Pinpoint Conviction
Chapter 28: Representation Point of View
Bando flexed his fingers, the sound of metal of his fake arm grinding loudly as he smirked with that broad confidence that practically defined him. Five girls, teenagers with long vivid hair and eyes that just reminded him so much of that woman. It reminded him of a very important thing to do once he got back to Japan, find that horned woman and just punch her in the face. Probably multiple times, but at least he vent that frustration on these horned girls and prove once again why he was the best. His body was already prepared, his fists tightened and he moved his body like a martial artists readying himself for combat. Truly indeed he was about to take them all on without a single weapon on him, the idea was preposterous. The five girls were, without question shocked, some of them even seem scared or mostly uncertain because well, only stupid or ignorant people tried to fight Diclonius without good weapons.
Victoria would've been surprised herself if she hadn't known Garder, although even still watching this fight was probably going to be impressive. Bando was apparently was one of the top soldiers in Japan, maybe the entire world and had fought against Diclonius before. From what she had learned, he had been one of the first people to ever survive a fight with Kaede, something that apparently also pissed him off as well. It was only Julius that was looking at the Diclonius and narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"Something's wrong with them…" He said softly.
"Eh? What are you talking about?" Victoria asked urgently staring at the girls herself to see what the problem is.
"Those glazed look in their eyes, I wouldn't call it mind control so much but something's off about them. I think Lagusa has some sort of control over them, like she did you and tried to do against me."
Now that she saw it, Victoria could see what he meant. The girls were conscious but part of them seemed to be almost being pulled by a puppet master and their eyes were indeed slightly unfocused. She remembered the time when she had met Lagusa there by the river, it wasn't like she was being controlled, but felt some sort of desire to just follow and obey her. It was, for a lack of better words, instinctual. "How did you break from her control then?"
"I was never out of control. I have a good amount of mental control, it's why my internal Voice and I are so well adapted to each other and we can control one another. For me, something like mental trouble has never been an issue, you should learn to have such control one day as well Victoria; it may be helpful against such opponents."
"Sure, I'll try…" Victoria stated, clearly impressed as she always was with Julius.
"Bando, I don't care how you decide to handle them but keep one of them alive for interrogation." Julius called over. Hearing those words, Bando smiled sadistically and cracked his knuckles ominously. "Got it…so then, let's go!"
Without warning he charged forward, running as fast as he could, the wind sweeping past his body, his hair blowing wildly around. A broad grin was already on his face while his teammates watched. Julius with his eyes sternly set without much care and Victoria who held her hands against his her chest. It wasn't the first time she had seen Bando in action, after all she had fought him once before, he was a worthy opponent for sure. But even still her heart leapt when she saw the first vector lunge at the man's head and felt the instinctual need to call out to him. It was unnecessary as usual but even still as the moment the hand reached his face, he swerved his body and let it pass by, his eyes staring wildly. His opponent, a young girl probably in her late teens had enough to time to register a bit of shock before her face met with his fist.
The cracking of her nose was loud and sickening and he dropped her with one hit, her body slumped on the ground unconscious. He didn't stop there and kept up the rush, heading to the next girl who must have at least thought the first dodge was luck. He proved her wrong quite soon as he firstly ducked around the two vectors that warmed passed him, and then side stepped again to avoided the third strike. Like the other before her, she barely had time to register before spit flew from her mouth and Bando's fist ground into her gut.
With the second one down, the last girls now stood with their full attention on him, concern and confusion clearly etched on their features. Of course what could be said of their reaction? Even Victoria who expected such a thing couldn't help but be impressed; it was like an instinct for them. Their hands were invisible to all but themselves, so those who could see them, especially normal humans were hard to comprehend.
As for Bando, he danced upon his feet like a boxer, smirking at them with his fists raised. "Come on horned freaks, I'm not even getting warmed up!" He called over. "Certainly you've got something else besides those pathetic little hands of yours; I mean I'm fucking half blind!"
"D-Don't get so cocky with us! Just because you got a bit lucky doesn't mean…" One yelled at him.
"Luck? Girl this ain't luck, this is luck." The ex-SAT soldier stomped the ground hard and quickly kicked up a moderate sized stone and then gave Julius a very passive glance. He then hurled the object as hard as he could at the girl who prepared to blow it away with her hands. She didn't have time as Julius brought out the gun, aimed and fire it directly at the stone, blowing it into pieces right in the girl's face.
"Guh!?" Blinded by the dust, by the time it cleared Bando was already at her face, fist heading right towards it. "…This is skill here…"
With the third one day, Julius finally took action. His body moved with grace, charging towards the last girl and placing his corporeal fingers into her skull. With a twist her vectors died down and he slammed her into the ground keeping her into place. Victoria came up to him, clapping her hands appreciatively. "That's amazing as always Julius, but how did you know Bando-san wanted you to shoot the stone."
"I didn't…" Julius muttered, keeping a firm grip on the girl as well as Bando who stomped on her chest and made sure she wouldn't be going anywhere. "Listen up kid, I was nice and kept you all alive but we need some questions answered now. So it would be good for all of us if you paid attention and answered them truthfully. First things first, who sent you?"
She struggled until Julius raised his hand, his fingers looking transparent as he brought them to her skull. "There are others we can interrogate, killing you would be easy for me, answer the question."
"…We were sent by Lagusa-sama to find and kill you all."
"No surprise there, but at least we're getting on track. Second question, where is this Lagusa bitch?" Bando questioned.
"I don't know! Guh!" He had stomped hard on her chest, making her writhe in pain. "D-Damn it! I really don't know! I was with the other girls the other time, she never came with us! I have no idea where she went!"
"I'll change up the question, where did you last see Lagusa?" Julius asked.
"…Over there, a small town probably 10 kilometers from here. I swear that's all I know, now get off of me!" Against she struggle dot no avail.
Julius got up and so did Bando allowing her to get up to her feet but remain on the defensive. "Who are you people? A human who can dodge vectors. A male Diclonius and another one working together with a human. The world has gone crazy it seems, just like those in Japan. Lagusa-sama was right, things are very wrong."
Victoria felt the need to express her disagreement. "That's wrong, a lot of people are trying to make things difference. People are more accepting of us and things aren't nearly as bad as they were before. I don't know what this Lagusa has told you but it's wrong. A lot of terrible things have happened but many people, both humans and Diclonius are trying to make it better."
She didn't respond back to her and Victoria stared firmly at her.
"What should we do with them?" Bando asked.
"This is not Japan and so I have no authority over the Diclonius here. It is rather amazing though to find more of our kind outside of Japan. We have come for what we need and gotten the information we want. Girl, tend to your friends and leave.
However…" He added darkly. "…Stand in our way again and there will be no mercy. I will send you death without hesitation." His warning given and a new trail at hand, the trio left as the girl watched with a sunken expression and then went to help wake up her friends. She couldn't help but question the motives of both her opponents and herself and wondered just who the right person was.
Elrya was in her room, the doors locked and her body slumped on her bed. The serum that had been injected into her kept from breaking anything but didn't stop her from cursing inside of her head. The only thing that made her day better was when the doors opened and in stepped her best friend Miriana whose bright smile was enough to nearly distinguish the reason she was so angry right now. She jumped up and embraced her friend, hugging her tightly as her best friend returned. She couldn't help it, as if it was the only time she would ever see them, Elrya had to keep holding on to Miriana as if fearing she would disappear if she let go.
"I'm so glad you're here! My best friend ever…" Elrya cried out. Then without another word, Elrya gently brushed her lips against Miriana's own, deepening the kiss while Miriana stood there with eyes wide until she started to slowly close them and feel the sensation of the kiss as well. They might have kept it up if a certain voice hadn't called out in an amused tone.
"Getting a bit sensual there are we?" Caren said. Elrya blushed but gave Caren and Lilian deep embraces as well, more than glad to see people she actually liked. Even better, they had brought the photograph of Yin she had on her dresser back at the educational institution, where she gently laid it upon the table. It didn't make the room nicer, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.
Miriana kept her head low, just now coming to the conclusion that her first real kiss had been with another girl and her best friend at that. She wasn't sure what to think of it but she had to admit, perhaps embarrassingly, that it had been rather nice.
"This place sure is dull…ugh, I hate it…" Lilian muttered, shivering slightly although the room itself wasn't particularly cold. Elrya had a feeling it was less about the temperature and more about the atmosphere. Much like her, this was not the educational institution intended to teach and help Diclonius. This was the remnant of the Diclonius Research Facility, a place that tortured the horned people. There was nothing fun about this place and there were no good memories for them either. Although Caren and Lilian may not have been in this specific facility, all of them were the same, so they had a good idea of what the place was like either way.
Elrya popped onto her bed and put her back against the wall.
"Thanks for coming and thanks for bringing Yin's photograph, I really appreciate it."
Miriana smiled brightly and nodded. "We knew you'd like it! It's only fair to at least bring some of your belongings with us and if we need to we'll bring more. We…also ran into…him…" She added, instinctively holding onto Lilian. There was only one person that made Miriana so afraid and it was like a straw that sucked out the happiness and joy from Elrya's body. She glowered and turned away, her face looked taut and disgusted. Her left hand gripped her right and her nails dug into her skin.
"Vladimir…Cents…" She growled, each syllable making her want to vomit. It was made even worse by the fact that she was looking at Yin's photograph. "I should've hit him harder! I should've tore him apart right there that son of a bitch!"
Lilian as usual was uncomfortable and kept her hands closer to her body. It was like this every time they spoke about her father. It was bad enough actually seeing her father and he didn't even seem to recognize her. "You know…maybe your wrong…" She tried to say, but came off sounding timid and uncertain.
Elrya tried to lower her glare, but with this topic constantly being brought up, she found herself looking hatefully at Lilian as well.
"We've been through this Lilian, you're bastard…kuh…your father is nothing like you think he is. I had my lover killed right in front of me by him, Miriana was captured and tortured and if I remember correctly, Caren's sister was also killed by him. You've heard it and we wouldn't lie to you, your father is a monster, the biggest bastard on the planet. You're a good person and I love you as a very close friend, but there is nothing that will ever make me like that man. If you seriously want to believe Cents had any good in him, good luck. Because none of us and especially not me will see him as anything more than the worst person in existence."
Lilian trembled and looked at the ground, uncertain of what to say. "He was never like that though; he was a good person who I know loved me and my mother even if he did leave. He wasn't around all the time but whenever he was, he would always take care of us."
Elrya was getting tired of this. Every single time Cents was brought up, Lilian always tried to defend him. It was like she refused to believe her father could be anything more than a saint and it was quite honestly getting on her last nerve. She liked the girl, she started out abrasive and a bit full of herself, but she had grown on her. She didn't know what lies Vladimir fed into her, but it was both sad and annoying and now a days it was definitely leading more to the latter. Every single person she talked to was going to tell her the exact same thing, that her so called "loving father" was one of the absolute worst people in the world. That he was single handedly responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people in the span of his life time for no better reason because he found it to be fun. The fact that the man, who should be dead, was currently walking around, the very person who murdered the person she loved the most only increased or utter hatred for him.
"There is nothing that needs to be said Lilian Cents…" She growled rising from her seat. "You've heard it, I don't know if you want it to be spelled out for you or not, but Vladimir Cents isn't the person you think he is. You've seen him, you've heard him, even he didn't recognize you."
"Th-That's not right, I mean…he seemed…" Lilian said softly. Despite being the oldest one there, she seemed like the youngest with the way she was holding herself, keeping her body low and yet her expression was one of determination. Something must've been wrong with them, the way they always talked about him as if he was the devil incarnate. Maybe it was less about the way they talked about him, and more about the way it contrasted with her mother's expectation. If there was any person she loved more than anyone else, it was her mother who from the moment of her birth, to her capture and set into the facility, was always there. She always loved her, always cared for her and every time her father was mentioned, she treated him as good hearted individual.
This was the problem that stung her heart so many times. These people who spoke ill of her father were basically saying that her mother was wrong, that her mother had lied to her and that she was a liar and/or an idiot. It pained her to think that her mother could've loved or seen any good into such a person as him and it pained her to think she was actually born from such a messed up relationship. So she could never believe them no matter how many times they told her and when they did, it only angered her more.
"You're wrong…" It was sort of half exasperated but there was still a defiant tone in her voice. They were wrong, maybe her father did do a few wrong things, but she wouldn't allow these stories to run amok. To treat her father like they were was to treat her mother as an idiot as far as she was concerned and that was something she'd never forgive.
"You think you know him but you don't, I don't know what kind of things you've heard or the things you think he's done but I know it's not true!"
Lilian was flabbergasted. Even now the girl still refused to believe the truth behind Vladimir Cents. It was enough to boil her anger and forced her rise up from her bed. "My god Lilian what the hell is your problem!" She roared maliciously. "What do we have to do, make you a fucking video and spell it all out for you!? You've heard it from everyone, you heard it from the goddamn bastard himself! Why do you keep this up Lilian, why do you constantly try to defend that man!? You can ask anyone that ever knew him and they'll tell you the same thing that I did, over and over again! There was nothing he's ever done that was ever good, he lied to you! He lied to your mother!
He is…the absolute WORST FUCKING PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD AND HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN!"
*BAM!*
That was all Lilian could take and she struck Elrya straight in the face with one of her vectors. It was too sudden for the girl to react and Elrya was forced across the room where she smashed into the wall, sliding down in a daze. Miriana covered her mouth, too shocked to do anything and Caren too was trying to understand just trying to visit a friend had turned out so badly. For Lilian, her eyes shined with chaotic vividness as she grabbed the secondary Queen and lifted her up with two of her corporeal hands while her teeth ground loudly. A third corporeal hand came up and she repeated bashed it against Elrya's face and body while tears streamed down her delicate face.
"WHAT WOULD YOU UNDERSTAND!? HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY FATHER!? YOU DIDN'T KNOW HIM LIKE I DID! YOU THINK YOU KNOW HIM BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A FUCKING CLUE YOU BITCH!"
She once again rammed her fist into the girl's gut.
"YOU DON'T KNOW A GODDAMN THING ABOUT MY FATHER! SO MAYBE YOU SHOULD SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH UNTIL YOU LEARN SOMETHING YOU… STUPID GODDAMN BITCH!"
She was still weeping openly when she finally dropped Elrya and then was forcibly pulled back by Miriana who was also in tears. "P-Please Lilian…please stop. You're hurting her, my friend…no, you're friend. Please…"
The gentleness of her voice at least calmed Lilian enough to pull herself away and rush to the door. She couldn't stay here, not in this kind of environment and she forced herself outside. The other remained silent for a good two minutes, Elrya lifting herself up and getting back on the bed, she was hurt but hardly serious and Miriana helped to wipe the blood off of her face.
"I just don't get it…" She whispered uncertainly. "What do we have to do to make us believe her."
"I'm not sure if that's really the problem…" Caren finally chipped in. Elrya gazed over at her, awaiting her reason. "I think she understands that her father, as much as she doesn't want to believe it, has done some terrible things in his life. But at the same time, I bet she truly believes with all her heart and soul that there was good in him.
For me, I never knew the man that much and I only know he's responsible for my sister's death. I most certainly hate him for that, but with only that to go with; I feel I have little to say in the matter involving him. But you and Miriana, you went through some terrible things and you have every right to hate him. But Lilian, she's only known the good and now people are constantly talking about the bad and always bringing it up.
Think about it, what if someone told you that Yin Sandersas was a murderer and rapist?"
"Well it wouldn't be true?" Elrya stated in a matter of fact tone.
"How would you know?" Caren questioned. "From what I know, you didn't even know the man for a year, heck it's almost surprising you were so quick to create a relationship and bear a child from him. But it's not like you knew him as a kid, or you knew him years ago. Who is to say that person you loved didn't have a few dark secrets that you didn't know about?"
Elrya couldn't imagine Yin ever doing something so awful, though it was true she still had quite a bit to learn about him. It made her think if she had just gotten into that kind of relationship because it had felt so easy and wonderful the first time.
"It must be hard for Lilian, to keep hearing these things over and over again when she's so certain of her own thoughts. It's hurting her so much inside because she wants to believe in herself but she also wants to trust her friends."
The young Queen fidgeted with her fingers and kept her head low. "So what should I do?"
"…Maybe you should talk to her and listen to what she has to say, and I mean really listen. Then try to explain your side of the story without being so forceful. You saw how she was like, I was surprised her heart didn't explode from so much stress. Right now, she really only knows her side of the story and you only know your side of the story. Perhaps you should give her a chance and try to get listen to her and then at the same time try to get you to listen to her. Because the truth is, whatever we think, Lilian clearly has a different opinion and I think we're doing more harm than good to her. I'm not saying we need to accept her offer, we just need to listen to her and as I said, we should also try to get her to listen."
Elrya smoothed her hair back and sighed deeply, putting her hands under her chin. To listen to anything good about Vladimir Cents was like saying 'hey, put your hand on this hot stove for 20 seconds', it really wasn't in her. But maybe Caren was right, maybe she should listen to Lilian just for a few minutes and see what she has to say. She would never trust a single thing Vladimir said, the mere thought of him still existing, a blasphemy on life and death itself was enough to make her nearly vomit in disgust. But she liked Lilian despite her attitude problems sometimes, if she would listen to anything, it would definitely be from her.
"Fine…" She at last stated, her vectors by then having dug inside her body to help fix up a few of her wounds. Thank goodness for Diclonius healing, the beating she had received had been quite heavy. "…If she wants, tell her I'll talk to her."
Miriana smiled kindly and left outside. It took a while for them to return, mostly likely because Miriana had to firstly find her and then try to let her return. When she did, it was clear that Lilian had been crying and had roughly tried to wipe the tears away. Her blotched, red eyes were more than enough to give away what had happened away though. The others left them, feeling that such a talk should be done alone.
Lilian didn't say anything and kept a very cold stare at her. The time passed without much going on while Elrya gazed longingly at the photograph of her late lover.
"…You're father...you…like him?" Elrya finally asked nervously.
"...Why do want to know?" Lilian's harsh voice was clearly indicated that she was still feeling hostile.
"I just…I'd like to know."
"…I do…" She finally said, her hostility dropping ever so slightly. "There are some things I don't like and I hate how he left when my mother and I needed him most, when I was being captured by the Research Facility. Even at that age, so young I can still remember it vividly. But even so, whenever he was around, he would always take care of us, myself and my mother."
Elrya wondered if maybe Vlad had been responsible for her capture. She wouldn't be surprised but for now, her motive was not to express her undying hate for the man.
"You're really close to your mother aren't you?"
"Yes…" Lilian said. "She's the only person I really knew, she was strong and beautiful and through the few years I knew her, I always looked up to her."
"And you're mother…liked your father?"
Again Lilian nodded in agreement. "Yes, she would always say how my father had to go out on trips and may not be home until months afterwards. But she always said he was there to protect us, whenever he came, he would bring gifts and food and materials for us and tell us amazing stories about his trips. He would always have that sort of…smile on his face, a very fatherly one at that. I remember my mother and father would often have a small drink at night, sitting down and chatting away when I should've been asleep. I don't remember what they were talking about, I was too young but they always looked happy together."
That was nothing like the Cents she knew. The Cents she knew was a cold hearted killer who relished in making everyone and himself suffer in excruciating agony and misery.
"And when did he give you that coin?" Alya had finally come out and taken control, deciding to start asking some questions herself.
"A day before I was captured. My mother told me to treasure it deeply as a memento from him and so I always have. It was just a little silver coin, nothing really special but I was told to always cherish it."
There was no doubt that Lilian truly believed every single word she said. That her mother had indeed loved this man and that this man, the very same man who had sought to create a new war and kill hundreds of thousands of people had indeed taken care of him. It was against everything she and practically everyone thought. Lilian Cents had been a very young child, only three to four years old when her father had left. During those short times of Lilian's childhood, just what kind of man was he? Before he became the mass murderer and chaotic destroyer, for those short years with Lilian and her mother, what kind of man was he?
And…why did he change? If Cents was truly the kind of person Lilian thought of him, something she couldn't help but doubt for good reason. Then why did he change so suddenly? And if he didn't change, why did he act this way to these two people when he was willing to use anyone else as a pawn. There was nothing strange about the coin and the most bizarre thing was that Cents didn't even recognize Lilian or the woman that was her mother. She remembered inside her head that Cents had been just as confused as she was. Could there have been some real truth to Lilian's words this entire time?
It also reminded her that Cents was no longer inside of her head. The last words to her before he had left, most of it only coming to her now as she was to enraged beating up on his physical self.
"It's time to go, it's been fun, little dreamer, I wonder how the future will be now…" And after that, he had left her head forever. She assumed as she had been bashing her vectors against his face that he had transferred his consciousness into his own body. It would be too much of a bother to try and think of how that worked or how it was like to have the two same consciousnesses in the same body.
"I also, loved my mother very much. She was an important person to me and you know, my father was also incredibly important to me." Alya replied, holding her hands delicately together as she knew it was hard talking about her parents, especially her mother. "I guess…I wouldn't like it if people talked horribly about the people I loved either. I would probably hate it, in fact I know I would."
She had to swallow her pride now though saying it was still incredibly hard because it meant denying practically everything she thought. "The Cents I know and the Cents you know, are two completely different people. What you talk about, sounds like a wonderful person that has always loved you and your mother. But the Cents I knew, he was nothing like that. Please listen but the person I knew, he was…he did things. You can ask me, Miriana, Roy, they've all said the same things to you and you know they aren't trying to lie to you.
Maybe, who knows…" She whispered so that Lilian to perk her ears to listen more clearly. "Maybe long ago…that…man…was different than he is now. It's really hard for me to believe that, but…who knows, it's not like I knew you, him or your mother. But the person I know now, I'm sorry Lilian but I can't find anything good about him. I mean, he killed my lover."
"Are you sure?" The elder girl asked.
"Yes, because he did it right in front of me. I had to watch as Yin was murdered right in front of my face and I nearly went insane over it. Even now I still have nightmares and its very vivid. This I can't budge on, I'm sorry Lilian but this is the truth and it's something I can never forgive him for. Even Miriana still remembers the tortures and I know whenever she starts to cry at night, she's remembering those terrible details."
Her expression became stern but also light, the kind of look one would give that was meant to tell the stern truth but also to accept the other person's responses and believe them too in some way. At this point, she wasn't trying to force Lilian to believe her, she wanted her to accept it on her own. Until then, they would continue to have this argument over and over again to no end.
"It's hard to admit for me, but I will. As far as you're concerned, you really believe that your father had some good in him. So I guess…ugh…I'm sorry I need a moment…" This was hard for her because she utterly deplored that man. She hated him, from the tips of her hairs to the tips of her toes, the mere mention of his name made the vomit build up in her throat.
After getting her composure under, she continued.
"…Then I'll admit that there is a possibility that Cents did have some good in him. If only because you believe it also. But I need you to admit it as well. That yes, your father may have had some good in him, but he also did some things. Things that may have hurt a lot of people and you know when we say this, we aren't trying to lie to you, because we're your friends."
Lilian much like Elrya found it hard to admit this and it took her a few moments before she finally swallowed.
"…I understand, I don't want to believe it but with everything, I can't keep ignoring it. I'll admit it, that my father may have done things in the past that hurt a lot of people."
It was done now and with this conclusion, Elrya Alya embraced her friend who returned it. Their friendship returned and their problem resolved, Lilian found herself nudging up closer to Elrya while her face came closer. It was there that they both found themselves growing hot under the condition. Lilian, realizing this, was already blushing a deep scarlet and had her hands wrapped around Elrya's waist. She caressed her fingers around the edge of Elrya's skirt, the finger tips just brushing past the skin of her legs as she traced them around.
The kiss came and went, an action to signify friendship and love for one another and as act of forgiveness. It seemed to become popular, she had already kissed her best friend Miriana and now Lilian, there seemed to be only one more person.
The others came in once they were finished as it was now time for them to leave. Noticing their faces, Miriana couldn't help but smile. "Kissed and made up?" Caren asked smiling. It was hard to tell if she meant it literally or figuratively or even both at this point since she was the last to enter. But the main point of the statement was clear and it was true, now that they had talked they had finally began to understand the other's thoughts a little bit better.
"Caren…" Alya muttered right before returning to the base of Elrya's consciousness. "Thanks…"
The Turkish Diclonius nodded in satisfaction. There wasn't much else to say because by then Garder had come in, his stern blind gaze directed at them all. "Your visit here is now over, return back to the Diclonius Educational Institution now."
They said their goodbyes and Elrya even gave a small kiss to Caren who was left a bit speechless. The young Queen giggled and replied, "I couldn't leave my other friend behind after all." Waving them off, she sat stood there alone with Garder and then finally saw that he was carrying quite a few books with him as well as small monitor.
"What's going on?" She asked, clearly perplexed.
"It is now time for your education to begin. You already know kind of classes you are taking and I shall be educating you on the first two. Sit upon the desk, open up your books and we shall begin."
This was strange, but also somewhat expected. She sighed as she would any time and sat at her desk while Garder began to talk. After a minute he paused and stated, "You are not writing anything. How do you expect to educate yourself if you do not write and retrain the knowledge I am giving you?"
"…I'm…still learning to write actually." Elrya said. She felt kind of irked because it made her feel like a child.
"…One moment…" Any time Garder left was good for her. When he came back he instead brought another person a young woman she may have seen at some point but didn't really stand out that much.
"She will transcribe what I am saying and you will study it." Grader said in a matter of fact tone. He must have explained this already to the woman because she sat down on Elrya's bed with a laptop, opened up a file and waited for Garder to continue. What went on for 45 minutes was easily the most boring thing Elrya had ever had to go through in her life. The old man spoke in the same deadpanned toned and required her to read or answer specific pages and questions that he demanded. Even the most boring class in the educational institution was more fun than this. As for the woman, she typed away and Elrya did wish she could slow it down. She was the one who would have to study this and the more she wrote, the more she would have to learn.
And then to make matters worse, once the first 45 minutes were up, the next 45 minutes were spent on the next lecture and it ended up the same. Garder spoke in a deadpanned and unconcerned voice, the woman transcribed and the she thought she might die out of sheer boredom. She missed the classes, being next to her friends and at least having a larger space, with the windows where the sun could shine through.
After nearly two hours of nonstop lecturing, Garder who had remained in the same position throughout the entire time placed brown coat back on and pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose. "You have 45 minutes to eat, follow Hiroka-san." It was only now that he found out that the woman who had been transcribing the lecture was Hiroka-san. Following her, the young Queen was at least pleased to get out of the room. It was also again that she was reminded how different the place was compared to the educational institution. Food was not a huge buffet that she could practically eat to her hearts content. Food was sandwich and plain one at that as well as some water and a bit of fruit. She had to wonder if the whole 45 minutes was less about eating and just more time that Garder didn't have to spend with her. Regardless, she finished in less than 15 minutes and though it filled her up enough, she couldn't help but want a bit more.
"Maybe I'll ask Miriana to make me a bento and bring it here. They should be eating lunch as well so maybe I'll ask them to come here and eat with me. It would good after being so bored now." The people around her did not speak to her and only gave passing glances to her notice. It gave her the funny feeling on how times had changed. Before she knew all of these people wouldn't have come within 10 meters of her in fear of getting torn to shreds and needless to say, a long time ago, she'd have done just that. Now they treated her as a normal person, or more so a strange that they could ignore.
Then there was her child, still in the nursery, holding her another top objective in her mind. She was sure Roy or someone else would let her visit, such a thing shouldn't be too hard to do.
And then there just all the other crazy stuff going on, thing with Onyara that she also wanted to take down, especially for what she did to Caren. She soon found out that her studies were set in the same time frame as her normal classes. She had specific classes and breaks in between and Garder seemed to be going through that.
Still, heading back to her room, or the cell as she'd probably think of it, was not very pleasant. Listening to the man droll on in a voice that clearly didn't care one bit was too much for her. Which was why she sighed in relief when he had the television monitor set, a microphone and told her that the next class would be taught by the other teachers at the educational institution. At first she didn't know what that meant, until the screen turned on and she was greeted by an image of Roy and Miriana looking over the class who smiled appreciatively at her.
At least until Garder's cold stare silenced most of them as if they were children caught in a wrong doing. "Good afternoon, Elrya Alya-san." Roy stated up to her.
"Ummm, hey?" She asked.
"Speak clearly in the microphone, and think of it as nothing more than your usual class. I will be returning later." Morotisan stated as he pocked one of his hands and used the other to push the door open.
"So you aren't going to be teaching?" Elrya asked, not exactly disappointed.
"I have a business to run and important applications to undergo. I have no time to spend each day teaching you. This is what you will use to be taught and every so often I will continue lecture you on the basic materials that I have just given you. You are also required to study this material as well. Do I make myself clear, Elrya Alya Sandersas?"
"Of course…Garder F. Morotisan…" Elrya answered back in a full on snarky voice. Garder glared at her but said nothing else, closing the door behind her. And like that it was as if she was in another class, she was able to respond back through the monitor and it was a thousand times better than the dull lecture Garder had been giving. Before time ran so slowly, but by the end of the day, she hadn't even realized that much time had passed. But now it was going to be boring again until the next day. Luckily though her end day of boredom was subjected to some fun when Miriana returned. The others had to remain at the educational institution, unlike Miriana who was free to come and go as she pleased, the others were only allowed to see her under certain circumstances.
Firstly, they had to come with Miriana and present specialized cards about who they were that granted them excess.
Secondly, they were only allowed to visit her once and at specific times, those being any time she was not being lectured or studying.
They were only allowed to visit on certain days, apparently once a week and today was that week. It was annoying but perhaps slightly understandable. Miriana was human and wasn't forced to stay anywhere but Lilian and Caren were both Diclonius and thus allowing them to leave the place anytime they wanted would be unfair to the others. Oh by all means she thought it was unfair for her, being forced back here just because Garder had his issues, but at least she could have friends visiting. If she was forced to stay in such a white room of nothingness, screw that, Garder would have to beat he to death before she stayed and that was the truth.
And after two hours of speaking with her friend, Miriana left and the young Queen was to study for the next hour.
The Diclonius sat in the auditorium with curious faces, having been called out a bit after dinner had been served. Nothing had happened that should warrant them to be in trouble though with all that had gone on, anxiety was specifically high amongst them. One small girl, the one named Rika sat in the upper level stadium, more so she as well as a few other girls sat at the very edge, dangerous for humans but for horned girls, nothing that vectors couldn't help balance. Besides nobody had ever fallen and if they did, well just add another useful aspect for vectors there as well.
Noise broke out as casual chatter issued. Last time they were here, they had been given a very strict verbal beating and several consequences for their action. It was enough to have silenced the room, now with no proof of wrong doings, things were calm if still a bit tense. When at last Roy came in, the room finally went silent and he cough into the microphone.
"Good evening girls, it's a good thing you've come. If there is anyone who is not here, I ask that those who know them please talk to them as well. A few things have been happening these past few days since you arrived and I feels it's important we discuss them.
Firstly, you all must have felt that sensation of a Diclonius, if we can call it that, not too long ago."
Speaking the obvious, most of them had nearly passed out just feeling that horrible energy.
"There's someone out there calling herself Onyara Kiriasu, a very dangerous girl that is looking for Elrya and Kaede. Elrya is currently in custody of Garder and Kaede as well as her younger half-brother are with me. Elrya was already established to be with Garder even before this happened and we feel Kaede will be safer away from here unless she's specifically with me.
What I ask of you all is to be careful and not to stray outside. Your friends won't be helped if you try to act irrationally and there's no way you can take on Onyara by yourselves. We are currently trying to find and stop her and this place, which we are sure will be her first attack, is well fortified not only by some of the best men in the business, but by you as well. The truth is if for some reason Onyara does get through; do not try to do anything rash.
She doesn't want you and once she finds out Elrya and Kaede are not here, she should hopefully leave. Unlike us humans, you Diclonius should at a lot safer. I guess really though, I don't want you to get into a fight you can't win."
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that…" Rika wasn't angry with Roy, what he said made perfectly sense, but pride was too much for her to just ignore a statement like that. "That girl hurt Caren a very good friend of ours and is trying to hurt our Queens and that's something we can't allow. If that girl comes here, then I'll attack with everything I have even if I die trying. I don't care if I have absolutely zero chances of winning, I can't forgive her and I know the others can't as well."
The blue haired man sighed, unsurprised by such words. Diclonius were interesting but very rash beings and when one of their kind, much more their friends were harmed, they didn't forgive easily.
"You know I guess I am just talking nonsense. What can I do to try and stop you?" He smiled at his rhetorical remark. "At the very least though, please don't leave the institution like last time. That's all for now, you may leave."
The scuffle of seats and the sounds of typical chatting, the auditorium emptied.
North from the D.E.I (Diclonius Educational Institution), one loan figure dressed in a thin black cloak watched over the horizon and gazed at the complex where she could feel the Diclonius all situated in one place. Onyara folded her arms and let the winter winds blow her hair around, her "veins" circling around her ominously as planned to make her next move. Jumping in would be easy but expected and at this point she wanted to get into as short of fight as possible. All she needed was either Kaede or Elrya and the moment she got a bit of their essence and arrived back to Lagusa, then the real plan could begin. It made her heart leap with joy in changing the world, like a pleasure that she felt had been there since the day she was born. With her twin Lagusa, they had enacted this plan of domination a long time ago. No, domination wasn't the word it was more like an instinct that had run through them from the day they left the womb.
They were different from humans and they were different from Diclonius, a mutation of a mutation.
Every single Diclonius ever born was always born with two personalities. Their, as would be described normal personalities and then there was the internal voice inside them. Some Diclonius could control it, some could not but it was a natural part of their lives, an evolutionary advantage perhaps that made it necessary to the humans on a semi-biological level. But what happened with those two girls?
It wasn't as if Diclonius twins had never been born, far from it in fact, but Lagusa and Onyara were different. Far different that even amongst their own species they would be considered monsters, abominations even. They treaded the line between rational and the insane inducing, blasphemous worlds and with no consciousness to forgive or forget.
What could have possibly have caused such beings to be born and what was their final plan?
It was a simple, a genetic disorder. That caused both Onyara and Lagusa to have absolutely zero consciousness in their mind. They were literally Voices, unable to even rationalize the idea of humanity inside them. For them, their god complex was not just arrogance, it was a biological mesh into their head that literally forced them to believe as such. But they were given something else alongside that, a very deadly enhancement that made them terrible.
Intelligence. They could rationalize and plan, they were not just instincts but they could plan and create and that itself made them more dangerous than other Voice. A voice ran on instinct and like an animal, thought it was very dangerous, it also was very predictable. But they weren't, they planned, they thought and they could cold their desires in without acting irrationally.
Fear inducing creatures, they were the things that caused utmost horror within the Diclonius race not because they would potentially ruin any chance they could to make new lives, but for another more simple reason.
Onyara and Lagusa were incomprehensible, gibbering messes that made them go insane. Their very presence was hell, not just physical or mental pain, but a gurgling concoction of insanity. Caren had felt just a fraction of it when she had fought Onyara, that tiny percent that had nearly left her comatose.
It cannot be described because then it could be rationalized. What Caren felt that day when the veins were inserted into her, can never be described. No words, no thoughts, even feelings can barely be used. All that can be said is that nobody should ever have to go through such misery ever again.
And so their plan? Mutations with special properties, Lagusa was capable of birth but no in the sense that one would think. She was no Queen and thus could not give live births, but she could give birth to something.
And that something had been passed down like a disease from her family line. A very strange and unknown disease and yet one could not really call it a disease because it couldn't be explained. The body did not get effected, the brain and mind which it clearly warped, remained completely normal.
This disease had no purpose, it didn't hurt the body and it didn't help the body. The truth was, there was really nothing wrong with it, it wasn't bad because it a hurt a person, it was bad because it hurt the morality of the world around it. But no, it did hurt something, nothing physical or even mentally but it did degrade something very important.
Morality.
What happens when the morality of a person is degraded that they can literally not even transcribe the idea of it. Even the most kill joy voices of a Diclonius can actually understand morality, and it is only their instincts that push them on.
But this was far different, far more horrifying and understated. A person who's morality was affected created something that can't be understood. An animal can be understood because they run on instinct, one can literally see the brain and how the nerves work. But this disease cannot because in reality, there is nothing wrong with them. Morality was created because of social needs, it is not a biological or psychological aspect. Morality changes throughout times but it remains because of a social introduction.
So what happens when this morality is effected? It creates something that can never be understood, never compared and never rationalized.
But…although morality was effected, it was not destroyed. What was then created was an absolute want or desire that manifested as a psychological issue. This is why it can't be explained because the victims had moral understanding. To describe it, this incomprehensible disease one would have to look at it like this.
Morality was an ever changing, multi-colored shape. It squirmed, expanded, retracted and bulged with life.
And this diseased constantly clashed at it, creating holes inside this bulbous concoction. What it created was a person could understand moral issues was constantly urged to go against them with no reason.
Maybe this disease was the very cause of the Diclonius race itself. Diclonius and humans were biologically against each other. Time and chances, changes in moods and the environment now put Diclonius closer together with humanity. In fact it may never have been a disease in the first place, but an actual genetic aspect that had appeared over 150,000 years ago and helped the horned ones cope in their environment.
The very first, original Voices.
150,000 years later, much like the evolution of the Diclonius, the Original Voices evolved into the voices of the Diclonius today. What was left were just fragmentations of the original that acted as "viruses" throughout time. Maybe one in every one hundred millionths of the population would get the recessive gene and have it die away just as soon. But every so often, one in one billionth of the population, with no reason beyond fate, would get the virus itself.
What was the original virus? Diclonius were seen as the evolution advancement of the human race. Back then, though many thousands of years ago, perhaps their voices were a self- defense measure for survival. But it became well apparent that the Diclonius could not survive without humanity as their genetics created a problem with birthing. Very few males were ever born with working reproduction organs and just as few females with working reproduction organs. What was created was almost an entire race of sterile females that would die out unless they used humanity to help birth more of their kind. Their voices, which may have once been used as a survival mechanism against early humans, now became useless. It died down, became slowly to what it was now, internal instincts inside Diclonius that could be more easily controlled. As time went on, it was likely that the voices for Diclonius might actually die out completely.
But that genetic was passed on, throughout time, from humans and Diclonius so that it was impossible to pinpoint its exact origins any longer. It was a genetic remnant of the past where morality had to be stifled when the Diclonius of the past had to protect themselves against humanity even though they too were by all means humans. Being hunted down to near extinction, the early Diclonius needed something to defend themselves with and through evolutionary advancement, they also created the vectors. With those vectors they were able to transfer, unknowingly the virus through their hosts. Because vectors were not normal, explainable yes, but abnormal by all means. Something that cannot be seen, cannot be studied directly and can't even be described as wrong beyond social understanding, cannot be passed by legitimate ways such as coughing, sneezing or even blood. But Vectors, with their strange properties could pass on the obscured, like morality and even memories and psychological thoughts itself. Once passed, it would mix with the genetics of the person, mutating into different strands in itself. Sometimes the mutation would cause abnormal effects within the virus and destroy it, sometimes the mutations would be beneficial and sometimes, nothing at would happen. But sometimes, the true form of the disease would take shape.
And in that time span of 150,000 years, there had been a total of exactly five people who had caught the virus.
Onyara Kiriasu and Lagusa Kiriasu, who had received a radical mutated strain of the virus.
The Diclonius Queen, Kaede who throughout her life had received a rather hellish voice. For her though, the strain was weak and she was able to control her voice more thoroughly now.
Elrya Alya, who also received a lighter strain of the virus, but affected her voice much more than anyone else. Alya was not just a voice, she was a legitimate person with memories and feelings all of her own. It had even gotten to the point where they truly believed they were separate people and could visually see one another. But the morality that was so weakened by original virus was not apparent in the girl.
For Elrya and Kaede, their hatred stemmed from logical reasons and later on they were able to control themselves although Alya too like Kaede's voice also had a very irrational hatred for humanity before being tamed.
And then…there was one last person. The only human in the world to be effected by the disease and to cause the greatest stress. Because it was a disease that effected morality to a person who understood morality. Thus it created a contradiction within their mind. Knowing what was right, but desiring the negatives. A disease that could never be explained and thus it created the world's most dangerous man in the world.
Vladimir R. Cents. The man who understood the morals of the world and yet desired complete suffering even though he could never explain it. He had spent his life wanting to make peace but every day, of every moment he desired the same thing. He desire misery and suffering because it gave him so much joy and he feared it. It was wrong, a moral upset that had to be abolished. But nobody could help him, of course though, the disease was not even a disease. It was a very natural part of his mind and body, the problem was that it interfered socially and the problem with that is that social problems can change.
So he desired to make the world change. He desired with all of his beings that he could change it because he could not bear to grasp the reality of his own being. But something happened nearly four years ago before he began his war, something that he himself had long since forgotten.
Lilian Cents and her mother. Just was kind of people were they to have an effect on Cents? What kind of man did he become before and after and why? What could have happened so long ago that Lilian would believe with all of her heart that her father was a good person and why did the change happen when Cents before and after was nothing short of a cold blooded murderer with the inability to understand his own dilemma.
That very man now stood underneath one of the man obscured buildings with his black cloak on, sixteen buildings directly away from Onyara while they both contemplated their next move.
Author's Notes: And here's chapter 28, and we get a bit deeper into the story. What will happen next on "Pinpoint Conviction?"
Please R&R.
