Chapter 82
“A…field trip?” I ask, and hesitantly take Hiro’s offered card. “To where?”
“The town down the road is a decent place to start,” he replies. “You could take the opportunity to show Wake around, introduce him to the quieter side of humanity before you dive into Tokyo in the next few days.”
Hiro’s offer sounds tempting, but I’m immediately wary. The thought of walking through a public town, with people all around, not knowing if I’ll suddenly sprout scales and start breathing underwater, fills me with dread. I can barely keep my transformations under control in private, let alone in public.
“Thank you, Hiro. That's a very considerate offer, but I don't think I can,” I say, trying to return the card. “Not until I get the stabilizer.”
Instead of taking back the card, Hiro pulls out a small prescription bottle, rattling it in front of me. "Relax, Phoebe. This should help." He pops the lid open and shows me six small white pills. "These are an early version of the stabilizer. Take one every two hours or so, and you should be fine."
I stare at the bottle, then look back at him. "How early are we talking?"
He shrugs again. "Early enough that you’re a guinea pig. But better than nothing, right?"
"Great," I mutter, twisting the cap off and inspecting the pale blue pills. "Because I haven't been a test subject enough, lately."
“I'd say it's better than nothing. Besides, have you shifted since last night?”
I hesitate, then shake my head. "No, I haven’t."
"Exactly," Hiro says, handing me the bottle and a sleek black credit card. "You’ll be fine. Just take the first pill now, stay away from salt water, and you and Aquaman can enjoy a nice, relaxing day.”
"Okay," I finally say, popping the first pill into my mouth and swallowing. I pocket the bottle and glance at Hiro, who beams at me like a proud parent. "Thanks for this."
"Don’t mention it," he says, already moving toward the door. "I’ve got to head back to work anyway, so go enjoy yourselves. I'll catch up when I'm done.”
As soon as Hiro leaves, I’m riddled with a mix of relief and anxiety. I glance at Wake, who’s been eerily silent, his muscles coiled like a predator ready to pounce.
"So," I say, trying to lighten the mood. “Ready to explore?"
Wake looks at me, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Is this wise?"
"We have to leave this house at some point," I say, grabbing my jacket. "And I agree with Hiro that Tokyo will be unpleasant if you're not prepared."
He raises a skeptical eyebrow, but he doesn’t argue, following me out of the house.
We head toward the town, which turns out to be a quaint, coastal village that looks like it’s been plucked straight out of a postcard. Cobblestone streets, cozy wooden shops with sliding doors, and the faint scent of the ocean in the air—far enough away not to be a problem for me, as long as we're careful not to wander too close to the dock.
I drag Wake to every shop that catches my eye, showing him everything. He watches with mild interest at the souvenir shop and tea stand, though I’m pretty sure most of it is just to humor me.
We end up in a small bakery; I pick out a couple of items, paying with Hiro’s card, and hand one to Wake. He stares at the pastry in his hand as if it’s a puzzle, then takes a cautious bite. His eyes widen slightly, and for the first time since we arrived, he looks genuinely surprised.
"This… is good," he mutters, taking another bite.
I grin. "Told you. There’s a lot to love about human life.”
He makes a face that says he's not convinced, and heads for the door. Next, I pull him into a bookstore, a small, dimly lit place with books stacked to the ceiling. I’m browsing a shelf of novels when I turn and see Wake holding a book, flipping through the pages. He’s actually sounding out the words, slowly but steadily.
"You can read that?” I ask, incredulous, then remember who I'm talking to and roll my eyes. “Of course you can. What’s the story about?”
He glances up, expression thoughtful. "It is about an old fisherman and his battle against spirits of the sea. I would like to finish it."
Of course, the one thing that grabs his attention has to do with the ocean. "You want to buy it?"
He nods. I teach him how to use the credit card, and he thanks the storekeeper in perfect Japanese, leaving us both staring at him in surprise.
"Am I going to pick up the ability to learn languages like that?" I ask, as we step out into the street again.
"It’s possible," he replies. "If you allow yourself to truly listen."
I frown, about to ask what that means, when his body stiffens, eyes scanning the street. Something’s shifted in the air.
"What’s wrong?" I ask, my voice low.
He silences me with a quick, sharp glance, barely above a whisper as he says, "We’re being followed.”
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