"Alright. I will become your test subject. If you'll give Soraru-san the antidote and Sou-kun the medicine to cure his disease he has and let everyone free then I will accept anything."
"That's the wise choice. Just look at your possibility to even find a doctor here.", Coccalap said as he widened his arms, making his point across when he showed the room which showed the forest through the big windows.
Everyone stayed silent at that. No one knew what to say but after the silence, Amatsuki started struggling strongly, demanding Kashitaro to let him go. Kashitaro didn't want to let him go even though he knew that Mafumafu would go away at this point. That's when he had an idea.
"Mafumafu! Please listen to this before you go! I studied medicine before I became a musician so I have some medicinal knowledge. I could try to help Soraru and Sou-kun!
If you would just give me a chance.", Kashitaro said and Coccalap crossed his arms. "Do you really want to rely on someone who broke off his medicinal studies in middle school already?
And risk having your beloved childhood friend die?", Coccalap asked as he looked down at the unconscious Soraru.
"I really want to trust you, Kashitaro-san. You stopped studying medicine to become a musician but I always thought you were nice and I could always trust you.
So if you answer me this truthfully now, then I will not go with him. Do you think that you can save both Soraru-san and Sou-kun?", Mafumafu asked his face full of sorrow and Kashitaro felt a shiver going down his spine.
He thought it through before carefully giving his answer. "I did stop studying medicine. But my parents owned a hospital and both studied medicine as well. So when I stopped studying medicine, I still had the medicinal knowledge of a university student graduate.", Kashitaro confessed which gained Mafumafu's attention.
Kashitaro noticed this and took it as a positive thing as he wanted to continue trying to convince the albino. "I actually saved some poisoned patients before because they entrusted me to save them. So I'm not a stranger when it comes to poison. I—". "Hrgh...", they all looked at Soraru who got consciousness again.
"Soraru-san? Soraru-san, are you alright?", Mafumafu asked relieved that Soraru was awake again. But instead of answering Soraru started to gasp for air. "Oh, it looks like the poison is slowly eating him.", Coccalap stated as he looked at Soraru gasping for air.
"Soraru-san! Soraru-san!", Mafumafu shouted trying to get the ravenettes attention who looked down the whole time. He then looked up and Mafumafu gasped in shock when he saw that there were ranks of plants covering almost half of his face. "Decide now.
Go with me and I will give him the antidote now. Go with them and let him rot to death. Soon the roots will kill him. That's what the poison did to everyone else.", Coccalap said.
"I will go with you! I will! So please give him the antidote already!", Mafumafu shouted and Coccalap nodded satisfied as he took out a syringe with some unknown light green liquid. He kneeled down to put the liquid into the ravenette's arm but Soraru pushed himself away from Mafumafu and Coccalap, using his remaining strength to stand up.
"Don't you dare to touch me with your filthy hands!", Soraru warned while holding his injured arm. "Oh? So you'd rather die right now?", Coccalap asked as he crossed his arms.
"Who knows what that suspicious thing contains. I'd rather trust my life to Kashitaro than to you!", Soraru shouted and when he did one of the windows broke and someone jumped with all of his weight on Coccalap right in front of Soraru.
He took the syringe right out of his hand as he stood up. "Ah, so we meet again! I'm sorry for what I'm about to do but this is payback.", the male said as he kicked Coccalap knocking him unconscious. He then looked at Soraru worried.
"I'm sorry for making you wait for so long. We will get you guys out of here immediately. Follow me.", he said as Soraru was still in daze trying to comprehend everything. "Wait. Who are you? Explain yourself or we won't follow you.", Soraru said. The black-haired male smiled apologizing. "Ah, sorry, my name is—."
"Hashiyan?!", Amatsuki shouted out in surprise and upon hearing his name, the black-haired male widened his eyes and turned towards the source of the voice. "Amatsuki! There you are! Now that it's cleared, let's go before other guards come! We can talk more while walking to the car!", Hashiyan said as he ran ahead and the others ran after him.
Mafumafu tried to help Soraru but it was difficult to do so alone so he had Shima help him as well. Urata helped Sou along with Luz and Nqrse also ran after them quickly. Sakata was the last one to run but he was stopped by someone tugging on his hand. Panicked he looked behind and then down to see the plant girl standing there.
"Oh, no... she was with the other man! What if she wants to kill me?", Sakata asked himself. But before he could even continue to worry the girl took a pair of scissors and cut of a piece of her hair before tying it together and giving it to him with a clear liquid. She then pointed it at her arm and then just stood there silently again.
Sakata was confused but he still took it nethertheless. He then gave her a smile, patting her head. "Um... thank you! I don't know what this is for and why you gave it to me but I'll ask the others on what to do! Thanks again!", Sakata thanked before running towards the others.
The small girl stood still and only moved again when Sakata was gone. She turned to look at Coccalap and kneeled down. She then put his mask down revealing a man in the middle of his fifties and she saw that he woke up. "Ah, you are still here, huh? Good girl.", Coccalap said as he patted her head lightly.
She looked up though when she heard some footsteps. It was Retrodot who looked down at Coccalap in disappointment.
"Neko. You are dismissed. Search for the streamers again. You managed to do it the first time so there will be a reward from the higher colleagues later.", Retrodot said and Neko merely nodded before walking off.
"So you've failed your task again. Not only did you let them escape, but you poisoned one of our streamers as well and now he is almost positively going to die. He really had potential and you still shot him. I told you to not kill any of them.", Retrodot reminded him but Coccalap merely laughed. "I'll not apologize for that. Seeing the first person not dying immediately by my poisoned bullet... and he was still able to stay sane!", Coccalap said.
"I see... you are never going to change, huh? I'll dismiss you in the name of the majority of everyone.", Retrodot said as he took out a gun out of his suit and pointed it at Coccalap.
"So you're going to kill someone who has worked so long with you?", Coccalap asked. "It is because you worked so long for us that we will show you mercy for killing two of our workers and kill you as well. It was nice working with you.", Retrodot said before shooting at the other man once in the stomach who coughed.
"Well then, goodbye.", Retrodot said before exiting the room. The plant girl stood over the man and after a long silence she sat down again and patted his head like he and Sakata did before.
*****
"What's taking him so long? He said he would be back soon. I shouldn't have listened to him even though he insisted. And his arguments even sounded reasonable at that time.", Kradness sighed but before he could complain any further, Eve interrupted him.
"Ah! Hashiyan is coming with the others!", Eve exclaimed and Kradness immediately pushed a button to open the doors. They all stormed in and Kradness was about to give his complains but was interrupted by Hashiyan shouting at him to close the door and start driving.
He did as told and drove off immediately. He then wanted to ask again but he didn't have the time to as he was being instructed to concentrate on driving and that they would explain it to him later.
"One of the hostages that were taken was shot by one of your colleagues. The one who poisoned me. And—". "Is that Sou?!", Eve asked from the second row as the younger male was being seated next to him and Nqrse and Luz followed after, sitting next to them. "You must be Eve then.
Sou told me a lot about you already. I'm so sorry that we couldn't take care of him better and now he's in this state. I'm not sure if you know this yet but your friend has an unknown disease and we don't know what to do about it.", Nqrse explained and Eve only nodded concentrated before pulling out a first aid kit he always had with him because of Sou's condition in the past.
"Please don't blame yourself. If anything, I have to thank you for taking care of him. I'm going to take care of this. I don't have a cure for his disease but this will lessen the pain and stop his coughing for a while.", Eve said as he took Sou's wrist and inserted a syringe into it.
Sou's pained expression slowly eased up and after a while Sou slowly opened his eyes.
"E-eve-kun? Are you really here? Or am I hallucinating because I miss you so much.", Sou asked sobbing a bit while lifting his hand and Eve took it smiling softly. "It's really me. You are safe now, so sleep for a bit. You must be exhausted after everything you did.
You worked hard and you did well.", Eve said wiping the younger's tears away and Sou leaned his head on Eve's shoulder looking at the older. "You're not going to be gone when I wake up?", Sou asked and the older male smiled reassuringly.
"I'll be still here. Promise. Now go to sleep.", Eve said and Sou nodded closing his eyes before he quickly fell asleep.
*****
"Ok, let him down on the backseat!", Kashitaro instructed and Mafumafu stepped inside first, sitting down before putting Soraru's head on his lap. Kashitaro followed after them, kneeling beside him and he thanked god that there was enough space for everyone in this car.
He pushed the back of the seat down so there was more space and instructed Urata and Shima to sit close to them behind them in case he needed their help. "Amatsuki and Sakata. You guys look if Sou is alright and explain the situation to the people who saved us with Luz and Nqrse.
Ask them if they have some tools like a pair of scissors or even just a knife.", Kashitaro told them and they nodded walking to the front. Amatsuki soon came back and handed Kashitaro a first aid kit. "I'm tired...", Soraru confessed.
"Do you want to sleep for a bit?", Mafumafu asked but Kashitaro interrupted. "I'm sorry but he can't do that. Soraru, please listen to my instructions and under no circumstances, fall asleep until I tell you to. Do you understand?", Kashitaro asked and Soraru muttered a yes.
"Good. I'll first start with removing the ranks. Please tell me where it hurts.", Kashitaro said and he took the first aid kit, opening it to see what was inside. He was surprised to see a variety of medicinal tools and substances in there.
There was even a breathing mask and Kashitaro wondered why someone would carry that around but decided to ask about that later. "My upper body hurts.", Soraru answered weakly and Kashitaro nodded. "Please take off your shirt then.", Kashitaro said and Soraru did as told.
When he did Mafumafu widened his eyes in terror to see that the left side of his body was covered in roots and his skin was looking unhealthily purple. Most of the roots were near in the center of his heart. "Those roots want to have his heart. They'll slowly eat it away so we have to remove them. But before that we have to remove the bullet.", Kashitaro concluded and looked at Soraru giving him a piece of cloth.
"Put this into your mouth. We don't want you to scream too loudly cause I don't have any anesthetic.", he said and Soraru nodded taking it. "I'll start then...", Kashitaro said and he started to take the bullet out and Soraru just winced quietly. Shima whistled impressed while Kashitaro started to cut some of the roots off.
But like Kashitaro predicted, as soon as he started to cut some off, Soraru started to scream in pain. Kashitaro ignored him as he continued to cut the roots off and while Soraru had tears of pain falling down. Mafumafu and the others could only watch helplessly as the ravenette started to struggle.
"Urata. Shima. Hold him down so he won't move around too much.", Kashitaro instructed coldly as he continued and the two of them did so as they both held him down.
Urata felt bad for seeing the older male like this and he felt even worse seeing the albino looking so helpless so he decided to put in some words. "Oi, Mafu! Talk to Soraru!", Urata told Mafumafu who was confused as to why the brunette would suddenly talk to him. "Eh? Talk to him? Now?", Mafumafu asked confused.
"Just do it and trust me. Try to put his attention somewhere else. Even if it's just for a few seconds!", Urata said before he concentrated on holding the ravenette still for the brunette.
Mafumafu looked at Soraru helplessly before settling on putting his hands on Soraru's cheeks wiping his tears away that were on the corner of the older's eyes.
"Soraru-san... can you still hear me?", Mafumafu started to ask and after a short while Soraru nodded making Mafumafu feel bad. Here Soraru was in pain but he still bothered to listen to the albino and answer him.
He really thought about stopping again but Urata's expression told him to keep going. So he gulped down his sadness and decided to try to give him a smile. "You know, Soraru-san, I am worried about Iroha and Potato.
I wonder if they're doing well. Of course, okaa-san will take care of them but I miss them. When we get out of here, I'll introduce you to them.
You met okaa-san already but you haven't met my beloved children yet.", Mafumafu said and looked for a while over to Kashitaro who removed a pile of roots already. He signaled the albino to continue which he did and after a while of painful moments, Kashitaro managed to get all of the roots out of Soraru's body.
"Is he alright now?", Shima asked and Kashitaro nodded and proceeded to take the piece of cloth from Soraru. "Yes, I think so. I removed all of the roots out of him.
He should be fine now and—". Kashitaro was interrupted by a loud scream and saw that there was a light green liquid coming out of Soraru's arm wound and the root prints were still there.
"Eh? Th-that can't be... I removed all the poison out of him. That liquid looks just like the antidote that that man wanted to give him...", Kashitaro realized and everyone then realized that Coccalap never intended to save Soraru in the first place.
"What if... he knew there was no medicine for him. If that's the case then—". "Don't say it!", Mafumafu shouted crying. "Don't say it.... We can still save him!", Mafumafu exclaimed and Kashitaro gave him a pained face. He looked at Soraru who stopped screaming.
He didn't even have the power to scream anymore. He could only breath unevenly and his mind wasn't even there anymore. "I removed all the roots and tried my best to clean the wounds. I even double-checked everything... I... I—".
"Kashitaro-san! Please don't lose hope yet!", Sakata shouted and they saw him running towards them with Luz and Nqrse holding a bottle containing a clear substance and a bundle of something. "I don't know if this will help but there was this little plant girl who gave it to me!
The one who was with the other man!", Sakata said and Urata glared at the bottle. "And you just took it even though it could be even more poison? You— Oi, what are you doing?!", Urata asked when he saw how Kashitaro took the bottle and hair out of Sakata's hand inspecting it.
"This substance... it looks just like the substances of a plant after you removed its chlorophylls! But why would she give you this?", Kashitaro asked himself. "I worked with that substance a lot in the past while experimenting. It's from a Mimikry so it works differently than with normal plants.
If you remove the chlorophyll of it then it will be a strong poison and that is what the bullet which was shot at Soraru contains.", Luz explained. "But then that substance will be of no help!", Urata shouted and Luz turned towards Kashitaro who gave him the bottle and hair.
"That's why the little girl gave Sakata this.", Luz said taking the bundle of hair. He opened the bottle and put some strands in it. As soon as it came in touch with the liquid it dissolved.
"She's not a human but a plant. Her hair is like the color of a plant. It would be poisonous if you take it alone. And adding more poison into poison is usually bad.
Unless it's with the Mimikries. Surprisingly, they have the exact opposite effect with that so let's all thank god that Sakata here took it.", Luz tried to lighten up the mood up a bit but his face was dead serious when he mixed the substance.
"You did a good job already. We'll take care of it from now.", Luz said and Nqrse took the place of Shima and Urata.
He sat beside Mafumafu patting him consolingly before taking a syringe out of the first aid kit and Luz opened the bottle taking the syringe from Nqrse as he put the substance into it and held it towards the neck of Soraru.
But Soraru looked like he was about to close his eyes as Nqrse slapped him which didn't do much as Soraru still had his eyes closed. "He can't fall asleep now! Mafu-kun, help me!", Nqrse said as Mafumafu shouted at Soraru sobbing.
"Soraru-san! You can't sleep now! You can't! Don't leave me! Please... Please!", Mafumafu begged and that's when Soraru opened his eyes again weakly looking at Mafumafu.
"That's good! Keep talking, Mafu-kun! And you keep listening to his voice, Soraru! Concentrate on his voice!", Nqrse instructed.
Luz quickly took that opportunity to insert the antidote into Soraru's neck. After that he quickly took some more putting it into the shot wound before he quickly stepped away.
"You can sew his wound back up now. This time, he will be fine.", Luz assured and Kashitaro nodded, his mouth pressed into a thin line. He kneeled down and started to sew the wound up. After that he bandaged the upper body of Soraru and pushed himself away, sighing in relief when the prints of the roots were gone.
"S-soraru-san, how are you feeling?", Mafumafu asked tears streaming down his face.
Soraru sighed weakly before looking up at the albino, lifting his hand weakly to wipe the younger's tears away. "I'm fine now...", Soraru assured as he gave him a weak smile.
"Looks like my plan didn't work out as smooth as I thought...", Soraru laughed weakly and sat up but Mafumafu sobbed even more. That's when he started crying out loud and buried his face into Soraru's torso.
"Stupid, Soraru-san! Why did you have to be so reckless again?! I thought I told you not to be like this again! This is even worse than the White Room incident! I thought I would lose you for real this time! I thought you would die! I thought—", Mafumafu was interrupted by Soraru hugging him back and patting his head.
"I worried you a lot, huh? I'm sorry. Thanks for talking to me and preventing me from falling asleep. You did a good job.", Soraru praised patting the albino's head and that's when the younger cried even harder.
Soraru sighed but smiled fondly. They had their moment until Soraru got startled when he heard sobbing from someone else. He looked behind confused, to see everyone either crying in relief or trying not to cry.
"Soraru-san, you idiot! You are supposed to be the smart one!", Sakata insulted as he threw himself into the hug as well. "You worried everyone here!", Amatsuki said joining as well.
Almost everyone else who was awake joined and Soraru gasped in pain.
Urata, who didn't hug him, just crossed his arms and looked down at the sitting male. "That's what you deserve for worrying everyone.", Urata simply said and Soraru glared at him.
"Oi... I'd love to roast you about your height right now but I'm tired. Kashitaro. Is it fine for me to go to sleep now?", Soraru asked and Kashitaro, who stood a bit further away, snapped out of his thoughts before nodding, smiling lightly.
"Yes. Please rest well.", Kashitaro said and Soraru nodded lying back on the albino's lap startling the younger male.
"Oh, and thanks for saving me. Especially you, Kashitaro. I owe you something when we get out of here.", Soraru thanked and Kashitaro widened his eyes before smiling lightly.
"You're welcome.", he said and Soraru smiled back before his eyes closed and he fell asleep soon after. They all smiled as Kashitaro packed up the kit thinking that they can finally rest but before they even finished that thought the car stopped abruptly. "Is something wrong?", Amatsuki asked walking towards Kradness.
"Yeah... there is a person lying out there against a tree. I don't know if we should save him though or not.", Kradness said.
He then looked more closely to see that it was his former coworker in the same department. "Wait... isn't that—".
He was interrupted by the purple-haired male shouting out his name in shock. "Senra?!"
It's cliffhanger after cliffhanger here ww But I have good news for you! (Or bad news. It's how you look at it ww) I finished the book and I can tell you that there are only two more chapters to go after this (They are a bit long I guess) By the way, did you listen to the new After the Rain song on NND yet? It's good ww Anyway this book will be finished next week and I'll publish the first chapter of the Utaite x Servamp story as well. See you next chapter~ (๑>◡<๑)