Commence the twist and turns. Enjoy.
Chapter 5
After two weeks, Teresa actually began to rest at night. Before she had dozed, completely aware of the silver-eyed woman's movements. Clare remained on her best behavior, however. She needed Teresa to trust her. Little Clare embraced her counterpart fully though. She seemed so gullible and helpful…Clare couldn't believe that was her - that she had ever been, well, emotional. Clare took especial care to look after her younger self…by doing so Teresa respected the Claymore.
Once Clare heard the deep breathing of her mentor, her body relaxed. Just for a moment she didn't have to worry about prying eyes. She waited another hour. Bats hummed and bugs buzzed in her ears. She sighed as the rhythm almost lured her into a slumber.
Stretching her legs onto the ground, she rolled her shoulders and neck. Each joint cracked. She smirked with satisfaction. For so long, she had refused to show Teresa her
power. Clare needed to train. She felt useless and lazy without the strain.
Of course, they had kept moving…fleeing from the Organization. Clare purposely led them on a different path than the one she took years ago. They trailed all day with Clare and Teresa carrying the luggage. The child did her best just to keep up.
Clare stood with a catlike stretch. She stalked through the surrounding woods far enough to avoid suspicion. Rarely did they remain in a village anymore. Clare expressed a true paranoia for such exposure. She tried to avoid any situation which would harm either Teresa or her pet. Clare didn't even think of the child as herself, not really. She thought of the child as a different being altogether, something completely divided from herself (almost like some unnaturally asexually produced organism). Clare shuddered every time she accidentally called the kid me.
A few practice swings. She tested her strength on a broad tree. Soon, the strikes escalated. Her arm - a mere blur - chopped expertly. She loved the Wind Cutter technique. So simple and less of a strain than the Quick Sword. For a moment, Clare forgot where she was…when she was. She forgot control. In the Alphonse lands, she could express her strength without limitations. She could practice as long as she refrained from using her yoki. Faster, faster she sliced the trees, and at such a rapid speed that she didn't even notice the presence watching her.
Soon Clare began sparring against an invisible sword. A playful smile lit her face up. She waved her sword, mute swords clashing. Clare could hear them though. For five years, she and the other girls had fun only by sparring. She loved a good fight. She parried and sidestepped and pounced side-to-side. She released her pent up energy. She even muttered taunts, "Ha, ha, is that all you've got, Miria?"
Ironically with her entire body engaged in a pretend fight, her senses didn't pick up a warrior behind her until a sword gently prodded her back, only a slight clip, but enough to grapple Clare's attention. Alarm rippled through her spine. Her head turned before she leapt just enough to catch a glimpse of Teresa's smile.
At first, Clare worried that Teresa would scold her, but Teresa kept smiling. Clare could see the chance for a real match.
Teresa stood silently beckoning the girl to attack. A light grin fell on Clare's face. She'd been itching for some action.
They're swords clashed and clanged. Neither put forth much effort, but both dodged enough to sweat. Clare's mind drifted as she fought against her idol. Tragedy surrounded this woman. Clare ended up watching Teresa's hair flow rather than the sword thrusting at her. The sword caught Clare's leather suit. Strangely the strike didn't faze the warrior. She smiled, however, up at the older woman. "You'll always be stronger than me. Always wished I could be as strong as you." Of course, Clare's words only raised Teresa's curiosity further about her. Clare laid on the grass. Her eyes floated to the starry dome.
Teresa decided to demolish the silence, "You said this was time travel. Does that mean you can go forward or backward? You could change everything…don't you have some regrets. You could fix everything."
Clare sighed. Yes, she held many regrets. However, she only prodded back, "Don't you have regrets? I can help you. I could even show you the future. Maybe if you saw the future…my future…you could make a more…informed decision about the Organization. I wish you knew everything. I don't know if it's worth the manipulation to remain loyal, but I do know it's much easier to comply. They'll hunt you down, me down."
Clare had refrained from talking about this in front of the girl, but now she couldn't stop herself. She needed to confront Teresa about her decision. Clare had thought about it more. She needed Teresa to stay alive. She knew the best chance would be to realign with Rubel and the others. "At least you would be safe."
Instantly her argument incited Teresa, "Safe! Safe, hell no…nothing about the Organization is safe. Perhaps you are insane. Insane for trying to save me. You don't make sense at all." Teresa kneeled down beside Clare's still form. Clare didn't even breathe for fear of seeming vulnerable. "I need to know what drives you. Why do you care?" Teresa sounded strangely desperate. Her cocky manner dissipated without a true opponent to face. Concern turned her into a mother. She hated when she did this, but she needed to know. Clare didn't answer though.
She didn't even attempt to. She knew the truth. Of course, she knew, but she couldn't explain everything without screwing her alias or plans. In order to deflect the question, she did roll onto her side. Teresa spoke again only now to Clare's back, "Then, show me the future. Show me Clare. I need to know how this all affects her." Clare sighed. Sure, she could easily show Teresa the effects. Quite easily, but even she wondered what the alterations would do to the future.
In a muffled tone, Clare responded, "Y-yeah, I could try that. I'm curious too. When?" Teresa smiled…when did she ever quit?
"As soon as Clare wakes." She sounded confident again. Good. Clare needed the confident Teresa to face the future. For the next few hours of waiting, Clare withdrew from Teresa.
Occasionally Teresa would glance at the younger warrior. Just before little Clare began to squirm from the intruding sun, Teresa announced to Clare, "If…if nothing gets better with the changes. If Clare doesn't live, I want you to go back and stop yourself. I don't want live at Clare's expense. Promise me."
Clare's dead eyes scrutinized Teresa's bright silver eyes. "Never." Teresa's mouth gaped to argue, but Clare walked away abruptly.
Clare called out without looking back, "Come find me when Clare wakes." She continued on with frustration in each step. She left Teresa alone to think about every angle, every consequence.
An hour after daylight, Teresa led little Clare through the forest toward the faint yoki she could sense. Clare intentionally released enough energy to lure the duo along. Clare could hear Teresa explaining about the trip. Her voice sounded eerie as it flowed with the breeze, "We're just going to check on the changes. 47 will tell us what the differences are. If I don't think they're good, we'll try again. Ok, Clare. I'll take care of you."
Little Clare's voice immediately relied, "I know, Teresa." Teresa would always take care Clare to the best of capabilities. Teresa had protected Clare until her death. Clare shook her head and tried to ignore the child. Often she ignored reality…just to sink back to her old cold mindset. It's so much easier to withdraw.
Teresa spoke louder to attract 47's attention, "Here we are." Now, Teresa called her 47 instead of girl or warrior. Clare still refused to reveal her identity. Clare didn't speak to them or acknowledge them. She simply stood and held the device out to them. Half of her wanted to stay-and half of her really needed to know what the future was like. Her hand trembled slightly as the anxiousness eroded her courage.
Cautiously Teresa and the child touched the metallic trinket. "Clear your minds. I'll bring us where we need to be." Suddenly the sky turned black. They're eyes lost focus; they're stomachs churned painfully.
The girls landed on their stomachs. A haze overcome them, but Clare and Teresa regained enough strength to glance around. After a recovering moment, all realized they were lying in snow. They're hands crunched the snow, slowly melting the terrain. Clare ominously declare, "We're in Pieta."