A lone man sat in a white room.
It was small and cramped as most of the space was occupied by a computer terminal fixed on one of the walls.
"-And finally, how is the project progressing?" A large man spoke through the screen.
"No breakthroughs as of the moment however, I do note that our rate of advancement has picked up in speed just as we've hypothesised. Without the need for constant upkeep and acquisition of replacements, we can relegate the budget elsewhere albeit temporarily." The man in a lab coat responded. "Frankly, we wish to have more of such a person on site and I have heard that other sites have petitions for much the same. How they heard of the ongoings here, I do not know as of yet but the repercussions of the information leak shall be harsh."
"Good. I shall see through the motion of acquiring another individual of similar quirk facets." A different man whose bald head was decorated by holes spoke through the computer terminal. "That said, it will be a herculean task. Cloning quirks usually come with either a time limit to their being or a severely diminished aspect from the original. Finding another person that meets our requirements will take time."
"I understand." The man in a lab coat nodded. "I would also like to add that other parties are raising a stink about our monopoly."
"Have them come and observe. Give them a bone to chew on as we digest the meat of the matter." He huffed. "As I've said, finding more that fit the criteria would take time but it isn't as if we can completely cut them off either. Just let them have enough to satiate their thirst and not their hunger."
The man in a lab coat nodded. "We shall make do with the sole contributor for now. As it is, the main hypothesis stands corrected."
"Oh? How so?"
"The latest data points currently surpass our estimated outcomes which is a good thing. What does prove to be troubling is how the subject's biology seemed to defy all known current parameters."
"Is that all?" The large man scoffed in dismissal. "Then redo the parameters! You're a researcher aren't you? It wouldn't be the first time we had to navigate around such quirks."
"No, it isn't." The researcher remained unfazed at the implied insult. "And as I have already done so as per protocol." He smoothly replied. "It is both fascinating and infuriating in equal measure as to how his quirk seemed to reject observation, frequently changing itself in subtle ways to avoid our eyes."
"The boy's quirk has a sliver of sentience? Does it affect the experiments whatsoever?" The man with holes inquired.
"Thankfully no." He shook his head. "If anything, it increased the amount of data we have gathered. Perhaps the results shown are a, well, quirk, of his quirk so to speak rather than actual sentience or sapience."
"Then as it does not negatively affect our project, I see no problem with it at the moment." The man with holes waved as he swiftly lost interest. "Do keep an eye on him still."
"Of course."
"Speaking of which, how is he?" The large man inquired as the researcher saw him lean heavily on his chair. "I was hesitant about letting an outsider involved as it was a risk getting him aboard on the project. However, the results do speak for themselves."
The man with holes spoke. "Still, his connections, both personal and professional, aren't anything to gloss over so easily. Not to mention that he has prior history uncovering research labs."
"While it is true that he is a troubling factor, his demeanor so far demonstrates that he is cordial to authority." The researcher replied. "Should he prove himself to be a demerit then we can have his contract terminated and have him under detainment relatively quickly. We already have multiple excuses to use as a reason to do so."
"See to that then." The large man hummed once before ending the call, followed by the other man with holes.
The researcher, logged out of the computer terminal, organized his folder of files and unhurriedly left the room.
~~~~~
The facility's mess hall was designed by a cynical mind who valued functionality and efficiency rather than form and comfort. This is very clearly observed by just how uncomfortable the metal seats are as they were probably made to induce such discomfort to whomever sits on them so they can return to work sooner.
Truly, very efficient
Well, at the very least the chef's of this institution would beg to differ as they have the heart to actually put in more effort into the meals than otherwise necessary. Either that or they were bribed- that tip jar in the break room has to be for something.
Regardless, despite the mess hall being made as debilitating as such, there are still plenty of people who would spend as much time as they could get away with here if the numerous breaks rooms weren't already full. Considering that the people here deal with biological disasters waiting to happen, it makes sense why sometimes people would rather have an uncomfortable bottom than spend another minute being close to the next black death or blue fever.
For me however, it would be a respite of being the cadaver at the dissection table.
A joke. My heads are dispelled just as they die so there wouldn't be any cadavers to dissect.
Doesn't make it any less traumatizing...
Probably due to the very public --in the facility at least-- knowledge of my role in aiding the research, most of the people here gave me a wide berth when I'm moving along anywhere. A far cry from the attitude they've shown me from the beginning when I've just arrived. It could also be partly my fault as they've shown pity at first when the gossip broke out until it eventually transitioned from shock and awe to unsettled gawking and disbelieving stares.
Understandable, as literally anyone else would have broken, i.e. the actual test subjects they had.
Makes me a bit mad that they weren't concerned for the test subjects beforehand. It's almost as if they wanted to break them and expected me to do the same.
Although that notion came down when I checked to make sure there weren't any feelings of gratification derived from their sadistic experiments.
I would've broken myself if it was the 'me' from long ago. As it is however, the experience and the physical pain from the memories are the least of my worries.
"A public showing? Ugh."
"Sounds awful." Said Kimura-sensei. The short, sickly-looking woman who the only other person who's seated at the same table as me. She took the quiet isolating here as an oasis among the other cluttered tables. "And it isn't public. Just other employees from another facility."
"Great. So rather than a show pony, I'm the frog at an American high school class. Thanks, that totally makes me feel better." The sarcasm dripping from my voice. Despite our differences, Kimura-sensei is easy to get along with compared to the chattering pencil pushers so I didn't mind her company.
"I never said it was." She snarked back before taking a long sip of the iced coffee she has from a straw going under her mask to keep her face covered.
"Look, I get that sharing data is important and all, and that some people probably wanted to see things for themselves but does it really have to take place at night?" This new schedule for the night would really put a damper to my investigation in the shrine.
"No. You can petition to change it, but something so minor would never reach the desk of anyone in charge, doubly more so since it's tonight. Even if you submitted one now, you don't have enough time to have reach the eyes of anyone even vaguely important enough to make the decision." Kimura-sensei drawled. "Just grit your teeth and bear with it. It's only for a night or two."
"Ugh... Whatever." I sighed internally.
I suppose it wouldn't really matter that much, would it? I mean, Fujiwara did admit that they do a lottery to decide who does the chores, couldn't they just do it again for the night? It's probably fine.
And, I guess it could also be an opportunity to let things cool down a bit on that side. I probably just giving that cloaked figure time to scheme or something but it should be alright, they aren't that strong anyways.
~~~
Tatsu didn't take Kizuki's wild express with the grace of a cat that he is but he'd have to be god-awful at his job if he didn't try to make use of it.
He prowled the halls with much more caution now, fueled by the fear of being whisked away once again on a swift adventure and a spontaneous battle, the half-blood couldn't move more than ten paces before checking behind him.
The night was still young but he was already close to spent.
Even as the physical and mental toll that his paranoia brought him, Tatsu refused to catch his breath at anywhere other than his back to a corner where he can keep his eyes vigilant for any being that might cross his path.
Still, he continued on ever forward as much as his paws can propel him.
Unfortunately, as evident by the night beforehand, the half-blood's luck seemed to be on the poorer side as of late.
The cat's eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint as Tatsu once again found himself in one of the numerous abandoned rooms of the shrine. The dark and musty spaces were drawing on his patience as the scent of rotting wood grated on his feline nose.
Taking a deep breath to calm one's nerves was a common sense to any person that grew up anywhere that itt became a habit for anyone to do so when they are on the brink of exploding.
How terribly unfortunate for the cat who has to breathe in the same air he loathed.
Tatsu gagged at the offending scent to his senses that he snapped. The man-turned-cat's fur stiffened on end as he brandished his claws at air, hissing and meowling in frustration. Actions that made little sense and even less results- and act merely to vent the anger with no physical targets to attack.
And so, the half-blood clawed and swatted at the wood floors and the wooden pillars, acting all the while more akin to a feral cat in distress than a man as his mind was too befuddled with wrath to hinder the instincts that now drive him.
With how old and unmaintained the architecture was, it was little suprise to anyone but Tatsu when one of the pillar he was attempting to destroy made a loud creaking sound that gave him pause.
Too little, too late as they say...
A sharp resounding CRACK! echoes in the otherwise peaceful room. And just as Tatsu made the decision to run for it and save his furry hide from the consequences of his actions, fate seems to have other Roland in mid.
Looking up in fear and contrary to what the half-blood expected, the wooden pillar did not toppel like a tower from fiction.
Instead, the floor beneath it --and consequently him-- was what gave away first.
With a loud meowl of despair, Tatsu fell in darkness.