Kiyoe in Boxed in

[estinose]

This is about Shinoda Kiyoe. It's as yet untitled.


Kiyoe took a sip of juice and looked at the Fangaire, who was gazing back at her. She still felt woozy, even after her nap; a result, her daughter had told her, of Kuramae-san's energy drain. "So, what happens next?" she asked the Fangaire, who had insisted on escorting her to the table as if afraid she'd fall over if he wasn't there. Given what had happened, she wasn't complaining about the steadying hand.

"You go to Monyou as soon as we can get you there," Kuramae-san said, handing her a plate of food. "For one, to make sure you're all right; I drained you more than usual. Secondly, to confirm your legal status."

"My legal status?" Kiyoe asked as Kuramae-san motioned for her to eat. She knew what he was talking about, but she wanted to hear what he was saying, even if it meant hearing she didn't want to hear.

"Well, we know you have Merman DNA, because you passed it onto Aya," Kuramae-san said, folding his hands. "By law, you have to be tested. If you have enough DNA, you'll be held to assist in the recreation of the Merman clan. If not, you can choose to stay here or go back to your home dimension, your choice. I'm hoping you stay here; it has to be awful, living in a world where you have to pretend you're something you're not."

"Kuramae-san," Kiyoe said patiently, reluctantly picking up the chopsticks, "I know Aya likes and respects you, so I apologize for being blunt. But up until I was told that I had Merman heritage, I had no clue that I did. My daughter has always been drawn to the ocean. I didn't care one way or the other until I met Aya's father, when he kidnapped and raped me. The experience was extremely traumatic and you'll have to forgive me for not caring that the Merman Clan is dying out. There's no way in hell I'd cooperate if you tried to put me with Aya's father."

"Aya wasn't proud of her heritage either when she came here," Kuramae-san said as she started to eat. "She changed."

"Aya," Kiyoe said, putting her chopsticks down in her haste to explain, "Was trying to swim before she could walk. In the meantime, I was cringing in horror every time she wanted to go to the ocean. Water, beyond what I needed to live, became my enemy. You saw how I reacted to Aya's father being nearby."

Kuramae-san wasn't human and had grown up in a world where humans were at peace with his kind; she wished he had a way to understand that she couldn't be Merman. At least with Ramon on the loose, the Fangaire might not know for a while that Ramon considered her tribe. She didn't want to know what would happen if they found that little detail out.

"Shinoda-san," Kuramae-san said, reaching for her hand, "It's okay. There are some changes you need to adapt to, but we'll help you through them. The people at the facility are trained in the medical field. They'll see what you are, make sure you're all right, and if needs be, evaluate how ready you are. And I'm sure they'll be more than happy to give you the counseling you needed twenty years ago."

"I haven't committed to staying," Kiyoe said. She wondered if he was bound and determined to steamroller her into this world. "With all I've seen, I want to go home to my little mundane world. My daughter is lost to this place, but I can at least pretend that I'm entirely human."

"And what if you do have to be held?" Kuramae-san asked intently. "You might as well adapt, Shinoda-san. Besides, you put yourself under my protection last night; I take that very seriously."

Kiyoe tried to hold back a shiver. "If Aya's father is away from here, I'll be all right," she said, looking down at her food. "I didn't mean to rudely inconvenience you last night."

"It made it easier to protect you," Kuramae-san said dismissively. "Aya's told me you're scared. I don't know if you know this, but Fangaire protect humans. You pleaded to me for help; I did my best to protect you. "

"You drained me," Kiyoe accused. "I wasn't going anywhere."

"Couldn't risk you running in terror, or deciding this morning that you had to leave suddenly," Kuramae-san said. "Eat."

But Kiyoe didn't eat. She wondered if he'd make her. "My daughter's in love with you," Kiyoe said. "And you're sleeping together."

Kuramae-san nodded. "We're careful about it," he said. "But I'm confident that we don't have to worry about pregnancy. Now, eat."

"You're ducking the point," Kiyoe said, picking up the chopsticks once more.

"You're avoiding eating," Kuramae-san responded.

Kiyoe wondered if he was always a mother hen, if the Fangaire were naturally that way, or if she was getting this treatment because of the energy drain. Or because she was apparently a damned Merman to them even though she had minimal DNA. But she did eat; she wasn't going to turn down a meal, given her circumstances.

A phone rang, and Kuramae-san looked down. "Shinoda-san, I'll be right back. Don't attempt to get up, okay?"

Kiyoe nodded and kept eating.

* * *

Noboru slipped out of the dining room, keeping an eye on Kiyoe-chan for as long as possible before losing line of sight. Aya had told him while her mother had been unconscious that her mother had panicked, and that she wasn't likely to run after she realized that he was safe. He trusted Aya, but Kiyoe-chan still seemed a bit scared.

"Hello?" he asked, answering his cell phone.

"Kuramae-san," Dr. Hamagaki said. "I understand you're sending us Shinoda-san's mother?"

"Yes, for testing. Aya says she's human, but I'm not sure about that. Aya's very protective of her mother. Plus, there's that intruder from the other universe with Merman blood." He leaned against the wall.

"In other words," Dr. Hamagaki said, "She's not objective on her mother, which is no surprise. You're sure that this is the Shinoda Kiyoe of that world?"

"The one of this world is happily living in Tokyo, has one kid, and is most definitely not here," Noboru said. "I checked. Plus, this one has given me details that match Aya's."

"We'll send someone down to evaluate Shinoda Kiyoe's condition and to do a DNA test."

"A checkover would be good; I haven't drained that much for a while and she did put herself under my protection. And she's not young for a human. I'm concerned that she's going or gone into menopause." He hoped not. With Aya being sterile, they could use Kiyoe-chan's DNA.

"In the meantime, please ask Shinoda Kiyoe about where she was when Ramon started chasing her. If she's above the legal minimum, we do need to put them together, which means finding him."

"We might have an objection from Shinoda-san about that - Ramon apparently scares her." He knew that Kiyoe-chan would come around in time, but she needed help. "She's long overdue for counseling."

"Do what you can. We'll see what her legal status is and go from there."

"Understood," Noboru said. "Is she staying here?"

"I don't see why not," Dr. Hamagaki said. "At least until we have a better idea of her condition. When I send the tech, I'll send along an anklet for her. If she's scared, staying near her daughter is probably best while we evaluate her condition. You have been telling me that you're eventually going to need another hand...."

"I am," Noboru agreed. "She does need heavy counseling, though."

"Which she'll get," Dr. Hamagaki agreed. "And if we find she can still have children, we'll prepare her as best we can. If it makes her more comfortable, we'll send her back there."

"That might work out well," Noboru said. "I look forward to the technician's visit."

He hung up the phone after the appropriate goodbye and went back to the dining room. Fortunately, Kiyoe-chan hadn't moved, apparently still working on her food, which was good. She needed the nourishment. He'd have to keep an eye on her until the tech got there to look at her; no need for her to suffer. And the sooner there was a GPS monitoring band on her, the better.

"Shinoda-san," he said, "It looks like you won't be going to Monyou immediately; I guess they're happy with you here. There's going to be someone to run some tests on you, and we've got to set you up with a counselor."

Kiyoe-chan gave him a tired nod. "I'm sure you won't find what you're expecting to find," she said. "I'm not like Aya. I'm not a Merman."

He didn't point out again that Aya had accepted her heritage. Kiyoe would too, eventually. If she was to be reborn in their world, she might as well do it as a recognized Mermaid Clan member. "You're making good progress with your food."

"Thank you," Kiyoe-chan said, and continued to eat.

* * *

Later on, Kiyoe was facing a technician who was taking various and sundry samples. She could have told the woman she wasn't going to find much, but she didn't have much of a chance. The woman took the samples and was soon away.

"Kiyoe, put your leg up, I need to put this anklet on," Kuramae-san said.

"Anklet?" Kiyoe asked. She eyed the thing that Kuramae-san had in his hand.

"You're technically under protective custody," Kuramae-san reminded her. She'd quite forgotten. Maybe she should excuse herself the first moment she could and head off away from the Fangire. "And you're presumed to be an aquatic lifeform, and we're near the ocean."

"I have a water phobia," Kiyoe protested. "I'm not going anywhere."

Kuramae-san just smiled. "Except maybe to the porch or whatever - after I get this anklet on you. You won't be allowed to leave this house until you do."

"Then I'll confine myself to the house," Kiyoe said, crossing her arms.

"No, you'll let me put the anklet on," Kuramae-san said. "You're potentially very precious, Kiyoe-chan. You also didn't stop when I told you to."

"I haven't been Kiyoe-chan for a *very* long time," Kiyoe said pointedly.

Kuramae-san shrugged. "I've lived centuries, Shinoda-san, the only thing that matters to me is putting you back together with Ramon-san."

"Over my very dead body," Kiyoe said. But Ramon would take her, probably assuming she was 'ready' if she was presented to him.

He smiled again. "We'll see. In the meantime, would you prefer to be kept at a drained level, or would you prefer the GPS anklet?

She sighed and brought her leg up.

* * *

"She's not legally Merman," Dr. Hamagaki said. "Borderline, but not enough to hold." The two of them were talking over the phone. Kiyoe-chan was out with her daughter in her daughter's little hut. "It's too bad that her DNA can't be partly overwritten like Aya's was, or like what happens during the fandiri change...."

"Is there any way we can keep her?" Noboru asked. "She's had a lot of trauma. It's not going to go away by having her return home."

"I've got authorization to hire an assistant for you," Dr. Hamagaki said. "Hire her, take the anklet off, and we'll clean out her apartment for her. Regular testing, of course, as part of the facility's testing regulations."

Noboru nodded, even though his boss couldn't see him. More testing for Kiyoe, then, for the rest of her life, because she was borderline. "I'll take her shopping. I'd ask Aya, but Aya can't bear to be in clothes for very long, so...."

"Understood. Just keep her here."

* * *

"So, Kiyoe-chan, how would you like a job?" Kuramae-san asked. "Raising the next generation of the Merman Clan?"

Kiyoe sighed. "I just want to go back home to my own boring, mundane, non-monster filled world," she said. "Aya understands. Buy me a train ticket to my destination, get me back to the gate, send me home."

She would have preferred not to leave Aya alone, but Aya had a home and a lover in this world. Aya had chosen her partner. She raised her leg. "And get this damned tracker anklet off of me, I'm no longer your prisoner."

Kuramae-san visibly winced. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Kiyoe-chan," he said. "You asked me for help."

"I had Aya's father right after me!" Kiyoe said. "I didn't have a choice!" She did, but she wasn't going to reveal her complicity to the Fangaire; she wasn't stupid. "I want to go home."

He sighed. "If that's what you want...."

Aya walked into the room. "Mom? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, just a second." Kiyoe looked at Kuramae-san. "Anklet off. Now."

Kuramae-san sighed and took it off.

After he was done, Aya took her down to the water near her little hut. "You got Noboru to remove the anklet?" Aya asked, a look of awe on her face.

"Well, despite my over-pessimistic daughter's prediction," Kiyoe said, teasing her daughter a little, "I am apparently below the legal limit. I can't legally be held as part-Merman. And I'm getting the hell out of here as soon as possible before the Fangire discover certain things."

Aya nodded. "I'm glad I was wrong." She looked out at the water. "Mom, I have a problem."

"What?" Kiyoe asked. Part of her wanted to get on a train immediately and get home; the rest of her wanted to be there for her only child.

She ignored the whisper that she could have another child, if she walked out of there and advertised her Merman blood. Or went to Ramon, though that would be when hell froze over.

"I think I'm pregnant," Aya said softly. "I'm exhibiting all the signs of a nesting Merman female. And you know who I've been sleeping with."

Kiyoe turned pale. "Kuramae Noboru... but I thought you said you were sterile, and he's a Fangaire."

"He is, I thought I was, and in the meantime? I'm pregnant and I am *not* going back to Monyou." Aya's knuckles were white. "And I'm not going to ruin his career, not to mention the best chance I have to keep the Fangaires' noses out of the Merman revival, for a pregnancy."

"He's the what?" Kiyoe asked. "Besides the father of your child." She had to wonder what species the child would be considered to be.

Aya sighed. "It may not seem like it to you, Mom, but the guy's a pushover. That's why I can't tell him I'm pregnant. If I do, he'll feel obligated to report it, even if it gets him fired. And if he gets fired and replaced, I'm not sure I can make the Merman Clan what it needs to be."

Kiyoe hugged her daughter. "So, you want me to stay here? Kuramae-san's offered me a job, helping out. If I don't go nuts from him taking that whole thing quite so seriously."

"I've met quite a few Fangaire; they seem to be cosmic mother hens," Aya said. "Don't get a job with one unless you want to be treated that way."

Nodding, Kiyoe said, "What do you want me to do? Stay?"

"Much as I'd like to," Aya said, "I think you should go home. There are certain herbs that I can mix together to help abort the child; I've had to be very careful in my searches and requests, but I think I can do it. I just don't know how to collect some of them without being suspicious."

"Would your father know?" Kiyoe asked. He owed her. He owed her big time.

"Maybe," Aya said, though her tone was doubtful.

Kiyoe thought about it. "Look, here's what I can do. I can 'think it over', tell him I'm staying but I need a vacation, take a boat, go see your father, ask him, and come back with what he says."

Aya nodded. "It can't hurt to ask."

"And if needs be," Kiyoe said, "I'll... I'll do what he wants, if he names a price." She was thankful she wasn't 'ready', and intended to be nowhere near Ramon when she was.

Aya nodded once more. "That sounds like a good idea. I'm going to hunt for herbs."