The Rising Sun & the Morning Calm

Happy to say that the conclusion of this story should be coming soon. Thanks to all who commented and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

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Returning with food in hand, Sang Nam nearly dropped the take away container when he saw Angela kneeling with Linnsa in her arms and her blood on her clothes. Running to them, he set down the food and asked with alarm, "What happened? Is she alright?

As his hand flew to her cheek, he heard an angry voice behind him seeth, "Do not touch her!"

He looked over his shoulder and saw Genzo crouched on the ground, completely naked, breathing raggedly. Blood fell thickly from lips curled back against his teeth in a threatening snarl. "What did you do?" Sang Nam demanded angrily.

"Stop it, both of you!" Angela barked. "Genzo, get dressed and clean yourself up. Sang, help me get Linns back to Ryuzo." Grudgingly, Genzo did as he was told while Sang Nam scooped Linnsa into his arms and followed Angela down the hall, trying hard not to breath in the smell of Genzo's semen. Opening the door with his foot, Sang nam met Ryuzo's startled gaze, unusual, as he was usually so unflappable.

"Do I dare ask what just happened?"

"I don't think any of us are sure of what just happened," Sang Nam answered without any of his usual humor. "But she's passed out again."

Laying her across a lab table for lack of a better surface, Ryuzo turned her head and examined the bite marks on her neck. "Genzo?" was all he said as he began wiping the blood and saliva away. Angela's sigh was answer enough. Leaning in closer, he sniffed the air and raised a brow, as if confused. Then, leaning in again, he licked Linnsa's arm.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Angela shrieked indignantly.

"Her skin, it is quite salty," he replied, as if there was absolutely nothing bizarre about what he had just done.

"So what? You taste salt in her sweat? Big deal! Is she going into heat or something? Why the fuck did you lick her?"

Without losing his cool, he continued, "Angela, I can tell you that the saline content of her skin is far beyond what one would find in human sweat, infected or otherwise." Turning around, he held his chin in one hand, tapping his index finger against his lip. "I think I have a theory as to what is going on here."

"You gonna enlighten us, [oyagi]?" Sang Nam said sarcastically.

"[Matteh]." Pacing, Ryuzo was muttering under his breath. After what seemed like hours, he finally stopped pacing and snapped his fingers. "She has had episodes of loss of consciousness three times. The first time, she had a severe seizure. The second time was after she became upset . The third time was just now. Prior to the first seizure, she had severe headaches. After that was when we obtained MRI scans of her brain that showed those odd changes. Prior to the second episode, something strange happened to the clock she was holding when she became upset. This time, she again became upset, and I could not understand what just happened to me when I went to draw her blood, but I think I understand now. "

"Explain it, please? Because I sure as hell don't." Angela walked over to her sister and licked the back of her hand, screwing up her face at the briny taste. "Holy shit, you're right!"

"It is beginning to make sense. I believe the virus has caused a mutation in the way her body processes electricity."

"What do you mean"

"What is a seizure but a storm of electrical activity in the brain? The brain ends up utilizing massive amounts of glucose and energy whenever this happens. This could potentially explain both why she loses consciousness and why she is so incessantly hungry."

"So each of these times, she's having a seizure?"

"I believe so."

"Then why did she pass out the first two times and not this time until after Genzo bit her?"

"I would hypothesize that unlike the most recent incident, Linnsa had not eaten as many calories as she has consumed in the last few days. The depletion of energy as a result of the seizure may have been what caused her unconsciousness. The most recent time, she had been eating almost nonstop up until the point of the seizure and was still hungry." Ryuzo stopped speaking as Genzo came into the room.

"Could I have a word, Genzo?" Angela asked sternly. Unable to look her in the face, Genzo simply followed her off to a corner of the lab. "What happened out there?"

Shifting from one foot to another uncomfortably, he continued to keep his eyes locked on the linoleum of the floor. "She...kissed me. I think that I lost control. I tried to stop myself. I truly did."

"That sounds totally uncharacteristic of her."

"Which would also be in keeping with my theory," Ryuzo interjected, walking over to them.

Angela looked confused and then it came to her. "You're talking about the post-ictal period, aren't you?"

"Exactly. In the period immediately following a severe seizure, epileptics often experience a period of confusion or altered mentation. Her uncharacteristic behavior may be the symptom of her post-ictal state."

"So why is it that the first one was so severe?" Angela wondered aloud.

"My guess is that it was because her brain was beginning a massive neurologic overhaul at a speed with which her physiology could not keep up. This would also explain why her headaches have decreased in frequency and severity. In fact, I have reason to believe that in time, she will be able to control how her brain channels the activity."

"What makes you say that?"

Without answering, he wet some paper towels and handed them to her. "Please wipe the salt off of her skin. The clock that she held when she saw her reflection showed signs of electrical overload. It is possible that is what I experienced when I touched her."

"Wait, wait." Angela shook her head in disbelief. "Are you saying that my sister shocked you?"

"Much the way an electric eel stuns its prey," Ryuzo agreed. "Our bodies are capable of conducting electricity, but the presence of water and free ions in that water will promote better conductivity. Like the sodium and chloride in salt that will split into its ionic components in water. I would conjecture that prior to the discharge of electrical activity, her sweat glands have altered to secrete a hypertonic saline in order to deliver a more effective shock."

"I get dormant cat genes activated and she has dormant...eel genes?" she muttered in disbelief. "What's with our screwy genetics?"

"On the bright side," Ryuzo ventured, "As far as I can tell, electric eels do not go into heat."

"Well, I suppose that's of consolation to everyone except Genzo." At her comment, Genzo's face went scarlet.

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oyagi: old man (Japanese)

matteh: wait (Japanese)

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"May I see how she is doing?"

Angela smiled wryly at Genzo's tentative attitude. "I know you're worried about her, but maybe you should let her sleep a little longer."

"I will not wake her," he promised. "I will go Ninja Boy style."

She had to smother a laugh at his attempt at humor at his own expense. [He really is over the moon about her], she thought to herself. "Alright. Only if you use your Ninja feet."

Smiling his thanks, Genzo, true to his word, moved so stealthily that even with enhanced hearing it would be almost impossible to hear him approach. As he slowly made his way to Linnsa's room, he reached for the doorknob when Linnsa's voice called through the door, "Who's there?!"

Both he and Angela started at the sharp tone of her voice. Seeing that she was awake, Genzo knocked softly and said, "Linnsa-ch-." He stopped himself before he called her "chan" and simply went with, "Linnsa, may I come in?"

Angela could have sworn by her sister's tone that she was blushing. "Uh, not right now, Genzo, sorry. Could you send my sister in?"

Crestfallen, he looked like a dejected 6 foot 2 inch tall puppy as he motioned for her to come nearer. "Be patient, Genzo," Angela encouraged him with a smile. He responded with a wretched I-don't-know-how-much-more-of-this-I-can-take look. Taking a seat next to her sister on the bed, she smoothed her hair and tucked a strand behind her ear. "So, Linns, how much of yesterday do you remember?" The rush of blood to her sister's cheeks told her immediately that the evening in its entirety was all there.

"What is going on with me?" Her stomach suddenly let out an unhappy growl. "And why am I so hungry all of the time now?"

"Well, I could tell you, but the story's kind of wild."

"In that case, let me get a sandwich to eat while you tell me. That might soften the blow."

Five minutes later, they had resumed their seats on her bed, only now Linnsa had a veritable picnic surrounding her. As she began eating, Angela figured there was no point in delaying the explanation. "For some reason, you and I have responded to this infection in ways totally different than everyone else who carries it."

"Whaddya mean?" she said as coherently as she could with a mouthful of food.

"Everyone else had wolf DNA activated and no one else other than Noboru and his brother changed eye colors. Both of us have weird eye color changes and I had cat DNA activated while you had..." Her sentence trailed off.

"I had what?"

She hoped Linnsa wouldn't flip her lid. "Uh, as best as we can tell, the closest thing Ryuzo can compare it to would be an...electric eel?" She cringed as she said it.

Oddly enough, Linnsa just looked at her dolefully as she continued to chew. "I don't think anything you tell me from now on is going to shock me any more, after everything I've been through. So now I'm part fish, huh? Well, that would explain these." She lifted up her shirt and turned so that her sister could see her sides.

"What?!" Angela drew back when she saw a strange row of what appeared to be pits in the skin on either side of her sister's ribcage. "When did you notice these?"

"Just this morning when I woke up." She dropped her shirt and resumed eating as if she hadn't just shown her sister the newest freakish results of her mutation. "They kinda wigged me out at first, but when you told me what Ryuzo thought I was changing into, it kinda made sense."

"Uh, how's that?"

Linnsa picked up a bag of pretzels and began devouring them. "I dunno why, but I'm really craving something salty right now. Anyway, I noticed this morning that I had this really strange feeling like I knew that people were moving around even though I couldn't see them or hear them. I just...sensed it. I knew Genzo was outside my door even though I didn't hear him make a sound. I could tell he was moving slowly too." She took another handful of pretzels and crammed them into her mouth. "They must be like those things that sharks have and stuff, you know those pits that they use to sense the electrical impulses given off by living things. I forget their name."

"The ampullae of Lorenzini."

Linnsa laughed. "You and your Shark Week nerdiness! Yeah, so I guess that's what they're for. I'm already mentally preparing for growing scales soon or something."

Angela felt so terrible for everything that her sister had been through. "And what about Genzo? He's so confused."

"He ain't the only one." She blushed again. "I don't know what came over me last night. I've never been that way before, and I've never had anyone react to me the way he did. He made me feel so..." Turning red again, she shook her head and went silent.

"He made you feel what?"

Linnsa smiled awkwardly and looked down. "This is going to sound totally lame and stupid, but he made me feel...sexy. I've never felt that way before." Her expression turned serious suddenly. "But I'm also sort of drawn to Sang." Angela prayed Genzo was not listening in on this conversation. "I don't know what's going on with me."

"Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be life threatening and Ryuzo seems pretty confident that the worst of it is over."

"Oh, well that's a relief," Linnsa joked. "Does that mean no catfish whiskers for me?"

Angela laughed. Her sister was so strong, it amazed her sometimes. "Not only does he think the worst is behind you, but he also thinks that over time, you'll learn to control it at will."

Tearing open another bag of snacks, she quipped, "Gives a whole other meaning to the expression 'feeling sparks flying'."

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Noboru sat at his desk contemplating how to bring his centuries old feud with his brother to an end. Opening his desk drawer, he removed the case that held the gun, antivirus and remote detonators. He couldn't help admiring how compactly Ryuzo had designed them. Lifting out the gun, he examined it under the low light of his desk lamp. The way things were going, he wasn't even certain that he would get to use it in the short time they had left. It made him skittish enough having Angela with him, but now with all that had come to pass with her sister, he wasn't sure that he could take any more risks.

"That doesn't fire bullets, does it?"

"[Nani?!]" Caught off guard, he hastily replaced the gun and snapped the case shut. Looking up, he saw Angela standing in the doorway of his study, her figure backlit by the light in the hallway. Reluctantly, he had agreed to her request to spend the night with him, but not before he had his apartment staked out by some extra hands.

"I never thought you were much for handguns, Nobu." Walking over to his desk, she stood behind him and slid her arms over his shoulders. "Want to tell me what this is about?"

"Why are you not asleep?" He tried to keep his tone casual. The last thing he wanted was for her to guess what he had sitting in front of him.

"You weren't in bed with me, [sekki]." She nodded her head in the case's direction. "So, what's this for?"

"It was something I had hoped to use to stop my brother's vendetta." Noboru pulled her into his lap. Despite being worried about the future, he couldn't help feeling his cock stir when he saw how the lilac satin of her nightie brought out her eyes. "I supposed that despite all the hard work Ryuzo put into contriving it, I will not be able to use it after all."

Angela reached out her hand to open the case. "What is it?" She started when Noboru's hand darted out with lightning speed to grip her wrist.

"It is dangerous. We shall leave it at that."

She knew he was serious. There was no humor at all in his voice. "Why can't you use it?"

"I could not risk something going awry. I would never want you or your sister to be placed in any unnecessary danger." He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "You have both already been through enough."

Her eyes lingered on the plastic box. "Do you really think it can stop Saburo?"

"Do not concern yourself with these things." Taking the case in hand, he was about to put it back in his desk when Angela stopped him. "What is it, Angel?"

"Even if it is dangerous, maybe you should use it."

Noboru wasn't sure that he had heard her correctly. "What did you just say?"

"I said I think you should use it."

"Angela-"

Her hand cut him off. "How long has your brother been a thorn in your side? You've never had a way of stopping him before, but I get the feeling that this solution is special. If you think it will work, you have to use it."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Absolutely not! I will not put you or your sister in danger any longer!"

"Well, keep my sister away, but even if there's a risk to me, I'm willing to chance it if it means we can stop worrying about him."

"I however am not willing to chance it," he replied with finality.

"Why? What is it exactly that this thing will do?"

Lowering his eyes, he couldn't bring himself to tell her. "Again, to ensure your safety, I cannot answer that question."

"Nobu." He felt her raise his head. "We have a lot of time left together, don't we?" Looking directly into his eyes, she softly said, "I don't want to live all that time with his shadow looming over us. I'd rather take the risk than live the rest of my life unable to do anything in public alone, always looking over my shoulder. I want to be able to take a walk with you, just the two of us. No bodyguards, no skulking around. I want you to meet my family and friends and neither of us worry about if they'll be endangered too. I don't want to live as Saburo's hostage forever. In fact, I think that would be worse than dying." She felt her breath sharply leave her chest as he suddenly hugged her fiercely.

"I will not risk your life! Once was enough."

"It's MY life, Noboru. I think I'm entitled to choose how I live it."

Letting loose his own breath in a frustrated sigh, he took a few moments to consider what she had said. "What do you propose?"

"Let Saburo find out where I am. You know he won't pass up an opportunity to kill me."

"Angela!"

"Send my sister away someplace safe first. Then you can use me as the bait to trap him once and for all."

"Do you realize what you are asking?"

Kissing him gently on the forehead, Angela smoothed back his long hair. "You only have two more days in Tokyo."

"I will consider it."

A smile began spreading slowly across Angela's face. Turning in his lap so that her legs dangled over the arms of his chair, she leaned into him and began planting small kisses on his neck. "You know," she purred, "I don't believe you've fucked me over your desk before."

The bulge growing in his slacks told her he was game in spite of the weak, "[Tenshi], now is really not the time."

"Oh really?" Digging her ass further into his crotch, she arched her back and leaned against his desk. "Pity. It gets me all hot to think of you throwing me over your desk and shoving your cock into my cunt." She felt a jerk underneath her. "Oh well. Come to bed when you're done with...whatever."

As she was about to get up, she heard his low laugh before he grabbed her by the neck and roughly shoved her face and chest onto the cool mahogany surface of his desk. "It has been a few days since we last fucked, has it not?"

"More than a few." Abruptly he turned her on her back and planted both arms possessively on either side of her. "You don't need these," she reasoned as she began undoing his slacks.

Noboru grabbed her hands and held them down over her head with one hand while he extracted his cock through his fly with the other. "Perhaps not, but this is faster." He groaned as his penis slid into her rapidly moistening cunt. Releasing her arms, he began fucking her with such urgency that his entire desk shook from the force of his thrusts.

As he pounded her, Angela was barely able to register that the plastic case was in danger of falling off his desk. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Fuck me against the wall," she breathed between heated kisses.

Slamming their bodies against the closed door, Noboru felt her ankles lock behind his back as he continued to drive himself into her. "I am reminded of the first time you came for me," he hissed. "My first taste, the smell of your excitement, the way your body shook when you screamed into my lips."

Each thrust brought her closer to cumming. "Nobu, I'm so close," she whimpered.

"Cum for me, [Neko-chan]," he snarled, letting go of his animal. As his clothes disintegrated into tatters, his enlarged cock stretched her so deliciously that she dug her fingers into his mane as she came, drenching him in her rapture. With a ragged roar, he opened his jaws wide and snapped them shut over her shoulder as he added his cum to the puddle pooling underneath them.

As they both struggled to catch their breath, she rubbed her face on his damp white muzzle and whispered, "[Sarang-hae]."

"[Sarang-hae]," he echoed.

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Nani: What (Japanese)