Story by Mikaa
Characters by Camelot and Nintendo
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or world presented in this story (the rightful owners are Nintendo and Camelot).
Warning: This story is rated T for Teen, primarily for violence and descriptive gore, with mild language thrown in. You have been warned.
Chapter 10 - Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
Within the small room that was her room, Sheba let out a soft sigh. Before her involvment in the events that would lead to the "saving" of the world, Sheba would have thought that a woman throwing men into walls, flying rocks attacking impossibly powerful, indecent women, and hated enemies being defended by trusted allies, she would have thought all a joke. Or a page out of an old story book. To top off the dark humor the day had started with, now she was packing a few things to begin looking for Mia's body.
Still, the events had occured, and it was small suprise that everyone took it all calmly, especially what Vale had been through in the last few months. Sheba was quite glad that everyone was not in a panic (everyone excluding Garet, of course), which made trying to sort out things all the easier.
For one thing, Isaac. Having been told with indisputable proof that his own mother had been killed by Alex (along with two others, no less), he had defended him. Defended ALEX. Actually said that no one was to touch the much-hated Mercurian. Thankfully, Kyle was keeping his feelings quiet, but even Garet would be able to tell he was in a hot rage.
An hour ago, the meeting had broken up, where notes were compared as to what each saw, and as usual, Sheba took careful note of not only what people said (and did not say), but also what their stances were, how they looked around, and how they reacted. It was quite as she would have expected, with a few notable exceptions:
Garet was Garet, yet again attacking Alex with his every word. The meeting might have been over a full hour earlier if not for the moron.
Jenna was also somewhat predictable, but there was something in her eyes when the subject of Isaac and Mia came up. Maybe it was pity for Isaac. Or was it confusion that he was protecting Alex, and thus a subject of Garet's rage? In Sheba's experiance, it was hard to tell; the female Martian changed opinons faster than Garet's responses to Alex.
Ivan and Picard were not at the meeting, though she had sensed a puzzlement about them. They had a few thoughts themselves, but they heard the murmors with the villagers, and the biggest topic was that Isaac defended the so-called "Vale Killer."
Kyle was at the meeting, and was quite calm about it, as though something told him that his son knew what he was doing. Sheba hardly knew the man, but sensed that there was trust in his eyes when it came to his son.
Alex was very easy to figure out. Every sentence resulted in his jumping, either from expecting Garet to break his neck, or for Isaac to abruptly snap it himself. He did seem to pay unusual attention to Isaac, as though trying to find something. Odd though the thought was, Sheba knew such a glance from experiance.
Isaac himself was quite puzzling. His eyes went from cool rage, to warm pity, to sorrow, to anger, to hopeful. It was hard to figure, and Sheba knew she had never seen such a wide range of emotions in a person before, at least not in such a rapid pace. Given a chance to be able to discuss recent events with him, maybe she would figure it out.
Felix, though, was a hard one for Sheba to think about. Having personal feelings for him, the abrupt coldness in his eyes and attitude caught her off guard. From being caring and warm early that morning to cold and emotionless right after mid-day. It made no sense!
A tap on her door, and a light brush against her mind. Without stopping her packing, she mentally poked back at Ivan. Ever since their allying up at Contigo, Ivan and Felix had entered into a friendly rivalry for her affection, neither one with much luck. Sheba cared for both men, and each one held a place in her heart. Ivan was able to reach into her mind and hear her own thoughts, and she could do the same. Ironically, to an extent, Felix could do the same, though the intimacy of sharing thoughts was not as prevelant.
"I heard that you'll be going with Isaac and Alex to find if Mia's body vanished."
She noted that he did not say Felix, and knew he knew that she knew he omitted it. It was becoming a running joke that he would not say Felix's name when he mentioned a group. Turning to face him, she let a slight smile cover her face, "Isaac and Felix are convinced that she walked off somewhere when the light bathed everything. Can't say I blame them."
A frown covered his face, and the thought of something negative of Felix entered the air. Not one of rivalry or love, but a more negative thought. "Sheba, don't take this the wrong way, but did you notice..."
"...that Felix changed his demenor since this morning? Yeah, I noticed too. I haven't had a chance to ask him." A pause; she wondered if she would get a chance to chat with him, even with the trip.
"Who all is going on this hunt anyway?"
"Isaac wants to bring Alex, and Felix is following to keep an eye on Alex. Garet hasn't decided if he is tagging along, and I'm going as well." She let a soft smile on her face show: "You can come if you want."
Ivan had a puzzled look on his face: "Did you notice that Felix hasn't let Alex out of his sight since this morning? Not even to eat?"
Sheba froze; she had noticed. "I haven't any idea why. Maybe he's trying to hide his feelings about Dora's death. She did help raise him, after all."
"Wait, you don't know why he's like that?"
Sheba stared at Ivan, wondering if he was suddenly launching into a rare jealousy mood; he never passed a chance to poke at Felix for not being able to sense thoughts. But there was something in his tone.
"No. It's like his mind has all sorts of new wards and blocks up."
"Great." Ivan gave her a dark smile, "Could it get any more complicated?"
That was when the abrupt sound of people running caught their attention.
End of Chapter