Chapter 2 Spinosaurus / Kohaku Taiyo

Red clouds in the sky had gotten thicker. There was a flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder rumbled through the air. Narumi kept on running down the road barefoot, skidding to a halt by her house. A decent-sized bungalow in the neighborhood, with a brick fence surrounding it and a low metal gate before the door.

Narumi vaulted over the gate and stopped at the door. Another clap of thunder roared through the sky and the rains came showering down.

Made it. Oh God. She arched over, hands on her knees panting. The rain pattered on Narumi, wetting her hair and body. After catching her breath, she went in.

“I’m home.” She said softly, the sound of a news broadcast from the living room’s television gave away who was at home.

“Mom?” Narumi called anxiously. “Mom?”

Footsteps approached her from the living room and her mother, Satsuki Uchida, appeared. She was a little shorter than her daughter and sported long dark brown hair tied in a ponytail. She was wearing a set of office wear, a white shirt, and black pants.

“Narumi, how was your-” Satsuki’s question turned into a gasp seeing her daughter’s state. The grime on Narumi’s shins, her wet hair, and the fact that she was in her P.E. attire instead of her uniform. “Narumi? What happened?”

“Mom, you’re not going to believe this!” Narumi exclaimed. “I don’t even know how it happened!”

“Narumi what happened?” Satsuki asked her again.

“Mom I-I…”

“What Narumi?”

“I just t-turned…into a dinosaur!” She blurted it out.

That got Satsuki to have a perplexed expression, “What?”

“I was walking back home and then I just changed. I just turned.” Narumi hysterically explained. Satsuki remained confused. Narumi continued, “I know it sounds crazy. I just became a big lizard.”

“Narumi…” Satsuki squinted her eyes.

“I swear it was real! I had a tail! I had fangs and claws Mom!” Narumi stressed again. “I had scales everywhere! I was huge!” She was in so much of a panic her mother had to stop her.

“Narumi look at me.” Satsuki said holding Narumi’s shoulders, “Quiet down, breathe Narumi.”

Narumi did what her mother said. Breathing through her nose, her chest rapidly up and down.

“Slow Narumi,” Satsuki added, and she did. Satsuki then said, “You just turned into a dinosaur.”

“Y-Yeah.” Narumi nodded.

“But then, you don’t look like one now.” She said, “Now you look filthy.”

“What-”

“Go and bathe, you stink.”

Narumi had a slight pang hearing that, her brows knitted and she shook her mother’s hands off her shoulders. She said, “Mom, you think I’m messing with you here?! I’m serious!”

“Narumi, you got caught in the rain. You’re probably just tired, weren’t thinking straight, and just saw things in your mind. Now go and bathe.” Satsuki said.

“Mom I am not joking here, I really-”

“Narumi, go and bathe. Now.” Satsuki’s tone turned stern.

Narumi was about to argue, but she bit her lip. Instead, Narumi turned away from her mother and dashed upstairs.

Goddammit, she’s not going to believe me, shit.

All she could was just hope that what had just happened would not happen again since she was in the house.

In the bathroom, the shower head rained warm water on Narumi and she scrubbed herself clean from the dirt on her body and hair. Her mind was so weary, and her shower was something she really needed to rejuvenate her.

Wrapped in a towel, she stared at herself in the mirror. She leaned forward, pulling her lower eyelid she kept inspecting her eye. Nothing primal looking, it was just her human eye looking normal as it had been throughout her life.

Both of her hands were in her line of sight, nothing was resembling a Tyrannosaurus. No claws, no scales, no two-fingered hands.

How did it happen? Narumi wondered. What the f…okay I-I’m not crazy. I was a dinosaur, the tail, the claws, the noise, it really happened. But how?

Looking back on her day, there was only one anomaly. That gas, what was in it? It did this to me? Narumi’s eyes darted everywhere in a frantic.

Oh god…the others.

She changed into her nightwear, a white t-shirt and a pair of black running shorts. She was in her room with the lights out. She lay on her bed with her knees propped up. Narumi shut her eyes tight, forcing herself to go to sleep, and the only thing on her mind was staying human. It took a very long while, but sleep eventually took over her.

***

The sun had already risen over the horizon when Narumi’s eyes burst open, her empty stomach was roaring at her for breakfast. Freshened up, Narumi was in the kitchen and was back in her school uniform, she had already lost one set and she was having an underlying fear that she might lose another one somehow.

Sheer hunger got her to stuff her face with a peanut butter sandwich. As she chomped down her last bite, her mind began running thoughts on what to do later.

I need to find the others, but dammit how can I find them? I don’t have any of their contacts. Narumi bit on her lip. Morita and Itou? Maybe I can find them first. But what about the other two?

Narumi’s ears picked up footsteps coming from upstairs. Satsuki came down and spotted her daughter in the kitchen.

“Narumi.” Satsuki said to her kid, taking a mug from the cabinet.

“Morning, Mom.” Narumi said filling her mug with tap water. “Uh…did you sleep?”

“Yes, I slept okay.” Satsuki said as she prepped herself a cup of tea. “What about you? You slept fine?”

“Uh…” She gulped down her water fast and placed her mug in the sink. “Alright.”

“So, last night. What’s that about?” She asked her straight. Narumi’s heart jumped.

“Ah, it’s nothing, Mom.”

“What do you mean nothing?”

I have to go already, bye.” She grabbed her hag from the dining table.

“Narumi?”

“Bye, Mom I’m off.” Narumi went for the door, put on her shoes, and took off. Leaving her mother to ponder for a moment before shrugging it off.

Soru Academy was situated on a hill, students had to walk up a winding roadway to the school. Narumi was waiting by the side of the school’s main gate, keeping an eye on everyone coming up the hill.

Come on, come on. Where are they? Narumi took note of every student passing by her the best she could. Taking her phone out of her bag she checked the time. There was still ample time, around forty minutes.

“Good morning Uchida-senpai.” A couple of freshmen girls greeted her.

“Ah uh, good morning.” Narumi gave a quick smile and a wave at them.

“Good morning Uchida-san.” Another pair of students greeted her.

“Morning.” Narumi waved again, in truth, it was getting a little annoying, it was the second time she had to wish her schoolmates, and she needed to stay focused. She went back to scanning each student passing by to spot her quarries.

No sign of the other four she was with the previous day. Until her eyes picked up something right at the far end of the road’s bend, two hundred meters away from her spot. It was a boy dragging his feet up the hill on his own, his bag slung over his shoulder and hands in his pockets. With medium-length hair, his fringe shading his brows, and his natural tanned skin.

It’s the freshman from the group. Narumi recognized him. And he’s alone? But ah crap, what’s his name?

She did not begin to wonder how she was able to see him clearly so far away, but she needed to get to him fast.

“Narumi-chan!” Someone else called her just when she was about to make her move. Coming right up to her side was her friend in class, Ryouko Asaki. A girl with brown hair styled in a classic crop.

“Narumi-chan, morning.” Ryouko beamed a smile at her.

“Ah h-hey Ryouko, morning.” Narumi said, but she really did not want to contend with her now.

“How’d your excursion yesterday go?” Ryouko asked. “Let me guess. Boring?”

“Uh y-yeah, sure.” Narumi was taking her leave already. “Listen uh you go on ahead to class, I need to do something first.”

“Narumi-chan?” Ryouko raised a confused eyebrow. But Narumi had already left her, on her way down the road and passing by the other students.

“Hey, you.” She waved to get the freshman’s attention, and she did. He tilted his head up and stopped in his tracks while she approached him.

“Uchida-senpai? Morning.” He greeted her, but his tone did not give much expression.

“Uh yeah, it’s um…” She tried to guess his name, “Kotaro Taiyo right?”

“Kohaku.” He corrected her.

“Sorry.” Narumi gave a little apologetic smile, but she got right to the point. “Hey listen, I need to talk to you about something, and somewhere more private. It’s very important. Okay?”

“Uh…”

“Okay, let’s go.” She did not wait for Kohaku’s answer, she took his hand and pulled him her way to his surprise.

“Oi! Hey wait. What the-” Kohaku stammered and together with Narumi, he was stepping off the pavement and into the forest by the roadside.

As she held his hand pulling him into the forest, moving past several trees. She had a sinking feeling in her chest and scenarios kept playing in her mind. Any one of them could just turn out of the blue.

“Uchida-senpai?” Kohaku asked, “What is going on?” The road to school was not in sight anymore. Around them were Cherry blossom trees and maple trees, with the spring wind breezing through.

“Coast should be clear.” Narumi stopped and released his hand.

“Okay, Taiyo-san.” Narumi said, “I know this is going to sound insane okay, but this is serious and you have to believe me alright?”

Kohaku had a guarded look on his face. He asked, “Okay…what is it Uchida-senpai?”

“Alright, yesterday someone threw some gas ‘thing’ at us at GenaTech, right? You said you saw someone.” Narumi said, recalling the events the previous day.

“Yeah, I could not tell who it was though.” Kohaku’s eyes drifted to the side, in his mind he tried to make out who he saw but to no avail.

“Did you tell anyone about it?” Narumi asked.

“No.”

“Did something like you know…happened to you last night?”

Kohaku’s eyes started to squint in suspicion. He answered, “No…why? What happened to you?”

“Uh…I…uh…” Narumi started to stutter. “Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but it really happened.”

“Okay…” Kohaku said, taking a glance at his watch, there was still time before lessons started.

“We got back after the trip.” Narumi tried to explain. “I was alone heading back home. But then out of nowhere I’m not lying here. I just…”

Kohaku’s stone face did not help in easing the tension. Narumi let out a sigh, ready to spill the truth.

“I turned into a dinosaur.” Narumi said it straight. It took a few seconds for Kohaku to take in what she had just said.

“What?” Kohaku raised an eyebrow.

“I know, I know it sounds stupid, but I swear it’s real.” Narumi said, and she started pacing back and forth. “I was heading home after we got dropped off at school. Halfway to my home, I just turned into a dinosaur.”

“Okay…” Kohaku still had a cautious look, but then he asked. “How?”

Narumi blinked twice, she stopped her pacing. “H-How? I don’t know, it just happened. I grew claws, sharp teeth, even a tail, but then I changed back. Wait a minute, you believe me?”

“Uh……” Kohaku took a step back, “Try curious.”

It would have to do for her, for now. She continued, “I think it has something to do with whatever happened at that fire escape. But you said that nothing happened to you last night?”

“Yeah. Just same old crap like any other school night.” Kohaku shrugged.

“How’s that possible? It happened to me, it could very well happen to you or the others anytime.”

Kohaku made another glance at his watch, the clock was still ticking for the both of them, about twenty-five minutes before first period. He asked Narumi, “Then what do you want me to do?”

Narumi had a finger by her chin, planning what to do for Kohaku. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe.

“Uh well if you’re going to change, you’re just going to…basically you’re going to grow out of your clothes Taiyo.” Narumi pointed at him.

“Huh?” Kohaku’s eyes narrowed.

“I think you may need to strip.” She said shrugging a shoulder, nonchalant with the notion.

Kohaku gave Narumi an unamused stare, his sullen eyes turned to slits. He replied, “Yeah, you had me until the stripping part senpai.” Kohaku adjusted his bag’s strap and turned away from her. Kohaku said, “Uchida-senpai, class is g-”

Suddenly a sensation exploded in his abdomen, he was forced to his knees and he let out an intense groan. His bag plopped on the ground as well.

Narumi immediately rushed to his side, she knew what was going to happen.

“Quick! Your blazer! Take it off!” She exclaimed, grabbing his school blazer she pulled it over his head, the sleeves slipped out his arms and Narumi yanked it away from Kohaku.

Kohaku started convulsing, he held his head tightly. He rolled onto his back and the sensation in his body took hold of him. He clenched his eyes shut.

“Oh no!” Narumi started to frantically grab the end of his pants, pulling it down his waist. “Hold still Taiyo-san!” She yanked his pants off him along with his shoes.

“Ahh! Ah!” Kohaku let out panicked yelps, he forced himself up to his feet staggering away from Narumi.

“Hey! Steady Taiyo-san!” Narumi ran up to him, but then his eyes burst open for her to see. She instinctively brought both hands to her mouth and she gasped. “Oh my God!”

Kohaku’s eyes were no longer human. The white of his eyes was now black, and his irises were a striking red. He arched over as he started to expand and stretch. His skin was stretching out and changing color, turning into red scales. His growing body was ripping through his shirt and his growing legs through his boxers. The sound of bone cracking went all over his body and he fell on his knees again.

All Narumi did was stand there and watch in terror with a lump in her throat.

Kohaku slammed his hands on the ground which rumbled the immediate area, they stretched out even further. Muscles on his arms expanded even bigger and his watch snapped off his wrist. On both hands, his middle and index fingers along with his thumbs grew even larger. His ring and little fingers regressed into his hands. His enlarged nails hardened and turned into sharp claws like meat hooks.

His legs grew larger too as well as his feet, the little toes grew back into his feet. His big toes stretched back while his remaining toes grew. His toenails turned into devastating claws.

A tail was stretching from his rear, right from the tailbone. Kohaku’s head grew larger, his face stretched forward, and an elongated snout was taking shape. His teeth were becoming sharp and conical. Kohaku’s spine spurted upwards, it reached up so high along with his skin, growing into a sail on his back. Kohaku’s voice was gone, now it was guttural growls and roars.

Narumi stared with dropped jaws, stumbling back as what was in front of her was no longer a human. Kohaku Taiyo was now a red-scaled gigantic beast, with two large feet with clawed toes, and massive three-clawed arms. A long tail and an elongated snout with straight, conical teeth. And an arching sail on his back.

Spinosaurus.

Narumi stared at him frozen, jaw hanging at the sight of the dinosaur. “Oh my god…”

Kohaku Taiyo he tried to scream. Only a guttural roar came out of his new snout, seeing his new clawed hands, he got shocked spinning around in a panic. As he spun around, he did not realize his tail crashed through the branches of a sakura tree. Twigs scattered across the ground and pink petals flew in a whirlwind around him and Narumi.

“Taiyo-san!” Narumi shouted to him, waving both arms wide. “Kohaku! Stop!”

Kohaku managed to hear a girl calling his name and stopped his thrashing. Narumi waved at him once more, and Kohaku kept his eyes on her.

“Taiyo-san?” Narumi said. “You can…You can hear me?”

The dinosaur before her tried to answer, but only roars and growls sounded off from him.

“Shhh! Quiet! People are going to hear you!” Narumi shushed him and the dinosaur clammed up. Kohaku gave a slow nod to her.

“You understand me right?” Narumi asked him and he nodded again.

Kohaku lowered his body down so he was at Narumi’s eye level. Narumi gawked at the sight of such a gigantic animal so close. An animal long extinct for millions of years, now revived into the world with Narumi to witness.

“Oh god…it’s…it’s a dinosaur.”

Kohaku took a look at his own massive clawed hands, he just could not believe it. Narumi took her phone out of her pocket, trying to sneak in a photograph. Just as she took a shot, her phone started ringing which brought Kohaku’s attention.

The caller ID revealed that it was Asaki Ryouko.

“Oh no.” Narumi pursed her lips. A few seconds later the phone was still ringing and Narumi had to make a decision. She declined the call.

“Taiyo-san, hold still for a moment.” Narumi said to him, turning around she extended out her hand holding her phone. Then, she took a selfie with the Spinosaurus in the background. Kohaku let out a snarling growl, even Narumi could make out a hint of disapproval from his snarls.

“We need proof that this is real.” Narumi explained putting her phone away. She picked up his bag and his remaining uniform.

“Oh yeah.” The notion hit her holding his clothes, “You’re…You’re not…um-”

The Spinosaurus roared out in surprise, instantly crouching down hiding his rear from her view. Narumi rubbed the back of her neck and the Spinosaurus gave a loud hiss, Narumi could see a leering look in that elongated snout.

“Hey, I warned you Taiyo-san.” Narumi sassed at the dinosaur. “Well, it’s okay, right? I mean, there’s nothing looking like a guy now. Anyway, you can’t be seen, come on we need to get further inside.”

Kohaku let out a snort, he pointed his head in the direction of the school. Narumi caught on to what he was implying.

Narumi scoffed. “Oh come on, are you thinking about class now? This is a whole lot bigger than a day’s lesson. You just got turned into a giant lizard. The same thing happened to me last night. We’ll just call it a sick day or something because we need to figure this out.”

She went and grabbed Kohaku by a claw in his hand, one single claw was bigger than her whole hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

She pulled his claw again. Kohaku slowly rose up from his crouch, still embarrassed by his lack of clothes. Narumi led Kohaku deeper through the maple trees while holding his claw, each careful step from the dinosaur could be felt by Narumi’s feet.

They pushed through the sakura and maple vegetation until they got into a clearing. There was a concrete canal cutting through the forest, Narumi and Kohaku made their stop in this clearing.

“Okay,” Narumi released her hold on Kohaku’s claw. “Let’s take this from the top.”

The Spinosaurus nodded and Narumi started pacing around again, “We got exposed to that gas, and then last night I changed into a dinosaur. But…it’s not like what you look like right now, I think.” She said to him showing him the selfie she had made. His lower jaw hung open by what he saw on the phone.

“I’ve no idea what you are. But it’s definitely a dinosaur.” She put her phone away, taking a long look at the Spinosaurus in front of her. “Whoa, I’m officially the first person in the world to have seen a real live dinosaur.”

Kohaku growled lowly, his red primal eyes narrowed, slightly annoyed by her. Narumi winced an apologetic smile. “Eh right. Sorry.”

She then said, “But I’ve changed back. And I’ve no idea how I did it. It just happened.” Kohaku did not like that, staying as a dinosaur was the last thing he wanted now.

“Maybe just focus on becoming human again? I don’t know.” Narumi suggested scratching her head, but then she remembered about the others involved.

“Oh God, the others.” She brought a hand up covering her mouth. “Do you know who the third-year student was?”

Kohaku shook his head.

“Tch dammit.” Narumi bit her lip, “Wait, Etsudo Morita and Matabei Itou in my class.” She checked the time on her phone. “Oh shit.”

There were only about seven minutes before the first period started.

Narumi hurriedly said to Kohaku, “I got to get to Morita and Itou. I need you to just stay here alright?”

A questioning snort was his response to her.

“Look just stay here, stay hidden. Figure out how to become human again or something. I need to get to the others alright? Just wait here.” Narumi sprinted off back to school, leaving the Spinosaurus on his own.

Damn, so guess I have to go to school this time. Narumi grumbled.

***

At the corporate tower of GenaTech, a very sensitive matter was in discussion at Beverly Rossiter’s office. Nothing was untidy in her office, her documents filed securely in each cabinet, nothing out of place on her desk.

“You cannot be serious in making this disaster a human trial?” Benedict Song asked her in disbelief.

Beverly, sitting in her leather chair, gave a cold response, “Those five students did not suffer any symptoms after the exposure to the aerosol. I want to know if there is an effect on them later on.”

“Then what do you suggest we contact the school to ask the students to come back here?”

“No you dolt, that would be like telling the school that we had a hand in the situation they’re in and I don’t need that for the company nor do you.” Beverly stood up from her seat, “We make observations, like in any other experiments. If results show promises, we act accordingly.”

She crossed her arms and continued, “The aerosol did not have an adverse reaction on them, which means the nanites did something to them. As far as I’m concerned, whatever is inside their bodies belongs to GenaTech, thus they’re GenaTech property.”