Chapter Text
“I wonder if the outside has food other than oatmeal and veggies?” Kaipo recalls asking BamBam, her faithful companion.
As she stands in the pouring rain, clutching him to her chest, she observes the building across the street.
It’s full of people, many faces and personalities…more than she has ever seen.
The rain drenches her oversized hospital gown, leaving her soaked, but she doesn’t seem to mind as she tears her gaze away from the building to look down at the panda stuffed animal she’s clinging to. “I wonder what they’re doing?” She asks him, not expecting a response. “It’s obvious that they’re eating…but some of them aren’t and then other people are walking around wearing the same clothes…it’s odd, isn’t it?” Kaipo tilts her head, humming thoughtfully.
Turning around, she wanders away from the light of the nearby streetlamps and into the alleyway she’s standing in front of. Her back hits the brick wall and she slides down it, not caring for the new stains it leaves on her once spotless hospital gown.
Her stomach grumbles and she pats it gently. “It’s okay,” Kaipo tells it, “it hasn’t been that long since I’ve last eaten. You can go longer.” After being left to her own devices for so long, she’s gotten used to talking to herself and BamBam.
BamBam has been with her since the dawn of time; as long as she can remember. It has always been -and always will be- Kaipo and BamBam: the Unstoppable Duo.
Tilting her head back, she observes the sky, a small sigh escaping her as she does so. “It’s darker than I expected,” she notes, looking down at BamBam. “...what do you think? Pandas belong out here, don’t they?”
“...”
“You’re right,” she hums, agreeing, looking back at the sky. “Nevertheless, it’s beautiful.”
The stars twinkle down upon the child and her companion in concord.
BamBam stares at Kaipo with his button eyes from his position on the ground. She stares down at the scalpel she’s holding.
By now, it’s darker than it was before, the girl can barely see the weapon in her small hands.
Closing her eyes, Kaipo steels her nerves as she takes a few deep breaths, gently moving her long, black, curly hair over her shoulder and away from the back of her neck.
Once she’s certain she’s done an adequate job, she lightly runs her fingers over the back of her neck, feeling a small bump and the all too familiar texture of a scar.
Swallowing nervously, she takes the scalpel and raises it behind her neck, digging the blade in as she winces slightly, a small, pained intake of breath leaving her. Kaipo doesn’t pause in her action despite the growing pain, however, as she ignores the feeling of blood trailing down her spine. She continues to dig the scalpel into the back of her neck until she feels something resist her.
Inhaling sharply, she adjusts her hold on the weapon to pry what she’s looking for out of her neck.
Her loyal companion stares at her blankly, observing her with eyes that shall never see.
After a few more seconds of wiggling around and small pained noises from Kaipo, she manages to succeed in her task and she stares down at her hands, bloody and sticky, yet she doesn’t mind, as the rain washes off most of it.
In the palm of her rich brown hands sits a small square, no bigger than the size of her pinky nail.
Scowling, she drops it to the ground, crushing it beneath her bare heel.
Once she’s certain of its destruction, she stands, washing her hands clean of any blood from the rain, and she picks up BamBam from the ground, brushing him clean of any dirt that he may have gotten on him. He’s soaked from the rain -as is she- but she doesn’t mind.
The only uncomfortable thing about the rain is how it makes the blood leaking from the wound on her neck stream down her back.
Angling her head up at the sky once more, she takes note of the new moon before walking forward and away from the alleyway.
The bright lights of the building across the street whisper a goodbye.
Kaipo and BamBam find themselves wandering around the outside with no particular destination in mind, as they don’t know where they are.
Clutching the panda to her chest, Kaipo looks around curiously as the light from the sun slowly begins to fill the streets and people begin to wake up, starting their day.
She quickly ducks into a nearby alley, watching the people from the shadows…she doesn’t trust them for a second…and it’s odd to see the lower half of their faces. In a way, the unfamiliarity of it makes her apprehensive about approaching anyone.
Kaipo wouldn’t know what to say, anyway. If only BamBam could talk for her instead…but unfortunately, he’s the quiet type.
Instead of walking towards the growing light in the street, she sinks back further into the shadows of the alley. The rain had stopped some time ago, whilst it was still dark, yet Kaipo and her dear stuffed animal remain wet still.
It would be hard to sleep in this condition…but she’s slept in much worse before, so she supposes that it isn’t impossible for her to get rest in her current predicament.
Turning her attention to the various boxes and trash lying around, she decides that she’ll use them for her shelter.
Walking over to the boxes, she sets her scalpel down on the ground and BamBam as she quickly constructs a temporary shelter. She lines the inside of it with some old newspapers and she picks up her weapon and stuffed animal, crawling inside her “house”. Curling up in a ball, she closes her eyes, one hand clinging to the panda and the other having a death grip on the scalpel.
Kaipo falls asleep like that, the sounds of people going about their day oddly comforting compared to the silence of what she’s used to.
A small meow stops Fukuzawa Yukichi in his tracks while he’s en route to the Armed Detective Agency. Turning his head to the left, he sees a cat stretching. Upon making eye contact with her, she meows at him again and he can’t help the way his body slowly approaches the animal.
Crouching down, he removes some cat treats from the sleeve of his Yukata, tentatively stretching out his enclosed hand towards the cat, who remains a good couple of meters away from him. He opens his hand to reveal a catnip-laced salmon treat.
The nose of the Persian twitches and she slowly approaches Fukuzawa until she’s right in front of him. The fluffy white cat bends her head down and eats the treat greedily. Once she’s done, he offers out his hand again, this time for her to smell.
After she sniffs his hand, she rubs her head on it, purring softly before meowing at him.
The president’s usually stern face softens considerably. He’s always had a soft spot for cute things and cats…and this fluffy Persian in front of him is both. Reaching into the sleeve of his Yukata again, he pulls out another treat for the cat to eat.
She meows appreciatively as she munches on it, purring loudly. Fukuzawa takes the opportunity to pet her, running his calloused down her fluffy back. The cat seems to like the attention very much and she rubs her body against legs and arms, purring loudly, like an engine.
He smiles gently. “You’re a cute one…” As soon as he informs the Persian, she meows, as if she’s agreeing with him. It makes him chuckle softly, turning his head away.
By the time he regains his composure and looks back at the cat, she’s gone, and standing a few steps away from him. She meows and walks further into the alleyway, before doubling back and meowing again.
Fukuzawa observes her for a moment before he stands up and walks towards her, his face smoothing out to its usual, stoic expression. She moves forward eagerly, her stubby legs running ahead of him as she continues to meow. Tilting his head to the side slightly, the president follows after. “Do you have kittens?” He asks her quietly, not expecting a response, but he receives a meow from the fluffy white cat.
Leading him deep into the alleyway, she stops at a box propped up like a shelter and his suspicion of her having kittens grow as he sees it. “Is this where they’re kept?” Fukuzawa asks her, crouching down to give her some more pets.
Rubbing her face on his fisted hand again, she meows again.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” He laughs again quietly, though this time he doesn’t bother to regain his composure.
The president is lying if he says that he’s not excited to see these kittens.
However, as he pulls back the cardboard box, instead of the kittens he’s expecting, he sees something a lot more horrifying and unexpected.
Inside the box shelter is a small girl looking no older than four or five. She’s clothed in an oversized hospital gown covered in various stains…most of them in some variation of red and brown. Her feet are bare and bloodied, and her legs and arms are covered in dirty bandages. Her long black hair is knotted and matted.
She’s fast asleep, her chest rising slowly. In her hands, she clutches a raggedy, old panda stuffed animal…and a scalpel in the other. The girl has a death grip on both of the objects, squeezing them so tightly her rich brown knuckles whiten. Despite her breathing indicating that she’s sleeping, her expression isn’t peaceful at all. In fact, it’s rather the opposite, her facial features all scrunched up and pained. A closer examination of her body reveals to him how she’s curled up defensively, the trembles that wrack her small body…and how she’s obviously malnourished.
Fukuzawa’s face immediately twists in sympathy and pity as he stares at this poor child. It’s clear to him that she’s been through a lot of abuse…and he can’t just leave her here…not like this.
“My apologies for carrying you unconscious, without your consent,” He murmurs quietly as he lifts her up gently, making sure not to disturb her slumber, as he has a feeling that if he does, he’ll end up being stabbed by her scalpel. The man knows better than to underestimate the strays -even if she’s quite young- around here. Yokohama is a dangerous place…especially for the people out on the streets with nowhere else to go.
Standing up, he remembers the cat that led him to the child and he looks around for her, but she’s gone, as if she never existed in the first place. His lips narrow into a thin line, but he doesn’t think much of it currently, only disappointed that the Persian couldn’t hear his thanks.
There’s no time to dwell on such matters, however, and Fukuzawa briskly walks to the Armed Detective Agency with the small girl in his arms, ignoring the odd looks he gets from various citizens in the streets.
He reaches the building where the Agency is in around ten or so minutes.
The president doesn’t want to draw any more attention than he already has, so he takes the back door and then the stairs up to the fourth floor, his gaze fixated on the child, whom he just realised is bleeding. He needs to get her to Yosano soon.
Quickening his pace, he opens the door to the Agency with a flourish, surprising the members who have already arrived (Yosano, Kunikida, Nakajima, Izumi, and Miyazawa). They look at him in confusion and shock at his companion.
Yosano, upon noticing the condition of the little girl immediately puts down her tea and ceases her talk with Kunikida. She hurries to her medical office and Fukuzawa follows her, Miyazawa, Kunikida, and Nakajima behind him. Izumi is left behind, but she quickly hurries after Nakajima.
Gently, the president places the child on the medical table. “She’s bleeding from her neck and feet and she looks severely malnourished.” He states, his voice calm despite the condition the girl seems to be in.
“Anything else?” Yosano asks, starting to examine her whilst everyone else watches, wanting to ask questions, but knowing that now isn’t the time.
Fukuzawa shakes his head, “not as far as I can see.”
Straightening his posture, Kunikida pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, “We shouldn’t see this; I’m sure the president will inform us of what happened later. For now, Yosano-sensei should focus on cleaning her wounds.” With that, he ushers Nakajima, Izumi, and Miyazawa out of the room, but the latter peeks under the former math teacher’s arm.
“She’s gonna be okay, right?” His concerned expression soon vanishes and a bright smile adorns his face as he turns away from the medical office, reassuring the three with him. “Don’t worry! Yosano-sensei is an amazing healer! That girl is in good hands with her and the president looking after her!”
“You’re correct, Kenji-kun,” Kunikida smiles slightly as he adjusts his glasses again. “She should feel better in no time.”
The door closes behind the four of them, leaving them alone together in the Agency’s main room.
“I wonder who she is…and why she looked so…” Nakajima mumbles to himself, his segmental heterochromatic eyes full of concern. “There’s only a few places a child as young as her would be that...”
“Miserable-looking?” Izumi finishes his sentence for him, blunt as always.
Nakajima sweatdrops, “n- not what I was going for, Kyouka-chan, bu- but…I guess that works??”
Behind him, the door opens and Fukuzawa steps out of Yosano’s medical office, closing the door behind him. He looks up from the floor, his gaze is intense, making Nakajima and Kunikida stand to attention while Izumi and Miyazawa watch on as they normally do.
“I’m sure you four have questions,” He replies, his voice calm. “I am afraid that I do not have the answers to them.”
“What do you mean by that, Fukuzawa-san?” Miyazawa tilts his head, a confused frown adorning his face. “You brought her in…”
“I found her in a cardboard box in an alleyway.” He explains, “She was asleep when I found her…and then I brought her here.”
Kunikida frowns, “I don’t like that. Do you think she came from the Port Mafia? It isn’t above them to hurt children.” His eyes dart towards Izumi, who seems unbothered by his comment. In fact, she seems to agree with him, nodding.
“Yes.” That is all she says.
“She could’ve escaped from an abusive orphanage,” Nakajima suggests, memories of his time at his own orphanage coming to mind. He really doesn’t like the idea of someone doing that to other children, especially someone so young.
“Or from her family?” Miyazawa suggests, raising his hand, but he doesn’t look like he wants to be right.
“Regardless of where she came from, what matters is that she’s in safe hands now. Isn’t that right, President?” Kunikida turns towards Fukuzawa, who nods.
“That is correct, but while we don’t plan on hurting her, I’m sure she doesn’t know that when she wakes up. I assume that she’ll think that she’s in danger.” He says, “So we need to tread carefully.”
“She’s still asleep? Even during Yosano-sensei’s checkup?” Miyazawa asks, slightly surprised.
The president nods, “Yes. Yosano-san says that it’s because she’s so malnourished.”
Nakajima’s mouth thins into a line, having his own experiences of starvation back when he was younger. He feels a sense of conviction to help and protect this child.
“I ask that you not make a big deal of this to any of the other members, as I do not wish for her to be scared of being crowded with so many people when she wakes up,” Fukuzawa says, bowing his head at the four.
“Of course!” Kunikida nods, pushing his glasses up his nose bridge as he takes out his notebook and begins to write down a new schedule that takes the child into consideration. While he doesn’t like unplanned events like this, he can’t help but make this an exception. As a former math teacher, he’s been around kids a lot and he has a soft spot for them. So he finds that he doesn’t mind how this unexpected occurrence messed up his morning schedule.
Izumi nods, “I shall not bother her.” She doesn’t think that she’ll be good around someone as young as that girl…the only things Izumi can think of to converse with her are different stabbing techniques, bunnies, and crêpes. The unbidden thought of Izumi and the girl eating boiled tofu from Tachibana-Dou…like a pair of sisters comes to mind, and the former assassin doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable with the idea as much as she thought she would.
“Okie dokie!” Miyazawa agrees happily, trusting that everything will work its way out for the child…just like seeing the sun for the first time after a long storm. He knows that despite whatever place she comes from, he’ll do his best to provide a safe and happy spot for her…to make her at home!
The were-tiger nods, “Right, Fukuzawa-san!” His eyes narrow and he feels a wave of determination rise in him. He will protect this child…and he’ll help her in any way he can, just so she can never be hurt again. He doesn’t want her to go through any more pain than she’s been in, because no child should ever have to go through something like that and he’ll prevent it from happening to her again!
Fukuzawa looks at the four of them, pride twinkling in his eyes, even though he doesn’t smile -as he rarely does, even when he was young- the four members can tell that he approves of their conviction.
It’s white. So very white and light…
Kaipo can’t see anything; the whiteness blinds her, leaving her to helplessly stumble her way through the Room, until they take mercy on her, dousing the Room in pitch darkness.
She knows what this means and her breathing starts to become uneven as she closes her eyes and covers her mouth, backing away from the middle of the Room until she hits the wall.
Sliding down it, she pulls her knees to her chest and curls into a defensive ball, the noise starting. It rings and rings and rings and rings in her ears and tears well up in her eyes from the pain. Liquid drips down from her ear canals and she knows that she’s bleeding. Yet, despite the pain, Kaipo doesn’t open her mouth to scream, lest the bugs crawl in.
She can feel them crawling around and on her with their too-many legs and their uncomfortably light presence. They walk beside her and on her, the sounds of their buzzing mixing with the frequency of the ringing noise.
That’s when the smell begins…when Kaipo knows she’s made it this far…she knows that it’s almost over…just a little longer...she can hang on for a little longer...
The scent nearly makes her gag and regurgitate her oatmeal from First Meal. She swallows though, she swallows and continues to squeeze her eyes shut, her hands covering her face.
Kaipo feels the blood running down her face and neck, the bugs crawling and climbing all around and on her, the warmth of her lower body trying to comfort her, and the endless streams of tears pouring down her cheeks.
She hears the incessant ringing sound that’s making her want to bash her head against the wall, the buzzing of the insects, and the wail of her muffled screams through it all.
The scent of rotting and decaying bodies fills her nostrils as she desperately breathes in the air with such avarice, the familiar smell of blood mingling with the corpse's scent.
It feels like days It’s not long before she sees a bright white light ahead of her, yet Kaipo doesn’t open her eyes yet…she’s much too scared to.
She’d rather die than return to where they’re taking her, she can’t she can’t she can’t she can’t SHE CAN'T-
Gasping, Kaipo sits up breathing heavily as she pants, holding BamBam close to her and closing her eyes, moving back and forth to comfort herself.
As her breath gradually slows down, she calms down and opens her eyes, only to freeze.
This…this isn’t where she set up her temporary shelter.
Her heart starts to beat faster as she realizes that she no longer has her trusty scalpel. Trembling, she looks around, trying to gain her bearings.
A bed…like the one she’s setting on…more beds…curtains…a medical table…
Kaipo feels sick. This isn’t…they didn’t find her, did they?
Though this place feels a lot better than what she’s used to…
Looking down, she swallows her anxiety as she clings to BamBam, the panda offering her the support she needs. Kaipo realises that she’s wearing a hospital gown…only this one is more comfortable…and has mesmerising patterns. She traces one of the patterns with a finger, relaxing a little as she does so.
It’s calming.
Now that she’s more calm, she notices how her feet are now bandaged, and her arm and leg bandages have also been replaced. She feels…cleaner. Not as clean as she’d like to be, but cleaner.
Her tranquil moment is cut short when someone opens the door to the room she’s in. Kaipo freezes, looking up with wide light brown eyes.
She feels defenceless….she doesn’t like feeling this way.
Swallowing, Kaipo does her best to come off as intimidating to this woman…but it doesn’t work since she just looks like a sullen kid hiding behind a stuffed animal.
“Ah…you’re awake,” she responds, moving closer to Kaipo and she tenses, glaring at her.
“Wh- Who are you? Where am I? Where’s my scalpel?” She lets out a barrage of questions, making sure that she doesn’t give anything away about herself.
The black-haired woman stops walking, holding her hands up in surrender. “Calm down…I’m not here to hurt you, okay?” She pauses before continuing, “My name is Yosano Akiko and I’m a doctor. You’re here in the Armed Detective Agency after our president found you sleeping inside a cardboard box. As for your scalpel,” Yosano gazes at Kaipo sternly, “I confiscated it. I don’t want you to hurt my colleagues. We mean no harm and only want to help you.”
Blinking, the young girl looks at the doctor before looking down at BamBam, taking in the words she’s being told. Is…it true..? Yosano does seem genuine…
Swallowing, Kaipo looks into BamBam’s eyes, uncertain and asking him for help. The panda stares back into her own, giving her the answer she needs, “...you…want to help me..?” She repeats, looking up at Yosano with wide eyes, not believing her…but wanting to. It sounds too good to be true, after all. Swallowing again, her hands tighten around BamBam, using him as a comfort item. “...why?”
Yosano takes a couple of apprehensive steps forward until she’s kneeling by Kaipo’s side. “Because that’s what we do here: we help people.” The doctor says softly, her voice causing the small child to turn her head towards her, staring into the older woman’s magenta eyes with her own wide ones.
“...were you helped..?” She asks her, her voice barely a whisper.
“I was,” The doctor nods. “By a very intelligent boy.”
Kaipo bites her bottom lip nervously, “And…that’s it? You don’t want anything in return…you just want to help…just ‘cause?” She asks, genuinely confused at the notion.
“You’re an injured child…of course I want to help you,” She says kindly. “And not just because my job is to help people. I want to do it so you can be happy.”
Happy.
That’s a word Kaipo thought she’d never hear when someone was talking about her.
“I’d…like for you to help me,” She whispers, holding onto BamBam tightly.
Yosano smiles kindly and holds out a gloved hand for her to take. Kaipo stares at it before she tentatively takes hold of it, her grip feather-light compared to the doctor’s.
The detective helps Kaipo get out of bed, and she wobbles a bit on her feet, hissing in pain as she feels the blisters on her feet sting.
“Are you alright?” Yosano asks her, worried. “Your feet are in bad shape…do you want me to pick you up?”
“Pick…me up?” Kaipo asks, blinking up at her in surprise. “U- Uhm…I’d rather not.” She isn’t ready to be touched that much yet. Just the thought of the doctor touching her so much while she was sleeping makes her nauseous. The small girl removes her tiny, cold hand from the gloved one.
Looking down, she clutches BamBam close to her. “Where…where are you leading me?” Kaipo asks Yosano, anxious.
“Oh, I’m just planning on introducing you to the rest of the Agency. They’ve been worried about you.”
Worried? About her?
The doctor can sense her disbelief and takes a few steps forward, gesturing for Kaipo to follow her.
She does so, after a few reluctant seconds of standing still.
Yosano leads the girl to the door where she initially came through. “The other members of the Agency are on the other side. Are you ready to see them?” She asks the child, willing to not proceed if she isn’t ready.
Those…behind that door…are the people who Yosano said are worried about her?
Kaipo keeps expecting to be attacked and taken back to her previous home…but it hasn’t happened yet. She swallows nervously, glancing down at her trusty companion for his advice.
As usual, BamBam doesn’t respond, but she always feels better after consulting him.
“I…think I’m ready…” Kaipo whispers, bracing herself.
After Yosano double-checks to make sure, she opens the door with a burst of strength, accidentally slamming it against the wall and drawing everyone’s attention over to the two.
Kaipo swallows nervously, holding BamBam close to her.
She hopes that they’re as nice as Yosano.