path in medicine. He was also grateful.
In the months that s.h.i.+on had not seen him, the doctor had transformed so much he hardly looked like the same person. There were white streaks in his beard and his hair, and he looked like he had shrunk a size. But in terms of appearance, s.h.i.+on admitted he had probably undergone a more drastic change. His hair was completely white, and his face was smeared with blood, dirt, and soot.
The small clinic in the outskirts of Lost Town was run by the doctor, a nurse, and a nursing robot. The nurse screamed as the bloodied, dirty group burst in. s.h.i.+on yelled over her shriek.
”Doctor, please―please, he needs treatment!”
”You... could you be―”
”The baker's son. Doctor, please. Treat him.”
The doctor's eyes s.h.i.+fted to Nezumi. His gaze trained on the blood that dripped from him.
”Prepare for an emergency operation.”
The nurse sprang into action even before the doctor finished speaking. She hastily disappeared into a room adjacent to the examination room. A robot came pus.h.i.+ng a stretcher.
”Please place the patient here.”
s.h.i.+on laid Nezumi down on the stretcher.
”Nezumi,” he called tentatively. His eyelids remained tightly closed. ”Nezumi...”
”Please remove your arm. Please remove your arm from under the patient. Now transporting the patient to the operating room.”
The robot urged him, but s.h.i.+on's arms were stiff and unyielding, still holding Nezumi as he had all this time. Only his fingertips shook violently.
”s.h.i.+on!” Inukas.h.i.+ grabbed his arms and yanked them for him.
”Now transporting the patient. Now transporting the patient. Entering emergency operating mode. Commencing oxygen intake. Commencing measurements. Now measuring blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, blood type.”
The doctor swiftly cut Nezumi's clothes away. Several pipes grew from the robot's torso and connected to him.
”Transporting the patient. Transporting the patient.” The stretcher and robot entered the operating room.
”Doctor.” s.h.i.+on grasped at the doctor's white coat. ”Doctor, please... save him. Please...”
”s.h.i.+on.”
He did not expect to be called by his name. s.h.i.+on lifted his face.
”I'm a doctor,” the man said firmly. ”If someone is in need of treatment, I will do everything in my power to give it to him. But this is Lost Town. I don't have the equipment it takes to perform delicate surgery.”
s.h.i.+on knew. But as he had told Rikiga, he had no choice but to rely on this doctor.
”I see that he's already gotten temporary treatment. Was that you?”
”Yes.”
”What kind of wound is it?”
”A gunshot. A rifle bullet pierced him.”
”Pierced, you say,” the doctor muttered as he strode briskly into the operating room. s.h.i.+on bowed his head deeply to the man's retreating back.
He felt faint. He sank to the floor.
”s.h.i.+on...” Inukas.h.i.+ sat beside him, and put an arm around his shoulders. ”s.h.i.+on... I just want to ask you, do you... do you, by any chance, want me to be with you?”
”Inukas.h.i.+...”
”Listen,” Inukas.h.i.+ said brusquely, ”I've never comforted anyone before. I used to think it wasn't worth a crumb of bread. Still think so. But... but if you want me to comfort you right now... if I can comfort you somehow by being here, then... then, I'll be here.”
Inukas.h.i.+ gently rubbed s.h.i.+on's arm. The tension gradually loosened, and blood began to course through his veins again. s.h.i.+on closed his eyes, and let his head droop onto Inukas.h.i.+'s chest.
He felt an almost imperceptible soft b.u.mp. If this was the usual case, he would jump up in a confused panic. But right now, he only felt soothed. Right here, there was a body to support him, arms to hold him, a voice to murmur to him, and the warmth of another to comfort him. This was happiness that could not command a price. Was it not?
”Inukas.h.i.+... thank you.”
Oh, but... s.h.i.+on bit his lip with his eyes still closed. But this is not the warmth I long for. Not this body, these whispers, nor these arms.
Something warm flitted over his eyelids. Inukas.h.i.+ had licked them. Inukas.h.i.+ was gently licking off the blood that had dried and caked on them. The little mice were curled up in s.h.i.+on's lap, and the dogs had lain down in a corner of the room.
”It'll be alright,” Inukas.h.i.+ said. ”There's no way he'd die. He's not wuss enough to give in just yet. I've seen my share of bad people in the West Block, but no one was as cunning, conniving, and dangerous as Nezumi. I told ya before, didn't I, that the guy is the devil himself. You just don't know his true face. And I'm still right. He's still the devil he always was, and devils aren't done in so easily. Tomorrow, he'll wake up as if nothing happened, and go right back to setting traps for us. He's that kind of guy. He'll be alright, don't worry.”
s.h.i.+on opened his eyes, and lifted himself up.
”Inukas.h.i.+, I'm grateful. Thank you so much.”
”I was only insulting Nezumi, dumba.s.s. What're you feeling grateful about? You're a hopeless idiot, you know. Hopeless.”
Inukas.h.i.+ turned aside obstinately. But he did not move away from s.h.i.+on.
Ungh, nghoaaaar, nghoaaar.
A snore rang out, making the very air of the room vibrate.
”Whoa! Will ya listen to that racket.”
Nghoaaaar, nghoaaaar, nghoaaaar, ungh, ungh.
Rikiga was fast asleep, lying on his back on a bench.
”Just now he was saying he wouldn't be able to sleep without some drinks in him, and now look at the guy. Like a log. I'm surrounded by hopeless people.” Inukas.h.i.+ sighed theatrically. Then, he gave a short whistle. The dogs got to their feet and approached. They nestled close to Inukas.h.i.+ and s.h.i.+on, and lay crouched on their bellies.
”These guys can make the best sleeping quarters out of any hole. It's time for us to catch a wink, too.”
”Yeah...”
”We need to sleep, s.h.i.+on.” Inukas.h.i.+ pulled at s.h.i.+on's s.h.i.+rt. ”We won't be able to fight tomorrow if we don't. You don't think our fight is over yet, do you?”
He did not. Nothing had been solved yet. The fight would still continue tomorrow. But if I lost Nezumi, if I had to face a tomorrow without him, then I wouldn't be able to remain a soldier.
You're weak. Unbelievably frail, he could hear Nezumi say in derision. Laugh at me, Nezumi. Look on me with contempt. Make fun of me. Give me a scornful laugh, a cold laugh. I just want to hear your laughter. Let me hear it, please.
”Sleep,” Inukas.h.i.+ said, almost like an order.
The Correctional Facility was burning. The flames roared up around it as it crumbled. This is a dream, his reason told him. You've escaped the Correctional Facility. You're already in Lost Town, No. 6. That's why―this must be a dream.
This is an illusion.
The flames roared. They were revoltingly real. He could clearly see the tip of each writhing flame. His skin smarted at the scorching air that blew at him. The acrid smell stung his nose.
This is a dream? This is an illusion? Absurd. This is unmistakably reality.
But does that mean I've come back again? Have I slipped back in time to right after I escaped the Correctional Facility?
The flames burned with even greater vigour. They roared, wavered, and overlapped. He saw them stretch out into thin strips before a black streak slashed through it.
s.h.i.+on stood stock-still with his breath held. All confusion, agitation, and astonishment fell away. He simply stood in a trance.
The black streak kept widening. The flames split into two.
”A wasp...”
The rest failed to materialize as words.
It had a coal-black body, a slender curved torso, a long belly, transparent wings embroidered with thin golden lines; golden antennae and compound eyes; three simple eyes that shone a dull silver.
A giant wasp appeared out of the flames. It was a wasp, coloured coal-black, gold, and silver―light and darkness. s.h.i.+on took a step backwards. Its beauty was almost terrifying. He was so overwhelmed, he was almost brought to his knees.
What... is this?
”Elyurias,” a mutter touched his earlobe.
”Nezumi.”
Nezumi was standing right beside s.h.i.+on. He stared unblinking at the flames. No―he was not looking at the flames engulfing the Correctional Facility, but at the enormous wasp. Nezumi was holding his ground against it.
”Elyurias? This wasp?”
Nezumi did not answer. He did not stir. He was almost like a statue. For an instant, the wasp in front of s.h.i.+on faded in his consciousness. Nezumi was standing there. His eyes were open wide. His profile expressionless, but blood coursed through that face.
”Nezumi, you really did―” You really survived.