damned_institute | Day 48: Sun Room [Second Shift]

Hmph. While this Rude was the proverbial "man of few words," von Karma found more potential use from him than a number of the other patients he had met put together. He would still ask Franziska about the man... as well as the other people he had learned that she had been spending time around. Many of them were utter fools, especially that Kibitoshin.

He ignored the nurse as she insisted that he stay indoors, lest he "catch his death of pneumonia." Already having planned to meet his daughter in the Sun Room, the prosecutor had no intention of spending the cold, gloomy morning in the Courtyard anyway.

It appeared that he was the first to arrive in the spacious room. Gray light from the overcast sky filtered in through the glass windows high above, making it somewhat more difficult for von Karma to peruse the notes on the bulletin board as he awaited Franziska's arrival.

The lines in his forehead furrowed as he saw Kibitoshin's note to her, asking her whether she was "feeling better." What made that blasted oaf think that it was any of his business how she was doing or to worry about her?! She had been raised to take care of herself, damn it! ...Did Franziska say or do something that would lead the clumsy idiot to think otherwise? This, among other things, von Karma would ask her.

After removing his daughter's response to his original note from the board -- and noting that Ms. Taura had yet to reply to his other note -- he sat down at a table in a remote corner of the room, claiming this space that would afford him and his daughter the most privacy.

Mew?

What was that noise? And what was that tugging sensation at the leg of his pants? He peered down in the direction from which the irritating sound had come and was greeted by a tiny orange kitten that had the mistaken notion that his leg was a climbing post. Infernal creature! One glance at his face, and the furry little nuisance was suddenly at the other end of the room, having cleared it within several skittish bounds. Good riddance!

[Waiting for his Dear Daughter]

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So Teresa did have the ability to detect demonic presences. Kagura had guessed as much, and it explained the blonde warrior's reaction last night. "That's probably because I sensed something similar inside of Teresa. Whatever is inside of her has probably given her the ability to track demons. Perhaps, it was this Yoma she mentioned last night?"

However, it seemed like her explanation hadn't been thorough enough for Hime. "The first time I encountered the person from my world at the institute, the spirit tried to usurp my control but failed. Aside from that one event, I've been able to keep it suppressed, even after meeting that person again. The evil spirit is weakened in this place, so the chances of it being able to take control of my body is highly unlikely."

The two were more and more alike than Hime had thought. Interesting, especially since this would probably be a point of animosity between them rather than camaraderie.

"She's half-youma," Hime explained. Well, she didn't know how Teresa would feel about the princess telling the "enemy" about her, but she hadn't said not to. Besides, none of this would give Kagura any sort of technical advantage if the two did decide to make bloody reparations. "Part of a group of warriors who had youma flesh grafted onto them so that they could fight full youma."

It seemed Kagura's spirit was more what Hime was used to: a possessing spirit who would try to take control of its host's body and had a seperate existence, rather than just a set of instincts.

"I see," she murmured. "Well, I'll trust you on that. Just as I trust you'll understand if we're less than gentle if we're later proven otherwise." A chuckle. "Well, I'll try to avoid anything too permanent."

"It sounds like Teresa has a similar condition. Does her Youma-half also present a threat?" While Kagura's outward expression didn't change, her thoughts were a different story. She had heard of similar practices back home, but they were usually considered forbidden and cursed arts. She abhorred the idea and wanted to know whether the process had been done under Teresa's consent or not. For a moment, she thought about asking Hime but changed her mind at the last second. Her mouth opened but the words didn't come out. Even if she did know the answer, things probably wouldn't change between her and Teresa. Plus, if Kagura really wanted to know, she should ask the person in question herself.

"I wouldn't hold it against you if you did. I don't want to hurt anyone, but it's still possible the evil spirit could take control of my body," Kagura replied. Now would probably be a good time to ask something that had been bothering her since she had first met Hime. "Since we've gotten that out, I wanted to ask you a question. Forgive my rudeness, but when I first met you, I sensed that you weren't exactly human either."

Worried she might be touching a sensitive topic, Kagura hesitated before continuing. "What are you?"

"Probably only as much as your 'evil spirit' does," said Hime with a shrug. On the one hand, Kagura's dark side was something that actively wanted to take control and Teresa seemed much more suited to resisting such things. On the other hand, Teresa had said it was guaranteed someday the youma half of her would awaken, as they did with all of her kind. Hopefully, neither case would occur while they were here.

Hime only smiled at Kagura's question, her lips parting and revealing her fangs.

"A Royal," she replied, "one of the sons and daughters of the King who stands above all monsters, as I've mentioned before. That is both my station and by 'species', as it were."

"I see." While she had mentioned being royalty, Hime's answer was still very cryptic, and Kagura wondered if this was Hime's way of being evasive? Kagura had never really been good at interrogating people, and everyone had something to hide.

"You don't appear to be much different from humans, at least physically, aside from your blood's unique quality." Last time, Hime had mentioned something about her blood granting immortality, although, Kagura couldn't recall the exact details now.

It wasn't Hime's intention to be cryptic; her statements were all that were needed to be known about who she was. Well, there was a name for her kind that most humans would be familiar with, but the image that evoked was really only applicable to the adult Royals.

"Yes, the young Royals are almost identical to humans in appearance," she confirmed. "Our eyes and fangs are the only difference that can be readily seen. Of course, the blood of a Royal is what concerns most people."

Day 48: Sun Room [Second Shift]

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