I looked at the object in my hand and felt the initial excitement at reading its description leak out of me. Glancing at the text box again, I tried to find anything that could explain it, but got nothing.
[Healing Totem – Rarity: Rare – Type: Deployable Item]
[A wooden totem that projects a 15-meter aura of restorative energy when planted firmly on the ground. Allies within the radius will slowly recover from physical wounds, muscle fatigue, and minor illnesses over time.]
[Warning: It takes time to work. It cannot regrow lost limbs, resurrect the dead, or cure the zombie infection. Picking up the totem instantly dispels the aura, and it requires a brief cooldown before it can be planted again.]
“Is that… is that a tiki torch?” asked an incredulous Kyoko.
“Sure looks like it,” Kiriko commented.
“Are we having a luau?” Shizuka asked. “Is that what you got? I love luaus!”
“No,” I answered listlessly. “We’re not having a luau. This,” I wiggled the stick attached to a bamboo head with a wick on its end, “is called a Healing Totem.”
I then explained what it could do, and the effect was immediate. Magical healing, even a limited version of it, was a big deal. Broken bones and blunt-force trauma can be dealt with as long as the victim was within its area of effect. So, many of the mundane threats to the group won’t be as much of a problem with it in play.
As to why it looks like something you’d find in the Costco party aisle, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the Cosmic Randomizer’s idea of a joke.
With that said, this did present us with a problem.
“The military will come after you harder than ever before if they learn of this thing,” Kiriko warned seriously.
“I know,” I responded. “But it does present us with an opportunity.”
To my surprise, it was the nurse who grasped my meaning first. “You’re going to offer the torch to them in exchange for letting you go, aren’t you?” she deduced.
Kiriko and Kyoko both gasped as I nodded. “My teleportation is mine alone. I can’t share it with anyone. This, though?” I raised the Healing Totem. “This I can leave behind. It might not cure the zombie plague, but it’s still damn valuable.”
“You’d seriously part with such a miraculous item?” Rei’s mother asked.
I smiled wryly at her. “This is something that can help those we can’t bring with us. If nothing else, it can give them a fighting chance.”
Before I knew it, my face was pulled into her ample chest, causing my neck to bend painfully. “Oh, you are such a wonderful boy! If I weren’t married, I’d give you a sloppy kiss!”
“Let him go, you shameless hussy!” I heard Kyoko yelp.
Rather than do as asked, the arms holding my head only tightened their grip. Then, it got worse, as a second pair of unreasonably large breasts pressed to the side of my face.
“I’m not married!” an airheaded voice exclaimed. “I can kiss him for you, Kiriko-san!”
“Shizuka-sensei! This is incredibly inappropriate!”
The objection might have held more weight if two more soft mounds of flesh weren’t bumping into my head’s other side, and now there was a lot of jiggling, writhing, and whining happening. As I couldn’t see exactly what Kyoko was trying to do, I could only hope that she was trying to free me from the clutches of these vixens.
After a few seconds of suffocating with no reprieve, I was getting ready to simply Blink away when the next set of problems occurred.
“What are you doing?!” a younger voice shrieked from somewhere.
From there, it was pure pandemonium. Admonishments, recriminations, and outright insults were thrown around. All the while, I was running out of air.
I could only be thankful that Kiriko was wearing a thick, padded jacket. I didn’t want to deal with boob sweat on top of everything else.
“So, this can really heal people?” Misuzu asked. “Like, actual magical healing?”
It had been a few minutes since the debacle in the kitchen, and everyone had now settled down. Glares were still directed at the three older women to very little effect. Kiriko and Shizuka basically just shrugged the non-verbal accusations off. Kyoko was flushed but maintained an air of decorum.
“It’s supposed to. We haven’t tested it yet.” I shrugged.
“How do we activate it?” Saeko leaned toward the tiki torch placed on the coffee table. “Is there an incantation involved?”
Bringing up the description again, I shook my head. “Apparently, we just need to plant it on the ground.”
“Should we do it now?” Saya asked, eyes still red but no less intrigued at the possibility of magical healthcare.
After exchanging looks with everyone, I stood up. “Might as well.”
Picking up the totem, I headed for the door with the rest doing the same. I passed by Toshimi on my way out and gave her what I hoped was an encouraging smile. The girl still seemed tired, but she smiled back.
Once outside, I made a beeline for the closest patch of earth available in the mostly concrete block: a large, earthenware pot with ferns growing out of it. Pushing the leaves to the side, I raised the totem and noted several curious stares sent our way. Before plunging it down, I looked back at our expectant group and saw that they were joined by Alice.
Tightening my grip on the wooden handle, I jammed the sharp end into the dirt. The moment I did, the wick lit up with golden flames.
Curiously, it didn’t seem hot, and it was inches away from my face.
Letting go of the ferns and stepping back, I noticed that the fire didn’t burn the delicate leaves. But that’s the least remarkable thing about it.
A warm breeze swept through the air, and almost immediately, I felt my fatigue wash away.
Gasps and cries of alarm came from the onlookers, many of whom were touching body parts in wonder, awe, and confusion.
“Caleb-san?” someone piped up, and when I turned, I saw that it was a lovely brunette. She was holding her baby girl, who was looking at the totem with undisguised interest. She wasn’t much different, though, with her eyes turning to saucers. “What is that?”
“Oh, this?” I quipped. “This is my healing stick, Kaho. Perfect for soothing aches and pains, as well as cuts, bruises, and all manner of annoying physical ailments. Pretty sweet, huh?”
“You serious, kid?” Takeru came over for a closer look.
“As a heart attack.” I grinned. “Which, incidentally, shouldn’t be an issue as long as you’re near the flames.”
The older man let out a quick bark of laughter. “Ha! That’s pretty handy. You really are some sort of magic man, aren’t you?”
My grin turned smug. “You could say that.”
Others started getting over their wariness and came to take a closer look. The one I kept an eye on, though, was the suited prick. Yep, there’s a lotta greed in those eyes, all right.
It’s unlikely he’ll do anything stupid any time soon, but I might have to deal with him at some point.
“Do me a favor.” I tapped Takeru on the shoulder. “Keep an eye on it for me, will ya? Gotta take care of something real quick with Saya.”
“You got it, kid.”
“Thanks, man.” I gave him one last tap in gratitude before turning to the pink-haired girl. “You up for the trip, or would you rather take a rain check? I can always get in touch with her like I did Kiriko.”
I tried to make my observation subtle and saw that her complexion had gotten better. Rosier than it was a few minutes ago, for sure. I wasn’t sure if that was because of the totem or if she really just bounces back that quickly.
“Let’s just go,” she said with a throaty voice. “I need to talk to her.”
She met my eyes when I didn’t respond for a few seconds. Ultimately, her motivations for going weren’t any of my business, but it would be scummy of me if I didn’t at least make sure that she was fine. From the strength of her gaze, I’d say her spirit is roaring.
I couldn’t help smiling. This was one tough kid.
“All right,” I said, nodding before addressing the rest of our group. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
“We’ll hold down the fort,” Saeko assured me.
“Be careful,” Shizuka said, which set off words of caution and encouragement from the others.
“Oh, before I go. Shizuka?”
“Yes?”
“Try to get in touch with Rika,” I told the blonde. “It would be best if she could tell us where she is, so I can get her. I’d also like to get her permission before breaking into her locker.”
“Okay!” she confirmed cheerfully.
“Thanks.”
Extending my hand to Saya, she grabbed it without hesitation. In the next second, we were gone.
Saeko Busujima POV
The moment that Caleb disappeared, everyone dispersed. Shizuka-sensei and Hayashi-sensei still needed to finish preparing lunch. Miyamoto and her mother chatted as they went back inside, while Niki and Ichijou did the same.
Saeko, however, had a job to do. One that she took upon herself without being asked.
“Maresato-san,” she greeted as she and Alice approached the man.
“Busujima-san,” he returned before patting his daughter’s head.
“Daddy!” the little girl cried. “Is that stick thing really magic?”
“Yep,” he confirmed with a chuckle. “You heard the kid say so, right?”
“Uh-huh!” Alice nodded vigorously before turning to Saeko. “Neechan, is Caleb-oniisan really a magical boy?”
The teen couldn’t help but giggle. “He certainly seems so. And you know you can call him that when you talk to him, right?”
“You really don’t think he’ll mind?” Alice asked, blushing.
Saeko quirked a brow. “Why would he?”
“M’not sure,” was the mumbled reply.
“Caleb’s a good sort,” the father put in. “I’m sure he’ll be happy if you call him that.”
The young one beamed.
“Would you like to join the other oneechans, Alice?” Saeko suddenly asked. “I’d like to speak with your dad about grown-up stuff.”
“‘Kaaay!”
Once his daughter went inside the apartment to join the others, Maresato-san turned to face her. “Somethin’ on your mind?”
“It’s about the Healing Totem,” Saeko said.
He nodded in understanding. “Yeah, thought that might be it. The kid’s a walking bag of miracles, isn’t he?”
“Miracles that others might want for themselves,” she replied while directing her stare at a certain covetous individual.
Following her gaze, he made a sound of acknowledgment. “Don’t worry, the boys and I have him handled.”
Saeko’s gaze sharpened. “He remains a liability.”
“You think Caleb made a mistake letting him stay?”
“He is too kind-hearted,” she huffed.
“Isn’t that why you’re gunning for him?” came the teasing reply. “Why you’re all gunning for him, as a matter of fact?”
Instead of stammering in embarrassment as other girls might have, Saeko simply grew irritated. “How can you see that and yet he can’t?”
He snorted. “Oh, I’m betting he knows. He’s just got different priorities right now. Speaking of, any news on when help’s coming?”
The change in topic made Saeko freeze momentarily. “Miyamoto-san’s mother shared that an evacuation is underway, but there are complications. Caleb-san will be meeting with another group of survivors, one that is in communications with the SDF. They will likely discuss these matters. We will know more when they return.”
“Got it,” he grunted. “I’ll let everyone else know. Hopefully, we can soon put this nightmare behind us.”
“Thank you, Maresato-san, and thank you for keeping an eye on the problem.”
“Bah, don’t worry about it. I should be thanking you and your friends for keeping my little girl company.”
Saeko smiled. “Alice is a joy to be around.”
“That she is,” the father said proudly. “By the way, you mind sharing whatever shampoo Caleb was using with Alice? We haven’t been able to find that brand again, and it was my late wife’s favorite.”
“Shampoo?”
“Yeah? The kid had this kind of smell, like flowers. You didn’t notice?”
Saeko blinked. “No, I didn’t. But I will check to see if we have another bottle to give her.”
“Thanks.”
As he walked away, the teen made her way toward the apartment. Walking through the door, she contemplated what Maresato-san said.
Caleb didn’t smell of flowers at all.
His scent was metallic and sharp.
It actually reminded her of blood.
Traversing abandoned neighborhoods and blood-soaked streets is never gonna be not disturbing. However, I can honestly say that Saya has been the most cooperative passenger I’ve had thus far.
Kiriko was too handsy, and Toshimi and Misuzu were too nervous. Not that I could blame the latter two, given the circumstances.
Saya, though? Quiet and didn’t make unnecessary movements that required me to compensate whenever we needed to land. This might be because she’s still grappling with the loss of her father and the impending talks with her mother, whom she seems to have a bad relationship with.
I can’t even enjoy this one simple pleasure without feeling like shit, can I?
We did have to make a detour when we saw a military convoy, though. A line of APCs and trucks was making its way deeper into the city. Fortunately, it was in the opposite direction of where we were staying.
Upon arriving on top of a building that gave us a good vantage point over the Takagi Group compound, however, I just about groaned.
A crowd had gathered in an open area behind fenced walls and a solid-looking gate. Even from this far away, I could see that they were agitated. Opposite them, standing in front of large double doors, was a smaller group composed of several armed men and one woman.
She was wearing a blouse and pencil skirt and seemed to be trying to calm the angry mob.
“That’s my mom,” Saya whispered beside me.
“Looks like she’s having some trouble,” I commented, looking sideways to see her reaction.
The girl bit her lip. “It’s probably because… because of father’s death. He was always the face behind the group while she handled the background work.”
“Ah.”
Well, crap. This was a classic case of morons dissatisfied with the new leadership and trying to stir up shit. Or it could be due to legitimate grievances. Either way, I might need to step in.
“How do you wanna handle this?” I asked, if only to hear what she would say.
Saya thought about it for a moment. Looking around, she pointed toward the front gate.
“There aren’t a lot of zombies down there,” she said. “If you can teleport us close enough without being seen, we can walk up to the front gate. That might be better than simply appearing in the middle of that brewing trouble and potentially setting off a powder keg.”
I nodded, impressed at her logic.
“How do you propose to defuse that bomb?” I poked.
She frowned. “I won’t know until I learn exactly what the problem is. Depending on how this goes, we might not even need to.”
I grunted in agreement before deciding to tease her, just to lighten the mood. “The streets aren’t entirely empty, you know? You expect me to handle all the dangerous stuff while you strut down the road?”
“Of course!” she declared haughtily. “You promised to protect me. So, do your job.”
That drew a chuckle out of me. “As Her Highness commands,” I solemnly intoned with a bow.
“Idiot,” she muttered while looking away.
With a smirk, I offered my hand, which she took with a glare. I then scanned for a good spot and found an alley that was close enough to the road but would also provide enough cover. A short Blink later, and we were at ground level.
“Just stay behind me,” I said. “I’ll keep you safe.”
I heard an irritated huff as we got moving. Credit where credit was due, there weren’t a lot of undead to take care of. The Takagi group must have cleared the immediate area just before the unfortunate mission the night before.
Subtle uses of Conjure Rocks ensured that we wouldn’t be overwhelmed while I used my bat sparingly. That’s how we approached the compound gate without having to run or get covered in gore.
We were eventually spotted by the lookouts, of course, though I had to wonder why it took so long.
The argument wasn’t that distracting, surely?
“Stop right there!” someone barked. “Who’re you?!”
I couldn’t help myself. “Special delivery!” I crowed.
My shoulder was immediately assaulted by an annoyed slap even as the guard replied with a confused “What?”
The teen stepped forward, likely to stop me from messing around some more.
“I am Takagi Saya! I’m here to speak with my mother. Let us through!”
Huh. She even talks like a princess. Neat.
Some murmurings erupted behind the walls before I heard a woman’s voice shout a command. “Open the gate!”
The welded bars smoothly slid to the side to reveal the person we were here to see. Judging by the color of her hair, this has to be Yuriko Takagi.
“It’s weird that you and your mom dyed your hair the same color,” I remarked offhandedly. “Is that common here?”
Saya gave me an odd look. “What are you talking about? We didn’t dye our hair.”
I looked at her. I looked at the approaching woman who was hurriedly striding towards us. I looked at Saya again.
“But your hair’s pink.”
No reply was given as the woman finally reached us and embraced the girl for all she was worth. “Oh, Saya! I had feared the worst!”
“Hello, mother.”
While the two were having their moment, I kept my eyes on the guys who followed Yuriko. Each one was carrying weapons that ranged from rifles to shotguns. They were also looking at me with dangerous glints in their eyes.
Hoooh, boy. This is gonna end badly, isn’t it?