I know the chapter title may seem misleading but Im trying to stay with themes related to a holiday. This is like the Epilogue so the story can end nice with everything sorted out.
Boarding
The 24th to the 27th of November will forever be etched into my life's history as the freakiest, most traumatic yet most fortunate days ever. Although I arrived under the most supernatural of circumstances and have seen more deaths and gore than anyone in a country of civil war, I have managed to come across some of the most generous and nicest people that you couldn't find anywhere else on the planet. And it was for this reason that I would decide to stay in Kamakura; the memories of Lucy, Bando, Nana and the dreaded Kakuzawa research facility will remain with me, but being around Kouta, Yuka, Nozomi and Mayu at the maple Inn will soothe such trauma.
I now find myself at the door of the house atop the serene forest and overlooking the beach. I made a promise to Lucy that I would do what she now couldn't and live a happy life with Kouta and the others. I just hope they don't mind if I ask for – ahem – permanent accommodation here.
"SURPRISE!!!"
Yuka never ceases to amaze me with her over the top antics. Now it seems they have organised a surprise party for my return from the hospital. All the clichés of a typical party with the added touch of Yuka's style. I felt like this was all a bit much though.
"Come on guys. I don't deserve all this."
Yuka grabs my arm guiding me inside. She has the coned party hat on. "What are you saying of course you do?"
Mayu jumps up from behind a cupboard. "Yeah Ben-san, we've been waiting this entire time for you to come back."
I get the idea that they have been crouched and in this mode for 24 hours but I won't bother asking.
I devote some of my mind's attention to observe the attire of my fellow 'family' members. Kouta, the snappiest of dressers (sarcasm) is wearing a sort of flannelette shirt and some very old looking jeans with some tears and bleached spots. On the other hand, Yuka is dressed for the occasion with an elegant loose blue dress with thin straps and frilled at the bottom. Nozomi's not afraid to show of her nappies with a short black tube skirt and orange singlet. But Mayu strikes me the most; she looks like she's either going to a funeral for the godfather or a Greek wedding with that long black dress with red outlines and rose in her hair. I like it though because it shows of her bare shoulders and has smooth sleeves.
"I must say Mayu you are looking particularly beautiful tonight." I kiss her hand in a womanizing fashion. Mayu blushes as her cheeks go pink.
"Well I only bought it recently but thought now's the time to try it on."
"Well I think you'll be wearing that more often."
"Well we've got dinner prepared so would you like to come in here?"
"Now that what I wanted to hear: FOOD!" I salivate and rub my hands at the feast before us. It looks to be a variety of sushi's and soups. I never had tried sushi before but was willing to give it a go.
"Dig in everyone!" Kouta gave the signal to start. I not only dug in but went past six feet under in the process. I gobbled up my servings of sushi – their so small you can eat them in one gulp. I then sculled my soup which tasted like a sort of Laksa/Tom Gum Yoong combination.
"Oh looks like you and Kouta finished early." Yuka frowns. "Good thing we have more."
Kouta stares across the table with devil eyes. Is he challenging me to an eating competition?
Yuka comes back from the kitchen and drops of two bowls of steaming hot noodles. Yes! My favourite dish...I cannot lose now.
"You're on Kouta." I say with fox eyes. He's immediately raised his bowl allowing gravity to take its course with the dish. I start grabbing (with my hands!) the biggest bunches of noodles I can muster and chew rapidly to allow it to travel down my oesophagus. I much and munch some more and I think I'm scaring Mayu and the other girls with the grunting noise I'm making from rapid eating. I only have one more mouthful to go but so is Kouta – it's really anyone's race now. I chew furiously like an angry Bug's Bunny; Kouta doesn't waste time masticating though and swallowed the whole damn thing.
"Too bad Ben. Looks like I'm first up for desert."
"Hey that wasn't part of the competit-" I stop mid sentence as something with tentacles dances around in my stomach. Is it a chest burster or a baby Diclonius? "Excuse me." I rush to the bathroom but I'm not quite at the toilet so my semi-digested noodles (as well as a variety of other products eaten that night) zip across the air before landing (well some of it) into the toilet. I manage to creep up the toilet now as I dump off the rest of my meal from my mouth end. I guess I'm not quite at the level of Kobayashi yet.
"Are you alright Ben-san?" Mayu says from the doorway. I think she sounds like she's about to spew after looking at the mess I created. She kneels down and helps me up. Her dress twirls and flows as she does so but amazingly doesn't catch any of my internal liquids. I rest my arms on her bare shoulders and we look into each others eyes. This would be the perfect romantic moment if not for the brown-green smear on my lips. She pats her own lip region to which I wipe away my mess accordingly.
"Mayu-chan." I speak softly. "I wish there was a better moment to say this but...I love you."
Her face looks magical as her eyes twinkle. "It's okay Ben-san...because I love you too."
We edge closer and closer for our kiss but we're interrupted by a nagging mother voice. "What on earth died here?"
"Oh sorry Yuka." I excuse myself as I'm still holding Mayu. Her hands are around my hips and mine over her shoulders (wait are we the wrong way around? Don't the guys grab the hips and the...uh forget it).
"Never mind. It's your party..." She grumbles but I know she's still being very generous. "You two lovebirds go on and I'll clean this up.
Mayu giggles as she thinks of something. "What is so funny Mayu-chan?"
"Carry me Ben!"
"Um...Okay sure." I bring down one arm and capture the back of her knees as I have the other one curled around the nape of her neck. I like how the dress feels on my arms; silky and smooth, just like her hair.
She nestles her head into my chest as I carry her outside. She is still very light and fragile which makes me feel warm again inside. I much prefer this sort of feeling to the perverted one I was getting when I first arrived.
We were both outside with the moon not quite at its full gaze but still encapsulating as it took over most of the night sky. The stars shone on varying brightness, some shone with a red or yellow tinkle whilst others formed into majestic shapes. The horizon was mysteriously beautiful as well with the trees bowing with the travelling wind and the sea blending with the sky. And to finish the poetic scene I had the sweetest and most beautiful girl in my arms. As she opened her eyes and looked towards the display she was as blown away as I was.
"Isn't it beautiful?" She spoke softly.
"Yes you are Mayu." I say cleverly as I bow my head down for another kiss. This time we weren't disrupted as we joined lips among a scene of nature at its best.
"Let's get married and be like this forever." Mayu suddenly uttered like a typical schoolgirl dream.
"Wha!?" She giggles at my overreaction.
"Well we can always wait for a while."
"But what if I hurt you again like before?"
"Because you won't...I know you have a true heart."
I get suspicious. "How exactly?"
"When you healed me and Kouta on the beach as well as saving Lucy from herself. You remind me of Nana in a way."
"And that gives me a true heart?"
"Yup." She chirps. "And tonight has been the best night of my life. I feel like I can trust men again thanks to you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I curse inside as I again cut away another violin string and make Mayu weep. "Oh sorry is this about that thing?"
"It's okay Ben...I can finally tell you." Part of me didn't want to know what she was possibly about to tell me but another said we'd grow stronger if we shared such a dark memory.
"I was molested throughout my childhood." I almost drop Mayu from my arms as I hear such news. I feel sick inside, now knowing that I've been trying to hook up with a girl whose already been exploited by older people.
"I'm sorry Mayu...You should have told me that before this got serious." I turn and clench my fists. "I can't do this Mayu-chan...You're too young to be tainted once again by me."
"No Ben trust me its okay now." She pleads but I have to ignore her affection. "I still love you."
I shove her back a little with my arm as I walk down the stairs in a weird emotional state I've never felt before. Her sobs are drowned out by my massive thought dilemma.
I love Mayu...But I'm eighteen and she's only fourteen...I don't thinks it would be right for me to have a serious relationship with her just yet...But how can I face her again if I reject her?
After some careful thinking I return to the top of the stairs where Mayu is waiting with her hands pressed on her chest.
"I've done some thinking Mayu and..."
"Yes Ben-san?"
"If I were to have a serious relationship with you I want to wait till you're older before I do anything with you." I think she got what I meant by that.
"Is that what this is all about?" She said calmly like it was no big deal. "Ben...you worry too much."
"Well I just care about you too much to see you hurt again." I mumble.
"Then let's just hold hands and kiss for now." She suggests. We do so as our hands and lips are once again united against the backdrop of a moonlit sky.
-----
SEVEN YEARS LATER...
"Look what I picked out today Daddy!"
"Oh, well you're coming to be quite the horticulturalist aren't you Nana?"
"Whaz a horti-cat-list?"
"Haha...Oh never mind."
"Oh here Mum look what I've got from the veggie garden today."
"Hey well done Nana!" Mayu still looks as innocent and as beautiful as she did all those years ago. Her face has changed shape slightly so she doesn't resemble a Chibi character as much. She has grown to be much taller as well to be equal with me; and her hair now comes down to her shoulders. We did end up getting married and we have been for about three years now. That's about the same time we decided to have a child. The old me would have been irrationally against conceiving another human baby to this overcrowded planet but since the vector virus spread and Silpelits wreaked havoc, humanity was on the brink of extinction (who would have thought). We named our daughter Nana in memory of one of the two Diclonius who lived with us for a brief time at the Maple Inn. She is turning three next month and she looks just like her mother. Kouta and Yuka also had a child which they named Nyu. She is a bit older than our Nana-chan but the two always get along and play with each other when we go over to their place.
After Arakawa produced that vaccine from my blood it turned out that although it didn't prevent the virus being spread, it did manage to change the behaviour patterns of the Silpelits so they wouldn't become killers. It meant that Diclonius and Humans could finally co-exist in peace. Eventually Arakawa did develop another vaccine to prevent the spread of the virus. In the end the human population was roughly halved but the Diclonius population is about 10% of that of humans.
Since the initial vaccine was such a success I became famous alongside Arakawa for being the saviour of mankind. I also promoted a campaign to prevent the slaughter of Diclonius children at birth and as a result was rewarded with enough cash to buy a neat little feudal style house not far from the Maple Inn as well as have enough money to be set for life.
I also set up my brother with Arakawa so someone could shut her up and end her virginity. I thought they'd make a great couple but it never lasted (sex must always screw things up). Nozomi also managed to launch her singing career and defy her parents. Amazingly her incontinence has ceased ever since.
-----
Tonight's the night of the summer festival. Mayu and Nana are going in their traditional kimono outfits.
We spot Kouta, Yuka and Nyu from the distance. "Uncle Kouta, Aunty Yuka quick let's go." Our bubbly daughter tugs us through the crown till we bump into them.
"Ah hello Ben and Mayu." Kouta and Yuka say politely.
"Hey." Nana pouts.
"Oh of course we didn't forget little Nana-chan." Kouta patted her head in a patronising manner. "So this festival looks like it will be the biggest ever."
"Yeah it's amazing how many have turned out." Yuka scans the area. Her hair is now longer and kept in two small ponytails.
"And how have you been Nyu?" I crouch down to my Niece-in-law. "She also looks just like her own mother.
"Good." She says shyly.
"Well I think I should take Ben and Nyu over to the Food stand." Kouta suggests. "Why didn't you girls wait over at the stage?"
"You do this every year Kouta." Yuka frowns. "You always ditch us for a while only to meet us up near the end of the festival."
I but in. "Well I'll make sure he finishes quickly then." I say in good humour. "I'll catch up with you later Mayu-chan and Nana-chan."
"See ya then!"
-----
Kouta grabs my hand as well as he's daughters as we weave past the crowd. I notice we pass the food stalls.
"Hey Kouta we just-"
"We're not going there." He says bluntly. I feel a bit uncomfortable now.
"Where are you taking us then?"
"I have to show you something...but you must keep it a secret and not tell Yuka or the others."
"Um...Okay then."
We traverse the forests till we arrive at a small clearing that resembles a small shrine. Two tombstones lean against a tree, one of them say's 'Kaede'.
"Who's this?" I say pointing to the stone.
"That's Lucy's real name...Every year I return to this spot and chat with Kaede for a while before returning to the others."
"Wow! You must really cherish Lucy's existence." I say in astonishment.
"Yeah well I remember as a child she wanted to meet me here but instead I had to go to the summer festival with Yuka-chan. This was like her home for a while and so fittingly is her eternal resting place." After the long speech I see droplets from around Kouta's eyes.
"Bring it in brother." I give him a massive hug as he pours his heart out over my shoulder. He even pours out some Sake for me that he brought along. It tastes nice and I almost feel tipsy but my will tells me to stop.
We sit amongst the trees for what seems like an hour drinking Sake till some familiar faces find us. "So this is your little summer tradition then Kouta?" Yuka looks stern with her hands on her hips. Mayu and Nana are not far behind.
"Oh Ben save me from the scary woman." Kouta pleads to me indicating he's drunk too much Sake.
"Kouta apologises."
"Why did you hide this from us, it looks cute." Yuka looks at the tombstones which read the name of Kaede and another one which sounds like a dog's name.
"This is my way of remembering Nyu." He says as he lifts a glass of Sake in the air.
"Kaede says thank you..." Voces which resemble two young girls come from behind. They look like twins and both have pink hair and ribbons on their hair.
Kouta sniffs as he runs over to them. "I've finally found you!"
"Found what? Their two lost girls." I say cynically.
"No Ben these are Kaede and Nyu...reborn."
Okay so the ending is much like the Elfen Lied one but remember I did enter the plot of the series. Well now that the story is over you should give me a reveiw. If you don't you may end up with the vector virus yourself and I'm NOT kidding!