As promise! Well, this one is a short chapter. I do hope the two new chapters will be sufficient in tiding you, dear readers, over until I post chapter 7.
Disclaimer, I don't own anything, but my own characters.
Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Evening
Ophanim's P.O.V:
Another day… Another load of paperwork and educational classes about PHASe that I did not need to know since I already knew it from the get go. I sigh, "It seems no matter where I go, I will always be followed by stacks of paper."
I trudge through the white, endless, empty corridors for what seems like a millionth time this week. Luckily, today is a Friday which means that I now have time to relax and take a bit of time off. Taking time off was a luxury for my comrades especially for me and my older brother since all of us are constantly going on missions that are always back to back. The higher ups said that I'll start doing mission training on Monday, and before then I plan on exploring all of Olympia. Perhaps I should visit the lounge for a drink, and maybe a little something to eat. With that in mind, I head off to my destination.
As soon as I enter the lounge, I am greeted by a fantastic and beautiful view of the sunset that is out in the evening sky. The lounge is made up of glass that goes all around. The fresh light brown wooden floor is even and smooth. All the way in the back of the room is bar with barstools that were bolted to the floor. To the left of the bar is a black grand piano with its black, soft cushioned bench. There were white colored seats and wooden tables ranging from different sizes around the rather large room. I start to head towards the bar, but then I notice a familiar face sitting at a table. There is another person right next to him, and he seems vaguely familiar to me. The man next to my teammate is wearing a white coat. It was the same familiar uniform as one of the rarely seen administrative staffs here. My temporary leader's eyes briefly meet mine, and I slightly bow my head to acknowledge him. I then make my way towards the bar, and take a seat. Soon, the bartender comes to take my order. I order my drink, and everything went silent. Nine's role within the organization is… unique. However, my thoughts begin to stray I feel the familiar pull calling out to me. I press my lips into a thin line.
"Hey. How are you?" I slightly turn around at the gentle voice right next to me. Nine was sliding onto a bar stool.
"I'm good. You are getting better at being stealthy." Nine gives a light chuckle.
"Perhaps now is the best time to get this over with," I bow towards him, "It is finally a pleasure to be on this team."
"There is no need to so formal," Nine said to me. I sit straight back up again.
"But I should greet you. It is just a simple edicate to greet their leader, is it not?"
Nine rubs his neck: "Yeah. I just thought you might be… intimidated, or something," the purple haired man sheepishly replies.
"It must have been something cuz why would I be afraid of you? If anything, I thought you and the others might feel intimidated because of me."
"Well, that's good to hear." Nine lets out a breath that he has been holding in.
"Are people usually afraid of you?" Nine tilts his head, seeming to think about his answer: "Maybe it's not that they are afraid, but rather they misunderstand me."
Nine's answer got me slightly intrigued. "I see."
"Isn't that the reason behind most human conflicts?"
"50% of it is true as for the other not so much. The other 50% is due to human emotions," I give the leader my reasons with a small smile. I'm beginning to smile too much, so I need to stop doing it.
I hold out my right hand to him: "Then… Let's always make the effort to try and understand each other."
Nine looks momentarily surprised before smiling back at me. "I'd like that," Nine says to me as he shakes my hand. The bartender hands me my drink right there and then. Nine quickly orders one for himself, and then turns back to me.
"So how are you doing in PHASe? Are you getting used to life here?"
"It beats having to wake up to Freelancer's obnoxious wake up call, or having Blitz Ace burn the kitchen every time he cooks. Other than that, it's pretty peaceful except…," I start to trail off a bit towards the end.
"It's the corridors, right?" It wasn't just the corridors that was bothering me. It was other things that have been bothering me as well.
"I mean, it's gotta be the classes too, and everything else. Zero told me that you and your friends mostly work solo, so working as a unit is probably not your suit," Nine elaborates vaguely. A wave of uneasiness washes over me: "Yeah… I guess it is," I lied. It is technically true, but at the same time it was not.
"However, traveling through the building is what makes it strange. I just don't know how to describe this feeling."
Nine makes a face, telling me to go on with my explanation: "A part of me is being drawn to whatever is here, and another part of me feels like that I was forced to come here, to the HQ. Not to mention, I feel trapped. As if someone knew that I was going to come at the very beginning."
"Did you see the cherry blossom trees when you came into the city?" Nine completely changes the topic of the conversation. I frown.
"Yes, I did see the sakura trees when I arrived here…," My voice lost its tone towards the end.
"Quite the sharp observer. But did you know that they bloom year-round?" I narrow my eyes. I was unaware of the very small cracks and dents that were beginning to form on my cup.
"Explain," My voice becomes harsh and cold which threw Nine off guard. I quietly take a sip of my drink.
"Um… How to put it. They were genetically engineered to be able to bloom at any time. Especially since they're in the protected area of Olympia."
"No one should be able to do such thing. Life isn't something anyone should play with. All living things are bound to die someday just some earlier than others." I begin to squeeze my hands really hard.
"And that what makes them so beautiful, and so when you take that out of the equation, it makes them even less beautiful," Nine says to me, understanding the beauty of life. I nod: "The PHASe corridors also feel… timeless."
"Not feeling the passage of time isn't normal. It throws you off making everything feel artificial. And it is there, in the corridors, I get the deep sense of homesickness."
There was still anger deep down within me, and doing what I do best, I hid it along with every other emotions that was locked away. I barely managed to say to him, "Yes… You are right. While it is impressive, it does not mean that man can do whatever they want to do with nature."
Nine nods, and at the exact same moment, the bartender puts Nine's drink in front of him. Said man takes a sip.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble on like that." I shake my head telling him that it was alright. Nine smiles before taking another sip of his drink. The two of us continue to talk about my education and about the team before Nine has to leave. And when he does, I'm left with a strange feeling of disgust since I stepped into PHASe. I immediately walk out of the lounge without finishing the rest of my drink.
I lie down on my bed as soon as I reach my room. I growled angrily.
"You all heard that, right?" I ask them, anger still residing in my tone. There were a few hums here and there, and none of them were happy ones either. There was something that is going on here, and I am going to get to the bottom of this no matter what.
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Preview to the next chapter:
"I heard that she is buddy-buddy with Zero," voice #2 says to #1 with a bit of disdain in her voice.
