Chapter 22 (Beast Complex)

**The Snake and the Mouse** (ヘビとネズミ, *Hebi to nezumi*?) is the twenty-second chapter of *Beast Complex*.

## Synopsis

In the middle of the night, Sage, a snake nurse, finds himself patrolling the dark corridors of a hospital where he is berated by a patient who is frightened by his presence and shows contempt despite the snake's helpful demeanor. After this, hearing a noise in a patient's room, Sage approaches to offer help to an old mouse who has fallen to the ground breaking a vase. However, the old man, Nectar, refuses his help and orders him to leave, but Sage realizes that the old man's hostility is due to his bed-wetting. Sage goes to change the old man's sheets and robe, but the old man refuses, stating that it was just a slight accident and he is perfectly capable of changing his sheets on his own, being only in his fifties. Again ordering Sage to leave, as he is a businessman and expects a visit from his colleagues in the morning, so he must sleep well. However, much to Nectar's surprise, Sage responds to this, pulling his hemipenes out of his tail cloaca and showing them to the old man. While completely calm, Sage asks Nectar to realize that he is talking to a snake, an animal that can be completely devoid of its emotions by displaying their penises in this way during a first encounter, as snakes have the ability to go out without wearing clothes, they barely wear necklaces. So Sage asks Nectar to understand that they are more different than he imagines, so he shouldn't feel ashamed that someone who lacks shame or honor sees him urinate, so he changes the old man's sheets, completely ignoring his complaints, to this, he threatens to call a nurse. However, he forgets it by pointing out the fact that snakes really do have two penises and Sage claims that he is often teased about it, commenting that snakes are a "flirtatious" species, further noting that mice have a bone in their penises, which is even stranger, stating that mammals are very braggarts. Nectar takes Sage's comments with humor and with high sums declares that Sage is too talkative for a reptile. After changing Nectar's sheets, he thanks Sage for his help and attributes his accident to his age, which makes it difficult for him to move his limbs at night and prevents him from reaching the bathroom, so Sage lends himself to help him change his robe and climb into his bed, as well as tuck him in. Sage explains that Nectar's problem does not lie in his extremities, but in his age, since being 50 years old for a mouse would be the same as being 90 years old for an average-sized animal, so he asks him not to overexert himself, so after being tucked in, Nectar asks Sage for one last favor.

The next morning, Sage is found sleeping with Nectar, for which he is reprimanded by the bedside nurse, even as Sage excuses himself by saying that he was only complying with the patient's request. Even so, the head nurse informs him that sleeping with snakes is a bad omen, so it is not something that should be done in a hospital, which relieves Sage, since he believed he was being scolded for sleeping on the job. Sage doesn't give importance to good or bad omens, since snakes are usually part of most superstitions, even so, Sage considers that he would feel happy for the first time if someone considered it a good luck charm. Later, Sage tells Nectar about this and he responds nonchalantly, Sage notices how day after day Nectar has more trouble moving his limbs and after taking a look at his medical history, he discovers that he suffers from a terminal cancer, which has begun to spread in his brain.

After this, Nectar again asks Sage to spend the night with him and he accepts with care, Nectar points out how strange Sage is acting lately and he accompanies Nectar until he falls asleep. Internally, Sage agrees with Nectar and admits to feeling a little weird, assuming that maybe he just wants to stop Nectar's body from getting smaller and smaller. While sleeping, Nectar realizes that Sage is squeezing him with more and more force, unconsciously, Sage wraps himself up to the point of enveloping Nectar and strangling him. At the same time, some nurses talk and one of them explains that the head nurse scolded Sage because sleeping with a snake is much more than a bad omen, since snakes have the habit of twisting while they sleep, and after this, only one will remain alive. In bed, however, Sage wakes up before a tragedy happens and Nectar forgives him, knowing that he did not do it on purpose. Nectar explains that animals with a short lifespan like mice are not allowed to be euthanized like longer-lived animals like turtles or elephants, so having such a short time in this world, he would be happy to be strangled to death by Sage. At this, Sage points out that he feels tingles all over his body and Nectar admits that he finds sleeping with Sage strangely comforting, as he feels as if it transports him to another world. However, Sage again wraps around Nectar's body and with a maniacal grin squeezes him unconscious.

The next morning, Nectar wakes up next to Sage's shed, and after momentarily wondering if both of them have died. Nectar is praised by a nurse for his fine snakeskin, explaining that many patients put them under their pillows as a good luck charm, as they represent rebirth. Given this, Nectar asks where to call Sage, but the nurse informs him that he was transferred from the hospital for the behavior he has presented. The nurse notes how good Nectar looks today, so she offers to go read with him. Seeing Sage's skin, Nectar comments that his skin is more handsome than the real one, acknowledging that he even managed to shed his skin for a patient, so he sets out to improve his health so he can return to see it in person. This comment is heard by Sage who leaves happily.

## Trivia

* This is the first Beast Complex chapter to feature an elderly main character.
* This is the second chapter of Beast Complex to feature a snake as the main character.