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Of all the tyrannies on human kind the worst is that which persecutes the mind.
—John Dryden
Now…
Spanner didn’t know what to expect, but he knew what he didn’t expect:
Minato turned to Geryon, clearly amused by Spanner’s predicament. “What should we do with him, Master?”
Spanner struggled in Lachesis and Clotho’s grip, but they had him off-balance, nearly falling on his face. “Minato-sempai!” But Minato didn’t even glance over at him, his eager gaze trained on Geryon. Surely it was a ruse, something he’d cooked up to infiltrate the enemy camp. Right?
Geryon chuckled, walking closer to Spanner, but not close enough that Spanner could kick or head-butt him, damn it. “You expected him to come racing back? But he’s mine, you see. And he always has been.”
Turning, Geryon walked back toward Minato, who was gazing at him like he was a god. Geryon glanced over his shoulder at Spanner. “Bring him. He might be useful.”
Something smacked Spanner on the back of the head and he fell to the ground. As his eyes closed, he saw Minato follow Geryon. Then everything went black.
Hours earlier…
After Minato took rings off several students and kicked everyone out of the Academy, the crew gathered at Café Ichinose to regroup.
Spanner ushered Kyoka in and over to the kids. “She has something to tell us,” he said.
Everyone looked at her and she swallowed sharply before dropping into a chair. “I’m sure none of you have been told what happened at the academy. The incident that showed us Geryon’s true colors…well, some of us. Specifically, you should know what Minato went through.”
The kids looked at each other, while Spanner crossed his arms, not wanting to admit that even he only knew the bit of the story that related to his parents. He was somewhat embarrassed he’d never asked about the rest of the day.
Apparently, along with stealing the Chemies, Geryon had killed quite a few of Kyoka and Minato’s classmates and somehow the masters at the Academy were convinced it was Kudo Fuga who committed the crimes. Spanner scoffed, somehow unsurprised those old fossils were fooled.
Kyoka stared down at her hands. “Minato told me that Geryon…he could have wiped Minato’s memory, but he chose not to, to make him suffer more. So that he could blame himself for our friends’ deaths.” She looked up, meeting everyone’s eyes in turn. “And that’s why I don’t believe he would ever work for Geryon willingly.”
“I understand, but he seems willing enough,” Spanner said.
The kids all looked shocked, except Kudo, who was clearly thinking hard. “It could be mind control.”
Spanner started to shake his head, but he stopped to think about it. “I was going to say that was unlikely because Minato is our expert in mind control, so he’d be harder to trap.”
Icho sat up straight. “But who taught him mind control?” she asked sharply.
“Geryon,” Spanner and Kyoka said together.
“Geryon was a master at all the mind control techniques, as he showed that day by controlling everyone’s memories,” Spanner went on.
“What if he…” Kyoka broke off, looking pale. “What if he left a backdoor in Minato’s mind?”
“Sounds like something he would do.” Spanner desperately wanted to punch something. “But how do we break his hold?”
Kyoka shook her head. “I’m not sure. I don’t have all the resources of the academy, but I can do some research.”
“We’ll help!” the kids chorused and Kyoka smiled at them.
“I’m going to find him.” Worried faces turned to Spanner and he shook his head. “Maybe there’s something I can do to break Geryon’s hold.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kyoka said.
“At least let me come with you, sir,” Ichinose said, sitting up straight and looking extremely earnest.
Spanner was tempted, because he knew how strong Ichinose was, but…he didn’t want him to see his teacher like this. “You stay here and help. I’ll be counting on all of you.”
Ichinose nodded sharply, looking proud, then joined the kids huddled around Tsuruhara’s AI, discussing strategies.
“Spanner...” Kyoka stood, hands on her hips.
“Don’t,” he said.
“Minato wouldn’t want you to get hurt before we have a way to rescue him.”
He reached out, squeezing her shoulder. “He also wouldn’t want to harm bystanders and perhaps I can distract from that.”
“Damn it.” She turned away. “I hate it when you’re right.”
“It has to happen sometimes.” He smiled when she gave him an irritated look. “He won’t kill me.”
“You don’t know that.”
She was right, of course, he didn’t know that, but he wasn’t going to admit it. “Go help the kids figure out how to save him.”
Kyoka hesitated, looking like she was going to hug him, then went over to the kids.
Spanner nodded to Ichinose’s mother behind the counter, who was looking a little confused, then ducked out the door. Since they were using the Academy as a base, it shouldn’t take long to find Minato and Geryon.
Now…
Spanner awoke slowly, his head pounding, tied to a chair in Minato’s classroom. He thought about pretending to still be unconscious but doubted either Minato or Geryon would fall for that. Slowly, he lifted his head, trying to ignore the way the room spun as he did.
On the other side of the room, Minato was doing something on a lab bench, although Spanner couldn’t see what. Spanner scanned the room, but it was just the two of them. “Minato-sempai,” he said softly, hoping against hope…
Turning, Minato put down the beaker in his hand, smirking at him in a way that was not like him at all. “Oh good, you’re awake.”
Spanner waited.
“How adorable! Master Geryon is right, you do still hope I’m on your side.” Minato threw his head back and laughed. It was almost a cackle and it was creepy as hell.
“He’s our enemy,” Spanner said through gritted teeth.
“Your enemy,” Minato said, chuckling. “I’m back where I belong. Back where I’m free to show those puny humans that we’re superior.”
“That isn’t you! You like other people and you want to protect them.” Spanner’s head pounded harder and he fought to stay focused. “You like teaching in Ichinose and Kudo’s school.”
“Wrong!” Minato snarled as he stepped closer, eyes wide and wild. “That was just a shell of me. Now I’m free to be the alchemist I was meant to be.”
“That’s Geryon talking.” Spanner felt a pang in his chest. “That’s not you. I know you.”
“Lies!” Minato backhanded Spanner, his ring slashing across Spanner’s face.
Spanner’s head throbbed and the room spun as blood dripped off his chin. He hung onto consciousness by a thread as Minato ranted about something, sounding just like Geryon. Spanner was just gathering his wits again when Minato grabbed his chin and lifted his head. He chuckled when he saw the wound on Spanner’s cheek. “You look so sad, poor baby.”
Spanner had never heard Minato sound so mocking or dismissive. “Sad for you.”
“No need,” Minato said, grabbing Spanner’s hair with his other hand and yanking Spanner’s head back. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
Spanner could feel his eyes watering from the pain in his scalp, but he met Minato’s gaze, desperately looking for any trace of the man he knew. Looking, but not finding.
“It doesn’t matter what you believe,” Minato said, voice low and dangerous. “You’re going to stay here while I destroy those children for my master. Then you and I can play.”
Spanner could hardly breathe due to the angle of his head and for the first time in a long time he was frightened and unsure.
Minato watched him for a moment then laughed again, letting go of Spanner as he stood. “There there, don’t feel lonely, I’ll come play with you soon enough.”
“I only want you to come to your senses.”
Minato leaned over until their faces were close and he smiled that disturbingly unhinged smile. “And I want Master Geryon to help you the way he helped me.”
“No!” Spanner recoiled. He didn’t know if Geryon could do that to him and he absolutely didn’t want to find out.
“It’s so much easier to have no conscience. You’ll feel lighter, freer.” Minato laughed loudly. “Then we can all have fun together.” Patting Spanner’s shoulder, he stood. “But first Master Geryon and I will have some fun with those pesky children.”
“Leave them alone.”
“Aw, you want all the fun to yourself, that’s sweet.” Minato manifested his sword, which he slid along Spanner’s neck. “You’ll have to share.”
Spanner stayed very still as the sword kissed the side of his neck and then the point slid down his chest, slicing his tie, shirt, and vest, leaving a trail of red skin with occasional drops of blood.
“I won’t forget about you, even when I get some new toys. You’re far too much fun.” Snapping his fingers, Minato’s sword disappeared. With a final smirk, he strode out the classroom door.
Spanner focused on breathing and soothing the pounding of his head.
Spanner tried a few rounds of healing meditation. They didn’t go particularly well, but his concussion was nearly better and that was the most important thing. He’d spent a few minutes trying to get himself free, but that was more the principle of the thing than any belief Minato would suddenly have forgotten how to secure a prisoner.
The worst part, he thought, tugging his wrists and ankles in their bonds, was that he didn’t know what Geryon was making Minato do right now. It could be anything and the possibilities ranged from bad to worse.
Minato would never survive being used to kill one of the children or Kyoka. Whether he was still in there was irrelevant if Geryon made him do something he considered unforgiveable. If only he’d managed to distract Minato longer, he thought with anger at himself.
Spanner was so focused, he took a minute to recognize the sounds of battle in the halls of the Academy. He could hear the kids transforming and it sounded like they were all there. Hopefully that meant they had a plan to rescue Minato.
Straining his ears, he could hear the fight getting closer and he could hear the sisters. Even with all his experience he couldn’t tell how it was going. Finally, he heard Minato and Geryon.
Spanner yanked at the ropes holding him, desperate to get free, even though he knew without his ring and sword, he would be a liability.
The door burst open and Kudo stumbled through, followed by Clotho.
“Houtaro will handle it,” Kudo said quickly as she blocked a lunge at her.
Spanner had half an eye on her fight, but was also listening to what was happening outside the doors.
When the door opened again, Minato burst in, leaping across the room, ending up behind Spanner. “Stop fighting,” he ordered, sword against Spanner’s neck.
Kudo stepped back, lowering her sword. “Minato-sensei?”
“Don’t call me that,” Minato snarled.
“Sempai,” Spanner said quietly. Even knowing it wasn’t truly Minato, he couldn’t help reproving the man for speaking to a student that way.
Minato gripped Spanner’s hair. “Shut up!”
Out of the corner of his eye, Spanner saw the door slide open again and Ichinose step through. Ichinose gestured, muttering something, and Minato’s head whipped around. “Get him,” he yelled at Clotho. She tried, but Kudo tackled her from behind.
Spanner watched Ichinose, who was focused and clearly reaching the climax of what he was doing. The air in the room was growing heavy and still, almost claustrophobic. Surprisingly, Minato’s grip on Spanner’s hair loosened, when he had expected the bite of the sword into his neck and had braced for it.
Kudo and Clotho still grappled on the floor. Perhaps they couldn’t feel what Ichinose was doing, perhaps they didn’t care.
Behind Spanner, he heard a clatter as Minato fell to the ground. At almost the same moment, a portal opened into the room and an irritated-looking Geryon strode through it, grabbed Clotho, and went back through.
There was an instant of absolute silence except for Ichinose breathing heavily as he leaned against a wall. The door opened and the other two students and Kyoka ran in.
As Kyoka freed Spanner from his bonds, he twisted his head to keep an eye on where the children surrounded Minato.
“He’s alive,” Icho said, looking up at him.
“We need to get him to the infirmary.” Kyoka helped Spanner stand until he could (shakily) hold onto a workbench.
“Go,” he said, waving at Minato.
Tsuruhara was already shaping some trays into a makeshift gurney and he and Kyoka carefully placed Minato on it before rushing out the classroom door.
Ichinose remained, frown of concern obvious as he looked at Spanner. “Er…”
“I’m fine. Let’s go to the infirmary.” Spanner took a cautious step, but his legs miraculously chose to allow it.
Ichinose nodded and went out the door at a jog.
“Out of curiosity,” Spanner said, trying to distract himself from his weak limbs, “why Ichinose?”
“Hotarou was the best choice,” Kudo said. “It seemed as if our plan would work best with someone who is...” She paused to consider her words. “Pure of heart.”
Icho nodded. “He’s certainly pure of heart.”
Spanner was fairly sure he was the only one who heard her unspoken follow-up of ‘and empty of head.’ He suppressed slightly hysterical laughter as he leaned on Kudo and limped out of the room behind Minato’s unconscious body.
Spanner sat on one side of Minato’s bed, while the chair on the other side was occupied by Kyoka. They’d sent the students away to get some rest and they continued to wait. Kyoka had run out of conversational topics to distract herself over an hour ago, so they both sat, lost in their own thoughts.
Leaning back, Spanner stared up at the ceiling. What would they do if Minato didn’t come back from this? The kids and Kyoka would be devastated. And, well, he would be devastated too. Minato had been a constant in his life since his parents died, first a recent graduate who was willing to make time for his questions, then a teacher, and now a mentor in the fight against Geryon.
The only person more important to Spanner was Kyoka and from the expression on her face, she wasn’t going to fare well if they’d been too late or if their hastily cobbled together plan had hurt Minato.
With the members of the Alchemy Alliance being under Geryon’s influence or completely useless (or, if Spanner was honest, both), it had fallen to Spanner, Kyoka, and Minato to be the adults and to lead the children in this battle. Spanner hadn’t realized how much the three of them leaned on each other until one side of their wobbly stool had been abruptly yanked away.
Spanner rubbed his face. If he was getting metaphorical, that was a sign he was somewhere beyond short on sleep. But he couldn’t lie down and rest until he knew…well, until he knew.
Kyoka looked up and he could tell from her expression she was going to tell him to rest, so he shook his head. She sighed, but let it drop, going back to fidgeting with a tool that lay in her lap, clearly something to keep her hands busy.
Geryon couldn’t have won like this. No.
Spanner was drawn out of his spiraling thoughts by the rustle of the bedsheets. His eyes moved from the hand that was grasping and releasing the sheets, up the arm until they got to Minato’s face. It took a few long moments, but Minato’s eyes snapped open and he looked around wildly.
“Wha—”
Kyoka and Spanner froze, waiting.
Minato coughed and cleared his throat. “How did I get here? I remember…” His face contorted then cleared. “Geryon! He was attacking! What happened? Are the students okay?” Then he was trying to sit up.
Kyoka and Spanner both reached out to grab a shoulder. “They’re fine,” Kyoka said. “Geryon didn’t hurt them.”
Minato, face creased in concern, looked back and forth between them. “He only attacked me?” he asked, sounding dubious.
“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Kyoka said, patting Minato’s shoulder. “But now that you’re awake, we’re all fine and accounted for.”
Minato frowned. “I only remember him attacking, but nothing else.”
“It’s…actually very complicated,” Spanner said.
Kyoka huffed out a breath. “Right now, I promised I would get the kids when you woke up, so you stay right here and rest.” And then she was out the infirmary door.
Minato looked at Spanner. “Please tell me.”
Fuck. Spanner scrubbed his face with both hands. It would probably be better coming from him anyway. “Geryon was controlling you. You were…I guess, brainwashed?”
Minato’s face was easy to read as his eyes darted back and forth considering possibilities. Spanner could see when he hit on one and his eyes widened. “I think I know what happened. It didn’t, I didn’t think…”
“Nobody blames you.” Spanner figured he was probably lying, because as sure as the sun rose in the sky, the Alliance would blame Minato for anything, but he supposed he meant that nobody who mattered blamed him.
It was also easy to see when Minato finally recognized the cuts and bruises on Spanner’s face and neck. “Did I—”
“Not important.” Spanner slashed the air. “It wasn’t you.”
“Are you sure?” Minato looked tired and sad, unable to meet Spanner’s eyes.
“Yes.” Spanner was somewhat surprised by his answer, but found it was true. “That was Geryon, not you. I trust you.”
Minato blinked up at him.
Smiling, Spanner held out a hand. “C’mon, let’s getting you sitting up properly before the kids get here. I’ll get you some pillows.”
Minato smiled back, taking his hand. “Thank you.”
They got him arranged and Spanner sat back down with a sigh of relief.
“But…” Minato began.
“Hmm?” Spanner looked at him.
Minato pinned him with the gaze of a disappointed teacher. “Don’t think this distraction gets you out of explaining to me what I did.”
Spanner stifled a groan. “Yes, sir.”
—end—