The Unstuck Country (KR Kiva) part 3

[estirose]

After a bout of problems in RL, I’m back on track. There’s a lot of talking in here, a bit of background, and a character that I’ve been swearing I’d get in finally gets in.

Chapter 3

Wataru’s friend Megumi-san arrived about twenty minutes later, with her husband Nago-san. Taiga didn’t feel too comfortable with the two of them there, but it was Wataru’s house, and he knew that there would be trouble if he objected.

Besides, at least these two knew a little bit about Fangire, so things weren’t totally lost.

Taiga settled down at the table with the married couple, who were sipping at tea and coffee, respectively. At least these two were warriors, albeit ones that had fought his kind, and as much as he didn’t like it, he needed allies to watch his back. Megumi-san’s worry about his brother would prove useful to him.

“Thanks for waiting,” Wataru said, bringing in two more plates of food. Wataru was definitely someone who knew how to cook and was confortable with it.

“Yum.” Megumi-san looked over at Wataru. “This is delicious, Wataru-kun. You should look into bein a chef.”

“I’m not that good,” Wataru said, blushing. “Kivat and Shizuka-chan taught me to cook, so I’m okay doing it. Actually, I mostly practice with my varnishes. But Shizuka-chan said I should serve things that are a little more edible.”

His friend laughed at that. “Don’t be so modest, Wataru-kun! I’ve heard that even some of your varnishes are edible.”

“Well, um, I don’t think the book was….”

Taiga wondered what books had to do with varnishes and cooking, other than for cookbooks, and decided he really didn’t want to know.

“And I’m not sure about the one with live snails, or the fish bones….”

Megumi-san laughed. “If you hadn’t been looking for fish bones, I would have never found you, Wataru-kun!”

“But in any case, I’m better at violins than cooking,” Wataru finished, quietly. “I make a better violin maker than I do a cook.”

“Aw, Wataru-kun is so modest!” Megumi-san took another bite of her food. Beside her, her husband was eating his quietly, looking at it with a more critical eye.

He was sure that Megumi-san was partially right, because his little brother had a lot of talents, and of course he would have had to learn to cook for himself. There were Fangire who cooked, of course; the chef that he and Wataru had talked about being one of them. Just because human food wasn’t one’s primary diet didn’t mean that one didn’t work in a restaurant; after all, his Queen had, for a while. And there were Fangire who took pleasure in the craft, or used it to make hunting easier.

Though, personally, he thought it was in bad taste to eat one’s best customers, as well as making little economic sense.

If he wasn’t so adverse to eating, thanks to Shima, he’d try some himself, but every time he thought about eating, his throat tightened up, just like it did when Shima hauled him to dentists. It wasn’t like he’d had a cavity in his life!

At least Wataru seemed to be enjoying himself, as did at least one of his guests.

“It’s quite edible,” Nago-san said finally. He wasn’t as effusive as his wife, Taiga noticed, and they were clearly a case of opposites attracting. He’d never gotten how that worked in real life and why people like that stayed together instead of divorcing. Maybe they enjoyed people so contrary to themselves. “But I don’t think you should be a cook. You have much more important things to do.”

“Yes,” Taiga agreed. Maybe when everything had calmed down, he’d get Wataru into cooking school, or whatever he could to bring out all of Wataru’s many talents. “But after that, she’s right. It’s practical for someone to be able to be a good cook.” He’d tell Wataru more about that when the humans had left.

“Well, Mio-san knew how to cook very well, and she enjoyed working in food places,” Wataru said softly. “But Nii-san and Nago-san are right, there are things to do that are more important.”

Megumi-san mock-pouted at that. “But boys who can cook are attractive to the ladies! Especially cute boys like you, Wataru-kun.”

“Um… thanks, Megumi-san. I do have a magazine interview, so I’ll keep that in mind.”
“A magazine article!” she exclaimed. “And what’s this article about?”

“Well, um, Nii-san wants me to go because he wants to introduce me to people my age, so they want to support Nii-san’s plan.”

“And find him a wife,” Taiga said, hoping to distract her.

“Of course!” Megumi-san exclaimed. “He has a son! You met him, Keisuke.”

“I did,” her husband confirmed. “But he does have other things more important.”

“Apparently, no matter how important they are,” Taiga said, “It does need to be done. We’re going to need a next generation.”

And as he said that, he realized that indeed, they were going to need a next generation, which was a bit disappointing, but at least Masao knew who he was and clearly knew his father, so apparently they’d live through things, if everything continued to happen as it originally happened.

Taiga tried to stop thinking about the mutability of time, or predestination, or what would happen if he and Wataru were killed before Wataru had time to pass on his genes. And then made a note to himself to make finding a wife – or lover – for Wataru a priority. On top of all the other priorities.

“Um, Megumi-san? What do I do at a magazine shoot?” Wataru asked, giving her a pleading look. Taiga wished he’d thought to ask himself. She had an expertise that he and Wataru lacked – Wataru because he’d been a recluse, Taiga because he’d been intentionally secluded by Bishop and Kurosawa. “I mean, I was at the one with you and Mio-san, but I think this is a little bit different.”

“I didn’t know that Fangire had magazines, but… I’m going to tell you what a human one is like!” Megumi-san said. “Sometimes they talk to you before the photoshoot, sometimes they talk to you after. Be prepared to get dressed in several outfits, Wataru-kun, and make sure they have a couple of scarves, because you look cute in them. And then they’ll want to… have you ever read one of these kinds of magazines, Wataru-kun?”

“Um, no.” Wataru scratched his head. “Do they do bad things?”

“Oh, no, no! They’ll just want to know things like your favorite food, and colors, and places, and trivia, and things like that. They want cute, as much as possible, Wataru-kun. And you’re cute!”

“You’ll be fine, Wataru,” Taiga said, trying to encourage Wataru. “And you want people to stop thinking of humans as food, right?” That should stop Nago-san from objecting. “Sometimes using persuasion and words works better than using force.” That was an understatement, especially when it came to Wataru.

“So, you have to be as cute as possible, Wataru-kun! And I’m sure that they’ll make you cute. It sells more magazines.”

And changes things, Taiga added, but everybody in the room knew that. And it wouldn’t hurt to attract potential brides. “And you’ll have to mention things like your cooking and the fact that mother left you to raise you on your own.” That would get sympathy from girls’ mothers, he was sure. “But that you support yourself. And be sure to mention the kind of girl you like.”

“Um. That… um. Would be Mio-san.” Wataru looked down, as to hide his grief.

“I know, Wataru.” Taiga put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Neither of us will ever find someone as wonderful as Mio. It’s just that… life has to go on, and you have to find Masao’s mother.”

Taiga was still getting used to the fact that he’d have a nephew so soon, but now that he knew that Masao was going to arrive in the near future, and the fact that Fangire pregnancies lasted sixteen months, Wataru had to find someone, and fast.

Which meant that he really had to make that interview, and make the best possible presentation.

Of course, that was something that Taiga had no control over, really. His brother was his brother, and the interview would go off well, depending on what happened there, not anything he could do.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re really ready,” Megumi-san said, and Taiga didn’t reply, letting Wataru fend on his own with that, because it was something he was doing, even if he was doing it on Taiga’s prompting.

He let them talk for a few minutes over clothes and fashion and how to be presentable to the camera and how to enthrall the interviewer. “Just smile a lot, Wataru-kun, and I’m sure everybody will be so sad to hear about your mother!”

“Well, she is still alive, but….”

“She is?” Megumi-san asked, sounding puzzled.

“She exiled herself to a cave in a forest for what she did, after her Queen powers were stripped, and it was unsafe to keep Wataru with her.” He’d pieced that out from what his brother and mother had said, to him and to each other.

“She… um. She doesn’t like anyone to see her in the state she’s in,” Wataru said. “She has her pride….”

Which Taiga didn’t blame her for; it was a horrendous crime for Queen to commit, and technically speaking, she should be dead, but he wasn’t about to lose another family member.

“She’s not in very good shape,” Taiga said, and Megumi-san made a sympathetic noise.

“Anyway! It’s good to have an image that will make girls throw themselves at you, Wataru-kun. Just keep that in mind.”

“I will, Megumi-san,” Wataru promised.

Before Megumi-san could fuss over Wataru further, he spoke up. “It’s going to be a multi-pronged campaign to get this going. I need people to think that changing food sources is a good idea. That will be part of what Wataru’s doing. If there are people who I can’t convince that it’s a good idea – and many older people will think that – I might have to fight. But I prefer to conserve some resources. After all, what Wataru is presenting is the truth.”

He knew that truth was a big thing for Nago-san and he thought that might appeal to the man.

“We’ll help any way we can!” Megumi-san exclaimed. “What do you need us to do?”

Taiga thought about it. “To start, you can help Wataru with his interview,” he said.

“Nii-san might need warriors,” Wataru said, “And I’m trying to have him get the Shima Foundation involved. Because they know Fangire biology, and they can look at it at a new angle.”

Frowning, Taiga added, “But not immediately. I can’t appear to have gone soft.” He really didn’t want to work with Shima’s company at all, but he’d promised Wataru that he would.

And maybe if he put it off enough, Wataru wouldn’t notice. After all, Wataru trusted him, and he knew that Taiga wasn’t that fond of Shima, but he’d put up with the human if he needed to… especially since he’d realized that despite everything, he trusted Shima.

He also didn’t like the fact that the man had tried to kill Wataru in those times where he’d hated the Fangire. The only reason Taiga trusted the humans with Wataru at all was that they had avoided following Shima’s orders to kill his little brother.

Plus, it really didn’t hurt that Megumi-san could help advise Wataru about how to handle the interview far better than he ever could. He wasn’t about to complain about free advice, even if she’d been overbearing at first.

He smiled at her and her husband, and let them ponder things for a moment while he also tried to figure out what use they’d be to him. No, they couldn’t be out in the open, at least at first, but he thought that Wataru had chosen them for a reason and he was hardly going to complain about Wataru’s friends out loud. Especially friends that had shown their loyalty towards Wataru, no matter what.

He envied Wataru a little about that; there were few that he, himself, could trust. He wanted to have friends like Wataru had friends, friends that cared and wouldn’t go against him because he said something wrong. Friends that would stand by him even if he went temporarily insane. Friends that insisted on hauling him out of his shell.

People who knew him and understood him despite his faults, and forgave him when he did something wrong, like his brother had forgiven him.

He looked at the two. “I hope that my people agree that we have to find a new food source,” he said, “But if not, will the two of you defend me?”

He wanted them to feel needed, and Wataru had given him the perfect reason for it, without him having to ask first. And not in the traditional way that Fangire traditionally needed humans.

Wataru was smiling, and Taiga had to admit that he wouldn’t undo that for the world.

“Please, help Nii-san,” Wataru said, bowing at his guests.

Megumi’s smile was the only answer he needed.

“Thank you,” Taiga said. “I appreciate that. As does Wataru.” He indicated his little brother, who was probably wondering when people would get back to eating the food he’d made. “Now, let’s eat. More.”

With that, the two humans returned to eating, as did Wataru. Wataru, he observed, took pleasure in eating and he definitely, most definitely, didn’t want to make him frown, either. He’d learned not to be a dictator, and maybe someday, Wataru would follow rules.

Finally, the meal was over, and Wataru’s guests had left, allowing Taiga to relax from a tenseness he hadn’t realized he’d had. Being around humans always made him raise his defenses, apparently. It wasn’t their fault or Wataru’s; it was just the way things were.

“Is Nii-san okay?” Wataru asked hesitantly.

“It always takes me a little while to recover from being around humans, even good ones like yours,” Taiga said, stretching. “I know you believe them to be worth your time, but I get suspicious that they’re going to hurt you.”

“It’s okay, Nii-san,” Wataru reassured him with a smile. “Megumi-san and Nago-san wouldn’t do that. They’re too honest.”

Wataru was the honest one, really, but Taiga wasn’t about to point that out, because he was so much into his humans right now.

He relaxed into his chair. “I’m not even sure how to defend myself.” There, he’d said something that made him vulnerable, but he knew how his brother would react.

“You’ll find something, Nii-san.” Wataru moved his chair around so it was next to Taiga’s. “You can change the Fangire. You took a first step. And even if something goes wrong, you can always fix it.”

Taiga wished he had Wataru’s confidence in the matter. It was like his younger brother was the wise one, knowing how things should be. Which was pretty amazing for someone who pretty much raised himself, with only the real help of a Kivat and, later on, a human.

It was amazing, really, once he thought about it. He was raised as a human and rebelled to become a Fangire, what he should be. Wataru, grossly ignorant of his heritage, was raised by a Kivat and a lapsed Fangire, and still turned out human.

“What are you thinking about, Nii-san?” Wataru asked.

“I was thinking of how we turned out,” Taiga said. “You were free of most influences and came out gentle. I was raised by a human and turned against everything I hated. Plus, I was sent out of the country – while I appreciate being able to speak fluent English – it’s very useful – I didn’t want to lose you.”

Wataru blinked. “Why did he send you out of the country? There are expensive high schools in Tokyo, like Ouran and Eitoku. Or maybe out in the countryside, to St. Lucia’s….”

“I suspect that one of the reasons is that St. Lucia’s is a girl’s school, unless I wanted butler training,” Taiga said dryly. “Besides, that school produces some of the snobbiest girls I’ve ever met!”

“I… I’ve never met someone from there,” Wataru said. “I guess… I guess that I did hide a lot….”

Grinning, Taiga said, “You did, but that’s past now.” He remembered briefly how it had been when Wataru had closed himself in, and even terrified and confused, he refused to let go of his human side. Stubborn, his little brother, even in crisis. He doubted that he’d ever be able to push Wataru away from that side of himself.

Wataru nodded. “Yes, I can’t hide anymore, Nii-san.”

“Neither of us can,” Taiga said. “But as long as I have you as my brother, I can’t fail.”

Nodding again, Wataru said, “How are we supposed to find the people who did that to your bike, Nii-san?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never had to hunt down someone like that,” Taiga admitted. He’d have to try to figure out who was reliable… and fast.

“Neither have I. I guess you could ask Nago-san, he’s a bounty hunter….”

Taiga blinked, realizing all too late that he could have. Then again, it was still hard, trusting a human.

“Maybe Ramon-san or Jirou-san or Riki-san would know something….”

“I’m not sure they’d want to help the son of the man who pretty much killed their people off,” Taiga reminded him.

“Professor Isakawa?” Wataru suggested, after a moment of thought.

“I think she’s about ready to teach you how to hunt,” Taiga said, wondering if Wataru had already been adopted.

“So, not Professor Isakawa?” Wataru asked, looking a little disappointed.

“I… don’t know whether she’d agree or try to have me killed. You heard what she said about Mother.” Not that he always had flattering things to say about their mother himself, but Wataru was more sensitive to such things. Besides, her reaction to Wataru had bothered him, in a way he couldn’t pinpoint. “It might be better to ask your Nago-san first.” At least the man was properly suspicious. Trusting the wrong person might get them killed.

Bishop had drilled it into him, hard, that to show tiredness or weakness was death as well. He was starting to feel tired and weak, but it was hard for him to show it, not even to Wataru. He knew his little brother would never turn against him, but he still wanted to protect himself.

“Are you all right, Nii-san?” Wataru asked.

“I’m… just starting to realize that someone wants to kill me for something other than just being King.”

Wataru bowed his head for a moment. “Would it be safer for you to stay here?” he asked quietly.

“That didn’t do my motorcycle any good,” Taiga reminded him, a little more snappishly than intended. “Sorry, I am tired.” Maybe he could admit it to Wataru after all.

“You can have my bed,” Wataru said, motioning towards the bed in the little nook.

“Thanks, but I don’t want to push you out of your own bed,” Taiga said. “I know you have a couch upstairs, but….” Just as Wataru was going to offer him his best accomodations, he felt obligated to object.

“It’s okay, Nii-san,” Wataru said, and smiled. “Maybe we’ll both think better in the morning.”

“Think we could both squeeze into the bed?” Taiga asked. He made a mental note to gift Wataru with a bigger bed sometime, before Wataru got married.

“I don’t think so,” Wataru said, “But don’t worry about it. We’ll figure this out tomorrow.”

After much protesting on his end, he found himself spending the night in Wataru’s bed, with Wataru taking the couch upstairs. He reflected that his place was much more secure than Wataru’s, but he had to admit, he had no energy by the time he went to bed. As Wataru gave him a cup of water and settled down with his own breakfast – when everything was over, he was going to take Wataru to a restaurant in order to thank him.

Wataru’s doorbell rang as they were finishing up the meal. Excusing himself, Wataru got up and went upstairs. “It’s Professor Isakawa!” he called, sounding excited. Taiga wondered how good a customer she’d been to Wataru, and took another sip of water. Maybe all the woman wanted was to bring Wataru more custom, though he doubted it.

He heard the upstairs door being opened and closed, and decided to wait and see. Maybe if she was planning something else, she’d be put off by his presence. He wasn’t sure he was ready to hand his brother over to her, at least not yet.

A few minutes later, he heard them talking as the door creaked open. “- I’m fine, Professor Isakawa.”

“I just can’t believe I never knew….” The woman was still talking. “Ah well. There’s a lot for you to learn, and the King is so busy….”

“I’m never too busy for my brother,” Taiga said, getting up and crossing to the stairs. “Family watches over family.”

“King,” Dawn acknowledged. “I thought… well, I didn’t know you’d be here. I just… I feel responsible for what happened to your mother, and it’s the least I could do….”

“I can teach my little brother how to hunt,” Taiga said pointedly. He wasn’t going to, because Wataru wouldn’t even think of hunting, but it was better for Dawn – or anybody else under suspicion – to get their hands on his little brother. Plus, if Dawn was willing to change, the first thing he wanted to avoid was Wataru alienating her until Taiga could convince her to be on his side.

“Would you like some breakfast, Professor Isakawa?” Wataru asked politely.

Dawn looked down the stairs at Taiga, and seemed to be pondering her options. “Maybe that would be a good idea.”

Wataru led Professor Isakawa down the stairs and seated her. “I’ll make some more breakfast, if you eat that,” he said. “otherwise, I can give you water or another drink?”

“Tea is fine, Wataru-kun,” Dawn said. “I’ve already fed, and I don’t need to pretend to be human, here.”

Taiga swore that Wataru’s expression flickered a little, but all his brother did was bow. “Would sen-cha be all right?” he asked.

“Sen-cha is fine,” Dawn told him, smiling up at him. “I prefer ban-cha, but sen-cha is fine too.”

Wataru bowed once more and went upstairs to make her tea.

“Such a fine young man,” she sighed, smiling at Taiga. “Turned out so well, despite everything, I think.”

“He has a lot to learn about Fangire,” Taiga said, “But I’ll teach him.” He put what he hoped was a subtle emphasis on the “I”, just to make sure Dawn knew that he was going to teach Wataru, not anyone else.

“But how much do you yourself know about our kind and our culture, King? You were raised by a human, yourself, from what Bishop told everyone.” Dawn’s expression turned stern. “Yes, you can teach him how to hunt, but do either of you really know what it means to be Fangire, to be part of what your mother left behind?”

Taiga stared at her for a moment, before remembering he was supposed to be the King. “Bishop did educate me on Fangire culture and history. He was a really good teacher.” Bishop might have tried to kill him in the end, but he had been that.

“I deal with young Fangire all the time,” Dawn said, sipping at her tea. “This, by the way, is very good, Wataru-kun.”

Wataru’s face lit up, and Taiga tried not to groan. “And?”

“Bishop may have taught you culture and history, but culture changes. So does history, sometimes. And Bishop, by necessity, has always had a rather… conservative view of things. It will not surprise you that our culture echoes the humans’, just because we have to fit in among them. We do a lot to fit in among humans, by the way; those who don’t act human don’t survive. That’s why nowadays, Fangire have such short childhoods, or at least grow to maturity so soon; it’s because they must, before someone starts asking questions.”

“I know that much,” Taiga said, frowning at Dawn.

“Nii-san is having me do magazine interviews,” Wataru volunteered, and Taiga felt the urge to facepalm about Wataru’s honesty.

Dawn smiled at Wataru. “I’ll be sure to buy copies. You could learn a lot, Wataru-kun, from hanging out with people your own age.”

“Nii-san’s good at what he does,” Wataru said. “I know some of what he’s saying is radical, but….”

“You’re just too young to know any better, both of you,” Dawn said, smiling even more at Wataru. “Sometimes young people think that way; as they get older, they understand.”

“Too young?” Wataru asked, as confused as Taiga felt. Was she saying that Wataru would grow out of this desire not to eat humans? A lot of the reason why Taiga was pursuing this path was because of Wataru; he almost hoped that Wataru would grow out of it.

“Well, you’re only twenty, Wataru-kun, and the King here is only twenty-two. You haven’t lived very long, and both of you were raised by people determined to make you human. So, not only don’t you know Fangire culture, you are influenced by humans. It’s only natural you would think of them as something other than food. Especially you, Wataru-kun, given you share blood with them. But then again, most of us do, to an extent. Your mother was not the only one tempted by the forbidden.”

Taiga was too busy staring at Dawn to catch his brother’s expression as Dawn continued.

“And, that being said, you are no less a Fangire for your human blood,” she said. “And anyone who would make you so does not understand us. Humans are food, but things happen, and the children are never to blame for their heritage. Especially when they don’t understand. As I said, you’re young. Both of you.”

She seemed to be talking to herself as well as both of them. “But humans aren’t….” Wataru began.

Dawn reached across the table for his hand. “Food? Yes, they are. You have a little bit of unlearning to do. It’s too bad that Bishop saw you as a problem to be eradicated rather than solved, but he always was fanatic about the purity of the Fangire….”

“But….”

She smiled yet more at him. “You might be good at violin repairs, Wataru-kun, but there’s a lot you have to learn. I suspected that when I met you again at Development and Pioneer.”

“I know that,” Wataru told her, “But I think some things have to change, too.”

“Well, everything changes a little,” Dawn responded, still holding on. “Words change, people change, things come and things go. We fall in love, we fall out of love, we raise families, we grow up, we grow old. But one thing is constant, and that’s our food source. I know you’re resistant to that, and I know that you’re probably the one who convinced our King to do this, but you have to stop.”

“Why?” Wataru asked, clearly confused. Taiga was still sitting there, wondering if Wataru would change his mind. Of course, given Wataru’s behavior in the past, he really doubted it. He was willing to risk death and Taiga’s anger to stand up for his beliefs. And he had a feeling Dawn was going to learn that too.

“I’d rather not have my favorite repair person – as well as the son of my closest friend, or at least she was, once upon a time – get himself killed,” Dawn said, letting go. “And there are those who would kill you, simply for proposing it.”

“Would those be the same people that would hate me for being half human?” Wataru asked softly, but Taiga could see the determination forming on his face.

“We don’t hate you for being half, and… well, what’s done is done, and it’s not your fault that your mother turned you into a weapon for humans.” Brushing back a strand of hair from her face, she added, “But there are those who would kill you – both of you, if needs be – for bringing this on your people.”

“We’ll handle them,” Taiga said deciding at that moment that someone needed to be reminded of things, “With force if I need to. I am King. If I say something has to change, something has to change.” Even if he wasn’t totally sure of that change himself, he was tired of getting challenged.

“Professor Isakawa,” Wataru said, getting up and bowing, “I know change is hard, but… I want the Fangire to have options. I have chosen to be myself rather than a human or a Fangire. And I want there to be peace. Not suppressing the humans kind of peace, but true peace. And that can only really happen if the Fangire change.”

“And I’m tired of people challenging my authority,” Taiga reminded her. “I will think about your proposal, however. If you’re to change my mind, however, you have to change Wataru’s. Try to change it violently and we will strike back.”

Dawn studied Wataru. “As a friend of your mother’s, I accept that challenge, to change Wataru-kun’s mind non-violently. I can’t promise anybody else’s cooperation, but I, too, will try.” She bowed to Taiga, and turned to Wataru. “Thank you for the delicious tea. Sorry for my rudeness.”

And with that, she left.

Wataru sagged down on his chair. “I like Professor Isakawa,” he said, but he didn’t look too happy with anything at the moment. “I don’t want to hurt her.”

Taiga, realizing that he’d just challenged an obsessive elder to change his brother’s mind, sagged down as well. “I hope that she can convince the others.”

About to say something, Wataru looked up. After a moment, Wataru’s door slammed open, and two figures came hurrying down. He recognized one as Ramon-san, the last remaining Merman; the other, a young woman dripping blood, he didn’t know. He looked questioningly at Wataru, who had shot up. “What happened?” he asked.

The young Merman just looked at him and Wataru chest heaving. “Aya…”

Dropping down to the floor and panting, the young woman added, “They attacked us…”

“Ramon-san, who is this?” Wataru asked.

“Aya,” the Merman said frantically. “They tried to kill her….”

Crossposted from Ramblings Yet Once More here.