Today at around 1:40 a.m., a man immolated himself after knocking out the guard of the recognized pub using an unknown method, the guard didn’t suffer any injury and was tended once the auxiliary forces of the Alliance arrived. His companion didn’t share his luck, she died after following the criminal, trying to stop his actions. The owner of the pub, Master Tomek Navikov, 68, shared his experience after the explosion.

“I was awoken by an Alliance agent, Kiri. She frequents the pub with her companion Farid in search of a nice place to be after a hard job during the day. She tried her best to soothe the people around and form an impromptu rescue team, she was the first to take action after the explosion. Her companion was severely injured and she wasn’t in her best shape either.” He didn’t blame the agent for being unable to stop the assailant, saying they were out of duty and just in a relaxed atmosphere, as it should’ve been inside his pub.

The real helper, he tells, was a young boy who was awoken by Kiri. He helped the most during the crisis, stabilizing those close to dying and continuing to move even when his companion, a heavily injured woman, laid unconscious on the floor. “He acted skillfully and accurately, helping those he could help. He was like a hero in those stories made for children.” Unfortunately, Master Tomek didn’t get the chance to thank him and know his name.

…

The total death toll is of 34 people. There are 11 in critical condition and other 15 with mild to severe injuries…

Charlotte bit on the cold sandwich as her eyes followed the letters of the newspaper, her brows knitted down. She sat on a metallic chair linked to the table in front of her in the hospital’s lounge, to her right was another chair with three closed sandwiches while at the other side of the table were two more chairs. On top of it, six plastic bags with crusts and bits of food waited to be thrown in a bin.

“You should take care of yourself.” A high-pitched voice came in front of her, forcing her to lift her head from the newspaper.

The agent girl stood at the other side of the table. Kiri wore a tight, white uniform with an emblem she recognized, sewn to its right chest.

“May I?” Kiri asked, pointing to one chair.

Charlotte nodded and lowered her eyes back to the newspaper before going for one of the three sandwiches at her side. She extended her hand to Kiri, offering it. Kiri took it with a smile before Charlotte continued her reading.

“I heard you didn’t get checked.” Kiri started.

“… I’m fine.” She said without turning her way.

“You should still get someone to check on you, you never know when things will turn for the worse.” Charlotte lifted her head before Kiri continued. “I see you’re still pretending to be a boy, but you should still wash your face, it’s a mess of cinder and sweat. Quite the spectacle.”

Charlotte let the paper fall atop the table before bringing her hand to the right cheek, grease and dust was everything she could say her face had. Turning her eyes to her fingers, they were black and grey. Following past her hand, she noticed her torn sleeves went to almost her shoulders. The shirt was ragged, especially on the sleeves and her belly. She had used those to try to tend the victims. Her pants, though in a better condition, had holes and small cuts all over the place. She sighed.

“I’ll do once I go back.”

“Suit yourself.” Kiri shrugged. “I insist in getting yourself checked, if not here, in your Luxuria’s office.”

Charlotte looked at Kiri, who smiled as innocently as she could, with her face between her hands as they rested on the table. She nodded and looked down to the news.

“I wanted to thank you.” Kiri said after silence became their companion. “You really helped us out there.”

“… I didn’t do anything, I couldn’t help most of them. I even let some of them die!” She gritted her teeth in frustration.

“There is nothing you could do. I even respect your choice, leaving those who couldn’t be saved to help those who still had a chance.”

“But!”

“We’re not gods, you know, we can only help so much. Don’t be so greedy.” Kiri’s voice increased in volume, making some of the clients turn to her for a moment. Coughing, she continued. “To be someone from one of those criminal groups, you did plenty.”

Charlotte lowered her eyes to the table and remained silent for a while. “I only entered that group,” she said once her cooled down a little, “had I been there for longer, I don’t know how I would react.”

“I don’t think it’d be much different, what matter the most is how you feel. Right then you did a splendid thing, no one can say otherwise… You know, at first, I thought you’d stop once you found your companion, the fact that you continued to help shows how great of a person you are.”

“… Thanks.” Charlotte said with a weak voice.

“A pleasure.” Kiri smiled. The silence talked for a while before granting Kiri a room. “What do you do there?”

“There…? Oh, you mean, in Luxuria?” Kiri nodded. “I’m part of the forensic team, I believe. I work with the autopsies.”

“Ah, so that’s why you knew how to treat that many people and differentiate between those dying and those who could be saved, eh?”

“That’s… Not something I want to talk about.” Charlotte bit her lips.

“Oh, sh-” Kiri brought her left hand to her mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that… I just thought it was weird how… it’s clear now. Sorry. I won’t bring it up again.”

“Don’t worry.” Charlotte let her head rest on the table, forehead against the cold metallic surface.

“How did you end working for them?” Kiri asked, making Charlotte lift her head for a moment.

She then rested her chin on it with eyes turned up to Kiri. “Let’s say I made a mistake and then I had to pay an amount of money I didn’t have at the moment. So, I was left with two choices, joining them in work or another thing.”

“Right.” Kiri’s lips twitched. “If you want, we can get you out of there and bring you to our department, there’s always a lack of those able to help in accidents, and you proved your worth right there.”

Charlotte moved her head to the sides without lifting her head. “I’m quite good as it is. I’ve come to like it there and there’re a lot of interesting people in there.”

“Is that so? If you ever change your mind, feel free to look for me, I’ll give you a space in my team.”

“Thanks, I’ll remember it.” She smiled.

“Which kind of people are there?” Those who you like, I mean, for you to want to be clogged in there.”

“Hmm, well, it’s not like I can’t say… Well, all the people I’ve interacted with are interesting, though not so right in the head. I haven’t spoken to much of the others. I only know, uhm, Olimpia, Kamile, this weird Tom, this eccentric Alphonse and the evil, Dr. Murakuma.” She counted with her hands in front of her resting head. “Those last three are really bad, oh, I don’t mean Dr. Murakuma is a real evil person. He just works so diligently it scares me, he’s my boss in the autopsy, you know? He cuts and slashes without any remorse, it’s true they’re dead bodies, still, he acts as if it’s nothing. He’s a real professional, if I must say.”

Kiri stared at her with wide open eyes, making Charlotte tilt her head before she corrected her posture.

“Olimpia?” She said with an incredulous voice. “You mean, that Olimpia? The fodder hunter Olimpia?”

“Fodder hunter? Olimpia?” Charlotte’s head went to her left.

“Yes! She’s actually very famous here in the Alliance sector! And not for good things! If I’m not wrong, she’s a recruiter, with a long list behind her. It’s said that she recruits regardless of affiliations, cornering those she wants without any way out and leaving them to fend for themselves once they’re inside the web she created. Most of the people she recruits end up as dying on action, being meat shield on dangerous missions. She’s a very manipulative and calculating woman, no?!”

“Uhm?” Charlotte’s head traveled to the other side. “No? I mean, yes, she recruited me, but she left me with a lot of options and even helped me. She went as far as to give me options to choose for a position, and none of them are dangerous.”

Kiri blinked a few times with an incredulous expression. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same Olimpia?”

“I wonder.” Charlotte chuckled. “She’s a recruiter, so I believe it’s the same.”

Kiri shook her head before getting up. “Alright, it’s time. Let’s go.”

“Huh? Where to?”

Kiri looked at her with a raised brow. “It’s already past eight, visits are allowed from now.”

“Oh, yeah.” Charlotte stood from her seat and picked up all the empty bags of sandwiches, as well as the unopened two. She threw the garbage inside a bin before following Kiri.

After going through the required procedure, she was told she could only see Betty from afar. They walked to a door and crossed it, arriving to narrow passage with a big glass separating them from Betty and other patients in critical state. Charlotte could only see Betty’s head, and even then, only her eyes and some part of skin was shown. Her entire body was under covers, a big breather with some other cables on it atop her face.

She looked at her for some time before closing her eyes. Asking White Prism to show her Betty’s information, with some degree of detail. After going through it, a serene feeling caught her, taking away the weight she didn’t know was over her. She then noticed something strange, her CECC had energy, much more than what she gained through the food she ate before and her vision wasn’t as black as she thought it would be.

“What happened? I thought you said there was only enough energy to help her not die and even then, you’d be using my own.”

Silence, a panel didn’t come forward. Charlotte frowned her inexistent brows.

“Prism? Answer me.” Nothing. She willed for the External Projection to go away. “White Prism.”

Nothing happened, but at the same time, she felt something, the colorless space was shaking. Charlotte remained in silence, trying to comprehend what was happening.

“Are you, afraid?” She thought, her eyes wide open. “Oh my! Wow, is this how parents feel when their kid does something they shouldn’t be able to?! Ah, no. Of course, it should be after years, not months. But, woa, I don’t know how to feel! You are afraid? I didn’t think you’re able to feel, like at all! Or that it should take you way longer to comprehend the meaning of feelings! ... C’mon, you don’t have to be afraid. I won’t get angry, heck, I’m proud. So, tell me, what you did.”

YOU PROMISE?

“I promise? I swear!”

As soon as she said that, a block of text appeared in front of her. She whispered an “oh” as soon as she read the first sentence, gears falling together in her mind, comprehending what she did. She read on.

THERE WERE DYING PEOPLE . YOU KNOW HOW I ABSORB ENERGY FROM THOSE LIVING . EVEN THOSE WHO DIED MOMENTS BEFORE HAD ENERGY AROUND THEM , HOWEVER LITTLE WAS REQUIRED HELP , SO I GATHERED THAT ENERGY COMPLETELY . I KNOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO USE YOUR ENERGY COMPLETELY . BUT THAT WAS DANGEROUS . I KNOW YOU TRY TO COVER YOURSELF AND THERE WERE ENEMIES AROUND . EVEN THEN , THE ENERGY RECOVERED THAT WAY WAS NOT ENOUGH . SO , I GATHERED ENERGY FROM THE INJURED , I DID IT ENOUGH TO AVOID PUTTING THEM IN DANGER . FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING ABOVE AND INSECTS UNDERNEATH . THEY WILL FEEL A SLIGHT TIREDNESS FOR THE NEXT DAYS , BUT THEY WILL RECOVER AFTER EATING AND RESTING ENOUGH . I AM SORRY .

“You’re sorry… You say you’re sorry… Why! No! You don’t have to be sorry! It was awesome! You did it perfectly! No, I’m sorry for making you do that. Thanks for putting it up with me. I’m proud of you!”

She returned as soon as she finished telling White Prism that, shutting off their connection. Of course it was not alright! I know! But I know that what she did was correct at that time. I never told her to only use my energy… She actually didn’t kill anyone, she used what was available. I’m the one at fault. I need to make it so she doesn’t become a threat to others… I’m the one responsible for her upbringing, I created her, after all. She opened her eyes. She’s such a sweet child.

“Are you alright?” Kiri asked, making Charlotte’s mind drift away.

“Yes, I’m fine. Why?”

“Well. You suddenly went silent and closed your eyes for like, what, five minutes?”

Charlotte shook her head and turned back to Betty with a sad smile. “… I was praying for her recovery.”

“Oh? I didn’t think of you like a religious one.” Kiri said with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m not.” She sighed. “But you know what they say, in times of crisis, humans turn to divine intervention.”

Kiri nodded as her face turned to the patients at the other side of the window. “Right, we’re a hypocrite lot.”

Charlotte didn’t answer, silence returned to. A man wearing a long coat and clinic gloves entered through the door the used to get in and walked straight to them.

“Are you Mr. Hiro? The one responsible for this patient… Betty?”

Charlotte turned to him before nodding.

“Can you come with me? We need to discuss something regarding her.” He turned around and walked out of the room.

Charlotte clocked her head before following him. Kiri sighed as she scratched her head and walked behind the two. They climbed two sets of stairs before stopping in front of an office.

“This is something I can only talk with the one responsible of the patient. If you’d allow us.” The man said to Kiri.

“I’m the one responsible for him, though.” Betty said. “Whatever decision he makes he needs to consult with me first, so it’s better if I’m here.”

Charlotte turned to face her with a raised brow before coming back to the man, nodding.

“Alright.” The man’s lips twitched for a moment before he crossed the doors to his office. He walked through a blue colored room with only a desk and two chairs, sitting on his char, he motioned for Charlotte to sit. “As you know,” he started, “we’re a private hospital. Our only task was stabilizing that girl, which we did splendidly. I brought you here to talk about what that means and what is to be done afterwards.”

Charlotte grabbed the paper the man extended over the desk, eyes jumping at its content. “This is…”

“The operation fees. I know it’s hard for you to do it now, but we operate based on them. I have other files I’d like for you to check, but those come after you sign the one you’re holding. We need to follow procedures, you see.”

Charlotte took the pen at her side of the table while biting her lips. As she was to sign it, the paper was taken away, leaving her with the pen in hand. Turning around, Kiri read through its contents.

“I see a lot of inconsistences in here.” Kiri said, the man clicked his tongue. “Who do you take me for? Do you know who is this boy? He’s regarded as the hero of the night! He’s the one who saved the life of the son of one of the most powerful men of the city! Are you sure you want word of this going out? Fix this immediately!”

“I’m not sure I can follow you,” the man said in annoyance, “can you tell me what mistakes were made so we can avoid doing the same in the future?”

“Of course! That’s why I’m here! First of all…”

“Thank you.” Charlotte said as they walked to their next destination.

“Don’t mention it. It’s the reason I followed you. I’m used to their behavior. They always take advantage of those not in the known. They charge more than necessary, even if what is right is enough to cover double their expenses.” Kiri sighed. “Anyway, are you sure about that? You don’t want her transferred?”

“No, you already helped me with that. I know it’s expensive, but I can afford, I’ve got some savings.”

“40.000 FC for that operation is no small amount. Even then, you still need to pay every day she stays in here.”

“I know, but I can’t do anything else. I don’t want her to be disabled for life.”

Kiri breathed out. “Alright, don’t be too harsh on yourself, I don’t think she’ll blame you.”

“Still…”

They walked in silence for a while, arriving at a private room. Kiri opened it without knocking and strolled in like she owned the place. “Hey! You stupid ox! How do you feel!”

A black man with red hair hanging on his shoulders awaited them. He had a half-eaten apple in his left hand. He turned to them, halting his motion.

“Kiri? What took you so long?” Farid said, with surprise over the unannounced trespassers. “Oh, I see you brought a guest. So that’s the reason you took your time, but I thought you weren’t into men?”

“What do you mean? Hiro is a girl!”

Farid bit on air, the fruit slipped away and roll all over the floor. Charlotte crouched as the apple approached her. Remembering the state her hands were in, she grimaced before pinching its stem, bringing it up.

“Yeah. I’m a girl.” She brought it to the trash bin. “Don’t go around spreading that thing, there’s a reason I go as a boy.”

Farid imitated a fish, unable to talk.

“That’s the reason I sent you to them. She behaved a lot like a man but still was with that girl, Betty, I was worried that she was forced to do some kind of thing. You know, we girls gotta protect each other.” Kiri grinned. “Well, Hiro is pretty nice, so I don’t think anything bad was going on.”

Farid continued his strange ritual.

“No way. It’s true she doesn’t know I’m a girl, but she was the one who hit on me. I just rolled with her; I want to tell her now so she doesn’t get any wrong ideas later on.”

“I believe it’s too late already.” Kari nodded; Farid kept it strong.

Charlotte frowned for a moment before turning to Farid. “How’re your injuries by the way?”

“I…” He stopped his words as saliva went down his throat, unable to continue. A whack brought him back to reality. “You!” He glared at Kiri at his side. “No, yes, ah, my injuries, yeah, they’re fine. Oh, I’m fine, thanks for asking, I only got some broken ribs and a broken right hand. Apart from these, minor bruises here and there.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Charlotte smiled sweetly at him, not minding her acting anymore.

The two stared at her before Kiri turned away and Farid swallowed.

“You’re a girl, alright.” He nodded to himself.

“Too bad for you, eh?” Kiri said with a grin over her face.

“You always get to have all the really good ones, huh.” Farid said in impotence.

“Oh, no. I’m not into girls.”

“What?” The two looked at her at the same time, Kiri in horror, Farid in hope.

Charlotte continued with a wry smile. “I’m not actually into anyone at the moment. There’s just so many things happening I don’t think I’ve the time to deal with relationships.”

“I see...” Kiri nodded as her eyes looked at the floor, followed by Farid.

“Anyway,” Charlotte clapped, trying to lift the mood she just dampened, “you two sure get along. I’d think you two are in a relationship.”

“No way.” “Impossible.”

The two glared at each other before they started to insult each other, sparks going around, threatening to destroy the room. Charlotte produced a small, sad chuckle; their little quarrel reminded her of her two good friends she left in Gercia. Looking through the room, she found a chair near the wall. She walked to it and sat, sighing at the first comfort her body received after the long night.

How are they doing now? I hope they aren’t fighting as much, they always had that conflicting relationship…

The two continued to bicker at each other for a while before realizing Charlotte wasn’t in front of them anymore. She was using the chair, her head hanging to the side with closed eyes.

“She had a really rough night, huh.” Farid said.

“Yeah.” Kiri walked to the small table at Farid’s left and opened the door at its bottom side, taking out a white blanket, she put it over Charlotte’s body. “For what I know, she didn’t sleep at all.” She returned to Farid’s side and talked softly, least she woke her up. “She helped a lot after the incident and then waited for news of Betty next to the surgery room surgery. I found her eating and reading the newspapers. She didn’t look rested at all, even now, we came back from checking on Betty.”

“I see…” Farid smiled softly at her.

Kiri nudged his shoulder. “Don’t get your hopes up with her. She already said she wasn’t prepared for a new relationship.”

“I know, I know. You don’t have to remind me. I was just thinking of how strong she was.”

“Yeah.”

They remained in silence until the phone over the small table rang, making Charlotte jump in the chair. Looking around, she found Kiri talking on the phone.

“What happened?” She said after Kiri put down the phone with a frown.

“Someone is coming, I don’t know who it is.”

“They didn’t tell you? That’s worrisome.” Farid stated, face twisting in.

“Yeah.” Kiri nodded before turning to Charlotte. “Sorry, but I think it’s best for you to go out. We may be having someone from the higher ups shortly.”

“A-alright.” Charlotte got to her feet. “Sorry for falling asleep like that.”

“Don’t worry.” Kiri shook her head softly with a smile. “I know you’re tired. Go back to your place and take a good rest.”

“I’ll do so.” She walked to the door. “See you later, then.”

“I’ll be here for the next few days, so come check me whenever you can!” Farid said, ignoring Kiri’s glare. “Take care!”

“You too.” She smiled at them before walking to the door.

As she opened, she saw a black wall blocking her way out. Lifting her head, she saw a familiar face looking down at her with surprised eyes.

“Kamile!” Taking a step back into the room, she asked. “Why are you here?”

He smiled at her before going in, followed by another person. Charlotte continued to retreat as a wide smile brightened the day. With enough space for the two new guests to enter without problem. Kamile closed the door before the other guest opened her mouth.

“I’m glad you’re ok, Hiro. You need a bath, though.” Olimpia smiled at her and then turned to the owners of the room, her face grew cold and neutral. “Kiri and Farid, I assume.”

A frown had appeared on the two owners of the room. Kiri’s body crouched forward, ready to leap at any moment. Farid on the other hand, was stiff, he had his left hand hugging his chest over the bandaged right. The room grew cold, threatened to become hot at any moment. The two parties glared at each other. Kiri’s eyes kept glued on Kamile while Farid’s on Olimpia.

Olimpia remained silent with a frown while Kamile at her side didn’t move an inch.

“H-hey guys, she’s Olimpia, she’s a really nice person, always looking after me and taking care of me.” Charlotte said from the side near the chair she sat in before. “Olimpia, they’re nice guys too, they helped me quite a bit today and yesterday, huh, no, just today… I hope we can get along?”

Everyone looked at her, making her forced smile twitch.

Olimpia was the first to soften her face, sighing she walked to Charlotte and brought out a napkin out of her purse, she crouched down to be at the same height. She started to clean up her face. “Look at your face, really. Take more care of it, we don’t want a scar in this cute face, ok?”

Charlotte nodded slowly, finally able to breath out. Kiri and Farid looked at the show in shock as Kamile kept his attention on them with relaxed muscles, his job was the same, no matter de environment. Olimpia finished going through her face, she shook her head muttering, “this won’t do…”, there was still some soil and dirt on it.

“Why are you here?”

“Why don’t you tell me that.” Charlotte tilted her head at those words. “What do you think I woke up today to? After the venture you took yesterday’s afternoon, you got dragged to an incident where more than half the people died, with Alliance’s agents present at the moment it happened. I was so worried about you I had to rush here, at least I see you’re fine.” Olimpia turned around to the two agents. “Care to tell me what happened?”

Kiri kept her shocked face while Farid extended his hand to the basket on the table which still had some fruits and brought one to his mouth. “I don’t know if I can tell you the details,” he said after taking a bite, “but I’ll make an exception.”

Kiri turned to him with open eyes. “What are you talking about? We can’t tell her!”

He took another bite as he shook his head. “No, someone from Luxuria was involved, and she even helped a great deal after the incident. I don’t think they’ll wait for us to solve the situation without doing anything. It’s best we tell her and make her owe us instead.”

“A good choice.” Olimpia nodded while Kiri bit on her lips. She didn’t mutter a word back.

“We received a threat two and a half weeks ago. I don’t actually know its contents, but someone was targeting the neutral zones. After the first week went uneventful, the higher ups thought it was an empty threat, they still dispatched some teams to keep a look out in case something happened.”

“I see. The suspects?”

“We don’t know. That letter arrived to the office of the general director without him noticing it, from the gossips I heard, it apparently came through the window, no one saw who or what brought it. Right now, there’s a search going on, we’re trying to discover the bomber’s background, but going by his attire, he was just a random beggar who got mixed in.”

“That’s worrisome.” Olimpia said with a frown.

“Indeed. We don’t know if the other areas received the same threat or if it’s over now. But now that one incident happened, we can’t remain in wait.”

“I understand the gist of it. I hope you get to the culprit, if you do, please inform us.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Eh?” Charlotte said from the side. “What do you mean? We’re not helping in this case?”

Olimpia turned to her as she shook her head with a small smile. “No, dear. We’re not involved in this at all. You got dragged to it, but it was your own fault and not something enough to garner Luxuria’s attention.

“But!”

“Please understand, there’s nothing I can do. If you want to get involved, it’s going to be by yourself. Luxuria won’t be getting involved. Moreover, I don’t want anything bad happening to you, so please remain away from it.”

“Hee, I didn’t know Olimpia had such a sweet spot for girls.” Kiri said quietly from the side but loud enough for everyone in the room to turn to her.

Olimpia’s eyes grew cold with a frown. “Regarding that. I hope you don’t disclose much information about Hiro. We don’t want to get in a big conflict because of that.”

“Is that a threat?” Kiri grinned, ready to leap forward again.

The room immediately grew cold, a dangerous feeling invading everyone. After a few seconds, Olimpia sighed before she shook her head. “I think you’re misinterpreting something. Her details are not important to Luxuria, they’re vital to her and her alone. If you care about her wellbeing, then you won’t. In case I read you wrongly and you actually do something to her. I’ll take it as a personal offence and will escalate it so much that at least this part of the city knows not to mess with Luxuria.”

“Kiri, stop.” Farid said with a commanding voice. “I’ll keep your words in mind. Is there anything else you want to know?”

“No. I believe that’d be everything. We’ll be leaving. Let’s go, Hiro.” Olimpia walked to the door.

“A-alright, good bye. Kiri, Farid. Take care!” She waved at them with a smile before following Olimpia.

Farid sighed once the three were away, letting his weight fall on the bed. He closed his eyes before turning to Kiri. “Hiro is a boy, ok?”

“Eh!? You mean, you trust that vixen?!” Kiri shouted.

“Not at all.”

“Then we should report it! We got a weak link to her! She’s always been someone without flaw! We can make her fall and destabilize Luxuria!”

“You mean, you want to harm Hiro?”

“Ah, that is…”

“You see, that’s your problem. You always act on impulse. You need someone to reign you in. Also, I don’t trust her, but those eyes she had at the end, those weren’t the calculating eyes she met us with at the beginning. She looked more like a mother trying to protect its child. It’s true Hiro’s become a weakness to her, but that doesn’t mean she’ll fall because of it. I believe the total opposite is true.” He covered his face with his working hand.

“Are you sure?” Kiri asked in skepticism.

“I’m the one who deals with people, once that fails it’s your job to make things happen. You’re really bad reading people, so trust me on this one.”

“Alright.”

“Nice. We can check on Hiro’s background, she never said we couldn’t. But that’s without getting others involved, understand?”

Kiri eyed him with open eyes before she brought her hand to salute him in a military fashion. “Yes sir!”