Number Seventeen(A Nanbaka Fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen: Broken

(Warning. This chapter contains sensitive content such as unhealthy body imaging. Please continue at your own discretion)

Hajime had gone down to the shore to check out the situation, bringing Okina and a stretcher along with him. Seitarou followed.

"Damn it," Hajime grumbled as he knelt down to check Seventeen's pulse. "She's barely alive."

"I can't believe that she's back," Seitarou muttered. "I thought she was gone for good."

"It's been four months," Hajime said as he ran one of his hands over Seventeen's wrist, tracing the cuff. It was skin tight, looking like one of Wonder Woman's cuffs, except silver instead of gold. There was no clasp, no tie-together, no apparent way for it to have gotten on or off. "Okina, bring that stretcher over here. We've got to take her to the infirmary."

Okina came over with the stretcher. Hajime lifted Seventeen onto the stretcher and they began wheeling her inside, very careful not to pass any occupied cells. The inmates could know that Seventeen was back either when she died or recovered, whichever came first.

Seventeen didn't look very good. Her brown hair was matted and stringy, having grown to her shoulders, her body thin and bony. Her skin was so pale that you could see the veins on her arms and legs. The tunic and leggings she wore were torn in several places, you could see Seventeen's knees, stomach, and parts of her legs through the torn fabric. She was unconscious, barely breathing. Barely alive.

After they had gotten her to the infirmary and hooked her up to an IV, Hajime summoned the Supervising Officers that were there four months ago, when Seventeen had been taken. Soon enough, Kiji, Kenshirou, Samon, and Hajime were all crowded around Seventeen's infirmary bedside.

"She's back," Kenshirou stated.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Samon countered sarcastically

"When should we alert the inmates?" Hajime asked. "Seventeen's stable now. Okina should be able to heal her up quickly enough."

"We can't let Three know, not yet," Kiji said.

"Why not?" Hajime inquired.

"He's finally doing much better," Kiji explained. "After Seventeen went missing, he went into this awful state of depression. At the celebration three months ago, he said that he was going to move on. He's only just gotten back to normal. I don't want him to fall apart."

Kenshirou nodded. "Perhaps we should tell the inmates once Seventeen is conscious and able to function as a normal human again. I have a feeling that will take some time, though."

"Most likely," Hajime agreed. "I know that that pain in the ass Cell Thirteen will try and break out so that they can come here as soon as they hear, so maybe it's best that we don't tell the inmates for a while."

"So we're in agreement?" Kiji asked. "We won't let the inmates know about Seventeen's return for a couple days?"

Everyone nodded.

"Alright then," Kenshirou began. He gingerly picked up Seventeen's hand to show everyone the cuffs. "These look similar to Inmate Number Fifteen's shackles, except they're much thinner."

"Yeah, they are," Samon agreed. "What do you think they do?"

"I doubt they hold the same purpose as Fifteen's shackles," Hajime said. "Whatever they do, I'm pretty sure that they can be used as a weapon if she needs one."

"They look dreadful on her," Kiji stated. "That man who put them on must have no taste!"

"Kiji, that's not what this is about," Hajime reminded him. "We're trying to figure out what these cuffs do."