Chapter 17 ~ Scintillating

As Robin made his displeasure clear, Kurai was having a much harder time catching her breath. She had never needed to run so much in her life. It was dizzying to the point of her vision going dark at the corners. Her unsteady stance was quickly addressed by the maid as he pulled her over to sit beside him on the stone steps.

"I... I couldn't just stand there and... and watch you get hurt like... like that..." she panted out.

"I told you not to cause trouble! What do you think you just did?! If we get connected to a murder of authorities, not even the master can save us from the constables' revenge. I've seen people killed in the streets by them, Kurai. Others being made an example of over the course of an entire month..."

"...I had to do... something to save you! We... we got away, didn't we? I think we should be fine..."

"We're talking about two murders in broad daylight. There's going to be an investigation. All it takes is one good witness, and...!" He jumped to his feet abruptly, encasing his uninjured fist in obsidian as he punched a wall in frustration. "Damn it, Kurai!"

"...They're not dead, Robin. I didn't go that deep. I practiced it a few times in the labs. Not on humans, but... well, vertebrates have a lot in common. It would have just rendered them unconscious."

"...Gahh..." He rubbed his hands down his face in frustration. "That's even worse! They saw my slave collar. They know where I live... That's it. We're fucked! You ruined everything!" He shouted at her in complete rage at this latest reveal. "Do you think I've never taken a hit before?! Great job saving me from a few smacks by giving me life imprisonment instead! In fact, take a wild guess what they're gonna be doing to us on the way to the station other than an beating. Why the Hell did you not listen to me now of all times?!"

"...I'm sorry." Her eyes were starting to tear up. The fury in his voice was bad enough as it is, but more than that she felt ashamed. It was more than just anger going on here. He was genuinely afraid for his life. That was the look in his eyes that made her feel the worst, knowing she was the cause.

"Do you really think saying sorry is going to fix any of this?" He was quieting down, but he definitely wasn't calming down. He pressed his forehead against the wall as his eyes refused to stay still.

"No, but I don't know what else to do," she admitted. She pulled her knees up to her chest. It was a scant comfort against the cold stone beneath her

"...No, you know what? There is something you can do." A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes as he turned back towards the novae. "You know how the master said to never take anyone else's appearance? That doesn't apply anymore. I'm going to shave my head, do some modifications... and you're going to mimic my appearance now, when the constables come by. They won't be able to tell the difference. You said you wanted to save me, right? Then that's what you'll do."

"That's..." The nightmare came back to mind. Was he really telling her to get taken in by the police? When she did this to protect him? She... she only did the same thing Robin did when he rescued her, right? Why was it so bad when she did it it...? "...Are you really saying what I think you are...?"

"You don't know the first thing about the law. I do. They're going to come after both of us. You're not getting out of it either way. Do you want me to have to get locked up for life too? After everything I've done for you?!" His tone was getting agitated again.

"No, but... I... I can always change my form to something they won't recognize. They won't be able to do anything then, right?"

"So then I get hauled off to jail alone because of your fuck-up, while you hide behind your own lies. That's what you want..."

"No! I..." She could feel the weight of the world on her shoulders. The reality of the situation was beginning to set in. "...I... I'll do as you say..." Her voice was barely over a murmur as dread seeped into every word.

"You better. If I get snatched up, I'm not going to go through it alone. I'd rat you out to the constables in a heartbeat. I-I didn't even lay a hand on them! They'd probably let me off with only accessory charges. But if I have to get taken in, you better know I'll tell them everything. About you being a nova vitae and not a real human... You know that's going to get some real interest from the government? There's not a single legal protection for non-humans, you know. They'll probably take you to a lab instead of prison. It's gonna be nothing like the master's lab. He gets all sentimental about you, but you're nothing but a test subject to anyone else. And on top of that—!"

"Robin! Why are you telling me these things?! What is wrong with you?!" Kurai snapped back at him. "Are you trying to make me cry even more?"

"...N-no. No, no. Nothing like that! I'm just saying, you pretend to be me? They'll still treat you like a human. It won't be nearly as bad. Really, it's going to be way better for everyone that way. So... please, Kurai. Promise me you're not going to leave me to rot like that. Tell me you've got my back here..." Now his voice was cracking up as well.

"I already said I would... Damn you, Robin. You're just making me feel even worse about all this!"

"I really, really need to be sure you're not gonna change your mind and flake on me... Hell, if they think you're me they'll give you the mere accessory charges instead of the full on felonies. Just getting stuck on a wild goose chase after some woman they'll never find. You'll only be there for a few years, maybe even only some months. Really, you'll be fine! No matter what happens, I swear that much."

"..." Optimism sounded like the sweetest of fruits right now. She couldn't let herself be lulled by it even if she wanted to. "Why were you saying it was going to be a life sentence when it was happening to you, but only a few years when it comes to me?" Even the novae could see what he was doing. If she expected a response, she wasn't getting one. Robin treated getting caught with silence and a lack of eye contact, as he typically did. Kurai didn't press the matter further. She didn't have the strength to keep pushing through more distress right now

"...I think it's time we went back home," he finally remarked. "Kurai? Not a word of this to the master. Not until I've spoken to him about this."

"Of course. Is... is there anything you would like me to do?"

"Just keep your mouth shut," he remarked dismissively. Kurai didn't argue back. Their morose trek back to the manor was met with little fanfare.

Kurai went back to her room without another word, and the maid said nothing to her either. Instead of any relief, all she could do was weep pitifully to herself. All her efforts today had only made things exponentially worse. It was a crushing sense of being a failure, given the gravity of the situation now. All she could do to atone for it was sacrificing herself to spare Robin. Any other options felt like little more than fantasies. All she could envision was making everything even worse yet again. There wasn't an ounce of hope to be found in her heart.

More than that, it stung on a visceral level how uncaring Robin was. He had been so nice ever since she adopted her new form, but all that went out the window just as abruptly as it arrived. It wasn't so bad that she'd dream of leaving him to such a cruel fate, but he wasn't making this easy on her. It reminded her of a certain word he used in front of her. "Honest". It sounded like such a dirty word with the tone he said it, but it was that filthy feeling that made it fit so well now. How many things could Robin have been faking? It was impossible for her to tell how many smiles were spurious ones. But this? There was no doubt in her mind how honest he was with his feelings now.

It was the same with the constables, now that she thought about it. Same with the ruffians. They all put on veneers and doubtful concerns, lacing their words with confusing misdirections and falsehoods. It seemed like something other humans picked up on instantly, but Kurai's ears weren't so well attuned to such things. Anything said with a smile could be a complete lie for all she knew. But when they snarled, bared their teeth? When violence became their tactic? There was no doubt in her mind they meant every second of it. It was the most honest that she had seen of humans. Would they still enjoy it so much if she reciprocated that honesty?

Surprisingly, she slept with no dreams that night, neither good nor bad. The morning meal passed in an awkward, tense atmosphere as Meus seemed nonchalant as could be. A glance towards the maid only got a sheepish look, and it wasn't until they were alone in a hallway that he finally clarified things.

"I couldn't do it..." he confessed. "It was too hard to know what to say to the master. I didn't tell him a thing yet."

"Robin..." She sounded exhausted by this point. "We have to tell him something. This whole plan of yours won't mean a thing if it doesn't have his support. You don't need me to tell you which member of the household the constables are going to want to speak with first."

"I know that! I'll get to it. I'll just... do it later. You see, a note was left in the mailbox this morning. It was from Irene. Seems she wants me to stop by to pick up something I left behind yesterday."

"You weren't carrying anything important on you. Is some lost trinket really that big of a deal right now?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"That's the thing... I didn't lose anything yesterday. Everything was on my person when I got back home. I don't know what she's talking about. But... it does give me an excuse with the master to leave to speak with her. The old bat's had... she's always had something she could do to help. Maybe she can come up with something I can't. If there's anyone I'd trust on this matter..."

"...If you think that's for the best. I can only hope it doesn't backfire on us. In the meantime, I suppose I can talk to Mr Meus about what happened?" She had the tone of a meek tyke asking for permission.

"No. Don't even say a word. You're just going to fuck everything up again," he snapped. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. "...Wait, no. That came out wrong."

"...Ehe." She adopted the slightest of smiles. Her eyes told a different story. "You don't need to backpedal. That was very honest of you," she recited.

He folded his hands at his waist, taking a deep breath. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. The guilt didn't wash over the maid, but it did lighten the load on his shoulders.

"You know what? You're right. I didn't say anything that isn't true. And I do have a right to be forceful right now considering what you got us into. I'll own up to it; I've been scared all night long. I'd be lying if I said I felt fine throughout any of this because of what you got me into. But you know what else is honest?" He stepped in, wrapping his arms around the taller woman. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against her shoulder. "...It's that I don't hate you, Kurai. I hate what you got us into, but... I don't want to see you hurt either. I want what's best for you too."

"Oh..." It wasn't what the novae expected, and she wasn't sure about returning such an embrace. Her arms cautiously held themselves loosely around him, as if ready to pull him in or push him away at any moment. "...You said some really hurtful things yesterday, you know. I get you were mad, but..."

"If you're talking about me ratting you out... I didn't really mean it. It was a bluff while I was panicking, but that was it, I swear. If you were actually trying to screw me over, that would be different, but the Kurai I know? I wouldn't snitch on her ever. She's just too huggable for that." That being said, he began to pull away from the one-sided embrace. "Although, I get it if you're not in the mood for one right now."

"Of course I could use a hug, silly. Now more than ever." She held him just enough to stop him from stepping back. "But I was really upset yesterday, too. I need to know you're not going to do it again."

"I won't, Kurai. Never again. I promise." His smile was so serene. The novae wanted to believe it was sincere.

"Then you are forgiven." She pulled him back into a comforting embrace with a squeeze. She held him in the hug for a long time, and Robin wasn't inclined to let go either. When he finally started to pull back, he pressed his forehead against hers, and his hand brushed against her cheek.

"We'll find some way through this, Kurai. Trust me."

"...Okay, I will." She wasn't sure how she felt about all these other touches, but she decided to put her trust in him even for that. It was the least she could do at this point.

The maid let go of her. Not long after that, he departed for the clinic, unrecognizable in his adornment. Kurai stood by the door when he left, watching him from the window until he was out of sight.