Chapter 8 You are a dinosaur

Narumi and Satsuki turned their attention to the door and stood up in caution. Mother and daughter shared a look before Satsuki took the lead.

Narumi's heart leaped up to her mouth. "Who the hell is it?"

She was sure she got away from the car wreckage before the police, but now doubts crept into her mind. If the police were here, just what would entail? All sorts of thoughts ran through her head.

Satsuki got to the door and carefully eyed through the peephole. A moment later, Satsuki turned back to Narumi.

"Uh, are these your friends Narumi? They're wearing your school's uniform." Satsuki asked. Narumi was confused by that, but she quickly realized who they were.

"Mom!" She practically glided over to the entrance. "Leave this to me okay?" Narumi got Satsuki away from the door.

Narumi opened the door and stepped out of the house. She hissed at them. "Guys?!"

"Uchida-senpai." Kohaku greeted, along with Etsudo, Matabei, and Daichi. They all looked soaked after being in the rain for so long.

"U-Uchida-san. Are you alright? After what happened?" Etsudo asked.

"What are guys doing here?!" Narumi did not answer the question.

Kohaku stepped forward, "Senpai, you left your bag at the alley." He lifted up his hand holding Narumi's bag.

"Oh, my bag." Narumi took it from her. But then she realized. "Wait, hang on, how did you know where I live?"

They all started to fidget, reluctant with the answer. Narumi asked again. "Guys?"

Daichi at the back answered. "Your address was on your ID card."

Having heard that Narumi's brows knitted. She unzipped her bag seeing the contents inside, which were her shredded uniform and underwear. Heat flushed her cheeks and her eyes narrowed at the boys, "Who. Touched. My. Clothes?"

Etsudo was quick to defend the boys. "Uchida-san, it was me. I gathered your uniform back at the alley."

"And my wallet? You looked up my ID card?"

"N-No. I-I didn't. I-I wouldn't do such a thing." Etsudo raised her hand in defense, eyes drifting toward Kohaku's direction. Matabei and Daichi followed suite.

"Ugh." Kohaku was quick to notice the attention of everyone. He explained himself. "Look, we had to figure out where you lived."

Narumi sighed, "N-Never mind save it. Taiyo-san, I don't want to hear it. It's okay."

Satsuki Uchida then made her presence known, stepping behind her daughter, "Narumi? Are these your friends?"

Narumi quickly turned to her, "Ah, uh Mom. Y-Yeah they're uh my friends."

Etsudo, followed by the rest, greeted Narumi's mother. "Evening Uchida-sama."

"Hello. Um Narumi?" Satsuki tugged on Narumi's sleeve, "Do they uh know about..."

"Yeah, they know." Narumi nodded sombrely. "They know that I was a dinosaur earlier, they were there."

Matabei for lack of control in his enthusiasm with the situation, blurted it out. "Oh yeah! You were a frigging T-Rex! And you saved those people from the car crash!"

"Car crash?" Satsuki gasped.

Narumi immediately growled at Matabei with gritted teeth. "Would you shut up about that?"

"What? I mean it's true." Matabei stepped back. "You're a T-Rex! T-Rex! It's going to be all over the news tomorrow I'm sure of it."

Narumi felt a hand on her shoulder, and Satsuki's eyes showed her concern. "Narumi, what happened today?"

Ah shit! Narumi bit her lip. She turned and started shoving Satsuki inside the house. "Mom, can you please wait inside? I'll explain everything." Once Satsuki was inside the house, Matabei quickly closed the distance.

"How did you do it?" Matabei hastily asked.

"Eh?" Narumi leaned away from him.

"How did you change into a T-Rex? A T-Rex?!"

Narumi pushed him away and shushed him. "Will you quiet down? Like seriously Itou-san, you and your big mouth!"

Kohaku then said, "Senpai, you changed in that alleyway, how?"

"I don't know, okay?" She said to the group. "Listen, thanks for bringing my stuff okay? I'll email you guys and see you tomorrow."

"Oi. You didn't tell your mother about us right?" Daichi took a step forward. "That we're, you know..."

Narumi answered. "No, she doesn't know anything about you all. Look, go home guys. Just give me time to think and we'll continue this tomorrow."

Daichi frowned at her, unconvinced. Narumi did not appreciate the way he looked at her, so she sassed at him, "What else do you want? You want to come inside for tea?"

Daichi rolled his eyes, turning away and leaving them. Narumi opened her front door to step inside and told the rest. "Go back first everyone. I need to think this through."

"Hey you can't just leave us hanging, how did you do it?" Matabei pressed the matter, and Narumi had enough.

"Goodnight." She deadpanned and shut the door.

Matabei, Etsudo, and Kohaku were left by themselves, Daichi was already long gone. Matabei gave a loud tsk in annoyance, he turned around and trekked away from Narumi's residence. "Dammit."

"Itou-san?" Etsudo followed him. Kohaku gave one last glance at the house before he let out a sigh and joined the two. "I don't think you should be upset with her, Itou-san." Etsudo said.

"I'm not! I'm just...ugh!" Matabei vented out his building frustration. He slowed his pace and softened his tone. "It's just that we seriously need to catch a break here." He then said, "We have to figure out what is going on with us and fast."

"Shouldn't we talk to someone about this? Or go to the hospital?" She asked him.

"No!" Matabei immediately objected, his frustration was starting to boil, "We can't go see a doctor about this! What do you think they're going to do? They're going to tell the whole world, and we're going to become lab rats! They're going to probe us, stick a needle in us, and we may not see the outside world ever again!"

Matabei then added, "But don't you guys think that something amazing has happened to us? This is something huge! We can change into dinosaurs, we just need to know how. And Uchida could do it earlier."

"Itou-san, how is this amazing?" Etsudo argued, her mouth was starting to tremble. "I-I don't want this, I just want things to go back to normal."

"Yeah well maybe if we can get control over this whole dinosaur thing then normal will come back, ever thought of that? Why not just take this as an opportunity instead? Just for a while at least?" Matabei suggested. Etsudo fell silent for a moment, she did not have anything else to add. With a shake of her head, she carried on her way past Matabei.

"Itou-senpai."

Matabei turned to Kohaku, he had nearly forgotten that he was with them. "Taiyo, you're on board with this right?" Matabei asked. "Tell me that you agree with me?"

"Uh, y-yeah." Kohaku eyed the horizon giving a pensive look, he was unsettled. Another unanswered problem had been bothering him from the start.

"What?" Matabei asked.

"Something doesn't add up," Kohaku said.

"What is it?"

"GenaTech." Kohaku answered. "The root of all this must have been from them, that time in the stairwell. Have you ever stopped to wonder how they did this, and why? What else do you think they're up to?" The chilled wind breezed through the streets as the haunting thought lingered between the two.

***

The night sky was still thick with clouds. Elsewhere in the city, at GenaTech's headquarters, Beverly Rossiter walked down the corridor to her office. Walking alongside her, Koji Kengo, brushed the lapels of his suit. Past working hours, the whole building was desolate save for the security at the ground level.

"You're the only one who enjoys overtime, Rossiter," Koji said. "What is so important to talk about and why did it have to wait till night?"

"Because this is about a list of assets concerning my research, which in turn would concern the company," Beverly answered. They reached her office and she opened the door for him, "We can talk in here."

They stepped into the room, the glass-paneled window opposite revealed the view of the metropolis lighting up the night.

"Okay, I'll get to the point straight away," Beverly said, turning to Koji. "There has been a situation involving my intradermal nanotech research."

"This again..." Koji groaned.

"Sir, I know there is history with this. I know how you feel about the nanotech, but you know that it is a-"

"What I know is that this is a black mark on this company and I have you to thank for it. As I recall you created the human physio-augment project with your nanotech. But instead of doing the proper steps, you went straight for human testing."

"And we have results to show for that, it was a success."

"Really? And what did we get out of that success? Nothing. This nanotech venture is heading to a dead end."

Despite being Beverly's superior, her pride would not let Koji's remark stand. Beverly said, "Nothing? Sir, the success of the previous tests opened up a whole new branch of research. This is a goldmine that only we own."

"A gold mine that we cannot make any money out of. No military will pay top dollar for these physio-augment nanites." Koji said.

"There will always be a buyer somewhere, this gold mine will profit."

Koji crossed his arms. "So you say. And where is that batch of successful test subjects you had? Wiped off the map?"

"Sir, you don't need to worry about them. They're living out their lives and I'm still monitoring them. It's all under wraps and without a peep." Beverly sat on her desk with her legs crossed. "And this isn't what I needed to discuss with you."

"Alright." Koji took a breath. "What is it then?"

"It's regarding my work with Dr Song, one of the biology department's heads." Beverly answered.

"Yeah I know who he is, the geneticist and paleontologist. He made a breakthrough in synthesizing viable paleo nucleic acid, but that brought us nowhere as well. That idiot."

"Yes. He and I were using our research together. His attempts to create prehistoric organisms with paleogenetic material had failed. So he came to me seeking any assistance I could provide with my nanites."

A tense moment of silence between the two lingered until Koji spoke, "Go on."

"The objective was to create an organism bearing the genetic traits of the prehistoric species. The experiment plan was to introduce a test subject with the genetic code obtained from Dr Song. With the help of my nanites the test subjects would assimilate the foreign nucleic acid, and the test subject would bear phenotypes of the new species."

Beverly continued, "Dr Song tried it with mice first. None survived, every lab mouse suffocated in the exposure."

"So it's a failure then. Another waste of resources and money." Koji seethed, he leaned against the wall with arms crossed.

"No, not quite."

"What the hell do you mean?"

Beverly took a breath and she dropped the morbid news, "An unintentional human trial has been done."

Koji had the appropriate stunned look before his brows knitted. He stormed at her and hissed with clenched teeth, "What the hell have you done this time?!"

Beverly held her ground, "Sir, I had nothing to do with it. Dr Song is responsible for this mishap. He was careless and accidentally dropped a batch of nanite vials on five people, exposing them to the contents."

"How in the hell?! And who are these people?!"

"In a fire escape stairwell, Dr Song dropped the vials on five students by mistake."

"Students?!" Koji exclaimed direly. "From the school tour program?! Students?! Children?!"

"Unfortunately." Beverly said undeterred by his raised voice, "But there is a-"

"Every time I hear from you, it's one goddamn disaster to the next! And now this! Do you have any idea what this will do to me?!"

"I am fully aware. Sir, if you want to pin it on someone, it is Doctor Song and his negligent unprofessionalism. But what I was trying to tell you is that there is a positive result from this incident."

Koji had to take a moment for that news to sink in. "What?"

Beverly got off her table and pulled out her phone. Bringing up a news web page she showed it to Koji. "This was taken just a few hours go."

The page played a video of a cross junction with the pouring rain, a car wreckage consisting of two sedans and a truck. The sound of a bellow soon followed, and an obsidian Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared in the video. The video continued to play, the Tyrannosaurus Rex freeing the people trapped in the sedan and saving them before it detonated. The video ended when the dinosaur ran off, disappearing into the storm.

"The trial was a success." Declared Beverly.

Koji could only gawk at the sight of the dinosaur, an animal long extinct now returned to the world. "What the f...W-What...this is real. This is real."

"Yes sir it's real. It worked." Beverly the phone away. "I know that this is one of the subjects from the unintended trial. The result we have gotten exceeded what we had expected. The subjects have completely assimilated the new genetic material, by now the nanites would have left their bodies and rendered useless. And now they are essentially a cross-species."

"You're saying that a student...turned into a dinosaur." Koji eyed her.

"In the layman's terms, yes," Beverly said. "And we need to act on this quickly. Other competitors would be doing anything to acquire these prototypes. Prototypes that I've made."

"You've made?"

"Yes. I made." Beverly was insistent, "This was made possible because of my nanites. And now we have to secure these subjects before someone else does."

Hearing her words, Koji was getting highly suspicious of her. "You're implying, to kidnap students?"

"I'm saying that we need to do what is required before our gold mine gets taken away by someone else and this company loses out." Beverly twisted her words.

Koji had zero illusions as to what Beverly was doing, baiting him into accepting her plan. He was well aware of her obsession with her work, doing everything for it. Cutting corners, seizing chances, and having questionable principles. But he also knew that in a competitive company, a person like Beverly was needed. She was very vicious and good at what she did.

Plus, he would not lose valuable company assets to another corporation. Assets that they made, assets that they own. The argument could be made that these students stole company property, and they needed to act.

Koji turned away from her, putting his hands in his pockets. The tense silence dragged on for nearly a minute. Koji then sighed, "If you're so confident in your plan, do what you have to do then."

Before Koji made his way to the door, he turned back to her. He raised a finger at her, "But you are on your own in this. It's a mess you're involved in, so you clean it up. I don't want to know how you do it, I don't want my name tied into whatever you plan on doing. Just make sure this 'gold mine' as you call it can profit this company."

"I'll handle it." Beverly nodded. "And Doctor Song?"

"You leave him to me. You just stick to things on your side." Koji said, "And you better damn well do this properly. I don't want any more accidents in my building. So you're taking this operation off-site." Koji had a tone that left no room to argue.

"Don't worry sir. I have a plan." Beverly said. "I got a place."

Koji shook his head, "I don't want to know about that, just get it done. And you are on thin ice here, either you get it right or it's over for you. These may be your nanites, but don't forget where you stand with me."

After saying his final piece he exited the room, leaving Beverly to scowl and glare at his departure.

***

The video of the Tyrannosaurus Rex saving the mother and son played again. Narumi, sitting in the passenger seat of the family car, kept repeating the clip on her phone. Satsuki Uchida was driving the car, in the direction of Soru Academy.

Early morning had arrived, and the clouds thinned out revealing the blue sky from above. It was still too early for any students to be heading out to school. The news of a dinosaur sighting had spread like wildfire.

Every news page on the internet was talking about it, and Narumi did not like it at all. That's me, a dinosaur...that's me.

"Narumi, put the phone away." Satsuki said. "You don't need to keep seeing that." But her daughter still had her eyes glued to the screen.

"Narumi." Satsuki called her again.

"You didn't tell Dad right?" Narumi asked.

"No. You know he's still in Australia. He won't be back for another three weeks." Satsuki said.

"Oh." Narumi slumped into her seat.

"But when he gets back, you are going to tell him everything."

Narumi immediately sat up straight. Heat flushed in Narumi's cheeks, and she whined at her mother. "Why? Why do I have to tell him?"

"He's your father, I'd say he should know something concerning you. Especially with something like this." Satsuki was not one to hide anything within the family, every matter between father, mother and daughter is to be shared. "You're going to tell him when he gets back, and that's final."

"Ugh." Narumi groaned with a hand holding her temple. She sunk deeper into her seat. Satsuki pulled the car over before the turn up the hill to the school.

"So where is this place you want to try changing again?" Satsuki asked, switching off the engine. Narumi turned her gaze into the maple forest.

"It's in that forest. I tried to find out how I could change but nothing worked." Narumi pointed at the vegetation by the side of the road, "Mom, you don't really need to come along. Don't you have work?"

"Don't worry about that, you are more important." Satsuki said, "If school is giving you trouble because you are late, you tell me. I'll talk to them." She got out of the car. Narumi sighed, she grabbed her school bag and got out too. Together they ventured into the forest, away from any passing eyes. Soon after, Narumi and her mother were in the same spot again, where the whole group was before. Satsuki gazed around and she agreed that the spot was well secluded enough.

"So, let's go through this again." Satsuki turned to her kid. "You came into contact with some gas in GenaTech and made you change into a T-Rex after you were coming back."

"Yes." Narumi nodded, "That pretty much covers it."

"And we are not going to the hospital about this?" Satsuki asked.

"No." Narumi quickly objected.

Satsuki frowned at that, but she would not force her daughter if she had no intentions to go to the hospital. She then asked, "But your friends know about it? You told them?"

"Yeah," Narumi nodded. She was careful not to tell Satsuki that they were exposed to the gas as well. "I told them. They wanted to see if it was true. I tried to show them at first, to see if I could change. But I couldn't."

"Not until last night. When you got..." Satsuki had to pause to swallow her worry. "When you got pinned to a wall by a car in a massive road accident, you changed into a dinosaur. Are you sure you're alright after that accident?"

Narumi nodded. "I'm fine. Look, I don't even have a single bruise now."

Satsuki then said, "So let's see if you can change again now. That's what we're here for."

Narumi bit her lip, "Uh right." Her cheeks had a tint of pink, she hesitantly removed her school uniform. Underneath, she was wearing her old swimsuit.

Her mother could see her writhing in embarrassment. "Narumi. It's your idea that if you did change at least it will just be your old swimsuit getting stretched. Plus, I'm your mother, it's okay with me right?"

Narumi sighed, "Yeah, I guess." With a shake of her head, she began pacing around, "Anyway, what I tried was...ugh it's stupid."

"What?" Satsuki asked.

"I tried calling it out of me you know, like it's inside me and I have to think of bringing it out of me."

Hearing what her daughter said, Satsuki could not resist a giggle bringing a dainty hand to her mouth. "Silly girl, you watch too many of those shounen anime and sentai shows."

Narumi groaned at that remark, "Okay, I get it. It's dumb, but I don't even know where to start with this."

"Alright dear. Then what else have you tried?"

"Well, I tried to get really, really angry. Thought that would bring it out but it did not." Narumi shrugged. Narumi stopped her pacing, she clenched her eyes and fists shut, trying to focus on bringing the dinosaur back out.

"Come on, come on work." A vein popped in her temple, her face was showing her strain. But nothing was working again.

She quickly felt hands cupping her cheeks. Satsuki said to her, "Dear, stop. That's enough. It's looking weird."

"Argh dammit!" Narumi snarled out. "I don't understand this! How is it that it only worked last night?!" Narumi did not notice it, but a guttural growl came out from her frustration.

"Narumi." Satsuki said. "Just calm down alright."

Narumi backed away from her. "I can't mom! I had enough from the last two days! I'm not the same as before! The whole city knows about a dinosaur in the streets! Everyone was terrified of me! Like some monster!" A water bead was welling at the corner of her eye.

Satsuki watched as her child went back and forth, she was feeling the struggle Narumi was in and she would not have it. She stepped in, she gripped Narumi's arms.

"Look at me Narumi." Satsuki said. She nearly lost her balance when Narumi wriggled in her grip. There was such an immense strength in Narumi, that just holding her in place was nearly impossible for Satsuki.

"Look at me. Just breathe." Satsuki said. Narumi's eyes rested on her mother and her breathing slowed down. Keeping her gaze on her mother, her body started to relax. "Breathe."

"I'm...I'm sorry." Narumi mumbled.

"It's okay dear, it's okay." Satsuki soothed her, she brushed a lock of hair behind Narumi's ear. "One step at a time alright?"

Satsuki's tone became a little stern. "Narumi, listen to me. You are not a monster, don't ever call yourself that. You're my girl, an incredible and beautiful girl, always remember that."

"Mm." Narumi made a small nod.

"You know what I think? Even after everything that's been happening to you, you saved those people in that car crash. A monster would not do such a thing. Even if they were scared of you, they are alive, because you saved them. Of course I would worry, but you saved those people and I'm proud of that."

I saved them. Narumi grew a deep pensive face, thinking long and hard. She was a hero that day, she rescued people from that wreckage. She asked herself again. Why did she do it? Why did she help those people as a Tyrannosaurus Rex?

Because it was right, it was the right thing to do.

"I saved them." Narumi said.

"You did it yesterday." Satsuki said, releasing her hold on her. "Any idea what was on your mind that got you to change?

There was a moment of silence before Narumi gave her answer. "I guess that I...That I needed to be a dinosaur again? So that I could free myself."

Satsuki collected everything she had learned in her head. Calling a dinosaur out from the inside did not work, and neither did getting angry. When Narumi was a dinosaur, it was still Narumi in the body, mind, heart, and soul. Things were starting to piece together.

"Narumi." Satsuki said, "Maybe you've been thinking about this all wrong."

"Huh?" Narumi was a little taken aback.

"You can't just think through this, you have to feel it. You felt the need to become a dinosaur, and you did. Maybe a dinosaur is not inside you." Satsuki then pointed at her daughter's chest. "You are that dinosaur."

Narumi fell silent again. She took a step away, her head was deep in thought and she gently closed her eyes.

Feel it. A dinosaur is not inside me...You are a dinosaur...You. Are. The dinosaur.

And surely, she had felt it surging through her. Her eyes opened, revealing the green iris and black sclera. She brought her hands up, showing her hands turning into T-Rex claws with obsidian scales. She raised her head up letting out a rumbling growl.

Every part of her was growing and her muscles were hardening. But there was no panic in Narumi, she felt completely serene and powerful. Her human feet had changed, now they were now shaped like a carnivorous dinosaur and it was growing big and fast. Her skin thickened into black scales and her face stretched forward into a dinosaur head. Her tail was emerging, and her swimwear was tearing from the increasing mass. Nails turned into claws, her jaws wielding daggers for teeth.

Satsuki could only watch with dropped jaws. The giant Tyrannosaurus Rex roared before her in the forest.

Narumi Uchida had done it, she found a way.