Hydranomaly

Chapter 16: The Oasis Within The Well

"Even as an adult, he kept this mindset joining the ACU. He wanted to help fight anomalies to spare other families from suffering the fate his mother had," Akari's voice wavered, the cracks in her composure becoming visible. "With how many anomalies he's slain, single-handedly or with the Unit, he could've had his own home by now, a brand-new car, or... anything, really. But he stayed in this dangerous line of work. Seventy percent of his earnings go straight into funding his mother's research. Even with the little he does have, he spends most of it on towards organizations for repairing homes destroyed by anomaly attacks, like Max's... He keeps just the bare minimum for himself," she sighed deeply, her tone a mix of frustration and admiration.

Ryujin tried to process it all, but it left him tangled in a mix of emotions. Yamikumo had always been harsh to him, quick to point out his Hybrid nature and dismiss his humanity. And yet, the way Akari described his actions, a persistent sense of loyalty to his mother, reminded him of the fierce attachment he felt towards Max. He caught himself, surprised by the flickers of sympathy he felt. It was strange-he'd never really thought about Yamikumo beyond their tension-filled interactions.

"Thanks to my research over the years... faking it till I made it prior... I've managed to assist in treating Etsuko," Akari continued, her pride softening her smile. "We haven't found a cure, but we've developed a few treatments that slow down the mutation... They keep her calm, at least." She glanced at Ryujin, who, despite his aloof expression, was clearly absorbing every word, his curiosity piqued.

Catt, meanwhile, watched with ears perked, her eyes reflecting a mechanical sadness, as if she, too, sensed the weight of Yamikumo's sacrifices. Ryujin tried to wrap his head around it all-Yamikumo's dedication, the immense pressure he placed on himself. The guy had always seemed so cold and unfeeling, but here, he learned of a depth he hadn't seen before. He could almost relate, even if he couldn't quite comprehend why someone would put themselves through so much. Yet, even with this realization, he remained reluctant to give up his rare free time to help Yamikumo. The guy might be admirable in some ways, but they still weren't exactly friends.

Suddenly, Ryujin's stomach let out a loud growl, breaking the tension in the room. He clutched his midsection, nearly startling Catt, who jumped at the sound. Akari's tense expression softened into a chuckle as she leaned back, amused by the interruption. Her eyes caught the television remote in Ryujin's hands, now covered in teeth marks, which he had been foolishly biting at the whole time.

"Hey, no... that's not food, Ryujin," she chided playfully, snatching the chewed-up controller from him. "But I suppose I've kept you here for too long. Your dino nuggets should be done by now... though Yamikumo's probably had to reheat them a few times already," she added sheepishly.

Ryujin's eyes lit up at the mention of his food. "Dino Nuggies? Microwave, where?" He leapt to his feet, looking around the room as if expecting the nuggets to magically appear in front of him.

"Not here, sweetie. In the kitchen, over-" Akari froze mid-sentence, realizing with horror that the kitchen behind the closed sliding glass doors was engulfed in a thick cloud of smoke. But before she could stop him, Ryujin had already charged forward, crashing through the glass door like a bull. The glass shattered into a million pieces, some embedding in his skin. Unbothered, he pulled the shards out as if they were nothing more than mosquito bites.

The commotion drew Yamikumo's attention. He turned from the kitchen window, cigarette dangling from his lips, and took in the chaos. In contrast to Akari's shock and Catt's frantic attempts to slow Ryujin down, Yamikumo appeared strangely unfazed.

"Oh, it's you..." he muttered, his voice rough, a weary smile tugging at his lips. "Your dinosaur nuggets are in the microwave over there." He pointed to a small, red box on the counter. "Careful, they're hot."