A Mentor's Hand (文豪ストレイドッグス)

16

Daisuke shuffled over, fear plain in eyes, however, his fear of disobeying Chuya was greater.

"You really know how to be incredibly useless, don't you?" Chuuya said as he took the medikit from the young boy. Daisuke didn't answer.

"And YOU, Shitty Dazai! You just gonna watch?!"

Chuya continued yelling at everyone while he confirmed Kiyo's current state. She didn't look too well, but was probably far from passing out.

◇◇◇

Everything was incredibly bright. Kiyo could make out Chuuya, leaning over her. She blinked, confused. Why was he here? Kiyo was doing just fine.

Kiyo sat up, struggling the entire way. Chuya put his hand on her chest, telling her to not move. She closed her eyes against the wave of pain; she tried to move, but could only watch the events unfold before her.

Mai and Chuya were talking. Something she said made him momentarily pale, and Kiyo caught the words 001. However Chuuya overcame himself quickly.

Then just like that, Mai was on the ground, and Chuuya had defeated her. His fist met her chest, and she flew backwards. Mai struggled to sit, but didn't get a chance. She was punched again, this time rendered unconscious. Kiyo saw Chuuya's fist buried in Mai's chest. When he withdrew it, a thin stream of blood dripped off his black gloves.

Mai twitched a bit, then stopped moving.

"No!" Kiyo yelled, except her throat hurt too much so the words didn't come out. She tried to crawl forwards, but the world was fading faster than she could move. Chuya walked towards her, his face sad, and... something else.

Nonetheless, he crouched in front of Kiyo, brushing his hand - the one he didn't use to fight - against Kiyo's cheek. Kiyo thought she heard him say something, but she was out before the words were processed.

---

Chuya was surprised: Kiyo was awake within an hour. He was lounging by her window, when the girl moaned, rolling over to face the other wall. A moment passed.

Another moment.

"Chuuya-san...?" She said, slowly rolling onto her back again.

"Mhm?"

"Why was I too weak?"

Chuya didn't quite know what to tell her as he didn't know himself. "I don't think you were weak," he started, getting a side glare. Chuya sighed, taking his hat off.

"Or maybe you were weak. Sorry kid, I ain't God, but there is definitely more to this than what meets the eye."

"Like?" Kiyo propped the pillow up, looking at Chuya.

"Dunno kid, maybe you should tell me that. What happened back there?"

Kiyo pressed her lips together as her eyes started to tear up. She took a shaky breath, and told him everything that she knew.

Kiyo and Mai had been test subjects at a government facility, both of them possessing a single ability. Those two abilities, the scientists came to think, would compliment each other perfectly. So, the long journey to extract Mai's ability began. When it was finished, and the scientists had it prepared, they brought Kiyo in.

Of course, as most things are, the injection wasn't perfect. Kiyo's body didn't know how to handle the new substance, so it responded by lashing out. She thought that Mai had been killed in the aftermath.

Chuya didn't know what to say. It was obvious that the scientists used to have control over what she could remember.

"And Chuya, Mai said that you... were 001," kiyo said slowly, raising her sad, green eyes to meet Chuuya's face.

"I know. That's why I have Arahabaki inside of me."

"I see." Kiyo leaned forward, trying to stand. She clutched her stomach, which was wrapped in clean bandages. Chuuya leant her a hand, which she took begrudgingly.

"Where you going?"

"Wherever Mai is."

"Do you know??"

"...no" Kiyo sighed. Chuuya helped her to the wall. "You know you should be resting." Kiyo didn't answer. Instead, she shrugged on a plain black shirt, tucking it into her trousers to hide the bandages. She paused.

"Chuuya-kun... how did I get... like this?"

"Eh?"

"I recall having a shirt when I was fighting."

"Well I had to fix your wounds somehow." Chuuya said flatly.

"You could have just left me there."

"If you don't want me tending to your wounds then don't get hurt," Chuuya said hotly.

"I'll remember that next time I think about getting hurt."

"Good."

Kiyo breathed deeply, and walked out of the room. She was a bit slow, but walking nonetheless. Chuuya watched as the girl grabbed a thigh sheath and put one of his many blades into it. She grabbed her hat and coat, and left.

Chuuya followed her. "If your gonna try and find Mai, I'd look around the underground hospital first."

"Thanks," Kiyo said.

He closed the door, having a suspicion of what she was going to do.