A bright flash of lightning illuminated the long hallway in front of us. I saw Shion stiffen in fear as a long rumble of thunder followed close after. But her eyes were resolute, and she pulled herself together.
"This," Allen started, his face pulling back in disgust, "is inside the Chief's soul?" I couldn't help but think the same. The hallway was cold and desolate, very much unlike the Shion I was acquainted with. But, then again, there was very likely much more to this woman than I was aware of, or possibly ever be aware of. I saw her take a deep breath, then she stepped into the dark. Slowly, we all followed her. I grimaced at the scene around me. The walls were splattered with a viscous liquid that could only be blood. It lay in pools on the floor and was even flecked on the ceiling. I felt someone press up against my side, and I looked to see MOMO edging closer to me, her eyes locked on the gory sight before her. Gently, I moved to screen the sight from her sight by placing myself between the dark pools of blood and her bright golden eyes. Suddenly, Shion stopped. Her eyes were glued on the door she now stood in front of.
"This is..." she whispered, barely audible. The small girl with auburn hair stood next to Shion, her tone dull but with a profound sense of wisdom.
"The Acute Neurosis Treatment Facility," the girl said quietly. "A place you know well." Shion nodded, ever so slightly inclining her head.
"The room... where Mom was hospitalized..."
"Yes," the girl murmured, hardly above a whisper. "A place where painful, sorrowful memories linger. I wonder..." She turned to look at Shion, her haunting eyes focusing on the young woman's face. "Can you face them...?" With that ominous note, the door to the room slid open, unprovoked. The area inside was a dark abyss, a faint hissing sound emanating from inside. MOMO involuntarily recoiled into me, and I felt my hand latch itself around her. Another bright lightning bolt engulfed the room in temporary light. I saw bodies littering the floor, their faces upturned and agape in the moments of fright before their deaths. Both MOMO and Shion gasped. The latter's eyes were focused on the figure lying in the singular bed in the room, turned away from us. She was either sleeping or...
I was jarred violently from my thoughts as the next flash of lightning shed light on a monstrosity. A hideous form, wavering, translucent, hobbled next to the woman's bed. Its mouth agape in a silent howl, the creature ambled toward the center of the large room. The slight hiss grew louder, and, from the shadows, there emerged more of these foul things. MOMO could take the sight no longer, and closed her eyes tightly, huddling close to me. I, on the other hand, could not take my eyes away from the macabre sight before me. The creatures, their invidious claws outstretched, attacked one another. A sickening sound permeated the air as the creatures began to meld together, like some sculptor's mold come to life. My brow furrowed and my mouth turn down in a disgusted frown. Shion's eyes never left the form, though she began to shake slightly.
It was then that I noticed Jr. His pupils were contracted in fear as he stared at the monster before us. Though, his eyes were clouded, as if he were not seeing what we were witnessing. But it was the most fear I had ever seen in his eyes. Slowly, he began to back away from whatever he may have been seeing, and his back met that of Shion. When this physical contact occurred, I could see Jr. snap back to real life almost instantly.
"Chief! Jr.! What's wrong with you two?! Hey! Chief?!" Allen said. Then, as if he as noticing it for the first time, his eyes locked onto the now slightly glowing form of the monsters. "Wha... What is... THAT?"
The formerly shifting mass was now taking on a solid form, though still wavering slightly. It looked to be some form of Gnosis, but there was no way I could be sure. The somber, almost sad-looking girl stepped up between Shion and Jr., her dark eyes never once leaving the Gnosis.
"You know what you must do," she whispered. "That is not the question I ask. Are you able to," she paused to look at both of them, "go through the pain for what it is you desire? You must prove now that you are ready, willing. Are you ready?" Shion looked at Jr., and his eyes caught with hers. A barely discernable head nod was exchanged between them, and that was all they needed. Without warning, the two of them leapt into the fray, taking on the hulking form of the Gnosis. Neither chaos, Allen, nor the little girl made any move to aid them. I took a step forward, ready to fight, ready to help, but I felt a sharp tug on my arm. Surprised, I turned to see MOMO, her eyes threatening to shed tears once more, staring up at my face, shaking her head.
"Don't," she said, almost fiercely. "Don't go, Ziggy." The thoughts of confusion must have showed on my face, for more tears started forming in her eyes. "Don't go after them." This time, she was pleading. "Please," her voice softened. I knelt next to her, my back to where Shion and Jr. were now engaged in fierce battle.
"Why... Why don't you want me to help them?" I asked.
"I want you to," MOMO said, her eyes swollen with tears she wouldn't let fall. "But you can't! You just can't, Ziggy!" I couldn't find the words to respond to what she had said. All I could do was stare, open-mouthed. What would have been a silence was filled with the terrifying sound of gunshot from Jr. MOMO searched my face for any sign of recognition, and when she found none, her face clouded. Luckily, chaos was nearby, and, his eyes fixed on the battle, he explained.
"They have to fight their own demons," he said in a low voice. Both of shifted our gazes to the young man, who looked gravely onto the battle. After a moment, we both looked back to each other. I understood then, and I nodded to show MOMO that I did. Without warning, she threw her arms around my neck in a tight embrace. I could feel her crying against me, her quiet sobs wracking close to my body. Slowly, almost apprehensively, I returned her embrace. She said something then, so quietly that I could only barely make out what she was saying. It was almost as if she hadn't intended for me to hear.
"Don't leave me, Ziggy," she wept. I felt my embrace on her tighten instinctively.
"I won't," I reassured her in a soft tone, "I promise."
It was as if everything around us did not matter any longer. It was just us. Nothing else but a Realian and a cyborg. I pulled her close to me, feeling the realness of her, relishing in the fact that she was here with me. Then I paused. Slowly I became aware that the creature in my hands was not MOMO or even a Realian at all. I stiffened, and, carefully, I pulled the small form away from my chest. My heart skipped a beat. His golden-hued eyes stared at mine, his dark curly hair under his stocking cap sticking out in places. This was not MOMO.
"Hi, Dad!" It said to me, a warm smile breaking over his face.
This was not even my stepson. This was...
I separated myself from the child, breathing heavily. This was a trick. The real world was suddenly throw back into my realm of vision. Where the child had sat, MOMO now sat in its place. Her face was contorted in confusion and pain. When I had thrown the imposter off of my person, I must have done so to MOMO. I felt awful then. I instantly tried to rectify my mistake.
"MOMO, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Ziggy," she interrupted me. I was aware that chaos and Allen were now torn between watching Shion and Jr.'s battle and what was now occurring between MOMO and myself. "Are you... okay?" I was aware that my chest was still rising and falling rapidly as I breathed heavily, scared by the short vision. Almost instantly, I knew who had caused it. Vehemently, I turned my eyes to the small girl with bright orange hair in the white dress. She seemed to be watching Shion's progress, but I saw that she was looking at me out of the corner of her eyes. I glared at her. How dare she?
"Yes," I told MOMO, my eyes returning to her sad form. "I'm fine now. I just thought..." I tried to find the right words. "Thought I saw something that I didn't." She stared at me, as if she were inclined to disbelieve. I exhaled loudly, expecting her not to understand what I had experienced. I then heard something akin to an explosion behind me, and I turned quickly, shoving myself from the ground in a flash. I stood, ready to take on anything. But there was nothing that needed taking care of. Shion and Jr. both stood where the monster had been, beaten, bruised and bloody. A thin line of blood trailed from the edge of Shion's mouth, and Jr.'s right eye was swollen. It was Shion that looked up from the destruction first, and a tired smile found its way onto her lips, which were coated in her own blood. Jr., on the other hand, slumped to the floor, his guns dangling loose in his hands. His breathing was labored, and he looked like he was about to be sick.
MOMO's golden eyes levitated up to catch my gaze. It was as if she was asking permission to go to him. I could feel my insides fighting with each other. I didn't wish Jr. any harm, but... Whenever he was close to MOMO... Whenever he spoke kind words to her... When he touched her shoulder back in the grove... I had an inexplicable feeling that I wanted nothing more than to extricate him forcibly from her. But the look in her eyes then persuaded me. Against my wishes, I nodded. MOMO broke from my side and dashed to where Jr. sat exhausted on the floor. Just as she was about to reach him, everything went black.
There was nothing but inky blackness surrounding me. I panicked. I reached out in the dark, trying to find MOMO. But I could not find her. Then, from the darkness, came the screams of Shion and Jr. My heart went into my throat. Good Lord... What in the name of Hell was going on? Before I could wonder any longer, it was light again. I shielded my eyes from the sudden change in lighting. I was relieved to see everyone was still together... Including that auburn-haired girl.
Her gaze shifted from Shion, to Jr., to MOMO... then to me. She fixed her strange eyes on me, and I just glared back. I did not know if what she was doing was for good or ill, but I could not forgive her for such a trick. To make me think my boy was in my arms, making me toss MOMO away like a rag doll... That girl looked like an angel, but the aura that surrounded her brought me nothing but fear and distrust.
I had no idea what to think of her... And we were at her mercy...
"This," Allen started, his face pulling back in disgust, "is inside the Chief's soul?" I couldn't help but think the same. The hallway was cold and desolate, very much unlike the Shion I was acquainted with. But, then again, there was very likely much more to this woman than I was aware of, or possibly ever be aware of. I saw her take a deep breath, then she stepped into the dark. Slowly, we all followed her. I grimaced at the scene around me. The walls were splattered with a viscous liquid that could only be blood. It lay in pools on the floor and was even flecked on the ceiling. I felt someone press up against my side, and I looked to see MOMO edging closer to me, her eyes locked on the gory sight before her. Gently, I moved to screen the sight from her sight by placing myself between the dark pools of blood and her bright golden eyes. Suddenly, Shion stopped. Her eyes were glued on the door she now stood in front of.
"This is..." she whispered, barely audible. The small girl with auburn hair stood next to Shion, her tone dull but with a profound sense of wisdom.
"The Acute Neurosis Treatment Facility," the girl said quietly. "A place you know well." Shion nodded, ever so slightly inclining her head.
"The room... where Mom was hospitalized..."
"Yes," the girl murmured, hardly above a whisper. "A place where painful, sorrowful memories linger. I wonder..." She turned to look at Shion, her haunting eyes focusing on the young woman's face. "Can you face them...?" With that ominous note, the door to the room slid open, unprovoked. The area inside was a dark abyss, a faint hissing sound emanating from inside. MOMO involuntarily recoiled into me, and I felt my hand latch itself around her. Another bright lightning bolt engulfed the room in temporary light. I saw bodies littering the floor, their faces upturned and agape in the moments of fright before their deaths. Both MOMO and Shion gasped. The latter's eyes were focused on the figure lying in the singular bed in the room, turned away from us. She was either sleeping or...
I was jarred violently from my thoughts as the next flash of lightning shed light on a monstrosity. A hideous form, wavering, translucent, hobbled next to the woman's bed. Its mouth agape in a silent howl, the creature ambled toward the center of the large room. The slight hiss grew louder, and, from the shadows, there emerged more of these foul things. MOMO could take the sight no longer, and closed her eyes tightly, huddling close to me. I, on the other hand, could not take my eyes away from the macabre sight before me. The creatures, their invidious claws outstretched, attacked one another. A sickening sound permeated the air as the creatures began to meld together, like some sculptor's mold come to life. My brow furrowed and my mouth turn down in a disgusted frown. Shion's eyes never left the form, though she began to shake slightly.
It was then that I noticed Jr. His pupils were contracted in fear as he stared at the monster before us. Though, his eyes were clouded, as if he were not seeing what we were witnessing. But it was the most fear I had ever seen in his eyes. Slowly, he began to back away from whatever he may have been seeing, and his back met that of Shion. When this physical contact occurred, I could see Jr. snap back to real life almost instantly.
"Chief! Jr.! What's wrong with you two?! Hey! Chief?!" Allen said. Then, as if he as noticing it for the first time, his eyes locked onto the now slightly glowing form of the monsters. "Wha... What is... THAT?"
The formerly shifting mass was now taking on a solid form, though still wavering slightly. It looked to be some form of Gnosis, but there was no way I could be sure. The somber, almost sad-looking girl stepped up between Shion and Jr., her dark eyes never once leaving the Gnosis.
"You know what you must do," she whispered. "That is not the question I ask. Are you able to," she paused to look at both of them, "go through the pain for what it is you desire? You must prove now that you are ready, willing. Are you ready?" Shion looked at Jr., and his eyes caught with hers. A barely discernable head nod was exchanged between them, and that was all they needed. Without warning, the two of them leapt into the fray, taking on the hulking form of the Gnosis. Neither chaos, Allen, nor the little girl made any move to aid them. I took a step forward, ready to fight, ready to help, but I felt a sharp tug on my arm. Surprised, I turned to see MOMO, her eyes threatening to shed tears once more, staring up at my face, shaking her head.
"Don't," she said, almost fiercely. "Don't go, Ziggy." The thoughts of confusion must have showed on my face, for more tears started forming in her eyes. "Don't go after them." This time, she was pleading. "Please," her voice softened. I knelt next to her, my back to where Shion and Jr. were now engaged in fierce battle.
"Why... Why don't you want me to help them?" I asked.
"I want you to," MOMO said, her eyes swollen with tears she wouldn't let fall. "But you can't! You just can't, Ziggy!" I couldn't find the words to respond to what she had said. All I could do was stare, open-mouthed. What would have been a silence was filled with the terrifying sound of gunshot from Jr. MOMO searched my face for any sign of recognition, and when she found none, her face clouded. Luckily, chaos was nearby, and, his eyes fixed on the battle, he explained.
"They have to fight their own demons," he said in a low voice. Both of shifted our gazes to the young man, who looked gravely onto the battle. After a moment, we both looked back to each other. I understood then, and I nodded to show MOMO that I did. Without warning, she threw her arms around my neck in a tight embrace. I could feel her crying against me, her quiet sobs wracking close to my body. Slowly, almost apprehensively, I returned her embrace. She said something then, so quietly that I could only barely make out what she was saying. It was almost as if she hadn't intended for me to hear.
"Don't leave me, Ziggy," she wept. I felt my embrace on her tighten instinctively.
"I won't," I reassured her in a soft tone, "I promise."
It was as if everything around us did not matter any longer. It was just us. Nothing else but a Realian and a cyborg. I pulled her close to me, feeling the realness of her, relishing in the fact that she was here with me. Then I paused. Slowly I became aware that the creature in my hands was not MOMO or even a Realian at all. I stiffened, and, carefully, I pulled the small form away from my chest. My heart skipped a beat. His golden-hued eyes stared at mine, his dark curly hair under his stocking cap sticking out in places. This was not MOMO.
"Hi, Dad!" It said to me, a warm smile breaking over his face.
This was not even my stepson. This was...
I separated myself from the child, breathing heavily. This was a trick. The real world was suddenly throw back into my realm of vision. Where the child had sat, MOMO now sat in its place. Her face was contorted in confusion and pain. When I had thrown the imposter off of my person, I must have done so to MOMO. I felt awful then. I instantly tried to rectify my mistake.
"MOMO, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Ziggy," she interrupted me. I was aware that chaos and Allen were now torn between watching Shion and Jr.'s battle and what was now occurring between MOMO and myself. "Are you... okay?" I was aware that my chest was still rising and falling rapidly as I breathed heavily, scared by the short vision. Almost instantly, I knew who had caused it. Vehemently, I turned my eyes to the small girl with bright orange hair in the white dress. She seemed to be watching Shion's progress, but I saw that she was looking at me out of the corner of her eyes. I glared at her. How dare she?
"Yes," I told MOMO, my eyes returning to her sad form. "I'm fine now. I just thought..." I tried to find the right words. "Thought I saw something that I didn't." She stared at me, as if she were inclined to disbelieve. I exhaled loudly, expecting her not to understand what I had experienced. I then heard something akin to an explosion behind me, and I turned quickly, shoving myself from the ground in a flash. I stood, ready to take on anything. But there was nothing that needed taking care of. Shion and Jr. both stood where the monster had been, beaten, bruised and bloody. A thin line of blood trailed from the edge of Shion's mouth, and Jr.'s right eye was swollen. It was Shion that looked up from the destruction first, and a tired smile found its way onto her lips, which were coated in her own blood. Jr., on the other hand, slumped to the floor, his guns dangling loose in his hands. His breathing was labored, and he looked like he was about to be sick.
MOMO's golden eyes levitated up to catch my gaze. It was as if she was asking permission to go to him. I could feel my insides fighting with each other. I didn't wish Jr. any harm, but... Whenever he was close to MOMO... Whenever he spoke kind words to her... When he touched her shoulder back in the grove... I had an inexplicable feeling that I wanted nothing more than to extricate him forcibly from her. But the look in her eyes then persuaded me. Against my wishes, I nodded. MOMO broke from my side and dashed to where Jr. sat exhausted on the floor. Just as she was about to reach him, everything went black.
There was nothing but inky blackness surrounding me. I panicked. I reached out in the dark, trying to find MOMO. But I could not find her. Then, from the darkness, came the screams of Shion and Jr. My heart went into my throat. Good Lord... What in the name of Hell was going on? Before I could wonder any longer, it was light again. I shielded my eyes from the sudden change in lighting. I was relieved to see everyone was still together... Including that auburn-haired girl.
Her gaze shifted from Shion, to Jr., to MOMO... then to me. She fixed her strange eyes on me, and I just glared back. I did not know if what she was doing was for good or ill, but I could not forgive her for such a trick. To make me think my boy was in my arms, making me toss MOMO away like a rag doll... That girl looked like an angel, but the aura that surrounded her brought me nothing but fear and distrust.
I had no idea what to think of her... And we were at her mercy...