Volume 2: Episode 2 - Merci
Condo, near ToCar Hospital
Darius strode with a crooked line down the road between the condo and ToCar Hospital, glancing back and forth between his phone screen and the towering, densely-packed city nearby. Of course, he'd seen cities before, on three different planets, and while each had their differences, they all followed a similar structure. Tokkastran cities were something else entirely. First, he learned, that the cities sizes were defined by how many rings they sported, with most averaging three or four, while some of the largest going up to ten and even beyond. Darius could hardly tell where one tower ended and other began. He was looking forward to exploring it eventually, hopefully with Mikado, once he was able to walk around again.
And the phone. The night before, after a few exchanges with Ramses by text, Darius suddenly realized how sleepy he was and konked out on the bed. He didn't even eat until ordering in breakfast that morning. Now, his head flipped back and forth between the city in front of him and the text message screen in his hand.
Darius smiled at his screen and typed in one last message before putting his phone into his pocket.
Darius: I'll call you tonight.
With his phone safely tucked away, Darius looked up at the towering hospital looming above him, hoping he could remember the way to Mikado's room. If it came down to it, he could ask at the reception desk. He remembered it was the 18th floor. Which elevator and where it was relative to the entrance were all hazy memories to him.
Darius needn't have worried, as Lianne was already waiting for him by the entrance.
Lianne: Right on time. I thought you might not remember the way, so I thought I'd wait here for you before going upstairs.
Upon spotting Lianne, Darius rushed up the stairs to join him.
Darius: I appreciate that, Dr. Leingod. I hope you weren't waiting long.
Lianne: Not long. This way, please.
Lianne took Darius to the elevator bank and pushed the up button.
Lianne: I just got a notification from Admiral Zhang stating that she's going to authorize extending your cadet service for another six months. If you haven't received anything yet, you should soon.
Darius immediately stuffed his hand into his pocket and yanked out his phone.
Darius: Nothing yet.
Lianne: It'll come. She also told me that the extra six months will count towards academy credits if you choose to join.
Darius: Assuming there is an academy.
Darius lowered his head, focusing on the soft carpet beneath his feet when a gold, metallic hand reached down and squeezed his shoulder. It was Darius's first time feeling a mechanical hand and he was surprised by its warmth, which penetrated his uniform fabric into his fur.
Lianne: It's in the fleet's hands now. All we can do for now is focus on what's in front of us.
Preferring not to dwell on the subject, he decided to take Lianne's advice.
Darius: How's Mikado?
Lianne: A little more energetic today. A good sleep helps. Hopper is changing his bedding now.
Cutting off the conversation was a ding. Not a pleasant, electronic tone, but something more raw, that of a hammer actually hitting a small bell. And old-timey elevator bell that Darius had only heard in movies, signalling the car's arrival. He must have been to tired to even notice it yesterday.
The door slid to the side, left to right, and from what Darius could tell, on its own accord, though that did not stop the smart-dressed attendant inside from making a show of pretending to push the door open with his own hands. When he finished, he stood straight and tall, placing one hand on his chest and the other, turned to the side, level with his head. A very elegant and practiced series of gestures.
Lapin: Désolé de t'avoir fait attendre. Je vais monter.
Darius had no idea what was going on, but Lianne strode to the elevator car, so he followed.
Lianne: Bonjour, Monsieur Spirou. Comment allez-vous?
Lapin: Très bien, Dr Leingod. Et vous?
While Lianne answered, Monsieur Lapin held his arm straight across the open elevator door while it closed.
Darius: Très occupé. Monsieur Lapin, voici Darius Bengal. Vous le verrez souvent au cours des prochains mois.
Darius only had a small notion of either said. He heard his name. He assumed it was an introduction. This was confirmed when Monsieur Lapin leaned in close with his white-gloved hand extended, palm facing down, as though he expected Darius to kiss it.
Lapin: It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Monsieur Bengal. I am Lapin Spirou.
Darius's anxiety melted away, for now he could understand, though Lapin still had a French accent. A curious sound coming from a tokki. Darius put his paw in Lapin's hand and shook, but refrained from kissing. Lapin did not seem to mind.
Lianne: 18th floor, please.
Lapin placed his right hand on his chest again and made a little bow.
Lapin: Tout de suite, messieurs.
Lapin pressed 18 on the panel and then turned a small, brass crank to start the elevator.
Darius: I'm in for a lot of surprises here, aren't I?
Lianne: It's sort of a hospital/hotel hybrid. After we do some scans on Mikado, I'll give you a tour.
Lapin: You shall grow accustomed to it all in due time, Monsieur Bengal.
The elevator ride swiftly came to the end. Lapin took the crank into his fingers and brought the car to a stop. Again, as the door opened, Lapin put his hand on the side as though he were pushing the door himself. Lianne disembarked first while Darius followed.
Lapin: Merci d'avoir utilisé.
Darius turned to look back just in time to see Lapin put his hand on his chest again and give a little bow before the door closed in front of him.
Darius: I'm definitely going to need that tour.
Lianne: Don't worry. As Lapin said, you'll get used to it. He can show you the elevator for when you use it after he's off-duty.
Darius: I'd like that.
Lianne tapped his dongle next to the door handle. The light flashed green and he opened it, Darius following him inside. After rounding the corner, he found Hopper finishing up Mikado's bed while Mikado himself rested in a wheelchair by a table, munching on a breakfast of bean sprouts and some sort of leafy, green vegetable, accompanied by a steaming cup of tea. Outside the window, what was just inky blackness last night, was now a stunning view of the ocean, sparkling blue all the way to the horizon. Not only was the hospital itself designed with comfort in mind, but the location appeared to be a key part of that as well.
Darius greeted Hopper before sitting at the table with Mikado.
Darius: Hello, Hopper. Mikado, how do you feel today?
Mikado picked up a bean sprout with his fingers and started to nibble.
Mikado: Better than yesterday. The food here is good. Very fresh.
Hopper: We have great chefs here. None are nekomi, unfortunately, but there are restaurants for you nearby.
Darius: Yup, Dr. Leingod left me some takeout menus. I'm not going hungry here. What's our agenda today?
Hopper: Mikado goes down for scans in an hour, which is, conveniently, when my shift ends. I'll show you around the hospital after.
Darius: Ah, Dr. Leingod offered me a tour too. Either one of you would be great. For now, we should focus on Mikado. Anything we need to do before the scans?
Lianne: Just stay comfortable. I have to go down to the room to make sure everything is okay. I'll call you when it's time.
Darius quickly came to understand that when Lianne said he had to go, he went. No parting small talk. True to form, as soon as he finished his last sentence, he was out of the door.
Hopper: You'll get used to that.
Darius: He's busy for sure. Mikado is in good hands. Speaking of, Mikado, do you need anything?
Mikado looked up, just finishing up a piece of sprout.
Mikado: Just for you to sit with me for now.
Darius: That I can do!
Mikado: Did you bring your Stellar Sorcery cards?
Darius: I did, but I left them back at the condo. I'll go get them while you're doing your scans.
A beep came from somewhere in the vicinity of Mikado's bed. Hopper immediately checked the message displayed.
Hopper: There is a Yuma Skeyes requesting to see you.
Mikado let out a deep sigh and drooped his head.
Mikado: Dad. Let's get this over with.
Hopper: I'll send him up, then.
Darius thought about what might happen next. He'd never met Yuma. He had only heard little about him, mostly that he opposed Mikado's joining as a cadet. That his enclave operated on a philosophy of "Keep your head down and don't make trouble." Joining the Exploration Force was, evidently, trouble.
Darius: Mikado, what would you like me to do?
Mikado thought for a moment before giving his answer.
Mikado: I'll handle it. Sorry, but I'll just ask you to sit on the bed or something.
Darius put his paw on top of Mikado's hand.
Darius: Don't apologize. Hopper and I will be here if you need us.
Darius let his paw slide off of Mikado's hand before he retreated to the bed. Moments later, the door chime rang.
Mikado: Let him in.
Hopper complied, pressing the green button on the bedside console. The door buzzed and in walked a middle-aged tokki with shaggy, brown hair and weathered face, the face of a man who had seen much stress in his life. With the table holding Mikado's breakfast in view just as he turned, he spotted Mikado immediately.
Yuma: Son! I'm so glad you're back safe!
Yuma leaned in as though he were about to give him a hug, but floundered when he realized that doing so would be difficult without hurting him. In the end, he settled for a kiss on the cheek.
Yuma: You sure took a beating. How are you?
Mikado: Dr. Leingod is going to make new parts for me. For now, I feel okay, but I'm on some painkillers.
Yuma: I'm glad someone is taking care of you. Would have been better not to let you get into this state in the first place.
Darius didn't like where this was going one little bit. It started off well enough, but the passive aggressive comments were already starting. Nevertheless, he kept his mouth shut.
Yuma: Now, have we learned a little lesson?
Mikado: I don't follow.
From the look on Mikado's face, steely and defiant, Darius was damned sure that he followed very well, but was forcing Yuma to come out and say it.
Yuma: Look at yourself! If you'd done as I said, don't get out there and make a big fuss, you'd still be in one piece. Surely you know that!
Darius watched as Mikado's lips scrunched up more and more until they were nearly invisible, though still he patiently waited for his father to finish. With a shake of his head and a long exhale, he slouched in his chair, looking more exhausted than angry.
Mikado: You need to leave now.
His voice was quiet, but firm. Not an angry declaration, but a solemn acknowledgement of everything he expected to happen.
Yuma: What? You're still on board with all of this despite what it's done to you?
Mikado: I might have fewer body parts, but I have gained more than you will ever understand. I'll say it again. You need to leave now.
Mikado cast a fleeting glance in Darius's direction. No words. Just a quarter second look, and he knew that this was his cue. Darius stood and marched directly to Yuma, taking a spot directly between the two of them.
Darius: My patient has asked you to leave.
Yuma did not budge, not even when Darius, fully a foot, if not more, shorter stood inches away, glaring up at him.
Yuma: I do not answer to you.
Darius folded his arms across his chest, refusing to move. Yuma did the same, and the two were at a standoff.
Darius: Hopper, call security.
Out of the corner of his eye, Darius detected a wry smile and a nod from Hopper's direction.
Hopper: My feelings exactly.
Hopper had only managed two button presses before Yuma stepped back, towards the door.
Yuma: Fine. If you want to turn this into a circus, be my guest. I will not be a part of your little show. I'm leaving.
He turned to leave, and Darius, determined to ensure that he did not back out of this decision, followed, slamming the door behind him and punching the down button in the elevator vestibule.
Darius: Now you listen to me. There are people out there who are alive because of your son and many of those people are my friends. He made the choice to sacrifice his limbs and he is the bravest man I know. If that doesn't make you proud, then you're not fit to call yourself a dad.
Darius surprised even himself with the fury of his own words. Before he could say more, the elevator door slid open accompanied by Monsieur Lapin's usual flamboyance.
Lapin: Désolé de t'avoir fa...
Lapin didn't even finish before Darius thrust his arm out with a disapproving grunt, pointing at the open elevator door. With a sneer, Yuma entered and stood at the back.
Darius: Monsieur Lapin, please make sure he leaves safely.
Lapin looked back and forth between the two just for a moment. Then, he smiled his best customer service smile while putting his hand on his chest and bowing again.
Lapin: Je veillerai à son départ en toute sécurité, Monsieur Bengal.
The elevator door closed as Darius stomped back into Mikado's room. There, he found Mikado still with his head held low over his breakfast, tears dribbling into his lettuce. At that moment, every bit of fur on Darius's body started to bristle as he ran over to carefully wrap his arms around Mikado's non-sensitive parts.
Darius: Mikado! Don't worry. I made sure he's not coming back.
Mikado shook his head.
Mikado: Thank you, but it's not that. I heard you out there. I'm glad Captain Valro sent you to be with me. You're a good friend.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
Zelbunnii
Avareonart
Less_end
