Hello everyone, Flameboy915 back here with Chapter 4, if you read along this far, I appreciate all of you who have stuck around.
Chapter 4: Street life
Your life is to fight. Our enemies are numerous, and their power, overwhelming. However, we have stolen the very gifts they lord over us, their minds. We will use their powers against them, and, in their death throes, they shall break themselves upon our bodies.
The first lessons of my training were always ingrained into my head. I find myself in the Sanctuary of the Templars, which was in a mountainous region in the north eastern area of a country that my parents called 'the U.S'. The sanctuary was built in the valley of a mountain range called the Appalachians, partially underground and covered by the thick canopy of large trees that sat in a forest in a wide valley. I found myself walking with my father as he walked into the children's training room. Inside, I could see my younger self, now 12 years old, sleeping on one of the cots, along with other soon-to-be initiates. I have vague recollections of the other children, a boy from a southern area who spoke Spanish like me and my father, and a girl who came from the west coast with the Seer, Selina.
Selina, I remember seeing her during my trainings. The view around me shifts and I am in a viewing platform next to Lord Geist, my father, and Selina. All three of them were watching 2 initiates sparring in a makeshift ring around 10 feet below them. I recognize myself there, around 15 years of age, sparring with the girl, Elianna. We were both trained by Lord Geist's chief advisors, the Seer Selina and my Father, the Knight Hugo.
The duel ended and I had beaten Elianna narrowly. Seeing things from in the viewing chamber, I see my father exclaim and excitedly cheer me on, however I did not respond due to the soundproof nature of the platform. What strikes me odd during these relapses in memory is that I can see and hear things I could not perceive when I lived them. I can see Selina look sadly at Eliana and then shooting daggers at my father. Lord Geist simply stood up and quelled my father with a hand wave.
"Hugo, your excitement is expected, but your conduct is unwarranted. Remember that the mental connections we forge with our peers is a double-edged sword. The pride you feel for your son will reflect on him and impress itself upon his psyche, you must keep your emotions in check so that your son can remain his own person and not a reflection for your emotions. I uphold my bargains, and I will not allow my promise to Stephanie be broken by your efforts, understood?"
My father calmed himself and simply nodded, "Yes, Lord Geist, I apologize."
Lord Geist nodded in turn and wheeled to look at Selina, "That also goes for you Selina, I understand you do not express yourself much aside from the debate chambers, but you sequester and hide your emotions." Selina looked up at him with wide eyes.
"You feel disappointment and sadness that Elianna didn't live up to your expectations of her. Those negative emotions will drag her down just as Hugo's positive emotions will hamper Siegfried's growth. I, and through extension the Templars, care not for your petty competition with each other. Keep your expectations and emotions in check with your training. If I continue to find you hampering or dragging them down, I will take them personally under my wing for the rest of their training, and you know what will happen if that comes to pass."
The finality and implied threat in his voice stifled any further discussion as he walked out of the room.
After a few moments, Selina stood up and rounded on my father, "Hugo! Why must you push your son to try and be better than my student? You know that I am training Elianna to be a Seer and you insist on scheduling these training sessions with your boy who's on the path to being a warrior!"
My father returned her accusations, "Are you trying to blame your poor mentorship on me? Every Templar must know how to fight. You claim that she has no need to fight because she is to be a Seer?! Preposterous! You are our chief Seer, and you fight as well as any regular knight. I throw Siegfried into the ring with her to make her a better fighter and so that they can work better together."
Selina simply turned and put on a dull face, "Really, Hugo? You rehearse that line? You have always looked out for yourself before any other. You disregard the Templar creed when it suits you and you have this warped sense of a superior bloodline. That is why you knocked up that experiment, Stephanie!"
My father ignited his Psiblades and ran up to Selina, who brought her own to defend herself.
"Don't. You. Dare. Talk about her like you know what she's been through!" my father growled.
Selina simply smiled. "Oh, I know what she's been through. The elders took the most psionically gifted humans' pre-invasion and captured them, honing their powers through all sorts of genetic manipulation and psychotherapies. Once their powers were homed to a razor's edge, they were added into ADVENT Network as relays and living computers."
My father baulked slightly, not knowing how much Selina knew of his partner.
"I know this because my mother was one, rescued by the Templars, same as your wife years later. Do not claim to speak for what the survivors went through! It was all the same for you people, you see the experiments as breeding stock, for your perverted eugenics program! The Templars may use the elder's power, but I have also seen some adopt their mindset. Take care where your objectives lie, Hugo, for if at any point I start seeing you look at your son as a pawn for your 'bloodline' I will end you there and rescue Siegfried from you, I swear it!"
Selina then shifted her weight and threw my distracted father forward, sheathing her psiblades and walking out of the door.
I stood there with my father, not believing what information was given to me. My father using my mother for a eugenics program? No, it cannot be right. Selina, the traitor, wanting to take me away from my father and the revelation of my mother's origin, it was too much, and I had too many questions as the dreamscape melted away.
My alarm went off as I slowly woke up, disorientated, and filled with thoughts of my father and Selina. Eventually I stood up and began stretching my body, noting the rampant soreness in my neck, head, and right hand. The skin was bruised and stiff. Luckily, I had some spare nanomedikits given to me by Reclamation. I administered a dose, and the pain began to subside, a few days with the given doses should get me back into fighting shape soon. After showering and prepping myself for the day, I realized I had nothing to do for the day, I suppose that I can start fixing the relationship with Zephyr after our bout yesterday.
Donning my outfit, gauntlets, and helm, I left my apartment and knocked on Zephyr's door.
After a while, the door opened, and I saw Zephyr in a black tank top and black military pants with large combat boots, a towel wrapped around her neck. She was sweating heavily and had labored breaths. It looked like she had just come from a barracks, of course her being ex-Skirmisher it should not have come as a surprise.
"Oh, hey Psion. Sporting quite a nasty shiner on your neck there, huh?" She quipped while drinking from a water container and wiping her face.
"A shiner? No matter, I wished to know if you were busy with anything, however you are clearly in the middle of a workout and I do not wish to interrupt your conditioning, farewell."
I turned to leave before Zephyr piped up. "Hold on a bloody second will ya?"
"Yes?" I asked, not sure what she wished to talk about.
"Well, seeing as your new, I doubt you'd have anything to do as well. I also imagine you're the type to have a stick up his ass about following orders. So, what, you come here to talk to me, be my friend, bury the hatchet?" She stated very matter-of-factly.
I nodded, "That was my intention, yes. Do you agree with my decision or no? If not, I would rather not waste either of our times by me being here."
Zephyr put on a small scowl, "Well aren't you the picture of civility. Not a single subtle bone in your body, huh? Well, for your information, Templar, I am fine with talking for you the day, I don't have much to do besides my workouts and I can't even do my full regimen with my arm all messed up as it is."
I looked down slightly, "I apologize for wounding you so."
She shrugged, "I got you one back and, arguably, in a more critical spot." She brought her hand up to the right-side of her neck.
"Fair. Very well, I will be outside waiting for you. I will see you there." I promptly walked down the stairs to the front of the apartment where I waited. Gazing upon some of the magazines on a rack, my mind was still pondering what I saw in my dreams, of my father and Selina's apparent rivalry with each other, and the opinion of Lord Geist.
I do not know how long I sat there, but I was roused by a familiar voice.
'Hey, Templar!"
I immediately blinked and looked up at Zephyr, who had simply put on a leather jacker and donned a pair of sunglasses. She was looking me with an exasperated look.
"Finally! That's the fourth time I've called your name. How dense are you?"
I stood and nodded my head softly, "I-I apologize. I have been known to be a deep thinker and occasionally I get so caught up my senses dull."
She simply snorted, "Oh-kay then Mr. dense. Anyway, what do you want to see and what do you want to do?"
We left the building and started wandering the street. It had come alive with small shops and people moving about their day.
"I do not know. This is the first time I've been in the City, or really any large population center."
Zephyr nodded, "I get that, before the Skirmishers I was trained by ADVENT, so we didn't really get a 'civilian' experience, and even then, it's not like it changed with the Skirmishers. My biggest piece of advice for you, find a hobby, or explore the area to find the points of interest in your new life here."
I considered her words. Aside from my life in the Templars, there was not much I remember doing as a child. We lived as frugal as possible, and the Overseer ensured that the children could contribute to the haven as soon as they were physically able. Then a thought came to my mind.
"I-, I always used to help my mother bake in our Haven."
Zephyr looked ahead somewhat sadly, but quickly went back to a neutral tone. "Well, you can start baking, I'm sure we can find some supplies for that. But first, how about some breakfast?"
"Yes, that sounds, nice. What eateries are in here?"
"Hmm, there's a few places, but I know a diner nearby with some great breakfast options."
"Very well, lead the way."
Together, we walked past a few blocks and I took in all the sights I saw. I had heard rumors and third hand information on City 31, but being here and living in it, I can see why many would see this place as a last bastion for earth. I saw Viper and Human children playing on a modified playground, a Muton truck driver talking and laughing with some nearby Sectoids and Humans. Being here, you really would not believe that a war for domination and survival was fought. It filled me with as much hope as it did some indignation, how did people overcome the years of oppression and war the aliens had done? How was it possible for people to be able to move on this easily?
I mulled this over as I bumped into a still Zephyr.
"Spacing out again?" She said with a roll of her eyes.
I shook my head, "I am sorry, Zephyr. I assume we have arrived." She fixed me with an obvious look as she nodded her head in front of us. I looked and found a quant establishment on the corner of an intersection. The eatery, labelled Marbo's Diner, had a sign showing a muton with a cartoonish smile flipping a pancake with his other hand showing a thumbs up.
We walked in and I saw that there were a variety of booths and seats at a long winding counter. Connected to the ceiling was a television broadcasting the news. We barely made it 2 feet when the muton behind the counter recognized us or, rather, Zephyr.
"Ayyy! Zephyr!" He exclaimed, his deep voice reverberating the air around him. "How's my favorite little shmuck today?!"
"Oh, you know, a bit hungry and ready to kick the ass of anyone evading justice or calling me a shmuck." She smiled and laughed with the Muton.
"Sooo, would you like the usual booth? And-uh, who's this lad right here?" The muton said, gesturing towards me.
"This is a new recruit to my squad." She gestured for me to step forward.
I saluted, "My name is Siegfried Ramirez, though my callsign is Psion."
The muton waved his hand down and walked towards me, arms wide, I tensed as he enclosed me in a bear-hug. I never had the opportunity to hug a muton before, but overall, I would not recommend it to those that value their spine and wish to keep their internal organs in a natural position. What felt like several minutes of being caught in a vice-like grip of pressure pushing across my body lasted, in reality, a few seconds.
Zephyr simply laughed. "Yes, Marbo, we'll be at the normal table."
"Ok, then. I'll be by soon to take your order, nice to meet you Siegfried."
I could only affirm between a few coughs and sputters, "Yo-you too, sir."
He simply chuckled, "Look at that, he calls me sir, I like em already, haha!"
I followed Zephyr to a roomy corner booth as Marbo slid us two menus and went to tend to other customers.
I looked at Zephyr, "Marbo's very, uh, friendly."
Zephyr merely smiled, "Yeah, he was one of the first mutons to pass the social empathy tests, so he and Axiom were some of the first to settle here. Don't let his size and good nature fool you, though. He used to lead an entire platoon of the elder's strongest mutons, The Bulwarks. Aside from his past, though, he's become one of the best cooks in City 31. Anyway, let's pick something to eat."
We both ordered our food, a simple omelet and toast for me with a coffee, and a country breakfast for Zephyr with tea. As my drink arrived, I pressed a small button on the side of my helm and a small slit opened under my chin and up to my mouth, stopping just under my nose.
I sipped the bitter drink and smiled at the nostalgic taste greeted my tastebuds and a comforting warmth seeped into my stomach. I saw Zephyr raised an eyebrow and I could already guess the question forming on her lips.
"My helmet," I said, preparing to answer preemptively, "Is used to control and focus my psionics, as such I am incredibly careful as to when I take it off. I usually take it off when I sleep, eat, and shower."
She simply nodded and sipped her tea.
I decided to break the silence with a question that was forming in my mind throughout the morning.
"Zephyr, tell me, why did you agree to this? Yesterday, you shouted about your qualms with working with a Templar and we even traded nearly mortal blows with each other. Today, you are somewhat accommodating and appear to be comfortable. May I ask what happened, is someone other than Godmother coercing you?"
She sighed and gazed into her tea, as if the answer to my question was forming within the steam of her beverage. After some time, she spoke up.
"Well, I got a few calls that night." She eventually said, looking back up at me. "The first was from Director Kelly who chewed me out about my conduct, you know the usual. The next call, though, was a lot more surprising. I got a call from Betos, the leader of the Skirmishers."
I was taken aback, getting direct contact with the leader? That was quite a claim to make, and I did not detect any deception in her tone or mood.
"Betos," she continued, "also chastised me, although a bit gentler than Director Kelly. Apparently there have been a few clashes between Skirmishers and the Templar both within and without XCOM. She said that she and Geist have been working towards working together and so they've tried reaching out to the Templars and Skirmishers that have had 'trouble' working together."
I nodded my head in understanding. "I see, I apologize for getting you into trouble with your leader."
She waved her hand. "It's fine. After the calls for me to try and understand you, I decided to bring the food over last night and I went to bed. I still felt frustrated that no one was trying to look out for me or mind my feelings, but then something weird happened last night. As I slept those feelings of anger and frustration sort of … melted away. It's almost like something had just taken away the anger and frustration from my mind."
At these words I halted and looked at her, concerned.
"Then when I woke up, I just kind of thought of our situation in a different manner, we were teammates and I needed to work with you. Especially since we were ordered to if we wanted to get back to work. That's when I decided I will try to come forward to work things out. If you didn't knock on my door, I probably would've knocked on your door. Now, I think we can work together."
I was about to voice my thoughts when our food arrived.
The smell of the food reminded me of how long I have gone without a homecooked meal, and I felt my heart fill before my stomach as I ate. However, what Zephyr said about her emotions troubled me. Her anger towards me was born from her upbringing with the Skirmishers and her limited experiences with the Templars. Emotions of that intensity do not just go away after being disciplined and a night's rest. Something else must have happened during the night, something psionics in origin.
I continued to stew in my emotions while I ate, until I heard Zephyr call my name.
"Oy, Psion!" She said with a raised voice, turning the heads of a few patrons.
I shook my head again and looked at her. "I, I apologize again, Zephyr."
"I cannot believe how dense you get. I was asking you how the food was, but I guess you have something much more important going on in your headspace."
After an awkward silence of eating, I piped up. "The food is fantastic by the way, thank you Zephyr."
She simply grunted. "More to the point, what's going on that you're so invested into that you can just space out like that?"
I slowly ate my food, trying to think about how to word my suspicions. Would she believe me that someone or something is psionically leeching her negative emotions? Do I even have proof of this going on? Can I trace it if it is? Will she trust me? Will she think that this is me jumping the gun on her trying to settle the score between us? Too many variables for me to rely on.
"I, was thinking about a disturbance I felt in our apartment."
She looked quizzically at me. "What do you mean disturbance, I didn't hear anything on the floor."
"No, not a physical disturbance, a psionic one. I felt another presence near our apartment." I lied.
Zephyr sat straight and fixed me with a serious look. "Are you absolutely sure about this, Psion?"
Her intense stare picked at my resolve and I was thankful that I had the helmet obscuring my downcast eyes. "I believe so. When I sleep, I do so without my helmet. When my helmet is removed, my psionics flow outside my body and permeate a small area around me, which gives me a small 'sixth sense' while I sleep. While sleeping, I could feel the twinge of another psionic presence near me. At first, I believed it to be you, but then you told me of the absence of your emotions."
Zephyr, seeing were this was going, put on a scowl, "So what, you think this 'other presence' stole away my anger and frustration that night? That if it hadn't showed up, I would have woken up today not giving a rat's ass about you or the Templars?"
I slowly nodded my head, "Y-Yes that is my current theory, I realize that this is very preliminary but with your testimony and my own experience, I can see no other way you would have been able to overcome your opinions of the Templars. I am sorry."
I could see Zephyr shake a bit before she spoke back quietly, "So what now? We are eating breakfast here because I thought I would extend the olive branch to you but now it might not even be sincere because my emotions were taken from me. If we stop the presence and my emotions come back, do we continue trying or will everything come crashing down again? UGH!" She slammed her fist on the table, I could now feel a well of anger emanating off her.
"Zephyr, your memories of the Templars and the Skirmishers still exist, correct? You can still feel anger, but I believe that your emotions at the time were quelled or taken. As you remember your time with the Skirmishers, the emotions will resurface in time. You will be back to calling me an egotistical maniac with delusions of grandeur in due time. However, what will not stand is someone who has abused psionics in this manner. Can you agree with me with that?"
After a while Zephyr nodded, "Yeah, yeah alright. I'll help you take the bastard who did this down, then, we can start over. It doesn't matter what kind of connection you form with people if it isn't sincere, that's what Betos said to us. A false connection eventually frays and breaks, just like the elder's connection with the soldiers of ADVENT."
Her words, while admirable, struck a deep nerve within me. False connection… like the elders.
I ate the rest of my food in quick order and asked for the check as I turned to Zephyr.
"Well, if you are willing and able to help me, we will monitor the complex tonight, and I will see what I can pick up. With any luck, the presence will still be there."
Zephyr simply nodded and motioned for me to follow her.
Walking back up to Marbo she smiled at the muton, "Hey Marbo, I'll cover both meals, not like he had much anyways."
The muton nodded and Zephyr swiped her wristcom over the machine in front of the counter. A small chime ringed and Marbo wished us a good day as we headed out.
Walking back to the apartment, a small chill ran through the streets and clouds began covering the sky, a storm was coming. As I was looking at the sky, I felt power in the air. Slowing my walk, I focused my psionics and reach towards the sky, I could feel the power of the earth saturating the air. I drew it within myself, within my mind, and within my body. I was at my capacity for the earth's wondrous power, power I would need to fight the 'presence' I felt near the complex.
"Hey Psion," Zephyr said worriedly, "Maybe you shouldn't be doing that out in the open."
I opened my eyes and saw my arms were humming with a purple energy, ebbing, and flowing in coruscating spirals. I also saw the worried and terrified looks of some people around us, a few even running away from my blatant use of psionics. Why? Why must the powers granted to me by the earth be shunned and looked upon with fear? These are powers that are similar, I grant, to the elders and their psionics, but our cause is noble. It is no matter, these people could never understand the Templars, they only see psionics as a tool of the old oppressors, same as everyone else.
I just decided to walk slightly faster next to Zephyr and said, a bit harshly, "Let us go, I wouldn't want to scare the common people."
I should have known that Zephyr would not let that comment slide. She promptly kept pace with me and derided me.
"'Common people'? Oh, I'm so sorry your lordship. I am so sorry that these peasants are acting oh so fearful of your terrifying display of elder power." She said sarcastically, putting an annoying amount of emphasis on lordship and elder.
I turned to her, "This is not the power of the elders! These were powers granted to me by the earth, and though my powers are similar, it is used to protect and defend, not engage and oppress like the elders!" I heard the gasps and whispers of the people near us, the power I drew from the air heightening my senses and I could hear the whispers on their lips.
Shouldn't he have a dampener on?
Why is he glowing?
Someone needs to reign him in!
Someone call 31PD, tell them there's some weird rogue psionic user here!
Come on Drew, stay close to mommy, I won't let him hurt you.
All around me I could feel their emotions wash over me, fear, anger, fear, vindication, fear, hatred, and FEAR.
It was almost suffocating, these tense emotions swarmed over me, and I felt my vision blur as my senses were becoming overwhelmed.
Zephyr noticed something was wrong and put her hand on my shoulder.
"Hey, hey Psion, what's going on?" She asked, her voice full of concern.
"M-my mind is being pressed down by the emotions around me. The more people that 'feel' around me, the more their emotions are being read by my psionics, doubly so if the emotions are directed at me."
Zephyr nodded slightly, "Ok, so you need to get away from these people and away from large crowds, right?" I nodded in response, slowly, and I felt a new wave of negative emotion flood over me, bringing me down to one knee as my head was thrust into the throes of a psionically induced migraine.
"Ugh-augh!" I griped my helmet, my head wracked by a pain no painkiller or medicine could overcome.
At once, I felt my body lift as I saw Zephyr haul me up by my right arm and half-walked half-carried me away from the people around us. Seeing the display some people grew bolder and jeered or derided me.
Get out of our city freak!
Get a dampener on and then you can be a citizen!
Why are you running, can't fight your own battles without your girlfriend there to back you up?!
Then, I felt it, a rock had been thrown by a passerby and bounced off my helmet.
The floodgates had opened, the mob that had jeered and booed started coming forward in a tide of ignorance and self-entitled retribution. As quickly as they came forward, they stopped when Zephyr brought her foot straight up and kicked one of the men in the jaw, sending him back. They were evidently not expecting us to fight back, no less while she was helping me walk.
Zephyr produced her badge and held it like the shield it was modeled after, proclaiming loudly.
"Alright, listen here you shitters!" Her voice boomed, stalling the bravest of the mob. "We're Chimera Squad alright! And anyone who comes at us will be charged with assault of a law enforcement officer! I tolerated the boos and insults because you have a right to speak and I am not able to exercise my right to punch your teeth in, but as soon as you lay a hand on us, I will take you down with the most prejudice I can muster, and I have a lot to bear right now. So, you either let us pass, or you can find out how many teeth you can swallow before vomiting!"
That last threat gave most of the mob pause and a small path opened, allowing Zephyr to hurry past. Most of the crowd's fear had shifted from me to Zephyr, softening the pressure on my mind, and I was able to walk a bit faster. After what felt like hours, we put enough distance between the mob and us that I could regulate my breathing and regain my composure.
Zephyr set me down on a street bench and sat next to me as I slowly recovered from my migraine, I siphoned too much power out of the air and now I was left in this pitiful state. Heightening your senses was always a double-edged sword, you performed better in combat when you are burning that power, but until then you are so hyper-sensitive to outside stimuli that it can overload you.
The only way for me to burn off the excess was to use my psionics, but I was not trained in manner arts outside of conflict. I needed to get home where I could take my helmet off and unfocus my psionics, letting them passively burn away.
"Zephyr," I said, albeit strained, "I need to get back home, there, I can take off my helmet and let the excess energy in my mind burn away and stop myself from getting critical again. Please, just a little more."
Zephyr only nodded and helped me back up and we were able to arrive at our complex with no intrusion, though it took much longer than anticipated due to needing to navigate around large crowds.
By this point I was able to walk without assistance but was breathing heavily, the pressures on my mind thrumming like a steady drumbeat on my psyche. I was able to whisper out a thank you to Zephyr as I entered my home and slammed the door shut, quickly removing my helmet as my psionics ran free. I could feel my psionics perceptions stretch out in all directions, tendrils of purple energy phasing through the walls and giving me information. It was painful as before, yes, but now I could block off tendrils from giving me information, simply letting my psionics burn energy to expand and grow, until eventually the entire building itself was subject to my subtle, psionic gaze. It did not last long, however, for stretching my power to this degree quickly drained whatever power I absorbed. As my senses receded, I was able to sense a signature, a 'shadow' of psionic power along the walls of the building as it trailed away.
This had me curious, but also exhausted. Templars, and indeed any normal psionic beings, do not regularly extend their perceptions to cover such a large area so quickly. As my perceptions dulled and my power receded, I felt a wave of relief as my migraine slowly subsided and the throbbing pain was replaced by a deep hunger.
Realizing that I had not been able to buy groceries due to my overzealous, or 'egotistical' as Zephyr would put it, display. Checking my wristcom, I found a local restaurant called 'Mextra-Terrestrial' which advertised authentic Spanish food that could cater to aliens and humans. I remembered some dishes that my father used to make me for some special occasions and smiled when I saw they had it. I ordered Rellenos de Papa, stuffed potato balls, and an order of Churrasco con Arroz Congrí, grilled meat with rice and black beans. The delivery was set for 45 minutes, enough time for me to shower and swap to my mellow green training suit.
I put my other two suits into my washing machine and realized that I would need some more clothes in the future. After stretching myself out, I injected myself with the next dose of the nanomedikit, the soreness in my neck decreasing and I noticed the bruise slowly shrink in the mirror.
I received an alert that my food was on its way and donned my helmet, leaving my apartment and heading down to the foyer. While there, I saw Blueblood returning from HQ and greeted him with a wave.
"Hey, Psion what's up man?" He asked cheerfully, clasping my hand.
"Nothing overly major to report, Blueblood. I spent a good portion of my morning and early afternoon with Zephyr, attempting to work out our differences, and we have agreed to work on a … project together."
Noticing my hesitation on the word project Blueblood raised an eyebrow. "A 'project', huh? Well, don't let me get in the way of your special project with each other. All I ask is that you stay honest and open with each other."
I nodded my head, grateful for his advice. Tracking down these psionic signatures and working on psionics relies on a foundation of trust between individuals and being honest was a logical first step.
"Alright then, Psion, have a good night."
"Good night, Blueblood."
I waited outside for a few minutes when I saw a moped-like vehicle drive up to my complex. The driver, a human with a branded jump suit stood up and took a small package out of a compartment on the moped. He walked right by me and stood next to the front door as he went to his wristcom. A bit later my wristcom began ringing and the man jumped, looking at me before sheepishly handing me my food with a 'good night'.
Heading back to my room, I spotted Zephyr talking to Blueblood, rather intently. As I walked towards them Blueblood nodded in my direction and went into his apartment.
"Is everything alright?" I asked, wondering what they were conversing about.
Zephyr's mouth thinned and she sighed, "yeah, everything's fine, was just explaining what happened today to Blueblood. Let me tell you he was mad. The fact that a mob formed and attacked us had him proper pissed. He started being protective and telling me off that I should've radioed for back-up or called him in because he was on patrol but given the situation, I needed to help you out."
I chuckled, "Blueblood is a caring soul, and I appreciate his genuine concern."
She smiled, "Yeah he really cares about the team working together. Speaking of, he told me that we need to 'stay honest and open with one another'."
"Yes, he told me that as well. I do not know why he brought that up, I believe it is expected that if the two of us should work together. By the way, I discovered something when I took off my helmet earlier, please, come with me and I'll explain."
Zephyr was taken aback a bit but then accepted my proposal. Opening my door, I entered my apartment and sat on my couch, unpacking my food. It was then that I realized that the restaurant had put a second order in my box, with a small card.
For a first-time order,
Here's a second helping!
This is a little welcome to
City 31 from us here at
Mextra-Terrestrial!
I chuckled at the sweet gesture. I took out the second container and handed it to Zephyr.
"Oh, you ordered a second one?" She looked curiously at my meal.
"No, the restaurant gave me two orders as a promotion for being a first-time customer. If you would like the second helping you can, I figured you did not get to eat after needing to help me, and this way I can pay you back."
She nodded and opened the box. The smell of spices and grilled meat filled the air.
As I ate my meal, my memories of my father's cooking began resurfacing. The way he would smile as he cooked, singing folk songs, and doing small dances while he sang. The way he always looked so eager and happy when I took my first hesitant bites of a meal and stuffed my face. His warm smile, his uplifting praise and criticism, all came back. Take care where your objectives lie, Hugo, for if at any point I start seeing you look at your son as a pawn for your 'bloodline' I will end you there and rescue Siegfried from you, I swear it!
Selina's angry words brought me out of my recollection as I ate, my food now losing the nostalgia flavor.
"This food is bloody great, Psion." Zephyr said between bites.
I simply smiled, "it is all food that reminds me of my father. He used to cook food like this for special occasions, although a few times he did it just because he wanted me to 'learn the food of my culture' as he put it."
"Your dad sounds fun, was he also a Templar?"
"Yes, he was. In fact, he was one of the advisors to the Templar leader, Lord Geist. He trained me in the ways of the Templar and taught me everything I know of physical combat. Anything he could not teach me, he found one of the best Templars in the region to teach me. He did push me hard, though. More than once, he would be disappointed in how slowly I was learning a lesson and so he would institute combat into the lesson. Every time I failed a maneuver, we sparred, every time I could not manifest a power correctly, we sparred, and every time I disobeyed Templar doctrine, we sparred."
Zephyr smiled but then drew her eyes down to her food. "It must be nice knowing having someone there for you from childhood."
I looked back to her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I used to be human, then I was turned into one of those ADVENT troopers. Nothing remains from before then. I have vague inclinations of what I used to be, but nothing ever sticks, you know.
She sighed, "But, it doesn't matter what I used to, Chimera Squad is my family now. Who I used to be does not matter anymore, I can never be her, so there's no use worrying about what she was like right?"
I looked to her, about to say something when I saw it. An ephemeral, purple tendril on her head, a small trail leading outside my window. Without thinking I mustered what little power I had left and flund my hand out, launching my own psionics as the braid was cut.
The change was almost immediate, Zephyr's small, neutral expression was turned into one of grief and mild melancholy. I raced to the window and peered out; in the distance I saw the tendril crawling away down the street. I tried to reach out and connect to the tendril, but I had already leeched all my power from earlier and I could barely manage a foot or two of reach before it fizzled away.
I had to act, now. Leaving my apartment, I quickly knocked on Blueblood's door. Blueblood came out, evidently confused, but after explaining what had happened and how Zephyr was being targeted psionically, he immediately phoned in to Whisper and Chimera Squad, along with 31PD. As he phoned in the report, I went back to talk with Zephyr, she had recovered her senses and sat on my couch.
Before I could say anything to her, she piped up, angrily. "The son of a bitch did it again, did he? He took away my emotions?!"
I slowly nodded, "Yes, I am sorry. This time, it seems that the person took your sadness of not knowing your past. I, I could not stop him. I did not have any power left after earlier today to trace his leech. I am sorry, Zephyr, my own mishandling of my power led to this. I have no excuse."
Zephyr looked up to speak, but Blueblood had come inside.
"I just got off the phone with Whisper, he brought this up to Kelly and they've agreed to temporarily house Zephyr at HQ. In the meantime, Verge will be moving into her place so the two of you can try and track down this perpetrator. Since we only have two psionic agents, you're being put on active duty starting tomorrow, sorry Psion."
I shook my head, "No need to apologize, I am honor bound as a Templar and a Chimera Agent to right the wrongs of those who would misuse and abuse psionics. These are powers gifted to us by the Earth for our own advancement, not to the detriment of others. This person shall know the Templars wrath!"
Blueblood smiled and nodded. He and Zephyr left an hour later when the Chimera Squad APC arrived, bringing Verge and a few 31PD officers, and taking Zephyr back to HQ. I rested on my bed, thinking about what had happened. I tried recalling the entire event in detail, hoping that when I dream tonight, I may ascertain more information, but for now the lure of sleep clawed at my mind.