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Ego's new hire was the most normal adult here to say the least.
From what they were told, Dr. Ciel Maihime was a sports physician from a prestigious university. Despite the background they were given, her purpose within the facility was more akin to a disciplinary officer than a doctor.
She was a few years older than Anri but defineitley younger than Ego. Her face was soft, often plastered with a small smile, but became warped and tight when disobeyed. The way her face would shift and her voice would rise was scary to the players. It was quickly proven that staying on her good side meant more reward than punishment. Those who fell out of line were punished with more training, when they got tired she'd say "If you have the energy to fight among yourselves then you can surely run another 10 miles."
Despite her strict demeanor, the players took a liking to her. She was lenient enough so her disciplinary actions didn't become overly obnoxious but she never let anything go to far. Nevertheless, she gave out helpful advice and helped care for their injuries.
Although she seemed to have normal relations to the other players it was clear she had a greater connection to Kunigami. The doctor was always watching him from afar monitoring his behavior. She was quiet as a mouse and would only be heard when she called the boy to follow her out of the room. The others thought nothing of it since Anri usually did the same.
It was the same in a way.
"Kunigami, we've been noticing a dip in your performance." Dr. Maihime stood, with her arms crossed. Instead of her usual soft smile, her lips were stretched into a full sneer, sharp, white canines becoming visible. Her eyes were wide open and her eyes seemed to glow from the irritation. It was unsettling to say the least, watching her shed her false face but Kunigami was used to the feeling at this point.
She cocks her head to the side "Ego told me that you've started displaying parts of your old self again. We can't have that can we?"
Kunigami stays quiet. He knows what happens when he tries to argue.
Maihime continues "Me and your other…" she struggles to find the word "mentors have come to the realization that all the freedom we give you is becoming an obstacle. The other players are searching for someone that shouldn't exist and they are succeeding. So we have decided to practice less traditional methods to make sure you only focus on yourself and the one you're mirroring."
Maihime pulls out a case from under her seat. Kunigami watches silently as she puts the the code, flinching slightly when it pops open with a hiss. She turns the case to him so he can get a good look of its contents.
Inside is a heavy black watch, mimicking the appearance of his wristbands. Next to the watch is a tablet tracking his and the other contestants vitals.
"Do you like it?" She asks. "We'll be using it to monitor and limit how much you interact with the other players. We will decide what information you'll consume and process." She pauses to slide the device on.
"Any defiance or disregard for the rules we make for you will have consequences." She takes the tablet from the case and taps away on the screen.
There's a buzz then there's a crackle in the air. Kunigami jumps when he sees the bright flash. The watch shocks the doctor hard, enough to make her pass out like Shidou but she does not falter. Despite the harsh surge, her crooked smile remains on her face. Her eyes burned brighter with mania. The doctor was completely unfazed by the pain.
"I suggested a shock collar but Ms. Anri voiced against it. She said it was too noticeable to the other players and then they'd start trying to play detective."
Dr. Maihime stands up from her seat, slipping the monitor off her wrist. She walks around the table, inching closer to Kunigami. When he realizes what she's trying to do he backs away into the corner. Maihime is not pleased. Her smile drops and her eyes twitch furiously.
"Look, Rensuke, I know it seems scary but trust me its for your own good."
He shakes his head in defiance.
Maihime snarls "Would you rather I have Ego put you to sleep and let me open you back up? I have more invasive means for keeping you tamed."
Kunigami's stance falters. His hand hovers over the faint scar over his abdomen.
Right, her real profession. The lady was a surgeon who minored in bioengineering. Know her, she probably had some sort of implant to shove inside of him if he were to continue to disagree.
Maihime raises her voice "What will it be Rensuke?"
"If don't want to interact with them just say so. Please don't make me wear that." He begs
"I'm not in the mood to argue Rensuke so I'll ask you one more time. What will it be?"
He looks down his body. If he gets put to sleep he won't be given a proper dosage of anesthesia. Feeling her poke a prod around his body was not pleasant in the slightest. He feels like puking when he remembers catching a glimpse of his insides from one of the mirrors.
Knowing there's no other option he agrees. He let's out a shaky sigh as he raises his arm up to the doctor. She claps her hands together. The smile returns to her face as she clasps it on his wrist. Maihime tugs on the device to make sure its well secured
"Attaboy." She smacks him lightly on the cheek.
Dr. Maihime turns her attention back to the tablet. "Don't try mouthing off to the other players either, that's if you don't want their suits going off too. Heroes don't cause others unnecessary pain, right?"
Maihime watches him make a face before reluctantly agreeing. She smiles softly, savoring his compliance.
"Good, now please follow me to your training room. We need to work on refining your form."
Kunigami shakes violently. His entire arm is paining him.
The training was a lot more than proving his form. Anri called it conditioning. Maihime called it experimenting. Either way it hurt like he'll. If his shots were too off-centered he was delivered a shock that traveled through his body. They came at different intensities, both women wanting to see at what point would the corrective measure become effective.
The whole time they spoke to each other as if they weren't watching a kid getting electrocuted.
"I think that's a suitable level."
"It's a lot less than the voltage I gave myself."
"…I thought I told you not to test the monitor on yourself."
"I know, I know. I just wanted to give him an example. With that being said, I think the stomach implant would be more effective, position-wise. It'll allow the charge to travel evenly across the body."
They conversed with each other while he laid on the grass, gasping from the pain. There would be no solace nor pity for him from these adults.
Slowly but surely cold demeanor faded. His desire for loneliness was no longer backed by a bitchy personality, but by paranoia. Conversations found unnecessary were forbidden. If he remained in communication for longer than he was permitted, the monitor would hum to life as a warning, shocking him if he took to long to comply.
His even newer behaviors were making everyone suspicious.
"Hey, Isagi…" Chigiri turns his head to his companion
"Hm?"
"Kunigami has been acting different lately, no?"
"Oh really now? I never would've noticed."
Chigiri shoots him a look "You know what I mean. He's so jittery now. He's been avoiding interacting with everyone. When he's approached he doesn't even tell us to fuck off anymore he just scurries away."
Isagi rubs his chin "I kinda see what you mean. He's been talking to me but after 5 minutes on the dot he shuts up and leaves, sometimes mid conversation. I don't think I've seen him eat a proper meal in a while either. He's also been doing a lot of that weird scratching."
"Do you think we should say something?"
"To who? Ego, Anri, Noa? They're literally all over him. If he's been acting like this around them that means they don't really care."
"What about Dr. Maihime? She seems like a reasonable adult."
"Maybe, but I don't think she has the authority to do anything about it."
"So we'll have to deal with it ourselves. I'm thinking it should be a group intervention. I'm sure your other teammates must have noticed his even weirder behavior."
"Good idea! I think you should ask around the other stratums and see if anyone else has something to say."
"Got it." Chigiri bumps his fist with Isagi before they both take their separate ways.
Isagi and Chigiri managed to find a couple players who had some concerns about Kunigami. Bachira, Reo, Barou, Hiori, Yukimiya, Raichi, and Kurona all had questions they wanted answers too. Nagi, however, was just going because Reo was.
When the group finds Kunigami, he's in the cafeteria eating alone. Actually, "eating" would be an overstatement. The ginger is just poking whatever is on his tray. They watch him swallow dryly before trying to take a bite with his chopsticks. His body clearly disagrees as he sets the utensils down and starts scratching at his wrist. It's kinda sad actually.
He switches to biting his nails when he accidentally breaks skin. They use his moment of distraction as an opening.
"Kunigami!" Bachira slings his arms around his body. Startled, Kunigami lurches forward, hand gripping his at chest. He presses his eyes shut, breathing slowly in an attempt to control his heart rate.
"See that's what I was talking about." Yukimiya whispers to Reo "He startles as soon as someone comes up to him. Then he starts breathing strangely."
He wants to ask them what they want but he bites his tongue. Luckily Isagi answers that question for him.
"Kunigami we're worried about you. You've been really jumpy as of late. Plus you keep sneaking around us as if you're afraid of being noticed."
He turns his head to the side
"You don't even curse us out anymore. I would've preferred that over absolute silence."
What difference does it make? He thinks.
"You haven't been eating properly either-either."
"You've been getting lightheaded easily. We can't have you fucking up our games."
All their worries, complaints, and criticisms give him a headache. He wants to give answers but he feels a buzz starting to build from the monitor. He wants a way out of his predicament but he isn't allowed to want anything anymore. So he stands up abruptly and wrestles Bachira off his body.
He pushes past all of them. Some give him looks charged by their irritation, others look at him with pity. He can't stand it, being treated like a scared animal.
But that's what he is now isn't it?
Kunigami feels a hand wrap tightly around his arm. He grits his teeth, the pressure makes his arm ache. Turning around, he's met with Chigiri's rose-colored eyes.
"You don't get to walk away from us. We care about you. Can't you see that?" Chigiri take a mental note of how ready and angry his wrist is.
"Idk about 'we' but okay." Nagi mutters to himself. Reo shoots him a glare.
"I care about you Kunigami."Chigiri watches Kunigami struggle against his hold but it seems to pain him.
"Let go of me."
"No. If you want to leave you need to assure me you'll be okay. And if you can't do that at least tell us what's going on so we don't have to worry about you."
"I can't. She'll–" he slaps a hand over mouth.
"She? Is Anri doing something to you? Why won't you just spit it–"
Like a cornered animal, Kunigami bites.
A loud smack sounds throughout the cafeteria. Those who weren't paying attention had definitely noticed the group now.
The blow causes Chigiri to pull away from him, much to his relief. He staggers a bit before reaching for his cheek and wincing from the contact. A red-hot handprint blooms across Chigiri's face. Tears pool in his eyes as he braces himself against Isagi and Reo.
They all shoot daggers at him but their eyes quickly soften when they look back at him.
Kunigami is clutching at his chest which heaves erratically, muttering some apologies. His words aren't directed towards Chigiri though. They seem to be meant for someone else. It's like he's praying to the gods watching over him, begging for reprieve.
It was clear his prayers wouldn't be answered.
"What’s going on, boys?"
All eyes snap towards Dr. Maihime.
Isagi walks in front of her trying "Dr. Maihime, we were just trying to–"
"–Help him out? Obviously that didn't work out." She mutters that last bit under her breath.
"You boys shouldn't worry too much about him. It's probably just a phase." Her heels clack closer to Kunigami "Even if the phase is detrimental to his wellbeing."
She turns her back to them "Kunigami, let's get going. Anri wants to have a word with you." She's about to start walking away when she hears him mutter a response.
"I don't want to see her"
"What was that? I didn't quite here you."
"I don't want to see her. I don't want to go anywhere with you. I'm not your lab rat."
"Lab rat? Kunigami what are you talking about?" Isagi interjects
"It's nothing, he's just hysterical." Maihimee clears her throat before repeating her demand. "Kunigami, we need to leave."
"Are you going to shock me again?" Now he's really pushing his luck. But since he has an audience, he might as well use it.
"What–"
"Or are you going to cut me open to prod at my intestines?"
The others stare at Maihime in horror. Unconsciously the group begins to move towards Kunigami, as if they were ready to guard him.
Maihime laughs "So that's how it is?" She reaches into her coat and brings out her tablet. Her soft smile twists into something ugly. "I suggest you all move away from him, unless you also want to feel this."
There's a loud crack before electricity surges through Kunigami's body. He keels over, curling into himself on the floor. His cries fill the cafeteria causing panic to fill the atmosphere. Barou and Hiori try to help him but they're shocked by current surging through him.
Chigiri rushes towards Maihime "Stop it, your hurting him!" He reaches for her tablet but it met with a surge flowing through his own body.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you. Your bodysuits are equipped with tasers too, but I'm sure you already know that."
Chigiri huffs. "What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you see your killing him?!"
"Oh don't be so dramatic. His body has been conditioned enough to handle the amperage. He'll only be left with a burn or two."
Kunigami continues to writhe in pain. All of his nerves are on fire. It feels like his heart is finally going to burst. He grunts into the floor, gripping his side. He thinks he's going to die this time but part of him knows that the doctor only wants to put him on the edge.
With a click, the surge stops. He pants against the tile. His eyes glaze over before his entire body shuts down.
When Kunigami wakes up he isn't alone. There's a hand carding through his hair. Who ever it is, they stop when they notice he's awake.
The hand trails down his face, caressing it gently.
Kunigami tries to lift himself to see who's with him but he realizes all his limbs are restrained. Panic sets into his features when he realizes exactly where he is and who he's with. The boy thrashes around, trying to break free from his restraints. A voice tuts at him.
"I suggest you put yourself to sleep Kunigami, this one's going to hurt."