Huhhh

Huhhhhh

Hahhhh

Alright Saint, that’s enough deactivate simulation,” breathes Himari wiping off some sweat from her face, with a towel

The simulation/training room of the Velvet Underground is where Himari has spent the most time recently,

Using a combination of illusion magic and augmented reality technology, basic to advanced scenery locations and situations can be generated in the simulation room for training purposes

But for Himari, this was therapy…

…..

Phew♪

Kage whistles leaning on the steel walls next to set up interface,

The rest of the room’s walls are dark reinforced glass, that absorbs the bright lights given off when the simulation is active

“……”

“……”

Kage an Himari briefly exchange glances, but neither one of them could produce then right words just yet…

“…….

……

Huhh” sighs Himari wrapping the towel around her neck

“Apollo is resting, if you’re looking for him, unlike me, he still has a lot of recovery time left” Himari finally speaks

“I know, I’m just looking around the entire base for now.” Replies Kage

“……”

“ …..”

“…..”

The tension is very awkward between us to say the least

“If you’re not going to use the room, can you, unm, leave please, I like to train alone,” Himari basically ‘shoos' him in the most respectful way she can

“…..

…..

I’m trying to figure out something Himari,” Kage says absent mindedly

“Is it about what, Xpunk said to you?

You haven’t spoken a word since then,

You didn’t even question it more on the topic, which is something you usually do,”

“……..

No, it’s not that….

I don’t want to know what it meant, not yet at least…

I’m trying to figure out why you have been so respectful of me…”

“……

Pardon?”

“You used to call me the pirate and look down on me as a criminal,

Now you address me as though I was a comrade or even above that.”

......

“….

And that bothers you?”

“It intrigues me,

I was watching you train,

You seem so calm and composed, so focused, yet…

Angry, frustrated. Why, how?”

“……..”

“.....”

Himari doesn’t answer at once, instead walking past Kage to the setup interface, she changes the rooms appearance to that of a boxing gym.

……..

………

Whump!

Himari’s fist strikes hard on a punching bag

Whump!

Whump!

“I get it Kage,

Not that I can begin to comprehend what you have experienced,

But I can relate to the feeling of confusion,

Like being in a way room surrounded by just noise and static,”

Whump–whump!

“They say ignorance is bliss,

And I never knew how true that was till they assigned me to Apollo,

Till I got wrapped up in things I should have stayed out of,

But it was my fault, I wanted to know, I skipped having a normal life, all because I wanted to know,

I was told my father and his squadron were attacked at sea by soldiers from the first ring and they were wiped out,

Ever since then I wanted to know why,”

Whunp!

Whump!

Whack!

Whack!

Increasingly the frequency of her swings, Himari contemplates whether to continue speaking or leave it at that

….

Kage says nothing waiting silently for her to continue....

Whump–whump!

Whack–whack!

Whump–whump!

Whack–whack!

Whump–whump!

Whack–whack!

…...

“In the span, huhhhhh” the woman pauses to take a breather

“In the span of a few days my status quo, was flipped permanently on it’s head,

From, our first encounter with Satan, to finding out I was pregnant, and when I went to tell Apollo, he all had news for me,

About how, the war between the first and second wasn’t real to begin with,”

Whamp!

“I was angry, confused, I know Apollo wouldn’t just lie about that,

But still, I couldn’t believe it,

I didn’t even get a chance to sit on that information, because the next day Satan attacked the plastic beach and I was here,

On this ring,

The lab they brought me in was all the confirmation I needed,

Human bodies kept and stored like stock”

Whamp!–Whamp!-Whamp!

“That’s what became of my father?”

Whamp!–Whamp!-Whamp!

“He was given just given up like a sacrificial lamb?

At least I had some solace in knowing that he died a soldier,

But no, he was just an offering.”

Whamp!–Whamp!-Whamp!

Whamp!–Whamp!-Whamp!

“I had nothing left, and after all that, they cut me open and took the last thing I could potentially have to live for,

You ask why I respect you now Kage,

It’s because I understand why your eyes are empty now,

You’ve probably seen worse than I have,

Experienced even more hell than I,”

…….

…….

Himari stops her punches, her entire face watery and drenched in sweat.

“I know what you are Kage, and it isn’t human,

But maybe that’s not a bad thing

Given what us humans do to each other,”

…..

“Given what humans do to each other,” Kage repeats her words

“Isn’t that just the true nature of people though?

I have been through a lot, but I don’t it is fair to compare bad situations,

I’ll just say from what I’ve seen, the ones who act the most righteous and peace loving tend to be the ones putting up a farce, a façade,

Humans are naturally chaotic, we–they love killing each other without care or regard,

That’s why it’s so easy for someone to do bad than it is to do good,

It’s second nature to us–them,”

“Are you telling me I should just become a psychotic killer then?” Himari makes a disapproving face

“No,

I’m saying that even though being good, being virtuous is the act, the pretense,

Sometimes you just have to fake it till you make it real,

That’s what I’m trying to figure out,

You are the only regular person I’ve met that has made it real,

So tell me Himari,

How?”

“……”

“…..”

…….

“I don’t know what to tell you Kage,

I really don’t know.”