Large tubes filled with unknown liquids that bubbled and stirred, Iron cages both stacked high and hanged from above are riddled with rust from how much blood flowed through, even dissection tables that are splattered with chunks of flesh that still wreathe.
And surrounding Tatsu on all sides, both within and without their confinement are the abominations that he was running from. Terrible creatures of squirming flesh and quivering objects, they crawl and move in grotesque ways, sputtering blood as they do so.
Most are blind and deaf to the world, navigating only through the sheer chance of textures and touch. Some are capable of sampling the world through heat or scents, greater still than the former of their brethren and bearing a sliver more of sense. And finally, the last and most minor of their numbers, to the half-blood's mounting horror, have eyes or ears.
The last group of their populace have senses that can greatly perceive the world at large, and mostly importantly, perceive him.
There was an impasse between the two sides. One of hackled fur and revealed claws, the other with coiled muscles and hardy bones. As seconds ticked by in tensed silence, Tatsu was the one who made the first move.
The cat bolted in the direction of least resistance, a direction where the abominations have escaped the least; The large tubes.
He noticed that among the broken tubes are the same creature but somehow dull. Slow. Perhaps even placid. The only difference between them and the others are the spilled liquid that they are drenched in.
Whatever liquid it holds appears to have a pacifying effect on the creatures as he sees that the only ones that have been freed are those that have been released by their brethren by accident. By the looks of things, it appears that there isn't any of them that have transcended beyond animalistic intelligence as the creatures did not bother with helping their own fellows.
A relief, if anything. And it's also the reason why his quirk failed him here.
But for now, Tatsu clambered atop one of tubes using one of the creatures as a foothold, the brief contact once again sent shivers of disgust down his spine. He then jumped from the tops of the tubes, now proudly showcasing all the grace and flexibility that is afforded to him by his feline form.
The cat looked down on the creatures that tried to follow after him, getting into contact with the liquid on the floor. Just as he expected, the creatures that were chasing him visibly slowed down and gradually relaxed their muscles, drooping unevenly back to the floor. There were those that used the bodies of their kin as a way to get to him but only after a few paces away did one of them accidentally break another tube, spilling the contents on the floor and this drenching them as well.
He felt safe enough to trounce about like so as he sees that the creatures below struggle to lift themselves beyond a mere few inches, their asymmetrical and malformed bodies becoming a liability. Despite this however, he still kept an eye out for anything amiss.
Nodding to himself about the relative safety of his current location, he decided to focus on his intuition from earlier to see if there's anything worthwhile hidden somewhere in this horror laboratory.
Luckily for him this time, the commotion of the ordeal generated sounds and vibrations strong enough to attract a good portion other abomination's attention. This gave him a large enough of a leeway to explore a bit more boldly.
All without dropping his guard... Much.
With a pounce and a trounce, it was almost as if he was dancing to music unheard to everyone but him. The cat moved in a way reminiscent of how a cartoon animal would sing across a jungle unworriedly as he looked under the tiny nooks and crannies for bit and bobs.
Anyone that was watching would have called him out as a fool but while he does have his moments, he still has years of experience to rely on.
Tatsu's eyes were peeled wide as he circumnavigated around the stragglers of those grotesque abominations. He paid no mind to the screaming and clanking of the rowdy imprisoned creatures as he passed by them...
...screaming?
He turned to look at the source and found that one of the creatures had a primitive vocal chords. Seemed like it didn't develop enough for anything more than terrible screeching, with the air simply passing through the tubes that were tangled along with the ball of yarn that it was.
Stamping down hard on the instinct, he pulled his thoughts back to looking for the supposed treasure that somewhere here.
Besides the tubes and cages, the large laboratory was filled with complex machinery he didn't understand along with high shelves lined up with liquids that he could only assume were either chemicals or or samples.
Samples of what, he did not know.
The equipment were in a stand-by state with some still operating on a long timer. The half-blood could only guess the people here were in the middle of work before some accident transpired that made them leave in enough of a hurry to abandon their current project.
He tried reading at the papers scattered around haphazardly on the table and the floor. Unfortunately, tha latter was mostly left incomprehensible with all the blood splattered over them and the former were filled with so much medical jargon he could almost feel his head spinning.
'Wait... Were the letters dancing?' He thought as he swayed from side to side. 'I didn't know I had dyslexia.'
Tatsu collapsed on the table, asleep. The same fate befell any of the other creatures in the laboratory as an imperceptible mist silently and slowly filled it's space.
~~~
I've slotted in my seat at the cafeteria with my meal, last night's debacle turned hazy as dissipating morning dew in my mind.
It was only after a few sips of coffee did the groggy memories began to return slowly.
After the warning given from the people upstairs --still ridiculous in my opinion--, I've retired the rest of the night with my head untouched and dignity still intact, no doubt to the chagrin of some people.
Hopefully today would return to the routine from the day before --the schedule that I am supposed to have-- so that I can return to continue my other mission in the Otherside. Living a double life is much more exhausting than I thought, mentally speaking, but certain things are a must.
A buzz from my pocket snapped into my attention and I fished out my phone to see a private message from Kuroko.
WolfishPrincess: My maid back home sent me a message.
WolfishPrincess: It came from the rumor mill going around the market.
WolfishPrincess: Did you do something again?
WolfishPrincess: And more importantly, are you alright?
NotTsunAnymore: Perhaps. And I'm fine.
NotTsunAnymore: Both physically and mentally.
NotTsunAnymore: Also, in my defense he deserved it.
WolfishPrincess: I have no doubt. I trust you more than them.
WolfishPrincess: But still. Elaborate for me please?
NotTsunAnymore: Getting into the chunk of the issue, he wanted to touch my head.
WolfishPrincess: ah...
NotTsunAnymore: I said no, obviously.
NotTsunAnymore: Mister self-centred was just not used to being denied.
NotTsunAnymore: Tried his luck, I warned him, he goes in anyway.
NotTsunAnymore: Next thing he knew, he woke up in the infirmary or something. Idk, I was elsewhere.
WolfishPrincess: I see...
WolfishPrincess: But what in the world happened for something like that to transpire in the first place?
NotTsunAnymore: Some old guy from another facility got curious about my quirk.
NotTsunAnymore: I didn't mind them scanning since those were noninvasive.
NotTsunAnymore: It was only until then that Bakewhatever wanted to get handsy that I punted him down.
WolfishPrincess: I suppose that is understandable.
WolfishPrincess: And not one person came to stop him?
WolfishPrincess: Not even that Sensei of yours?
NotTsunAnymore: She wasn't there. And I don't think the others cared much with their their half-hearted display.
WolfishPrincess: Unbelievable. Seriously, those old men sound so- ugh.
NotTsunAnymore: Eh, they sound worse than they look.
NotTsunAnymore: But enough about me. Anything happening over there?
WolfishPrincess: Nothing exciting.
WolfishPrincess: A bank robbery here, a hostage situation there.
NotTsunAnymore: Not exciting she says.
WolfishPrincess: It sounds worse than it is.
NotTsunAnymore: What familiar words...
WolfishPrincess: Just some amateurs who thought their quirks can solve every problem.
WolfishPrincess: Props to them, their quirks are definitely powerful.
NotTsunAnymore: When all you have is a hammer, everything is a nail- is how the saying goes.
WolfishPrincess: True. Although it is odd that people that powerful struggle with basic literacy.
NotTsunAnymore: Maybe they dropped out early?
WolfishPrincess: Perhaps so.
WolfishPrincess: But that many people? Suspicious if anything.
WolfishPrincess: I had my maid look into it recently but she hasn't found anything yet.
NotTsunAnymore: If you find something smaller scale, wanna do it like the good old times?
WolfishPrincess: You mean just the two of us?
WolfishPrincess: It hasn't been that long. Only a few months, half a year at most.
NotTsunAnymore: (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
WolfishPrincess: Oh fine. Sure.
WolfishPrincess: If and only if it was on the smaller scale.
WolfishPrincess: But it would really be just the two of us. Back then, we could count of support or backup.
NotTsunAnymore: True.
NotTsunAnymore: Nothing we can't handle, I'm sure.
WolfishPrincess: Heh
WolfishPrincess: Alright, if nothing else then have a good day!
WolfishPrincess: Just a few more days until we can see each other again.
NotTsunAnymore: Yeah, you take care too.
NotTsunAnymore: If you get shot, send me your location.
WolfishPrincess: Oh please, you were the one who got shot two years ago not me.
NotTsunAnymore: I know, just teasing.
WolfishPrincess: ...
WolfishPrincess: prepare yourself when we finally get together again.
'I am in danger...' I chuckled. 'Worth it though.'
~~~~~(Omake)~~~~~
He hid his yawn behind a gloved hand, completely immune to the stares he's currently receiving.
Haru lined up early at a special store for a high-class chocolates and got on a bullet train for a few hours. He got some extra sleep on thee ride but his body still felt tired- probably from the lack of sunlight during his endurance wait before the brink of dawn.
He took a sip of the drink he packed from home, a dense blend of nutrients along with a few sashes of caffeine to help tide him over as he moved along the halls of a school he doesn't know. He already asked for directions from the security guards but that was a while ago now and the students were avoiding him like a plague so he couldn't exactly ask if he was going in the right direction for sure.
Not surprising.
Haru was already aware of how heterophobic most people are. Not to mention that him not having the capability to just tuck away his roots or pluck the flowers and leaves consequence-free is not helping matters.
Not that he cares about them. He already has friends he cares about and more importantly, a girlfriend to suprise.
Hearing a familiar laughter reach his ears, Haru zeroed in on the source and cracked open the door to make sure. Seeing the soft feathers and cute features of the harpy he came to love, his lips twitched a smirk as he opened the door abruptly.
"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!" He exclaimed, arms wide open.
"Eh?" Shiina blinked in confusion before reality caught up to her. "EH?!! EEEIIIIII!" The harpy squealed as she flew to his arms, literally.