Black Feather: Episode LI
"Stillness in Motion"
Global Cortex Surface Base, Western Dormitory Branch GCWC-WD/S-05
9:03 a.m., 03/25
...Seems strange...
[...What is...?]
...I sit here all day... and see everything that happens to you... and I begin to think... These things could've happened to... to...
[...To who...?]
...Nevermind... Even in this world of limited possibilities, things could've gone differently. I sit here, and see how you transact with your comrades... It's amazing... how they go on as if you're the 'real' one...
[...They're my comrades because I'm their comrade...]
...Have you begun to accept your blank identity...?
[...I... I don't know anymore... I can't let these things get in the way... I have to carry on...]
...You can't ignore this forever... I see how you're doing when you're awake... An inner war continuously ravages your being... You're constantly thinking about who you are...
[...Can't I have any privacy in my own world...?]
...I'm afraid not... If you go on ignoring this, you'll go mad... I know...
[...How would you know...? You never tell me who you are... and yet, it's as if I've known you ever since I could think...]
...Things... are a little different on my side...
[...How's that...?]
...I know a lot about you... perhaps even more than you know about yourself... I know much more than a lifelong friend would know... and yet... you are still a total stranger to me...
[...You don't trust me...?]
...I have to... You're the only one I have... Besides being trapped in your mind, I'm nothing but a soul... You're the reason why I still exist... Without you... the ARK would get me...
[...The ARK...?]
...You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure...
[...]
...I... must ask... no... I need you to do me two favors...
[...What?]
...When this is all over, go to the grave... in the 'sakura' garden... There, find Rey Vyn's ring...
[...I can't do that... Aries has the ring...]
...It doesn't matter if he has it or not... trust me... the ring'll be there... in Qastor's ashes...
[...What's the other one...?]
...After you find Rey Vyn's ring... go out into the world... find out who you are... I can't help you anymore than I already have...]
[...Alright...]
_____________________________
Title: Hey...
Sender: Malirant
"Good morning, Qastor,
Im sory for not bein able to talk to u teh other night. Im sure you kno already, but I lost my voice after tat incident two or some weekz ogo. By teh time you read this, I probably at the gym catchin up on some exercise. I will alos try to learn some sign language or whatever tey callz it. If you neeed any hep, dont b afraid to aks me.
PS: Pleease excuse my typin. Its not realy my thng."
Your best friend,
Malirant
Qastor grinned involuntarily while reading Malirant's e-mail. The mood of his life has changed drastically. It was... bittersweet. Times of happiness were rare all of a sudden, far and between. Qain was waiting for him, and Qastor knew it. It was the thought of what Qain had in store for him that troubled his very existence.
He sat there, alone in his quarters, his arms folded, his eyes staring into the radiance of the laptop. The room was gloomily lit by the weeping skies painted in the window. For the first time, his bed was made, crooked, but humble. His quarters consisted only of a desk, laptop, chair, and bed. Nothing else. And all of his rooms from various structures were congenial.
In the midst of getting dressed, the PVA (Private announcement, as opposed to PA, Public announcement) came on.
"Mr. Qastor, Miss Garnet requests your presence. Please sign in at the conference lobby."
"Garnet...? What could she possib..." Qastor's thoughts wandered from Garnet, to Laevaentteinn, and then to Lucifer. He then remembered that Lucifer was gone, his whereabouts unknown. He paced himself as to not keep Garnet waiting.
Qastor glimpsed about the hallways. People went about their businesses in poetic silence and motion. There was an air of intensity, and he was afraid to make a noise, but it couldn't be helped, lest he tiptoed on socks. He noticed, as he made haste to the conference lobby, that others around him were clad in sweaters and jackets, most had their hoods on despite the shelter of the ceiling. An eerie feeling scuttled about his mind as he noticed their faces hidden in the depths of the hoods. He continued on his way, rubbing his arms to warm himself at times, for the hallways were pertinaciously freezing.
"Mr. Qastor, I presume? Miss Garnet is waiting in conference room CR-05."
Qastor returned cordial thanks to the lady registrar. Upon reaching the said room, the door opened. Garnet looked up and was surprised at the sight of Qastor. She wore a rose-hued heavy sweater, with fur waving at the rims, wrist cuffs, and collar. Gentle crests of steam rolled as she breathed. Garnet-colored hair glittered long and straight against her back.
"Oh! I thought you weren't coming so..."
"You're worried about Lucifer, aren't you?" Qastor went straight to the point.
"How'd you guess?" She was a little surprised, and cocked her head a tiny bit when she spoke.
"I had a hunch."
"Well, it's really cold in there, so let's talk in the cafeteria, okay?"
Qastor nodded and led Garnet to the cafeteria. The ominous sight of isolated passersby didn't seem to bother Garnet as much as it did him.
The cafeteria wasn't as occupied as it usually was. The dome was open, however. Qastor's breakfast consisted of a scone, sandwich, and apple cider. Garnet had a cup of hot chocolate. She pressed her palms against it for warmth.
"So, what's the subject?" Qastor unwrapped a straw.
"You know Lucifer's gone, right? Do you know where?"
"Not a clue. He just disappeared into thin air... after he charged for Qa... Rey Vyn." His motions became more deliberate.
"Rey Vyn, huh... Do you know where this 'Rey Vyn' went?"
"No..." Qastor checked through his memory, and in fact, did find something. "...wait... It's... The Lost Field?"
"Lost Field...?"
"At least, that's where he said he'd be." Qastor checked his palm PC, which he had produced from his left pocket. Garnet glanced around. "How's your wound?"
"It's healed up already, and the scar is gone."
"How?"
"Reparation associated with something called 'Flesh Engineering.' They say Sphere developed it. I didn't want to go with the operation, since it's linked to Sphere and all, but I had no choice..." She took a sip of the hot chocolate.
"Hmm... Really..." Another thought made him wonder. "Say, can't your rebel force form a search party or something?"
"We... believe in a liberal order. In other words, we believe that Lucifer will find his way back. He has a lot of combat experience, both in ACs and hand-to-hand." She sounded confident.
"I see." Just then, Qastor came upon something new. His eyebrows raised, and Garnet noticed.
"What's wrong?" She blinked and sat upright.
"It's..." Qastor gasped, his eyes wide. "...a mission... from Rey Vyn..." Garnet was appalled also.
"No way... Lemme see!" Garnet snatched the palm PC from Qastor's trembling hands, his eyes still shaking in disbelief.
Mission: -
Requester: Qain
Reward: -
Summary:
"Qastor... I'm waiting for you... Bring the Children also, that is, if you know who they are already. I've uncovered the location of the Lost Field on your PC. Don't ask how I did it. Just get here and everything shall reveal itself. I know you and your comrades have personal questions concerning the past. Come here and all will be answered. If you don't come, then Lucifer's not coming back."
-END MESSAGE-
Garnet settled the palm PC down. She had questions too, but more importantly, she wanted to find Lucifer. That's all that mattered to her.
"Qastor, we have to go! Accept the mission!" Her tone was obsequious.
"It's not that simple."
"What?"
"How could Re... Qain know the answer to my past? It's just not right..."
"But... What about Lucifer!? Can't we rescue him!?"
"Who gives a damn about him...!" Qastor scoffed, his eyes narrowed. Garnet flared up.
"How could you say that!?" Garnet abruptly stood up from her chair; the hot chocolate cup almost fell over.
"I just don't want things to change anymore. What if..."
"What if what!?"
"What if whatever Qain says changes everything!?" Qastor was exasperated. "What if what he says changes how I look at life!? My outlook on life is already screwed up as it is because of Lucifer!" Qastor forced his forehead onto his hands. The entire cafeteria was absent of noise. Garnet reached for her cup.
"You have the right to believe what you want to believe, don't you?" Garnet gave Qastor one last food for thought and departed. She was right, though, and he knew it. He felt a surge of willpower. He shook his head and clenched his fists.
It was about time he took matters into his own hands.
"Wait..." Garnet stopped.
"Stillness in Motion"
Global Cortex Surface Base, Western Dormitory Branch GCWC-WD/S-05
9:03 a.m., 03/25
...Seems strange...
[...What is...?]
...I sit here all day... and see everything that happens to you... and I begin to think... These things could've happened to... to...
[...To who...?]
...Nevermind... Even in this world of limited possibilities, things could've gone differently. I sit here, and see how you transact with your comrades... It's amazing... how they go on as if you're the 'real' one...
[...They're my comrades because I'm their comrade...]
...Have you begun to accept your blank identity...?
[...I... I don't know anymore... I can't let these things get in the way... I have to carry on...]
...You can't ignore this forever... I see how you're doing when you're awake... An inner war continuously ravages your being... You're constantly thinking about who you are...
[...Can't I have any privacy in my own world...?]
...I'm afraid not... If you go on ignoring this, you'll go mad... I know...
[...How would you know...? You never tell me who you are... and yet, it's as if I've known you ever since I could think...]
...Things... are a little different on my side...
[...How's that...?]
...I know a lot about you... perhaps even more than you know about yourself... I know much more than a lifelong friend would know... and yet... you are still a total stranger to me...
[...You don't trust me...?]
...I have to... You're the only one I have... Besides being trapped in your mind, I'm nothing but a soul... You're the reason why I still exist... Without you... the ARK would get me...
[...The ARK...?]
...You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure...
[...]
...I... must ask... no... I need you to do me two favors...
[...What?]
...When this is all over, go to the grave... in the 'sakura' garden... There, find Rey Vyn's ring...
[...I can't do that... Aries has the ring...]
...It doesn't matter if he has it or not... trust me... the ring'll be there... in Qastor's ashes...
[...What's the other one...?]
...After you find Rey Vyn's ring... go out into the world... find out who you are... I can't help you anymore than I already have...]
[...Alright...]
_____________________________
Title: Hey...
Sender: Malirant
"Good morning, Qastor,
Im sory for not bein able to talk to u teh other night. Im sure you kno already, but I lost my voice after tat incident two or some weekz ogo. By teh time you read this, I probably at the gym catchin up on some exercise. I will alos try to learn some sign language or whatever tey callz it. If you neeed any hep, dont b afraid to aks me.
PS: Pleease excuse my typin. Its not realy my thng."
Your best friend,
Malirant
Qastor grinned involuntarily while reading Malirant's e-mail. The mood of his life has changed drastically. It was... bittersweet. Times of happiness were rare all of a sudden, far and between. Qain was waiting for him, and Qastor knew it. It was the thought of what Qain had in store for him that troubled his very existence.
He sat there, alone in his quarters, his arms folded, his eyes staring into the radiance of the laptop. The room was gloomily lit by the weeping skies painted in the window. For the first time, his bed was made, crooked, but humble. His quarters consisted only of a desk, laptop, chair, and bed. Nothing else. And all of his rooms from various structures were congenial.
In the midst of getting dressed, the PVA (Private announcement, as opposed to PA, Public announcement) came on.
"Mr. Qastor, Miss Garnet requests your presence. Please sign in at the conference lobby."
"Garnet...? What could she possib..." Qastor's thoughts wandered from Garnet, to Laevaentteinn, and then to Lucifer. He then remembered that Lucifer was gone, his whereabouts unknown. He paced himself as to not keep Garnet waiting.
Qastor glimpsed about the hallways. People went about their businesses in poetic silence and motion. There was an air of intensity, and he was afraid to make a noise, but it couldn't be helped, lest he tiptoed on socks. He noticed, as he made haste to the conference lobby, that others around him were clad in sweaters and jackets, most had their hoods on despite the shelter of the ceiling. An eerie feeling scuttled about his mind as he noticed their faces hidden in the depths of the hoods. He continued on his way, rubbing his arms to warm himself at times, for the hallways were pertinaciously freezing.
"Mr. Qastor, I presume? Miss Garnet is waiting in conference room CR-05."
Qastor returned cordial thanks to the lady registrar. Upon reaching the said room, the door opened. Garnet looked up and was surprised at the sight of Qastor. She wore a rose-hued heavy sweater, with fur waving at the rims, wrist cuffs, and collar. Gentle crests of steam rolled as she breathed. Garnet-colored hair glittered long and straight against her back.
"Oh! I thought you weren't coming so..."
"You're worried about Lucifer, aren't you?" Qastor went straight to the point.
"How'd you guess?" She was a little surprised, and cocked her head a tiny bit when she spoke.
"I had a hunch."
"Well, it's really cold in there, so let's talk in the cafeteria, okay?"
Qastor nodded and led Garnet to the cafeteria. The ominous sight of isolated passersby didn't seem to bother Garnet as much as it did him.
The cafeteria wasn't as occupied as it usually was. The dome was open, however. Qastor's breakfast consisted of a scone, sandwich, and apple cider. Garnet had a cup of hot chocolate. She pressed her palms against it for warmth.
"So, what's the subject?" Qastor unwrapped a straw.
"You know Lucifer's gone, right? Do you know where?"
"Not a clue. He just disappeared into thin air... after he charged for Qa... Rey Vyn." His motions became more deliberate.
"Rey Vyn, huh... Do you know where this 'Rey Vyn' went?"
"No..." Qastor checked through his memory, and in fact, did find something. "...wait... It's... The Lost Field?"
"Lost Field...?"
"At least, that's where he said he'd be." Qastor checked his palm PC, which he had produced from his left pocket. Garnet glanced around. "How's your wound?"
"It's healed up already, and the scar is gone."
"How?"
"Reparation associated with something called 'Flesh Engineering.' They say Sphere developed it. I didn't want to go with the operation, since it's linked to Sphere and all, but I had no choice..." She took a sip of the hot chocolate.
"Hmm... Really..." Another thought made him wonder. "Say, can't your rebel force form a search party or something?"
"We... believe in a liberal order. In other words, we believe that Lucifer will find his way back. He has a lot of combat experience, both in ACs and hand-to-hand." She sounded confident.
"I see." Just then, Qastor came upon something new. His eyebrows raised, and Garnet noticed.
"What's wrong?" She blinked and sat upright.
"It's..." Qastor gasped, his eyes wide. "...a mission... from Rey Vyn..." Garnet was appalled also.
"No way... Lemme see!" Garnet snatched the palm PC from Qastor's trembling hands, his eyes still shaking in disbelief.
Mission: -
Requester: Qain
Reward: -
Summary:
"Qastor... I'm waiting for you... Bring the Children also, that is, if you know who they are already. I've uncovered the location of the Lost Field on your PC. Don't ask how I did it. Just get here and everything shall reveal itself. I know you and your comrades have personal questions concerning the past. Come here and all will be answered. If you don't come, then Lucifer's not coming back."
-END MESSAGE-
Garnet settled the palm PC down. She had questions too, but more importantly, she wanted to find Lucifer. That's all that mattered to her.
"Qastor, we have to go! Accept the mission!" Her tone was obsequious.
"It's not that simple."
"What?"
"How could Re... Qain know the answer to my past? It's just not right..."
"But... What about Lucifer!? Can't we rescue him!?"
"Who gives a damn about him...!" Qastor scoffed, his eyes narrowed. Garnet flared up.
"How could you say that!?" Garnet abruptly stood up from her chair; the hot chocolate cup almost fell over.
"I just don't want things to change anymore. What if..."
"What if what!?"
"What if whatever Qain says changes everything!?" Qastor was exasperated. "What if what he says changes how I look at life!? My outlook on life is already screwed up as it is because of Lucifer!" Qastor forced his forehead onto his hands. The entire cafeteria was absent of noise. Garnet reached for her cup.
"You have the right to believe what you want to believe, don't you?" Garnet gave Qastor one last food for thought and departed. She was right, though, and he knew it. He felt a surge of willpower. He shook his head and clenched his fists.
It was about time he took matters into his own hands.
"Wait..." Garnet stopped.