"Welcome. Nice to meet you all. I wish it were under better circumstances."
Cynthia's heart sank at the girl's refusal to look up. She couldn't blame them of course. She knew how it felt.
When she'd been recruited however, she at least looked up.In her case, that was at least partially because she feared what the man in black might do if she turned away.
She'd volunteered to do the introductions to give the kids an easier time. Much to her chagrin, she didn't appear to be making success with the traumatized children.
"I know you've all had a really rough time. I know that feeling. Losing your parents will do that to you."
They all stared up at her. She flushed red.
"Sorry, that sounded… Uh…."
Don't linger too long on a mistake. Move on.
"Well, anyway, you have a chance for a new life. A chance to start over. This does not have to be the end. Where you go and what you do is up to you. From this moment of despair, comes this slight spark of hope."
Goddess, she was cringing inside at herself. Why couldn't the organization teach her how to give speeches?
"What I mean by that is you get to decide where you end up. What kind of life you want to live."
She saw the children look at each other with confusion.
"I think we should be honest with each other. Your lives up until this point haven't been great. I've heard some of you whisper to yourselves. Many of you thought your city a pile of refuse that deserved obliteration. A prison from which there was no escape."
She couldn't believe she'd just said that. It was so unlike her.
"Sorry. I don't know- I mean. Look I don't- "
She was getting some very strange looks from these kids. She had to salvage this.
"Right, so. Um…. "
She held her breath until her face turned red. Were these kids smirking? At what? Her? How could they find anything amusing at this moment?
"You get a choice. There are places for orphans. The lost. The damaged."
The lost? The damaged? What was with her today? Could she really not come up with better phrases?
Shit. The kids really looked confused.
"You can have a mostly normal life. We can find a new home for you. Somewhere better."
"Why couldn't we have a better life before the monsters destroyed our lives? Why did we need the near-death experience before the federation decided to lend us scraps?"
Cynthia stared at the masculine-looking girl (Rachel, was it?). She hated really good questions. How could she respond to that after all? What possible excuse could the federation or organization or anyone offer for the suffering these kids and every other resident of that decrepit town had endured? How could they claim to be a force of good when they let so many starve?
"I don't know. I'm sorry. If it were up to me…. Well, it's not. I'm just a small cog in a very big machine. I'm sorry that I can't explain your past. I can only offer you a better future."
Rachel guffawed, startling everyone in the ship.
"A better future? Really? You mean as monster hunters?"
"I didn't say- "
"You don't have to. It's clear what you want. Why you're here."
Cynthia bit her lip. She hated arguing with kids. Often because they were right.
"That might be what the organization wants. What I want is as I said for you to have a better future. Where you go and end up is your decision. None of you need to fight if you don't want."
"Sure. Our decision. Like you haven't already decided for us."
The girls were whispering amongst themselves. Only the girl she thought was named Audrey seemed unbothered.
"We haven't decided for you! I promise if you don't want to become a claymore, you don't have to."
"BUT IT'S YOUR DUTY!"
Everyone jumped out of their skins as another warrior walked in. Her eyes wide with passion and anger.
"Priscilla," Cynthia stammered out between her attempts to catch her breath. "What are you doing here? You weren't registered for this- "
"You think I would ignore this? The pain and agony of these children? This crisis? And you think I would just let you turn them away from the path of destiny? Away from purpose?"
Cynthia looked at the children who suddenly were very invested. They jolted back in their seats as Priscilla looked their way with wide crazy.
"Future sisters. I know the pain you have experienced. I know the fear and temptation you feel to hide away from the world. To drown in despair. I say to you." She paused and inhaled.
"YOU MUST FIGHT THAT URGE! YOU MUST RISE TO THE OCCASION! DEFY YOUR ROLE AS PREY! AS ANOTHER FEAST FOR THE FORCES OF EVIL!"
Shit this was getting out of hand. Calm her down. Somehow.
"Priscilla. Let's not frighten them. Why don't we go sit down somewhere and discuss- "
"NO! WE MUST FIRGHTEN THEM! THERE'S NO HIDING FROM THE TRUTH! THE AWFUL MISERY OF OUR EXISTENCE!"
"Priscilla, your aura is off the charts! You need to calm down!"
"You will die. All of you."
All the kid's faces turned white, save Audrey.
"This is the world we inherit. You are either predator or prey. A warrior or a weakling. You can either live and die with purpose. Or just die."
Some of the girls began crying. Others stared fascinated at this surreal scene that seemed like it belonged more in a soap opera.
"Priscilla," Cynthia said angrily "That's enough!"
Priscilla's eyes had turned yellow in the heat of it all. The air around her began to crackle.
"YOU CANNOT BE COMPLACENT! YOU CANNOT YIELD! YOU MUST ALWAYS FIGHT! ALWAYS STRUGGLE SO THAT OTHERS NEED NOT! YOU MUST GIVE IT YOUR ALL! OR YOU WILL LOSE IT ALL! YOU WILL- "
They didn't hear the sentence's end because the woman started hyperventilating. Cynthia walked up behind and rubbed her back while making soft reassuring comments to calm her down
"I think that's enough stimulation for you kids today. Why don't you sleep on it? We can make decisions when we arrive."
"Arrive where," Rachel asked.
Cynthia didn't respond, being too busy with guiding the unstable woman out. She left the stunned children sitting alone with each other.
Behind them out of the porthole window, they saw their former home planet shrinking into the distance. All assembled wondered whether they'd ever see it again.
A strange conclusion to an already strange day. The worst of their lives.
So far.
….
"How do you all feel," Audrey asked the girls huddled around her.
"How do we feel about what," The girl Nike asked. "About our lives at the moment? The deaths of everyone we loved and hated? Our own near brush with death? The crazy hot chick screaming about us dying?"
"All of it I suppose."
"How do you feel about it," Nike asked in response. "You seem awfully calm about all this."
"I've seen my share of troubles. Even before this day."
"Oh, so for us it's the worst day of our lives. But for you it's Tuesday, is that it?"
"Well, no. It's just I'm stronger. Strong enough to- "
"Oh, so we're not strong? We're weaklings? Inferior?"
"Well, yes technically. I mean none of you could stand up against- "
She stopped. She could tears welling up in some of their eyes.
"I mean. Goddess, this is so hard. I mean. Only that…"
"That we're weak," Rachel finished.
"I just said that is not what I meant."
"But it is. And you're right. We are weak. We've always been weak. All that time in that city and you think we would have learned something about strength. But no. Nothing."
"I see," Nike said. "Actually, I don't. What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I'm too weak to be of use to myself or anyone. So, what do you think I'm saying?"
Silence around the room.
"Uh, that you need to eat more?" Rachel stared at Nike.
"How in the universe did you get that takeaway? I'm saying I'm leaning towards taking their stupid offer."
More silence.
"And by they, you mean…?"
"Who else? The organization or whatever they're called. It's not like they're giving us a choice."
The street rat, Clarice, or something, spoke up.
"I thought that lady offered us a choice."
"You don't really believe that do you? Please. Bet they've got cameras in here and are looking for ways to pull at our sympathies. Play us for suckers. Well, if there's no choice, then at least I'm going to make my own. I'm taking it."
"Wait," Nike said. "That doesn't make sense. If there's no choice, how can you make your own?"
"Are you seriously trying to use logic on me? You?"
"Excuse me? Are you implying I'm dumb?"
"Well, if I were, it wouldn't be the worst observation, would it?"
"Oh really? As I recall, you ran off into the city alone while making a ruckus. That doesn't sound very smart to me."
"That was to save you, idiot! They were going to find us, so I led them away so you stood a chance at survival! You're welcome!"
"Well, excuse me! That was not entirely obvious at the time with all the shit going on!"
"Right, not to you. Because you're stupid!"
"At least I'm not ugly, manly girl!"
"Manly girl? MANLY GIRL!? Say that again you little- "
"Enough!"
The rich girl Dietrich finally spoke up after a long silence. Everyone was a little stunned to hear her break it.
"Please. No fighting. I've seen enough for one day. Let's just make our decisions and go our own ways."
"And what will be your way," Audrey asked.
The girl pursed her lips in contemplation for a minute or two.
"I too will join the organization."
"This isn't because it's what your father wanted is it," Clarice asked meekly.
"Woah!" Nike jumped in the air. "I honestly forgot you were here girl!"
"It's ok. I'm pretty forgettable."
"It's not because of him," Dietrich responded. Though something about her tone sounded unconvincing. "I simply have nowhere else to go."
"In that case, I'll come too," Clarice said. "I mean I'm gonna die anyway. Might as well give my life for a worthwhile cause."
"It seems the winds are blowing a certain direction," the girl named Anastasia spoke up.
"What in the goddess's name does that mean," Nike asked.
"It means I too will join."
Nike looked around and sighed.
"Fine. I'll go too. Really, it's because I'm afraid of what that Priscilla chick might do to me if I say no."
"So, we're all in agreement, then" Audrey confirmed. "We've all seen destiny reach out its hand and taken it into our own?"
"Wait. What? what did you just say," Nike asked.
"I mean we're all fine with this decision? To become child soldiers? To devote our lives to the betterment of others at the cost of our own?"
The girls looked around for any signs of cold feet. Of backing out. No signs. Not on the surface anyway.
"Perfect. Then let sleep take us. Empty our thoughts of all doubts and for a brief moment find peace within the inner subconscious of our souls. And when we awake, I will inform them of our decision and we can all embrace the future without doubt together."
"What. The. Fuck," Nike stated more than asked. "Can you people please use common English?"
….
And that was how they each found themselves in a white room strapped to a bed. Surrounded by numerous folks in doctor's outfits
Audrey had volunteered to be the first. Right out of the gate in fact. As in, the moment she stepped down from the shuttle, she literally raised her hand in the air and said she would go first.
The science freaks seemed surprised but didn't fight her decision. They actually seemed impressed by her resolve.
Hence, she now found herself in her current situation.
She'd been trained to fight for some time before she ventured to that city. But she'd done so as a mere human with no enhancements. Not even blood from her father to aid. Nothing that could alert the men in black to her up bringing.
She'd been told how the process would work. The pain to expect. She'd only been released when they were sure she could take it.
So why did she lie here drowning in fear as the knives came for her?
"Fear has no place amongst our kind. It is a weakness inherit to the flesh. One we must fight against. One we must best. A constant test of strength. If we lose it, we lose the right to live. To exert our will on the weak. The unworthy."
His hand cupped her chin and he lifted her to meet his.
"Your sister forgot that lesson. Let her fear control her. She lost her way. You must not let such weakness get the better of you. You're not that weak, are you?"
No, she thought. Or rather, tried to reassure herself. I am not afraid.
That fell apart rather quickly when the needle pierced her flesh.
She screamed. Goddess help her. She screamed. Like a little girl. Which technically she was.
But that was not how she was raised. Not how she was meant to be. She'd been trained for this moment as a warrior. A weapon in human form. She did not know pain or fear.
Then why was she? Why was she screaming? Why was she crying out for release? Why was she grabbing the arm of a nearby doctor?
"Shit! The anesthesia isn't working! Get her some now!"
She heard movement. Hard to make out from where with the agony overriding her senses.
"There we go. We've got it in. Just take deep breaths. We'll get you going."
She passed out at that moment. An effect of the anesthesia.
Wait, anesthesia? They didn't give them drugs. Not ever. Why would they-
The next thing she knew, she lost consciousness and woke up again in the same bed.
"Rise and shine miss… Audrey? I don't actually have access to your full name."
"What… happened? Am I…"
"One of them? Yeah. You most definitely are. Congratulations."
The girl saw a mirror wielded her way as she looked up from her place on the bed. That's when she saw the silver eyes. The pale hair.
"So, I finally grab hold of my destiny."
"Right. Sure. Whatever you say. How you feeling kiddo?"
"…. Different."
"I suppose that's… True. Are you hurting at all?"
"Somewhat stiff. But nothing significant. Why did you give me drugs?"
"Well, it's part of the agreement the organization had to make with the federation. Some of their practices were deemed…. Inhumane. Such as experimentation on fully awake little girls."
"What? But that defeats the purpose! The pain separates the weak from the strong! How can we expect the best of our warriors if they can't take a little pain?"
"Huh. I guess there's some logic in that. Still not sure why you'd want to go through it. I mean, this way there's more warriors to fight, right?"
Audrey didn't respond. Her mind at this moment could only focus on what her father would say when he learned of this disgrace. He always looked for any excuse he could to demoralize her.
So, she found herself now standing in a row of numerous pale-haired girls. All were at least teenagers from what she could see. She'd heard about one of the new rules implemented by the federation. All recruits had to at least be thirteen. By which point they had at least some time to come into their own. Apparently, this particular part of the deal had caused some division between the two massive entities. One major complaint on the organization's side had been that this move would limit recruits.
However, looking about, it appeared the opposite had occurred. The auditorium was packed. Rows and rows of children staring at the stage and waiting for an introduction speech. They had also raised the maximum number from 47 to… Well seemingly endless.
They planned for bigger groups that could watch each other's back. Give them the kind of safety nets regular soldiers had.
Audrey frowned. Such nets limited their potential. Hand-holding prevented growth and access to danger. Without which they remained stagnate and cowardly. The old warriors had few to rely on but themselves. That bred strength. Who was the federation trying to protect? People or the soldiers?
"Welcome, one and all! My name is Admiral Castor Dane of the galactic Federation! May I welcome the 600th generation of the organization warriors and the first generation of our unity!"
A few claps were heard around the audience but otherwise silence was the only response. Apparently traumatized teenagers weren't the best attendees.
"Everyone here has suffered and lost in recent times. Therefore, your decision to- "
Audrey tuned it out. None of his words mattered. Only the reaction of the new generation.
Initial opinions as she looked about were not positive. She saw tears flowing down many cheeks. Others seemed detached and not focused on the glorious goal before them.
If the future of the galaxy rested on this lot's shoulders, she feared for it.
She could only imagine what her father would think.
Not all though. For instance, that girl Rachel had shown some fire in her. Maybe she could perform under pressure.
She placed a hand on her own chest. Trying to acknowledge how different her own body felt.
Would she be able to handle the pressure?
….
"This feels weird," Rachel said. "I don't know how to describe it. I mean I guess the best way is I feel a lot more."
"A lot more," Nike asked. "What the hell does that mean?"
"Perhaps the better word is sense," the girl Anastasia said. "It's like we've got new senses. Or they're expanded. I can see and hear things I never could before."
"Yeah," Rachel agreed. "But I also feel sick. Like I want to…"
She trailed off and vomited. Nearby girls shrieked and ran clear.
"Wusses, Nike yelled after them. "How you gonna kill monsters if you can't handle some bodily fluids?"
"Wise words," Audrey said leaning up against the nearby wall. "A little toughness is necessary."
"Hey," Rachel said nervously, while rubbing the back of her head. "You look good like that, you know."
"I don't know. What do you mean?"
"Uh..." Rachel thought it over while trying to ignore Nike's smug grin.
"I just mean that you looked like you could handle yourself back in town. You were already a warrior even before you got those eyes. It's not adding anything that wasn't there."
She raised her eyebrows.
"Sorry, I mean. Uh… I mean. You know what I mean right? Ok, let me start again- "
"What's this? I thought boys weren't allowed in the ranks."
Rachel breathed in deep and turned to the grinning trolls.
"They needed someone with some balls to sort you sissies out. They're not impressed with you."
One of them smirked
"We've got a funny one here. They're not too impressed with funny ones either, you know."
"They will be once I kick serious amounts of monster ass."
"Cocky," the other girl said stepping closer. "I wonder. Have you ever been in a real fight before?"
"Sure. Can't tell you how many adults I've knocked down seeking a good time with me."
Audrey bit her lip against her own judgement. She should let this woman fight her own battles. But on the other hand, winning allies early on might make them more open to her beliefs. Her goals. Hence, she walked to take her place at Rachel's side.
"Well, I'm afraid that doesn't- Excuse me," the bigger girl said addressing Audrey. "Do you mind? We're having a conversation here. None of your business."
Maybe it was a good idea to do this after all, Audrey decided. Instill some respect into the rookies. She let her aura flow out freely. The girls took several steps back in fear.
"Woah. That's- "Their eyes flicked to Rachel who grinned back savagely.
"You know what? We can catch up later. Toddles."
As the girls walked away, Rachel turned to Audrey. Failing to hide her own nervous smile.
"Hey, not that I don't appreciate you sticking up. But I totally had that."
"Sure, you did. But I had to assert my own role here."
"Your own role," Rachel snorted. "You haven't even gotten a rank yet."
"Soon enough."
Rachel raised her eyebrow.
"Don't get me wrong. You certainly took charge back home, but does that really mean you can fight with a sword?"
Audrey smiled, giving all warriors assembled different feelings and reactions.
"Your aura is certainly…. something."
They turned.
"Hello. Dietrich, was it?"
The former heiress hid her nervousness well. But Audrey knew how to reach people and could sense it beneath her exterior.
"That's what my parents called me yes."
"Your parents. Some of the richest people in that ghetto, right," Nike said.
Dietrich thought her response over.
"They were. Yes. Now they're dead. No different from anyone else."
"Hmm. Well, you ended up helping us out, so I'm cool with you. But I gotta say. Your parents were the biggest parasites I've ever met. Like half the reason the rest of our lives were so shitty."
"Yes. They were…. terrible people. I won't deny that."
"Good. Glad you can acknowledge that. Because now you're one of us rich girl. No more lording it over us all from your fancy towers."
"I understand. I'm not looking for special treatment or to be put on a pedestal. Please treat me like any other warrior."
"Good," Nike continued. "I intend to."
"Attention! All new recruits! Your orientation has begun! This way please!"
Rachel met Audrey's eyes.
"Well, uh…. Good luck I guess."
"Luck is a poor companion. I'd rather you say, good sword arm."
"Uh… Sure. That works too."
….
Clarice gripped her sword with trembling sweaty fingertips as she stood against her opponent.
The girl had been told the sword would be lighter after the treatment. That it would feel right. Like a second arm.
She wasn't getting that feeling. It wasn't as heavy as when she'd tried it beforehand. but it was still difficult to swing. Her arm couldn't hold it straight out. It proved too heavy. Heavier than it seemed for her opponent who held it with confidence.
"Say. What's up with your hair," said opponent asked. "Why's it brown?"
Another thing she'd been told would happen that in fact did not. Rather than the pale absence of color her fellow warriors gained, she retained her brown hair.
"It's uh… special?"
Her opponent grinned and swung her sword. Clarice raised her own to meet it but found it knocked out of her hand.
She squealed in distress and ran for it but her opponent kicked her from behind and knocked her to the ground.
"Wait! Time out! Hold on!"
Her opponent didn't hold on however and planted a foot down upon her back, pinning her down.
"Let her back up," the instructor said.
She didn't though and pinned her down more. Clarice began to scream and tried to lift it off but couldn't.
"I said let her up, Undyne!"
The muscular girl grinned and lifted her foot up.
"Pathetic. How is someone like you gonna survive out there, where there's no one to save your ass?"
Clarice quickly rose to her feet. Her face red and on the brink of tears.
The rest of the day didn't go any better.
They engaged in laps around the perimeter of an inside track. She could see her fellow survivors of the city massacre running ahead of her. And where was she? In the back.
Well, behind the back to be frank. In the dust. Lagging way behind the second slowest. Panting and sweating.
One of the runners in the front looked over her shoulder. It looked like Dietrich. But she quickly faced forward again. If Clarice weren't struggling to breathe, she might have been able to tell for certain.
She ran into similar trouble again when they went on a hike with a frigging 200-pound sack on their backs. Apparently, this was child's play for the average claymore warrior. Not so for her though. The sack wasn't the heaviest thing in the world. But it was causing visible stress she didn't see on any of her compatriots.
Near the top, they were required to climb a rock wall with said sack on them. All of them eventually reached the top. All save her.
She reached about a quarter of the way to the top until her arms couldn't hold on anymore.
She gasped and tried to grab the wall but it was too late.
She woke up in a hospital bed with strange-looking doctors looking her over.
"Gotta say kid," one of them addressed her. "With a performance like that, I don't think you're cut out for this kind of life."
She didn't respond. Just placed her hands over her eyes to hide the flow of tears.
For how could she disagree with him?
….
"Fuck," Rachel said as she nursed her sore shoulder. "That was a rough week. I thought These upgrades would make it all a non-issue."
"There are limits to our strength," Anastasia pointed out. "If that strength was unlimited, there'd probably be no yoma to worry about."
"Gotta say, that strength seems uneven," Rachel pointed out. "Like I definitely saw some folks doing a lot better than us. Girls who seemed weaker. Any idea what's up with that?"
"Yeah. Like you Annie," Nike referred to Anastasia. "You seem the strongest in this room from what I saw. What's up with that?"
"It's the hatred that fuels them."
"Gah! Audrey! How'd you sneak up on us like that?"
"Practice stalking."
"Stalking who exactly?"
Audrey ignored that question.
"The way I understand it, the greater one's hatred for the yoma, the greater the strength embowed upon receiving their flesh."
"Wait," Nike interrupted. They put yoma flesh in us?"
"Yes, you numbskull," Rachel answered. "They told us this in the introduction speech. Weren't you listening?"
"Ha! No! Was anyone?"
"Geez. Maybe they should have an intelligence exam for warriors."
"Be nice, please" Anastasia asked her trying to dispel tensions.
"I agree," Audrey said. "We should have smarter fighters in our ranks."
Rachel flashed Nike a savage grin.
"But the determiner of physical strength is self-loathing. The yoma hurt us. Gained us the organization's attentions. Brought us into this life. It's natural we should hate them for this. Want to punish them for it."
The girls blinked.
"Ok. So… Don't follow."
"The greater the damage done by the yoma, the greater the hatred. The greater the self-loathing. The greater the power."
"Wait," Nike interrupted. "Are you saying Annie here is stronger because… What. The yoma hurt her more?"
"Essentially, yes."
"How is that possible," Nike almost yelled. "We were all in the city! We all witnessed the death and destruction!"
"But what did you lose? Or rather, who did you lose?"
Nike struggled to respond. A rarity for her. and a pleasant surprise for anyone within earshot.
"Who did you lose? Friends in the orphanage? The staff? People you met on the street? Who did you lose that really mattered to you?"
Rachel and Nike stared at each other. Struggling for an answer.
"From what I can tell, that city held few good memories for you. Few people you truly cared for. Were you truly sad to see them go?"
They… weren't. Not all that much truth be told. Their parents had died young and no one they met since then had filled a similarly valuable role.
"Anastasia by contrast lost someone very dear to her. The girls she'd trusted herself to watch after. Fellow orphans. Most of them were devoured before her very eyes. Her hate for the creatures that we are destined to fight burns fierce and true. and with that, she will always bear a greater innate strength than most here."
Audrey didn't miss the glare sent Anastasia's way. Or the blush on her cheeks.
"Of course, that doesn't mean you cannot be equal in skill. She simply has a starting advantage."
"What about you," Rachel asked. "You seem pretty strong. How many people did the yoma make you lose?"
"Everyone."
And with that single word, she turned and left the quarters.
"Nice," Nike snarked. "Remind me who's the numbskull again?"
….
Dietrich panted as she swung her sword at the training dummy. It couldn't fight back of course, but this wasn't a test of swordplay. Rather of balance.
The purpose was to get acquainted with the new extension of her arm. To see how fast she could swing it without falling over.
The training sword she'd used while she was human had proved inadequate to prepare her for the real thing.
It didn't make sense to her. she'd trained with a relatively heavy weapon that should have acted as a good introduction to the weapon she bore now.
Yet, something didn't work. Didn't click. Even as the sword swung faster than it ever could have with a mere human, she could tell it was off. That it wasn't as fast as it could have been.
Then again, she was starting off. A rookie. Maybe with time she'd get it down?
On the other hand, she saw others practicing. Swinging faster. Surely, they couldn't have all had training, could they?
"If you become one of them and I find you getting your ass kicked by some nobodies, I'll find you and- "
She pulled herself back to reality. Her father was dead. eaten by yoma.
And apart from the initial shock, she didn't feel too bad. Honestly, she felt a burden lifted from her shoulders.
And she owed it all to the yoma.
Ironic.
"How do you feel?"
She wasn't surprised to hear someone from behind her. She had sensed her presence. Or rather her… Yoki. Was that what they called it?
It would take some time before she could say that without giggling.
She turned around to a familiar face. Cynthia. One of the warriors who'd brought her here from her ruined home.
"How do I feel," she repeated the question. "Frustrated. Like I'm not getting it right."
"Well, you did just start out."
"So did they," Dietrich gestured to others swinging their swords faster.
"Hmm. I spoke to them actually. Asked how they were feeling. They all said the same thing. Angry."
"Angry? So, it's anger that fuels them."
"Yes. All these girls lost their entire family. They told me how it tears at them. The feeling of powerlessness. How they yearn to give it back to the monsters who took it all from them."
Cynthia stepped closer.
"But something tells me that's not how you feel."
Damn that friendly look.
"No. I don't have fond memories of my family."
"So, their death was almost a relief?"
"…. Yes."
"I see. Well generally angrier children get a bigger strength boost from the treatment."
"So, I should be angrier?"
Cynthia looked concerned for a moment. Wondering how to proceed. As if her next words could do irreparable damage.
"Do you remember Priscilla?"
Dietrich blinked in confusion, indicating no.
"She was the woman who met you on the shuttle ride from your home. the one who nearly lost control."
Oh right. the utter lunatic.
"She's our number one."
Dietrich's eyes raised a little. That was… concerning.
"Her anger and hatred to the yoma is so great, it overrides her common sense. She gained great strength, but at the cost of her- Forgive me- Sanity."
"You're a single digit, aren't you? And you seem healthy."
Cynthia smiled sadly.
"I'm the exception, not the rule sadly. Most with great power sacrifice their well-being. Give it all to the cause. and die early. Many of my friends learned that the hard way."
Her voice cracked a little at that last bit.
"That's why I ask that you not push yourself too hard. Not to that extreme. That you not sacrifice your own health and well-being. No matter what anyone else tell you."
Dietrich saw her father at that moment, telling her the exact opposite. His sneering face demanding she think of the family's greatness. That she put everything else second.
"You're a person first and foremost. I don't want you to forget that. Too many of us do."
….
"Samus. Can you pat my head again?"
Clarice stared at the woman before her, having a hard time believing she was witnessing the strongest warrior in the organization.
"Yes. Like that. Just like that. No. Harder. Harder."
Clarice suddenly wondered if she should even be here, listening to this.
"No. No don't go. don't leave me. Don't let me die!"
Yeah. Definitely time to go. She turned about ready to leave when another hand grabbed hers.
"Don't leave me. Please papa. Please."
She wasn't sure if it was the fear of having her lungs ripped out or that teary face that moved her to obey. Either way, she froze to the spot as the strongest thing she'd ever seen held her hand and bewitched her with puppy eyes.
"I'll do better. I promise. I'll be kind. Just don't leave me again."
The woman then- Goddess, was she losing her mind- Rubbed her head against her hand like a dog begging for attention.
She quickly decided this woman should not be a warrior in any capacity. She shouldn't even be allowed within a mile of any kind of weapon.
"How strange. She's actually showing some level of calm. She hasn't seemed this at ease since… How'd you do it?"
Clarice whipped around to face a man with glasses.
"At ease since what sir?"
"Rubel, girlie. At ease since the death of someone dear to her. It happens when continually faced with life and death scenarios. Connections and attachments form. They become a part of their very identity. When they lose that part, the results aren't pretty. They sometimes go quite mad. And she was already somewhat over the edge."
Clarice looked at the girl rubbing her hand.
"It seems she's already bonded with someone new. No idea why. You're nothing like the woman she once relied upon. In any case, you're in a tricky position. I don't envy you."
His grin made her skin crawl.
….
"So, what do you think of this latest batch," Sid asked Rubel.
"Not impressed, Truth be told. Though, I suppose that's more because the federation insists on these ridiculous safety measures. Previous generations didn't require so much hand-holding."
"Wouldn't you support this then, if it really makes weaker warriors?"
Rubel grinned.
"Oh, yes. The organization is definitely on the decline. This deal with the federation is an act of desperation. But you'll still need a reliable work army to combat the yoma when they fall."
"And how do you recommend we do that again," Galk questioned.
"Top ranked soldiers indeed," Rubel sighed. "I told you. Get close with the members themselves. Build up doubts. But also give them an opportunity to work with other kinds of weapons. Basically, do the work of a good grunt."
"I don't like your attitude, old man."
Rubel smiled mockingly.
"Apologies. I'm used to dealing with claymores. But I suppose you need softer words."
Rubel snapped his fingers.
"Oh right. You're supposed to be undergoing special tests soon, correct? To put you on equal level with our warriors?"
Sid and Galk looked each other in the eye.
"Yep. Top soldiers and all that. A way to give us men fancy powers as well."
"Why the long faces then? You're being given a great honor!"
"There's no guarantee it'll work. We could awaken. Explode into bloody bits. Who the hell knows? I prefer good old-fashioned machines and guns personally."
"I agree," Galk added. "At least, they remain out of one's own body."
"Hmm. Can't say I see the appeal," Rubel said looking through glass at one of said weapons in development.
"Whatever I think of our warriors, at least they're flesh and blood. These… robots are something else."
In the room through the glass, engineers gave birth to new life. Dangerous life. Unnatural life.
"EMMI prototype test 3, commence!"
A red eye opened.
Beep! Chirp!