Chapter 51

'You can't be serious,' False stared at him, horrified, 'ever since Baraku first came into existence he's been nothing but trouble. He's been there through almost every single period of unrest, leading the way or at least manipulating it from behind the scenes. He can't be trusted and you… you're calling him an old friend? You've put an innocent little girl in his care? A girl who's family is missing her and just want her back.'

'Who I am and am not friends with is none of your concern,' Jack rolled his eyes. 'As for the girl, she's much better off in the care of my friend than with a family who will always fail to realise her potential. According to Baraku she is maturing quickly under his guidance and it won't be long now before I can introduce myself to her and begin her real training.'

'You're a monster.'

'That's a little bit harsh, don't you think? And what about you,' his gaze turned almost mysteriously towards Kisara. 'You don't think I'm a monster too, do you? After all, I'm doing all this for you and the rest of my beloved family. Because you deserve what I never had, the ability to keep any child you bare. I mean, wouldn't that just be everything to you?'

Quickly False flicked his gaze towards her, hoping that she wasn't being lulled in by any of his nonsense. Something about the look in her eyes, however, told him she was more than tempted. Reels of shock ran through him. He couldn't believe Kisara of all people would be tempted by something like this. Not after all the time and energy she'd spent defending Dayena's decision to do what she'd done to her family when they were younger. All the hours she'd half beaten into False the importance of their secret legacy. For her to suddenly want to give up on that…

'Oh you're good,' Kashmana gave a more than sarcastic sounding laugh. 'You've mastered that silver tongue in a way even Ni's never been able to.'

'I have no idea what you mean,' Jack shrugged callously. 'If the girl wants to follow me, it's only because blood is thicker than water.'

'This migraine you're giving me says otherwise,' he glared. 'Stop messing with her head you…'

'Kashmana stop,' the Prodigy Child cut him off, 'we both know this argument won't end well, no matter how it goes from here. And we also know the Dorsoma will learn to give him everything he wants regardless of whether it's temporary or not. The very fact she is a Dorsoma will simply speed things up however he's planning to play it from here. But I also know if any of that made even the slightest bit of difference to what he truly wants here, we would never have seen him in the first place.'

'What makes you so sure of that little one,' Jack taunted. 'I'm having a lot of fun here; I don't think much would have kept me away from that.'

'Even if you make Kasey Power Limitless she will always be nothing more than an imitation. Granted a damn good one, but one none the less.'

'Your point?'

'You don't want an imitation,' she lowered her gaze strangely, 'you want the real thing. You've always wanted the real thing, but you've never had the guts to take it for yourself. Because even when you became more powerful than any other living being you still feared that you wouldn't be able to control it. And that fear kept it at an arms length from you.'

'Perhaps,' his voice was almost silky smooth, 'but you seem to have proven I had nothing to fear. If only I knew the method was so simple…'

'You still wouldn't have,' she cut him off, 'no one can do what I have done.'

'That's a little arrogant of you, don't you think little one?'

'No,' she shook her head, 'I don't mean it in that way, I mean…'

'I know just what you mean. But what you did doesn't take guts little one or any kind of special strength and we both know it.'

'I also know your arrogance would always make you go too far, just like it did with so many before me. No one else could control it as well as I have, even if they do exactly as I have done.'

'What on Giya makes you believe yourself so special?'

'Because I know something no one else has ever known. I have learnt it through experience… through patience and hard work. I have learnt the one thing none of you know. The real secret.'

'And you don't think anyone else could possibly learn it?'

'Not before loosing everything they were in trying.'

For a few long minutes there was silence and False really began to wish he had even the faintest idea of what they were talking about. Instead all he could really do was wait and see what would happen next, hoping beyond anything they would drop the cryptic and let the rest of them in on it.

'You really don't suit that arrogance as well as she does,' Jack snorted, turning away from her as he did. 'Everything the two of you have ever done has been to compare with her… to keep up with her and you know it. But, the sad fact of the matter is, you're never going to be as good as she is. Even now, in her self-imposed little exile, she is still better than you. And this arrogance… this self-assurance you have is nothing more than a façade, because you're not even half as good as you'd like others to believe. How can you be when you're not half as good as she is?'

For a moment the Prodigy Child looked almost crushed and False felt even more confused than ever. But before he or anyone else could say anything, Jack gave a cold and cutting laugh as his eyes glinted with excitement.

'You know what's really sad, that little girl Baraku is working with has more potential than you do. She's young enough to learn and I've no doubt she'll surpass you before you even have a chance to blink. And when she does we'll see just how unique you are in your ability to control it.'

'What makes you think she'll be able to learn it?'

'Because she'll have no choice.'

At that the Prodigy Child started laughing. It was a strange kind of laugh, even for her and it sent chills running up and down False's spine.

'You really are a monster, aren't you? We're talking about a child here, how can you be so callous, so cold? And what makes you think I'm just going to stand by and let you? All the times you favoured her because she showed the most promise in your eyes. All the times you ignored the two of us because you didn't think we were keeping up. You didn't really see us. You didn't really know who we were or what we were capable of. You may have forced this great power upon us, but you have nothing to do with the people we are.'

'Is that what you think?'

'That's what I know,' she held her ground. 'I know I am who I am because one very important thing sets me apart from everyone else. The one thing no one will ever truly be able to mimic, because it's a formula so unique to me.'

'You? You of all people are talking about being unique,' he laughed. 'If she were the one saying it, maybe I would take her seriously, but you? You've spent your life imitating her, how can you be unique?'

'Laugh all you want Jack, you won't be able to deny it in the end.'

'And how do you know what the end will be?'

'I know Jack.'

'Then this won't shock you,' he suddenly manifested a dagger from thin air.

'What's the matter Jack, couldn't you find what you needed without resorting to that,' she taunted. 'Did they really hide them so well?'

'Oh no,' he shook his head, 'I found them alright.'

'Then why kill me?'

'Shouldn't that be obvious, even to you?'

At that a strange smirk appeared on the Prodigy Child's face, as her eyes moved from the dagger to meet with his.

'You don't want to take the chance I'll take it back, do you?'

'Would you?'

'Perhaps not,' she shifted her gaze, 'but what makes you think I'll let you kill me?'

'Because I don't think you'll allow for any of the alternatives.'

'Confident, aren't we?'

'Would you care to prove me wrong?'