Took a while but I managed to work up the rest of the story. Had alot of ideas and settled for on. BTW for my original Conquest story I'm reworking/editing the chapters, I've done until five and intend to go till twenty for the time being. I'll post a notice saying that.
Alicia POV –
Alicia. My mother gave me that name, before she ran looking for my dad who disappeared days before my birth. I can only remember glimpses of her blurred out face as she held me for the first time, vibrant blonde flowing hair compared to my dirt blonde but sharing the same dazzling from her sapphire eyes like my amber. But her face wore grief of her lover's absence.
I was too young to understand the events that were happening at the time, if any word described the event it would be….
Apocalypse.
The old world was shattering and giving way to the new order, overseer by an Alien overlord. Governments fell overnight and new administrations were installed.
And where was I in all of this? In the Swiss alps, in a comfy cottage house being given care and affection by a stranger who raised me in place of my parents. I knew her as Nanna, her friends knew her as Lee Hye Gi, granddaughter of Tiger Byung, an old Korean general and South Korean statesman. But these were in the past and Nanna had long severed her connection with their affairs in her former home. I'm not sure what drove her to adopt me, when I asked her about my parents she would say.
"Your mother was the sweetest thing that could exist. She never looked at you with disdain or loaf, and every day was a gift in her mind. She is one of the reasons I took you in, a way of showing my gratitude and also because you were just the cutest!"
I asked the same for my father but it seemed to provoke a different response.
"He was an arrogant womanizing bastard! Hmph! There was even a nickname for him in the base for that at the time! I still find it hard to accept why your mother and me saw anything in him. And that wasn't even the absurd part yet, he had your mother and yet he went for another woman, the one you see in the picture! There's also something else I'll never forgive him for as well- Oh! Sorry, dear! Going a little off topic, me and my temper! Hehe! Will you forgive this old woman?"
There was a picture frame hanging on the wall, it had Nanna, my mother and father including the woman she mentioned about who was leaning against him in a rather lewd way. What kind of relationship were my parents in? Why was there a third occupant in their relationship? Nanna never hid this information from me so from early on in my life I understood that relations weren't as simple as a man and a woman who both love each other very much. Was Nanna part of this relationship? My father had a scary disposition about him, those yellow eyes like some predator or demon. I'm sure if they were here I'd be afraid to anger him, but I guess it wouldn't be that bad with my forgiving mother there to stand up for me.
Don't get me wrong! There's nothing in the world I would replace Nanna for, that includes my own parents. I look up to her as a maternal figure, her self-confidence and dedication to her peers were qualities that I admired in her. From what she tells me, she was my father's rival in a fraternity known as XCOM. A group of alien hunters dedicated to defending earth from foreign forces, and look how that turned out!
When I was four, we moved down to the havens in Marseille to live with a community. For someone who had spent her first four years of her life without seeing another person besides Nanna, it was a frightening experience. Thing weren't difficult in living with Nanna around, she was always a strong independent woman who could carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
I went to a school run by a sister of the local abbey, at first I was lost on what to do. How was I supposed to make friends, play with others, no one was there to tell me how to do it. For a time, I was teased by the kids in my class and the one left out, I remember the most hurtful thing one said. "Mom says you're an orphan and we shouldn't talk to you!" "But I have Nanna!" "She's not your mother so that doesn't count!" I was infuriated, I could stand someone mocking me but never my Nanna. I can't really remember what happened later but Nanna was called to pick me up and spoke with Sister Philippe. The brat ran home with his front teeth gone and his mother complained to the sister. Strangely Nanna never seemed to get mad at me when I stood before her. In fact, she confronted the kid's parents and demanded an apology from the kid which he did out of fear. She was quite literally a tigress protecting her cub when it came to raising me. It unfortunately only served to alienate me from the rest, I thought I would spend the rest of my childhood alone.
But there was one person whom taught me the value of friendships, she came with her family as new migrants to the haven, Josephine was my first and only friend for a long time. If there was anything I was unsure of she would teach me how to do it, if I needed to confide anything to her she would lend an ear. When others laughed or tried to bully me she would be there to protect me. She was my precious childhood friend.
I thought those wonderful days would continue like it did.
But it all came to an end when I met him. I was now eight, one day on returning home I saw Nanna talking with a mother and son I had not seen in the haven before.
"Ah! Child, come over and say hi. This is Laura and her son William, they'll be living next to us starting tomorrow. Laura is a friend of mine from long ago."
"Alicia hey? You look just as beautiful as your mother, I'm sure you'll grow up to be drop dead gorgeous one day. Don't you think so, William?"
The ginger haired kid nods his head and shows me his brightest smile. I wasn't use to boys at the time so I ran off to house.
"Oh! Please excuse her, she just shy that's all." Nanna comes up with an excuse.
Laura Wolfgang was Nanna's old companion from XCOM and William Hiram was her son with another late friend of Nanna's. Somehow it qualified them to visit or come over on almost every day. I didn't mind it at the time, they seemed like nice people and William was a little over enthusiastic for an eight-year-old. But we played like kids should.
William was introduced into the abbey school and became instantly popular among the boys as well as the girls. It was the difference in our attitudes that defined our standing at school, to be honest I was a little upset by it but came to accept it over time thanks to Josephine's easy explanations.
"You can have many friends or a few really good friends. I'd prefer the latter!" I did too.
Six years went by like it was nothing, Josephine began asking things about William. What he was like and what we did. It was clear she liked him and I wasn't going to get in the way of her pursuit, in fact I routed for her. So I helped her by telling her the activities we did and have her observe and make deductions on earning his affection.
It was then that she turned pale upon an accounting on one of the activities that took place for the last six years.
"What? Isn't that what normal childhood friends do to one another?" I asked innocently, hoping she'd shed some light on what it meant.
"Alicia! That's not normal! Nobody show let you touch them as and when they like as he did to you!" I've never seen her get this upset and flustered.
So that was how I began to understand the seriousness of actions for the last four years together. I was always one for lacking in common sense, I have no one but myself to blame for my ignorance.
William played a game with me really early on that involved him checking my body and pulse, like a doctor's game. "It's an activity close friends do to one another." He said innocently back then.
Of course I didn't know any better and trusted him. I started to feel how dirty I had become over the years and it started to make me feel sick. Josephine frowned upon learning this, I quickly told her how I felt and how William didn't mean anything to me.
"That's all right, maybe it's what boys always wanted to do but you weren't told it was not right. I'll forgive you this once, but promise me you'll stop doing that with him, please!"
"Don't worry, after hearing it from you I'm feeling slightly upset about it! I still can't believe it's gone on this long without me knowing, thanks Jose!"
"Mmm! I plan to ask him out next Tuesday, just thinking about the prospects together is getting me all excited!"
If there was one thing I'd do for her it would be to help her get what she wanted, so I played along with her preparations and helped psyche her. Talk about this much work just to confess one's feelings as a prepubescent teenager!
I went home after my time with Josephine for dinner, turned out Aunt Laura and William were there as well.
"Alicia! Where have you been? Just look at the time! Never mind, just wash your hands and sit at the table. You've kept our guests waiting, silly girl!"
"It's alright Hye Gi, we dropped by unexpectedly after all! Right, dear?"
"I'd have to say if there's any reason I'd come here it would be for Alicia!" He announced so brazenly.
"Oh you little lady-killer you!" Laura tickles her son.
"Oh-ho! And what does our fair maiden have to say to such a bold declaration?-….Alicia. child?"
"Huh?- Sorry Nanna, what was it you said?"
"(sigh) Sometimes I worry about you my dear, always drifting off when others are speaking to you. Will you be alright on your own?" Nanna shakes her head.
"Don't worry too much about the girl, as long as she finds a good spouse then all her worries will be covered!" Aunt Laura explains to Nanna.
"Ah! Maybe! But who in the world would pick such a clumsy girl to be his partner?" Nanna joked as she downed a glass of whisky she kept for occasions with friends.
"Why not William? They've known each other for such a long time, I'm sure the boy is up for it as well."
"Leave it to me, Aunty Lee! I'll take good care of Alicia!" Nanna chuckled under her drink.
He turned to stare at me. For some reason the gaze was different from before, it felt more like he was leering at my body rather than looking at my eyes and it made me uncomfortable. Perhaps it was after Josephine explained the overly familiar contact William had been having with me for the last six years that I was feeling unsure of myself. I turned away and asked to be excused.
"Moohh! Alicia child! Can't you accept two old women's teasing a little? Hye Gi, can I have another glass?"
"Sure!" Nanna pours her a glass.
I went up to my room and sat on my bed gazing out the window into the night sky. It became a habit of mine to ponder deeply about things, tonight was about the casual comments Nanna and Aunt Laura mentioned on me and William together. That was something I clearly didn't want and I would prefer if Josephine tied the knot with William instead as she wanted.
"You really look beautiful even under the moonlight, Alicia."
I turned my head quickly to find William at my door. I forgot to lock it.
"At least announce your arrival! Please leave me alone for a while."
"What's the matter? Did what my mother and aunt Hye Gi say bother you that much? Is there no chance we can be together?"
"It's not that it's just-…."
He reached out to grasp my waist and pulled me towards him. It was done so quick that I didn't have time to react, I was still shocked by his sudden action. It was then that he bent down to take my lips that I broke the stupor spell.
"N-NOOO!" I pushed him away and fell on my back.
"What's wrong, isn't it like what we always do?" He was wrong, he had never tried to kiss me before.
"What we've been doing all this time was wrong! I was ignorant to common sense, and you didn't even tell me all this time!"
William's kind look changed into a frown and glared at me deeply it was as if he'd changed into a different person.
"Who told you this?" He asked in an inquisitive yet commanding tone. I was afraid for the moment.
"N-no one! I mean- Sister Philippe did some counselling!"
"Oh…..I see. Well, I thought it was fun to tease Alicia because she was so cute!" Like a storm that had just pass, his attitude changed 360 degrees and was back to the smiling innocence.
His explanation was anything but what I wanted to hear from him but I was too scared to think about it and immediately he left my room to join his mother and Nanna downstairs. I leaned against the door hoping my body weight would prevent another uninvited entry into my room and held my shoulders with both hands.
William was becoming an existence I was frightened of, I was sure by now that I didn't want to form a union with him. But what of Josephine, she didn't know him personally. I didn't want my only friend to suffer from his hidden personality. Should I tell her?
The next day, I left to visit her at her place to tell her of the about my findings.
"I'm sure it's just a short temper he had, who knows. I think it'll be pretty manageable, everyone gets mad once in a while!" I didn't explain it correctly to her at the time, I was too bothered with advising her to pull out from her confession that she got mad at me.
"I-I'm sorry! M-maybe you're right. Haha!"
"Oh! That's right! He just sent me back a letter last night that he received my message and wants to meet me at the old bell tower in the town centre. Isn't that romantic?"
"U-Um yeah!"
"Well, I'm heading out first! I've got to run an errand for Sister Philippe first then I'll head off to the old tower."
"Uh- Ok! Good luck!" I hoped deep inside that things would turn out well as she said it would.
But I was wrong.
It reached evening and she had yet to return home to tell me of her success. It was the first sign that something was not right. I quickly made my way to the venue of her confession, it was quiet and the only noise was the crickets in the thick grass. I traverse through the fallen beams of the old towers interior to get to the stairs and reach the balcony of the tower.
There I saw a Josephine with her back to the railings of the balcony, tear streaks dripping from her face ruining her make-up. She had dressed herself the best for the occasion.
"Josephine! What happened?"
"Stay back! Just-….don't!" She waved her hands out.
"W-What did he say to you?"
"I should ask the same question, what did you say to him?!"
"What- I don't-!"
"Why did he tell me he was disgusted with my interference with his affections for you? Did you know this all along?!"
"I-… I told him it was wrong to do the things he did and he asked who told me this but I lied!- Uh!" It was then that I realize that regardless of truth or lie he would have known who told me, there was only one person ever who conversed with me deeply and on a personal level, Josephine.
"Why didn't you tell me that he likes you?! I know!... You thought it was fun to see me fail so miserably at winning his heart that you sat there and watched!"
"N-No! It's not like that-..!"
"Don't cover it anymore! I hate you! I hate everything!... I'm tired of your lies! You're all liers and schemers!... I'm sick of this world! I just want it to-…."
She walked backwards leaning too far against the railings of the balcony.
"Hey!..Wait!- Jos-"
When I saw her body disappear from the roof my heart plummeted. I ran to the railings and looked down, a blood splatter around her body blossomed.
"JOOSEEPPHHHIINNNEE!"
I don't remember what happened after that, but Nanna told me there was a funeral ceremony that I attended. She was troubled by my behavior of not eating or responding to her calls, days went by where I lay in my bed or sat by the window in the abbey school doing nothing. But I was too shocked by her death to notice the gossiping from the relatives and other school children about my involvement with her suicide. I returned to the status of an outcast once more, but it didn't matter to me. My one and only friend was gone, there was nothing I could look forward to in the Haven any longer.
Worse still, William maintained his smiling persona as if it had nothing to do with him at all. I was too afraid of his personality to confront him alone, especially when the person I use to turn to for advice was now gone. For another four years in the Haven I spent helping Nanna in her work as a security head in the Haven, picking up the field craft from her on weapon handling, close quarter combat and combat tactics. She figured I needed something to take my mind off the loss and made me take up work with her. She was the best combatant in the Haven hands down, the director thought so too and immediately gave her the position years ago when we came to this settlement.
Unfortunately, Laura was just as capable in the business as Nanna and helped out in providing security and conducting armed patrols and contingency plans. With her was of course her son. I tried my best to avoid him when I could and if he ever faced me and conversed I would just nod or answer him and leave immediately.
It was internal torture, I had enough of it one day and was planning to leave the haven on my own. Nanna caught me at the moment I was leaving the house and we entered into a big argument which led to me barring myself in my room for a few days. It broke her heart to see me leave her as it did mine. I was an utter fool!
Then one day a recruitment tour came from none other than XCOM. The slogan was "Meet exciting new aliens, and kill them." Most of the young men who craved adventure outside the havens lined up to sign. There were some who were in it for the money and food it could bring to their large families.
I made up my mind after much thought. If it would allow me to leave this place, then I'd join the XCOM. This time I told Nanna of my intentions calmly instead of trying to run out of the house. But this time she didn't reject, instead she said…..
"I'm coming with you, honestly! You never give me a moments peace! The thought of you struggling in training-…. I just want to make sure you're alright. That's my condition, if you agree then pack your bags. We're going to XCOM!"
There wasn't the least bit of fuss with signing or entry into the base, there were some veterans from the old days whom recognized Nanna instantly and we were taken to see the head of the operations, Central as he was called by his subordinates.
"It'll be a privilege to have you back on the team, Lee! Does head logistics sound good to you?"
"You already want to work an old woman like me on the first day?" She teased.
"There was no one more meticulous in their paperwork and book keeping than you and for the record all of us are old men and women here! We aren't getting any older by acting so!" He shared a laugh with her.
"So this must be who I think it is then." He turned to me.
"Alicia Hunor, ready to get started and take names, sir!"
"Hmm. At ease, it's alright for now. The names John Bradford, in future it'll be sir or Central whichever floats your boat. I can see a striking resemblance with you and your mother, though there are some differences and places that take after your father.
I unconsciously wrap my body with my arms and turn away. Causing him to get flustered.
"I-I didn't mean to look at you that way!-... Lee? No! It's a misunderstanding!" Central cringed under the burning glare of the tigress.
And so, my training in XCOM began for a week under the old instructor Larry Fields. I received a lot of stares from the new and old members in XCOM. All from men, it made me feel as if they were licking me with their stares and I felt dirty from it. I'd either ignore it or glare at them as I trained myself to do. It earned me the reputation as the "Cold-beauty on Avenger". The thing I was most afraid of in my new environment was to be alienated again, my actions served to achieve this instead.
But it didn't turn out so when I was posted to my unit, given the designation Menace 1-5. The last in line of four other Fire Teams. There I met the kind and selfless Heather Fields, the instructor's daughter.
She helped me in my integration into the team, she represented a sort of mascot of the team because of her small size and youthful features but she was the oldest apart from the leader Michael. Cheering up its members when they're down or feeling depressed, she was an important existence in the team. It was no surprise that she and I became close, I always treasured friendship and wasn't allowing it to fail this time. She noted that I was the only one who didn't tease her for her small proportions and held a great respect for me as did I.
I quickly learned in the field that my prowess in fighting was a notch above the average combatants, I have Nanna to thank for her rigorous training back in Marseille and the lessons she drilled into my subconscious, because it saved my life on numerous occasions. Even instances where the entire team couldn't survive I came out unscathed. In the end, with the demise of Michael it was on his last request that I took charge of his Fire Team. He even left a letter writing a recommendation for me to take up a commission.
I received a pat on the shoulder from Nanna and Heather to take it up. Even when I was the rookie and she was the senior she encouraged me to take command as to answer Michael's last wish. I think my attitude softened up after these events and I smiled more and laugh.
Most of the people in the base noticed and were quite taken to it, I don't want to sound arrogant but I ended up receiving letters and requests to hang out or have coffee together. The difference in expression made such a drastic change in people's impression of me. I honestly found it distasteful, but it didn't stop me from being myself.
"Another letter of sweet boyish affections I see." Cooed my new co-worker.
"I don't think it's all that surprising Nee-san. Alicia has the looks, it makes you want to protect her innocence!"
"I'm sorry, you are?"
"Yoshikawa sisters! I'm your host Himeko and this is Tsukuyo Nee-san! Jaja!"
"She looks exactly like her doesn't she….." Himeko asks her sister.
"But with a tinge of resemblance with him…." Tsukuyo placed a hand on my cheek as she looked into my eyes.
I had no idea what they were talking about, did they know my parents?
"Ah!- Sorry about that! Nee-san gets like that when mentioning your father!"
"Did you know them?"
"Well….. it's kinda complicated."
Himeko and Tsukuyo were children at the time, at an event know as a terror site attack. They were separated from their mother and father. The aliens were in a one-sided slaughter of the Tokyo citizens and it seemed that all hope was lost when the Japanese Self-defense force was cut off from the capital. But descending from the sky came the combatants of XCOM, fighting with an unbelievable ferocity.
It was not common to have a foreign special forces group fight so desperately to protect them but they did, and the one leading them was my father.
"Your mother was there too, boy! I remember all the guys staring at her like some living saint goddess. But she did give that feel, and it was what really calmed all of us down."
"It wasn't just save our lives that your parents did for us, they helped patch up the space between us, you see…. Himeko and I are half-sisters. She used caring words to help me forgive my father for his infidelity and embrace Himeko as my sibling."
"Nee-san…"
"So if there's anything you need help with, feel free to say it. Onee-san will do her best to help you with it!" Tsukuyo told me patting her voluptuous chest.
"I-….I'll think about it."
"Mmm!"
"On the side note, you wouldn't believe how Nee-san was like back then! She may give this sexy older sister disposition but back then she was so tomboy she even wore boys clothing!" Himeko laughed at the old memories.
"H-Himeko! I thought we promised not to talk about it!" That was the only time I ever saw her so flustered and embarrassed.
"I'd show you an old picture if you want." Himeko whispers into my ear.
"Please let me see!" I said.
"Himeko! Alicia! (Sigh)"
I'm not sure whether to call them friends or not, most of our encounters involved them teasing me for my naivety sometimes, yet they do lend a helping hand when I need it most. Perhaps they are.
After two years of serving with XCOM in a forward base and later on the Avenger, my family grew. Heather, Luger, Rocket, Gunman, Shepard, Broker all had a special story behind their joining of XCOM. I hadn't felt this happy since I first met Josephine, even if the missions were sometimes perilous I still had the comfort of knowing I was there for them as they were for me.
And then the deviant that ruined my childhood memories arrived on the base. This time it was just William, Aunt Laura had returned to living with her brother and his family. I met them once before in their visit to the haven and there was little Lucius as well.
He used his devilish charms to get his way, and successfully took charge of Menace 1-3 in just a few months after arriving. Then he began approaching me, most times to talk or join me during meal. It was the nightmare all over again. But at least I had Heather to keep him away for me, I shared my story with her years ago so she understood what kind of existence he was. I was initially worried for her standing against him, would she become like my old friend? But she didn't have any affections for him like Josephine did. There was also a group of admirers that watched over her to ensure she was out of harm's way, she was just that good.
William was the reason for my trauma in trusting others and keeping away from men. Nanna was starting to get insistent I find a life partner at my age of twenty, I thought I would never associate myself with a member of the opposite sex.
That was until I met him.
I'd been on numerous VIP rescue missions, most of the staff in engineering were rescued by my team but this one was different.
Being chased through the street unarmed is usually a scary thing for a civilian who has lived his whole life under the protection of ADVENT, it's scarier when those who protected you are trying to kill you instead.
But instead of shivering between his legs he proved to be more helpful to the team than a burden. In the sniper alley he predicted an ambush for Heather by helping track and subvert the danger it posed to them by marking them for her. I was busy with distracting the ADVENT QRF and I underestimated the ADVENT presence in the area causing us to get hold up in the evac point.
Heather seemed to take the loss of Gunman and Shepard heavily and volunteered to stay to provide cover for our escape. I couldn't stand it, after gaining another friend only to lose her. I just couldn't stand it!
That was when he showed us his unusual gift with circuits. He sent the entry support grid into anarchy causing the ADVENT soldiers to stumble from the sudden loss of ground support and he turned the sentry turrets against them. With a few taps to his data pad screen he changed the entire outcome of our firefight and why did he do it? "It would be unfortunate if you died here, Heather." He said it with an awkward smile as if he had never smiled before, the funniest thing I had seen in ages. I laughed out loud much to his displeasure but at least I had an accomplice in Heather.
His name was Horus, a neat and tidy looking person which had a strangely quiet aura about him. Almost as if he would melt into the background if no one talked to him, but it didn't seem to bother him very much. He enjoyed his own silence, but his intentions were a mystery.
When I brought him to Central where he surprised him and the rest of the bridge crew with the holo-globe patch up. Bradford offered him a place amongst the engineers, he declined and requested to join the combatants instead. It was something I had never encountered before.
Skilled workers were rare and there was always a demand for the positions but few qualified for them though. And he wanted to take on the most dangerous job in the business. I asked Heather about what drove him and she told me about her first encounter with him.
"It clearly wasn't caused by shock, he was discovering some distorted nature inside of himself. But instead of avoiding him I think it's rather safe."
"Why do you say that?"
"He seems to have control over his emotions very well. Didn't he help us get out when things started to get troublesome. If he was as dangerous to us as that nature he showed for a brief moment then he would have just done what he wanted to do without concern for us. Perhaps he's drawn by the thrill of danger, it'll pass over time. He won't be harmful to any of us that's for certain, although we don't know much about his history to make that conclusion, I'll have talks with him to find out more." Heather seemed to be quite taken to Horus as well, but I think she felt he would be useful to our efforts in the field due to his abilities at hacking, she had a first-hand experience of this already.
I found it weird that I always looked forward to seeing him after my duty ended even though the nature of the visit was to see how he was doing. He was kind of funny and very knowledgeable on things even outside of his specialty it was always educational in our conversations.
I wonder what this feeling was, it felt extremely familiar and warm. That's right, he was just like Josephine. So I found myself spending more time with him at the expense of Heather doing some of my duties, he also reprimanded me on ditching my work. Even when a beautiful young woman is giving you her attention, it didn't seem to faze him. I found it quite frustrating that he wasn't taken to my looks but also quite comfortable around him for his non-oppressing nature.
I knew that I wanted him on my Fire Team, if anything. He was a great fighting comrade and friend to have at my side, there was also the ability he had with electronics and data.
There was some trouble with choosing him for my units because John J. Bradford wanted to push his authority and play around with us leaders to stay on our toes, asshole! He dropped a hint that there was a genius hacker among the new batch of recruits and revoked my right to choose when it was my turn.
They started sending out their men to gather info on who it was, so far no one knows about him yet. Tsukuyo seemed to show some response that she knew who it was, that's what I'm afraid. You can't have him, he's mine!
My head stumped against the table of the bar.
"What's the matter, dear? I rarely see you so tired in the bar." Tsukuyo pointed out.
"My right…"
"Hmhmhm! Still brooding on that? There must be someone you absolutely want from this batch of recruits. Don't tell me, you know who our mystery friend is do you?" She read me like an open book.
"You know, there is one person that I'm quite taken a liking to already! Horus was his name, he so happened to tell me his specialty out of coincidence. How lucky I must have been! If you don't do something about it soon he's gonna be taken by me." She grinned.
It was crystal clear she knew who it was now and knew I did to. So she openly declared war with me over Horus.
"Good luck then!" I raised my glass to her.
I received more scolding from Heather for skipping out on paperwork, it's not that I didn't want to I'm just trying everything to secure him. And he ended up in Harold's unit instead, although it was only part of his graduation ceremony to go on a mission. What was the probability that Harold would find out about his ability? Horus never made any promise with me that he'd join my unit either. Urgh! The stress this guy gives me, when I get him I'm going to overwork him for a week!
The klaxons went off and an emergency call for me and Menace 1-5 was sent to assemble at the hangar. Did something happen?
"Menace 1-2 has been placed in a tight spot and require a hot extraction, you'll provide cover for them to escape. Harold has sent me a message regarding valuable intel that was obtained recently, the clock is ticking!"
That's the unit Horus was in! Heather had the same pale look on her face as me as she came to realize it too. I hoped with all my might that he was safe and sound, I was right but the cost was too great.
Scattered about the place were hundreds of ADVENT bodies, and grouped together were the corpses of Menace 1-2. Luger came to apply first aid to the grievously hurt girl who Horus held her hand. But was too late as she succumbed to her wounds. He cried for the first time.
On the Skyranger, he was completely quiet one minute then cackling insanely the next. The weight of the girl's death and of his new teammates was too great that it broke him. I was just glad he calmed down after I lent my body for him to hug as he broke into a cry again, nobody said anything on board that time.
It turned out the intel he recovered from the site was on the location of the Commander who had been missing for almost 20 years, Central was ecstatic at the expense of Horus's rage.
I asked him on the same day about his history and he told it. He was an orphan like me whose parents went missing too early for us to remember and the struggle that he went through towards this moment. It was painful just listening to him tell the story as it was for him telling it. That's why Menace 1-2 meant so much to him when he was undergoing baptism under fire with them and why the stress and pain built up to that moment when the girl, Irish died in his arms. He had just enough of it, he swore to kill off the traitor that did this.
I suddenly realized that Horus had a lot in common with me, although his circumstances were a lot crueler. Where I had Nanna, he had no one. Just some trinket to remember them by and yet he made it this far on his own was just too incredible. I had something of that category as well, an engraved sabre from my dad. But Nanna always warned me from unsheathing the blade from its scabbard, a superstitious belief of it holding a curse. Since it was Nanna I listened to her, for some reason I could always feel a cold aura gushing from the sheath.
I think I was beginning to admire him for his courage in dealing with life and our mirroring circumstance became sort of a way in understanding him better.
Central gave control over him to me as I hoped, I wish it was in other circumstances that he did it but this was reality.
His daily activities for over two months consisted of the basic trainings we underwent, helping Heather out in doing my work I often ditched, and majority of the time with the Engineering team.
I went there once because I was curious while he was assisting Heather just to see what he had been up to. Lily caught me snooping around and instantly knew what I was looking for, she brought me to the workshop he had been helping out in.
"Is there any way you can convince him to drop his role as a combatant to take up a place as an engineer?" She asked but the answer could only be given by him, I was reluctant to let him go though.
"So what's he been up to down here all this time?"
"Helping us in the programming sector, doing Tygan's part in decrypting data caches, he's even rebuilding the entire class of Specialists with a fleet of drones like ROV-R here. It's kind of making us engineers look bad here!"
"I'm getting worried about him, it's not just happening on your end. He's been taking close combat courses with Heather and her dad and learning at an astronomical rate even while balancing the paperwork with Heather. It's like he no longer cares about his own well-being."
"… I'll keep a look out on him and make sure he has enough time to rest and recuperate." Lily ensured me which she did.
Unfortunately, he started having his breaks in the bar where Tsukuyo hangs out. Both of them ended up talking and sharing stories over a glass of brandy or scotch, I'm afraid the next minute she'll sneak in a few sleeping pills and bring him to her bed. So I forbad him from going to the bar without my supervision, of course Tsukuyo snickered at my intervention.
That wasn't the only problem I had with him. On several missions he presented this maverick approach to the fights and justifying it as "in the unit's best interests". I almost had it with him, but Nanna suggested something else when I brought it up to her.
He was afraid. Afraid to relive the moment his laxity caused the death of a teammate, to him it was a serious offence. Irish, or Carol as she was called died because the knight he pinned had awoken from his unconsciousness and taken her hostage. As if to some sick joke he played on Horus by slicing her throat in front of him. He ran after the Prism Knight and wounded but failed to kill him.
"It's times like this that men find comfort in the woman closest to them, this is the chance you've been waiting for. Go for it!"
Nanna seemed to get the wrong idea of my interest and admiration for him. I guess it couldn't be helped since I had shown Horus to her enthusiastically for the first time and talked about him almost every occasion. She was bound to assume I was after him, my lack of male friends and the fact that I even introduced him to her was equated to I thought of him fondly and had an interest in him.
But my real feelings were akin to a sibling….. I think. I've never had one so I wouldn't know! He definitely is an important existence in my life, but what is love? I've never experienced it so I wouldn't know. He is just like a troublesome older brother that needs his sister to watch over him in his exploits. I'm sure that Steph girl would have been pleased to hear my feelings, it's quiet cute to show him affection to make her jealous. No wonder Tsukuyo and Himeko like to tease others so much.
We meet the Commander together once, the most peculiar thing happened. He gave indication that he was familiar with Horus, causing the latter to have confused thoughts about his parents' disappearance. Every time I see him in a state of helplessness I want to console him somehow.
"Alicia."
Then the worse meeting happened as we left, William had found me with Horus. I quickly departed after exchanging a few words and left without hearing William and Horus conversation. He caught up with me as we went for lunch.
"That's guy is dangerous." He said after I asked an impression of William. I don't know if Horus was psychic or something or his critical analytical skills are a notch above. I shared with him a brief history with William and why I avoided him.
"Please promise me you wouldn't confront him again." I implored him.
"Ok." It was a simple word but it gave me the assurance he wouldn't go wild like he does on the missions.
I think there was some friction between Menace 1-3's girl gang and Horus and Lucius. I saw a confrontation in the hangar as we deployed for our missions once. Strange coincidence that there are only girls in Menace 1-3, except William.
"There are no guys in Menace 1-3." Horus once corrected me, I obviously knew what he meant in that joke.
Lily came to report her observations to me. She and I didn't need to be psychologists to know what was the word to describe him.
Self-destructive.
He had begun developing weapons to combat the Prism Knights he viewed with extreme contempt. Frost grenades to pin down the enemy for a period of time, an exclusive standalone to the exosuits Lily's team was developing, combat functions in the drones with reconnaissance features. They were all very well planned out and designed with his software. He'd go on with only two hours of sleep at times before joining the rest of the team for work and training. The engineers were afraid to take him off the team because it would affect production dramatically, which Central found unacceptable. Sometimes I want to punch him in the face for his lack of individual compassion, who was he to slave drive Horus like that.
At times, I'd tell him to wait on standby when there weren't any duties to run or let the others do the sentry shifts so he could take some time to rest.
"Thanks for watching out for me." He once told me, I'm not sure how he was able to tell or did he have eye on his back. It was still a nice feeling to have my efforts appreciated.
Things although fragile seemed to be going well, the pace was good and I didn't think it would change or need to change.
But I was wrong again.
The last I saw of him was when he left to aid Menace 1-3 who had gone off mission in the Argentine jungles. First the girls came back with Friday leading them.
"Where's your C.O. and Horus?"
"We got ambushed and pinned, he broke through and counter attacked on his own to give us time to bring our wounded back and William he-…"
"That's not what I asked! Where are they?"
"I'm not sure, ma'am. But he said he'd come back with William!" Friday reported to me.
We waited after clearing out the hostiles who blocked our way in the jungle. It was only a few seconds but every tick in the watch felt like an eternity.
Then William came into view…. Alone.
My mind was racing, I felt a little dizzy but steadied myself.
"Horus! Where's Horus?!" I ignored my indifference to William and grabbed his harness shaking him.
"He died saving me."
I could feel something explode inside me at those words, I fell to my knees and all my thoughts left my mind. I could hear Heather desperately calling me but I couldn't respond.
Somehow we returned to the base, I lost sense of time so I couldn't tell where we were when I was brought to the Commander's office.
"… and also Specialist Horus is KIA. Gun down by enemy fire, Lieutenant Hunor will need a new Specialist." William reported to the Commander, it sounded completely unappreciative.
(Smack)
My hand moved on its own and connected with William's face. Something snapped back in me and the boundary I made was crossed. I didn't bother to see their reaction nor hear them anymore and left the office to return to my room.
I spent three days in locked my room, Heather and Nanna popped by a few times to check on me but the door was always shut, she left food outside that was also untouched.
"…Even though you said you'd be back…." The grieving emotions poured out of my eyes.
I reminisced his face. Wavy short hair in chestnut brown, sharp features and those captivating violet irises. Recalling the times we had close together.
"Making Heather cover for you again?"
"You really are a handful for a leader!"
"If anything I'm still grateful for you being there when I needed it."
"You may be a slouch but you're alright."
"Meeting you was probably the best thing that's happened since ever."
I gripped my chest as I felt my heart tear, it was so agonizing that I fell off the bed but it didn't hurt as much as my heart.
Then I realized, I was suffering from heartbreak. I hadn't been feeling emotions of a sibling compassion. I loved him as a woman loves a man.
"Hehe!... You foolish stupid girl…" I said to myself walloping in self-pity. I had all the time to pursue these emotions and yet I just let it go to waste. I don't know why I even let him go off ahead of us to help William and Menace 1-3, it's not like they'd thank him for saving them. There was even the premonition I had about his demise so why?!
It was exactly like that time with Josephine on the bell tower.
"I killed him…."
But not saying anything, not allowing him to go I was the one responsible for his death. I wanted to laugh at my own despair, perhaps this was why he laughed too.
I let Nanna into the room and she sat beside me through the whole day to console me. That night I fell asleep due to the lack of energy from crying all day and the lack of nourishment. Then...
I had a dream.
I was looking through this person's eyes, it clearly wasn't me because of the proportions of the body I was in. And I wasn't in control, merely a passenger along for the ride. This person did some unbelievable things, fighting within an inch of his life against a giant serpent. His body was tattered, blood streamed from his extremities, I could feel the strength in the body waning as well. But he got up from stumbling and continued to fight with his axe and gun in hand like a wild berserker. Finally near the end of the dream he managed to decapitate the enormous serpents head from its wiggling body and turned to look at me. The face he wore was that of Horus.
I woke up from that intense dream and exited my room for the first time in three days. Nanna took me to the mess hall to eat something, I happened to tell her my dream while eating.
"It's a cryptic message by your sub-conscious! Telling you not to give up when the odds seem not in your favor or when all hope seems lost. Perhaps the face of Horus was what you associated with this kind of behavior. He! Even in dead he still watches over you." Nanna figured.
And she was right. I couldn't dwell on his death too long, someday I might be able to make peace with it. So until then I'll keep fighting for my friends and family to attain that peace.
Thank you Horus, for giving my life meaning again.
Fate had a funny way of playing with a person's life experiences. One of those interferences came in the form of a distress beacon coming from the Argentine Jungle near where we had our last mission.
My heart beat rapidly when the communications officer disclosed the coordinates of where the Skyranger had crashed were sent in the short wave message.
My mind was thinking of only one thing.
"It's Horus! Sir, permission to launch!"
"Granted." The Commander was surprisingly understanding. Tsukuyo and Mallory were supportive of my expedition as well, I can't thank them enough.
I left the office and dashed back to my room to dress up and ordered the team to assemble. The sword that sat on the cabinet I took as well, regardless of its ominous nature I'll take every and all available option I have with me. I don't now what perils may lie waiting for us there, but I was not about to leave him there again!
I was about to leave when the biggest obstacle in my life stopped me outside my own door.
"Alicia….."
Am I going to let him block me from doing what I want, Hell no!
"Get out of the way, William!"
"I know it's hard for you to accept Horus's death bu-!"
I'd have enough of his nonsense and rifle-butted him in the gut to get him out of my path. I continued on my way as he shouted in a commanding voice but I ignored it. As I walked along the corridor I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
I had finally overcome my own limitations.
Hold on Horus, I'm coming!
I'm working on the next chapters editing right now and will release shortly.